With apologies, I am behind once again. I have not yet finished reading Friday's comments, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to chime in this weekend. I will try to post another scent of the day on Monday, but if I can't, I'll be back Tuesday.
Meanwhile, our standard lazy weekend open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, what you're hoping to see on fragrance counters in 2019, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image (a repeat from a late 2017 poll) is Last minutes [cropped] by Marco Verch at flickr; some rights reserved.
Hoping to see 3000 less new releases in 2019 on the fragrance counters.
Wore a dab of vintage Chloe extrait on my hand last night ..not only did it take me back decades to when I wore it but also brought to light that affordable perfumes from yesteryears were stunning….and on that note another day with Casablanca.
ehkm… sadly we all know it’s not gonna happen (the drastic drop of launches)
I know ??
I have often marveled at just how good even drugstore perfumes were back in the 1970s and 1980s. There were, of course, far fewer releases. I’ve seen the number put at something like 200 releases per year in the 1990s; in contrast I read something recently (I don’t remember where) that there have been about 2700 new perfume releases this year. I can’t verify either of these numbers, but they seem about right.
I looked this up once… The numbers were definitely below 100 and possibly below 50. Now I think it’s over 3K per year.
And yes… even the drugstore perfumes were magical… I wore many back in the day.
Oh my! Last weekend this year… Are you guys doing anything interesting on the New Year’s Eve? My mom has to be on duty at the hospital on that day so we’ll just sit together with my father, watch TV and have some drinks.
My favorite perfumes of 2018 list is now finished and will be up on the blog tomorrow. Hope you’ll be interested to stop by and see what’s on it.
Today I’m in D600 by Carner Barcelona.
I will be sleeping
You smell great
Looking forward to your list
Probably best way to celebrate New Year – just don’t care!
It’s more like I can’t stay awake LOL!
We have a small trip planned for NYE. I find that doing something for New Year’s helps to alleviate the post-Christmas doldrums.
I will be working that night and the next morning, dont mind, except for having to drive home that night.
At home with my family. We will not do anything especial. We will watch some movies and wait for the New Year to ring up!
Looking forward to your 2018 list.
Having a small gathering of friends at our house. My favorite way to ring in the new year.
Could you please remind me of how to find your blog? I’d like to read your list! thanks.
Click on his name and it should take you there.
At home listening to soft music and probably drinking a jumbo mug of chai tea. If I’m ambitious, black eyed pea and kale soup will be in the slow cooker.
No parties or outings for me. We are thinking of a special treat for NYE dinner though, like maybe jumbo shrimp with a good beer to wash them down. Weather is supposed to be not very good for fireworks again this year: rain predicted.
Today felt like a good day for Teint de Neige (really cold where I am, some snow falling), so that is what I have on!
I wore Teint de Neige the first day it snowed. Fitting!
I’m in Fils de Dieu again. Very happy fragrance, if perfumes can be categorized as such.
We are headed north to Tillamook today. Nasty drizzly gusty weather, but it’s winter in Oregon and it’s better than snow!
If anyone finds their holiday good cheer waning (or if you never had it in the first place!), I give you this. Pretty sure this will put a smile on your face! Go into the weekend in the best of spirits, friends! ?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Br1TPAcFlYG/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1f6kytcmyxbxy
Okay, that video made my entire morning – thank you!
Mission accomplished! ?
Do not miss the cheese factory! Their ice cream ? is also great.
Oooh, seconding this!
Stopped at Blue Heron French Cheese Company because they offer free camping. They meet, and have exceeded, all my cheese needs for tonight, but I will be trying some ice cream tomorrow from Tillamook Creamery ?
Fils de Dieu was my most worn scent this year. Great stuff
I can see why. Very easy to wear but not boring. Unusual but easy- a tricky combination??
Hysterical. Thanks for that ???
You’re welcome!
Hilarious video – I needed that this morning!
Happy to oblige! ?
Super cute??
Aren’t they adorable?!? I’m not into froofy dogs that need professional grooming, but sometime before I die I will have a Pomeranian with a teddy bear cut?
My neighbour across the hall has a Pom – he’s been looking very sharp lately in his argyle sweater! Thanks for the link… hilarious!
I bet he’s just adorable in that sweater?
I have a foofy dog that is super low maintenance, no professional grooming required. Papillons rock!
I just recently saw your beautiful Mila over on Undina’s blog. She is absolutely ADORABLE! I hope Mila brings you much happiness! ?
She is naturally gorgeous.?
Thanks Deva, she is indeed adorable and brings me a lot of happiness.
ha! such cute doggos! thanx for sharing, Deva!
You’re welcome! I hope it made you smile ?
Thank you! How cheerful! The pomeranian reminds me of my dog Yei that is also a pom. It is so beautiful! ?
I love everything about Pomeranians- from their jaunty little trot to their bright button eyes. ?
Thank you for that video! I loved scrolling through. So cute.
Thanks for the insanely cute video link, Deva! I had to watch it twice yesterday.
I am sorry you are so busy and hope you get more free time soon, Robin. I say if you need a ‘day off’ on Monday, take it.
As planned, today I started testing some rose oud perfumes. Since three of them are in identical vials and four of them are in identical atomizers, I decided to have some fun with blind testing. Well, it was a semi-blind testing, since I studied their notes in advance and a couple of days ago I quickly sniffed the three scents in the vials (without applying them): Laboratorio Olfattivo Rosamunda, Dior Oud Ispahan and Lancome Oud Bouquet Eau de Parfum. When I smelled them from the vials, I thought how different they were: Rosamunda – rose, no oud, Oud Ispahan – dry woods, Oud Bouquet – gourmand oud. Today I dabbed all three on my skin without looking at the labels and tried to guess which is which. This is what I got:
1. Starts as sweet, jammy rose, which gets even sweeter. The scent is very gourmand at this point – rose confectionery with oriental woody aspects. Oud emerges later, gets stronger but never becomes as dominant as oud in Montale scents. Overall impression: a mouth-watering gourmand with rose and oud. Smells like candy or cake but in an appealing way. Maybe a bit too sweet for me (not for summer for sure!), but I could quite enjoy it when I am in the right mood. Dry-down is kind of generic though – dry woody notes and sweetness, then just warm woody notes – pleasant but not distinctive. My guess: Oud Bouquet (because it smelled sweet from the vial and has praline note).
2. I can detect no oud in this one! Starts as a pure realistic rose, fresh and lovely. After the first minute, an earthy, woody note joins the rose. At some point the scent gets colder, and I am pretty sure I can recognize patchouli. Then the scent becomes warmer, more ‘oriental’. After five – ten minutes, something vaguely resembling oud appears, but it is more like a pale shadow of oud. Sadly, at this point the scent kind of fades – it smells more synthetic and becomes very weak. About 15 minutes after application, I can only smell a bit of rose and patchouli. Of course I only dabbed a little, and it’s possible that with 3-4 good sprays this scent would perform OK. Scent No. 1 still stays strong though. My guess: Rosamunda (because it smelled very rosy from the vial, and rose and patchouli are the strongest notes according to Fragrantica’s users).
3. Blind testing failed here, because I accidentally saw the label. But I was pretty sure that it was Oud Ispahan anyway (because I think I identified the previous two correctly). From the vial it smelled dry and woody. On skin it smells dry, warm, spicy and animalic. I detect no rose or anything floral at all. Animalic leather, dry woods and spices. It seems to be a linear scent – it gets a little drier and sharper later, but no drastic changes. This is interesting and not what I expected. I am intrigued and definitely want to give it another go. It also has an above average longevity.
After writing these mini reviews, I checked the labels. My guesses were correct: 1 – Oud Bouquet Eau de Parfum, 2 – Rosamunda. And 3 was Oud Ispahan, but I already knew it. All three scents were so different that it was very easy to guess their names.
To be continued (maybe tomorrow but more likley after the New Year’s Eve).
I take back my earlier comment on Oud Bouquet’s dry-down. My wrist where I dabbed it suddenly began smelling strongly of saffron. And I still get a lot of it (3-4 hours after application).
Thank you for sharing all of this Glannys! I love your enthusiasm and detail! So …. just curious…..do you think you like any of them well enough to purchase either a decent sized decant or a FB?
Please report!
Thanks you, AngelaB.
Oud Bouquet is a bit tempting – a decant would be nice. But I always sample at least twice before buying and I cannot say I feel like I need to buy any of those three right now.
Today I tried two more: Rose Oud by Kilian and Giorgio Armani Rose d’Arabie.
4. Kilian reminded me of Aramis Calligraphy Rose – prominent sweet jammy rose with resins, woods and spices. Saffron was lovely but short-lived. To my nose, this is not a very oudy fragrance – it definitely has a strong woody note, but it is more like a blend of different oriental woods.
It’s a good scent, but I prefer my Aramis.
5. Giorgio Armani Rose d’Arabie is made in classic Eastern style. Both rose and oud are prominent, but rose is kind of sugary and oud is too strong. My first dislike. It gets better by the time of dry-down, but I still do not quite like something in it.
So far I have enjoyed all samples I tried except for Armani. Oud Bouquet EDP remains my favorite.
Thank you Glannys! I did get some relax time this morning.
Do you really read every comment in its entirety every day, Robin? I assumed you had some filters in place to alert you to anything you might need to look at. So impressive! And time-consuming! I feel a bit badly about the novels I’ve written here o.o
In my beloved Camel again. In 2019, I hope for my health goal-based no-buy to be lifted! But who knows, perhaps the no-buy will show me that I don’t need any new perfumes after all, and I’ll continue to buy nothing just as a matter of habit. (Ha. A girl can dream.)
Good news! You may recall my healthcare related rant a few days ago, when I had to find an online site to fax the healthcare providers a justification for my perfectly valid HSA spending. Looks like my appeal was accepted! There’s still an issue of potential double-charging that I will have to call them about, but baby steps, I guess. Thanks to everyone for your moral support with respect to my frustrations with our healthcare system!
Why does the medical industry still use faxes? They need to get with it.
GOOD QUESTION. My other alternative was snail mail.
I’ve learned that faxing is definitely still a thing as I’ve dealt with my patents’ financial stuff. It is considered more secure than email. The good news is that today there are apps that allow you to fax without a machine. I’ve found that a lifesaver.
LizzieB mentioned the reason I was told about why faxes are still a thing for certain important/sensitive paperwork: security.
Congratulations!
Thank you!!
That’s great. Glad it worked out in your favor.
Thanks, sistine!
Yay you!
Ack! HSA spending. I almost told my husband not even to sign up for a HSA this year due to the crazy justification they needed for perfectly valid charges. What a waste of time! I’m so glad you got it worked out!
UGH I know, right? I was wondering that myself as I was signing up. This was my first experience with it; if it continues to be awful, I might just let my funds die out.
I do not read every single word of every single comment, but I do at least skim them — and I do think it’s worth doing, no need to feel bad about it! I am sure I miss things even with skimming. Meanwhile, write all the novels you like
Congratulations Koyel, on your HSA appeal getting accepted!
Thank you, Jalapeno
I’m off work until the 2nd, with no particular plans other than getting all the wrapping paraphernalia put back in the garage. Our “kids” (very much grownups) are coming over for a belated Christmas dinner tonight and Mr. G is making a roast for the occasion. But meanwhile, I am sampling Hermès Doblis and wishing I had a time machine to go back and buy every bottle of it ever made. ❤️❤️❤️ Do any of you know of a similar fragrance that’s more available now?
Maybe Skive?
I looked up the notes for Skive and it sounds right up my usual leather alley (and is going on my to-try list), but Doblis is more of a floral leather and less cedar/incense/spices. Coincidentally, I was reading Grain de Musc’s 2018 favorites earlier today, and she lists Memo Moroccan Leather as a “proper old-school floral leather” — if not too indolic, that might be close to what Doblis is on my skin.
I’ve never smelled Doblis, but Skive is awesome if you like leather!
I’m wearing Cristalle today though I usually only wear it in spring and summer. I’m pulling out all my mossiest oakmosses in defiance of the oakmoss ban that is the culprit behind the discontinuation of my dearly beloved Shangri La.
I think Cristalle is wonderful in winter. I wore it several times in December. You smell great!
Is this the cause? I was worried about that. So sad.
I miss the original Cristalle which had oakmoss in it. I tried the reform several years ago and it just wasn’t the same.
Do you know when exactly this reformulation happened? My bottle’s production date is 2014-11 and oakmoss is listed.
Not sure but I definitely noticed a difference from the late 70s bottle I had and what I sampled in the department store..perhaps it has undergone multi reformulations? All I know is that when I wore it in the 1970s and 1980s it was richer and deeper…now it is mostly citrus on my skin…still lovely but just not the same.
Maybe they just added less and less oak moss over the years. This current bottle I have does smell slightly more citrussy than the previous (and and even older decant I had was even mossier!), but I thought that the old one went a bit off. I guess I like the citrus part most.
Glannys- curiosity got the better of me! according to what appears to be a very reputable site it was reformulated in 1993. Mossier is what I remember it being from what I tried much later on which was more citrus as you noted.
and no 5 was reformulated three times!!! Plus there were many Chanels that were discontinued that were still around in the 1960s that I had not even heard of (no 11, no 20, no 21, no 55)
and I guess because of the oakmoss for me Cristalle was always a winter scent…to be worn when it was cold and snowing in my youth in NYC.
Wow, thanks a lot for the information, cm8. Interesting. All Cristalle bottles I tried were differently made in the 21st century. The vintage version must be super mossy!
differently = definitely
The vintage was gorgeous..yes, mossy but very sparkling at the top….and it had oomph and lasted for quite a while even on my skin…
in case anyone is interested-
https://chanelperfumebottles.blogspot.com/p/the-perfumes-of-chanel.html
So interesting! Thank you for the link!
+1!!!!!!
I’ve got all the stuff from my Christmas Eve Freebiemeet boxed up and ready to ship, so anyone who claimed something can expect a package this coming week. I have also made up my mind to do something about my oversupply of samples. I like to say I don’t make resolutions, but I do make plans. Therefore, I am planning to go through as many of my samples as I can, evaluate them, take notes, and then give away those I don’t like well enough to use up.
Thank you again for your Christmas Eve freebies! I’m so excited to own a bottle of 10 Corso Como.
I should really do the same with my samples. They are out of control, and I’ve gotten tired of finishing off samples of scents that are just ok.
I am giving them away bt the bagful as they are taking over my house.
Thank you for the generous freebies 50_Roses!
After a preliminary assessment, it appears that the sample situation is not quite as dire as I had feared. I do have a lot of samples, but perhaps not as many as I thought. Of course, I did toss quite a few that had evaporated. The real problem is that they are scattered all over in various locations. I need to consolidate them and start going through them.
Today I’m wearing Elixir des Merveilles, and smelling great! I would like to have a perfect orange-clove pomander scent. Any suggestions?
That’s what Orange Sanguine smells like to me.
You smell lovely calypso!
Why, thank you!
i Profumi di Firenze Spezie dè Medici is close, but clove + mixed spice, and also, possibly reformulated by now.
SOTD Felanilla, from a decant. I like this more and more. SOTE is Theo Fennel.
Cooked an amazing root veggie korma from parsnips, carrots und cauliflower, following a recipe from my beloved Nigel Slater. This was sooo good, and not complicated! Boyfriend ate two plates of this. And i have leftovers to freeze and take to work. We dont have a canteen or shops nearby, so leftovers are essential.
That sounds like an amazing korma. Yum yum!
Felanilla strikes again! ?
Thank you for the recipe suggestion! Always looking for good plant based main dishes.
Came back home to samples that I’d ordered before vacation. Happily wearing Soivohle Windowpane, a fairly classic smelling rose iris scent that I’ll be buying a small bottle of next year
Nice thing to come home to!
I’m wearing Nick’s Sunflower from EB Florals. I finally was able to go to yoga today after two weeks away – wow, do I feel better about life!
Have a wonderful relaxing weekend.
I need to do that too!
Crossing from Ottawa to Cleveland today in the last few drops of Shalimar Eau Legere from a decant from an incredibly generous NSTer. I keep getting gorgeous whiffs of myself.
Last time I took a longish trip I neglected to being any Shalimar with me and was kicking myself for doing so. Never again!
They should sell it in a travel holster so you can attach it to your person
Working today. Took the tree down yesterday. Sotd is Cuir Amethyst. I’m really glad I gave this a second chance, now it’s one of my favorites.
You are reminding me that the tree battle will begin soon… I want it down New Year’s. My husband delays as long as possible. It’s an annual battle. He usually wins.
I am in the delay camp! Mid January unless it starts to really dry up before then.
Keeping a live Xmas tree up until mid January requires some skills to keep it looking nice! Color me impressed.
Can really only be done if you get a good Frasier fir or the like. Anything else will have lost too many needles…
I finally managed to get to the Hermes boutique when they weren’t closed. I’m wearing Rose Ikebana on one arm and Myrrhe Elgantine on the other. From ME I get a rose soliflore while with ikebana I’m getting Sur Le Nil? I’ll have to try them side by side tomorrow.
I hope you at least pressed your nose up to the glass, when they were closed!?
Absolutely! They have the perfume conveniently displayed right by the front door where I can see them.
I ❤️this comment, lillyjo!
Very rosey today:
Yardley English Rose for morning and vintage EL Knowing for afternoon. Me Satisfied.
How is the Yardley English Rose?
It’s a neutral, dry, geranium-ish rose. Not sweet at all, and the underlying musk makes it somewhat ‘plush’ if you know what I mean. It wears close to the skin, with 3-4 hours longevity. I get a lot of alcohol at first, mainly because I do 5-6 sprays
and because my bottle is quite old.
I think English Rose has been re-re-reformulated quite recently (it’s as old as the hills). The juice in my bottle is pale pink, whereas the stuff you see at B**ts now is way darker. It smells a lot sweeter, too.
yes, it has been reformulated many times over….as has Yardley’s English Lavender which was a favorite of mine many many years ago.
Wearing a couple sprays of vintage Raffinee for a walk in the snow. Just got back to watch some more Ozark on Netflix.
Happy Saturday everyone!
Happy Saturday! Don’t send me any snow!?⛄
I won’t. All I know is that I’m over the snow a!ready! It can go anytime..
Major jewelry and perfume reorganization project today, started first thing this morning, so I am still in my sweats. Going to shower now and put on some Or du Sérail.
i adore a good Saturday reorg project!
Yikes, I need to do that, too. Things were in control until the last round of meets, but now…not so much.
Exciting! Good luck! I desperately need to go through a jewelry reorg and reevaluation. Perfumes–the sample sea needs some taming
I just remembered all the other reorgs awaiting my return. Ughhhhh.
good luck!!!! Keep at it
You smell great!
Can we hire you to come reorganize us?
SotD = Wowilla body oil + coconut oil
Good morning, ahem, I mean good afternoon all you lazy weekenders! I had a good lie in this morning and am now procrastinating the Saturday chores.
Tauer’s new Wowilla body oil smells delicious. It’s very very vanilla, nicely balanced by a few other notes that keep it from smelling foody. Doesn’t smell like a cupcake at all, and that’s the way I like to wear vanilla. It’s potent so I added coconut oil to my skin too. Very nice combination.
Enjoy your day, people of the perfume! The world smells better because of you.
I am so, so sitting one my hands on this one. I have a bottle of home brewed vanilla oil sitting quietly in the pantry. It’s been there for several months. I also swapped for the rose and amber oils, so I have no business lemming after this one.
Lalalalalalalala………
look away! look away! hahahaha!
Nancy did you make the vanilla oil yourself?
Yes, I did! You inspired me, so thank you!
woot woot! diy is awesome!
YAY!!! Keep at it
and if you want to make your own amber body oil get Eden Botanicals 10 % Labdanum and add a few vanilla beans to that and let it marinate for months…it’s a thick , chewy amber with a bit of smoke but sweetness from the vanilla pods….I use it as an all over body moisturizer and the scent really lasts..plus it’s cheap as chips in comparison to other scented body oils.
Envious! I want to try it! But I’ll be like Nancyleandros and sit on my hands while making my own body oils.
I went through four (I think) bottles of the spectacular Rose Delight oil. Yum yum yum, so wonderful. I can smell it even now. The amber one, though, was bit much for me. In retrospect, I should’ve diluted it in a carrier, but I wasn’t sufficiently creative with body products at the time.
this is my first experience with Tauer perfume oil and i am so impressed! I’ve finally reached an age and stage in my life when I do like to use more moisturizers all over my skin, and this one is just fantastic. I do like it more with the added coconut oil, it is strong vanilla at the start, but after an hour or so it mellows beautifully.
Good to know! Let me know if you try the other ones for a comparitive opinion
will do! and I added some laddm to my arms this afternoon, it’s heavenly with the Wowilla oil
It is cold and Traversee du Bosphore is perfect!
Indeed it is
Ending the evening in Cuir de Russie EDT after the Chanel conversation above I was inspired
Busy day today. I spent the morning and part of the afternoon visiting some of the residents and staff at the hospice/nursing home where my father stayed his last days. Thanks to the great generosity of Flopper, I brought to Mrs. Davis, one of the residents, the very beautiful bottle of Rose All Daé perfume that she recently offered as a freebie. She also received a wonderful rose-sandalwood essential oil from CM8. She was very happy and grateful to receive those presents. Flopper and CM8 thank you so much for bringing smiles to someone today. It was very rewarding! Mrs. Davis always goes to the hospice area to visit patients and talk to family members. She is in her 80’s and a very adorable woman who has been living there for the past 5 years. She loves perfumes and finds them very uplifting in a place that sometimes she considers gray. I bring her some perfume samples and decants when I visit there a couple of times during the year. It is very comforting to bring a little happiness and share with people that sometimes feel lonely or are at the last stages of their lives. This year has been very tough and sad for me personally. Every day is a real challenge. However, when I have a day like today, tears don’t have much meaning and I am thankful for all that I have, including being part of such a wonderful community like NST!
SOTD Baccarat Rouge 540 and SOTE Hermes Ambre Marveilles (thanks again Flopper!)
Have a wonderful last weekend of 2018 everyone!
Wow, that’s so sweet. I’m so thankful for people like you, flopper, and CM8 for your generosity <3
I'm so sorry the year has been tough, and I'm glad you've gotten through it. I hope 2019 turns out to be a much better year for you!
Thank you Koyel. Happy New Year and let’s hope it will be a good one for everyone!
You are a beautiful soul. I wish you only the best for the new year.❤
The best for you too Lillyjo! ❤
You are a gem xxoo
?❤
Hang in there Pl67! It will get better. What you are doing is so meaningful and important.
Going back to those places where you offered solace & consolation gives you the same in return and the ability to heal. You bring a tear to my eye as I think of my own memories of this past year.
I am very happy that this made you feel better.Great job.
Thank you AngelaB. Hope next year is a better one for you. Hugs! ??
What a sweet thing to do, and a joint effort between you, flopper and cm8.
?
What a wonderfully touching post, perfumelover67! ??
Thank you Jalapeno! ?
I feel really uplifted to read about you’re visit and gifts, thank you for sharing, and I hope 2019 is a much easier and happier year for you. I will be very relieved to say good bye to 2018 too.
I am also relieved that 2018 is almost over. Let’s hope for a better new year and keep spreading the love for perfumes to others! ?
I had to check and see if I should buy a travel spray of Shangri La since it’s being discontinued. I wore that this afternoon, and I’m happy to report that it’s a strong like but not love. So I will just be happy to finish off my decant.
Going to my last Christmas get together, which is dinner at my aunt and uncle’s house. I’m trying to go into the night with a positive attitude, but it is often a challenge for my introverted boyfriend and I to go to their dinners. The food should be delicious though, and we’re taking a pecan pie that my friend baked for us (this is much better than either of us fumbling to make dessert). I think I’ll wear Ambre Russe, as it is one of my many decants that is evaporating.
Haha. My introverted boyfriend doesn’t do great in my house, where both of my parents really, really enjoy talking, and don’t seem to have a good grasp on the idea of introversion. My parents think he’s a bit rude, try as I might to explain that he’s just quiet, especially when other people keep dominating the conversation.
Hope your dinner goes well!
Get Susan Cain’s Quiet and read it for some great comebacks as to why we NEED introverts on this planet!!!! They contribute in their own unique way to the betterment of humankind….my eldest is an introvert (as am i) and it irks me to no end when folks judge us just because we aren’t as “chatty” as others.
GET THE BOOK
Some people seem to think there is something wrong with being an introvert. I’ve even had people tell me that I should “learn to be more extraverted”. I tell them I can no more learn to be an extravert then I can learn to have blue eyes (my eyes are brown).
You should not have to “learn” to be anything but your authentic self
BRAVA to cm8’s comment above. ❤️❤️
???
Here, here!
I read it when it came and out and second your suggestion. It’s a great book, especially in this day in age when extroverts are much more valued in western culture. Power to the Introverts! ?
???
I’ve had that book on my “Get This” list for a while now.
I bet you could find it at your local library.
You are motivating me to read it…it’s been eyeing me from the top of the stack on my nightstand.
I loved reading the NST Reader: Best of 2018 yesterday! I was trying out St. Clair Scents First Cut and Gardener’s Glove for the first time yesterday, which was probably the only new perfume from 2018 that I smelled… well, I guess I did sniff Twilly… anyway, Gardener’s Glove was the one I liked more of the two, so I’m looking forward giving it another go. On the other hand, my husband received a Penhaligon’s sampler (not from me if you can believe it!) and tried Halfeti. Ugh, I need to wash the sheets as now the room reeks of generic men’s cologne!!! Save me!! I thought the best of the sampler was Blenheim Bouquet, but DH thought it was too soapy. Ah well.
So fun to finally read the comments again! Happy New Year to all!
Oh no, are you serious?!?! I LOVE Halfeti and don’t get any generic men’s cologne from it at all! It’s this spectacular spicy rose on me; it’s on my list of bottles I’d like to buy! Noses and skin are so funny.
Aww, really? I got the beeeeeeautiful rose and spice for the first 10 minutes or so, but by the time DH hit the pillow the good stuff had all disappeared.
I wish it lasted on him like it does on you!!
Oh bummer, sorry to hear that! And sorry you had to wash the bedsheets.
I usually pick my sotd depending on what calls my name. Tonight though, I thought I would try and pick ahead of time. Jeeze Louise, I wanted to pick all of them! I went through and smelled all the ones I don’t wear enough, and I love them. Why don’t I wear them? I reconfigured my samples and decants to where I can see them ( or, really hear them calling) easier. I don’t know what I will wear tomorrow, but I know I will smell wonderful ?
? ‘ Or really hear them calling’ ??❤️?
This is why I reorganized my perfumes yesterday – they had gotten all crammed together and I couldn’t see what I had. And if I can’t see it, I won’t reach for it. Things are looking much better today.
Exactly! I had alot of decants in boxes for safe keeping, so I wasn’t reaching for them.
Just reviewed Le Maroc Pour Elle. I really didn’t like it and I am a huge Andy Tauer fan girl. It was too syrupy, the green part was too screeching. Cracked open my Jubilation 25 body lotion and remembered why I don’t wear Jubilation 25 often, it wears me instead of me wearing it. Found my Epic body butter for cheap on Beauty Encounter. Spent $69 instead of $130. I get to celebrate Christmas again tomorrow with my other grandma. Should I go with vintage NaV or go with Lyric? Shalimar is showing promise as a contender for SOTD for tomorrow.
Vintage NaV!
Did you mean BaV?
I like Maroc Pour Elle. I own Lonestar Memories, PHI, Incense Flash and Rose Flash. I keep meaning to buy it and then for some reason I hesitate. I think it is less complex then some other Tauer fragrances but does that make it less? I am curious and hope I am not coming across as argumentative. When I slide open the cover of my Tauer Discovery set, long used up, it is always the ghost of Maroc Pour Elle that floats out. I often just close my eyes in pleasure. So here is the real question. Am I in love with the ghost of a desiccated perfume sample or the actual perfume?
You are not being argumentative! Get another sample of Le Maroc pour Elle and see if it is truly a love.
Casablanca for another day of cleaning before eldest’s BF comes to the house. I may mix it up later with something else on my neck (Casablanca is a swipe on the wrist now that I have decanted it into a sampler vial).
OK so I mixed it up with Paprika Brasil on my shirt because I have been neglecting this beauty.
Also, if anyone is interested Australian Perfume Junkies has two great posts on best of 2018 and also on making New Years Resolutions. I will link the post if it’s OK with Robin (if not Robin just delete my comment)
https://australianperfumejunkies.com/2018/12/29/saturday-question-what-are-your-2018-9-resolutions/
and the Saturday question includes a draw
https://australianperfumejunkies.com/2018/12/28/portias-best-of-2018/
OMG! I just realized I don’t get e-mails with the APJ posts anymore! So I haven’t read it in goodness knows how many months
Well…if I didn’t realize I wasn’t getting them…I probably didn’t really miss them. Right?
APJ was hacked last year and Portia had to shut the blog down completely and start over again from scratch several months later. that is why you aren’t getting any more posts. so if you are interested you can sign up again. I did because I love the witty banter 24/7. During my many nights of insomnia there is always someone reading and chatting with me as the subscribers are from all parts of the world (Russia, Croatia, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc, etc). Plus I love the thematic posts (Saturday Question, SOTD, New Sniffs, Scent Diary and lots of draws of samples from Portia’s vast 1000+ bottles collection).
Oh yes, I do recall she got hacked. I think I forgot because Portia guest writes on Perfume Posse
APJ is such a special place, with so many friendly fragrance-lovers, I hope you’ll reconnect!
You have a point! Yeah, I think I’ll resubscribe
Hey cm8, thanks for the amber body oil recipe, I’ve made a note of it! ?
(Ran out of comments on the thread)
I had a feeling you would ?. If you decide to make it let me know how it comes out!!!
Sunday morning, phase two of perfume and jewelry reorganization! I am wearing Profumum Meringa today.
How did it go yesterday? Successfully, I hope?
What are you doing with the jewelry you’ve decided no longer suits you? I wasn’t sure if that was the kind of thing I could donate, and I certainly can’t see how I’d sell them on eBay without the original paperwork/boxes, even for nicer pieces :-/
I’m mostly done with the perfume and 2/3 done with the jewelry. I pass it on to family members to pick through (it is all silver or costume jewelry, no fine jewelry). You can certainly donate jewelry to thrift stores.
Good for you!
I’ve just got my mother as far as jewelry wearing family members go, and I feel awkward asking friends if they want used jewelry, but I’ll try thrift stores; thanks. I also couldn’t possibly get rid of any fine jewelry, but even costume jewelry often runs >$100, and I wish there were a way to get some of that money back!
I would do ebay for those type of pieces.
Cazaubon, I would loooove to peep in on your organization efforts. I know your collections are extensive, and it would be fascinating to witness the how and the what of the decisions you make. Wishing you the best of luck!
I know, right? It could be the reverse of one of those “What’s in my closet” features–“How I pick what will no longer be in my closet.”
This was strictly a repositioning exercise for a more visible, pleasant display, I did not get rid of anything.
No less intrigued. ?
Yay you for reorganizing! It seems like getting started is the hardest part.
In Flowerparty by Night from Yves Rocher, quite an obscure, all natural perfume, there is also a Flowerparty so this is a flanker, I’m enjoying it at home on a low key Sunday.
I don’t think I knew that one was all natural! Joining you in a low key Sunday.
In Old Spice Amber body spray today. Had my husband sniff it and asked him, “would you wear this?” He hesitated. Said it was nice, but… Hah! Granted, amber is not a note he gravitates to. But, he sssumed it was a chick scent until I revealed what he was actually smelling….
The introverted discussion above reminded me of what I miss being far away from family gatherings at holidays. As a kid, I loved just reading by myself or napping on the couch while hearing all the family voices and kitchen noises. There was always something comforting and safe about being there but not being in the midst of all the action. Like a warm blanket.
It was always wonderful when you woke up at night ( as a kid) and went into the kitchen and the adults were all still awake, chatting and sitting around , and you were allowed to stay up with them a bit longer and you’d be very quiet, hoping they would forget to send you back to bed …and tiredness made everything slightly fuzzy and soft focus
Yes, this! Those were my favourite moments as a kid.
Cold and sunny today, thank goodness for the sun, because it melted the ice we got last night. I’m smelling wonderful in Amber Nuit.?
Keep warm. I love winter sunshine and those cold clear days.
Lillyjo we had snow this morning and I thought of you and pl67 as we are the anti ❄️?️?️ folks!
Anti snow and ice! I’ve been lucky this December, but usually that means a crap January/February, so my guard is not down! Lol
Let’s hope not!???
Hoping that your string of mild weather continues into January, lillyjo! No snow in my forecast for the next week…
A muggy Monday morning wearing La Vierge de Fer which smells like lily-scented sun tan lotion. Last day of 2018 and some of my highlights were rather random, unplanned things: the stranger on the bus who talked about his memories of the smell of rye grass, the Kendrick Lamar concert in the dead of winter and the freezing walk home through the cemetery under brilliant stars, foraging for blackberries up on the hill during my dog walks, a session with a perfume maker at a writers festival where we talked about creativity, the bird calls in the cemetery…small pleasures i guess. And NST for companions. Happy New Year! I will be up late, waiting until my son gets home from a NY party., his first When he was born things went bad and I ended up having a caesarean…I was asked (jokingly) if I wanted him to be the last baby born in 2001 or the first of 2002. I said I didn’t care as long as I didn’t die ( I was kind of over it by then). Next day a reporter and photographer turned up because it turned out he was the first baby born in Germany… 9’seconds past midnight.
Great post, Kanuka. I’m inspired to think beyond major accomplishments or setbacks of 2018 and to acknowledge some of the sweet and random pleasures that life offered during the year. Happy birthday to your son, and happy new year to you!
It’s like a string of individual beads and stones collected over a period of time rather than a big diamond pendant
Beautifully put. ?
I love the birth of your son story. Happy 17th to him.
Great story about your son! Interesting you wore La Vierge de Fer because I just tried that one yesterday. I was in a shop with a very impressive SL display, all in the big new bottles, and browsing to find one I wasn’t familiar with. That was the one! I sprayed it on one hand and liked it quite a lot. I did get the metal and incense. Not sure I need a bottle, but it’s an appealingly unusual one, I thought.
I think the floral comes through far more strongly in summer heat than in winter cold. When I’ve worn this in June it is not as full or rich but has that silver metallic edge …same with bas de soie. Did you try the Participle one? Any good? I have been so tempted by all your mentions of Moth. It sounds so wonderful.
I think we are the only two people who bought La Vierge de Fer here, it got such terrible reviews, but it’s lovely in the summer heat. Happy birthday to your son! Funny story about him being the first baby of 2002.
As for the highlights of 2018, I agree with you that it’s more like a string of pearls or stones rather than a big diamond pendant. There are beautiful moments that stick in your mind.
I’m one of the introvert folks. I love my friends dearly, but Christmas at their house always means I come home and want solitude. They have 2 yapping dogs that they keep shouting at, a parrot who rings a bell when he wants attention (all the time), both are a bit deaf and have the television sound up high, and they invite lots of people to Christmas dinner. At the end of the day I’m so tired. On the other hand, I’m certain when they visit me they find it oppressively silent and quite dull.
I’m wearing Homage this morning. It’s cold outside but sunny, and I’m thinking of taking down the outdoor tree, though it’s so pretty at night I might leave it up until Tuesday.
This is why I kept Christmas low key this year.
It’s also interesting that several of us identify ourselves as introverts. I think there’s a lot more of us than most folks would assume.
NST Is our social fix!
Yes!
I think people underestimate the percentage of introverts because we are quiet and don’t draw a lot of attention to ourselves. There is also a lot of misunderstanding of what it means. It doesn’t mean I hate people, or that I’m totally antisocial, or that I don’t enjoy a good conversation. What it does mean is that I prefer to take people in small numbers, preferable one or two at a time. I enjoy conversation if there is something to talk about–a subject that I actually enjoy and am interested in. Mere small talk is tiresome. I don’t do well in large group conversations. I can enjoy a larger gathering on occasion, but only for a certain length of time, and then I need some alone time to recharge. Even then, I prefer to find one person at a time to talk to rather than to be in the middle of a large group, or to try to mingle. I would rather have an interesting conversation with one person for 30 minutes than talk to ten different people for 3 minutes each. The larger or noisier the gathering, the faster I run out of energy.
Beautifully put.
Really? I think it’s funny and surprising when I find extroverted people. Maybe it’s because I’m a scientist, and there are more of us in the sciences.
I find it difficult to relax at social events/dinners when people are moving around all the time, or rearranging furniture and going through kitchen drawers. I just want everyone to sit still and stay put. There’s also that feeling of being trapped and your body goes rigid as you try to smile and engage in conversation while inside you are frantically counting down the clock until you can leave. I think my love of trees is related to the fact they are big but don’t move and are quiet but seem to bear witness and contain so much life. I would come back as a tree in my next life . Happy New Year!
I’m the one on the floor hanging out with the family pet, wishing I could be at home in my pyjamas with my dog.
Me too! My boyfriend sometimes has to remind me to interact with the humans.
Me three! ?
Oh geez, me four. I’m either playing with the critters or in the kitchen tidying up. Both give me something to do with my hands when I’m tongue tied, plus, people love it when you clean their kitchen.
I wish people would leave the lights and decorations up until at least New Year’s Day. Really, I would prefer that they leave them up until Epiphany, as that is actually the end of the 12 days of Christmas. It always seems to dark and dreary and sad when all the lights come down.
I do leave things up until then, for just that reason (but maybe partly also just due to procrastination, ha ha!).
We have the opposite problem because sunset is around 9.30pm and it doesn’t go dark until after ten so the christmas lights struggle to get the attention they deserve. I take the tree and lights down at the end of summer school holidays, at the start of February
In Montreal, it is common to leave holiday lights up until April, because they brighten up a dark dreary winter, and who wants to go outside and struggle to take them down at -20 on an icy roof?
My family used to leave the Christmas tree up until January 6. Since it was an artificial tree, it was fairly easy to do. Nowadays, though, some HOAs make it difficult for people to leave holiday lights out for an extended period of time.
I agree with leaving the decorations up until Epiphany! I begrudge taking down the tree and lights. I do leave our creche up for months, probably much longer than I should. I love driving through our neighborhood and seeing so many pretty lights!
That sounds EXHAUSTING. Hope you’re getting some much needed silence now! I feel like that whenever I leave my parents’ house. Anytime they think it’s getting too quiet, ON goes the TV news, whether or not they’re watching it. This morning, I caught my mother watching the news on her phone WHILE OTHER NEWS WAS PLAYING ON THE TV. I had to leave because I couldn’t handle two streams of digital sound playing at once and turned and ran.
It was exhausting. When I told them I was only staying from Christmas Eve afternoon to the afternoon of the 27th, my friend said “That’s not very long.” But 72 hours is all I can take. Plus, it just occurred to me that every surface and some of the floor is occupied with Christmas bears, reindeer, Nativity scenes, bells, glitter, garlands, and other sundry accoutrements of Christmas. There is no rest visually, either.
Hahaha ok there we differ. I’d be THRILLED about being in a place where every surface has been Christmified! That said, I’ve never spent 72 consecutive hours in such a setting, so maybe I don’t know how tiring that gets
You poor thing.
72 hours is a very long time if there is no opportunity for alone time to recharge. I couldn’t do it. The visual clutter would not bother me, but a constant drone of noise would wear me out. When we visit out of town family, we much prefer to stay in a hotel. That way, we can have down time (as well as our own bathroom!)
72 hours in a very stimulating environment sounds challenging and draining. Glad to hear that you are recharging your batteries at home now.
Day 2 of Project Oakmoss, and I chose Odalisque. I love this one everytime I wear it, but I think I understand now why I don’t choose it that often…it is a little too out there for work but when I have a chance to wear something bigger, I’m usually sampling or wearing something even farther out there like booming ambers or leathers, etc. I need more balance, methinks.
Team introvert as well! I think that’s why spending time with my in-laws is so draining – they’re all extroverts and expect the same kind of energy from me.
Started today in Eau des Merveilles and then switched to a sample of Iris Rebelle after yoga. It’s my first time trying Iris Rebelle – the carrot top notes were such a delight! I’m really digging it.
Quite a few of us in the introvert camp.
I find that I have to do a massive amount of sprays to really enjoy EdM…. luckily I have a full bottle! I will have to revisit Iris Rebelle as it seems to be getting a lot of love.
Also a member of Team Introvert! And have also recently tried and blogged about Iris Rebelle — I really liked it a lot. I’m on an iris kick these days, it seems. Just tried Iris Silver Mist for the first time — wow! Talk about carrot notes!
Another for team introvert!
Commando today as I’m enjoying the smell of briney seas and trees: fir, spruce, and pine to be exact.
Smell well, y’all! ✌?
Wow! I love what you are smelling!!!
I wish this was a perfume.
What you are smelling sounds very calming and centering. ??
So I opened the box of hope and despair, what I call my small box of samples. I last time I ordered samples was at the end of 2015. I have Cartier L’Heure Perdue on the left hand and Rubini Profumi Fundamental on the right. I am a great admirer of Matilde Laurent’s fragrances and have several Cartier’s in my perfume pile including Baiser Vole EDP and EDT. L’Heure Perdue is proudly advertised as being entirely synthetic. I think this can be off putting to consumers until one considers that the smell of vanilla we most associate with baking is vanilla flavoring, a synthetic construct. This is a very beautiful and soft heliotrope and vanilla perfume. It is out of my price range, otherwise I would consider purchasing it. Fundamental is entirely different. It smells of tangerine and beeswax and grapes only that grape note is hard to pin down. It vacillates wildly between sparkling lightness and the deeply funky. It is a profoundly interesting fragrance. A deep dive into the creation of Fundamental can be found at A Scent of Elegance dot com. Step two for me in this process is decanting my samples into spray bottles and then I will use up the rest of my decants on my person and we will see.
I had a great day today with my hubs, my brother and SIL. We went to aquarium, had lunch and shopped at a historic village. Then we walked around and froze, drank hot tea and had some awesome chocolate. SOTD was Fleur de Peau. I really like this one. It’s so pretty and easy to wear. Does anyone know if Diptyque comes in travel sizes and, if so, where can I find them?
I haven’t ever seen Diptyque in travel sizes, but I admit that I haven’t looked very hard, either. Maybe eBay has some?
Travel sizes are available at the Diptyque boutiques in limited scents. They are also included in GWPs. I found the boutique on Madison Ave. to be very personable and I’ve placed orders over the phone as they seem to have a different selection than on the website.
Great! Thanks!
I hope you’re having fun and enjoying your vacation!
Diptyque has a discovery set on their website and in their stores with 10 of their fragrances in 7.5 ml spray sizes.
Another self-identifying introvert here. I have taken the Myers Briggs test a couple of times and always come out on the “I” side. I have wondered though, if at times I could be considered an ambivert. Big noisy parties are NOT my thing, however. I either end up talking to a pet, or finding a small group of people I know who I can interact with.
SOTD = Bruno Fazzolari Unsettled, from the sample stash and an NST swap/freebie buddy. I got reminded to try it for the first time by a couple of folks mentioning it earlier in the week.
I prefer an intimate group as well. I usually end up cleaning up rather than socializing during large family gatherings.
It’s been ages since I’ve been to a family gathering (live far away from my relatives), so I am not sure what I would do. At least I’d no longer be sitting at the kids’ table. ?
Oh my God, you too with the kids’ table! We were still separating the adults (read seniors) from the kids until, sadly, the adult population dwindled down due to old age or disease!
And I prefer hanging out alone in my bathrobe all day with lots of tea ????
That’s always choice #1!
I’ve been inspired by many on here to do some decluttering and sorting today, and feeling a little brighter and more organised now, thanks NSTers!
Wearing Epic for a cosy evening in, Looking forward to a glass or two later, and catching up on the new drama of Les Miserables from last night.
Ooh, Epic! You smell great! My attempt at decluttering includes adding to a spreadsheet I created, to track my fragrances better. I am way behind on both fronts, though!