PSA: the next splitmeet will be held on Saturday the 26th.
Today, a poll for Kanuka, who would like to have a good list of forest perfumes. So tell us about any forest perfumes you love, and feel free to tell us about your favorite forests while you're at it.
Or, as always, just talk about something else.
Note: top image is Into the forest [cropped] by Pasi Mämmelä at flickr; some rights reserved.
Had another email from L’artisan. Looks like they’ve updated they’re sale page to make it clearer what is being discontinued. Just looks like it’s the 50ml sizes, the rest are just on offer for a limited time (Tuesday). Think they should have been a bit clearer in the first instance…
[ed note: shorter link]
https://bit.ly/2MvKj3h
Anyway spent the morning in Habit Rouge and post shower I’ve liberally doused myself in Safran Troublant – I have another on the way after all!
That is so annoying. Why don’t they discontinue the useless 100 ml? Hmph.
(Am also going to shorten your link)
Seriously!! I agree. I spent a good bit of time there as they had a fabulous deal on candles but the check out didn’t work correctly. After repeated attempts I just gave up.
Money saved. But thank you Bon H.
I wish they would bring back more of the 15 ml minis they once had. Those were my favorites.
Yes! Love those, still have tons of them.
So I haven’t been on in a while. Here I am. One post in, and I’ve already dinged my credit card. Oh, nst! How I both love and hate you!
I’m feeling myself in a cuddly mood since this morning so I decided that 1725 from Histoires de Parfums will be a good choice.
As to forest perfumes, I really liked Memo Russian Leather which makes me think of taiga. Another good one is Ineke Idyllwild or Forest Walk from SSS (not sure if it will be available again). And I recommend Eau Arborante trilogy from Les Liquides Imaginaires.
Oh, I hope they bring back Forest Walk!
It’s available.
Good, thanks LizzieB.
I agree with both of these. Love Forest Walk.
I second Idyllwild!
I’ve mentioned my admiration for it before, but Idyllwild was the first fragrance I thought of when you mentioned the forest theme: a walk in a sunny pine grove where, perhaps improbably, there’s a little patch of rhubarb growing wild.
Perhaps it’s more greenhouse than glade, but the other thing that popped into my head just now was Bowling Green, which I still miss sometimes. Pine boughs, cedar and juniper hedges, herbs and a border of small flowers. A tidy little green enclave for a city boy like me!
Or rather, when Robin mentioned the theme, I should say.
I just drained the last drop of my aged Forest Walk sample. Sun-warmed Ponderosa Pine needles on the forest floor. Nommm! I’m glad it’s still available.
I’m in Le Cri, from the last of a split decant. Bright and beautiful fragrance for a bright and beautiful day, probably the last truly warm day before cooler temps set in for good this fall.
Had a delightful breakfast here at home with some extended family members this morning. Experimented with a lacquered oven baked bacon recipe…..yum.
My favorite forest by far is Muir Woods. That place is peaceful, magical and majestic, and I would love to get back there soon.
You smell so pretty in Le Cri.
Thank you, Lucas!
I have not been to Muir Woods in eons. Beautiful place.
No forest for me, well…. wood comes from forests right? Just got myself the limited edition 30ml Tam dao. Also smelled Habitana for the first time after reading about it. Lovely smokey for fall and winter!
In the pretty color bottle? Lucky you!
Last one in the shop I think! And 30ml!! Less is more….
Habanita is gorgeous
I agree. I am afraid to buy it for fear that if I ever smell the vintage version i won’t like it anymore.
Or maybe I am just praying that they will reformulate it and return to a close approximation of the original.
So close so many times.
It sure is and I found 15ml for a steal!!
Commando right now as I just picked up a scented package after a short journey from Scotland and a much much longer circuitous journey within the FedEx black hole (tracking was excellent except the package was not where I wanted it to be). I will say more once I open the ? which looked beat up from its adventure.
Still no response from the new owner of Sonoma Scent Studio. ..I’m not concerned about not getting my order at some point but the lack of a response is concerning.
You know you’ve worn too much perfume when I can smell you from across the room at a Wendy’s. First of all, food smell. Second of all, the place is cavernous. Whatever she was wearing made me sneeze. She just got up to leave and wafted the stink around and I just had another round of sneezing. Oy vey!
I’m a bit late for the book recommendation. I just finished “Ice Cold Heart” in the Monkeewrench series set in Minneapolis, by P. J. Tracy, pseudonym for a mother and daughter duo. The mom died in 2016 and the daughter just kept on writing. It’s a police procedural. This is book number ten and the first book I read in the series; I had no issues with following the storyline even though there were a good number of references to previous incidents.
On the forest perfume front, I suggest Oriza Legrand Chypre Mousse and SSS Pacific Forest. I may add more once I survey my collection.
And finally, a fall treat!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3zoIe2BxV3/?igshid=vbpi9i1rw09t
Have a great weekend.
Those are some beautiful leaves.
They really are.
Thank you and thanks to Mother Nature!
I hope the treasures in your wandering package are intact! ??
Yes it was! I posted on IG and will link to it as I’m thinking of wearing it again tomorrow.
SOTM is Memo French Leather, from the discovery set. I like it, but it’s not love (and where’s the leather?). Will switch to something else post-shower.
Italian Leather from same house maybe? I adore it.
Italian Leather is my favorite from Memo (so yummy), and some days it’s my favorite leather fragrance overall.
Mine too, but I just ordered a travel size Tigers Nest. Wish they made Winter Palace in a travel size.
I wish they made the whole line in travel size! I’ve finally started trying their perfumes, and I have found two loves – Tiger’s Nest and Irish Leather. I am betting I will end up really liking more than those two, so I’d to have the option to buy any of them in 10ml. Surprisingly, Italian Leather is not for me. I think as much as I love tomato leaf, I don’t enjoy it with vanilla. It just didn’t smell harmonious to me, but I know it is one of the favorites here.
Well, clearly I need to try Tigers Nest! I think Irish Leather was one of the discovery set samples, but I can’t recall trying it offhand so maybe it wasn’t. Agree that all of the Memos need to be made available in travel sizes. A coffret would be nice too.
The most forested perfume I have is Nuit Etoilee Annick Goutal.
Second this.
Agree, especially in the edp.
Also agree ! What a beautiful forest scent
Solstice Scents Blackburn’s Parlor today and at the hairdresser.
I asked her opinion on my scent and she indirectly said it was nice but too sweet for her. ?
Notes are Vanilla Waffle Bowl, Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Creams, Sliced Bananas Smothered In Caramel Sauce & Topped With Whipped Cream….sweet indeed. ?
Too sweet? Sounds great.
The most gourmand note list ever!
Thanks to you & Hajusuuri I tried a few of the 5ml oil sizes. They have an incredible selection of very creative & unusual scents, even the names are cool.
Agree with Nuit Etoilée by Goutal. Would Encens Flamboyant from the same house, which has a nice pine note.
Bois d’Encens is essentially an incense perfume (and a great one) but it has plenty of wood as well.
The one that always springs to mind when anyone mentions forests and perfume, is Ormonde Woman. Suitable for witches as well
Yes! Ormonde Woman immediately sprang to my mind as well. And you’re right, it is a bit witchy.
? love this.
Wearing vintage L’heure Bleue extrait today. I do have a love for L’heure Bleue in extrait and in EDP form but they are so potent, they need to be dabbed. Going out to get some apples and some cider today. Maybe I can find double dipped chocolate covered peanuts in the process.
You are smelling great Dawn; I’ve never tried the extrait. I have the edp and even that’s a powerhouse.
Have fun picking apples; hope you find those peanuts!
Ineke Idyllwild is my favorite foresty scent, and it will be my SOTD after my post-workout shower!
Maybe Tom Fort Vert d’Encens as runner up?
You are wearing my fave–we are scent twins
I’m voting you with Idyllwild!
I’m in Lalique Flora Bella today, an impulse purchase while I was traveling. Only $26! It reminds me of other thrifty discontinued gem, Gold by Donna Karan, but with the Duchaufour signature heart rather than the salty lily.
That purchase started a wild week of purchasing, though. The very next shop I went to, I found some Bandit from 2000 (it’s easy to date the newer Bandit). Delicious!
Then I went to an event at the local Malle counter where a brand educator brought in lab samples of some of the ingredients of Rose & Cuir. Wow! I absolutely loved it, and guiltily bought a bottle.
Then last night…. Okay, I’m not ready to confess to that one yet! Have a great weekend.
Power to the perfume people! ✊
You are on a roll!
Haha, always! I’m celebrating this week, and hopefully calming down next week.
?
Glad to hear that you like Rose & Cuir, I’m still on the fence about it myself but did think it was original and distinctive. I’ve got a small decant of Florabella kindly sent to me by an NST’er. I didn’t link it at all to Gold but did sense a connection with Amarinthine.
I love every part of it, though the blackcurrent is a bit strident on fabric. I could smell that leather all day!
I never managed to smell Amaranthine, and pretend like it didn’t exist, for my own protection.
I appreciate your confession! I’m not alone!
SL Un Boise Vanille today.
I’m repeating here, but also SSS Forest Walk and Chypre Mousse spark a plethora of forest images in my brain. All damp green fecundity, bursting with life from start to finish.
One of my all time favorite vanillas…you smell great today!
Serge Lutens Fille en Aigille is the only forest scent I have, and I adore it. I was at a fume huffing meetup at the Perfume House in Portland several years ago, and one woman described her love for it in a narrative that included cross country skiing in a fir forest, returning to a cabin with an ever so slightly smoky fire in the fireplace, and tippling a wee drop of brandy. Needless to say, I went home with a bottle that day.
SOTD was Osmanthus Yunnan from a giant sample I got from Hermes in Paris. I splashed a puddle on each arm, knowing how ephemeral it is. And yep, as usual, after maybe an hour there us no trace left on my skin. I love this stuff, but will never buy any.
I find that Osmanthus Yunnan can have a little more staying power if sprayed on clothes and in the summer
I find OY lasts pretty long on my skin, enough to have a waft-effect of I’m hustling around. The orange/apricot whoosh of the top notes keep my finger on the atomizer, though.
I think I would like to find a more substantial osmanthus scent that is more earthy and warm, with a little suede and apricot. OY’s style is maybe too translucent for me.
You might want to try TDC Osmanthus. It has much better lasting power, though it is by no means a powerhouse. Same perfumer as well.
And the Parfum d’Empire!
One light forest-y fragrance that I have is Clinique Wrappings. Another forest possibility is Aromatics Elixir. Wrappings will be my sotd.
Its cool but clear outside, so today will be a good soup making day. Split pea and ham, then maybe French Onion if I get energetic.
Happy weekend all.
Split pea and ham, delicious. Yay for soup weather at last! I made chicken and wild rice soup in the crockpot today.
Chicken and wild rice soup sounds so good! We tend to live on different soups for dinners in the winter season.
We do too – soups are easy and can be filling
Awesome pick! I’m changing into Book which smells so much like Wrappings.
I’m planning on trying Fabulous today. I’ve been studying how to tell fake Tom Fords the past two days. A little overkill, perhaps, but maybe I can help someone like cazaubon did for me.
Lots of beautiful forests around here! Enchanted Forest needs to be unpacked. Looking forward to all the forest perfumes I can pine for. ?
Heh heh!
I love a good corny pun, ?
Did you purchase a fake without knowing? Sorry if so
Love Enchanted Forest.
My favorite forest scents are Ormonde Jayne Woman and SL Fille en Aiguilles.
Dasein Winter. I didn’t know I could love a mild (and mildly sweet) conifer perfume until I wore Winter in summer. Blue spruce, pine; black cardamom; French lavender.
Winter smells great year round, I agree!
You post reminds me of the Albert Camus quote – in the midst of winter, I learned that within me lay an invincible summer.
Winter or summer you smell great!
Good catch – I agree totally. I bought winter nights for the same reasons when it first appeared.
I can still smell yesterdays Le Mat by Mendittorosa so that is my SOTD
One review of this one said it was like Tutankhaman’s tomb of roses.
Speaking of Egypt, this year I will dress up with the little ones, and I will be Cleopatra.
My woody perfume recommendation is Timbuktu
I haven’t read too much buzzzz about the split meet..anyone splitting anything good?
The farmers market this morning only supplied me with 1 old german tomato, and I think that is the last of the season…
I finished a book called Sharp Objects, was not a good book to read at night while Mr L was traveling this week..
I just started La Chartreuse de Parme (The Charterhouse of Parma) while waiting for The Persian Boy from Renault at the library.
Has anyone read Demi Moore’s biography, Inside Out? I am in a long queue for that one at the library as well..
La Chartreuse de Parme is a brilliant book. I read it ages ago because I was so smitten with the brilliant tv-series (Italian) that was made of it in the eighties.
Great to hear! You are giving me some momentum ?
It’s not a very short book
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi2IzvWLhzU
No subtitles though.
Well, I am studying Italian so maybe the lack of subtitles will also give me momentum <3
I haven’t read the book, but I saw the miniseries adaptation with Amy Adams. Haunting stuff.
I haven’t seen that because I don’t have HBO
Timbuktu is lovely
SL Chêne today. A newer sample, I never smelled the original formulation, but I’m happy with what I’ve splashed on. Boozy and woody and a bit more masc than I would usually go for, perfect for a cold day of errands.
As for forest perfumes, I Be the Witch of the Wood from Sixteen92 was interesting. They’re a little more concerned with the witchy theme than the fragrances most of the time, but that one was the right balance of weird and wearable for me.
I love Chene! You smell great!
My perfect forest perfume is Slumberhouse Norne. I grew up in place packed with dense European forest and this is just the thing: conifers, foliage in different stages of decomposition, with a hint of bonfire, fresh earth. I have a bottle of it, and enjoy wearing it ,especially in autumn.
Other question: is anyone else reading the new Dark Materials book, The Secret Commonwealth? Rose oil from very special desert roses plays a big part in the story, so I have been spritzing myself with Hiram Green Lustre to keep the rose theme going.
Also, I just received a package from Hiram Green store, after it had been detained at Euro mail depot for containing dangerous good,s i.e perfumes. I got a lovely handwritten note from Hiram himself, and my back up bottle of Moon Bloom, and a bottle of Voyage 2019. I took a leap of faith on this one, unsniffed, even though I have a very difficult relationship with vanilla. First impression: serious Shalimar vibe, very opulent, probably too much for everyday wear, but I think I will wear the bleep out of it during the holidays. Vanilla drydown problematic for me, but not a deal breaker. That initial blast and middle stages are amazing. Wonder if anyone else has managed to sniff this one!
I have Voyage 2019 in my sniffing pile, will give it a go later today!
Oh do report back! He has free shipping for 2 bottles. For bottles he uses DHL with signature required and that would be problematic for me. If you’re buying directly from him, can you include one for me too? Please DM me if you do! Thanks.
So, I’m wearing it right now and it reminds me a lot of Shangri La. If you are mourning the loss of that one due to IFRA, this is a good stand-in, although they are not exactly the same. The drydown is wonderful.
Thanks to your description, I am lemming the Voyage.
I emailed you.
Tell me what you think of Lustre!
I think Lustre is very aptly named: seamless, gleaming, lustrous, metallic rose. The metallic note is really pronounced and it’s a huge bonus for me. I think the Subtle Knife would be a good name for it, too, and the whole scent fits the world of Dark Materials in more ways than one. I think you need to love roses, metallic notes and certain almost bread-like aspects of frankincense to appreciate this perfume, and I would not recommend buying it unsniffed, but if you are the type for it, it’s glorious.
Scentless currently, it’s a gloomy day in San Francisco which makes it perfect for Le Labo Baie 19. It smells like a wet forest after rain in the best way.
I’ve been so curious about this one, thanks for the great review.
I’m curious to try that one.
Driving across the Golden Gate today, I felt bad for all the tourists doggedly walking across, looking out at the view: interior of a cloud. So different than a clear summer day! I actually used my windshield wipers a few times.
I just discovered a beautiful incensey forest scent, it’s Incenso by La Curie, got a sample from the American Perfumer online shop. They are out of stock right now but the perfumer’s website shows it for sale.
Upon my return to San Diego, I discovered that I do not have a full bottle of Angélique Noire in my perfume closet, all I found was a small decant. Not sure why this is the case. I think I have a backup bottle here somewhere, need to go digging to find it. It amazes me what I find (and don’t find) when spending 6 months away. The closet was locked and the key hidden while I was away, so it’s not theft, just puzzling.
Puzzling, indeed. I’ve started taking pictures of things we pack up and lock away in the owner’s closet when we leave (that should be there when we get back). That way I know what to expect to find when we get back! Saves me on my ocd with some things! ?
That’s a great idea! Will start doing that. I did actually take a couple of photos of my perfumes in Montreal, so I could remember which ones of the L’Artisan and Profumums I had there.
Term never heard in real life, but seems perfectly normal here: perfume closet.
?
This happens to me as well. We split our time between two states and often, I could have sworn something was in a box I packed, and it’s not there. Drives my batty!
Yesterday’s sewing machine shopping was successful and I’m now the proud owner of a Janome Skyline. As I rather expected, sewing machines have evolved considerably since 1985, and I’ve got lots to explore. I will make sure that I do take the time to learn everything – I read through the instruction manual for my old Elna before I threw it out, and found some things that would have been useful to know over the last 35 years!!
Apsara, I saw your comment late yesterday, and my mother also sewed on a Singer machine for years, a treadle, which I used as a kid when I first started sewing scraps of fabric together.
Forest perfumes – I would definitely include Ormond Jayne Woman. Dryad by Papillon Perfumes is very foresty, although it’s an odd one for me. On skin, I get overwhelmed by costus (which is dirty hair to my nose), but on fabric it’s lovely.
Fille en Aiguilles is a pine forest, and I recall Chypre Mousse as being a dark and earthy forest.
Coven by Andrea Maack is more boozy soil than forest, but still makes me think of dark and green places. It will be Coven for me post-shower.
I’ve been sewing garments, quilts, and textile art on my Janome 7700 for 5 or 6 years. I love that machine. It was a huge upgrade from my previous machine, the one I learned on when I was a kid. Congrats on your Janome! It’s a great brand.
And I’m the type to not read instructions or barely (if I could get electrocuted or if the item could cause a fire, I do).
You enjoy that purchase!
Enjoy the sewing machine. We had a treadle machine also….my mom sewed all my clothes on it until she got an electric Singer. She actually sewed winter coats! I admire people who can sew.
I am also a Janome owner, and very happy with my machine.
Yes to Dryad, and I would add Io,
Chris Rusak.
My top three forest scents are:
Idyllwild
Dryad
Io
Favorite forest frag–no contest, Ineke’s Idyllwild. I smell amazing if I do say so myself. Went to an estate sale yesterday–wow!! All it did was encourage me to continue to divest now!!! Lots of beautiful stuff, but you know I did not buy a thing.
I will be out of town for the splitmeet (but should be able to check in), anybody want to preview their offerings this week? I like to plan ahead.
I thought we’d see more previews this weekend…maybe in the SOTDs next week?
Hhmmmmm…. Of the perfumes I own, Yatagan may be the most foresty. I tried CdG’s Zagorsk the other day, which is an incense scent, but it has an herbal and woody feel that is reminiscent of walking through woods. I’ve only tried their incense, but I am guessing that perfumes by Juniper Ridge have a lot of forest-based notes.
I’m not yet in perfume today–helping my son with his enormous (but due next week!) presentation on the Civil War and Reconstruction. I am thrilled at the woke perspective his school is teaching about the CW, but am really frustrated by how little he knows/has absorbed about actual historical events…
I’m off to a “gala” (in quotes because this is not the glamorous kind but the fundraising, chicken dinner, clap for local politicians, bad entertainment kind) this evening and so am girding myself for heals and an uncomfortable outfit (and no doubt will have to literally gird myself to fit into said uncomfortable outfit). My reward will be wearing Mitsouko or L’Heure Bleue parfum, inspired by Dawn!
Haha… definitely not heals… heels…..
Thank God I rarely go to events that require dress up. I don’t even bother with heels because they would make me uncomfortable the entire time so I wear black slip ons and don’t care what people think. If asked, I would just say they’re more comfortable and change the subject.
Well, your feet might hurt, but you’ll smell fabulous!
No forest scents, but first MKK, then Peau de Bete. Still cannot decide which i like better. Peau de Bete has more longevity, but MKK smells a bit nicer. Which one wouod you get?
I personally prefer MKK.
Another vote here for MKK. I smelled something sour in Peau de Bete.
Yes, me too. Didn’t care for it.
My SOTD was Tauer Wowilla oil and Vanilla Flash. Although I just added some Nicolai Vanille Tonka for our dinner out.
My favorite forest perfume is the limited edition Colorado by DSH for American Perfumer. But it sold out?
Have you smelled Soivohle Grand Canyon? That one looks appealing.
Ha! I should have mentioned Colorado ?
And I should have bought it.
Like akimon, my favorite forest scent is Slumberhouse Norne. The forests here in the PNW are mostly conifer, and Norne smells like you are in the midst of them in their sappy, resinous glory.
We had a extra chorus rehearsal this morning and then a potluck. No perfume allowed while singing so I came home, sprayed on some Eau des Merveilles, and had a slice of chocolate cake. I might take a nap now.
Ok, if PNW smells like Norne then I really need to get there sooner rather than later. It’s been on my list for a while.
Our chorus has the “no perfume” rule, too, but not everyone gets the memo.. sometimes that includes me. It does make sense though, you don’t want your singers to start coughing or sneezing or having breathing issues if some scent rubs them the wrong way.
I’m enjoying the forest poll but don’t have much to contribute, except that I adore the scent of Thymes Frasier Fir candles. There must be some scents with juniper too but I’m drawing a blank. Most of the tree-related scents I enjoy are more from orchards or fruits, such as fig trees or orange orchards. I guess an orchard isn’t a forest though, is it. There are birch and beech forests, but again, I’m drawing a blank. Maybe something by Penhaligon? My favorite smell of trees in the wild of nature is eucalyptuses in a dry climate like Australia or California. Mmmm. The smell of jojobas in the Southwest is also amazing, but I suppose they’re not trees. Moving along, my SOTD was Amoureuse, because sometimes a girl has to get in touch with her inner diva.
Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling!
I love Thymes Frasier Fir candles too.Every year I keep hoping there will be a fragrance available in that scent that is true to how the candles are scented.
Many of my favorite forest perfumes have already been mentioned, but I’ll add Olympic Orchids Olympic Rainforest to the list.
I’m in PG L’Ombre Fauve today. I could still smell yesterday’s Tiger’s Nest on me until I showered. I woke up earlier than I wanted after falling asleep very early last night. I think I need to make a cup of coffee so I have energy to be social at dinner. My boyfriend, a friend, and I are going to any early dinner/happy hour at a Japanese restaurant we’ve wanted to try for a while. Pretty excited because I’ve been looking at pictures of their food to try and start figuring out what I want.
Report back on your meal!
It was very good! For happy hour, we shared two bao – one with braised pork belly and the other with sweet miso marinated fried mackerel. We also got an order of shishito peppers, and I was the only one to get a spicy pepper. There’s more to that. I have the biggest sensitivity to spicy among the three of us, and last time my boyfriend and I ordered shishito peppers, I got three spicy ones! Last night it was my very last pepper that was spicy. We also shared a very good sushi roll. For entrees my boyfriend and I both ordered dan-dan ramen, which was good but a bit too spicy for me. It has cashew, We have lots of leftover ramen so I will eat it for lunch with a glass of milk to neutralize. My friend ordered the udon noodle. It was also spicy but not as spicy as the ramen. I may order that next time we go.
Yum!
I love this poll and all the suggestions, thank you all so much.
I have been over thinking things in my response: are we talking’dry’ and ‘hot’ forests (gum trees, pine plantations, cedar) or dappled light forests (ferns, fungi, mulch); cold, snow forests or woodland forests with bluebells and wood anemones, or NZ native beech forests which smell of mulch, dry leaf litter and clear honey dew. Or, is it about forests make me feel: calm, centred, curious, engrossed…
It’s all a bit academic because I have only 2 perfumes which speak ‘forest’ to me
1. The Yard Next Door , Smell Bent – dry eucalyptus gum trees, shimmering heat, reminds me of when I was living in the Blue Mountains (about 90 minutes from Sydney, one summer)
2. Daim Blond…the closest to my dry bracken and dusty forest walk, soft and slightly sweet, like leather
A lot of ‘pine’ or ‘blackberry’ perfumes are too sharp and strong for me to really enjoy.
A small dab of Ostara can sometimes be very forest centric.
I love this poll. I live at the edge of the woods in Maine, the most forested state in the U.S. After living away for many years in the middle of a city I returned to Maine with a new appreciation of how wonderful it smells here.
Ninety percent of Maine’s land is covered by a combination of conifers (spruce and fir, with lesser amounts of pine, hemlock and larch) and hardwoods (maple, oak, birch, ash, poplar, elm and with climate warming more and more beech). There’s a lot of water here with an abundance of lakes, rivers, streams and swamps. The changes in seasons are quite dramatic. The leaves are blazing with color now but before long we’ll be covered with snow for the winter. Thoreau’s book In the Maine Woods is the iconic description of this place. Our current bard is the naturalist Bernd Heinrich.
What the forest here smell like is almost photo-realistically captured by Christopher Brosius in his perfume Wild Hunt. He very accurately describes it as “the scent of an ancient forest in the heat of a summer afternoon. It is a blend of Torn Leaves, Crushed Twigs, Flowing Sap, Fallen Branches, Old Leaves, Green Moss, Fir, Pine and Tiny Mushrooms.” In the dead of winter when there is almost no smell of anything at all, I wear this to reassure myself that summer will come again.
The other forest perfume I truly love is Victoria Gobin-Daude’s Seve Exquise. It smells exactly like Balm of Gilead Poplar, populous balsamifera, a tree I’ve also encountered in the Colorado front range of the Rocky Mountains. I’ve always wondered if it grows in France, too? And I agree with you about Ostara, a great favorite of mine.
Sounds like a stunning place! I’ve never made it to the Northeast (other than 1 day in Boston, for a job interview, so I don’t think it really counts). One day I hope to make it there.
No forests in Boston but they do have a wonderful arboretum with trees from plant explorations all over the world.
Me
Too and I hope to see a Moose (from a safe distance of course) hopefully a grand one.
Moose can be quite hilarious to watch. They seem to think that they are tiny and delicate and will sometimes try to hide behind bushes that are much smaller than they are, peeking out to bat their long eyelashes at you. Good idea to keep your distance, though.
What a lovely breakdown!! Maybe my favorite forests are the hot dry Arizona style. I had never thought of them as forests until you broke this down this way!
Beautiful comment about the Maine Woods. Sounds like heaven.
It is heaven for most of the year, but black fly season in the early spring, maddeningly just when most of the wildflowers are out, is just ferocious.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/beech-forest/
I love your description of your forest and forest perfumes. Our native beech forests ( different from European beech ) have a very dense underground of fallen logs, moss, leaf litter, ferns. In summer the tree trunks glisten with honey dew, which smells like clear honey…the type you used to buy in bear-shaped squeeze bottles. Above the snowline is a small shrub called patatotara that is a type of heath/ snowberry that is very sweet scented and you can smell it and the forest as you descend from the snow tops. It is beautiful with the snow grass and the schist or granite mountain streams. I don’t know any perfumes that are like our beech forests . I think most forests have very complex but subtle arrangements of notes that shift according to heat and rain and I find that a lot of the perfumes I’ve tried are not subtle enough to ‘ replicate’ the smell ( e.g. Amouage Bracken, Blackbird) even though I like them.
Oh good gosh, the flowers on those beeches are so pretty but the ‘masting’ sounds terrible for the birds! Who preys on the mice & rats then to balance the issue?
Your beech forests look astoundingly beautiful. Maybe our steadily increasing population of beech here won’t turn out be so bad after all. At present, hey are most evident in the winter because they don’t drop their leaves the way the other hardwoods do. It is as if they haven’t learned the rules of our snow covered forests yet.
Yes, I agree, especially about Bracken – it smells great, but a bit overpowering to smell like the real thing.
Warning: Non sequitur!
Love your description of Maine’s landscape–have you read The Little Locksmith?
No, I haven’t but will look it up. Thanks!
So interesting, I adore Seve Exquise but never thought of it as a forest fragrance, although obviously it is a plant smell. Maybe I am in the wrong forests
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has a great forest perfume that is called something like The Voices of Trees but I’m not sure if that’s correct and for some reason I can’t get on the DSH website – anyone else encounter this?
Today I layered some Nemat Rose Otto oil with Dame New Man musk and a little Coty Wild Woods and I enjoyed the combination. The Nemat oil is sturdy stuff, might try it with Kuumba Made patchouli oil before bedtime.
I ordered and received some samples from DSH recently, and The Voices of Trees was among them. I just checked the website, and it’s still there.
Forest mmmmmmm
I think for me there is a bamboo forest near Arashiyama in Japan where one can stroll or visit an onsen. The scent that comes to mind is Hinoki, or Satori, or Kyoto. The subtle scent of the wood in the baths.
Hinoki is wonderful
My favorite forest perfume is Byredo Gypsy Water. It has notes of juniper and pine needles with orris. I wore it to a wedding in the woods and it was perfect!
And even the name matches a wedding in the woods!
Memo Parks Lalibela from a sample. Very yummy. Especially in days when a cozy new sweatshirt is in order.
Had the privilege of seeing Julie Andrews today for Q&A after a movie as well as an intro to a second movie. Seeing her again tomorrow as she does Q&A for a screening of Victor Victoria. I swear, she came out and I actually teared up. Gracious, charming and obviously adored and was very proud of her late husband.
Lalibela is a great sleep scent as well. So cuddly!
Julie Andrews seems so elegant and poised. It must have been amazing to see her in person.
It was. One thing she said that was so sweet was that Blake, her husband, often made her laugh at night when they were home together. So much that she’d be crying with laughter. She said she always slept so well after he made her laugh that way.
Aww. That’s wonderful
This was a big reason I married my husband. When I was anxious or stressed, he’d tell me silly stories until I laughed the tears away.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/19/julie-andrews-second-memoir-home-work-interview
This interview was in yesterday’s Guardian
Thanks for that. Saw her again today and noticed how much she turned her stories into praise for her husband and his talents. She loved talking about him and his movies. I have to say that the movie “10” held up better than I expected. It really is laugh-out-loud funny.
Favorite forest is Fontainebleau, also because of the castle. Pine tree forest perfume, Caligna which is sometimes all pine needles on me, at other times, figgy. Like many others a deep forest smell is AG Nuit Etoilee. Decanting some Embrujo de Sevilla by Myrurgia, in a 10ml atomizer, so that’s my scent of the day.
PSA: Katie Puckrik posted a new review on her blog (not on Youtube)!! I have wondered about her for the past few years and just was thinking of her this week. Like Robin, Kevin, Jessica,Angela and so many of the daily posters here, I feel a real kinship and friendship with her and was glad to see her post.
Which brings me to another point: many thanks to all of you, from the NST writers to posters. On rough days, your writing often shows the best of humanity and reminds me that people are good (and smell good too). Thanks for being here everyone!
I saw that by chance yesterday, as I was looking for one of her reviews. I really like her and we seem to have similar tastes. I hope she posts some more!
Oh I love her videos – I’ll check out the newest blog entry. Thank you for PSA-ing
I love her! Very witty and smart
There ought to be a rule that once you’ve commented here, you have to check in once a year. I do often wonder what happened to people and what they’re doing now!
Inspired by Oakland Fresca, I’m wearing Yatagan over Musc Nomade. I bought Yatagan blind as I loved the notes list, but then gifted it to the hubby. Too masculine. Then remembered the layering suggestions (MKK and MdM). Pretty, pretty, pretty good…
Musc Nomade is lovely
I like Cape Heartache by Imaginary Authors for a forest perfume along with some others that have been mentioned.It has predominantly Douglas Fir and Pine resin notes and is described as a PNW scent.
Oh yes, this one is wonderful!
Oh, forgot that one. Good call.
I am in Loreal Jasmin Marzipan which is a free sample from Hajusuuri! Thank You, it is a lovely Jasmine. I thunked it.
Still lounging around in my pajamas in the dry down of vintage L’heure Bleue extrait. I did find my chocolate covered peanuts yesterday. I was so excited about my TPC order coming yesterday. I had ordered a decant of the new Tauer that was released and the vintage Jicky extrait. Turns out that the new Tauer is on back order on TPC and I was a little disappointed, didn’t get a text, phone call or an email, just a little slip in the package saying they will get it to me as soon as they get it. The last time it happened, they called to let me know something was out of stock and asked me if I wanted a refund or something else. I am debating if I should order the Chanel no 5 soap or not or even no 19. Wearing Cuir de Russie today.
I just ordered the mini bottle from him directly. So cute!
Do you live in the United States? Because the last time I checked, Andy Tauer had said that he was having trouble with shipping samples and minis to the United States. Unless you ordered a full bottle.
Oh no! Yes I do. I completed the order online and no warnings came up.
I will give the website another try. Maybe some issues have been resolved.
I think minis are okay, samples are not.
Tauer’s Une Rose for me today. A nice boring Sunday doing laundry and binge watching a behind the scenes look at the NYC ballet. These people just amaze me- the athleticism and the drive blow my mind. ?
My older bottle of Burberry Women, I don’t want to ever drain it but I can see that happening this year. Does anyone know if recent versions smell as good as the 1990s bottles?
Still commando as the nasty cold virus making it’s way around my house finally caught up to me. I don’t know about others but I rarely feel like wearing perfume when I have a cold – I wonder why that is?
Indigo is having 20 percent anniversary sale and I am contemplating getting Veniatiane by PPP ahead of the splitmeet. I had a small bottle that I thunked in no time – it’s a gorgeous sandalwood and rice powder scent. Not sure if I will actually pull the trigger but feel free to enable away ?
20% off is basically perfumeforfree
Very true
I bought a FB of Vientiane last year. Love, love, love it. It has replaced Rose Boheme as my favorite PP scent. I need to wear it soon!
It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? A true comfort scent too
I was looking at that sale yesterday and am very tempted. I also thought of Vientienne, though I still have 3-4ml in a decant so probably shouldn’t. My biggest consideration is L’Attesa since I’ve only got about 1.5ml in that decant.
It’s all so tempting
Masque is excluded from the discount.
They usually are excluded from sales, but not this one. Hmm that fact only entices me to buy it even more.
I tried to order with the code and it said code not applicable, even though the email did not mention Masque. Did you actually try to use the code?
Okay, I tried the code with L’Attesa, and it works, it just didn’t work with Love Kills, probably because it’s a brand new release.
Yes, I had tried it with L’Attesa to make sure. Sorry, it doesn’t work for Love Kills. I haven’t sampled that one yet. I take it you have, and you find it fbw?
Off topic, but just had to mention this. Reading “In the Darkroom” by Susan Faludi and this is the best book I’ve read in a long while.
What’s it about?
Just looked it up. My synopsis from the description on Amazon–apologies if it misses the mark! –Its a memoir written by Faludi–her elderly father, who had a propensity for reinventing himself and sounds like was a very tough dad, has a sex change in his 70s–He is living in Hungary. The book is about Faludi’s journey to sort out who is/was her father and about identity itself… Looks terrific!
Thanks! I will look into it.
For a smoky and coniferous forest smelling candle, Keap Wood Cabin is very good. The candles I’ve tried from them so far have a large amount of fragrance oil and have great throw.
My SOTD is Carner Barcelona Palo Santo. I smell like sweet, vanillic milk with tonka and woods. A great perfume for a chilly, rainy day. Went out for brunch and ate what is probably my favorite chicken and waffles in the city, then did the grocery shopping. Back home relaxing with the Shudder channel’s Halloween ghoul log on tv while my boyfriend makes chili.
Since there are lots of reading comments, I’m reading two books right now. I’m finally reading Perfumes: The Guide 2018 cover to cover after having only read reviews here and there before. And since it’s the spookiest time of the year, I’m also reading H.P. Lovecraft’s The Lurking Fear and Other Stories. I so love delving into Lovecraftian worlds.
You smell wonderful, I love CB Palo Santo.
Thanks, I got my decant from a swap with you!
I had chocolate cake for breakfast, unclogged the shower drain, applied a lot of L’Heure Bleue extrait, and now I’m reading Elton John’s autobiography. I have a book recommendation, too–The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix Harrow. It has a fantasy premise (there are doors that connect with other worlds) but the writing is lovely and the characters are all too human. Basically it’s a book about relationships and what is, and is not, love.
That sounds like an excellent read – looking it up
Have you read Exit West? I thought about the author’s debt to the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when I read it… I read the Narnia books when I was about eight years old, so the most obvious route for entering another world was planted deep into my psyche as being through a wardrobe door.
Oh gosh, me too!
Forest Walk, SSS. I forgot just how good Sonoma Scent Studio is.
Way late to the party… just back from a weekend in Napa, fun times with friends, a wee bit too much wine consumed (and bought)… but what else is Napa for.
I love forest scents. Just wanted to add one more that I think nobody has mentioned: Yosh Konig is a foresty leather that I really love.
Can’t wait to dig the fall scents out, but it is supposed to be in the 80s here this coming week. The winter rains should be coming soon though…
Made the summer/winter perfume switch-out today– hoping the predictions heat are overblown… today was supposed to be scorcher, and it wasn’t… so here’s hoping!
Donatella. I have got to stay away from perfume shopping. I did weed out a few!
We were away for my cousin’s wedding, in Cold Spring, NY. We got home this afternoon. I was commando perfume-wise on Friday, Saturday and during the day Sunday. We were in the car a lot Friday and today. It was very windy on the drive up on Friday, and rainy today, but my cousin and his bride had a beautiful day on Saturday. You never know about the weather there at this time in October, but Saturday was sunny, and the temperature in the afternoon was in the 60s F. The wedding and the reception were both held at very scenic locations.
I enjoyed getting to catch up with Dad’s sisters and other relatives of that generation. At least one person mistook Dad for his brother, the father of the groom. There’s a *strong* family resemblance. It was nice to see the relatives on a happy occasion.
Cold Spring is so lovely. Sounds like a good time.
Yes, it was lovely.
The travel from west of Philadelphia and back was exhausting, but the area is very beautiful, and it was a lovely wedding. 