It's the last weekend of January! Plus, Saturday is the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution; Sunday is Backward Day.
We're hanging around waiting for the latest snowstorm with our usual open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, your favorite fragrance for a weekend snowstorm, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Male Cardinals waiting their turns at the feeder station. [cropped] by Ron Frazier at flickr; some rights reserved.
Ha! That picture shows exactly how my neighborhood looks like right now. Around 7 cms of snow fell last night and white fluffy snow is all around. I don’t mind some, it’s been many years since the winter was snowy in Poland (or at least in my area)
I’m in Carner Barcelona D600 today but for my weekend IG post I photographed my bottle of Amouage Love Mimosa.
Still waiting for NEZ to arrive at the shop before I buy L’Ivree Bleue. I’ll most likely split the bottle.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKqhxCzh5ZF/
Your photo today was fantastic. I am not nearly creative enough to stage like you do!
Thanks a lot ?
Beautiful photo Lucas!
Thank you
Love the photo — nice styling!
Glad you like it
Gorgeous, gorgeous photo!
Thanks
I love that plant pot!
Me too! And I still can’t believe I got it together with this plant from a supermarket.
I’m going on a mimosa quest – I have never thought to see if our local florists get any!
I got some on Wednesday ! Its worth seeking out
I tried, nada.
I don’t take as lovely photos of you, but I do have some mimosa flowers on my IG to share if you want to see them.
I’d love to see your mimosas
Nice photo! And I just noticed that my local niche fragrance shop in Hungary liked it.
Oh, how fun! What are they called?
neroliperfumery (they stock amouage, so there you go)
Gorgeous as usual!
Thanks
Beautiful pic.?
I will chime in with the chorus of praise for your photo today! Such bright yellow sunshine! I just placed an order for the new Perris Monte Carlo mimosa scent last night with Indigo, after someone on here recommended it. I got a notice it has already shipped! Can’t wait!
I was talking it up here a week or two ago. It’s wonderful! So did you blind buy a bottle?!
No, I just ordered a sample of it–five samples all together. Thank you for mentioning it! I have and love PMC Patchouly Nosy Be and their Ylang Ylang, so figured these would probably be good too. At least to sample!
Ahh yes, I also love their Ylang Ylang and Jasmin de Pays, which JCE created. Looking forward to your sampling report.
Please report back!!
Thanks! Mimosa Tanneron is also very nice!
Very nice, Lucas! Looks like there’s interest in traveling sample boxes. I still have the HUGE box that I got in 2019 (terrible year for me) for which the only things I did were to smell the A-D baggie and re-organized the samples. The good news is the boxes (they overfloweth) have been kept in a cool basement but the bad news is I have been sitting on them and won’t be testing any further.
I’ll email you to discuss.
Ok, I’ll waot for your email
Lovely photo, the staging and use of colors is really great!
We are expecting snow tonight – 1-3 inches through tomorrow. Today I’m wearing my rollerball of Stella by Stella McCartney. A pre-perfumista Sephora purchase, before I realized that I don’t like rollerballs, and I am verrrry picky about rose perfumes – most just don’t work for me. I have a fair number of rollerballs that I never wear, but have always felt weird about offering them up to others. Is that odd? Languish away they will, although I may try to wear each one this year as part of my project since I don’t hate any of them.
I have a rollerball of Stella, too. Rollerballs are not my favorite, but don’t really bother me. I just checked and I have more than I thought! I have the Stella, Essential Faith and Essential Faith Aura, a Byredo Bal d’Afrique oil and a couple of DSH rollerballs.
I’m picky about rose perfumes too and don’t like most. A couple that I tried recently and like were LL Rose 31 and Heretic Scandalwood which is really a sandalwood perfume but has a really lovely rose note.
I just got that one from Heretic and really like it!
Yes, that one was instant love for me and I ordered a 15 ml bottle, which sadly doesn’t smell like the sample. It’s missing that rose note!☹️
I’m a bit less likely to reach for a travel sized item than a bottle simply out of a fear of using something up – which is absurd! However, I only have two rollerballs: a Narciso Rodriguez one which works really badly – you have to rub hard to get the ball to roll and the perfume oil that comes out is lovely but has so little projection it hardly seems worth it; the other is a Dior and it works like a dream, glides along and the perfume projects really well…
I keep reading different stories about how much snow we will get and when. Maybe better to let it be a surprise?
I don’t like rollerballs either. I empty them into atomizers. The only fail was Poison Girl Unexpected because the formula was viscous.
I have exactly one rollerball (Byredo Gypsy Water) and I HATE IT but would also feel weird rehoming it; it doesn’t feel sterile the way a bottle or even a sample does. I feel you.
90% of the time perfume doesn’t come out readily as I’m trying to roll this one over my skin, so back and forth I go trying different angles and pressures and my skin slowly turns red from the vial edge lightly scraping my skin.
At first I loved the idea of rollerballs, but after using a few, I didn’t like them at all, and that sludge of skin flakes that accumulates in them. Yuck. I am down to 2, both diptyque scents that I really like and am willing to use up in the rollerball format. But I’ve vowed not to buy any others, even if the price is great.
That’s a really beautiful picture, I love it when the snow hangs in the trees like that. Plus, cardinals remind me of my granny.☺️
I’m in Vanille Insensee for my work weekend. I got a call yesterday that I will receive the scholarship that I applied for last month. I was so happy. And grateful.
Today is the last day of my new year Whole30 and tomorrow night I plan to make Swedish meatballs for my daughters last evening home.?
Wonderful news about the scholarship! Enjoy your evening.
Thanks!?
Congrats on the scholarship!
I have two more days of Adriene’s January yoga journey. I have so enjoyed starting my morning that way. Maybe I can keep it up.
Thanks!
I have really enjoyed Adrienne too! I have to confess I did skip one day last week Friday my work day ran especially late and I was just fried by the time I got home and felt like just putting my feet up and relaxing. So, I am a day behind.?But still! I can’t remember the last time I exercised this many days in a row. I see she has other 30 day challenges on her channel, I’m inspired to do another!
I got 3 days behind at one point, because: life. But it doesn’t matter, it’s just about showing up and continuing.
I’ve also been enjoying her 30 day routines. This time around I’m on her set called “Home”; I missed today and think it’s ok if you miss a day here and there. My wrists sometimes need the break too.
I love her style and sense of humor, and of course Benji!
Benji!! ♥
Congratulations! Such great news! Swedish meatballs ?
Thanks Merlin! Swedish meatballs are a fan favorite in my house.
Congratulations on the scholarship!
Thanks!?
Congrats on the scholarship! Meatballs, yum!!! May I come over?
Thanks!
Yes! The recipe always makes a ton! I told my daughter she could take the leftovers back to school with her.
Congratulations!! Can I come over to celebrate and eat meatballs if I bring a bottle of champagne?
Thanks! Yes! Come on over!
Yay on the scholarship. Great news. Vanilla is so nice in the winter. (As are Swedish meatballs…)
Lol, yes they are! Thanks!
Woohoo! Congratulations!
Thanks lillyjo!?
Congratulations!
You smell great in VI!
Thanks andrea!?
Wonderful news, congratulations!
Thanks Kanuka!?
Wow, congratulations on the scholarship AND making it through Whole 30. No small feat!
Thanks tulipani!?
Congrats your scholarship and you smell great! I have a 1 oz. bottle of VI I got when it first came out and before I was die-hard into vanilla…need to break it out and wear again. And save so meatballs for me please!!!
Thanks! I’ve wondered if you’ve tried VI, I should have known, lol. For me it’s an easy wear and work friendly.
That’s lovely, so happy for you!
Thanks Robin!?
A scholarship, yoga challenge and a month of Whole 30! Congrats to you for banging out a fantastic January! ???
Ha! Thanks Nancyleandros! I’ve been a slug for months…it started with quarantine last spring with baking and eating and it just went downhill from there. I really needed to kick myself in the butt!
Congrats on the scholarship, the exercise, and the meatballs! Sounds like a hat-trick of good things for you. ?
Thanks Jalapeño!?
Congrats on the scholarship and enjoy the time with your daughter!
Thanks hajusuuri!?
Congratulations on your scholarship! And yum, Swedish meatballs sounds like a great first dinner after Whole 30.
Thanks! Yes, I’m really looking forward to those meatballs!?
Congratulations!!
Thanks cazaubon!?
Happy for you about the scholarship!
Thank you Aurora!?
Congrats and you smell great!
Thanks teebear!?
Congratulations on the scholarship, that’s wonderful!
I love the photo today. The colors are spectacular !
I am wearing Chanel Cristalle EDT today. I read somewhere that it may be getting discontinued. This makes me sad, because it is so beautiful.
Barqs, someone on Bois de Jasmin recently mentioned that Cristalle EdT is impossible to get in the UK. It scared me enough to quit procrastinating & order my bub from the Chanel website yesterday.
I love today’s photo also. I love the snow when it first comes and is fresh and clean and everything is so hushed. I definitely miss snow now that we live in Seattle.
I’m DSH Ma Folie de Noel because MMKinPA mentioned rollerballs so I went to count mine up and saw my little bottle… no, I’m not easily distracted (ha).
I agree, but the fresh and clean phase lasts so littlę time.
At least in my area, temperatures fluctuate so much on a daily basis that almost always it starts melting and getting muddy the next day.
What a lovely photo!
I’m in Trayee which is complex but cozy and a great cold weather scent IMO.
Happy weekend to all!
Happy weekend adanst!
How fitting that it’s a day celebrating activism — I’m in a community college teacher’s union workshop this morning.
Helping me sit up tall and straight are a few spritzes of Montale’s Intense Cafe. I’ve had plenty of coffee already, but felt the need for some olfactory caffeine, as well.
I hope your workshop is productive!
I hope you learn useful things and make good connections at your workshop! That’s the sort of thing I begrudgingly sign up for and am almost always grateful I did afterwards! I am a organizer for my union now, after years of sitting on the sidelines knowing I could be doing more. It feels good to get involved and do my part.
Good going, Marjorie Rose! The workshop sessions were good, and I really needed some sense of being among compatriots.
It’s been a long week, though, so being in Zoom sessions for two days both put me behind on my work schedule, and tired me out. Zoom is so weirdly exhausting.
Oh my gosh, yes, endless zoom calls is exhausting! I’m an introvert, so any long conversation can wear me out, even when I’m enjoying it. I’m glad you felt like they were worthwhile!
What a lovely picture! I miss cardinals, we don’t have them here in California.
Got a bunch of BDK samples this week so that is what I’ll be trying out later today.
Hope everyone in the path of the snowstorm stays safe and warm!
What are your thoughts on the BDKs? Any standouts?
I miss cardinals, too! I loved seeing them in Minnesota. None in Oregon, either. I guess they never made it over the Rockies.
I also miss cardinals now that I live in the Pacific Northwest instead of Ohio, BUT we have Stellar’s jays here that we don’t have there. They’re the most gorgeous blue birds and some have taken residence near my apartment building in the last year or so. I love watching them. It’s been one of my bright spots of being locked down and switching to working from home.
Stellar Jays are magnificent! I was happy to live on the West Coast long enough to see a few.
I used to see quite a few cardinals in my neighborhood, but they’ve been scarce lately.
Hello all!
Finally got my package, which took a return trip to customs before landing on my doorstep.
I bought the Vero Kern reissues from Italy, including Naja. I’m going to say, for me, it was worth the investment. I’m wearing Mito today and good golly, what a green! I sprayed Onda on myself last night and my eyes rolled back in my head. Yes, worth the investment. I’ve saved so much money last year eating at home, it felt like a splurge.
I’m thinking of getting a backup of Naja if we’re being honest. If anyone is interested in splitting shipping, drop a comment. I should know if I’m losing my mind or not by next weekend. ?
Stay safe.
Wow, I was expecting an amazing package but not that amazing! I’m so happy for you that it finally arrived!
Thank you! I was getting nervous. Opening the box was like a treasure chest.
yay! Good for you
Thank you!
I am curious about the reissue bottles – how do they compare with the originals? I checked out the website and the shipping looked crazy. Pencil me in for splitting the shipping!!
Done! Shoot me an email at outofgrasp at live dott com. I’m not an expert-it’s been so long since I tried the original formulas. Onda seemed perfectly right though.
So glad it finally arrived! I figured it was something very special, happy for you!
Yes, precious jewels. Thanking my starw.
Anything that makes you happy like that is worth the investment! Enjoy your new bottles!
I feel the same way, thank you!
Glad the experience lived up to expectation – and more!
Definitely has! I can’t wait to explore further.
Wow! You’ve added more perfume unicorns to your herd! ??
Grows and grows! ???
The preciousssssssses ?.
That snake tempted me well!
So glad to hear they arrived and are up to snuff! The 90€ shipping fee is obscene, but there is no other option. Enjoy!
Thank you! I feel like I should have qualified for a better rate, but per bottle it was a more reasonable proposition. I can’t justify spending that whole lump again by myself so we’ll see if a back up is mine.
Thank you! I feel like I should have qualified for a better rate, but per bottle it was a more reasonable proposition. I can’t justify spending that whole lump again by myself so we’ll see if a back up is mine.
Pixels FREEBIES! You know the drill by now: NST regulars only, US only, ping me at emc dawt 7 1 1 7 in the land of geeeemayle.
1. Burberry Whatsit (It seems to have multiple names. This one: https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Burberry/Burberry-Women-818.html ) 100ml, 99% full
2. Euphorium Brooklyn manufacturer’s spray minis of Usar (~6 ml remaining) and Petales (~4 ml remaining)
3. J’ai Ose ( https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Parfums-J-ai-Ose/J-ai-Ose-33987.html ) 15ml spray mini, 99% full. Cute bottle.
Pixel, I’d love to claim #3 J’ai Ose. I’ve wanted to try it since Angela’s review. I’ll send you an email in the morning. Thanks!
Some talk of snow in our town, too, and some still hanging around from last week. It’s been very cold, and I had my first-ever face-plant fall on Thursday, but not because of the ice! I was on a brisk walk around my building after work, and I stumbled on a clear but uneven sidewalk I know very well to be careful on – I blame my shoes which have a wide crepe sole and a little heel. (I will not wear them again) With all that forward momentum, I could not fully catch myself before my face hit. For those who ask for God’s protection as I do, I will weigh in and say it works. A scraped nose, a swollen purple chin, and bruised knees are the worst lingering effects, and I went down hard! A nice stranger waiting at the corner light pulled in the parking lot to check on me, and a co-worker heading home waited until I was calm enough to drive home. DH offered to come but I felt like the rider who needs to get back on the horse. Oh, and this is the first time I have been *happy* to wear a mask…. Scent of the day is Narciso White Cube. It is in the category of Kenzo Flower for me: I’d call it very modern and space-age/synthetic-smelling, but very enjoyable. It has a beachy vibe and gives me a nice scent bubble.
Wow, that’s a scary accident! I’m so happy that it wasn’t much worse and that you had good people around to help you out.
I’m sorry for what must have been a scary event, MossyBerry.
I hope you heal well and quickly!
Oh wow. Falling like that is such a jarring for the body–not to mention the scrapes and bruises. Take it easy this weekend. So glad you are mostly okay. Hugs!
Oh, wow! So glad you are OK. Hope you recover completely and quickly.
Glad you are okay…don’t those falls seem to happen on slow motion yet you can’t stop them? Narciso is beautiful.
Glad you are okay and hope you heal quickly!
Oh gosh! I’m so glad you are ok! Falling is very scary.
I still have flashbacks to a face-plant I managed decades ago when I was working in Belfast. Super glad you weren’t seriously hurt.
Ouch! Glad you are fine. Agree that those shoes should be ditched.
Seems you are getting quite a bit of mileage out of the NR! I personally love that one!
It was a Plato’s Closet blind buy! The (Fragrantica listed) notes, cedar, vetiver and musk are usually not my thing, but somehow this works.
I had to look up Plato’s Closet – even BETTER that it was reduced. I think the review on NST said something about marshmallow on wood and Turin’s review said something about giant sized Mary-Janes. I remember a pretty and comfortable gardenia!
So sorry to hear this and glad you are ok. Sending great, big hugs and wishing you a speedy recovery.
So sorry MossyBerry! But also so glad people were around to help you, and that it wasn’t worse…
So glad it was nothing very serious. I hope you feel better soon.
Oh my goodness! Sorry for the injuries but glad there were around to help.
My good friend broke her ankle standing up from getting out of her chair at work! She’s the first to admit her balance is the worst!
Thank you everyone for your kind words – I feel better because of them. There is a “shock factor” that remains after an accident and a sour dash of wounded vanity. I am resting up this weekend. Hugs back to you all, Fragrant Ones!
I hope you’ve been able to get that rest and feel better. There is kind of a shock to the system when you have a fall like that, even if your injuries aren’t severe. (Thank goodness!)
*Gentle hugs* if you’d like them.
Falls can really be serious. I’m glad you didn’t break anything except skin. Hopefully you can relax this weekend!
Oh no! That’s scary! Be careful!
OUCH! That’s a bummer about your spill. I’ve had a couple of those in recent years, and the bruised knees seemed to take forever to stop aching. I hope that you heal quickly!
Oh my! Thank goodness you were not seriously hurt!
Ouch! We have all done it. Glad you were not too badly hurt, and you can hide your bruises under the mask.
So sorry about the bruises, take good care of yourself, lucky escape from broken bones.
Ooh no! Glad it turned out as well as it possibly could have under the circumstances, and that you had kind people around you to help.
Definitely take it easy this weekend!!!!
I hope you heal up quickly.
I’m wearing Santal Massoia today. We’re supposed to get wintry mix tonight.
I was originally going to wear 1000 Kisses Deep but when I pulled it off the shelf and took the lid off I realized that the sprayer isn’t crimped on correctly and it’s been leaking and evaporating. I tried it on my skin and it was a “Nope. That’s not right.” So if you have any Lush perfumes in the newest bottles, you may want to check if the sprayer is crimped correctly and parafilm or tape around it. I could have saved it if I’d caught it in time.
My solid of 1000 Kisses is my only Lush product to turn. It’s probably 5 years past it’s expiry date! I also have a small bottle in the old Gorilla packaging. I hardly use it though because the citrus (mandarin?) is quite harsh in the opening and – more importantly I CANNOT get the chorus of the relevant Leonard Cohen song OUT of my head while I am wearing it! ‘The ponies run, the girls are young…’ The ear worm starts making me DILLY!
I didn’t know there was an associated song! I don’t want to get an ear worm from it, though. I just got a new solid of that fragrance, and I’ll try it today, hopefully without music stuck in my head.
Mom’s been watching a lot of figure skating, and I recognized “Hallelujah” as the music a skater was performing to. I said, “That song is at least twice her age.”
Oh yes, and Hallelujah has some great covers! 1000 Kisses Deep is very beautiful – and very very haunting – although so much from him is haunting… The perfume has a deep bittersweet depth as does the song.
Ugh, the dreaded wintery mix. Maybe you’ll get another virtual snow day??
I love Santal Massoia! I just ran out of my sample.
Turning is the worst. It’s why I don’t invest in decants.
Turned perfume is a sad, sad thing. ?
I’m in Cuir Cannage this morning. Oh, how I wish that a small FB of this had come my way somehow, sometime … but it looks like I’ll have to be content with the 12 or so mls I do have.
It’s rainy and a bit chilly here, and Mr. G is off helping his son buy a car. Or TRY to, anyway – yesterday afternoon they went to look at one that was sold out from under them just before they got to the dealership. Much anguish was felt by all, including the sales rep who had promised to keep that very thing from happening. Probably not a promise he could realistically make, but still.
I think it’s the perfect time to get a good deal on a car! I learned that the end of the month is when you are likely to get the best price from one of my all time favorite This American Life episodes: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/513/129-cars
I love This American Life! I don’t know yet whether the deal they got (see woohoo below) was good, but knowing Mr. G as I do, I’m sure it was not a “bad” deal. ?
Oh what a bummer. Hope they have better luck today!
They did! Just heard from Mr. G that the deed is done – woohoo!
Yay, that’s great!
Yay!
Ah, the whole family will be glad that that mission has been accomplished.
Victory!!!!
CC is just the right fragrance to be wearing when the purchase of a car is going down
Isn’t it though? I only had to sit home, holding my mouth right (as my mom says), and waiting to hear from the boys, so it was less stressful and more zen for me than for them … but hopefully my “zen” helped them cope anyway. ?♀️
What a relief to have car buying done, and may yours roll for many years!
Great news about the car!
Saturday.. still in P.J.s at 2:10pm ET. Tea in my cup and just enjoying doing very little. I do need to get outdoors since it is a whopping 30(!) degrees out and before the snow arrives.
SOTD: Coeur de Vetiver Sacre which I enjoy very much but classify it as a tea scent more than vetiver or anything else
floragal, I’ve got that one, and it does have a very tea-like vibe.
Ha, I beat you, it is 5:20 and I am back in pjs and back in bed…just can’t seem to shake whatever it is I have, and decided to take it easy for the afternoon.
Sorry to hear that
I hope additional rest restores you to full health!
Thank you! It is not 100% bad to be forced to take it easy. My house is a mess but it will keep, right?
The world will stay in place while you recover ?
The mess will definitely keep … and possibly grow, if your housemates are anything like mine. ?
It’s a long time to feel unwell, bed seems to be the right answer, maybe also a lot of vitamin C.
Robin, have you had a COVID test? I kinda feel bad for asking about/mentioning it.
No, I haven’t, but I really don’t think this is covid. I had a very similar illness in August and also another back in 2019, all primarily dizziness, exhaustion, sore throat and general achiness. In August I did get tested for covid and it was negative.
It is all similar symptoms from when I had lyme disease, so I’m tempted to think it is relapsing lyme, but I don’t think relapsing lyme is supposed to happen unless you didn’t get immediate treatment, and I did get immediate treatment.
That’s perplexing.
Do hope you are feeling even a little bit better today.
MUCH better, in fact felt normal all day and now it’s after 9 and I am still vertical
Oy! Hope you shake off the dregs of whatever you have!
Oh no, hope you feel better soon!
So important to listen to your body especially when trying to recover from being sick. I, on the other hand, have no excuse ?
I love Vetiver Sacre. I always think of it as smelling like cherry pie. Definitely more like tea than vetiver.
Enjoying testing samples…I’m in Chanel No 22 this morning.
I just read a really interesting and far-ranging article on sense of smell, and how the anosmia suffered by so many COVID patients has essentially created a global, cross-disciplinary exchange of scientific data. The article covers cultures that have more language for scents, and the scientific and philosophical roots for the sense of smell being so disregarded in western culture and science, and also the newest science on what a loss of smell can predict medically for someone, and what we perceive about each other from smell, but do not perceive that we are perceiving— to wit, intuition? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/magazine/covid-smell-science.html
Thanks for the article! I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
Thanks for the article!
I read an article in a similar vein in a local online newspaper, which focused on the impact of longterm loss of smell, and how our sense of taste was linked to our sense of smell and essentially that if you can’t smell food, you can also barely taste it. Which results in loss of apetite, etc. Truly scary stuff. I heard from friends who had covid that it took some weeks to gain back their sense of smell, but luckily it doesn’t look like any of them has permanent damage.
I also keep telling everyone that smelling things that you like, or things that move you in any way, is good for your mental health. Not sure if there is any science to back this up, but I swear by it anyway. Fragrance can drag me out of lethargy or apathy, and it doesn’t even have to be one that I particularly like, it just needs to shake me up a bit.
andrea, I agree — I use scent to reflect my mood, change my mood, and transport me to another place, among many other things related to my mental and emotional states.
I’m glad I’m not alone in that! My friends and family often have difficulty understanding this even when I exlplain it. (“You wear perfume alone at home?”)
That made me giggle for a long minute! “Yes, as a matter of fact, being alone at home is my favorite perfume-wearing state.”
Yes, what Lisa D. said! lol!
I don’t know about science, but the aromatherapy industry has been popular for a good many years now.
Anecdotally, fragrances certainly can change my mood. I’ve mentioned many times these past several months how I’ve been reaching for fragrances that I find soothing to put on at bedtime. Lots of lavender among those choices, and some amber…
Rose or lily-of-the-valley fragrances can give me a bit of a pick-up mentally. There are lots of fragrances that induce feelings for me. It works well for me when I’m alone in the house to experiment with fragrances. lol!
Why not wear perfume then (at home alone) if you enjoy it?
So – here is something weird: I can think a perfume is gorgeous but it can have a negative impact on my mood. An ex loved Lys Mediterranee and I tried to wear it for him…but almost every time I wore it I would end up in tears!
Oh that’s not a great experience to have but it’s actually very interesting, especially if you didn’t have any scent memories connected to it!
That’s what makes it bizarre – I can’t think of any negative associations. At one point I was wondering if the salty aspect was just cuing tears but I have other scents with a saline aspect and they don’t have the same effect.
Ok, follow me.. Maybe your sub-concience smell, knew your ex was going to be an ex, and was just trying to warn you. Like a gut feeling with your nose.?
ha ha! I like the way you think and agree it would make a good premise for a mystery novel
I DO think his preference for white florals pointed to a fundamental incompatibility….
Oh, that sounds like the beginning of an engrossing mystery novel . . .
I know that flowers go in and out of fashion partly from associations with their popularity at funerals. Lilies, other flowers with “lily” in the common name, gladioli — even the smell of roses reminded one acquaintance of mine of funerals. Not that that’s where you’re coming from, but it’s interesting how that particular fragrance evokes sadness for you.
Yes, especially since Iv not attended funerals laden with flowers and lilies do no smell funereal to me. Before I acquired LM I once smelled someone in a beautiful fresh elegant scent and asked about it. She was wearing it and there was nothing sad about it at all. So I’m just writing this up as an unsolved case ??♀️
But exactly. Smelling perfumes makes me happy! (Also, fresh air, the sea, crushed bay leaves, flowers, baking, etc.)
Yes to all those things! Fresh air, especially in early spring when you can literally smell the seasons change, I just love that. (Also, same with early autumn.)
I saw a link to this but couldn’t access it. Very happy to read it here!
Thank you! That was an interesting article.
I’ll jump in here with praise for this new book “Art Scents” by Larry Shiner, who is a good friend of mine. It has a very wide scope ranging from the discussion of why odor gets downgraded as a sense to a survey of the neurobiology of scent and on to many other topics about art and scent including whether and how perfume is an “art.” He also has comparisons with scent practices in European and Asian societies, covering incense, kodo, “scent walking” in various environments, and more. Larry is a very clear writer and this book is a major achievement. Newly published by Oxford–expensive now, so I hope it’ll come out in paperback. Here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Scents-Exploring-Aesthetics-Olfactory/dp/0190089814/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Larry+shiner&qid=1612103356&sr=8-2
Thanks for sharing the article, OF. I think it’s my favorite of these kinds of articles that have come out during COVID. A fantastic read and very digestible even though there’s tons of science presented.
What a fascinating article, thank you for posting.
I loved that NYT article and just checked in here after a weekend trying to minimize my online time to see if anyone had written about it.
First thought: By spraying with abandon during COVID, we’re performing a public service!
Anyone who can smell us is probably doing fine.
Second thought: I can’t imagine being without a sense of smell. Not just, of course, because I love perfume. But because of things like being able to smell when my kid is sick. And being able to smell as I cook. This article really brought that home for me. I can’t imagine being without that.
Another very cold day, wearing Tobacco Vanille.
Sundance day 2 update – had some misses, but made up for it by loving On The Count of Three, a very touching dark comedy about a pair of best friends who agree to do a double-suicide at the end of the day after wrapping up some loose ends. The leads had great chemistry, one of them I’d never seen before so that was a treat. Some heavy stuff obviously, but lovely.
Sounds like a VERY dark comedy!
Yes! I can see liking it, some time not now.
Thanks for your Sundance updates. Keep it going if it’s not too much trouble. I’m taking notes!
This was probably the first farmers market I missed in a long long time, its just too cold and I am snuggled up at home with a feels like of 23 outside. I am thinking the veggies may not be that great anyways, but I will miss my eggs!
SOTD is Ninfeo Mio, since I woke up and my hair smelled of it from yesterday.
Tea is a cheap but good one, Bengal Spice
Trying to channel your diligence and walk down to our farmer’s market. It is sunny out, if not exactly warm, and the walk is just over a mile along a very pretty street—-maybe I can talk my husband into joining me. But the bed is so warm and cozy . . .
Go for the walk! You never regret a good walk!
We did. It was lovely. There’ve been some young deer hanging out behind our house in the woods, but something must’ve spurred them out into the world–we saw them trotting down the main thoroughfare in our neighborhood, with their mum, like they owned the joint. Usually they stay among the trees, but not today.
Good on you
Ah, meant to also comment on it being Korematsu Day (who knew? Robin of course ?). Being raised in Berkeley, and now living in Oakland, CA, Korematsu’s story is part of my community’s culture—the good, bad, and ugly. Fred Korematsu’s story has always stuck with me because he had to fight so darn hard for his own rights. He and the other interned Japanese immigrants (or US citizen children of Japanese immigrants) had so few allies, willing to speak out or act on their behalf. Empathy is a human super power, but sometimes it fails so spectacularly. Did not mean for this to sound all lecture-y and HTT! Just saying I love that Korematsu’s story is now a national one, even international.
I never even knew there was a Korematsu Day. In fact, I never knew he was named Fred.
For the non-US citizens, non-constitution nerds out there, at the outset of World War II, the US government rounded up Japanese citizens and residents on the West Coast and sent them to detention camps for the duration of the War. Most were unable to recover their homes and farms and property after the war. Fred Korematsu challenged the orders all up to the Supreme Court, and lost. Decades later, the decision was vacated
When I first learned of the (first) Korematsu decision, it was considered right down there with Dred Scott decision (1800’s decision holding that slaves could never be free, even if they moved to a state which outlawed slavery) as one of the worst decisions by the Supreme Court ever. Unfortunately, and terrifyingly, nowadays, I occasionally hear the case referred to favorably.
So here’s to your memory, Fred. You were incredibly brave to challenge the orders during the War and you were incredibly brave and tenacious to fight it for decades after.
Beautifully stated.
Thanks so much for the explanation!
My husband’s (Japanese Canadian) parents were both born here in Canada, but she was sent to harvest sugar beets in Saskatchewan and he was sent to an internment camp. My husband has the official apology certificate received decades later from the federal government. One of our country’s most shameful acts.
I did not know that there was anti Japanese Canadian problem as well.
This was a history lesson for me, thank you for that.
Hear hear! I went to visit the site of the internment camps many years ago (it’s legit in the middle of the desert) and learn about the story of the Japanese Americans who suffered through that experience.
We honor Fred Korematsu Day here in Virginia too.
I do not think it is an official national day, only in a few states? But I have included it in the SOTD since 2018, which is when I first heard about it.
Awhile back I posted an Ansel Adams photo of the internment camps, for anyone who missed that:
https://www.anseladams.com/japanese-american-internment-camps/
And here is the photo, it has really stuck in my mind since I posted it:
https://nstperfume.com/2018/10/17/wednesday-scent-of-the-day-10-17/
That’s a pretty idyllic scene of a pretty desolate place. I think Adams really wanted white Americans to see themselves in the faces and contexts of the internees at Manzanar—so important p.r., if not always accurately capturing the dust, crowded rooms, and isolation.
The things that get shoved under the carpet when the victor writes history…
There is a shopping mall near my parents’ house in San Bruno, Tanforan Park, that was an internment camp for Japanese during the war. It was an old horse race track at the time.
The Bainbridge island WA Japanese Exclusion National Memorial is a place that I am glad to have been able to visit.Anyfhing that shines a light on that part of history is so important.
Up very early but thankful I slept well and got more than 7 hours, which is enough for me if it’s not restless.
Showered with Molton Brown Muddled Plum shower gel and followed with the body lotion. I decided LPRN Black Perfecto would complement well. And it does.
Got ambitious and decided to head to Whole Foods to get bolognese supplies. I will make on Monday or maybe tomorrow.
Kind of interesting article on smell in general: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/02/01/how-to-make-sense-of-scents
Hey, we’re body wash cousins! Muddled Plum sounds yummy. . .
I noticed it’s currently hard to find Muddled Plum shower gel, but Off Saks does have it in stock online for $19.99. I bought two bottles from them this past week, and they’re set to arrive in a few days. In case you need more soon or just want to stock up. Thanks again for intoducing me to it last year.
SOTD is Anima Dulcis. It was a xmas present and has been getting a lot of wear!
I’m lounging about in pjs and waiting for a cake to finish baking. I tried a new recipe- honey spice pound cake. If it tastes anywhere near as good as it smells right now I will be happy.
I think spice cakes are an under rated pleasure.
I agree! My husband, the rarely incorrect Mr. Spicebomb, dislikes nearly all sweets with that combination of flavors–no spice cakes, no gingersnaps, nothing with “too much” cinnamon and ginger. I love him anyway.
It’s nice to have those “little disagreements” that mean you can bake or buy certain guilty pleasures without the significant-other trying to take their share ?
Yes, absolutely!
???! Guilty!
Yes, and the recipe is so easy! I see many spice cakes in my future.
I love Anima Dulcis, you smell great!
Is there a link to the recipe? We love spice cakes in our house.
It’s from this cookbook: https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Book-Baking-Great-Recipes/dp/0764162721
I’m happy to email a scan of the recipe if you would like!
Oh that would be lovely! Thanks. I’m eabrit in the Gmail world.
I sampled Moroccan Leather in the morning. I really enjoyed it, it was perfect for the weather as well: slightly warmer than previous days, early-Spring-like and a bit windy. (We’re also expecting snow tomorrow, though.) It wore off after 5-6 hours so I swicthed to Vilhelm Black Citrus, which I also really like but I find it a bit too masculin leaning for me.
A question for all: if you had the chance to create your own fragrance, what would it be like?
I’ve been watching some youtube fragrance content and can’t help but noticing the number of influencers coming out with a collab or launching their own scents. It made me wonder what I would do, if given the chance. I’m still wondering…
My wishlist is long so I rather feel like what I want is already out there. But I’m sure I would not focus on particular notes but I would aim for a mood.
Create a fragrance for myself? Just one? -Mine would probably smell like le lion or Shalimar.
I also love BWF like Songes
Far be it from me to restrict you like that
it can be an entire brand!
Also great choices!
I would create some great iris fragrance for y’all to experience.
I think the act of sharing it and seeing how others experience a new fragrance would be really fun!
I would be interested in your take on iris!
Please, one like a really good black jacket or fine white cotton shirt, something which can add elegance to any occasion, a rave, a board meeting, a night at the opera or a Sunday morning with run to the grocery store.
Chanel No. 19 and Prada, fit the bill, but they are discontinued.
Have you tried Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris? That one fits your description, for me anyway.
Enabler pin!
I have been contemplating a purchase for a while.
Where did you see that No.19 has been discontinued?
I’m seeing comments on some perfume blogs that No. 19 in EdT is gone in the UK.
An iris created by you would be heavenly! I hope some day we can enjoy that from you!
I would do vanilla, of course, but not sure what kind. Vanilla, like most popular notes, has been done six ways to Sunday but I still crave more.
I shall have to ponder this.
Haha, that never stopped any brand to put out a new one. There’s always room for more!
I like the idea of concentrating more on mood than notes! I would go for something grounding, uplifting and calming. But then I also depend on perfume to energize me…
I can relate to that!
Hmm…great question! Mine would be the perfect musk or sandalwood scent. You can “create” your own perfume on Waft. Sistine gets an enabler pin for that one, I’ve gone onto that website several times and created my personal perfume, lol. One of these days I’ll actually buy it!?
Madtowngirl, now you get an enabler badge for reminding me of Waft!!
But as I think someone suggested above, there are enough existing perfumes I love that I might never care to top them.
It’s funny you mentioned Waft – I thunked my custom bottle last night. I’ve been wearing it to bed most nights since the pandemic began.
You must have liked it then. What were your notes? If I do one I was gonna go with sandalwood, cardamom and rose…
My notes were sandalwood, vanilla and rose.
ooh! Never heard of them, but into my bookmarks they go!
I once heard a story of an actress who commissioned a malt whiskey scent and wore it to rehearsals. After a week, the director staged an intervention; advised her that everyone smelled liquor when she came into the room and that she would have to give up the whiskey, and start going to AA meetings if she wanted to keep the part.
As for me, tuberose just blooms gloriously on my skin, and I love fig scents and tea scents and vetiver and iris and narcissis and a bit of incense. Put those together in one fragrance, I’d bet you’d get a hot mess.
I can see that happening with a scent like Nasomatto’s Baraonda!
That combination actually sounds pretty awesome! Tea, fig, and vetiver are among my favourite notes.
The malt whiskey fragrance story is kind of funny. It’s like I try to stay away from (cigarette) smokey scents in fear of people thinking I picked up smoking again.
There are all sorts of classes by perfumers. I’ve been tempted but who am I kidding? Or, actually, I should really look into them because I have a first world problem of having vacation days I need to take.
Yeah it occured to me that those might be really interesting to try. But they would usually require travel as well, so it’s in a “maybe…sometime…” category for me. But you should go for it, I’m sure they’re super interesting!
I’ve done perfume making workshops three times: in Paris, Barcelona and Singapore! (I travel for work a lot when there isn’t a global pandemic)
Each perfume was super different as I was just beginning my perfume journey over those two years. The one I made with Viktoria Minya in Paris was my preferred one (an orange blossom and jasmine perfume).
I think if I get the opportunity to do one more, I’d love to make a vanilla-focused perfume I could enjoy.
That sounds awesome!
What is Viktoria like? I only recently discovered that she’s Hungarian (like me), and I got really excited but I haven’t tried her Hedonist series. I will, though, they’re available locally I just keep forgetting.
She was SUPER NICE and very down to earth! I was really a newbie to perfume at that point. She was super articulate in explaining why perfumers may choose to use naturals or synthetics in certain compositions, which was fascinating to me, and helped me in creating a balanced perfume based on the scents I’d indicated I liked without being at all pushy about what direction it should go in.
I did the workshop with her through Airbnb Experiences, and highly recommend it if anyone else gets the chance!
I have a big wall of green leaves outside my bedroom window, a silver birch tree that hides sparrows and blackbirds. The leaves flicker like green sequins in the breeze. Underneath are the first boletes. I am lucky to have such a leafy view as I have been spending most of my days in bed. I got poorly around Christmas and ended up in hospital and it turns out I have cancer. It has taken all my energy and I can no longer manage to walk around the graveyard with the dogs ( or anywhere much) so I spend most of my day sleeping or looking at the tree. Funny how quickly life changes. Fortunately Alex takes the dogs mountain biking so they are fine. Because of the type of cancer I have I will have to undergo my surgery/ treatment in another city where there is a specialist sarcoma unit….Anyway…blah , blah, blah….It’s a beautiful day and they are hay making across the valley. The smell of freshly mowed grass is wafting through the window …the air is soft and lovely, perfect.
Oh Kanuka, I’m so sorry to hear this. I will be thinking positive thoughts for you as hard as I can.
Don’t worry, there’s a silver lining of course….for months I was trying to pluck up courage to resign from a pretty time consuming committee (but nice people) I was on but could never think of a decent excuse…..problem solved!
LOL! Between your lovely, funny, upbeat attitude, and all of the positive thoughts and prayers going out to you from NSTers (and no doubt lots of other places), you will have this beat in short order!
Hugs and meditating for health and healing, Kanuka. Please let us know how you are doing.
Kanuka, I have been missing you. I will send you all the positive wishes and prayers that I have.
SNOW!!!
Tonight!❤
Adding my prayers to the list, Kanuka. I spent a month in the hospital in 2019 and discovered that being one’s own medical historian is critical. If you are in a large teaching hospital, squads of docs will cycle through all day asking (the same or similar) questions. It was the simplest way to give them all the same info and to maintain some semblance of control over my life. Best of fortune in your treatment.
I agree with this advice, and in my experience, it doesn’t end when one is finally released from the hospital. Even today, nearly 2 decades after diagnosis with a very rare immune disorder, I begin doctor’s visits with a 3 minute recitation of the most critical diagnoses, treatments and consequences. I never assume anymore they remember my lengthy and strange file.
Sending you my virtual hugs and promising that you will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Just sending you love and happy thoughts! It sounds like you are finding your way through it ok for now. I hope you find the treatments and recoveries comfortable enough and that you can surround yourself with helpful, loving people, or quiet, restful solitude, as needed! <3
Sending you energy and strength. I’m so glad to hear you have leaves and birds in view. Biggest hugs to you.
I am so sorry to hear this, Kanuka! Sending warm thoughts, hugs and positive energy to you.
Please add my prayers to the prayer train, Kanuka. I’m sorry to hear this news. Know that you are in many people’s thoughts every day.
Also missed your posts and very sorry to hear this news. Sending you great, big hugs and love and light as you get treatment.
I am so sorry to hear this, Kanuka. You will be in my daily prayers. Sending love, hugs, energy and all healing and positive vibes.
Wishing you strength and fortitude, Kanuka. We so enjoy reading your beautifully written posts.
I’m so sorry and wish you the best with the treatment & recovery!
It is a lovely imagery you painted of your view.
I wondered where you had gone…I was hoping you were seized with a writing fit that would not be denied. I am so sorry to hear you are ill, and I’m sending you the strongest get better wishes that I can.
One of my doctors is from Portland and I had to really contain myself as I was dying to ask him about the vegan strip club.
You could ask him instead about the Unipiper, who wears a Darth Vader mask and plays flaming bagpipes while riding a unicycle
Sending you hugs and healing thoughts as you are receiving treatment, Kanuka. I’ve also missed your lovely posts.
Kanuka, being very new here, I don’t know you. But I want to send you my best wishes and all the healing positive vibes a fellow fragrance lover can!
Kanuka, I’m very sorry to hear this. What city will the treatment be in, and how long? I’m in Knoxville these days and have an extra room if it could help!
Thank you so much for the kind invitation – so sweet of you. Maybe one day I’ll make it to Knoxville – hope so.
Kanuka, like everyone else I’ve been wondering and hoping you were busy writing or enjoying the weather or something. Is your surgery scheduled? Do keep us updated if you can, we are all thinking of you.
Kanuka, I am so very sorry to read this. I had noticed your absence and missed reading your posts….you have such a lovely way with words.☺️ Sending you strength and good thoughts!
So bummed to read your news. The mountains and rivers in those “blah, blah, blahs.” Mountains and rivers. Sending you a huge California hug. Please keep us updated on your surgery and whatever flits through the trees outside your window.
Almost didn’t notice those.?
Echoing everyone above, sending my love and best wishes too. I hope you have the smoothest road possible on the way to recovery – and May it be filled with moments as exquisite as the one you describe!
I am adding to the prayers and good wishes for a path to healing! Please let us know how you are.
Oh no. I am so sorry to hear your news, Kanuka. I’d missed you posting, like so many others here, and thought that you were busy with work or somesuch. Sending you and Alex thoughts of strength, hope, and healing.
So sorry to hear this. Sending good wishes and lovely scents wafting your way. Hoping your recovery is sure and swift. Do let your friends and family spoil you a bit while you rest
So sorry to hear this, Kanuka. I wish you well as you navigate this journey and may your doctors find the right solution. If you can, do keep us updated on your progress.
I’ve missed your posts and am sad to hear you are unwell. You will be in my prayers for a speedy and complete healing. I’m so glad you have a lovely leafy view to contemplate as you rest. Gentle hugs to you.
I’m very late in reading in NST tonight and I’m so sorry to read this, Kanuka. I had wondered if there was a reason I hadn’t seen you here for a while. I’ll be thinking of you.
I am so incredibly sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I will think of you in NZ when I see a particularly beautiful tree or especially fat rabbits. This will be your journey – may you find enough grace to face each and every day. Please let us know when your surgery is imminent.
Rabbit day today. No doubt they are having a fabulous picnic of lush green grass
So very sorry for this life-changing illness. You are very courageous to face it with elegance. It sounds like you are in good hands. If you have the energy, let us know how you are.
Hugs
I’ll be thinking of you, and join the rest in their wishes for you.
So sorry to hear this Kanuka. I’m glad you’re still finding moments to enjoy the beauty in the world around you! Will be sending you best wishes for everything to go smoothly with your treatment and for you to start feeling better soon.
Your post is a moving mini-essay, and I know that you must have worked hard to place your news among so many images of spring and life. It must have a real act of love to do so, when you describe yourself as having low energy.
I hope your trip and treatment go well. Since I have various family members go through a variety of procedures in the last few months, I also hope that yours find ways to travel and be with you during your treatment.
I’m so sorry to hear this Kanuka. I will add my prayers to all the others mentioned here. And I’m very thankful you have such a beautiful and calm view and such a glorious scent wafting.
Kanuka, I was so enjoying your detailed description of the leaves until reading the reason you are in bed. I am so sorry you’re sick, and am wishing you well.
Kanuka, I’m so very sorry to hear this. As you can see, we’re all holding you in our thoughts. I’m glad you at least have some nature to look out at from your bedroom.
Thank you so much everyone. You are all wonderful and amazing. I have my first “procedure” tomorrow …stepping off the side of the pool into the deep end. Luckily I am good at dog paddle so it will be fine.
Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit!!
SOTD is Molton Brown Rose something-or-other body wash. Maybe I’ll get around to a spritz of something compatible later. This body wash is a bit too patchouli-centered for me, but I like how long-lasting and present the fragrance is.
Must be Rosa Absolute. It is my favorite MB body wash (I’ve gone through a few bottles over the years) and, as it happens, it’s no longer available. Maybe they’ll bring it back at some point. This past holiday limited edition release, Juniper Jazz, was a failure as far as I’m concerned. Smells of inoffensive clothes detergent to me.
Have either of you smelled Milk Musk in edt or edp?
I have not, Merlin. In fact, I’ve not smelled any MB perfume. My weakness is their body wash ?
They are definitely most famous for those!
No, I haven’t sampled any of these, to be honest. The bottle of shower gel was a blind buy!
I have another body wash I’ve been using lately beyond the Muddled Plum. It’s says vintage with elderflower on the little bottle. I think I got it a few years back and ticked away. Very moisturizing, which is nice and has a light scent.
SOTD is plain rose water.
The New Yorker Magazine has an article by a perfume lover, a decant buying member of Fragrantica who layered Anias with Poison as a child. The article itself talks about the molecular similarity of human sweat, fine cheeses and carnal scented perfumes. She then goes on to review some books about the science and culture of smell. The article is available on the Magazine’s website, although I don’t know if there is a barrier for non subscribers.
This is, as far as I know, the first article on perfume in the magazine. But as a child I considered the photographs of Catherine DeNeuve with the legent”Every Woman Alive Wants Chanel No. 5″ as an authoritative statement rather than an advertisement. In fact, I still feel some what less than an adult, since I don’t want a bottle of No. 5.
So Decant sales, vintage perfume archives and tiny bottles of tuberose scents have now been officially deemed of cultural significance. The author mentions perfume blogs, but does not mention this one. Still she may very well be lurking somewhere here. (No doubt disgusted by typos). Well, if she is, feel free to send some of those extra tuberose samples my way.
I’m still reading that New Yorker article, it’s quite fascinating and I’m tempted to buy the book mentioned (by McGee).
Many many years ago, the New Yorker had a profile on Jean-Claude Ellena. It’s a terrific read! https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/03/14/the-scent-of-the-nile
Thanks for the tip. I’ll read it tomorrow.
What a great tip!
After hardly wearing perfume in the last 2 months, after posting last week and reading Kevin’s article on NOT buying samples, I’ve worn perfume almost every day this week. It’s been great and I’ve missed it, even though I didn’t realize it at the time.
Funny, Kevin’s article (WHAT NOT TO BUY: PERFUME SAMPLES) had the total opposite effective on me. I now totally want to buy samples. Or swap for them. I miss the good ol’ days of swapping on MUA, when I would do sample swaps of 5-8 samples at a time with other perfume lovers. I miss those days! It’s funny because while sampling has mostly been a let down for me in the immediate time after getting the sample, I often end up later digging one out, with a hunger that is incredibly specific, and falling for it. This happened with Ormonde Jayne Woman, Chanel 1932 edt and a few others that I probably should just buy a bottle of at this point. I’m not even sure what I’d want to sample, other than Bianchi’s Under My Skin, which I’ve been wondering about for a year. I don’t know why, but this one calls my name.
I was also thinking that maybe we should start a traveling sample box for NST peeps? Or is that verbotten? I don’t have a lot of new samples, but I have a lot that are older than 2 years. It might be a good partial base for a box?
Or is there anyone up for a sample swap? If so, message me!
And yaaay! Glad to be back!
So glad you are wearing and enjoying perfume. I would be very happy to send you some 1932 EDT and languishing samples. I can be reached at gmail where I am sherainsocal if interested please.
I would totally be up for a sample swap, or participating in a traveling sample box.
10-4. If people post in this thread about participating in the box I can refer back!
Good grief. I’m at nlmcook @ sbcglobal dawwt net
Oh yes it happened to me a lot as well that I disliked something at first, went back to it much later and ended up liking it. (Ormonde Jayne Ta’if, for instance. Just got my full bottle last week.)
That’s funny, since it’s also OJ. I didn’t immediately want to buy Ta’if (which I also tried through a sample swap on MUA back in the day) because I thought it was as maybe too dark and sexy. So funny because I was only maybe a year into niche and a bit later, Ta’if was one of the “safest” ones in my collection and is now a regular work scent for me.
It is kind of sexy though. Not too much out there, for sure, I have worn it to the office as well, but I still like to think of it as sexy. But I agree that the more types of frangrances I try, the more my opnion changes about these things, like what is safe, what’s daring, etc.
It is not verboten at all. I think a traveling box, or multiple boxes, is a great idea. We can set up a post to get it started, if there is enough interest.
Sample swaps are kind of hard but anybody is welcome to swap samples in the regular swap meets.
I’ll sign up to start a box or two.
I’m not sure if we should start with just one box or do multiple, but hajusuuri, I’d be happy to combine yours into mine if you want! Or if we want to do two, I’d love to be a recipient!
So Robin, I am out of town this week and return on Saturday. I could start gathering stuff then. Any ideas on how we do this? Does the organizer keep track of the person who has it, or does it just go on trust from here?
Any rules that I should type up and put in the box? Maybe something about sample replacement if you “take” one of another “similar” in some way (niche vs indie vs mainstream; popular vs not).
It would be cool to have some sort of message in a bottle in there from previous box holders, but I’m not sure what that would be… maybe it could reference a post on NST and people could comment there?
Yay! It makes me feel good to be able to give back to the community that has brought me so much joy and connection. Thanks guys!
Anybody, at any time, can make up their own rules and do a box!
If you want me to organize one, I could start a post and we could try to get a list of at least 5 (?) people who want to start a box, and get them going out into the world with a list of say 25 (?) people who want them? So 5 per box? Keep the box 3-4 weeks? And then I could keep a list and in 6 months we could restart any boxes that got “lost”, because I am sure some will not keep going down the chain.
I think it works best if you limit it to say 10-20 samples, and if you take from a box you put back. That should keep shipping costs low. It sounds fun to include other things, but I really think it is better to be strict and say nothing but samples, that way most people can afford to play.
Let me know, I am happy to stay out of it, or happy to start a post next weekend.
We could also try to add in a sample swap — swap 10-15 random samples for 10-15 of somebody else’s random samples?
I’m not sure where in this chain to write this, but does anyone have any thoughts on box size? I can start a quite large box, but I don’t want shipping costs to be prohibitive for anyone to join in. If I keep USPS shipping costs under $20 would that work well for everyone?
I just realized it probably has to be a US traveling box. Oh man. Sorry everyone who isn’t here!!!
I would be totally up for sample swap or traveling perfume box!
Count me in! That sounds really fun and a great way to get samples back in circulation.
I’d be happy to send you a box of samples, you can contact me at my user name at me dot com.
Hey cazaubon!
Thank you! I will contact you and can combine them into the Traveling Box too!
Mure et Musc, from a sample set. This is the skin scent/comfort scent with a little something extra that I never knew I needed until now.
Feeling a little under the weather digestively, so it’s been tea, English muffins and boiled eggs. Maybe apples and chicken noodle soup later.
I hope everyone is having a good Saturday! ?
Hope you feel better!
Sorry you are feeling under the weather. Chicken noodle soup is a go to for me too. Hope you feel better soon!
Feel better soon, Nancy!
Hope you feel better soon!
Feel better soon!
Feel better quickly!
Thanks, everyone! I took a walk this afternoon and feel better this evening.
Glad to hear you are feeling better!
Good news! By the way, I think M et M is very good for a convalescent period.
Good to hear!
Glad to hear you started to feel better!
You smelled lovely in M et M! It’s one of my first forays into niche perfumes about two decades ago, I’ll always love it.
Adding my best wishes for a prompt recovery.
I did an Italian Wedding Soup for soup comfort this weekend…glad you are feeling better!!
SOTD Tauer Incense Rose.
I had plan not to go outside this weekend, but I ended up running errands today despite being cold, since the sun was out and we are expecting snow on Monday. Feeling lazy now and ready to take a nap before making dinner.
Happy weekend!
Stay warm PL67!
Thank you, Adanst!
I did my errands as usual…warmer today than yesterday but we are in for a whopper! Stay warm and stay safe.
Same here. I took advantage of the sunny and warmer day. Let’s hope the storm is not as bad as expected. You too stay warm and safe!
Hope that you are also hunkered down today (Sunday)! Snow forecast amounts are all over the place for me right now. So I’m not sure what I’ll end up with. ⛄
I did all my shopping yesterday, so no need to go outside today at all. The first snow flakes are already coming down. According to the forecast we will get 12 to 18 inches of snow with very high winds. Crossing fingers is not as bad as expected.
Yardley Iris today. Its almost a body spray, so about 10 sprays applied!
Made a quick trip for a few groceries and noticed that they had a display of flower and vegetable seeds! This year I’m definitely doing seeds for flowers again due to the relatively high rate of success I had last year. I was amazed since they were planted them directly into the soil! For vegetables, I will start them earlier if possible and will have to rethink their location.
To get less sun or to be more protected or both?
Kind of counter-intuitive in my case. We have a west-facing back yard but have a huge pine tree and fence which blocks alot of the important sun in the afternoon. The tree also has far reaching roots which block alot of the soil. Plus the soil has lots of clay; I’ve amended it with sand and limestone to help break it down.
.Many strikes against growing things.The front yard faces east but we get quite a bit of sun for most of the day as it travels west. Perhaps I will strategically plant some veggies in the front yard pots with flowers mixed in so it’s not so obvious!
I have seen a good bit of decorative cabbages dotting the landscape so you are in good company!
I got out and walked in the drizzle this morning because tomorrow it’s supposed to pour all day. Now I’m home and dry and have three cats on me/next to me keeping me warm.
I bought an ice cream maker because I’m lactose-intolerant and the non-dairy ice creams I tried were awful. Making the first batch tomorrow after I make the custard tonight and let it cool. I thought I’d start off easy with vanilla. I’m wearing Un Bois Vanille to put me in the mood.
Enjoy your ice cream maker! I got one a few years ago and love it.
Hope you ice cream turns out great.
After you mentioned (yesterday?) having read and enjoyed Allison Montclair’s Sparks and Bainbridge mystery books, I’ve ordered the first one (The Right Sort of Man) on Kindle. So far so good but I just started it. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
And…Boom! Downloaded from the library. Thanks!
Like adanst, I ordered Book 1 of Sparks and Bainbridge for Kindle! I have to finish a short of the Detective Varg series (Alexander McCall-Smith).
On the lactose free ice cream, I found all of them to be too sweet. The oat milk one wasn’t too bad.
Three cats? I obviously wasn’t paying attention, I thought you just had Bertie Wooster and one kitten?
Miss Kitty Scout doesn’t get much press, but she’s here!
It’s appallingly cold where I am and I’m currently reading your status on the sofa, with a cat on my feet.
To be fair, those feet are tucked under the warmest/loftiest comforter we have, and she was there first snuggled into it.
But it’s a mutually beneficial alliance!
I wish our kitty would cuddle. She likes being petted but is not much of a cuddler.
Gray dreary and mild day today. I wore L’Orpheline, which seemed appropriate. Getting some work done while coping with a backed-up sink. I put on an order for five samples from Indigo of Perris Monte Carlo scents and that’s exciting!
Do report back!
For sure! I ordered five samples. Fun!
That is exciting! I hope the samples contain some real winners.
I have not seen Diva here lately, does anyone how and where she and T-Rex are now?
Someone here mentioned she is well, and is still on IG. I miss her.
She’s in Arizona. She posts on Instagram and T-Rex is playing in the snow!
I live vicariously through her posts…
Miss Deva too.
@ vantasticviews if you’re looking for her!
Thanks so much for the information. I wore Ummagumma today and thought of her.
I am enjoying some cheap thrills from B&BW received w/ my last candle order…Chocolate Covered Cherry and Sunset Glow body sprays.
CCC notes are milk chocolate, red cherries & sweet liqueur…I get chocolate, cherries and some Iso E maybe…sadly low sillage but one can always invoke hajusuuri level spraying if need be. ??
SG’s notes are sparkling cherry seltzer, coconut & moonflower. This one has much more oomph and somehow reminds me of a cologne a long ago ex wore…maybe Curve for Men.?
Oh no! Not Curve! I had fond memories of it, until I smelled it recently on someone. It has not held up. Lol.
That chocolate covered cherry is good. I want to get the lotion.
Yes, the more I sniff the CCC the more I am enjoying it…just wish it were stronger. I should really stick w/ the lotions…I prefer those over the body creams somehow. The body creams seem to have some underlying cream ingredient smell I don’t care for…and I don’t get that from their lotions.
Keep spraying ?!
Indeed…double digits are sometimes required!??
Technically, today is my last day of vacation. My boss gave me Sunday and Monday as my days off for the coming week, so I don’t go back until Tuesday night. The bad part of this, is I will end up working 6 or 7 days in a row once I go back.
I’ve been sampling samples today, and accidentally fell in love with Eris Night Flower. Wow, what a great leather, it’s so smooth and sultry. I signed up for Indigo’s emails so I could get ten percent off. I haven’t ordered from them before, do they give out better coupons?
Enjoy your extra days off and hopefully your new schedule would be regular.
Indigo has 20% off several times a year; however, there are exclusions. The Eris line is one of them but you never know until you try!
Glad to hear that you weren’t going in to work today!
I am cozying up with Myrrhe Ardente on this chilly day. Haven’t left my apartment all day and am fine with that. We picked up dinner from a nearby modern Sichuan restaurant and have plenty of leftovers for tonight’s dinner.
Slept weirdly last night and hoping for better sleep tonight. I think it’s past time for a new mattress and pillow. Oh, but this morning I found out my brother and sister in law are having a boy in June. I already knew of the pregnancy but they announced the gender today. So my brother will have a second son (first one was with his first wife when he was very young), and I’ll have a second nephew.
Thanks to many of you here for recommending Yoga with Adriene. My boyfriend and I did both of her videos on yoga for shoulder, neck, and upper back pain this afternoon. Those areas are my constant source of aches and pains and the yoga helped. I like that the videos are only 10 and 17 min so I’ll be able to easily fit them into work days.
Congratulations on the new addition! How exciting!
I do the 20 minute yogawithadriene for upper back, neck and shoulder when I get a headache and it is MAGIC! I agree about the short videos…it doesn’t feel like too much of a commitment to start one
Good news about your being an aunt again
What lovely news about your nephew!
Congratulations! ?
Busy day, late checking in. Today I wore Orris Tattoo on one arm and Orris & Sandalwood on the other. They are not identical, but close enough not to need both. Wish I had one of each rather than two bottles of Orris & Sandalwood.
Smelling great cazaubon! I have and love Orris Tattoo.
Yesterday I saw your note about Paris-Venise very late plus it looked like we were out of nested comments to respond. Thank you for your kind offer but I did somehow manage to locate a lotion and shower gel on The Bay website; it’s already on the way. The lotion was not there the day before so I think it was PL67’s good karma which helped my dilemma along! Thanks again!
I have and love Orris Tattoo.
Posting late to the game right now. Woke up in Ubar this morning and now if Coco Mademoiselle right now. It was a very tough day at work and hoping that Sunday will go a little more smoothly. Just hoping that there will be no call offs from work for the next few days. Had to tell my boss that with the storms coming in, I will not come in on days off. I can’t keep bailing my department out. I am looking forward to having Tuesday and Wednesday off.
Waking in Ubar sounds like a good way to begin the day!
So the forum about stepping away from the cliff had many arguments for jumping over it… facilitating my purchase of Montale’s Red Oud… It’s a scent I have been dithering over for about a decade!
I can see why it was a difficult scent to decide on. After a full week of dousing myself in it it still feels like a mystery. One moment I just get hot pepper, the next I detect the sweet creamy sandalwood, in another the iris is akin to sweet chocolate! For now we are on honeymoon which means I couldn’t do the Mugler week. Nothing else will really do for now BUT this strange melange of spicy, woody, gourmand notes.
That’s so funny! Nobody was even pretending to pull anyone back from the cliff. Sometimes Undina will make a good case for stepping back but she was absent from the forum that weekend.
And then came Kevin’s excellent post about not buying samples, and while a lot of us agreed with him in principle, we could also make very good arguments for acquiring more of them. We’re an incorrigible bunch ?
Enjoy your new perfume!
Thanks Adanst! I didn’t buy anything I actually mentioned in that forum but went back to an older lemming, and really glad I did because this scent combines many aspects I adore and is such a constantly changing animal it FEELS like I could never tire of it. Famous last words, of course!
It may be that the forum helped me clarify what is worth jumping for and what is not?
That’s a good clarification to have gained!
Yes! Changes everything really…
Yes we are an incorrigible bunch! I guess you need to visit an entirely different forum (Shoppers anonymous? Minimalists united?) of you really want to be talked down.
Ha ha! I wonder if there are groups with those names! Just in case it wasn’t clear to anyone though -I wasn’t really expecting to be talked down – and in fact the discussion there lead me to a much better purchase than one I would otherwise have made. I am incorrigible all on my own ?
In case *anyone* was intrigued by Red Oud, Frag’Net has travel sprays…….
Mossberry, yes, blind buying anything from Montale is a terrible idea. South African post takes 3 months or so to America or I would certainly send you some mls. I have very happy memories of sample swapping some years back but the inordinate time frame together with laws about sending perfume just made it impossible at the end.
Hello! Mostly I’ve been using the LUSH bath products, so the bathtub and I end up smelling like honey candy for a while after my shower.
Add in some cocoa butter cream for my dry skin, and I think I smell pleasant enough. 
Nothing wrong with Lush bathing products, you must smell heavenly.
I’m enjoying my sweet-scented showers.
Honey Candy – I haven’t seen that in years. That is great scent and taste!
The “Honey I Washed the Kids” shower gel is supposed to smell like toffee, and the “Fairly Traded Honey” shampoo does in fact smell like honey. So it all brings honey candy to mind for me.
I’m enjoying them.
I would also recommend Scrubee for a honey scented bath treat.
I was going to post a link to a store that carries honey candies, but there’s been enough enabling here as of late! ?
You are inspiring me to have a LUSH bath later today. Thanks for that!
Enjoy!
I’m still using my LUSH Ginger shower gel. That little 30mL bottle has lasted for a few months, but I’m getting towards the end of it. It doesn’t smell at all like ginger, though. Mostly a woodsy floral with a hint of citrus.
As long as you like the fragrance, that’s the important thing. I hope you can stay cozy and warm for the next couple of days!
I like it enough that I was considering getting another bottle, even though it has glitter in it. But I dallied around long enough that Ginger is gone.
Hope that you and your folks will be all right for the next couple of days too!
SotD Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM pour Femme. I wouldn’t have considered getting more than my 5ml decant based on wearing it this summer when the opening felt very harsh, but this fragrance blooms beautifully for me in winter. HRM…
The temperature is heinous here in Montreal and we’re still in full-shutdown mode, staying home is the only weekend plan!
I am hoping some items will be reclassified as essential come our next check-in date on Feb 8; I desperately need a new pillow. We tried switching to memory foam about a year and a half ago and my neck has been SO unhappy. I tried to soften it and tough it out but finally did what Mr. Teebear did two weeks in, and went back to our ancient pillows which we’d thankfully kept. But those are FAR older than I’m willing to admit to and too thin and soft for me now. I really need to get into a bedding store!!
Uncomfortable pillows are so dreadful. I hope you can get a new one soon!
How awful, to sleep on a painful pillow, I hope you can get one soon. They really need to reopen the stores, here they’re allowing things open at reduced capacity, that should be sufficient.
My husband and I call it “LPHS” – Lumpy Pillow Headache Syndrome
I had the worst back pain for several months and finally switched pillows and it has made so much difference! I hope you can get a new pillow soon.
I feel your pillow pain; been there recently, too.
Back at it again today. Made a Sephora run last night. I couldn’t resist getting a new lipstick and a Tocca rollerball. Wearing vintage no 22 edt today.
How fun to go into a Sephora! What lippie did you get?
Urban Decay in Rupture. I don’t go any higher than $19 on a lipstick and don’t do it often.
I love Rapture – it’s so versatile!
Very nice color! I need to branch out from my usual neutral tones.
No SOTM, as I will head out for my first round of COVID vaccine in about an hour. I’m grateful I’m getting it now, but I admit I have some anxiety, too. I’m supposed to lift with my trainer this afternoon, and of course, it has to be bench press day! Hopefully I’m not too sore and feel up to giving it a go. Sometimes I like a spritz of cologne to sweeten the “gym smell,” so maybe I’ll end up in something along those lines later in the day.
Well, whenever I’ve gotten the regular flu vaccine, the nurse always says to keep my arm moving….maybe with COVID a bench press will be that next level??!!
Ha! I ended up cancelling my training. Getting shot turned out to be quite the ordeal. It’s done now, but I’m glad I took the afternoon to rest. I’ll try that bench day tomorrow.
Congrats on getting the vaccine!!
Thank you, sistine!
Whoo hoo on getting your shot today!
Scent for church was Baiser de Russie. I love the pine note in this one! And, yes, I keep thinking I’ll do a split someday…will wait until the decant gets a little lower though.
On the walk home, we cut through Bloomies to warm up. Score! The Chanel SA, Tammy, pulled Le Lion out from its hiding place and did a quick spritz on my wrist. Potent stuff. I do like Amber. And, she gave me carded samples of Le Lion, Sycomore and Bois des Iles.
Second score was a from PF Chang’s To Go because the delivery last night was less than optimal, and the manager told us to stop by and pick up a gift certificate.
And…to top it off, we stopped at the bakery and got a couple of pistachio croissants. Could today be any more of an indulgence?
So happy to hear of your wonderful day – a perfect start to the week!
What a fun day for you!
Frankly I’m shocked about Bloomie’s generosity. They must be feeling the impact of less store traffic.
Wow, great sample score! Your day sounds blissful.
OMG I love pistachio croissants!
What an awesome day!
You hit the jackpot for “Great Day” today!
Congrats! Sounds like a great day!
Our promised wintry mix is just cold, pouring rain so no real desire to go outside again after getting groceries this morning. On days like this I am especially grateful for a warm, comfortable house and the ability to afford food and luxuries.
I’m wearing Bottega Veneta and smelling like a million bucks.
Everyone stay safe and warm!!!
You smell great!
We got snow starting around 11am!
Wearing Ormaie Toi Toi Toi. It’s kind of a woody vanilla.
Sounds good. I believe I have a sample!
I wanted tuberose today and I have so many from which to choose. I narrowed it down to Slowdive or vintage Carolina Herrera and went with Carolina. It’s raining here today and I’m half-watching PGA golf from San Diego, where it’s sunny.
Just recently got a very partial bottle of CH at a flea market – oh so good!! It might become a “quest” item. You smell fabulous!
I am having a super lazy day, still in PJs at 3:45PM. But I did manage to make cranberry muffins, and they are delicious. Also used up some of the frozen cranberries, so hooray for cleaning out the freezer.
I’m trying to work up the motivation to go sew this afternoon. I have rediscovered the sewing machine in the pandemic after like 25 years of ignoring it. In the middle of making a tank top now, so I can dream of warmer and happier times.
No scent yet, not sure what to wear today…
Good luck on the tank top! I have 2 full sized sewing machines, one of which has a sewing table (mom’s). At some point, I will need to find a way to donate these.
Sunday report: It’s sunny and 65 degrees outside, but with a very strong wind. Not sure I’ll go for my walk or not…. probably so, but with a scarf around my neck. I know this probably sounds absurd to people in other climes….
SOTD is Coco, which is going to be quite fancy for my outing to the drug store! I’m also going to order takeout from a Chinese restaurant. No cooking at home right now due to backed-up kitchen sinks. Sigh, the joys of home ownership. At least I subscribe to a plumbing service.
Yuck on backed-up sinks! ?
Song of the Day: https://youtu.be/GVFgEBq0EKM
Hunkered down and going nowhere for a while! I’m so glad that I did grocery shopping yesterday. ? A State of Emergency will go into effect at 7pm tonight in NJ due to the weather.
SOTWeekend = the OG Alien EdP, from my little 30mL bottle. I decided to check my nose and see if the tactical nuclear jasmine that I remember has changed. The bottle I have has mellowed, and is now a lovely cold weather perfume. Not sure I’d want to wear this in the heat and humidity of high summer, though.
Dang jalapeno, stay safe!
Great song! ( R.I.P. Gary)
I just looked up your weather. That’s crazy the storm warning runs until Tuesday!
Nor’Easters can hang around for a while, for sure! But yeah, it’s gonna be nuts.
Started to snow here 8 hours earlier than I anticipated! I was going to go out and sweep my steps but changed my mind. Let’s see if I can get out to do that tomorrow morning!
Wow! I hope you don’t have too much snow tomorrow!
The snow showed up here a couple of hours earlier than I was expecting. Mr. Jalapeno said that the lines for gas at our Costco were utterly crazy this morning.
Stay safe!
Stay safe, Jalapeno! Alien is a great choice for cold, crazy weather.
Thanks Gail!
Today’s scent was Wit. I thought I could smell lilac in it, but I looked it up and found there is no lilac note. Interesting how the different notes converge to make me think of one particular one.
Yesterday I wore Wood Sage and Sea Salt. I can usually never go wrong with Jo Malone, the brand is becoming a favorite of mine.
Oh, that is the PdR I regret the most! So beautiful.