It's the first weekend in December, and we're starting off the month with our same old open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, any plans you might have for the month, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is untitled-3990 [cropped] by Carodean Road Designs at flickr; some rights reserved.
I’m usually a late poster and it looks like I might be first today – got up early to watch the USA v Netherlands game.
Haven’t chosen a scent yet today but I do have a question – has anyone found a Gardenia fragrance that’s a realistic representation of the gorgeous flower and isn’t cloying and or a caricature?
Got up so early, I completely forgot that I did start the day with Courreges Impreinte from a generous NST swap. Chypre heaven!
Dame Perfumery has a Gardenia Soliflore. I haven’t tried it. I have tried the Tuberose and Honeysuckle. Both are very realistic to my nose.
I wondered about Dame. Thanks for the reminder.
I’ve tried the Dame Gardenia in the body cream. It is definitely a BFW that has a funky note to it. Like blue cheese funk.
I really like Kai and don’t find it cloying. There is a boutique in my city that carries it so have tried the body cream, oil and perfume. All are well done in my opinion.
Thank you. I have a bottle of Kai oil w/rose and the cream and like them both😊
I’m with Kris…Kai is really lovely and not overwhelming.
I’m not a huge floral fan, but the best gardenia I’ve tried was Olivine Atelier’s Olivine perfume oil.
I’m not familiar but will definitely check it out. Thank you!
I love the smell of fresh gardenia flowers. I’ve looked many times and haven’t yet found its equal in a bottle. I hope we’ll find it someday. 🙂
Exactly!😊
Wearing SDV and comparing it with a sample of Scents of Wood Vanilla in Bourbon. The Scents of Wood reminds me of how SDV was when it was first released, more boozy. Definitely FBW.
That SoW sounds very good, bourbon is so yummy as a note instead of the usual rum or brandy.
vanilla in bourbon? wow, sounds like heaven. 🙂
I am a day late on wearing resins. SOTD is Chanel Coromandel.
I am excited about several samples I purchased from Luckyscent that should make it to my house on Monday. I decided on several iris scents and a few Zoologist scents. Always fun to try something new. I have invested in too many FBs in the past that stung me so decided to do samples first from now on.
Which Zoologist samples did you decide on? I’m behind on my sampling.
Dragonfly, Hummingbird and Nightingale. I already have travel sizes of Bee and Civet which I love.
I love Hummingbird and like the other two 😊 I want to try Cardinal and Sacred Scarab, I don’t think I’ll like SS but I’m interested in smelling it.
You may be surprised. I tried SS and liked it. I didn’t think I would either.
You smell great! Yes, do tell about the samples.😀
Iris samples are L’Attessa, Orris Tattoo, and Iris Eau de Parfum by Profumo di Firenze. I also threw in Wazamba since I haven’t tried that.
L’Attessa is a wonderful iris. 🙂
Agreed!
I have heard many say that so excited to try it!
Happy Saturday! I’m wearing Black Orchid today because some people wore it yesterday and it sounded good. And it smells good, I didn’t realize I’d been craving it.
I love it and am wearing it tomorrow. You smell wonderful!
Wearing Black Orchid today! Yum.
And you smell wonderful! I really enjoyed it yesterday.
I’m in BFMV.
It was super windy overnight and our temps dropped about 25 degrees, but the sun is out in full force, so no complaints from me.
I finally got around to putting the lights on the tree that’s been in the living room since last weekend. No one really enjoys doing the lights, so by default it ends up being me.😏 I was a bit frustrated because 3 of the stands of our new LED lights from last year were already not working. Well, they were half working but I’m not going to bother putting a strand all around the tree when only half of it will light up. They went right into the garbage bin. Sigh. I can never figure out how those extra lights and tiny fuses work that come with the lights. I wonder how many people actually use that stuff.
Anywho, our tree is half led and half non-led, lol. Doesn’t actually look that bad and in hindsight I’m glad I hung on to the old lights. They actually work!😂
I swapped out my perfume tray today. My line up for the next three months is: Casmir, Obsession, White Cube, Samsara, SDV, Shalimar MVP, Philtre and light, Box of Eels, Coromandel, Coco, BFMV, OJ Woman, Grand Soir, and I’m going to give Le Lion another try. We’ll see.
Fabulous line-up!
Thanks!😀
Lol, I hate lights that only half work! I bought a new pre-lite tree this year. It has hook in branches so each branch is lite on its own. They’ll replace branches for 2 years, if they go out after that I figure I can put those in the back. It’s by holidaytree.com.
And twins on switching out the perfume tray, I did mine yesterday.
MK Baccarat Rouge, Sandlesun, SL Amber Sultan, TF Tobacco Vanille, Frapin 1270, Killian Pure Oud, LAP Havana Vanilla, Diptyque Volutes, and Aqua Flor Penumbra. I asked for Guerlain Cuer Beluga from Santa, we’ll see if I’m on the nice list!
I think my mil has a prelit tree, but we cut down a fresh one every year.
You have some great perfumes lined up!
How do you like BFMV?
Your perfume tray sounds great!
BFMV? You mean Baccarat Rouge? I love it. I don’t care if it’s the trendy “ladies who lunch” scent, it smells delicious on me.
No, BFMV is what Madtowngirl is wearing.
And I do like Baccarat Rouge. I sampled that a while back. It is just so darn expensive.
Lol, I’m an idiot.
I like it! Have you tried? I first tried it a few years ago when I discovered Dame, and liked it then. I recently got another of his samples when he was doing a freebie (maybe 4th of July…?) and I feel like he’s changed the formula a bit and it’s even better now!😀
I think everyone should try BFMV. Love it! 🙂
I have tried it, but can’t remember what it was like. Is it something like Memoirs of a Trespasser or Vanilla Insensse?
I’ve not tried Memoirs and own Vanille Insensee and BFMV is different….VI to me, is closer to Eau Duelle and it get a bit of citrus up front. BFMV is “deeper” if that makes sense, without being heavy. I get a note of cocoa even though it’s not listed. I’m terrible at describing perfumes, lol, I would say just go ahead and order a sample. It’s a good one!
I just recently tried BFMV and found it a spicy, somewhat dry vanilla on me.
You can send Dane Perfumery a postcard and he will send you a sample of it. I think the postcard thing works pretty much all year.
That would be Dame! I blame it on spellcheck.
Thanks. Yes, he does still have that, but I have purchased enough from him that I have gotten free samples.
We have very similar taste, you have a great-smelling winter ahead.
Thanks ringthing! I’ve discovered most of those perfumes thanks to this blog and other NSTers.😊
We’re going to the annual Thorndon Fair today. It started years ago as a small school fundraiser, and now a couple of streets are closed for it and there is around two hundred craft and food stalls. Before that, there is the excitement of cleaning the bathroom.
I can still smell traces of last night’s Fêtes Persanes from MDCI. Post shower, I’m thinking of Annick Goutal’s Chèvrefeuille. The day is supposed to warm up, so I’m hoping a summery perfume will encourage that.
I love craft/food fairs. Have fun!
I had a double take when I read your third sentence. 😂 I hope you enjoy the fair!
😂
I love Fêtes Persanes!
traces of last night’s perfume is one of my favorite scents. 😉
Chèvrefeuille is delightful, you smell great!
Today I have the excitement of cleaning the fireplace (not as bad as a bathroom, Gaynor), the ashes have piled up really quickly. I am hoping the dust doesn’t go everywhere. I’m wearing African Leather. I’m thinking about thinning my perfume collection and getting rid of some that I don’t wear. But so far, just thinking 🙂
I’m definitely going to thin the herd this month – my perfume closet is overflowing!
I gave a few bottles away recently. Felt the need to thin things out so I can appreciate what I love most. 🙂
And I repurposed my bottle of L’eau Caporal, it now sits by the back door for use as a nice smelling mosquito repellant. The little nuisances really don’t like it.
tiffanie ❤️❤️❤️
Hope you’re doing well! I see you occasionally on IG!
hi hajusuuri! really feeling the perfume love today. 🙂
peeked at IG where I see we’re Tauer twins today, yay!
I wish i could do that too, thin my perfume closet!!
Just got home from an intense (but good) work event, and have the tail end of an online conference starting soon. I am in 28 La Pausa, having taken the bottle off psfh’s hands. I love it so much — and yes, it’s just as infuriatingly fleeting as I remember, but the delicate whiff I catch every once in a while is worth it to me.
Wind and rain here — the weather is not cooperating with my intention to have a daily walk. I don’t mind a little rain, but the wind we have today makes it dangerous — lots of limbs flying around.
I am so glad you two connected so you could get 28 La Pausa. I knew someone here would want it😊
Hey all! I’m so glad to be off work today. It’s cold, but the sun is shining. I thunked a sample of what I think is Tubereuse Criminelle; the label was so smeared I couldn’t tell, but I think it’s this. I don’t like the mint mixed with the flower here, although the total effect isn’t bad. After I go to the gym and then shower I’ll try something else. Yes, I’m going back to the gym now, after many months of staying away because of Covid surges! But now that both I and my gym buddy have had Covid, despite our boosters, we’re not afraid anymore. I feel very out of shape.
In other news, I received the Instant Pot I ordered during the Black Friday events (birthday gift from my parents), and I’m so excited to try it! Does anyone have any favorite recipes for it?
I’m kinda embarrassed to say this, but I use my IP for boiled eggs, rice and cooking beans from dried and that’s about all. Wait, I’ve done steel cut oats, too.
Umm, chunks of carrots with butter, cinnamon, water and some maple syrup. Did that too.
I plan on doing eggs, rice, oatmeal, and beans too! I hate handling raw meat so I’ll be doing mostly vegetarian stuff. I like your carrots idea too :).
mmmm, tuberose is so beautiful. 🙂 You smell wonderful.
Thank you!
I think someone here used to call TC “Tubby Criminal”. Wish I could recall who it was.
Haha, I like that!
PSA: if you’re looking for a scent that’s available from Sephora, they have 20% off until 12/11, one time use, on everything except Chanel perfumes. I had no clue, so I checked out a 3 pack travel size from MM- Fireside, Jazz Club, and some coffee scent, can’t remember the name. Surprisingly, all were quite nice. Usually, in a three pack like that, there’s one I don’t like. Anyway, great for travel, but I didn’t LOVE any of them, so they stayed on the shelf.
Wearing Taklamakan today to continue this weeks CP. Notes according to Kafkaesque include:
Bergamot, Rose, Chinese Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Iris, Patchouli, Guaiac wood, Benzoin, Vanilla, Labdanum, Musk.
You smell gorgeous! I saw that promotion but have not used it yet. Thanks for the reminder.
Also Ulta is running their 20% coupon. I think until the 24th.
Ha! I like your comment about usually disliking one scent in a three pack. So true. I think it might be ONLY liking one in three for me, or maybe not even.
I’m in B683 from a dwindling decant. I love this thing – leather, spices and saffron. I would never have worn this or even known of its existence if not for you wonderful people, so thank you. ☺️
I think I tried that one, but have no memory of it other than I liked the bottle. :-). Need to give it another go.
Look it up. Sounds amazing. How prominent is the saffron note? Always on the alert for well constructed saffron frags.
I get more nutmeg and soft leather than saffron. But maybe it’s the saffron that gives it the feel of leather…?
SOTD = YSL La Nuit de L’Homme L’Intense
This is Day 3 of semi-self made perfume Advent Calendar. I am truly convinced that the Countdown Calendar I used was defective from a conceptual standpoint but heh, it is very colorful and pretty and very Christmassy!
Today’s ornament has yellow on it so I chose the YSL to match.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CluJKnWOV2x/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Later, I am having dinner with friends. I don’t recall ever being at that restaurant so will peruse the online menu if there’s one.
I’ve got a bottle of Nuit de L’homme edt that’s very very good, like it a lot, so L’Intense is intriguing. Must take a sniff next time I’m shopping. 🙂
sotd = GOLESTAN
Golestan! Golestan! Golestan! I’m smitten. It’s like the love child of Songes and Carillon pour un Ange.
I’m a Tauer fan and BWF lover, so the 5 ml mini was ordered as soon as I finished reading about it.
It’s the frst perfume I’ve bought in several years, and it cracked me up that the bottle arrived in my mailbox TWO DAYS after I ordered it. That made my perfumed heart so happy. Andy Tauer is a genius and an artist.
Time for a bike ride and a hike through the trails near me. We had rain yesterday so everything feels crisp and clean.
Have a lovely weekend, NST friends. You! Smell! Fabulous! 🙂
👋 tiffanie!
hi lillyjo! 😀
Nice to see you! I love Golestan too.
Golestan makes me grin like I’m silly in love. 🙂
It’s very pretty and recognizably Tauer. Interestingly he said he made it with AI. I wonder how widespread that is
that is fascinating! I was a programmer techie person many years ago, perfume made with AI is next level. 🙂
Argh! The Golestan chat is making my lemmings act up. Down, down you pests!
Golestan is totally lemm-able IMHO! 🙂 One of the top blind buys ever. Though I wonder if 5 mls is a new bottle or a large-size sample? 🙂
I just fell asleep early, Friday evening, so could not participate in the CP but would have worn Parfum Sacré. I debated about wearing it today but I was irresistibly attracted to Cacharel Eden; this tenacious little monster 👹 followed me on my errands all day and is still going strong but tonight I added Weil Suki Essence which could have qualified for the CP I realize. TBH what I mostly smell is Eden.
I’m glad you got some sleep, Aurora.
Hello NST! I am back from a long vacation to the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. Awesome trip. And now getting over covid — not so awesome, but really pretty mild, basically just a head cold. So no scent today, but someday soon, I hope.
Hope you all had a lovely November. Did I miss any amazing new perfume releases while I was away?? Donatella doesn’t want me to miss out on any temptations.
Welcome back! And sorry you have covid☹️ It sounds like you had a wonderful vacation and will be back to your “smelly” self soon😊
Thanks! Yes it was a really good vacation. And yay for vaccines for making covid mild.
Absolutely!
Hey welcome back!
I’m pretty sure Guerlain released another $10,000 limited edition of something. Lol.
I’ll get right on that. lol indeed
Welcome back!
Sounds amazing Pixel! A long last 😊
So glad to see you’re back! That sounds like a dream trip to me. Hope you continue to feel better! 🤗
What a wonderful trip! Glad you are back safe & sound! 😀
Welcome home, and so glad it was a wonderful trip!
Welcome back!
I hope that you didn’t get COVID on your trip.
I went to my grand niece’s 4th birthday party today. I actually had fun! She is so darn cute I can’t hardly stand it. I wore Wicked Good ( thanks to a generous nster) I figured smelling like chocolate was really the only way to go.😀
So glad you had a happy Saturday reunion with your niece, yes smelling like chocolate was very appropriate, I almost bought Wicked Good in the BF sales but refrained.
I think it’s pretty good but I had trouble smelling it after about 2 hours. The normal price is a bit high imo.
The party was mermaid themed. My sister did such a good job decorating. I am just no good at that kind of thing.
Agree totally even with the BF discount I thought it was more money than I was willing to pay. Mermaid themed party 🎈 sounds magical.
So many things I love about this post💕 No idea what is Wicked Good, but the name makes me think of 70s rock ballads!
It’s from Gallagher perfumes. It smells like straight up chocolate.
https://youtu.be/fCcEjZQQNjo
Here’s a 70’s song match. Lol.
Very happy to hear you had a wonderful Saturday with your sweet little grand-niece!
It seems like yesterday you were telling us about her entrance into this world…
I wore Nirvana Black today. I have not worn this in ages and I have been craving a “dry” vanilla and this seemed to hit the spot.
Worked today and thankful to be home at a reasonable hour rather than VERY late, as often is the case when I work on weekends. Hospitals filling up. I think flu is the new COVID this year. I saw 2 really sick young (or young-ish) people on vents with flu. Mask policy had just loosened up and about to be imposed again. I think I took my mask off for less than a week then decided I would revert back to daily masks at work, too much infection risk.
Please get flu shots. Even if they help just a little.
I know what you mean about the flu. I have been trying to encourage people to get the flu shot; some to no avail. I just had an old co-worker die from the flu and she was only 42. I think this year it is the new COVID, however that is still around plus RSV is added to the mix as well. I don’t wear the masks as much anymore, but sure do a lot of hand hygiene.
Same here. Hospital beds full with patients with respiratory ailments. Stay well!
My hospital is full of babies with RSV. The other day I saw a women who was breathing heavily, rasping, walk out of the Emergency Department into a main corridor, and push the elevator button, and lean against the wall, waiting for it to come. I didn’t take that elevator that day. I have not really quit wearing masks in public, and I wear masks at the hospital anytime I leave my office, which is close to the ED and that elevator hub. I admit I backed away and didn’t offer to help her. I have all my shots, but I have no desire to catch COVID or Flu at my age. Stay safe and we’ll, and recover quickly from whatever you have got. I am in Bukhara today , and have just ordered a sample of A’Ttessa based on someone talking about it. I have never tried it before simply because the bottle is so unattractive. Silly reason to not try one of my favorites notes…
This hospital is full of RSV and Covid in all age brackets. Patients boarding in the ER for days. It’s a complete mess. I still wear an N95 while at work. Our hospital also relaxed masking and visitor policies. A Covid room gets a regular clean, and then a non-Covid patient goes in, and not surprisingly, many patients become Covid + while in hospital. They had a covid + patient go through pre-op, OR, then post-op, and he tested positive while in post op. There is no rhyme or reason and now that government funding has stopped, it’s a dumpster fire 24/7. One more year of this and I’m done.
I worry and I have no direct patient contact! I see our Flight for Life team and the ER staff and providers looking more and more rung out! Take good care, Deva’
This is how I see hospitals these days- Like a hulking Charles Schulz’s Pig Pen with his giant cloud of dirt rotating around him. Pig Pen is the hospital building itself and that giant cloud of dirt is millions upon millions of circulating pathogens invading every nook and cranny. I’m not a germaphobe. At least, I never used to be…😬
If my family is any indication, they help more than a little! My unvaxxed son took 8 days to get better. I was not vaxxed and I’m on day 10 and still feel basically like I have mono. My husband and mom were both vaxxed and had mild cases of a few days each.
(Sorry I’m repeating stuff I’ve said all week, but in case anyone missed any of it and needs a little push to get a shot…)
I’m wearing MFK Grand Soir today, it’s sunny and brisk.
You smell gorgeous. One of my favorites–if not THE favorite.
Wearing French Lover, which reminds me a lot of my Irish Leather. A check on Fragrantica showed they have zero notes overlapping. So I did a test on my husband’s wrists. Yep, they have a lot in common, notes be damned 😃 Herbal elegance. For the record, hubby prefers the Memo IL 💚
I baked a cake yesterday. I have a lot of confidence in the kitchen except when it comes to baking. This was an easy NYT recipe for carrot cake with a baked “frosting,” really more like cheesecake. I brought half of it over to a neighbor who declared it was a “two-fer” dessert as she loves both carrot cake and vanilla cheesecake. So, I guess it was a success? 🤔
Oh my, that sounds delicious! Yes, I’d say that was a success.
The most delicious of successes!
I’m in Omnia today. Trying to hang a mirror over a bookcase on a small wall, and discovered the bookcase isn’t centered on the wall. Time to unload the bookcase of its contents, move it, hang mirror, move bookcase back, reload books and artfully arrange book overflow and tchotchkes on top as if I know what I’m doing. 🙄
Why does everything take longer than we think it will?
Yeppers! Also, noticed I needed to dust when I unloaded the books…
Of course you did – it’s endless!
Hope this finds you, Robin, and all NST’ers who were not well, much better! SotD Atelier Mimosa Indigo. This was one that I sampled, and thought was nice but did not WOW me. Sometime after that, I saw an Ebay auction for a good deal so, thinking about how Atelier was no longer available in the USA, I bid and got a bottle. Wearing it today, I find it quite delightful, especially the sweet musk base. I think it is more of a lilac-sandalwood-bergamot-tangerine delight, but many reviewers find it leather-forward. Go figure!
Congrats on your eBay find!
Angel’s Share from perfect size travel spray! Hope everyone is beginning to feel better, just in time for Monday!😜
From a work email: “Given our capacity and staffing challenges, please ensure you have arranged for child care and other pertinent accommodation necessary for you and your family should you be asked to stay beyond your scheduled shift to care for patients.”
Yes, hospital employees, put yourself and your family at the bottoms of the list so you can be available whenever management asks to do more and more and more. How about hospitals stop putting staffing responsibilities on the staff and actually do their job and staff appropriately? I can bet you a million dollars no one in management has EVER stayed behind to care for patients. If you’re a patient, just think about these poor staff nurses who are already guilted or mandated to do overtime at the expense of their own health and the health and well-being of their kids and families. I see these poor new nurses already burned out after a year or two at bedside. I will NEVER be staff at ANY hospital again. In 30 some odd years or nursing, I have never see such acrimony between management and staff.
Rant Over! Have a joyous day! All the cold, snow and holiday lights are putting me in a gift giving kind of mood! 🎁
Hey Deva! I noticed that you were wishing for more SB Incensed earlier in the week. I have a travel spray of it that I can send your way if you are interested.
Oh, I’d be happy to take it off your hands! I can swap with something in my collection, just let me know what you’re hankering for and I’ll check to see if I have it. You can drop me an email at taiga101 in the land of yahooligans. Thanks!!
No need for a swap. Consider it an early Xmas gift.
Pretty sure that I don’t have your current address.
That’s awful Deva. You are right to rant!
Seriously, I am already composing the “Dear Management” memo in my head 🙂