We're marking the last weekend in January with our standard open thread poll. Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance that will make spring come faster, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Candy Amadeus Amaryllis [cropped] by Carol VanHook at flickr; some rights reserved.
Commando most of the week but I’ve stopped by and read some comments. I would have worn White Cube if I’d been at home, but I made a quick decision to travel to a family baby shower for my sister’s first grandchild. She is action oriented so we’ve done side trips and she dragged me to my first estate sale. Fun stuff, and we are just now heading to the shower. Dabbed on some Versace Crystal Noir from a mini I found at Ross. I think it is baby-shower friendly. 😸
Have a great time!
Thanks, ringthing. It was fun and my sisters other daughter was there with her recently acquired engagement ring so maybe a wedding this year too! 🥰
What fun! And congrats on the new grandniece or nephew.
It’s a boy and we are all very excited.
That’s great – how nice of you to go celebrate. And yes, you smell just right!
Thanks, sp!
Congrats on the new addition to your family!
The fragrance that will make spring come faster: I just ordered a sample of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s new Soleil de Provence, which is finally on the US website, along with Memoire de Roses. Come on spring!
Oh yay! Do report back.
Nice to see you again, mrsdarcy. Let us know how you like Soleil de Provence!
Happy weekend!
SOTD!
Fragonard Reine de cœurs edt,from my sample set acquired last year.Pretty fruity-floral little thing.
I was hoping to fall in love way more with the Fragonard offerings,but they are mostly inoffensive squeaky clean affairs.I need surprises on my skin!
Heatwave continues.
Need to start reading Spare.
XO’s🌹🤗✌🏻
Happy weekend JB!
To you as well adanst!🤗✌🏻🌹
Thank you!
It is not that sort of house — full of surprises. When they did do more “artistic” offerings for a time, they didn’t seem to sell. I suspect they do lots of their business with tourists to Grasse?
I would think that business in Grasse is definitely booming,yes!
In my mind I associated Fragonard with that fabulous Perfume movie,so I guess I expected more skank and less bouquet.🤣🤣✌🏻
They tend to skew closer to the Aqua Allegoria line, although I do think they have a few older classics still.
I think you’re probably right that Fragonard focuses on easy-to-wear perfumes for anyone to buy as a souvenir. I got a set of ten 2ml samples as exactly that, none of them were particularly memorable, but all were quite wearable.
In Bois d’Armenie – spicy cashmere is how I would describe it
Happy weekend all
You smell lovely! I adore Bois d’Armenie.
I don’t wear it often but love it when I do
That is one fabulous perfume!
You smell great!
You smell great!
Have been sneezing and congested and using Kleenex since I got up many hours ago. Can feel some sinus pressure. Just took decongestant and two allergy pills. It’s weird that whenever I get any kind of virus (had a sore throat this week) it hits my right eye also. I get swelling and redness. Irritating.
Planning to take a hot shower later, but did spray on Old Spice Amber body spray till then. I do wish they hadn’t discontinued this scent. It’s good. Amber and black currant.
Feel better LizzieB!
Thanks!
Oh drat! Hope it does not linger.
Feel better soon, LizzieB!
Hope you feel better soon!
Oh no. Hope you feel better quickly.
Feel better soon
I hope you feel better soon, that sounds horrible.
Healing vibes to you!
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Feel better soon! 😷🤧
Hope you feel better soon!
Thanks!
I finished my first quilt! It seems really small now that it’s done (it’s a lap quilt, about a quarter the size of a king quilt, because I didn’t want to start too big), but I’m very happy with it. Starting on my second one tomorrow (which *will* be a king), and I have fabric for another two because I am *out of control*.
In SL Jeux de Peau, a cornucopia of a gourmand, so wonderful.
Nothing better than a new hobby because it’s approached full throttle! Will you be posting a photo of the lap quilt on IG? I’d love to ohhh and ahhh over it 😀
Congratulations on the quilt, that is an accomplishment. Fun to pick out the fabrics, I would imagine.
Oh how cool! If you ever put a picture online anywhere do link to it here.
I am so excited for you! Would love to see a pic!
Would love to see the final products!
Fantastic! Sewing and other crafts where you make things are so satisfying
Congrats on the quilt! I always admire quilters, knitters and needles workers. So much patience!
Congratulations! That’s quite an accomplishment.
Fabric is dangerous. I bought a whole bunch, telling myself I *would* sew the patterns I bought. It remains in the closet. But then, I also have a half-finished quilt that I was embroidering the night sky on, just sitting there, staring at me sadly every time I open the closet. I was making progress when I was on a project at work with very long meetings every day, but now that my job is different it’s languishing. (It’s not a small project, so I can’t just take it along in the car or something, sadly.)
But colour and texture…I love fabric and yarn for that and have too much of both.
Waiting for more snow and apparently some ice overnight. C’mon spring, but I don’t have a scent to make it arrive faster. Maybe Fox in the Flowerbed.
I’m wearing a forgotten scent in my collection, Huiles 85 from Bourbon French perfumes in New Orleans. It’s warm and soft and musky. Just right on a cold day.
Ugh – I’m so over winter
No changes here, still in Angel’s Share. Consistency is everything in dog training but there’s no place for it with perfume wearing people’ 😀
You smell great.
I’m still stuck on amber, vanilla, incense and so on, my cold weather comfort perfumes. Wearing Taklamakan at the moment, but today’s lovely photo reminds me that spring is somewhat around the corner and that I have a new bottle of Puredistance no 12 to celebrate its much anticipated arrival.
Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend!
You smell fabulous! It’s one of my favorite winter/cool weather scents! 👍🏼
I remember your love for it. In fact, every time I wear it I think of you. 😊
Taklamakan is a lovely perfume, you smell great!
Thank you!
Wearing L’Artisan Tea for Two.
Beautiful sunny day and 50 degrees right now. It feels much colder though. I am running errands and later I will finish reorganizing my decants and samples. I am quite happy with the purge so far since I have put away a decent amount of scents to be rehomed.
Having an iced coffee and an everything bagel with salmon cream cheese at my local bakery. First time since the pandemic started that I am sitting here again. It is nice to see familiar faces that I hadn’t seen in a long time. So uplifting!
Happy weekend, everyone! 🌻
Enjoy your re-organization! I’ll be doing the same in a day or two.
It always feels good after you see some free space and find the things you are looking for easier!
I need to do the reorganizing asap as well!
Enjoy your outing!🌹🤗
Thank you, J B! 💕
I hope your reorganizing is not as tough as mine was, but sooner or later we have to face it!
You smell fabulous!
Thank you, Gaynor!
You smell great! I should wear T42 later today!
Thank you, Undina!
I’m so glad you’re happy with the purge! That must feel very satisfying.
It feels very satisfying, but I think I could have purged more samples and decants. I need to give some another try, but it may never happen!
Since you did such a great job this time, you now know you have it in you to do it again *if* you want to! I think it’s just a fact of life that some things never get done to our liking and hopefully we figure out how to make peace with that.
This! 👍👍
Chanel 19 EdT today. I deliberately went weather-inappropriate because I’m burned out on my beloved wintery orientals and woods. If I smell another amber I’ll scream. Come on, spring!
I went absolutely nuts on the perfume spending last quarter of 2022, so I’m attempting…deep breath…a No-Buy 2023. I have enough perfume to sink the Queen Mary, and I have backups of my diehard favorites, so I should be able to ride out the year without buying anything else. Wish me luck.
You smell mahhhvelous! Good luck with the no-buy — I fail those on a regular basis.
Yup,same on the Fail.🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🤫🤣
You’re inspiring me to do a No Buy… maybe just February? LOL
Wearing Jasmin et Cigarette, for the sunshine that will surely return someday.
You smell great!
I’m in no-buy as well. So far – almost good (if not to count a $5 sample, including S&H, that I bought in January – but I won’t count it
).
We won’t count it either!
Good Luck with your No Buy attempt! It’s tough!
I am trying a Very Low Buy for 2023. We shall see how that works out…
I missed a couple of days after I switched password managers and it’s been so frustrating, but I hope the worst is over. I’m wearing Miller et Bertaux Indian Study today. If you like sandalwood scents, this is a nice one.
Glad you’re back! I haven’t tried that but will look out for it–always interested in a good sandalwood. I got a sample of Santal Calling from the Saks SA for Ex Nihilo, but when I wore it really didn’t like it; it had one of those strong chemical smells to it, like a kind of ghastly plastic wrap.
Indian Study is very dry, almost dusty. Unfortunately, I haven’t had any luck with the Ex Nihilo scents I’ve tried.
I know I should use a password manager, but I’m skeered I will lock myself out. 😅
SOTM is the very soothing Hindu Kush to go with our weekend lattes and puzzling (wordl and crosswords).
I am still working on my crossword
I’m in Santal Carmin today.
I know I’ve been much more silent over the last couple of months but a lot has been happening in my life. I’m dealing with a lot of tough emotions and I’m on the edge of ending a 3-years-long relationship.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn9e-CkI7va/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Hang in there Mr!At least we have perfume to comfort us when we have to deal with life.Good to see you here though!
🤗✌🏻
Sorry about your troubles
When I am faced with difficulties my mantra 🕉️ is “acknowledge the wave but stay with the ocean”
This storm will pass. Hugs
I am so sorry to hear about your struggles, Lucasai. Sending positive thoughts and hoping everything looks better soon! 🌻
Wishing you comfort and peace to ease your pain during this difficult time🌸
I’m sorry it’s been a tough time for you.
Sending you a hug
I’m sorrg to hear you’re going through a difficult time, I hope things are better soon.
Hugs to you, lucas. You do smell great in Santa Carmin!
That is tough, Lucas — please take good care of yourself.
I hadn’t looked at your Instagram in a while. It’s alway been beautiful, and I can see it’s gotten better and better. Have you changed cameras or lighting, or is it down to experience?
I’m trying to.
I changed my phone last May. I always use natural daylight for the photos so that’s pretty dependant on weather conditions outside.
The new phone cameras are vastly improved, and I think natural light helps to explain why your colors are so good. The magical compositions are coming from your brain and heart, though.👏👏👏
Sorry to hear about the difficult times, sending you hugs and strength.
It’s good to hear from you, lucasai. Sorry that you are having a rough time; here’s hoping that things become brighter for you by the day.
It’s always nice to hear from you. I’m sorry you’re going through a tough time, but I know how strong you are! I’m confident that you will be able to put your troubles behind you and move forward into better times. Sending love and hugs.
So sorry, that’s so hard to do! Take care of yourself, Lucasai.
Sending good thoughts your way — hoping that once you get over the hard work, it’ll open up space for a lot of positive things.
Your Insta feed is always beautiful and inspiring, too!
I had been wondering what you’re up to in recent months. Sorry to hear about challenging times, I’m sending you some hugs and know that you’ll get through it positively!
Sorry to hear that you’ve been having a rough time of it lately. Saying goodbye to any kind of relationship is difficult, for whatever reason.
Your photos are gorgeous, as always.
Tenue de Soirée
📚 Still reading Papyrus and started another book called The 3 arched bridge by Ismail Kadare
On Monday I will pick up Snow Country.
I am trying a Mac eyeshadow today, so far so good.
I’m about 1/3 of the way through The Sound of Waves, then Snow Country next. I promise I’m not stalking you–I just keep a list of books people are reading and happened to be ready for new books…I get almost all of mine as ebooks through our library, which definitely saved my sanity through the early parts of COVID.
I loved the Sound of Waves. I hope you are enjoying it? I get all my books from the library or independent book store up the street. I am happy we are reading almost the same books at the same time, it makes me feel connected ♥️
I am really enjoying it, thanks. ♥
I loved those Kawabata books in college — should revisit them to see how they strike me now.
Which is your favorite ?
I’m not sure — that was 50 years. (!) Pretty sure I read Sound of the Mountain, Snow Country, and House of the Sleeping Beauties, and perhaps others.
What I specifically remember is that he committed suicide in 1972, leaving no note. One of the obituaries quoted him as having said somewhere:
“A silent death is a word forever.”
Or, “A silent death is an endless word,” depending on the translation.
I’ve always thought that was marvelous.
I have read House of Sleeping beauties. I enjoyed his writing so much
Dulcis in Fundo. Heading to a college basketball game and then out for Thai food with Mr. SP, youngest son + wife this afternoon. This will be the first time I’ve tried out my “retired staff” parking privilege at the university. Crossing my fingers!
Hope it worked!
ONE FREEBIE:
4ml decants of Smell Bent One Day and Gelty, sprayed only once.
I received them from another NSTer last year, but they didn’t work for me.
Please, place dibs here and email me at monica67 at aol dot com
I got my “best of 2022” packet of samples from Luckyscent so I’m going to be occupied for a few days! Last night I tried Thomas de Monaco Eau Coeur, which I loved–I guess I’m now fully aboard the TdM love train! Fragrantica describes it as “floral woody musk.” Very nice, very pretty magnolia, plus osmanthus and other things. Definitely a beautiful floral scent. It has some cedar, which I usually do not get along with, but here it helps tone down the sweeter aspects. Too bad these are so pricey ($290 for 50 ml).
Today I am trying Purple Suede by Goldfield and Banks. It features leather and lavender, a neat combination, with a lot of other notes, but is a bit too much on the leather side for my taste.
We have a gray day with rain forecast; luckily I have nowhere to be and I slept in and plan to devote part of my afternoon to painting. I want to finish a semi-abstract painting of orchids I started in class on Thursday and start in on a new cat painting–brown cat on brown Oriental carpet, with distinct patterns in each–a kind of color and texture study (which sounds way more ambitious than it will look!).
Keep us posted on your sample testing
Tdm love train? Must investigate
Thomas de Monaco. Only two scents so far, both new in 2022; I already fell in love with Raw Gold.
Raw Gold is fantastic. I ende up getting a bottle…kinda rationalized the price w xmas and bonus..these are def not cheap
Oh, lucky you, or smart you! Have you tried the other one, Eau Coeur? Very different but also beautiful, and quite potent, as is Raw Gold.
Enjoy the samples, I love the sense of discovery when I get a sample package.
Oooh…do keep us posted on how it goes. I seriously contemplated that sample pack, but I am positively swimming in new samples right now.
Will have to try some Thomas de Monaco — don’t know that line.
I nearly fell over in shock yesterday when I walked into our last remaining department store and saw the Estée Lauder Luxury Fragrance Collection. Other than Tom Ford, this is only exclusive line that I’ve ever seen locally. I hadn’t paid much attention to these perfumes, but I was SO excited to find them here.
I must have conveyed that excitement, because the sales assistant gave me a sample of Desert Eden. I could not tell you the last time I was given a sample when I hadn’t bought anything.
So, today’s highlight will be trying some more of the line. So far, I quite like Infinite Sky. It reminds me of Jovoy’s Remember Me, not that similar side-by-side, but in the ballpark.
I liked several of those. I made notes and thought “there’s FB worthy in there some where. But I’m an EL fangirl anyway.
Oh how fun! Glad they gave you a sample too.
How fun to discover a new collection and get a sample! I love Remember Me, so I’ll have to keep my eye out for Infinite Sky if I ever come across this collection.
I’m testing a decant of Masque Milano Lucid et Ombre, which I ordered by mistake. 🙄 I got it confused with Parfum d’Empire Le Cri de la Lumière, which I had sampled back in 2018.
Lucid et Ombre smells like a forest inside of a musty old house (seriously!), whereas Le Cri is iris, ambrette, and rose. I realized my error at first sniff. 😳
I’m generally a fan of Masque Milano, but this one’s more masculine than I like (it’s got lavender, too). I’ll pass it on to one of my guy perfume buddies.
That’s one I was tempted to buy unsniffed, and I think you just talked me out of it. Thanks for the report!
Right! Also, I felt it evolved in different directions over the first hour and a half, so you’ll want to test it thoroughly.
Some reviewers think it skews feminine, others do not. Depends on your skin and nose, I guess. Here’s Angela’s review:
https://nstperfume.com/2018/11/27/imaginary-authors-sundrunk-masque-milano-luci-ed-ombre-fragrance-review/
You can find samples on Scent Split. No affiliation, I love that site for its range of brands and ease of use.
Wow, those two scents are very different – I much prefer Le Cri as well.
I guess my brain had Lucid and Lumiere filed away in the file for “Light.” 😹
I have totally misspelled this: it is Luci ed Ombre.
Wearing Jasmin Bonheur again today. It is a bit dry and sharp to my nose, so I layered it over some sweet lotion to soften it up. My husband loves it though.
Interesting. Sounds like I don’t need to worry about it. Not that I was investing too much time, I have plenty to worry about
I really want to try this one, sounds interesting.
SOTD = Goldfield & Banks Purple Suede
calypso may want to avert her eyes 👀 😱. I wore my usual 8 sprays! 😍
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-f2XrOHul/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
I treated myself to lunch at Seasons 52. I do this when there’s a new trio of wine and I just make a full meal out of it … can’t drink on an empty stomach! I also had butternut squash soup, ahi tuna tartare and a coffee cake mini. I’ve always had great meals there but today was extra special.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-LAhAO3QN/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
Tell me you’re from New Jersey without telling me you’re from New Jersey. I overheard this guy telling the maitre d’ that he is still waiting for his friends. Maitre d’: What’s your name so if they ask for you I can bring them over? Guy: Heh heh, you’ll know them, they have a New York accent. Maitre d’: Which part of New York? Guy: Brooklyn, Queens, they’re all the same …
That lunch is perfection, hajusuuri!
Delicious and so well deserved!
What well-deserved treat. We’re any of the wines FB worthy?😊
That coffee cake mini is adorable! Looks like the perfect size dessert.
I got a good laugh from the “Tell me you are from NJ” anecdote!
Wearing Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land today. I’m a little on the fence but will wear it some more before I decide to add it to April’s swapmeet list 😊
You have plenty of time!
It’s Sunday morning and I woke to a winter wonderland. We got about a foot of snow overnight. I put on my boots and walked to get a latte, and honestly, it’s really pretty. Good timing too, because no one had to rush off to work this morning. Dealing with shoveling on a workday can make for a hectic morning. It started to snow yesterday, and I stayed in and made a big batch of Irish Beef Stew. Seemed like the perfect comfort food for a snowy day.
I was going to go with Coromandel, but reached for Bois des Iles instead. Will probably do a repeat today.
Stay safe and warm everyone!❄️
I got about 8 inches overnight.
I’m working tonight so hopefully the roads will be mostly clear by time I go in. Your stew sounds good!
Perfect day! ❄️❄️❄️
Wow. And here we are to the north and got nothing. Temps dropped and will continue to drop. But we have sun today. I have reached the point where I’ll take single digit temps with sun over warmer temps and overcast.
Still getting rain here instead of snow. I’ve seen only a trace of the white stuff so far this winter.
Quick psa..
As of right now Shalimar Philtre is available on fragrance net
Finished up the odds and ends cleaning so I have less dirt, grit and grime to look at. Currently in Coco Mademoiselle Intense before my shower. I am debating on either Lyric or Arabie after my shower.
Good for you Dawn!
Testing FM Synthetic Jungle this morning. I experienced an initial shock of recognition when I sprayed it on and for once managed to dredge up what it reminded me of: vintage Sisley Eau de Campagne!
Apparently, that was not the inspiration but rather Chanel No. 19 and Estee Lauder Private Collection.
https://colognoisseur.com/new-perfume-review-editions-de-parfums-frederic-malle-synthetic-jungle-1970s-abstract/
It does NOT smell like a jungle to me — lily of the valley is not a jungle scent. Of course, that’s a vast generalization, lol, but the tropical plants I’m familiar with have much more rounded and warmer scents, not a sharp green.
Anyway, I like it and am definitely going to need a travel spray.
Has anyone else tried Synthetic Jungle?
Yes. I liked the original Eau de Campagne much better…this one went too synthetic for me.
I love Synthetic Jungle and went down a rabbit hole to find a bottle (mini) of Estee Lauder Private Collection.
I can definitely see the lineage. I agree with you though, it doesn’t smell like a jungle, or how I imagine a jungle to smell🌸
I was pleasantly surprised by how “pretty” Synthetic Jungle is. You’re right, it doesn’t match the jungle name. And I also expected something more sharply green and bitter (with the No 19 inspiration). I want to try it again, but it will be awhile before I get to any Frederic Malle counters.
I bought the 10ml bottle last spring; I sampled it and liked it, as did Ockeghem Teen…but not enough for a FB.
I totally agree that it smells nothing like a jungle, though.
Your teen has great taste!
I was so intrigued by the idea of Synthetic Jungle, but it was a big old NOPE on me. Very much synthetic and not so much jungle.
We had the same reaction
I’ve tried some other samples from my Best of 2022 packet from Luckyscent. No new winners so far–that is, some nice enough but not ones I must buy, which is good for me! I am now wearing Blanche Bete from Liquide Imaginaires and it’s a kind of awful synthetic very sweet white floral powdery bomb. It may get scrubbed soon. Last evening I tried Lucas God of Fire by Lucas, which was more interesting, a kind of mango-citrus bomb; it’s got a wide array of notes in the profile, most of which I could not pick up, so I may revisit it. There was also Narcotica Dulce Diablo. When it went on I sort of recoiled because it smelled like–get this–dirty chocolate! It was really rather nasty. Fortunately after awhile it relented and became a well-behaved gentle not-too-sweet chocolate. It’s not my kind of scent but some of you might really love it. Finally I tried Wake Up World by Parle Moi and did not like it much. It’s a fierce citrus at first that smells like lots of other men’s colognes. I was surprised how much it changed after a few hours when it toned down and to me at least had a spicy note, like cinnamon, though no spices are listed in the notes on Fragrantica.
I’ve got lots more to try and am having fun going through them. Hope you people in the frigid and snowy North will be OK and warm during this cold snap!
Snarky, but that’s what Blanche Bete ought to smell like, right?
A mango citrus bomb sounds tempting though.
Inspired by pl67, I’m going to go through all my samples today and organize them (by house). I’m looking forward to tossing some and thunking some. And most looking forward to being more organized and not forever misplacing them!
It should be quiet afternoon ahead of me, doing some laundry while going through the samples. My husband has taken my son out to lunch with my in laws. I decided to skip because I need some alone time.
Good luck with those samples! I am sure you will feel very good after you organize all of them!
Enjoy the alone time!
Having a crazy sample weekend. Yesterday I started with Phaedon Rouge Avignon from my chocolate & coffee sample set, then switched to the ELdO You or Someone Like You sample that came with the Otherland candle that arrived from Arielle Shoshana yesterday. Then SOTE was Laboratorio Olfattivo Tonkage, also from the chocolate & coffee sample set. SOTD today is FM Vetiver Extraordinaire, which also came in the Arielle Shoshana package yesterday.
So far, I like the Vetiver Extraordinaire, but I think I’ll have to try it from a sprayer before I can tell whether it’s worth having more of. The others were nice to try but not sure I’d need them — Tonkage was probably my least favourite. You or Someone Like You was a nice green, spring scent, which goes with the sunlight, but not the chilly temperatures we’re having for a few days.
The Otherland candle — Sriracha Rose — is great! Only $35, too. And AS shipping was affordable and basically overnight. It’s so nice to see amazing customer service these days — quick delivery, great samples, and a handwritten note. It’s the little things.
I love vetivers in general and agree with those who praise the composition of Vetiver Extraordinaire. However, I never bought a bottle because, on me, it doesn’t last very long at all. It’s definitely worth a thorough testing before going FB.
Yep. I have a dabber bottle, which isn’t helping. It lasted about an hour on me.
Does anyone know of a good perfume shop in Las Vegas? We are on our way to Maui but stopping in Las Vegas in order to divide the flight into two.
I’ve heard the Guerlain boutique is wonderful, and there are others, for sure. It would be worth posing this question again tomorrow morning when more people reading.
What a great idea to break up the trip — have a wonderul time!
Seconding the Guerlain boutique. I wish I would have known about it the last time I visited Las Vegas. There used to be a gigantic Sephora on The Strip. IDK if it’s still there.
SOTD = Lazarus Douvos Rose 1845
Robin posted the shampoo of this and thought it apt to wear mine, in perfume!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoBPnDguYTc/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
Your drawing is beautiful🌹