It's Friday and the last day of February, plus National Chocolate Souffle Day. Birthdays: Linus Pauling, Frank Gehry and Bernadette Peters. And here comes the sun! Our community project for today: wear a fragrance with a solar or "sun-warmed skin" note.
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
I'm in Guerlain Terracotta Le Parfum.
Reminder: on 3/7 we're doing the Picture challenge, edition 10: celebrate Piet Mondrian's birthday by scenting Broadway Boogie Woogie, one of his most famous works. Extra reading: Why Piet Mondrian Broke His Own Rules in a Dizzying Ode to New York at ArtNet. Extra listening: a quick audio piece at MOMA. Extra watching: for background, Piet Mondrian – 'Abstract Painting as We Know It' at Tate, Piet Mondrian: Painting and dancing at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, This Mondrian painting is actually a jazz score from MOMA via Youtube. Extra opt out opportunities: Not in the mood for any of it? Pick one of the colors and use it to choose a fragrance, or wear a fragrance that works for New York City in the early 1940s.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2025, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is SDO: Year 6 [cropped] by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center at flickr; some rights reserved.
Bonus listen:
Tempted to go for my fallback sun-warmed scent, Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Eté, but instead I decided to wear I Profumi di Firenze Limone di Sicilia, a dazzling burst of Italian sunshine on this grey gloomy day. No lasting power, of course, but what a pleasure while it does.
Grey gloomy here too, at the moment, but looks like the sun is trying to peek out so hopeful…
Italian sunshine sounds so uplifting..
Almost copied Robin, but thought I should give another wear to my sample of Un Bel Amour d’Ete. Am smelling☀️.
When I was at Target yesterday, smelled Vacation’s lotion sunscreen.
It’s quite nice, and prompted me to check out more of their offerings on Nordstrom’s site. The gelee must have been created to appeal to those of us nostalgic for Bain de Soleil, but someone said it was glittery, so lemming quashed. Their 2 fragrances were created by Arquiste’s Rodrigo Flores-Roux.
I want that gelee! But don’t want glittery either.
This morning I’m wearing a little of the original Bain de Soleil orange gelee, SPF 4(!) from a precious tube I’ve saved for years.
I have the Vacation version – it’s remarkably similar in scent, and pretty close in terms of texture. (At SPF 30, it’s got more of something in it.) Not glittery, but keep it on skin and off of clothing – very difficult to wash it out!
Oh thank you so much, that is so helpful — and how fun that you still have some of the OG!
I don’t know what to do with the gelee then since I spend less time sunbathing than I used to, and more time in a swim coverup. I wish they’d come up with an aftersun lotion in that scent.
I agree re: the lotion. I went crazy and bought 2 tubes of the new Vacation gelee then realized the same thing; I don’t sunbathe and if I’m in the sun, I’m not wearing a gelee. But that scent and the old tubes were indomitable in the hippocampus so I succumbed.
So cool to hear from someone who is able to do a side by side of the OG Bain de Soleil and the Vacation version!
Bain de Soleil made me want to learn French!
I picked up Vacation’s sunscreen mousse last summer for my arms at ULTA and enjoyed using it.
I haven’t gotten the hang of this week’s CP and I don’t think I have anything with a solar note. So I picked vintage Dior Dune because I love all the sand dunes around Lake Michigan, and the sun is always shining and the sand is hot in the summer.
Thank you all for the well wishes for my daughter yesterday. You guys are so special. Happy Friday!
How is she today ringthing?
No fever so that’s good, still a lot of pain though. Thank you for asking.
Glad there is no fever, and glad you are there with her! But ouch.
Missed this, hope your girl is better!
Sending good wishes for your daughter, May she be better each day. Glad she has you to comfort and care for her.
Well wishes to her. Sorry I missed that yesterday
Thanks ltsg!
I missed your post so sending belated ‘ get well’ wishes.
Thanks Kanuka!
Sending more healing vibes for your daughter!
Thanks Jalapeño, I’ll send them back to your brother! This has been a bad winter for illness.
my plan was Songes-but I still smell traces of Amyris Homme on me from yesterday so that is my SOTD. I am still claiming points-the citrus and wood are like a sunlit day…
And that’s got to be a good thing 🌞
I’m celebrating the spring-like weather in my part of Texas, so I’m wearing Soliflore Narcissus by Dame. It smells very close to the actual flower.
That sounds so beautiful.
That sounds nice. I haven’t purchased anything from Dame for quite a while. He discontinued one of my favorites and nothing has really sparked my interest from that house lately.
That is probably one of the best Dame soliflore perfumes.
Plenty of sunshine here today so I don’t feel I need or want a solar perfume, too. Bronze Goddess will have to wait a few weeks. Instead, I went with SL Arabie which is bright in a spicy, fruity way rather than a “solar” way.
I am amazingly not sore from my two vaccines yesterday! No arm tenderness, no fatigue, or any other symptoms, which is kind of a shame because I was going to use that as an excuse to call off for one of my five 12 hour shifts in a row. I hate when my plans are foiled by lack of illness! 😇
And an FYI for that still believe in vaccines, they are recommending the PNA vaccine for those 50 and over now. This was just changed from age 65 or over a few months ago, so go get you some! 💉 I also read the March meeting for the the season 25/26 flu vax strains has been cancelled without notice so who knows if we’ll have a flu vax next year…linked an article for this interested below.
Happy FriYAY!
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-confirms-cancellation-vaccine-advisers-meeting-2025-02-27/
Glad to hear you have no side effects.
I wish it was this way for everyone because I know some have difficulty with symptoms afterwards. 😕
Is the PNA vaccine free for kids under 5 over there? Here, it’s one of the childhood vaccines ( although it’s also free for some adults and all those who have had a splenectomy) . Otherwise around $150 I think.
Have no idea about children as this has never been an area that I’ve worked in. The PNA vax is free if you have insurance. If you don’t, you can use a company called GoodRx that will just about half the non-insurance out of pocket rate, which is a bit over $350, I believe.
Here, most childhood vaccines are free ( measles, mumps, whooping cough, polio, tetanus, PNA etc. ) on public health.
Pretty sure it’s that same here for kids but since I don’t have any, I can’t really be certain.
Generally that is locally administered…in Pennyslvania, there are various programs that vaccinate uninsured children, both in rural areas and by city and county. It would not be hard to get a vaccine where I am, that’s for sure. It used to be very difficult to send a child to public school here if they were not fully vaccinated…I don’t know if that is still true.
Medicaid (free or low cost insurance for low income households) is also administered by states.
Should have said, there is also a special program called Chip that helps uninsured children get insurance even if the parents make too much for Medicaid. There are still uninsured children but the rates are much lower than uninsured adults.
The pneumococcal vaccine for children (also known as PCV, with several variations available), as well as all other recommended childhood vaccines, is almost universally covered by insurance (private and public plans). The uninsured children can still get the vaccines for free at their local Health Departments (Department of Public Health).
Fully vaxxed here, me and the extended family. LAFD Mobile Vaccine Unit, where they come to the homes of the elderly, has just been disbanded. They came to the house for my elderly relatives, who survived the pandemic despite exposure. I sent an email praising their work and the importance of vaccines. Remembering to praise and thank always makes my day better personally.
You smell delicious, Deva.
Thanks! I haven’t worn this in a while and forgot how nice it is. 🙂
Yay for pain-free vaccines.
Lucky you, not having a sore arm from your shots! I usually feel like someone has punched me a few times.
Twins with Robin – Guerlain Terracotta.
I love the bottle of that one. I bought it blind years ago and ended up swapping it away after learning the hard lesson not to buy perfume because of a pretty bottle. 🙃
I only have a decant, but yes – buying based on a bottle is dangerous!
Smelling fabulous Glannys!
Hey twin! We smell great.
Love Terracotta!
In Cartier’s Zeste de Soleil, on a sunglasses-needing day. Will it remain unclouded until sunset, when the big planet alignment occurs?
Nice perfume choice! Hope we can align with planets…we should all stand in a row
Wearing Ceremonia Perfume de la Terra (apsara was the enabler📌😊)
It’s the sunniest/beachy-est perfume I have and a relatively cheap thrill. I smell pineapple but it must be the peach and ginger combo.
Just read this article in the NYTimes w/ a photo of a woman next to her perfume closet and the headline “What Does It Take to Quit Shopping?”
She has 80 bottles of perfume and worries she’s hoarding. I worry her closet isn’t big enough to accommodate her growing collection!
😀
Only 80 – she’s got nothing to worry about!
😂
Passed that number a while back… 🤣🤣🤣
Me too😁
Guilty!!
😊
Grey gloomy day here too, but I just sprayed some Bronze Goddess for the CP and I am instantly in a better mood. Wonderful stuff.
You smell mighty good today!
You too! 😉
Rabbit rabbit rabbit. ( Arguably) Autumn! It was 2C when I drove to the supermarket yesterday morning but it soon warmed up, and got to 22C , which is one of the nice things about the weather at this time of year. The other nice thing is the wild honeysuckle that is flowering in th e overgrown hedges and waste areas in the neighbourhood. The smell arises in the most unexpected places. I think I will wear SL Fleurs des Oranges for the reminiscent sun tan lotion element. Off to the beach later for a walk and potter around.
My mother can’t look after her garden like she used to, and honeysuckle has grown everywhere. I tidied up a little bit of the garden when I was visiting last week and the smell of the honeysuckle was gorgeous.
SOTD is Bronze Goddess Nuit with BBW At the Beach shower gel and body cream. I can certainly smell coconut on me today.
It is so windy here that we have a wind advisory today. 25-35 mph with gust of 50 mph. South Dakota does tend to be windy, but not usually quite this bad. At least it is 51 degrees.
Gold medal 🥇 for layering there, Kris!
I just put that in there for you😂 As you probably noticed, I use some Lush products and quite a few Bath and Body Works products. I throw a few others in there too sometimes.
Glad to not disappoint 😆
I really like At the Beach! I wish BBW released a perfume of it. Maybe I should write to customer service…
They do have Fragrance Mist though if that would work for you.
We are weather twins!
At the Beach is one of my favorite BBW.
I do like it!
It’s been forever and a day since I’ve used BBW stuff.
I just find that many of them layer good with some of my perfumes. Plus, we have a couple of stores in town that I can run to if I need something.
Did someone say glitter? I am CP compliant in Bronze Goddess Shimmering Body Oil. I forgot I had this until I was cleaning out the bathroom drawer and found it there. I remembered it for today…
One of my favourite body oils!
Nice.
Bronze Goddess in all its incarnations is a great scent and also reasonably priced especially considering its quality!
Sotd Sun Force, which I think might be better for summer rather than spring longing. SUNPLOSION was gentler, despite the name.
Oh and a Happy National Chocolate Soufflé Day to all! 🍫🍫🍫
Not familiar with this, but it sounds nice.
It’s from The Harmonist discovery set. Top notes are Saffron, Pomelo and Bulgarian Rose; middle notes are Cardamom, Honey and Olibanum; base notes are Benzoin, Sandalwood and Musk.
Supposed to be citrus + exotic woods intensifying in afternoon heat.
Speaking of chocolate souffle, I received an email today about something which could be considered adjacent to that. Right now Dame Perfumery has a special sample kit on offer which has sample sizes of Chocolate+ perfume oil, Chocolate+ perfumed body cream, Chocolate + Rose perfumed body cream, and Chocolate + Milk perfumed body cream.
Not affiliated with Dame Perfumery. I have used some of their body creams in the past and really enjoyed them, though.
Hello and tgif!
Wearing Soleil Blanc.
The weather is warming up super fast, almost feels like the season skipped right to Summer. Not really a fan as I prefer the cold. Though forecast says next week will see a temperature drop again… fingers crossed!
Perfect scent for the CP!
That’s a good one!
Dentist visit easy breezy. Just a cleaning.
Mom gone eight years today. Seems like eight minutes ago.
She loved Tabu, Shalimar and Halston. And Obsession. I could open her closet and swoon.
My dad had way more fragrances than she did.
A few sprays of Shalimar today to keep her close.
What a lovely way to feel close to your mother today💕
She would like it, also me thinks.
Apsara thank you for sharing these memories of your parents! May the Shalimar scent feel like a hug to you from her!
I’m sure she’s smiling down on you as you waft your Shalimar upwards.🤗
Nice, Apsara. Your mom had great taste and I bet your Dad did too.
Your mother had great taste.
Hugs apsara ❤️
Your Mom had great taste.
More hugs apsara.
Glad you have such happy memories, thank you for sharing her marvelous perfume closet with us!
Sending hugs, Apsara. Both our moms love Tabu. I am sure heaven smells wonderful!
Wearing Obvious Un Été today as I recently bought a 9 ml decant for quite a bit less than Obvious charges for their 9 ml travel spray. Interestingly, Obvious has just renamed this fragrance and it is now called Milk & Matcha. The marketing for Un Été was about creamy notes of sunscreen on your skin after a long day at the beach, but now that it’s renamed, it’s about taking time to enjoy your morning matcha. Whatever, I am definitely enjoying the 60 degrees and sunny days we are having here in Seattle.
“Obvious Un Ete” sounds much more interesting to me than “Milk & Matcha” as a name. Does it still smell the same?
It’s Saturday morning, thank goodness, it’s been a wild week at work. Just when we think we’ve reached peak chaos, we realise we haven’t!
Inspired by Kanuka’s description of honeysuckle, I’ll wear AG’s Le Chèvrefeuille this morning.
I do love Le Chèvrefeuille!
Such a lovely scent. I got my sister a bottle of this for Xmas and she swooned, she loves it so.
I was thinking about you when I read about all the resignations. Nightmare.
Sampling Guerlain Peche Mirage. I like the first notes a lot, but it quickly changes to something that smells pretty good from a couple feet away but not to my taste up close. I guess that means this would be a wrists-only sprayer and not on my neck. Fortunately I went for the back of my hand, prime wash-off zone just in case for sampling purposes.
It is fun to try something new! Happy Friday All!
Isn’t it weird how some perfumes do that? Smell great from a distance and not so much up close and personal?
It’s a lovely day filled with sunshine but I’m not feeling the beach vibes, so I went with Bombay Bling, which smells “sunny” to me.
Looking forward to March and all that spring has to offer. 🌼
Bombay Bling is so great, you are smelling wonderful!
Thank you so much, Ringthing and best wishes to your daughter.
Thank you adanst.
I am fairly non-compliant today in Lutens Santal Mysore. Except maybe that mysore sandalwood trees grow in India’s warm climes (hello sun!) and the scent, with its Indian spice overload, is cozy and warming. I cherish my ever-dwindling vintage decant as I know I can probably never replace it.
Non-compliance never smelled so good!
Definitely give that Santal Mysore decant the love it deserves by wearing it.
Today’s a perfect day for a ‘sun-warmed skin’ cp – it’s nearly 60 degrees in the Chicago area with bright 🌞.
In deciding which fragrance to choose, I perused fragrantica’s lengthy list of scents with solar notes, but the only fragrance I have from that list is Balmain’s Ivoire, which I enjoy but I don’t get any ‘solar’ from it. I also enjoyed perusing the article on Sylvaine Delacourte’s website that Glannys kindly posted, and the only fragrance I have from that list is Guerlain’s Ylang Vanille, which I really don’t care for, not being a fan of strong ylang-ylang.
So I went with my idea, and favorite memory of, sun-warmed skin for my SOTD: Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom. Cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway on a trip to California a few years ago in our rented Mustang convertible, enjoying warm ☀️on our faces, breathing the salty sea air, and viewing the glorious scenery – it just doesn’t get any better than this! And the creamy soft 🍋 in Malibu Lemon Blossom brings it all back in an instant! ❤️
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend ahead. May the 🌞 shine on you, even if it’s from behind the ⛅️!
Pacifica had some lovely scents back in the day. Such a bummer that they’ve discontinued most of them. I’m still hanging on to a bottle of Persian Rose.
I have Persian Rose, Mexican Cocoa, Mediterranean Fig, FrenchLilac, Tibetan Mountain Temple, and Tuscan Blood Orange. Love them all but wear them sparingly to last as long as possible.
Very happy you’ve such postcard perfect memories of cruising down PCH in a convertible!
Those unforgettable lasting memories usually happen when least expected. Although I have no idea what fragrance I wore on that visit, the Malibu Lemon Blossom encapsulates the best of that California trip for me. Just as Crabtree & Evelyn’s Sonoma Valley reminds me of another surreal California experience, a hot-air balloon ride at dawn over the Napa Sonoma valley. Green and lush, a thrilling experience of being one with both the earth and the sky!
Wow that’s another amazing memory Laila! And the scent to evoke it!
Frozen raspberries and yogurt smoothie
Continuing with mimosa, 100 Bon Mimosa & héliotrope poudré, my most powdery mimosa, very almondy too but tonight for the CP it’s Elie Saab Le Parfum Resort 2017, it’s frangipani and juicy pomegranate, I have only two pomegranate perfumes, this one and Traversée du Bosphore which is much more interesting but they’re equally sweet.
Had raspberries today too. Haven’t heard of 100 Bon before, but that
fragrance sounds up my alley.
Sort of wish I’d gotten one of the Elie Saab flankers (Couture)–it’s the only one I ever tried.
100 Bon is worth trying, the mimosa is very pretty, not very long-lasting though, it is a leitmotiv with the house, their masterpiece imo is Myrrhe & Encens and that one has no longevity issue.
Raspberries are a treat, instant summer vibe.
I like the sound of that Elie Saab.
Lillyjo, it’s a lovely summer perfume but like almost everything I’ve tried from Francis Kurkdjian not special enough while Traversée du Bosphore by Duchaufour is. EA Green Tea is probably my favorite from FK and a trend setter.
I’m not the biggest fan of FK myself.
Another thing we have in common!
Love adding freeze dried raspberries to yogurt and ice cream! Worth looking for and trying if you haven’t done so.
Thank you Jalapeno, good to know.
I’ve gotten intrigued with mimosa. I tried to follow Daniel’s suggestion to get the Prada infusions in mimosa, but it s been discontinued. I realized I had a sample of The Harmonist Pause with mimosa to wear tomorrow. Btw, I thought it was a French pause, comme une pause, but it’s pause as in ménopause 😆.
SOTD = Frederic Malle Superstitious
Love … should wear this more often!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGoYQlhxDfy/?igsh=YjRseTBkangyZzF5
Got my hair cut this morning so now I feel like a human being again.
In other news … almost perfect timing for this article on low or no buy:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/business/shopping-addiction-no-buy-2025.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0U4.rjqG.tnl2gKN-B5Op&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Smelling fabulous!
Superstitious is SO good! Thankfully I don’t get “soapy” from it.
Popping in quick with my sotd.
I am wearing LVEB Crystal Soliel.
Also I noticed we have been missing SheriG.. unless I missed something.
Hi lillyjo — I’m sad to report that we lost my mom last weekend. She had gone into the ICU with pneumonia symptoms and seemed to be making a recovery, but then her heart just gave out in the wee hours. We had a really good last day with her, for which I am so very grateful, and I believe the end came so fast that she didn’t suffer at all.
SheriG, please accept my deepest sympathies on the passing of your dear Mom. Big hugs. 😿
Heartfelt condolences, and hugs. It must be a comfort to know she didn’t suffer.
Heartfelt hugs to you!
SheriG, I am so sorry. Sending you a big hug.
I’m so sorry for your loss, SheriG.
SheriG, my deepest condolences. I’m so glad you had a great day with her, and that the end came quickly. Gentle fragrant hugs.
I’m so sorry SheriG. What a huge loss.
SheriG, I have been thinking of you since last I saw you post. I am so very sorry for your loss.
Thank you for checking in . Love and strength to you.
So sorry to hear this. Condolences.
So sorry to hear this Sheri. Hugs to you!
SheriG, I am so sorry for your loss and for all who knew and loved your mother.
I am so sorry, SheriG. Sending hugs. You will be in my prayers.
My deepest condolences, SherryG. So glad you were able to have a wonderful last day together. That is a gift.
I’m so sorry. Hope memories of that last day together provides comfort. 🤗
I am so sorry SheriG, my heartfelt condolences.
Oh SheriG I am so sorry. It is always a blessing when people pass quickly with little or no pain, but then of course there is less preparation time for the survivors. Wishing you peace.
I’m so sorry for your loss, SheriG. Sending deepest condolences to you.
Robin, I love that video for “Here Comes The Sun”. 🌞🌞🌞
More sun and temps in the mid 60’s here. That should make my brother’s recovery a little easier. He caught a bug earlier this week, and felt bad enough to actually call out from work. I offered to bring over some soup last night, and he forcefully rejected that idea, saying “I don’t want you to get sick”. I teased him by saying I could always get him something, and then ding-dong ditch the food onto his front porch.
SOTD = CP compliant in spades with TM Alien Sunessence Edition Saphir Soleil EdT Legere. It’s considerably lighter bodied than the parent fragrance.
This flanker must be rare, wasn’t familiar with it. Hope your brother recovers quickly and that you can visit. Good idea to deliver the food without going in.
It was a limited summer edition back in the 2010’s.
Texted my brother this morning, and asked how he was. Better, thankfully. I haven’t done any food deliveries yet. If he requests something, I will.
You are wearing the best Alien flanker imo.
I hope your brother gets better soon!
Had a feeling you would know exactly what my SOTD is! 😆
Sending healing vibes your bro’s way! Hope he feels better soon. Ding dong ditch deliveries sound like a good idea!
He was sounding a little tired during our phone call earlier this evening, but was in good humor. He’s currently taking an antibiotic.
I asked him if he needed anything, and he said he might be feeling well enough to get his own groceries in the next couple of days. He has enough stuff in his fridge and pantry that he’s OK for now.
Your relationship with your brother sounds so sweet. I hope he feels better soon.
Sometimes our interactions are on the salty side. We quibble and argue like siblings do. But we also have each other’s back without reservation.
My brother was feeling well enough to go to Costco today (Saturday), so things are looking up.
I always forget that video exists so was glad to discover it again! I am on Team George.