Happy Friday and happy International Fragrance Day! (Plus, World Vermouth Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, World Poetry Day and the International Day of Forests.) [Update: and I meant to say, the swapmeet is still open! There are even freebies still looking for new homes...] Our community project for today: Wear a fragrance and tell us why you picked it.
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.
Guerlain Après L’Ondée seemed like a fitting way to celebrate World Fragrance Day plus the first Friday of spring. (Plus perfumelover67 wore it yesterday, plus, it rained last night.)
Reminder: on 3/28 there will be a community project, and I will announce it by Monday at the latest!
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 Flower delivery [cropped] by Big Ben in Japan at flickr; some rights reserved.
To celebrate, use “DAY10” until Sunday at Luckyscent for 10% off and free shipping.
Not affiliated. My wallet is cringing.
I did take advantage of the sale and I really shouldn’t have.
I got that email too and I could kick myself because I just placed an order 2 days ago. Ugh.😏
Ugh, I hate that!
I made an expensive purchase there less than a month ago and am slightly kicking myself. I did get a gift with purchase, but it’s not something that really works for me. Oh well! And there’s a travel spray I might end up going for this weekend. We’ll see.
Argh! Hate when that happens!
I’m wearing L’Arte di Gucci – initially because I hadn’t worn it in a long time, and the season and weather feel just right for it.
But I also think it’s a perfect choice to celebrate the artistic side of perfume on International Fragrance Day: a tribute to creativity – both in the making of scents and the inspiration they spark.
You smell fabulous! Oh, how I loved this one back in the day. Wishing you a belated happy birthday!
Thank you, AnnE!
Oh mannnn, do I love L’Arte! It’s so neon, somehow.
I wondered if you’d show up. 😀 You are probably the biggest fan of L’Arte! 💗
What a lovely perfume, you smell wonderful!
L’Arte di Gucci is drop dead gorgeous!
Hello and tgif!
What better way to scent International Fragrance Day than a perfume that gives back and help make the world a better place? I am talking about Lush Grassroots. All the money goes back into charity. Oh, and it’s Spring appropriate!
I see that it’s not on US Lush anymore and unavailable in the UK but it’s still on some other countries’ websites. I messaged Lush and am waiting to hear back. Dear Lush, please don’t discontinue it…
Ugh. Just heard back and yep, like all good things, it’s sadly discontinued. 😭😭
Aw, sorry happy888cat!
But you know Lush, it’s always possible it will return some day.
It’s a glum, overcast day and 7°C, so I’m out and about in the amaretto-by-the-fireside warmth of Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon.
Great description of a great perfume. I should wear it soon.
You smell wonderful! I ❤️ the Dragon.
Wearing no 5 edp and it seemed fitting for the CP.
I have my bottle of the original Lolita Lempicka arriving today and can’t wait for it to come. Found it on Fragrancenet.com for a shade over $30. When Luckyscent sent me that email of 10% Off and free shipping, I got a travel spray of Gris Charnel and wish that the extrait version had a travel spray available.
I am joining you in 5 EdP, Dawn. It is the most international fragrance in my collection.
I got a travel spray of Bois Imperial from Luckyscent.
I thought about it too as it fits the CP perfectly. You smell fabulous!
Robin, you smell wonderful!
Wearing D’Annam Vietnamese Coffee for the CP. It opens with a very strong coffee note. Then, it develops into a vanilla-chocolaty scent. I applied it 2 hours ago, and it is now barely a skin scent. It is nice, but I have not found my true coffee scent yet.
Yesterday, I sampled from D’Annam:
-Strawberry Mochi. It smells like Jo Malone Honey & Crocus, but less sweet. I did not get any strawberries. It is just a milky, rice steamed scent. It’s very comforting. I really liked it.
– Phu Quoc. A regular green, soapy, masculine scent. I did not smell any marine notes. Mostly neroli on me, which is one of my less favorite notes. I did not like it at all.
I still have Matcha Soft Serve and Arashiyama to sample. The longevity and sillage of D’Annam perfumes are very poor. I don’t think they are full bottle worth for the price, unless once sprayed they perform better.
Gail, I have not tried Taipei by One Day, but it will go on my sample list.
Happy Friday, everyone! 🌻
*least*
Seems unlikely you’ll find your perfect coffee via Allure, but you never know….from yesterday:
https://www.allure.com/story/best-coffee-perfumes
Thank you for the link, Robin. Some of those perfumes I have not tried, so I will definitely look for samples. There is still hope!
A few people here at NST really enjoyed JM Honey & Crocus. Finding a replacement perfume is a neat trick!
I love, love Honey & Crocus, and I am hoarding what is left in my bottle. If Strawberry Mochi had a better longevity on me, I would definitely get a full bottle. Money saved!
The never-ending quest! I’ll try to find a sample of both.
Lovely photo at the header, Robin! The epitome of spring! 🌹🌸🦜🌷
Still chilly here but I’m going fun and tropical today with CSP Vanille Banane. Lots of it! 🍌
As I continue my “get ‘er done” blitz before blowing this pop stand, I’ve been busy with appointments and having to drive “in the city,” which is a bit hair raising, I must say. Lane stripes, speed limits, exit lanes, turn signals…apparently all just suggestions! 🤪 Yesterday, I got my oil changed and while waiting, the Baby T-Rex made plenty of friends. She does this quite easily by approaching anyone (no inkling of “stranger danger”), throwing herself on her back, wagging furiously, and gazing up adoringly. At which time, they all go, “Awwww!”. One of them decided a mole under her arm needed to be removed and tried to rip it off! I politely (but quite sure I showed a bit of fang and snarled) asked him to leave it ALONE! WTF?!
Anyway, we tootle along as the fates allow, and hope for the best! Cheers and Happy FriYAY to all!
Also, in honor of National Poetry Day, here’s a short one by one of the GOAT poets ever…I’m a big fan girl of his! 😍
The Emperor of Ice-Cream
BY WALLACE STEVENS
Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month’s newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.
Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.
That line “let be be the finale of seem” is stunning.
Well, if you don’t mind a longer poem, check out his famous Sunday Morning. It’s a musing of the secular and the sacred on a Sunday morning. So many lines are just jaw dropping. If you want a bit of a fright, read Domination of Black. First time I read that one I had a minor panic attack. He’s a MASTER…🥰
I had my old glasses on, Deva, and read your first line as lovely potato at the header.
Duh. 🙂
Hey, I think potatoes are cute! Hence the popularity of Mr Potato Head. 🥔😀
Duh.
We will do a birds & spring flowers week soon!
Can’t believe a stranger tried to rip off T Rex’s mole without asking. Jeez.
Hey, birds and buds sounds like a fabulous week!! People be peopling like CRAZY! My fuse lit right up and I was prepared to go to battle to protect that little baby mole (and my Baby T-Rex)! Almost loosed my inner ninja on him!🥷
Imagine how this person acts around people who aren’t strangers. That’s just nuts!
WTH?!? T-Rex has no reason to put up with that crap!
People are crazy! Reading what happened to T-Rex, my jaw kinda dropped.
After yesterday’s fail with Le Temps d’Une Fête, today the hand made a beeline for Malle’s Eau de Magnolia. It’s been a long while since I last wore this and I’d forgotten just how beautiful it is. Perfect for spring!
Yay, glad you found one that worked 🙂
Happy Friday NSTers! 💐
Continuing on the Malle path (a pilgrimage of sorts as Jalapeno pointed out🙏) wearing Iris Poudre. It’s so soft and lovely🌸
My packing supplies are still out on the table and ready to swap. Many of my swaps have been off swap list bottles and decants so please reach out💕
One of my favorites. You smell wonderful!!!
I always think of you when I wear this😘
Awwww. You are so sweet.
Iris Poudre is a favorite of mine. You smell great!
Feeling rosy today so went with BBW Rose shower gel plus lotion and Guerlain AA Rosa Rossa. Very pretty.
Sometimes Fridays call for a pretty perfume.
No. 19 edp, that my daughter brought me from the Rome Airport duty free year ago, today. Thinking of her and enjoying the silvery coolness of it.
No 19 is wonderful.
What a lovely memory of your daughter’s thoughtfulness! I have to been in the right mood to truly revel in No. 19, though I’m never disappointed by it. whispers: I’m more of a Poudre fan. 🙂
The sun is shining but it’s definitely chilly. I have a bunch of domestic goddess duties today including a huge amount of ironing, so I am wearing lots of Montale Black Aoud for extra fortitude. My bottle is not as beast-mode as the decant I had circa 2006 but it still has that dark rose I love and it lasts a long time on my scent-eating skin.
Happy Friday NST! 🌹
Sunny, chilly and WINDY here again!
Call me crazy but I love ironing.
Hi! 👋
You’re crazy!🙃
Lol😂
Happy Friday!
For the CP I am wearing Diptyque Eau de Neroli, the first bottle I bought after I started my discovery of the fascinating world of perfume. The Neroli note was completely new to me back then and I fell in love for it. My taste evolved since then and I prefer some other notes and scents, but I still cherish this bottle and “blame it” for my fall down the rabbit hole.
I am a day late, but what a great first purchase! Philoskyos was my second bottle, so I also have a soft spot for Diptyque.
Hello Dear Scented Friends. It’s been a while since I’ve been on here. So much has happened. Well, I got married on New Years Eve and loving married life. I have now converted the hubby to wearing colognes and he’s loving it. His collection is almost as fabulous as mines!
Happy National Fragrance Day.
My SOTD is my beloved Jo Malone – Poppy & Barley. Perfect for the cold snaps we’ve been experiencing in the mornings.
Wishing you all a fabulous, scented day!!
Congratulations on your marriage. I was just thinking about you the other day.
Thank you so much. I’m well.
Hope all is well on your end.
Congratulations! 🥂
Thank you!!
Congratulations!
Thank you!!
Welcome back and best wishes for many wonderful scent-filled years together!
Thank you!!
Congratulations!🎉
Thanks!!
Congratulations!
Thanks!
Congratulations!💐
Thanks!!
Congratulations!
Thanks!!
Best wishes on married life!
Thank you so much!!
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Congratulations! Nice to hear that your lack of posting here was for the best possible reasons. 😉
Lol…thank you!
I had a fun dream last night that I chanced upon a local Nicolai counter and went crazy testing so many scents. So random! Of course I had to wear Nicolai today and I chose Musc Intense. It smells so nice, I should wear it more often, even if it’s just a sample.
I like that one, you smell great!
I am wearing SJP Lovely today.
I recently purged some unused perfumes from my collection. A think a few of the bottles had “gone off” but mostly my tastes have evolved. I just couldn’t justify keeping a lot of bottles I had not touched in years.
I keep a list of my collection by year of acquisition and Lovely is the oldest, from 2005. And oddly enough, I still love and wear it. I am on my third bottle though I have slower use of it now than when it was my only one and this bottle may last my lifetime.
I love SJP Lovely. I haven’t worn it for quite a few years but certainly wouldn’t mind having a bottle of it again.
I’m on my second scent for this day. I started in Equistrius and an currently enjoying Oyédo. I used to want a bottle of this, but that no longer seems necessary.
I did a beautiful but slightly frightening hike yesterday, in the Gorges du Trévans.
Today, I did my last shopping and a small walk near St.Jurs.
It’s been a good week.
I hope everyone has a good weekend, I will spend tomorrow driving home.
I really liked Oyedo when I tried it, but it didn’t last very long on me.
It sounds like you’ve had a lovely time. Safe travels.
Safe drive home!
I’m in Bois des Iles, to which I’m thoroughly addicted. I suppose since it’s been around (in some form or other) since the 1920s, it’s a suitable choice for International Fragrance Day. Its existence is a marvel – how lucky we are to have it around!
Happy Friday, everyone.
And it still smells very modern to my nose. It’s a great perfume.
Yes, nothing dated about it. It’s flawless.😊
I didn’t know it went back that many years. Wow! It is a goody.
Bois des Iles is a stunner!
Thank you for the many kind wishes for Auntie’s recovery! Still hospitalized. Still fluctuating in prognosis, but 🙏🙏🙏.
Sotd: my first layering-FM Iris Poudre with Prada Infusions de Mimosa. The combo is heavenly!!!
I chose these two for International Fragrance Day because they’re French and Italian. But the main reason is that they’re gifts from kind, generous NSTers. One of the delightful aspects of scent is how it brings strangers together and makes you almost instant friends, probably because of the intimacy of applying something to your body. We’re an international community so that increases it by a power of 10!
Also as ive become more aware of fragrance, I’ve complimented strangers. It’s astonishing sometimes how deep a conversation can go in an elevator on that brief ride when you talk about scent. Didnt get to comment yesterday on Daniel’s Proustian moment recalling his long ago love, but I’ve several convos where the perfume has elicited deep and emotional memories for the person wearing it or for me.
I wanted to say that I really like all the worthwhile aspects of life celebrated today (and I do like my martinis with extra vermouth). If anyone wants to easily read more poetry, you can sign up for Poem-a-Day at poets.org.
Happy Friday all, and please keep those good wishes and prayers coming for Auntie- we still need it!
Good wishes and prayers your way!
Sending more good wishes and prayers your way along with nebbe’s adding 🤗🤗 for both of you.
Too busy to comment yesterday LL, but good catch on your part and sending best wishes for your aunts recovery!
What lovely sentiments to share, LesLiesse. Happy Friday to you – I hope you have a splendid weekend.
I never layer, but Iris Poudre and Infusions de Mimosa sounds so intriguing that I’ll have to try it. I bet you smell fabulous.
(And I’m with you on vermouth and martinis – most are too dry for my palate. 4 parts gin to 1 part vermouth is my preferred ratio, maybe 5 to 1, if I’m using Tanqueray 10.☺️)
Healing wishes to your aunt.
Continued prayers for all of you.
Continued well wishes to your Aunt!
More well wishes for your Aunt!
Reglisse Noire
A tasty one
😊
Decided to wear Serge Lutens Fille de Berlin today, so reaching into my sample bin, grabbed based on juice color and sample size, and applied Serge Lutens Bapteme du Feu. Which is also a great choice lol!
Your SOTD would have been a better choice for me today, LOL.
I think I’ll celebrate International Fragrance Day with L’Astre from Le Galion.
It’s from a French house, created for an American actress, the new version was done by a perfumer born in Mexico, and was shipped to me in New Zealand from a perfumery in Sweden.
Many of the perfume back stories are invented, but it is apparently true that L’Astre was created for Ava Gardner.
Le Galion is a nice outfit, and glad it’s back.
Spring returns today with bright 🌞, blue sky, and temps warming up to 60. A nice morning for errands – PetSmart, BBW, Aldi, carwash, and lunch at Culver’s – now I’m happy to be home for most of the weekend.
For today’s cp, my SOTD is Penhaligon’s Victorian Posy, the last drops from the bottle I purchased there in London on my only trip to England years ago. A memorable one, my son was a teenager then and the 3 of us spent several days in London and several happy hours testing everything at Penhaligon’s. I knew nothing about scent notes back then, but just looking up the notes now it’s not surprising that galbanum is listed as the first note in this chypre floral! Then hyacinth (from last week’s cp) and other favorite notes of mine including rose, violet, oakmoss and patchouli.
But more importantly Victorian Posy reminds me of the floral beauty of England, especially rural England. After London, we took a train to a tiny village in the West Country, where a close childhood friend of mine now lives with her family, having moved to England post-high school to be closer to her British mother’s (WWII warbride) side of the family. I’ll never forget flowers, flowers everywhere! Roses, roses 🌹 everywhere; I’d never seen roses so tall! And even the smallest cottage sported a sign outside, not with a numerical address, but instead proudly showing the name they’d given their humble abode. Find memories I will never forget ❤️!
The tiny blue Scilla that scampers in freedom wherever it chooses in my garden is beginning to bloom and brings me much early Spring joy! Sending it out into the universe to all of you this weekend!
https://images.app.goo.gl/gwHfS38UFDyakRG77
Culver’s! My daughter and I almost had that for lunch too but then opted for shake shack which I think is also delicious.
Oh, I have Victorian Posy too, given by a dear American friend when she learned I was moving to England. Glad it evokes such wonderful memories for you of this country I’ve learned to love as well.
Penhaligon’s Victorian Posy is a beauty and you smell marvelous. Let’s hear it for floral chypres!
Enjoy your “close to home” weekend!
The parks in London were just beginning to have good masses of Spring flowers. I think scillas are the blue ones I saw – so very easy on the eyes.
Yay for spring, and I am wearing Eau de Magnolia. The travel spray is emptying fast, and this is one I will need to replace
I am a day late AnnieA but magnolia is a perfect thing for the first Friday of spring 🙂
Hello NST! It’s been a hot minute. I’m in 10 Corso Como.
We are having our typical midwest march here. Last Friday it was almost 80 and 2 days later it was in the 20s. Thursday I woke up to a layer of snow, and so it goes. I’ll take any temp mother nature wants to throw my way as long as there is sun! And today there is.🌞
Last week gradtowngirl was home on spring break and this week is madtownteen. It’s been a great two weeks.😊 Exciting news for gradtowngirl, she starts a new job on Monday in one of the university labs. She’ll be working for one of her former professors doing research on prions. Of course she had to educate me on what a prion is lol but it sounds pretty interesting.
Hope the sun is shining where you are! Happy Friday!
Hope you are doing well! Whenever I hear “prions”, my mind goes to mad cow disease!
Ha! Yes, close, she will be studying chronic wasting disease.
Congrats to gradtowngirl!
Thanks lillyjo!
Wow! That’s great for gradtowngirl.
Yes, I’m pretty excited for her.🤩
Congratulations to Gradtowngirl! CWS is a big deal here in Colorado, since it affects deer and elk.
Thanks Jalapeno! Yes, here too. I grew up eating venison, but haven’t touched it in many years because cwd freaks me out.
Yay for sunshine and time with your kids! Very exciting work for Gradtown in an area where research is needed.
SOTD = Guerlain Shalimar Ode a La Vanille Sur la Route du Mexique
One of my many Shalimar bottles! I do love it! 🥰 I got this at Galeries Lafayette in Paris a while back. My heart skipped a bit when the SA dropped it. No injury, thank goodness! I should do a Shalimar week one of these days!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeWHHnRxaA/?igsh=MXV5Z2J4bGhseTU1aQ==
Here’s a gift article from The New York Times. It’s about a dyslexic comedian who succeeded despite his severe dyslexia. Time was when differently-abled people were frowned upon (discriminated?) but for the parents believing in them. I bought the Kindle edition.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/books/spellbound-phil-hanley.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5E4.v9v0.jxLuYIg1kR4C&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Thanks for the article hajusuuri. It made me tear up. I love stand up comedy and will check him out.
Glad you liked it! Funnily (or maybe not), it spoke to me too.
Woah. Sounds like your Shalimar Mexique is a lucky bottle after surviving its gravity experiment!
Could you imagine that for a modern perfume! I’m so glad it survived.
Hi, All! I am in 28 La Pausa, lots of it, so it should last maybe…an hour? But I love it so much.
I took the day off today — our students are on break and this is my first day off (that is not bereavement leave) since I started this job on Jan. 6. I refilled a few travel sprays for my upcoming trip, which led to rotating winter scents for spring, and then to the 28 LP bonanza. And lots of errands — tailor, shoemaker, local secondhand shop. Mr. Skal accompanied me on some of these and we went out to lunch, which was great fun!
Those sound like my errands, too! I love consignment shops.
For International Fragrance Day, I looked thru both The Sample Stash and my full bottles of perfume at items named after far away destinations. Had a few of those, LOL.
SOTD = L’Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu. Smells great as always, but today’s weather is a little chilly for it.
https://youtu.be/8qrriKcwvlY?feature=shared
This is as close as a song match that I could get. Lol
Your perfume sounds good to me – an oldie but a goodie!
What a day.. I was back at the car repair shop at 730 this morning, then went to work. The cashiers didn’t show up again. After work I had to run errands. I thought I would make it easy on myself and get Wendy’s for dinner and they screwed up the order. Anyway I am home sitting for a bit.
I decided to celebrate International Fragrance Day by wearing YSL Champagne. I feel like my tiny bottle might be evaporating and am debating if I should switch from hoarding to using it up.
Instead of a Manic Monday, you had a Frantic Friday! 😵💫
Lol! Exactly!
I would use it up because …
Here’s hoping the rest of your evening was as delightful as your perfume. I second hajusuuri’s vote to use it up. Even with my tolerance for vintage fragrances, it is better to make the best memories while you can. 🙂
I wanted to cover more than just European perfumes this week, so in the spirit of International Fragrance Day, I’m in Auphorie Miyako. Auphorie is a Malaysian brand, and Miyako was the perfume that really got them attention. It’s a juicy, rich highly concentrated osmanthus perfume that also includes apricot, peach, and yuzu.
It’s also a great pairing with the candle I currently have out, D.S. & Durga’s Prime Chanukah. It smells mostly of olive blossom (osmanthus) with citrus/green and some earthiness. It’s very strong with good throw. I got it in one of their last sample sales.
What a great idea! And love osmanthus, I am sure you smell great.
I wore SL Bois de Violette today. Haven’t worn this in a while!
Any Canadians interested in the swap meet? I’m pondering adding a few things, but I’d be willing to send within Canada only. Robin, if this violates the rules, please let me know.
Oh, I remember and miss Bois de Violette! You smell incredible!
Robin, that little green bird is one of the most adorable pictures ever posted here! I’ve been enjoying my “signature” fragrance, Estee, as my idea of America’s entry for International Fragrance Day. This is a 2006 or so version in the frosted bottle. I have the OG “Super,” the pineapple bottle (which is more floral yet still chypre), and the parfum. I love them all. My nose is still headcold-crazy but Estee is pleasant and comforting.
It is a fantastic picture, isn’t it?