It's Friday, Europe Day and John Brown’s birthday. Also, Guessing Game Friday (edition 5)! Our community project for today: describe your perfume to us, OR, give your perfume the name it ought to have had, and we'll see if we can guess what it is. Thanks go to Glannys for the suggestion. And PLEASE, if nobody guesses your fragrance, come back and tell us what it was!
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.
My fragrance was made by a British brand, and named for a mountain town famed for its flower plantations.
Reminder: there will be a community project on 5/16, and I will announce it by Monday. 5/16 will be Time for Bed Friday...wear a fragrance you normally put on to wear to bed. If you don't usually put on fragrance then, wear a fragrance you normally only wear in the evening or on special occasions? Suggested by NinaV.
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 Dogwoods [cropped] by Shiva Shenoy at flickr; some rights reserved.
Watching a live birth of a cat on YouTube! Stressful. First litter for the mama cat, in active labor for almost 2 hours, no first kitten yet.
My SOTD is green and sophisticated. Despite its name, it feels quiet and introspective — like a peaceful walk in the woods, admiring spring flowers.
Could be Corsica Furiosa?
No, it’s green floral. The main flower inspired a famous poem.
Le temps d’une fête Nicolaï?
Yes! I expected you to guess right, since this is a Nicolaï perfume.
That’s my guess, too!
There’s no fury in the name. But it implies a noisy gathering of people.
Flower Market would fit, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention it.
Stumped.
No. The house is known for refined compositions, and its founder comes from a family well-known in the perfume world.
Something by Guerlain?
Not Guerlain, but related to Guerlain.
Nicolai?
Yes, Nicolai. See Aurora’s and austenfan’s replies.
Saxon at Tiny Kittens? She’s doing better now. Have been so enchanted by Casper and Edie that have not kept up much with Celestine and Saxon.
You watch TK too? Yay!
Yes, Saxon. I am glad that No. 1 got oxygen and the other three were born without issues. But apparently she is not done yet.
Maybe Le temps d’une fête?
Yes! Good job!
The name means “party time” and I was referring to Coleridge’s famous poem about daffodils.
I had not scrolled down, but after the Guerlain comment it was easy.
Funny, I would never describe Temps as a green floral, though I guess it qualifies as one.
Circling back, how’s the momma kitty cat??
She and her six kittens are doing well, SmokeyToes 💗
Six! Mama cat must be exhausted
yep, that’s no joke! Say goodbye to REM sleep…
She was. But the kittens are 1 day old now, and she is comfortable and getting as much rest as a nursing mama can.
Yay! Thanks for the update!
But wow, six?
Glannys, have you checked out Love and Hisses? They also have rescue and foster cat/kitten videos on YouTube.
Not sure I can handle another cat channel, but I will look them up, thank you! “Love and Hisses” is a great name.
My SOTD is an ode to one of the perfumer’s daughters.
Eau de Camille?
I second Eau de Camille!
Or Eau de Charlotte?
in the same vein-Petite Cherie?
SheriG and SmokeyToes for the win!
Commando at the moment for a doctor appointment this morning, but when I get back I plan to smell like a very wealthy gentleman in a leather chypre that was released much later than one would guess, based on its classic elegance.
Aramis??
Bel Ami
I feel like SheriG’s scent is not Aramis or Bel Ami because those both came out in the 60s-80s which don’t seem that recent. My guess would have been Bel Ami (1986) too, Or perhaps Knize 10, but that’s quite old. So I suspect it’s a more recent release that uses the leather chypre touchstones. I’m not up on my contemporary men’s leather chypres though. Something by Memo?
Bel Ami it is! Before I looked up its launch date, I would have predicted something much earlier than the 80s — more like the 40s, or even earlier. Shows what I know. 🤣
My SOTD for today’s cp is by a Midwest perfumer. As I step into my garden on a sunny May morning, I awaken to the intoxicating blend of fresh clean air and green grass scented with blooming lilacs and lily-of-the-valley.
But no lilacs for me today; instead, it’s tulips, literally millions! of tulips, as we are on a short trip to Holland MI for the tulip festival. Incredible!
Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend ahead. 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷
What fun, enjoy the tulip festival!
(Still thinking about your fragrance…)
Thanks. We’re on a 3-day motorcoach tour with practically no downtime, beautiful and fun but exhausting. That 1 hour we lose going on MI time makes a lot of difference! 😴
That sounds very fun to me!
Laila I read this without my glasses (at the dentist) and thought you were writing about turnips, and I thought, huh, maybe turnips flower and you were in a farmland area where they are grown. I just bought some turnips to roast so have them on the brain. But tulips make more sense and are prettier.
Went to the Windmill Gardens today and will do the parade tomorrow. Here’s a glimpse of the 🌷 festivities:
https://youtu.be/oH9jKx25wA0?si=aFFXXEo1b5DeO-IR
Pretty! 🌼🌷🪻
My SOTD was Morning Dew by Annie Oakley Perfumery in Ligonier, Indiana. If you ever visit Northeastern Indiana, I highly recommend a tour of their perfumery. They have many lovely natural and organic fragrances.
https://www.annieoakley.com
My scent of the day reminds me of a prince hacking through climbing roses, trying to get to a princess. the rose scent is so vivid, and there’s a storm, so you smell soil and earth and there are thorns.
Bit dramatic, I know-it’s a deep and rich scent 🙂
FM Une Rose/Rose Tonnere?
My guess too.
yes! Rose Tonnerre. And it’s the parfum. I emailed the FM people, and they did confirm for a short period of time they did make it as parfum. So in case you see it on ebay, or the Cosmetic company, it’s a valid format. I love it.
Ah, I haven’t tried the parfum, but I bet it smells amazing! Rose Tonnere is a perfect rose, for me.
Voleur de Roses?
Happy Friday! Dorian Gray has nothing on my Sotd💃
Portrait of a lady?
Yes!
You smell fabulous!
SOTD can be considered a cheap and cheerful. Kind of like something Bath and Body Works would sell but doesn’t sell it. Has the vibe more along the lines of Courtesan or Happy.
One more clue? Is it a designer scent or mass?
It’s mass produced.
Light Blue?
That’s designer!
Philosophy Amazing Grace? Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers?
Nope
Need more clues!
I’m stumped.
Has a full line up of lotion, soap, shampoo and conditioner. Has a beach kind of vibe but there is a number involved.
Sol de janiero?
Yes!
My scent of this morning was a nutty vetiver that couldn’t seem to keep his pants above the waist.
My scent of the afternoon, a rare beast these days, does away with underwear completely and it,
too, smells like vetiver as well as agarwood and amber.
The first one must be Fat Electrician, right?
Ding ding! 👏👏😁
LOL, you guys!
Afternoon is YSL M7??
Brava, R!
No underpants was a good clue 🙂
Ha! It was either that or the claim that it was the first oud used in Western perfumery 😉
These clues are too much fun!! Love em!
Very witty clues!
My SOTD is a perfume is a green floral chypre that originally came from the collection of it’s creator. 🙂
Gotta bounce, busy day ahead! Happy Friday all.
Chanel no. 19?
Second that guess.
EL Private Collection! But I also know that you love this one so that’s why I guessed it.
Hi Denise, 🙂
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! Yep, absolutely right!
Parfum de Therese?
I thought of Private Collection, too. Since I did not peek at Denise’s answer, this make the *first time* I’ve got one of the questions right. This game is tough for me. But I am an Estee Lauder fan girl, so I have EL lore at my fingertips. 🙂 Hope your day goes well, and I wondered if you were in vintage or current version?
It’s vintage, my goodness, it’s glorious. They really don’t make them like this anymore.
I’d guess your SOTD is Ormonde Jayne Ta’if.
I’m commando at the moment. I’ll pick a perfume to wear later if the mood strikes.
That’s it!
Yay! When you said it was a British brand, I immediately thought of Ormonde Jayne for some reason, and then I had to try to remember which of their fragrances sounded like that description.
I’m in the version that translates literally to 1st or opening in English, though this isn’t the OG iteration of this aldehydic abstract floral.
Today is one of those days when I realize I have next to no knowledge of notes in perfumes! That said, I’ll take a crack at the other clue, and say No. 5 Premiere
Eau Premiere it is!
Yay!
Feeling like a southern belle today, possibly a steely one…
Eau de magnolia?
Bingo!
I got one right! You smell amazing 🙂
My SOTD is somewhat obscure so I’ll leave a lot of clues. It’s from a mall store popular in the 80s/90s. It’s the reimagining of an old scent from the early 20th century. It is inspired by an early silent film star/director/producer/screenwriter with an exotic name, though the fragrance bears her real name, not her stage name. Ironically, this is a light and pretty scent, clean and slightly fruity, floral, and light woods. IMHO it is NOT like anything the film star would have worn back in the day as it’s more suited to the office and summer weekends than it is to the Old World culture, flamboyance, and romantic intrigues she lived through.
Wow that is a lot of clues, thank you, and why on earth can’t I think of it? I was in the mall then!
Ah, correction, Robin. This fragrance is a recent offering by the brand. It is from the 21st century, not the 80s/90s when the brand was best known and was a gateway for many of us into high quality frags with lots of naturals at decent price points. The brand still makes scents and skincare, but no longer has retail shops, I think. Sorry for the confusion.
OK. So The Body Shop comes to mind but doesn’t fit. Yves Rocher doesn’t fit. L’Occitane doesn’t fit & neither does Crabtree & Evelyn. (Garden Botanica popped in my mind so it is amazing how well I can remember old mall, but obviously they don’t fit either.)
Still thinking. Feel like I am less good at this game than I used to be, LOL…fewer brain cells!
There’s one more 2-named one that you missed. They had stores but maybe not as many as the others and forgive me, maybe they weren’t in the malls but free standing. (I can’t remember). But Crabtree was their competitor. President Kennedy wore one of their colognes.
Something by Casswell Massey, maybe?
yes, Aurora!!
Loulou?( Louise Brooks)
No, that’s wrong. As that’s an oldie.
good guess though.
You were prolly thinking Louise Brooks?
This actress was of Slavic descent.
Well, after much research (read “cheating”), I am going with Caswell-Massey Marem.
Excellent. I cheated and still didn’t get anywhere.
Also, don’t think anyone was going to get that without cheating.
🙂 Yep, even with cheating, I got nuthin’ but I’m terrible at this game… so whadda I know??
😀
You got it, SherryG!
Whew, I know that was a hard one and my clues were jumbled and not always right, and also it’s kind of an obscure scent.
Named after Alla Nazimova, an early film star and hyphenate, whose real name was not Alla but Marem. She was Russian.
I could have sworn Caswell Massey had mall stores but now I think perhaps I just bought their products at *other* mall stores or their freestanding stores and they also had an amazing catalogue IIRC that I used to pour over.
Just saw it was found by SherryG, phew it was tough😀
This green and mineralic scent comes from an old French house. Kanuka wears it sometimes.
Is it that eau de crypt one? Its actual name is escaping me–from Oriza?
Yes, Chypre Mousse
Chypre Mousse?
Yes!
Green and mineralic and Kanuka makes me think of Aesop and the Antipodes, but Aesop is certainly not an old French house.
I do love Aesop frags though! Luca Turin just reviewed a bunch on his substack.
Nice choice! I hope you have a happy day, and great news that you’re healing well.
A simple name for a wonderful perfume that apparently has a rather pared down list of ingredients. The fragrance doesn’t feel simple at all, and honours both elements of its name.
I always think of this one as “does what it says on the tin”
I’m guessing Joy, though I’m not sure about the pared down list of ingredients.
Quite the opposite of Joy, it’s a very introspective scent
And the name tells us the two main notes.
I think I would fail even if you gave me the perfume house, and the first letters, and the notes!
One of the notes is woods.
These are vague clues austenfan! Much depends on your definition of “wonderful”, or on whether or not a brand listed few or many notes, which isn’t all that relevant to the number of actual notes 🙂
Vague guesses…
Cèdre Sambac or Agar Ebène would fit
Tom Ford Santal Blush
Jo Malone Oak & Hazelnut
Other main note is incense
I’m thinking 10 Corso Como – woods & incense – but that doesn’t ‘honor its name.’
It’s not that one.
The fact that it only contains few ingredients is mentioned on this site, and it feels kind of minimalistic. It’s not an Hermès or a JCE creation.
Incense Oud ? Parfum nicolai
No, but good guess
The name is French, as is the perfumer, but the house is not.
Is it an Amouage or Commes des Garçons scent?
No, it was Bois d’encens from the Armani Privée line
That rules out Jo Malone.
So… Everyone is stumped including me. I went and asked Chat GPT, giving it all the clues. Its answer is Armani Privé – Bois d’Encens. Did it get it right?
Yes!
Now that I know the answer, it seems so obvious! But I did not get it at all, despite the very good clues.
It’s often like that though isn’t it?
I was deliberately vague, as I love a difficult puzzle more than anything.
Yes, good clues. I feel a bit stupid! 😁
Chat GPT wins!
Robin, you already do have a CP for 5/16 actually! It’s: “Time for Bed Friday: wear a fragrance you normally put on to wear to bed. If you don’t usually put on fragrance then, wear a fragrance you normally only wear in the evening or on special occasions? Suggested by NinaV.”
I took today off and therefore slept in later so no perfume yet (I’m on Pacific time so I swear I didn’t sleep *that* late. I’ll come back with a clue once I pick a scent
ooh, I like the CP for next week! I definitely have some bedtime faves that soothe and cheer me.
Holy cow, obviously needed more sleep last night! Thank you, will fix shortly.
Oh my goodness, you all rock at this guessing game and alas, I do not.
My sister sent me a huge bouquet of tulips for my birthday. They are surely a sign of spring.
Post shower might stick with Chanel Eaux for the week or OJ Damask.
Happy Birthday Apsara!
Thank you DeniseH!
Am glad she didn’t send me turnips!
hahaha.
There were once some turnip chips at Trader Joe’s, and the illustration on the bag was of 2 Victorian ladies, saying something like, “Whatever shall we do with all these turnips?”
I was at the Farmer’s Market with my Russian friend and she speaks so rhapsodically of turnips that I had to get them.
But now it’s too hot for roasting. Ah well.
Happy birthday!
Thank you Glannys!
Happy Birthday!
Thank you, Vee!
Happy birthday 🎂
Thank you, Aurora!
Happy Birthday, apsara!!!🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷
Thank you allo!
I can say I am older than the new pope!
Happy birthday to you!!
Thank you tulipani!
Happy birthday and enjoy your tulips!
A very happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday! 🎂
Happy Scented Birthday apsara! Hope the sun was shining for you again today. 🌞🌈🎂
Happy Birthday!
Enjoy your Tulips. We are in the middle of a Tulip festival here this week.
Happy belated birthday! Enjoy your bountiful bouquet of tulips!
My SOTD is from a French perfume house and is classified as a woody scent, but on me it is much more citrus and pepper. It would be considered unisex though I see it mostly worn by women. I am mostly a floral person, so this is not something I would normally choose. However, I find myself reaching for this quite often.
Eau des Merveilles?
Easy peasy and correct!
That is next on my to buy list
You will love it!
Guessing game:
I am wearing this to an event tonight
Some say it’s the masterpiece, created by a perfumer known for balancing power with elegance. I get the color crimson when I wear this one. Bold & baroque.
I would say this perfume shares some similarities with my SOTD yesterday Encens Mythique. Both perfumes prominently feature incense-like notes and rose, and make you feel that you are off to a far off land..
Portrait of a Lady?
That was my guess too.
You guys know me so well! Ugh
I think it is funny that you wear it since you can’t smell it or did that change?
I can’t ! But I get compliments
My SOTD isn’t just any old pair of rose colored glasses, these are corrective lenses.
Tea today is the same chocolate tea as yesterday, beefed up with some irish breakfast. My lilac blooms popped this morning and they smell glorious even with the rain limiting their reach.
YSL Paris? Tea Rose? Nahema? Need more clues!
Drôle de rose?
My aunt POAL thinks its odd that I changed my name to numbers, but I’m from Berlin! We embrace reinterpretation
Ha, Fille de Berlin 🙂
Nope!
Frau Tonis something?
Better luck next time!
Something from biehl parfumkunstwerke?
Nope!
My SOTD was 20 / 20 by J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin. I was so sure I had seen it mentioned on here as a junior POAL (and I completely agree). Apparently it was an older one from this house called Chic and they reworked a few years ago, renaming it 20/20.
Frozen blackberries and yogurt smoothie
Today’s scent was Liz Earle essence No9 which didn’t exactly lend itself to our guessing game but is a really good fruity chypre nonetheless and tonight is a great classic, groundbreaking in its day whose name is a play in a foreign language on a city in the Caribbeans.
Is it Habana?
Well done, close enough, Kanuka, it’s Habanita
Your smoothie matched your morning perfume today!
😀It will soon be a thunk, I love it that much.
https://www.gardenia.net/genus/actaea-simplex-bugbane
The bugbane plants are now in flower here. They are very strongly scented, sweet ( honey ) but with a indolic almost-jasmine addition. Sometimes they smell a bit rotten but sweetly . The rhizomes/ roots were used in medicine, boiled and made into a tea to help with menopausal symptoms. Anyway, nice to find some scent at this time of year. Robin, is your holly in flower yet? Hope you get to sniff it. Wearing a perfume with a sweet, fetid scent that comes from a bell-funnel like flower that causes hallucinations ( Serge Lutens).
OMG it has little buds on it!!! It is right outside my kitchen window, right where it’s been for 27 years now without my noticing that it blooms. I literally look at it without seeing all that time apparently.
(Whereas I start looking out the front window every day starting May 1 to see if my fringe tree has bloomed yet…)
Will get out there tomorrow (raining today), thank you.
Oh, and Datura Noir!
Yes! Too easy for perfume champions. Watch your nose with the holly.
Ooh, Datura Noir? That one became a bit too much for me, sadly.
Ha, I said the same thing but 6 minutes later. Attention!
My SOTD has links to Omani royalty, and befitting royalty it smells clean and sharp yet very rich. Very old school in the best way.
It’s been so fun guessing scents, thank you Glannys for this great CP idea!
Amouage gold?
You got it! ⭐
Such beautiful perfume for sure💛
Thanks Kanuka!
Happy weekend too
SOTD = take a guess!
Today’s SOTD:
– the line is known for suggestive names although this one is not
– I would never knowingly do this
– smoked 🪵, anyone?
It’s been a yucky week weather-wise, typical for May around these here parts. Hopefully, it will turn soon!
Ébène Fumé?
You got it Vee!
ELdO Jasmine ET Cigarette?
Not quite but close enough!
Blue skies and gorgeous weather here. I will try to send some your way!
My SoTD is taking me to a suburban strip mall coffee shop on a cool Spring day, like today! I’ve not gone in yet, but as I approach the door, roasted coffee aromas linger in the fresh, moist air from the last time it opened. Some large planters out front have tall irises blooming but a quick, self-conscious sniff does not reward me. On my way out, the Sun has warmed the irises and some of their floral notes come through. Another patron wearing a sweet, musky perfume dashes past into the shop for some chai.
My guess is below.
I second Aurora’s answer.
Aurora and Gaynor, you are right! I hope you both have smelled IT. Now that I know it well, it blooms right away, but the first few times I wore it, it was only the next day, on clothing, that I found the delight. I think this is Delphine Jelk’s style: light, translucent, quietly lingering. I, as a lover of big sillage and dense classics, had to “squint” a little to see her art, but now I appreciate it. Iris Torrefie lives on my top shelf, along with Estee, Samsara, Timeless, Angel Muse, Ciara, Safari…
Alas, no but now I will seek it out😀
Iris Torréfiée is lovely, I wish I’d got it when it first came out, it’s a lot more expensive now 🙁 .
Iris torréfiée maybe?
This is a great CP, I think it should become a regular thing. I’ve been mostly reading the clues when the answers are already there, so I can read down and immediately see how clever you all are!
I guessed one perfume correctly, that was Glannys’ Grenadille d’Afrique. I thought I was off to a great start, but it was all downhill from there 🙂 .
My perfume today is from an old house that no longer exists (there’s still a lot of outrage about that) and it’s name is a number.
Yesterday, Aurora correctly guessed my perfume was Salome.
1000? (Patou)
Yes!!
Gaynor guessed *two* so far, one being mine! 😺🎉
Agreed! This CP has been a lot of fun
I like the interactive aspect
RIP Jean Patou. 😢
My sotd is a newer designer release. It has notes of lemon and vanilla. The perfumer did a similar perfume for his own brand.
It’s a beautiful day here but I haven’t seen much of it. I had a hectic morning before work tonight.
It’s a fragrance you’re “devoted” to, I’ll wager 😉🍋
I hope you wagered big. You win!
LOL! Hope you have a BUB of that one.
Thankfully a perfume fairy gifted me a giant bottle. I’m set for awhile. I still want to try the body cream if it shows up on discount.
Sotd was supposed to be Encens Mythique for the new pope Leo XIV. Instead the Mother’s Day gift I bought for myself arrived early (I don’t have any children but I’m liberally interpreting g the holiday as how I made Mom a mother 😉). I bought a FB of Oribe Desertland and a full body lotion to match. I’m too tired to concentrate but this CP seems delightful!
LesLiesse you have been doing a lot of mothering the past few months. Congratulations on your new acquisitions!
Lillyjo! That’s such an uplifting interpretation-thank you for sharing that!
Did you know that Korres has a body butter that reminds me of Encens Mythique? Try the Mastic one!
Thank you for the tip on Korres jalapeño!
I’m glad you are doing something for yourself, a little treat. You deserve it.
I’m wearing a reference sultry tropical white floral with primary notes of jasmine, frangipani, and vanilla. This is from a French house and is a perfumista favorite.
Heading out to walk to the movies on a beautiful day wearing this fun shirt with lilacs, lavender, and pansies on it. https://bigbudpress.com/products/heritage-tee-lush-lilac
Songes? Goutal.
Yes, that’s it!
That is a fun shirt! Enjoy the movies!
Thanks, we had fun! We saw a new fun action movie with Josh Hartnett called Fight or Flight.
Oh I love Josh Hartnett!
Me too!
That T-shirt is adorable!
I thought this group would appreciate it. 😉
Posting much later than I expected to. Got stuck in rush hour traffic after doing some errands this afternoon.
Guessing game!
My SOTD was from a house that did not originally do perfume. It smells like a throwback to a past era in the best possible way to me. The regulars here at NST will know this scent as one I wear often.
What is it?
I feel like I should know this but my mind is blank!
I have no idea either.
This perfume was introduced in 2000.
Another clue: I have gotten an enabler pin or two for this scent.
BV Knot?
No, but it is a floral.
Agent Provocateur?
Ding ding ding ding! We have a winner!
Ah, yes you love AP, I’m more a l’Agent girl.