It's our first lazy weekend open thread of the new year...talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the last fragrance you tried and put aside for different weather, the first 2026 fragrance you plan to try (or have already tried), whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is 'A winters day!' [cropped] by caroline legg at flickr; some rights reserved.
Happy weekend!
The last perfume I tried is also my sotd, Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy. It’s so good I can’t stop sniffing myself. I have tried so many from this house but I don’t know why I always pass on this. It has just the right amount of sweetness that hints at gourmand without being foody. It also smells a little like a packet of skittles which makes it all the more fun to wear.
What I really want to try are the new trio of Essences by Amouage. I am expecting good things.
Robin, that bird is so chubby and cute!
Glad you like the bird…might do another week of birds 🙂
Sotd Guerlain Encense Mythique D’Orient.
Dark, rainy day in the mid 40s. There is a kids party later this afternoon for my twin nieces’ birthday and then a small family gathering tonight. I am working today, so I will join them this evening for dinner. Anything Barbie is all they want for presents, so I am sure they will have lots of fun playing with the new toys.
On my second cup of coffee and a couple of Christmas Peeps that I got on sale yesterday.
Happy weekend! 🌻
The only Peeps I saw on sale were Peeps on a stick. Like a kabob. Lol. They were bigger than regular Peeps.
Happy Birthday to your nieces!
For some reason that sounds rather sinister
Thank you, Lillyjo!
As much as I love Peeps, I have never bought the Kabob ones. They look too intimidating for me! 😂
Smelling fabulous. I almost wore that today. Maybe tomorrow. Have a nice dinner tonight!
Thank you, Kris!
Pl67 you smell gorgeous!
Thank you, LesLiesse!
I think of you and lillyjo whenever I see Peeps in the grocery stores here.
Lol!
I’m currently in a layering of LVNEA Ghost Pine oil over Fischersund 101. It’s an okay combo, but it reminds me of something that I can’t quite pull to front of mind, and that’s distracting. Meanwhile, my impulse blind buy of Courreges Blanc is allegedly out for delivery today. If/when it gets here, I’ll be removing the GP/101 combo and trying Blanc with medium-high hopes. I am becoming more and more fond of Courreges Seconde Peau, but it is definitely not the perfumath-free score that Blanc was.
Can hardly wait to hear what you think of Blanc.
It’s here, and sprayed on wrists, and so far I like it very much. It seems to be one that smells different up close than it does in the cloud of surrounding scent. It’s still in the early stages, but right now I’m getting a lot more fruitiness up close, while the cloud is more powdery and iris-y. Looking forward to getting to know it better!
That’s a great description of it.
SheriG, your scent of the day sounds super interesting. Please do post again if you remember what it reminds you of.
If you like a powdery iris that is very simple and unassuming, you would like it. I don’t like to blind buy, but I did this one, as it is only about $25 on the discount sites. I love it!
Oops, sorry Denise. I thought you were talking about Blanc.
If you meant the Ghost Pine/101 layering, I never did figure out what specific perfume it was reminding me of, but I finally decided that the combination created a note sort of like a slightly oily osmanthus, but sweeter. In the end, it wasn’t a good pairing.
It might have been IA Cape Heartache. A bit too much fruity sweetness over pine forest.
Thx for trying to remember. Sorry it didn’t work, SheriG!
SG, may you have many happy hours in your Courreges Blanc! Ideal for the Cloud Dancer year.
Thank you! It does work for Cloud Dancer — hadn’t thought of that.
I’m working today and watching it snow like crazy.
I have been re-watching Mad Men. I just started season 2. There’s so much I had forgotten about. Other than 70’s sitcoms and M.A.S.H, this is my favorite show. ( honorable mention to Boston Legal)
I’m wearing Poison Tendre and thinking of Spring. Robin, is it time to start counting down the days yet? 🌼
LOL. I think we have a little while until Spring. Wishful thinking?
Absolutely wishful thinking! Lol.
YES, will do!
Woo-hoo!
Mad Men is my favorite show ever! I am thinking of third re-watch this year.
It’s so intense. This is my first full watching since I watched the original airing.
Mad Men is an achievement in entertainment imo. The tension that carried over for years as to Don Draper’s background and who knew it, that’s difficult to sustain. The truth was mind-blowing yet not at all unbelievable. Even when you think you knew the story, there was more and it was Drama with a capital D. Jon Hamm, who’s mainly doing comedies now and it seems like a lot of commercials, really had the chops to pull off Don’s multi-faceted character. Shoutout to the Casting professionals who gave him an ideal set of actors to work with. Enjoy Lillyjo! And I’d enjoy hearing out of your fragrance expertise what you think the main characters would wear especially as their personal lives evolved (thinking Peggy and Roger up front).
I just watched an episode where Joan mentioned Shalimar!
🩷
Give me your winter weather! Please! I’ll trade you.
Anytime!
SOTD is Indochine. Bum Bum cream too.
You smell divine.
Thanks Sheri!
Beautiful and gold-medal (the Olympics are coming) layering combo!
I love the Olympics!
Feb 6 Opening ceremonies Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics!
Bum Bum cream twins with you yesterday and today!
I’m like you. I wear it in the winter though I think it is geared towards summer.
It’s just way too sweet for me in hot weather. But it’s nicely cozy when temperatures plummet.
SOTD is Eau Duelle.
There are several fragrances I want to try in spring/summer, since I suspect they need higher temperatures to develop on the skin properly. The latest one is Joyeux Osmanthe.
Joyeux Osmanthe sounds so pretty!
I do notice when I run a humidifier in my house sometimes in the winter, it really helps fragrance bloom as much as higher temperatures do. Not worth running one just for that though!
Interesting. When I talk of wearing a scent in winter vs. summer, I always think of temperature differences and never consider humidity. So humidity can help too? Good to know.
what a beautiful name!!!
Humidity definitely changes how a perfume can be perceived. I noticed a difference in a few of my likes and dislikes when I moved from the humid US East Coast to the semi-arid plains of Colorado.
No scent yet, but thinking about Alahine. We are going to a dinner party tonight – a rare occasion – with a couple of my husband’s college roommates/wives. As essentially empty nesters (son goes back to school for his final semester tomorrow) I feel like we should be having more dinner parties but it doesn’t seem to happen. Enjoy the weekend, everyone!
Love Alahine
Hope the dinner party is fun!
Hope the Dinner Party was a great time and inspired you to host some in 2026!
I got an envelope full of samples from the Warsaw perfume shop I visited in October. The SA picked them and I am always intrigued by what I get when an SA picks because they are never what I would choose for myself. SOTD is Santa Maria Novella Alba di Seoul. It’s very pretty, green and citrussy, and quite subtle. I like it.
Oh how nice! I had forgotten that SMN, don’t think I ever tried it.
I love that entire line, but I’m more drawn to the oddball ones than the ‘pretty’ and citrusy ones. There are some, such as Marescialla, that have a wood varnish note and many that have bitter/astringent/herbal/apothecary notes that one has to learn to work one’s nose around, or at least I did.
I wish they hadn’t discontinued Nostalgia, with its garage mechanic vibe.
I don’t know that one. I missed it completely when it came out and yes, boo hiss that it is now gone.
I’m thinking about Chinatown today. A few people mentioned it last week, and that reminded me that I haven’t worn it for a while.
I’m planning to buy a few samples from Luckyscent, but every time I make a list, I read about something new and decide to wait a bit longer to see if Luckyscent gets it in.
Chinatown – my gateway drug.
the more I wear Chinatown, the more I realize how truly odd it really is, and masterful, of course. It has a bit of that Santa Maria Novella apothecary vibe that I struggle to describe. I also find it quite unlike most of the other Bond No. 9s, which are way more crowd-pleasing.
haha, I get it.
Finally seasonably cool here and I can pull out my cool weather favorites.
Lately I have been trying out some samples and circling back to perfumes I have and don’t wear much. I wore Guerlain Insolence EDP and found it too sweet and cloying for me. I think I bought because it was unlike anything I had – maybe there’s a reason for that. I got a sample set from Perfumehead and tried La La Love. I liked it ok, will try it again. Somehow reminded me of Heretic Scandalwood, which I already have in a tiny 30 ml bottle. I don’t know if notes are similar or just the vibe. Today, I am trying out Perfumehead Somewhere which I found ok, not in the running for full bottle. I will probably do Cosmic Cowboy next. I love having samples to try.
My adult son just visited and partially cleaned out his room, which has stayed much as it was when he moved out for college. Most of the left-behind clothes no longer fit him. He was not as ruthless as I had hoped for in the cleanout, probably just culled about 50 percent. I have the unenviable task of trying to get all the cast away clothes to Goodwill. I feel guilty bringing stuff there, seems wasteful, but not sure what I can do with a bunch of men’s clothes that don’t fit me (too big) or my husband (way too small). I pulled out a pair of socks and a small waffle-knit shirt for myself. When my son was a teenager, I would take some of his shirts for myself when they no longer fit him.
I am always scoping out perfume buys for 2026. It is always a struggle between staying with what I wear most of the time (musks, vanillas, incense) versus branching out into perfumes with other notes.
I have an international trip planned for April (Italy). Besides looking at the local perfume offerings, I am planning to check out the duty free shop, also wondering if the tariffs would make that an even better value. Prior stops at duty free have NOT been fruitful. The prices did not seem better and there was not anything I wanted.
I’ve never found anything at duty free. I think my tastes are maybe too niche-y / the mainstream brand fragrances I like are discontinued. But the prices never seem great, either — I was checking German duty frees for Jil Sander No. 4 and the prices were better at drug / beauty stores, actually.
Ok, that is exactly my view. As expensive as perfumes are, I would rather pay more for something I love.
Italy in April will be perfect and high fava bean and artichoke season, two of my faves.
I do the same with both my sons’ clothes, mostly raiding for shirts and socks. Neither one lives at home any longer, but half their old clothes do. Their discarded chrysalises.
“discarded chrysalises” = perfect! 🔟
Discarded chrysalises! 🩷
What an amazing turn of phrase, “discarded chrysalises”!
Italy in April! I’ll be looking forward to hearing about your fragrance finds from that trip! (and I’m struggling with emptying my Aunt’s and Uncle’s clothes out of their house – I keep hugging the items, remembering a happy time they wore it, then having a sniffle-attack – good luck with yours)
Frapin 1270 for the day. So beautiful and cozy, that dried fruit stew.
Chilly in house. Little space heater on upstairs by my desk.
Been keeping up with office declutter at home and making good progress. Pictures are their own journey that I am not ready for yet.
Was able to fill car the other day and do a drop off at savers of all sorts of things.
First class at library yesterday. We discussed politics. Sigh.
Watched first episode of The Pitt. Watched Death by Lighting and Sherpa Queen. Watched way too much of the news.
Read The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny – a bit too meandering for me.
Read When the Going was Good by Graydon Carter; Gone Before Goodbye; Rabbit Moon; The Art Thief; The Persian.
Best read thus far- There is No Place for Us by Brian Goldstone.
Just downloaded last night – Firestorm by Jacob Soboroff about the LA fires.
Lunch tomorrow over by Hermosa Beach with friends, weather should be perfection.
One friend heading to Japan in a few weeks, need to decide what fragrance from duty free will be needed. I have a short list that keeps rotating.
Have a good and safe Saturday, fragrant friends.
We are watching death by lightning.
I like it even if the dialogue seems a bit stiff at times. I have learned a lot!
Sounds like a perfect day and a lovely scent, apsara. I cherish my bottle of Frapin 1270, the bottle is as beautiful as the scent inside.
We too watched the first episode of The Pitt, which reminds me a lot of The Knick, which ran some years ago. We were big fans of that.
Last night I finished Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner. A very short very wonderful fairy tale tinged novel published in 1926 about an unmarried woman who unshackles herself from being at the beck and call of all her fusty relatives, moves to a tiny village in the Chilterns and finds strange goings-on in the woods on the Sabbath. Published exactly 100 years ago but as fresh and modern an allegory as if it were written yesterday. Touches of Angela Carter.
Congratulations on the decluttering! Early spring cleaning – good for you! The Pitt and Death by Lightening are on my watch list. Finished up S3 of The White Lotus: depressing story w excellent acting. S4 will be in France and shot at a castle turned into a resort.
SOTD = Ponte Etereo for Fumerie Parfumerie EDP
First wearing of the last perfume purchase of 2025 although I really could not swear to it. I love it, just like I love Zoologist T-Rex! Less similar in notes, but has the same overall vibe. If your skin amps up cedar, you may want to stay away.
In other news, here’s a gift article from The New York Times on how to maintain your new year’s FINANCIAL resolutions. I’ll do the summary later because I now need a nap …
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/your-money/new-years-financial-resolutions.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DVA.n2Mu.qM0o2u5Jxa6E&smid=nytcore-ios-share
Glad you love your new bottle!
Thank you for pointing out the article HS! I enjoyed it!
Thanks for the cedar warning! I am someone who does amplify it.
For the farmers market this morning I dabbed Chanel No 5 from a small perfume mini from
The 90’s. I can only dab No5.
I forget how glorious this smells. Then I sprayed some No5 Leau. After my shower , I haven’t put anything else perfume wise.
Thinning thorough the Sunday paper, and back in my PJ’s for this grey day. Plan on reading more Jilly Cooper while I wait do my hockey romance books. Took down the tree put all the decor away. Plan on church tomorrow to light a candle for a family member that passed. I will wear one of the Chanel numbers for that.. lol.
I meant to say Thumbing, not thinning. Though the paper is a anything but thin this morning..
Hockey romance books are a thing? I did not know! But maybe I should have.
Condolences on the family member you lost.
Robin-even lady Donatella is into this hockey romance lol
Thank you for the condolences. I wore 1932 to church this morning
Rachel Reid The Game Changers series. The HBO Max series Heated Rivalry is based on it.
There’s a video podcast review of each episode done by some hockey bro’s that was surprising insightful on YouTube called “Empty Net.” I was pleasantly surprised that they even owned their own discomfort at times watching two guys fall in love.
Oh gosh and I am sorry for you loss. Lighting a candle can be very consoling I’ve found.
My sympathies on your family member’s passing.
Thank you.🙏
I’m in Dior Addict today. I’ve had a busy, eventful last few weeks but I’m very happy to get home.
My flight was canceled on Dec 18th; I noticed it when I checked the airport departures in the morning. I waited for an email regarding rescheduling (for about an hour), but I never got anything. So I had to call. I waited on the phone for an hour, but ended up with a fantastic rep who got me on a plane that afternoon. We had to scramble to get to another airport in the area (an hour away), plus I had to finish packing. In the end I was only about 3 hours late from my original flight.
I wore Wrappings on Christmas Eve (our celebration day) due to my nieces and nephew having other commitments on Christmas Day. Otherwise I was mostly fragrance free the last few weeks. I ended up getting sick with a cold 2 weeks ago. I’m mostly better now, just a bit of a cough left.
All in all I had a lot of fun. I made 4 batches of shortbread for Christmas (which one of my nieces rated a “14/10”.
Welcome home Gail!
I’m glad you were able to get another flight and have a wonderful visit.
Smelling awesome as usual!
Thank you lillyjo! I got very lucky with the flight out; the rep I had seemed to go above and beyond. I’ll definitely give her a ‘shout out’ to the airline.
Sounds like a good visit despite the cold you ended up with on your trip. That shortbread sounds delicious!
It really was! I ended up tweaking my recipe and have to send it to the group (per their request) so I should write it out before I forget what I did. I ended up combining a few recipes (apparently I like to complicate things somehow!)
It’s lovely to hear of a cancelled flight holiday story with a HAPPY ending so congrats to you Gail. And Wrappings is perfect for the season. I love to smell it on others and have bought it for my sister who loves it but it always turns astringent on me.
I was pretty shocked it turned out as it did; especially considering the time of year and weather that was going on.
Aww, too bad about Wrappings for you.
Welcome back! I love your happy-ending travel story – there aren’t too many of those, so thanks for sharing.
Wrappings is one that I have never sniffed, unfortunately. Since I’ve read about it here, I’ve never seen it IRL, either. Is it dc’d?
Yes, Wrappings is sadly discontinued. It used to be available in brick and mortar stores around Xmas time. But then it was only available online at Clinique during the holidays. Finally it just disappeared.
Welcome back Gail! Finding a helpful CSR when you have travel difficulties is like coming across a rare gem. Glad that it all worked out for you.
It truly was. I half-expected I’d be canceling my trip. Sadly, most of us are not used to good customer service anymore.
Ain’t that the sad truth.
A dark and dreary morning with rain changing to snow flurries had my hand reach for a winter dark fragrance rather than a winter white one, YR Rose Oud. A deep damask rose scent created by Annick Menardo and Olivier Crisp, two of my favorite perfumers. The 🌞came out for a bit this afternoon but more snow predicted for tonight.
Had a nice Zoom visit with some old friends today, and even though we’re not football 🏈 fans we’ll probably watch the Bears/Packers playoff game tonight which, if you live anywhere within the Chicago area, is all that’s been talked about for days on end here.
Happy Saturday night! ❄️
I am watching it right now! I am a Vikings fan, since I am originally from Minnesota, but want the Bears to win.
Well, you got your wish! They won in spectacular fashion. Even though I’m not a football fan, it was exciting to watch their comeback. And I do like Caleb Williams a lot, talented, classy and professional.
It was a great game! I like Caleb and the new coach as well.
Nice description Laila! Of the weather and the perfume.
YR Rose Oud is amazing, and it is a BIG scent. I can imagine delicate young men coming across it and fainting in the street…
I’m glad I hadn’t just taken a sip of anything before I read that, AnnieA! 🤣
Hehehehe!
sotd = Infusion d’Iris edt
There was a mention of this one on NST yesterday, and I’m glad to give it some wear time today. I love it right after a shower, it feels perfect. 😍
The Absolue version is really nice, edged out perhpas only be by L’Attesa,
Yes! I love both Infusion d’Iris Absolue and L’Attesa. 💕
Rain, rain, and more rain here. It wasn’t a good day for the farmer’s market, but being out of fish I really had to go. It was a good day to see “Blue Moon” in a matinee at the local theatre that Cineplex recently abandoned but which was picked up by a local art house.
I’m trying Mendittorosa scents today, again, but I’ll move back to Wild Coast tomorrow. I’m realizing I didn’t get the set I’d ordered from them, but I’m enjoying the scents nonetheless. They’re all very well made (today I tried Lacura and Alfa), though none has really captured me yet.
I am jealous that you can buy fish at your farmer’s market! And that you have a local art house!
Sunday, and it’s −12 °C (10 °F) here. I am wearing EL Knowing (old version). Old-school chypres are wonderful in cold weather.
I’ve also made the main page of my perfume tracker a bit prettier, adding a cover and icons:
https://mangrove-mammal-cf0.notion.site/Perfume-Tracker-2deeef83fa8f80c59fa2cab95da10459
Still a work in progress, both in terms of data and layout.
Wow, that’s really detailed!
I like it!
That’s a great tracker!
That is a thing of beauty.
Absolutely beautiful! I just use a pen and ink journal and since I have a large array of body products and keep a monthly assortment of fragrances on a tray on my vanity, I keep track by month of my daily scents and also the body products I’ve layered them over.
Literally pen and ink journal, like with a fountain pen? Or modern pen on paper? Or is it a name of a website/app?
Just a ballpoint pen with a small notebook – I already have several notebooks filled. Although I enjoy technology, I like the comfort of knowing that piece of paper tucked safely in the drawer will be there and I won’t have to worry about software updates or websites with my data disappearing.
Glannys, thank you again for sharing your templates with me!!! I’m getting more conversant with it daily. and I love the irises at the top of your landing page (is that what I should call it?) And I think I’m late in expressing my sorrow about the latest outrage coming from east of your country. It makes me sick.
Yes, I suppose technically it is the landing page, although I tend to call it the main page – as you probably noticed, Notion allows us to create pages within pages.
And thank you!
Main page it is !
Love the artwork you chose for the main page!
No perfume yet this morning, but slathered on some Eau de Cade L’Occitane after-shave oil because I got it out for the husband who was complaining of dry skin (The post-rain winds have left the air very dry) and had just shaved and so I took some for myself as well because my skin is so dry. And no, there was no shaving involved on my part. But I didn’t let that stop me. A skin balm is a skin balm. I’ve long wanted to try the original Eau de Cade EdT as people rave about it online, but this version, in an oil and more modern, just smells vaguely and nicely of mint, juniper, pine, and other herbs. The EdT is supposed to have more woods, cistus, citrus and be a proper fragrance. I very much like the others in that L’Occitane lineup (L”Occitane EdT and Eau des Baux) so I have this one in my sights as well.
my hockey romance books have arrived. Thanks again for your suggestions on the website to purchase
Looking forward to you thoughts on them LTSG!
Just an FYI, L’Occitane has repackaged & renamed stuff. There is still a Cade grooming line but the EdT might be kaput. Eau des Baux is now Cedre Encens.
Thank you, Robin. Yeah I’m afraid I will have to hunt down Eau de Cade EDT online. I read probably here that Baux had been renamed but luckily, I still have two old bottles.
Scents of the day are:
Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel
Jergens Rose Body Butter
FM POAL
My guess is that people can probably smell me from a mile away😄
that is a lot of rose!
Yes, it certainly is!
I’d be most happy to smell your roses from a mile away!
😂
I second Laila! Roses roses roses !
I’d love to come across someone wearing that combination out here!
No rose scents out there?
I don’t really come across people wearing perfume out here on a regular basis.
Good morning and it’s another Monday here already! I’m off to work in the always beautiful 24 Faubourg.
Beautiful scent
Glorious! 💕
Sunday morning and I’m testing Profumum Roma Olibanum. It’s nice, but I like the olibanum-plus-evergreens vibe of Boswellia Scotia much more. Money saved! Although … I’ve had a travel spray of Frapin 1270 in my LS cart for weeks, and now Denise’s mention of the loveliness of the FB has me waffling. Do I need another beautiful bottle? Always! 😂
Well, FBs are out of stock, so I’m sticking with the travel spray — more $$ saved. And now that I’m clean, have switched to Courreges Blanc. Loving it more and more!
Did you get the travel spray of 1270 after all?
I did! 😁
W00t w00t!
I hope you like it SheriG! I piggybacked on your idea and wore Frapin 1270 today myself.
I’m wearing an old favorite, L’Orientaliste Santal. It’s a simple sandalwood, but I’ve never smelled a better. Not buying a BUB of this is a perfume regret I’ve never been able to shake. Oh well. I’ve been so miserly in using it that I will probably have enough to last me through all my tomorrows.
Ah, the BUBs that got away. I think we all have at least 1.
True! What are yours?
The one that immediately comes to mind for me is Agent Provocateur’s L’Agent. It’s a rare case of a flanker that equals its parent, but is also distinctly different. L’Agent is one of the best incense perfumes I have along with AG Encens Flamboyant.
oh yeah that’s a really nice one, L’Agent. Thx for reminding us of it, Jalapeno.
I don’t know that one; I’m sorry it got away from you. 😕
Hello NST Weekend Fragrance Lovers. Happy Sunday!
SOTD Cra-Yon The Fougere Affair. Adore the opening with strong eucalyptus (which is a scent that reminds me of deeply happy times with my darling dad) plus citrus. The middle note of cannabis is unattractive to me, but it may be similar to alcohol-inspired scents where I don’t want to smell those until after 5 pm. Early in the day, I hanker for other olfactic inspiration. January is such a glorious month for citrus here. I purchased some Cara Cara coral pink oranges plus some Blood Oranges, which are deep ruby red from cross pollination with raspberries I understand (but no blood transfusions – lol). The magnificent scent coming off of slicing these beauties – heavenly!
Yesterday – commando. I’ve been under the weather with something undefined for a week, and yesterday I had zero interest in a scent. But last night I did a late night (after midnight) video call with a doctor on my medical insurance plan, and I think we’ll be able to move forward of the dr’s orders he wrote. Ironically, calling right away, the medical office usually says give it time, it will go away on it’s own, but after 5 days they don’t say that. I want to urge anyone who has this option on your health plan to try it. Others had urged me but the idea of video conferencing with a stranger didn’t entice me. Dr was surprising emphatic and had good bedside (video screen-adjacent?) manner. I had my first good night’s sleep since Sunday.
On another front (and I’ll effusively thank Glannys under her post), I’ve been meandering through the AI-powered spreadsheet NOTION for my perfume library and wear log. Glannys was generous to share hers with me. On my goals for 2026 is adapting new technologies sooner, especially AI. Right now I’m gradually adding in all scents to my library as I wear them so I have inspiration to wear everything in the next few months, even the samples. I haven’t come close to entering new columns or anything like that (I would like a future disposition column such as FB, TS lists or a Plink/Plunk/Thunk column), but i have the rest of 2026 to figure it out.
Glad you’re Dr. Call went well and sure hope you feel better soon.🤗. And oh yes! to the Cara Cara + Blood oranges. Definitely 😋!
I recently picked up a Cara Cara orange when grocery shopping but haven’t tried it yet. Never had one before. 🍊
The coral pink inside is exquisite and the taste is definitely distinct of regular oranges. I they’re most wonderful in a citrus salad where you got slices of each and you can see the differences in color! Enjoy jalapeño! N
Cara Cara oranges are delicious! 🩷🍊
I love the smell of eucalyptus too. When I was a child I often walked a path lined with eucalyptus on the way to my neighborhood park. ☺️
Wishing you speedy healing.
Tiffanie such a moving memory! I can smell the eucalyptus jump off my screen as you walk.
Glad your doctor call went well! Some technologies are definitely very useful.
I am envious of your fresh citruses. The other day I thought, oh it’s citrus season, I should buy some. So I got a bag of mandarins, and they couldn’t have been more disappointing. They had hardly any flavor, which I suppose isn’t such a bad thing, since what I tasted was in the sour side. Maybe some better varieties will show up before the season’s over.
AE, I bit the bullet this year and switched to organic for the in season produce I buy. The corporate regular produce has lost its taste and smell to me.
Good point. After having read the first of Michael Pollen’s books, I made it a point to always buy organic root vegetables. I will try it with fruit, too.
I was not familiar with him but looked him up after your comment. Then I realized I had heard of his excellent work.
A mild January day here, a chilly but partly 🌞 afternoon, the little bit of ❄️ we got last night has disappeared. Putting everything back in place today after finally getting all the holiday decor packed away.
SOTD is Clinique Wrappings, so nice at this time of year. Looking forward to the new season of All Creatures Great and Small beginning tonight, my favorite of many favorite PBS programs. I read the books long before the first series even aired and have enjoyed watching both.
Happy Sunday! 🐰🐹🐭🦊🐻
Happy Sunday Laila! You smell absolutely lovely! Thanks for reminder on new season of ACG&S. So calming to watch. And it will make me jones for a sample of Creed’s Green Tweed.
Ooh! Wrappings is such a rarity now. You smell great!
Yes to Wrappings! 💚💚
You smell wonderful. 💕
I enjoyed Wrappings so much in December. I put it up at the front of my line up of perfumes to wear soon. 😁
All over the place fragrance-wise. In the past 2 days, I’ve worn Ganymede, Nasomatto Black Afgano, NG Or du Sérail, NG Corpus Equus, Rauque and Le Lion layered with SL El Attarine. A fragrant festivus!
Wow! Your perfumes must feel loved. 😍
I love it when the base notes from many perfumes can build up over a couple days.
That’s a great way to describe the layering. And I’m one of those people with perfume-eating skin so I can get away with spraying and spraying😊
Allo, a fragrance festivus! I love it! I don’t know the scents you’re wearing (I have so much to learn!), but I’m highly confident you smell amazing and festivus-worthy!
Aww, thank you, LesLiesse🥰
sotd = Ambre Narguile
I was missing Ambre Narguile. I haven’t worn it enough lately! 💛
It’s Sunday evening and I’m so glad perfume is here to distract me from a looming Monday morning. 🙈🤭
Such a beauty, tiffanie. Nice choice, you smell wonderful.
😍
For Xmas, I got my sister the Nuxe Prodigieuse Neroli Dry Oil (she likes the original) in the green bottle, and I finally got around to asking her if she’d tried it. Turns out she loves it. She said it reminded her of some classic colognes I’d gotten her, she wanted to know what neroli was, and why it reminded her of cologne, and silly me, I hadn’t thought to explain it to her, thinking that *everyone* knew the word. Been hanging around with you lot too much!
So when I told her, it clicked and she understood why it reminded her of some of the citrusy colognes she loves. Now I shall have to find her some more fragrances that have ‘neroli’ in the name. I do have a vintage Laura Mercier Neroli fragrance which starts out fantastic but then veers into sweeter territory. I may show it to her to see if she likes it, but I think she would like something more straight ahead citrus flower than sweet/vanillic/spice/woods. But who knows? She says she doesn’t like patchouli but she loves the smell of my Coromandel so she’s not a reliable perfume narrator…yet!
In furthering my fragrance education, I looked up the note to ensure I understood what it was, and wasn’t just throwing it around casually. When I brought up the fragrances with Neroli in them, some of them surprised me. First and foremost, Jazz Club which I adore and is on my FB list. But neroli ?!? I’m going to be fascinated DH with your process for deciding what to give you sister. Please take us on your olfactory journey!
I will do that and I’m also open to NST suggestions for neroli fragrances.
Cheap as Chips is Roger & Gallet l Néroli essence
Oh, thank you ltsg.
My sister loves that brand too!
I’m starting a list!
How about Hermes Eau de Neroli Dore? It comes in cute little travel sprays.
That’s just the one I was going to add 🙂
Denise, I’m reading this very late but wanted to third the Neroli Dore suggestion and add another off the top of my head. It’s Nerola from a small brand local to you in LA called Fūm. For yourself from that brand, I bet you’d like Ariose. The discovery set would be a fun option, but it’s currently sold out. They do have single samples available if you’re interested.
SOTD is BBW Vanilla Bean Noel body wash and body cream with a few sprays of Shalimar-Jasmine. Yum!
You smell fantastic!
Thanks my friend.
Sampling Mxxx. Extrait today for the first time and it packs a lovely punch! Smells like my Aunt Dorothy in the 80s. 🥰
Oh, I like that! I am pretty sure I’d want to smell like your Aunt Dorothy in the 80s!
I’m in a bit of a mood today.
I’m wearing Dune. It takes me back to the early 90’s before I was tired and when I didn’t take so much crap from people. Lol.
Dune + the winter sun is helping me feel energized.
Dune is enough to put me in a bit of a mood when I wear it. It takes no prisoners. Go lillyJo!
I think it worked! I just had my schedule conversation with my boss. I think it went well 🤞
Wonderful and I bet he loved how you smelled! Just saying.
I had to laugh about your comment re: the early 1990’s. Same here! Dune is an excellent choice for a “Don’t Bleep With Me” perfume.
It really is!
Organized 2 bins of perfume today an have 2 and a half more to go through. I am trying to find my bottle of Memoir and my travel spray of Eau Premiere, I have the refills but can’t find the sprayer part. I am donating my BBW body sprays because they don’t smell good to me and I bought them last year. And donating some BBW lotion and soap as well. Saturday was Cheirosa 62, yesterday was no 5 edp and today is Epic.
I hope you find your Eau Premiere. Still on my to buy list. Which do you prefer, No 5 EdT or the EdP?
In the beginning, I liked the edp more. When Chanel reformulated the edp at least 2 years ago, it wasn’t really the same. So right now, I like the edt better. Haven’t been able to get my hands off the parfum version of no 5 in almost a year.
That is very lovely of you, Dawn. I hope they find good homes.
In the spirit of Wear Whatever You Want week, I have marinated myself in the original Oscar from Oscar de la Renta, an old favorite from the 1980s. I still have a partial old EDT bottle that has turned a nice honey color and it is the bomb. I think Luca Turin called it a honey tobacco floral tuberose. Or maybe I am adding a few descriptors.It is super well blended and big in that 80s way and I have always loved it, but I haven’t worn it in ages so it was time to pull it out.
Interesting about the honey and tobacco. I will have to try and sniff those notes out next time.
Smelling great, Denise! I went through a large bottle, then a small one back in the day. It’s such a classic scent.
I did try the new version a few years ago, it was definitely different from the original; no surprise there. Afterwards I tracked down a vintage partial bottle which still smells pretty good!
OK so I had to look Oscar up, oh and my bottle is vintage EdP, not EdT. First of all, Oscar was created by Jean-Louis Sieuzac. who also composed Opium that year. Wow.
Secondly, it has tons of ingredients, but no tobacco listed. It’s a ‘floriental.” I get a big orange blossom note among everything else. It reminds me of those other symphonic florals like Boucheron, Rue Faubourg, etc. And it has myrrh, one of my fave notes, though I didn’t know myrrh from fleur when I went through numerous bottles in the 80s.
Here are the kitchen sink notes, per Basenotes.net:
Head: bergamot, clove, coriander, cascarilla, basil, peach, orange blossom, gardenia
Heart: iris, jasmine, tuberose, ylang ylang, may rose, lavender, orchid, broom, lily of the valley, galbanum, honey
Base: clove, sandalwood, amber, myrrh, patchouli, opopanox, vetiver, castoreum, oakmoss, cedarwood, musk, ambergris
I loved taking sniffs from bottles of Oscar de la Renta at the department store perfume counters back in the day. Never smelled any tobacco in it, thank goodness. I don’t get along with that note.
I’m in a few sprays of Shalimar L’Essence. It’s nice to be back home with my collection.
Smelling fabulous!
It almost felt like spring was around the corner today – temps in the low 40’s, blue sky and 🌞, but a cold front with snow is on its way in a couple of days, so I treasured every moment spent outdoors today. SOTD is Jolie Madame, my winter Balmain (the Balmains smell good on me, so I have one for each season). I usually don’t like leathery notes, but this leathery, mossy violet is done so well, I love❤️it!
Took Adorable 😸to the vet today for her annual physical and shots and nail-trimming. She still loves us despite the day’s trauma. Been going to the same vet practice for decades but it was recently sold to a conglomerate or equity firm and all the old personnel I knew are gone and everything’s changed. The services and new doc were fine but I was aghast when I got the bill; it may be time to seek a different practice. Why does everything have to be taken over by huge corporations? 😠
Wishing all a good week ahead! ☮️❤️🤞
Ugh, that’s a shame about your vet practice. Good luck finding someone new, if it comes to that.
This made me laugh because I had my annual checkup today, and pretty much the same story. Have been going to the same place for 28 years now and they’ve been folded into a larger practice for the 3rd time, and my personal doc retired days after my 2025 checkup and they’re now in new larger digs and all the old nursing assistants are gone, etc. Oh well, I did like my new doctor.
It might be time for me to retry my bottle of Black Opium Neon that I picked up in 2024. It was not happy when I tried it in the depths of Winter last year, and it was too much for me in the heat of Summer. So, a nice 60-degree day might be just what it needs.
SOTDs = Demeter Cattleya Orchid and Demeter To Yo Ran Orchid Collection. I’m close to thunking the Cattelya mini travel spray. It does not smell like how I remember the actual orchids; it’s a fruity floral with a hint of vanilla in it. The To Yo Ran might have turned. It smells like celery.
I hope you end up finding the right temperature for Neon. I remember that you initially really liked it. I went through a bottle and a half of the original. Then it started getting too sweet for me.
sotd = CdG Sticky Cake
From a sample. It’s delicious. 😋
Hope everyone had a great Monday!
Hope your Monday was good too!