It's Friday and the World Day of Social Justice. Birthdays: Louis Kahn, Ansel Adams, Gloria Vanderbilt, Robert Altman, Sidney Poitier, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Kurt Cobain. Our community project for today: honor the Lunar New Year (which was on Tuesday) by wearing a fragrance that reflects the qualities of the (Fire) Horse: energy, enthusiasm, independence and passion.
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 had various plans for today's horse-related fragrance, but I'm coming down with what is hopefully a mild head cold. I'm commando.
Reminder: on 2/27, wear an amber fragrance, if you have one. (This is a repeat from 2018.)
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2026, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is focus [cropped] by greg westfall at flickr; some rights reserved.
Robin you saved the most beautiful horse photo for the end of the week-thank you:)
I’m in Galop. I love this scent so much. I loved the concept, the ads the used to promote it, the stirrup bottle and the clever refill, and of course the scent itself. I really loved reading about people’s choices of fragrance and horse stories this week. The relationship with people and horses is pretty special. Enjoy your day, all you good smellin’ NST peeps:)
house twin!
Ditto on everything!!!
Gallop is a wonderful choice
Perfect!
I’ve only ridden horses a few times but each time was an amazing experience for me to interact with an animal of such beauty and grace.
Galop’s stirrup bottle was so perfect for the perfume.
Nothing particularly horsey about CdG Carnation, but it’s in a red bottle and it’s fiery as all get-out so I think it will do nicely. It might be my favourite carnation, except for all my other favourite carnations.
Red is fire! 🔥 🐎 🎉 Fire Horse !
I love the scent of carnations. For a small flower they have an outsized scent. If you were born in January it’s your birth flower, too.
Left a pepper scent fro Friday – L’Artisan Piment Brulant. Energy and enthusiasm.
I looked this one up and both peppers and poppies are red! It’s a fascinating combo of elements. I was intrigued by both chocolate and cacao with cloves and peppers. Energy and enthusiasm indeed!
You chose a beautiful scent-I really love this one, too.
Pimento Brulant was my absolute favorite L’Artisan and just overall favorite around year 2006. I love it to pieces. I will never get over it getting discontinued.
rip Kurt Cobain. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news of his death. He was just a year older than I am, gone way too soon.
I’m in Ambre Narguile from a decample for the Hermes horse connection. mmm, this is yummy. Not surprising that I like it since it is JCE. I’ve tried many of the newer Hermes’ and I think there is something in Nagel’s base that just doesn’t agree with my nose.
More olympic watching tonight. I will be sad when they are over. We have really been into them this year. I think in large part because madtowntwenty is. She has read all the back stories on all the athletes and so it’s been really fun to watch with her. On Wednesday evening she announced that she’s going to the olympics in 4 years. My first response was but it’s in France, you’ll have to fly. She was like “I’ll fly” and so I thought about it for a few seconds and told her if she’ll fly, then I’ll fly. Her response to that was “I…didn’t invite you”😂 This is one of the many things I love about her. She is my child that does not mince words and will always tell it to me straight.
We talked more about it last night though and she is 100% serious. I told her if she’s that serious, then let’s do it. We only live once.
” I didn’t invite you” lol
I know. She’s hilarious. Always completely honest, whether it’s what I want to hear or not. 🤣
We’ve been following the Olympics as well. Mr. SP and I are always especially interested in the winter Olympics and as he is half Norwegian, you can guess who he is rooting for!
Norway is having a terrific Olympics! Mr SP must be very proud.
MTG I made attending the Winter Olympics in France in 2030 a LT goal because of my Duolingo language study, so I may see you and MT20 there. We can go alpine fragrance shopping together! 🏔️❄️☃️🎿⛸️🇫🇷
I also remember where I was when I heard the news. Such a loss.
You should both go.
I remember hearing about Kurt Cobain, too. Didn’t believe it at first.
Amber Narguille is beautiful but it always smelled like a cinnamony apple pie to me.
RIP Eric Dane. 💔
Today, I’m wearing Ummagumma for its incensy ambery warmth. Hard to believe that the forecast calls for 87F on Tuesday. 🏜️
Golden hour in the desert for those wanting a sneak peek at nature’s beauty:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU9g1jWDMuR/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Gorgeous country out there. And you’re really good at videography!
Hi Deva! Beautiful video.
All that space and sky. What a beautiful spot.
Oh my.
That’s beautiful Deva.
Echoing what Carole said above. Robin, I’ll miss the horse photos this week.
This morning I’m sipping Sencha from my Japanese teapot adorned with horses, watching Canada play hockey.
I was so moved when the women won yesterday—when their coach cried, I did too. We’re a house divided, but in the end my better half was happy the USA won. 🇺🇸🏒 Let’s see what the men will do today.
I forgot my SOTD
For points
Rose de Russie by Tom Ford
I wore this last night and I thought this smells like the a horse tack wrapped in rose.
Hermes lippy-#40 Rose
The game fell in line with the end of our work day-we stopped and watched it. It was a nail biter. I think both teams were outstanding. I love women in sports!
Today I had to give play by play via text to my better half at work of the mens Canada vs Finland.
That was another good game!
What a thrilling game, down 0-2 in 3rd period to win it 3-2 without Sidney Crosby. The women’s win was incredible, but I felt so bad for the Canadian players and fans. Truly “the agony of defeat.”
There’s been some truly amazing hockey at this Olympics.
Robin, gorgeous horse photo 🐎🐎🐎🔥! Also great group of birthdays today for a joint dinner celebration. I can just imagine how fascinating it would be. Yesterday I read up on Kay Boyle because I didn’t know her 🤯 what a life! Wow!
Teaotd- Harney & Sons Year of the Horse tea (finally arrived) sipped from the Marimekko teapot and cups! The tea is so luscious I subscribed for a monthly refill for the entire YofFH !
Sotd a very personal interpretation Varvatos Artisan in honor of my very own Fire Horse, my beloved father. It’s the only scent I have that he would worn. He was an Aramis/ Brut/ Old Spice guy. Miss you, Handsome!
Btw yesterday’s The Night settled down in magnificent fashion after about 3 hrs. I reapplied at dinner and she was just wonderful & gentled at bedtime. Like she laid down under the tree in a verdant spot, resting.
Plus, you smell fantastic.
😊
I just love your description of The Night. Both from yesterday and today.
LLJ, The Night Will bring out the poet in anyone I believe, she is so vivid and alive. 🤗
Sounds like you are in LURVE with The Night.
I’m taking CP points in Profumum Roma Arso. The description at Lucky Scent says that “Arso means ‘burned’ and the masterfully rendered smokiness works with the crisp cool scent of pine to conjure up a cabin in winter, with a crackling fire on the hearth.” My horse is out in the barn. 😁
Excellent.
So vivid SG! And I bet your smell fantastic with the pine cone note added in.
CP compliant in Hermes 24 Faubourg–good for Chicagoland’s return to winter.
24 F smells so good-it does smell luxe, and all that orange blossom-anyone is lucky to be in your scent sphere today.
BWFs are wonderful in winter weather.
Not sure if I am exactly CP complaint but I am in Cheirosa 62 today. I was thinking of Lyric today because of the red bottle but wasn’t willing to waste it on work. I will wear it on Sunday.
I almost wore Journey today because of the red bottle..
There’s an old quince tree in a “forgotten” part of the Botanic gardens. It’s surrounded by rampant gunnera, so tends to be left alone. It’s covered in fruit which usually just falls to the ground as no one tends to it …and it’s been tempting me this past week. I love the smell of quince, and like quince paste. At this time of year when I’m driving on the backroads I sometimes notice apples on the roads. They have fallen and rolled off ‘wild’ trees are either heritage varieties or have grown from discarded cores thrown from car windows. I stopped yesterday and picked some cooking apples by a ditch and now I’m thinking about those quinces . Wearing the great Jean Claude Ellena Artisan L’eau Ambre Extreme. I know some people think of amber perfumes as being a bit basic but I love them.
I like amber perfumes! I also like JCE as a perfumer 🙂
Sad for quince to go to waste! I have never made quince paste.
I hope you can glean some, Kanuka. I have a quince bush and it does smell amazing. I love the concept of a forgotten tree. There’s a novel I love by Helen Humphries called The lost Garden-I think it’s a great read. You might enjoy it too.
Thanks Carole. It’s in our library so I will read it soon.
Homemade quince Kanuka! Wow! And those apples! Beautiful imagery I can just imagine your cooking them. JCE and RFR are the only two perfumers I can summon their scents to memory immediately. JCE is extraordinary to me personally.
Late to the game today.
I love the image of you gathering fallen fruit so it doesn’t go to waste, Kanuka. I did not know that JCE created Ambre Extreme. It’s been years since I smelled it but I remember liking both the Ambre and the Extreme. That sneaky Mr. Ellena sure shows up in a lot of fragrances you wouldn’t expect. I was surprised when I learned that he did First for Van Cleef & Arpels.
I don’t know what I will choose yet. If I had Fieno (Hay) by Santa Maria Novella, I’d wear that. But Ambre Russe is also calling my name. Hmmm. It has a leather note.
I have to agree that the photos this week have been splendid. There’s something so uplifting about horse photos. Lovely gentle noble animals.
Waste not, want not. Quince is something very exotic where I am at.
We are on the second of three trips that just happen to be close together this Feb/Mar–this one in beautiful Bend, OR with family. I’m wearing DSH Lumiere, one of a couple things I grabbed while packing. DSH Perfumes says it’s a gourmand coffee, but I get mostly spice, rum and amber. It’s a really nice winter fragrance, but not CP-related!
If I’d been home with my collection, I would have worn Cartier L’Heure Fougueuse IV which is all green and leathery and warm horse in a lovely way.
I will make sure I smell that Cartier one
Sounds like you’re having a great time on the vacation trifecta!☘️💚
Happy trails to you and Mr. springpansy!
Arabian Horse is way too strong for me to wear for a student clinic shift so I’m in Epona from Papillon which is a much gentler take on horse and fields. Very pretty.
Forgot about Epona entirely!
Chiming in very late that I wore Arabian Horse on Thursday and couldn’t stop smelling myself all day. That one’s a real beauty, but yes, strong.
Happy Friday to all and I hope your cold symptoms disappear as quickly as they came, Robin.
I’m in a drop of PdE Ruade which is about as horsey and firey as they come.
Someone mentioned that the last year of the fire horse was 1966, the year of my beloved Mr. allo’s birth💕
Still mild, knock on wood, but I was pretty tired yesterday and we’ll see how I do by this evening. Thanks!
Hope you’ve turned the corner Robin!
Mr Allô is a Fire Horse! 🎉🔥🐎. This is his special year then.
I think I’m more excited about it than he is. I’d love to have been born in the year of the Fire Horse. Apparently, my birth year was the year of the Metal Ox. It just doesn’t have the same ring to it🫤🐂
I am a Wood Dog 🪵🐶. A Fire Horse is dramatic and an anything horse would be beautiful!
❤️
♥️♥️
Mr. allo is in the same stable as I am.
But the metal signs sound so cool… 🤘🎶
I was inspired to look up my year of birth. I knew I was a rabbit, and I’ve learnt that 1963 was the year of the water rabbit – not quite so exciting for a CP 🙂 .
Today I’m wearing the warm and spicy Tiger By Her Side, which I’d been saving for today.
I hope your cold doesn’t come to much, Robin.
Thanks Gaynor! I think I am water tiger, so I will vicariously enjoy your fragrance choice 🙂
I’m a fire monkey — I think that’s worse than water rabbit. 😝
I have seen some adorable cartoon/anime drawings of water rabbits online.
Someone, maybe Glannys, mentioned POAL for the CP earlier this week so that is what I decided on.
You smell fantastic Kris!
Amazing rose. So glad they made travel sprays of that one.
Hi all 👋
I had to empty out my perfume cabinet last week so it could be moved and in the process found a sample of Dame Dark Horse. That was going to be my sotd but I couldn’t remember what the cp was when I looked at my perfumes today. So I am in a cloud of Amouage Opus VI, not cp compliant but smelling great.
Happy Friday 🌹
I was going to pick Dark Horse today, but remembered I had thunked it long ago.
I think I have a sample of that floating around somewhere.
SOTD = Diptyque Kyoto
… in the reddish-hued bottle! I finished my weeklong wearing red bottled perfumes!
In other news, I am continuing in my quest for consolidating my finances, slowly but surely. This week, I decided to withdraw all my cash from one brokerage account (I know I know) and will convert most of it to a CD. I do have to open an account at a nearby bank so as not to hit my FDIC insurance limit.
In other news, I keep seeing diversifying my portfolio although my risk tolerance for investing in the bond market is pretty low so I am not following the algorithm. For those that are still thinking about it, here’s a Wall Street Journal article published by a Yale professor and his collaborators, taking into account age & risk tolerance. It is probably not free.
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/yale-james-choi-portfolio-formula-stocks-02a96afb?st=CmrPpP&reflink=article_copyURL_share
You are way more proactive about your money than I am…I made decisions, put my money places, left it there 🙂
I finally got around to opening up a CD at one of my credit unions this year. Need to get in touch with a couple of people about other accounts.
I’m picking my Son up from work. It’s crazy windy here. I couldn’t really find anything for the cp. I’m wearing SL Cedre. It’s dark and moody and matches the weather.
The grocery store had lemon meringue pie on sale for $2.50
I’m going to eat some when I get home. Yum!
Oh.. I hope you feel better soon Robin!
Thank you! And I hope you enjoy that pie! I love lemon meringue.
Ugh, sorry to hear that you got my yucky wind front along with the colder temperatures.
ENJOY that pie! 😋
Robin, in my CP energetic enthusiasm I missed reading that you’re commando because of not feeling. Please get better soon! Sending you healing vibes!
No worries, it’s just a little cold!
Robin, hope you feel better soon!🤗
Finally, Friday! I’ve also been enjoying the Olympics but finally, it’s baseball time, the one sport I really ❤️ and follow. Our first Spring training game of the year, Cubs vs. White Sox, resulted in an 8-1 win for my Sox. The highlight of my day and a great way to start the baseball season!⚾️
For today’s Year of the Fire Horse cp, I’m wearing Hugo Boss Deep Red. A fragrantica quote says this fruity-floral ‘is aimed at strong and active women,’ and I would agree and add that Deep Red certainly reflects the Fire Horse qualities that Robin noted, those of energy, enthusiasm, independence and passion (which my favorite color red always says to me). I have an original bottle, deep in color, sleekly simple in shape, which easily calls to mind the beautiful chestnut horses running free in the image Robin posted today. And I absolutely love the blood orange note in this, which fortunately lasts the length of the fragrance on me.
Today is also National Love Your Pet Day, so for those of you who haven’t yet given your beloved pet the endless love they require today, maybe take a few minutes to show how important they are to you today (and every day)!🐶🐱🐹🐇🐤
Thanks Laila!
My local radio station is doing their fund drive today, and as a bonus to contributors on Love Your Pet Day they are doing shout outs to their pets, it’s sweet.
Yay for spring training!
Tigers start tomorrow.
🎉🎉🎉 spring training! SPRING training!
Oh and beautiful, apt CP interpretation Laila! Yay for LYPD!
You are smelling wonderful today! The sandalwood in Hugo Boss Deep Red is lovely in those curvy red bottles. One of the few perfumes that I have thunked more than one bottle of.
I am a Fire Horse. I was already aware I was born in the Year of the Horse, 1966, and I remember reading some years ago about the qualities of women born in the Year of the Horse, that they were intelligent but strong and independent and did not make good wives. But now I see the Fire Horse is an extreme version of that.
I pick one of boldest but loved fragrances that embodies that spirit and went with Guidance 46.
Z2, I read that misogynistic tack against women who embodied the independence and strength of the Fire Horse. I think those traits are magnificent and embody a leader, regardless of sex in my personal opinion.
Quite pleased to see another Fire Horse here! 🔥🐴
The Horse in the Chinese zodiac is also considered a fire sign, so Fire Horses are a double dose of said element. It’s like turning things up to 11.
Ha! Exactly.
In the Chinese Zodiac I am a Wood Goat (or Sheep), the two species seem to be lumped together. I would prefer something a little less pedestrian, to be honest. I had plans to wear Ambre Precieux in the red bottle with the tacky plastic red gem on the cap for the CP but like Robin, I seem to be coming down with a cold so I am commando today.
Feel better soon foxbins.
Posting ridiculously late. Friday was my brother’s birthday, so I bought him dinner and we watched a bunch of anime. I got home shortly after midnight. Current temp is around 14 degrees F.
SOTD = Samsara EdP, red bottle. Lucky flowers for Horses include jasmine and lily. Maybe that’s why this Fire Horse likes jasmine perfumes so much…
PS. Sorry to hear that you are under the weather, Robin.
Happy Birthday to your Brother!
Thank you lillyjo!
Your brother’s birthday sounds so cozy:) I love Samsara-I’ve loved it since I first smelt it in 1993. Excellent choice for today’s CP:)
Thanks carole!
I was a latecomer to Samsara, back in the 2010’s. First Guerlain that I ever got along with.
Hello!! It’s finally Saturday. Since I work a hard, physical job Mon-Fri, Saturday is my only day I can sleep in. I was looking forward to that. I even stayed up late last night with my child playing, knowing we don’t have to jump out of bed early today.
Unfortunate I was awoken by a “vibrating”, purring Cat – our little Orange Miracle, our tabby kitteen (not a kitten, not yet adult). This vibrating, orange fluff jumped right in between my hands while I was asleep LOL. I gave it a embrace and continued to fall back asleep. Nope. My SO answered a phone call, excitedly, He’s been talking to this man for weeks about buying this gold van. Well right after 7am – instead of going to another room, or even outside on the porch!! Nope, He was “screaming” on the phone, not talking, He was too excited for that, just shouting all the details of this van transaction. After being awoken and forced to listen to this conversation for over 2 minutes, with the van seller on the speaker phone, also shouting back about how He just put new tires on it, I wasn’t able to go back to sleep. My only, SINGULAR day I could have slept a little longer.
I am in Chanel #5 both Eau de Parfum and some tiny spots of the pure parfum to “lock in” the scent.
My SO does not like MOST of my perfumes and calls many that I wear “toilet water”, He particularly dislikes anything with rose in it. He passionately dislikes Chanel Paris-Paris and says that smells like something You used to refreshen a bathroom, or like a scented toilet paper. He cannot stand Coco Mademoiselle and says the same thing about. Absolutely cannot stand Allure or Allure Sensuelle.
When I wore Chanel #5 L’Eau – He liked it. Since yesterday I have been in a veil of Chanel #5 (not L’Eau) and my SO said… You smell good!!
He said: “finally You are wearing a perfume that smells really good”. I certainly did not expect for Him to love #5. I should add that I stay half at my parents (grandparents to my 6 year old) house because it’s closer to school/work. We spend the weekends at the Her Dad’s house (my SO). Now at my parents house I get to shine in all my favorite perfumes. As soon as my SO picks me and my Daughter up every Friday afternoon the first thing He usually says is that He is very very sorry, does not want me to get upset, but usually whatever perfume I have on (I’m thinking I’m going to get in the car and He will be absolutely smitten how good I smell) but He cannot stand whatever I have on. But surprisingly He has been absolutely loving the original #5!!
Oh, what a win!!
I just wanted to add that Chanel #5 is such a beautiful perfume. Of course my favorite is the pure parfum. I don’t even wear #5 Eau de Parfum without adding a couple of drops of the pure parfum. I’m only saying this because a) of course I like to spray my perfume and with Eau de Parfum You get to spritz some all over
b) but to get the full “experience” adding a precious drops or two of the pure parfum behind ears or on the wrists ‘locks’ it in and the pure parfum can be found literally all over the internet a often times at amazing prices. I found my two parfum bottles (each just 7.5 ml) for less than $50 each time and it really is an investment.
I definitely am not shy about using my perfume on daily basis – and Chanel pure Parfums may be housed in small flacons but each dabber will last a long, long time.
#5 is such a classic. Iconic and maybe too well known (the most well-known perfume in the world) but it’s just so iconic and absolutely timeless. Chic. I find it very soapy-fresh with the perfect depth. Refreshing and bubbly. It’s definitely a “champagne and diamonds” type of a scent. I’m sporting it right this second wearing the most casual, in-home only cotton pants and a t shirt.
What inspired me to pull out my #5 bottles yesterday was that I went on the Chanel website and saw that they released the #5 fragrance in the most chic looking bottle. It is an Eau de Toilette but it has a new look – (not really new as in newely invented, but You know what I mean the Eau de Toilette bottle just got upgraded for 2026). I will definitely be getting this new Chanel #5 Eau de Toilette just for the bottle only. I tried already to order but the Chanel website gives me an error message and tells me to try again later.
Robin, I hope You recover quickly!!
Thank you, I think I am!