We're marking (mourning? celebrating?) the last weekend in July with with our usual open thread poll.
Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, the fragrance you're thinking you never wear and might as well get rid of, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Just like Narciso [cropped] by Kátia Goretti Dias Vazzoller at flickr; some rights reserved. [Note: this picture is a repeat from 2019 because I am out of town and having minor problems with my laptop!]
No need to apologize for repeating a photo, especially when it involves a cat. Any picture of a cat is worth a repeat viewing.
Right now I’m rather irritated at the sluggishness of both USPS and some sellers. I have two perfume orders placed many days ago that have just slipped through the cracks, both of them from ebay. One item was ordered back on July 12, and still has not shipped. I finally messaged the seller when a week had gone by with the status stuck at “USPS Awaiting Item”, and the reply was that they had just forgotten to mail it, but would get it out to me the next day. That was three days ago.
I am trying to be patient, as I suppose an absent-minded seller is better than USPS losing a package, which is what appears to have happened to my other order. The status is “USPS picked up item” on July 18, with nothing further. I fear the package is just gone. I suppose I could get a refund, but really I don’t want the money back, I want the item, especially since it is a rather rare and hard to find item (naturally, USPS couldn’t lose something that is easy to replace).
OK, rant over. SOTD is one of my recent purchases that DID make it to my house, vintage Shulton Friendship Garden. This one bears a strong family resemblance to at least two others from the same company. There is a hint of Old Spice’s carnation at first, but I also get hints of Blue Jeans, which was my go-to perfume in 8th and 9th grades. It is labeled as “Toilet Water”, but feels lighter than most contemporary EdT. It seems to have been intended to remain politely in the background, almost subliminal.
Basenotes has an article about USPS perfume shipping regulation changes that took effect on July 12. In essence, there’s now automated screening of packages and perfumes found to be incorrectly labeled are subject to a $50 fine. Maybe your package was flagged?
Oops, it’s a post, not an article, in the General Fragrance Discussion section.
Wow. Good to know. Although a bit odd. Has fragrance really caused so many problems for USPS that it needs to be flagged?
Oy yikes, this is really bad news.
Oh, I loved Blue Jeans, too and wore it in 8th grade as well! Haven’t thought of it in ages. Thanks for the mention.
Hmmm, but maybe I am thinking of a different fragrance. I looked it up on Fragrantica and the only Blue Jeans was by Versace, from 1994. I was in 8th grade more like mid 1970s… I know it was a similar name. I wonder what I am thinking of. Or was there another Blue Jeans by some other brand?
Shulton made a fragrance called Blue Jeans in the 1970s. It doesn’t seem to be in the database of either Fragrantica or Basenotes. Parfumo lists it, with a release date of 1970. It was heavily marketed to teenage girls. I got American Girl magazine in the late 1970s, and saw ads for it in just about every issue. I think they stopped making it sometime in the early 1980s, although I don’t now the exact year. I just know that when I had drained my bottle and went to buy a replacement, it had vanished from the stores. The Versace perfume is an entirely different thing.
Thank you! That was it. I didn’t think the Versace bottle looked right!
Google Shulton Blue Jeans: most of us who were around in the seventies remember it. (Fragrantica is very incomplete, btw.)
Yes, it was the Shulton. Thank you!
Hi, I am so sorry to hear about the obstacles with Your orders. I know how frustrating this can be. I am so sorry to be so nosey – or just curious – but the one that is rare and hard to find (I know what You mean by: I don’t really want the money back, I just want what I had purchased especially if it’s rare and hard to find) but which one was it that was hard to find? I want to know so badly which perfume is it that You are trying to make a purchase of!!
It is Caswell-Massey Casma, a vintage bottle with the C-M “coat of arms” label that should be the “original” formula, not the 2002 relaunch. I had some of the 2002 formula before, and I did like it, but I recall it being very different from the earlier formula. There are a few other bottles of Casma available, but they are all the 2002 reformulation. The older formulation is a very sweet, powdery floral aldehyde. The initial impression I get is of something coated in powdered sugar. That might not be everyone’s taste, but smelling it just makes me feel happy, and I would love to be able to spray it on with abandon, not just dab.
I recently acquired a “Cologne Sampler” set with small (15 mL) bottles each of Casma, White Rose, Lavender, Red Jasmin, and Helio. I hate Helio, like Lavender and Red Jasmin quite a lot, and love White Rose and Casma. I have already snagged a nearly FB of White Rose, and was hoping to add the bottle of Casma.
Oh thank You for this awesome reply. I am crossing my fingers You are able to get the pre-reformulated Casma!!
Sweet powdery floral aldehyde or something coated in powder sugar makes my mouth drool!! I have a feeling I would love that one too.
Sorry for your postal woes! Hope they will both show up.
I had totally forgotten about Blue Jeans! I very vaguely remember it being around…
I feel ya, 50_Roses!
I recently bought 2 bottles of vintage Grey Flannel for the hubs on evilbay and one came right away and we got to revisit on old fave and indulge heartily so that by the time the second one arrived 3 weeks later I’d forgotten completely that I’d ordered a second bottle. But now he’s got both a splash and a spray. Each is 30 ml and cost under $20 so that’s almost free. Smells like some current niche product with all that oakmoss, green volet leaf, sage, galbanum, & sandalwood.
Today felt like Hermès Vetiver Tonka, which I didn’t love when I got it as part of the first four-pack from their Hermessences line (before you could pick and choose — there were only four scents) but now I really do. It has the same flip-flop between warm and cool that Mugler Aura has.
Just got back from seeing The Odyssey, and it has flaws, primarily that it is MUCH TOO LOUD, almost to the point of being painful — I’d honestly have to recommend good concert earplugs — but mostly is just extraordinary, completely alive in a way that movies of classics hardly ever are. There will be Oscar nominees among the cast and Samantha Morton as Circe had better be one of them: it’s a standout performance.
Good to hear, I am seeing mixed reviews. There is no way I will ever see it in a theater so at least I won’t have to worry about the volume level 🙂
Divine Spirituelle today. Such a lovely rose: it’s a little ambery, spicy, and warm, yet light and airy.
Starting tomorrow we have guests for the next two weeks. Although I enjoy both sets that are coming, I always wish for a bit more down time in between. This time I only get a day in between. Enough time to change the sheets and clean the bathroom!
That is a quick turnaround…hope your guests are all lovely and you have a great time!
I’m recovering from my cold, and our weather seems to be perking up too. I haven’t left the house for a couple of days and I desperately need a walk and some fresh air!
I’m wearing the lovely Rouge Sarây from Atelier des Ors. It’s quite sweet, but it’s the dried fruit kind of sweet, not the caramel kind of notes that I don’t like.
I hope you will get that walk Gaynor! It’s awful to be cooped up with a cold.
108F right now and smelling like an almond croissant. 🥐
Gah.
That’s miserable.
Pity we can’t split the temperature between us. I could do with 20C
On the other side of the state, it is 95 degrees, but the weather report says it feels like 113. Plus, the humidity and dewpoint are making it miserable.
Jeeze Louise!
And now storms are coming in.
Just horrible, Kris. Hope you are finding ways to keep cool.
I slept poorly last night and so today I am dragging. I’m wearing BDK Rouge Smoking for the cinnamon blast in the top notes. The rest of the fragrance is just meh to me.
I’m also watching old episodes of Project Runway since seasons 21 and 22 are unwatchable for me. The older seasons captured the creativity of design but in the new episodes the focus has shifted from designing and sewing to bitchy “interviews” about the other cast members. It’s not about the clothes anymore.
Everything is so staged for ratings now. It’s irritating.
The concerning thing (to me anyway) is that all this kind of petty, crappy behavior by humans is getting high ratings. Why? Tearing down everyone seems to be the new religion. I find it all rather disgusting.
I have my conspiracy theory thoughts on this.
This really ramped up with Jerry Springer. Exploiting people and the such.. but I think it can even be traced back further. It is disgusting.
A lot of so-called reality TV thrives on bad behavior and normalizes it.
We are watching a wonderful palate cleanser to a lot of today’s insanity. It’s the superhero satire series The Boys. I wanted to watch it when it first came out but we didn’t get whatever streaming platform it was on but now we do. It’s Amazon Prime Video. The writing is great and so is the acting. It really subverts the superhero movie genre wonderfully. We’re still on the 1st season.
I’m currently in a layering of Eau de Marina over Dawn Detergent, or maybe the other way around. My younger stepson is watering our house plants and reports that the bottle of Fzotic Creosote that I blind-ordered was on the doorstep yesterday, so now I’m super anxious to get home and try it. But that won’t happen for several more days — sounds like Mr. G is going to have to stay here for a couple more rounds of boat repairs. Not at all sure I’m up for that much more boat time, so I may be flying home alone. Mr. G won’t be alone though — his older son is joining us sometime tomorrow, along with his wife, so if I stay on there will be double the number of butts vying for room in the kitchen and time in the facilities. Should be, er, interesting?
I hope you like your new perfume!
I hope so too! I usually at least like Fzotic’s offerings, and the description of Creosote is promising.
I’ve been wondering about Fzotic Soft Focus. Have you tried that one?
No, I haven’t. It sounds quirky … not that that’s a bad thing!
I’ve tried Soft Focus. My testing notes say it starts off with a lot of fresh guava and pineapple. Then a chili-lemon accord shows up to hang around with the fruit. Also, CUMIN!! Eventually, all that calms down and a sandalwood not finishes things off.
Very much NOT a safe blind buy. Sample first!
I’m combating our heatwave with spice – specifically, cumin. I’m in Parfum d’Empire’s Aziyadé, which I know divides opinions around these parts, and elsewhere. I tend to love cumin notes in perfume, and this one works on my skin. Maybe the most challenging from the PdE line, but I love it.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.
Hope you have a happy weekend, Daniel
I am sure it smells wonderful on you Daniel!
It was so cold on my morning walk today that my face ached and despite all my layers I feel quite chilled . At least it’s now sunny and I’m home with a nice hot chocolate and a pile of books. I’m wearing Journey again and about to hang out the washing, which will probably take three days to get almost dry. Saw lots of birds mating today, including one poor female duck that was held underwater while its mate mounted her. Seemed to go on and on for ever ( he held her head down with his bill) and I was relieved to see her make it through alive …sometimes Mother Nature seems a bit cruel
Ugh, that ddid make me glad not to be a duck.
Ducks are perverts. I’ve seen that same mating behavior.
SOTD is Shalimar Millesime Rose. I am not sure this is the best choice in this heat, but I really like it so there you have it.
I just started reading The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. The author also wrote The Help so I can only guess that it will be a fabulous book. The first few pages already have me hooked though I think it will take me a while to read since it is 600+ pages. Anyone read it yet?
I haven’t, but it’s also a long time since I was hooked on a long book within the first few pages!
I matched my sotd with the picture. I’m wearing Narciso White Cube. I finally got the sprayer working again.
I’m working tonight and tomorrow night.
Great match. I love the photo but my first thought was “I hope there’s some stairs so he can climb out if he falls in.” 😬 We’re also work night twins. 👯♀️
BTW, what is the actual name of the White Cube?
It’s real name is just Narciso Rodriguez Narciso.
Thanks, I know this one gets mentioned a lot but I seem to have missed out on it all together. 😢
Hurray for getting the sprayer to your bottle of White Cube working again! What did you do to fix it?
I’m with Jalapeño, how did you fix it? My White Cube doesn’t spray anymore, just drips.
Wearing Iris Pallida after a long hot shower to scrub off all the sunscreen and bug spray from the camping trip and relaxing under the AC. Ahhh. Can’t wait for the summer heat to be over. I much prefer spring and fall.
Me too!
Me three!
Just got back from extended family vacation. It was quite nice but I am glad to have a few days here at home to get myself organized and relax before heading back to work.
Looking at all the scorching temperatures around the US, I am thankful we are having a cooler than usual summer, thus far. I know the heat is coming but at least my plants are all still alive with minimal assistance from the water hose and it is already late July.
I did a lot of sample-wearing on my vacation but wearing Kiehl’s Original Musk, one of my oldest perfumes, as a cozy welcome home.
Speaking of throwback musks, I bought some Alyssa Ashley Musk EDP at the duty free shop when I returned from Italy in April. I did not find the prices on most of the offerings to be that great in Europe and I bought the musk mainly as a curiosity. I tried it out, thought it was so-so at first but noted the shawl I had over my shoulders after wearing it smelled fantastic. One thing I have noted: the older fragrances lack the synthetic character of new scents. Don’t get me wrong, I like ambroxan and other synthetics but they are so ubiquitous that fragrances tend to smell a lot the same. I am glad I have a few vintage perfumes in my collection that smell different. I also noticed on my Alyssa Ashley bottle that it says the company is owned by Perris Monte Carlo.
Hope it was a wonderful time with your family!
Totally agree, you can almost tell vintage from new now by the presence of ambrox etc.
Where I live – Aberdeen, north east Scotland – unfortunately all we can smell is smoke, coming from the dreadful forest fires burning in the Cairngorm mountain range, despite the fires being almost 100 miles west of us. The fires have been burning for days, & various parts of Scotland have been affected depending on the wind direction. People have had to leave their homes around the areas that are burning, although I believe some are now able to return. Someone working on an oil installation off Norway posted an article on LinkedIn saying the crew were told to stop working outside because the smoke was reaching the installation.
Very sad but interesting, Carolyn. It seems that everywhere is now a fire risk and it’s not a good club to be in.
Thank you, Denise. Yes, I agree, wildfires seem to be much more prevalent these days.
Sorry to hear that you are dealing with poor air quality due to wildfires this summer as well.
Thank you, Jalapeno. I’ve lived in this area for many years & we’ve never had this happen – to be so far away yet still affected, though of course nothing nearly as bad as those who live in areas close to the fires.
Well, I was wrong about the temps yesterday and got corrected when I got arrived at work and was told the high was 111F.
In an effort to not become a complete wreck at the state of the world, today I’m wearing B-A-N-A-N-A-S! CSP Banane Vanille to be specific. This perfume is the epitome of dumb and happy. I aspire to be just like it. 🙃
https://youtu.be/l9ml3nyww80?si=CVLpxOZVK9ET5w6y
I’m song matching your post🎵
Those kinds of temps are hotter than hell’s half acre!
Dior Vanille Diorama for another scorcher.
We had such a temperate weekend I am afraid to look at the forecast for the coming week…hope it cools down for you!
It’s not necessarily that I want to get rid of it, but I rarely wear Jeffrey Dame’s Cassis, Rose & Sandalwood. I love it, but since Jeffrey discontinued it I started using it less. I have noticed that there are other perfumes that would fit the bill when it’s gone so decided to wear it today. I still have 1/2 bottle left so I’m good.
I’m glad that you are back to wearing Cassis, Rose & Sandalwood. It would be such a shame if it went off. Better to thunk it.
Yesterday I was in Vanille Banane over Crabtree & Evelyn’s Almond lotion. I also wore Yardley Iris on the weekend at some point. Today I’m in Chanel No. 19 edt.
I’ve mysteriously left a few unworn fragrances in restaurant bathrooms. Hopefully they’ve gotten new homes.
Oh wow, I would love to be one of the patrons in a restaurant where You dine haha. What a sweet idea, I go as far as gifting all my friends fragrances after carefully studying their fragrant preferences. I also love and must add extra stuff in swap packages, no matter the cost. I am never $1 for $1 on a swap and will gift generously and I am a cheerful giver. But I have never been that “nice” and sweet and selfless to leave unworn bottles for strangers. How nice and generous!!
Aw, thank you. I’m trying to thin the herd. I don’t have too many ‘fumies’ here to gift things to so it’s easier to pay perfume karma forward sometimes.
I remember my flabber being gasted a couple years ago when an NST’er mentioned being at an upscale restaurant; in the bathroom was a bottle of Hermes Hiris for patrons to use.
I can’t even think of gourmand notes right now. Too darn hot!
Seriously. I stayed inside that day but my fragrance probably didn’t last too long since it was so damn hot!
I’m pleased to say that I’m mostly recovered from my cold and I was back at work yesterday, I didn’t have too much to catch up on. Today I’m wearing Noir Suprême from Ausmane, a travel souvenir.
Glad you’re feeling better Gaynor, but it’s no way to celebrate by going back to work. 😉
So glad you’re almost back to normal!
ooh that cat/pool photo is very cooling, thank you Robin. It’s just what we in SoCal need this week.
I’ve been wearing this and that but really need to stick more to colognes until our heat dies down. I love Babycat but it was too much this weekend, the heat amped the vanilla for me. YMMV of course but for me, it’s going into the cool weather rotation.
I pulled out a very old bottle of Je Reviens this morning. My mother wore it so it reminds me of her. The aspirin-like vibe of the salicylates helped cool me off. Last night we went to Shakespeare in the Park to see Coriolanus and I wore Jorum Studio’s incense and pine elixir Boswelia Scottia thanks to a generous NSTer and felt transported from a leafy glade in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, to a pine needle glade in the Scottish Highlands.
I might wear Bronze Goddess after showering. Many sprays. It’s so perfect for summer. Stay cool everyone except Gaynor and Kanuka. To them, I send our heat.
For once everyplace is scorching but here…glad you were able to see Shakespeare in the Park anyway!
And it’s Monday again! Lots of storms around my area today, mostly to the north and east but no significant rainfall here. One huge thunderclap had both the dog and I levitating off the couch about 5 feet! No relief from these ridiculous temps even though it’s super cloudy. I’m living in a convection oven and I just can’t imagine willingly coming back to this area of the country in summer ever again. One of the travelers I met a few weeks ago make the mistake of renting a place with no A/C, never anticipating how hot it would be here. Luckily, she finally convinced the owner to install a window A/C but I can’t imaging it has enough BTU’s to cool the house she’s in. I felt so bad for her because the landlord really didn’t want to cough up the 💰 for the A/C and tried to tell her she needed to pay for the unit herself.🙄
Today is recovery day from 2 crazy busy work nights and I’m listlessly lounging around in the A/C wafting some faint buttery, flaky croissant vibes from my BBW body cream. Love this one for a low key comfort scent. 🥐 The only useful thing I’ve done so far today is work up an instant sweat by walking 100ft to the mail box. I’m looking at the dishes in the sink waiting for them to wash themselves but it’s not happening…🙃
You know it’s bad when one resents the walk to fetch the mail!
Yes, that’s exactly how I am most summer days in Houston. It’s simply to hot to go get the mail more than one or two times a week.
We had storms here today too. The cloud to ground lightning made me jump.
I am reasonably certain that I squee’d the first time I saw that photo. I enjoyed seeing it a second time.
Hot weekend here, with 100+ degree days on both Saturday and Sunday. Pretty sure that Sunday was a new record high temperature. Thankfully, I am not seeing weather like that again today.
Some of you may recall that I posted here about a cousin’s cancer diagnosis recently. A couple of days ago, I received an update from here sister. She has uterine serious carcinoma stage 3A. Not the best news, but not the worst. She is starting chemo next month. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.
SOTD = Hermes Eau de Neroli Dore.
I’m so sorry to hear about your cousin. I’m hoping for the best possible outcome for her. I really hope she has a good support system because she’s going to need it.
Thank you, Deva. My cousin does have a support system in place already due to her previous health issues.
Sending prayers for your cousin.
Thanks cazaubon.
I’m sorry Jalapeno. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best for her.
I’m doing the same thing, crossing fingers and hoping. We shall see if chemo is enough, or if radiation treatments will be called for.
Sorry to hear about your cousin’s diagnosis, Jalapeno.
It is what it is, lillyjo. She’s survived two other forms of cancer already, so there is room for hope.
Oops, this isn’t lillyjo. Sorry about that Gail. Lost track of the thread comments.
Well I am glad it is not the worst…I am not going to google, just going to hope.
Positive vibes and good thoughts are much appreciated.