August is marching on... we're celebrating (or mourning, as the case may be) with our usual open thread poll.
Talk about anything you like — the fragrance you’re wearing today, your favorite beachy fragrance for 2026 or your idea of the perfect back-to-school fragrance, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: top image is Color Play [flipped and doubled] by Joel Olives at flickr; some rights reserved.
I have house guests at the moment and am behind. I hope to read the Friday comments and catch up with today by tomorrow…
So happy for the end of the summer heat, it’s been gloriously cool overnight here, 12C when I got up this morning. Wearing 4160 Tuesdays Both Sides of Clouds.
I think it’s only going to be 70 here tomorrow. I like having cooler nights and warm days.
Been decent here too…still a bit muggy but could be worse 🙂
The bottle of Fzotic Monserrat arrived yesterday, so that’s my SOTM today. Apparently it’s one of Fzotic’s best sellers, but it had escaped my notice entirely until just recently. I might like it better than Osmanthe Yunnan (gasp!).
Oh I do love Monserrat! Happy to see your purchase. 😀
I’m happy too, but can’t understand how I didn’t fall for it on first sampling from an early discovery set. Ah well, at least it’s popular enough that it’s still readily available. Bruno’s newsletter emails have been clear that they need room for new releases and that scents that aren’t pulling their weight will get the chop. I’m considering a couple of backups …
Speaking of FZOTIC, I am sampling Ummagumma for the first time today. It gets a lotta love here and wow do I smell yummy!
Isn’t it great? It’s a fall/winter favorite for me, but it even works in summertime.
Agree, Apsara, it’s a beauty. I drained my sample pretty quickly.
A perfect example of the wisdom of re-testing and not writing off frags after the first wear, that’s for sure.
Wise words, indeed. Especially with the prices these days.
yay for your new bottle, SheriG!!
Yay indeed! I’ll be boringly repetitive for a week or so, I’m afraid.
You and Fzotic are like this 🤞!
We are! Fzotic is near to rivaling Chanel for representation on my perfume shelf. Nothing touches Hermes on that yet, however … 🙂
Congrats! But no way 😉
Probably true 😉
Happy weekend!
Sotd is Guerlain Spiriteuse Double Vanille. I have tried this more time than I can count because I want to like or appreciate it but I am afriad my stance has still not changed. It’s too boozey for me.
I just found out about Tina Fey’s dramedy series The Four Seasons. It is pretty good and entertaining. I am glad they renewed it for seaosn 3.
That’s funny because I just heard about it myself last week! Have not seen yet but plan to.
Not super hot or humid out, as it has been for the last few days, but it still felt like a good day to wear Ô de Lancôme, so green and summery-bright.
And might as well wear it before it gets too cold 🙂
Hello, all. We were camping again this week and so I am just catching up with NST. I only had a sample of 2017 Sauvage Parfum with me (happened to find in my purse) and just a dab of that kept me going, but if I’d brought fragrances for last week’s CP, it would likely have been those lovely little 4 ml test tube samples from Hermes and travel bottles from Malle that I had put away and forgotten to wear. I’ve got them out now!
The camping trip was wonderful with perfect weather. We spent 4 days on San Juan Island and saw orcas and seals and eagles, hiked, kayaked (including a beautiful sunset kayak with the water so smooth), and even toured a lighthouse. We camp there every year and I never get tired of it.
Hope everyone will have a lovely relaxing weekend.
San Juan islands and whale watching is delicious!
On our list for 2027.
Yes and the whale watching was right from the campground!
Wow, does that sound spectacular! Whales are such magnificent creatures, I miss living in Pacifica CA, we would often see them migrating up the coast and sometime see their whale calves too.
yes, SmokeyToes, it is a favorite activity for me.
It is lovely and relaxing just to read about your holiday, springpansy!
Thanks. It really was so lovely and relaxing!
To say I envy your camping trip would be a vast understatement! But thank you for letting me live vicariously with you.
Thanks for joining me vicariously. We camp A LOT and this one has to be up there with some of the best trips.
Yay!!!
Testing another sample from Luckyscent. Today is Durban Jane. There’s a powdery something in it that doesn’t work for me.
Money saved.
My sister started watching The West Wing for the first time and she has been so enthusiastic about it I stayed up till after midnight streaming the first season again.
What fun! I rewatched several seasons but didn’t make it to the end this time.
I’m wearing Habanita, a souvenir of my trip last year. I’d tried it very early in my perfumista career, searching my email reveals that I bought a sample from The Perfumed Court in 2010. So, it took me 15 years to actually get a FB!
Habanita is amazing — you smell gorgeous.
I have a small bottle of the perfume from my one trip to France that I absolutely treasure.
Never too late!
Yesterday I ended up wearing four different perfumes, which I think is a record for me! Anyway, taking it Back to the Beach today in EL BG, because maybe, just maybe, I can get through the entire bottle this year because fall seems to be taking the scenic route to get to me.
Spent 12 hours last night with a woman who kept spouting how helpful she was, except she wasn’t. At all. I’m sure Seinfeld must have an episode to correlate, but it slips my elderly mind at the moment. 🙃
Have a great weekend, y’all!
Kramer was constantly trying to help or make something better and always made it worse.
Kenny Bania insisting he was funny, but wasn’t. George saying he wasn’t bald when he had the toupe on.
Really, NOBODY in Seinfeld was ever helpful or made anything better, right?
Pretty much like people in real life. 😅
Except usually it isn’t as funny IRL!
^^THIS^^ exactly!
I never quite ‘got’ Seinfeld until I moved to San Francisco. All of a sudden, many of their episodes had context.
We’re in the middle of another lengthy heatwave – the next week and a half will be in the mid to upper 90s. Ugh.
Spent the day in Jubilation 40 from Amouage. Oh, such a lovely perfume.
Happy Weekend, all!
Ugh, sorry! But I am sure you smell fantastic Daniel…I never tried 40 but XXV is wonderful.
Perfect respite from the heat Daniel!
I’m sitting here, waiting for my son to get out of work. It’s midnight and people are still shopping. I worked the day shift, and I wore Zara Fleur de Patchouli. It’s 65 degrees here. Fall.. she is a coming.
So jelly of your weather! Who in the world is shopping at midnight?! That’s wild. 😵💫
These people are nuts! It’s my only explanation.
Honestly! Are they all 20 year olds? I am pretty sure it has been a long time since I would have the energy to shop at midnight.
It’s actually mostly families. You would be shocked how many people keep their kids up this late to come to my stinko store.
Even on school nights.
Ugh.
Oh, I adore anything with patchouli. You smell marvelous!
Happy Sunday!
Sotd- Voluspa Neroli Sunbath – on my 3rd travel spray since May. Very good for all the heat and optimistic w my body chemistry.
Fotd- that’s Frig of the Day. Found one at the place and salesperson the extended family try to get all our appliances at. He actually checked online and sent me to a competitor because it was $300 cheaper and most importantly was in stock for installation midweek. Who sends you a competitor ? Especially after spending over an hour with you? I’m going to email his boss to praise the customer service.
(For those who don’t know, my frig decided to start failing at a most inopportune otherwise occupied time, but does a home repair ever happen at a good time?)
Wishing all a peaceful and fragrant next week!
Glad you were able to find one so quickly. It was very kind of the salesman to help you.
Yes quite remarkable!
Happy Sunday LesLiesse, and congrats on getting a better deal and getting it when you need it. And it is true, no refrigerator ever died when it would be convenient.
I’m wearing Mirto di Panarea.
I treated myself with a small order of budget (and less known) vintage minis:
Oscar de la Renta Ruffles esprit de parfum
Versace Gianni Versace eau de toilette
Givenchy Eau de Givenchy eau de toilette
Blind buy that cost me slightly over $20. Anyone knows them? I expect an old-school floriental (Ruffles), a spicy and resinous oriental (Versace) and a fresh floral (Givenchy).
Enjoy your minis! I had both Ruffles and Eau de Givenchy back in the day; I think you’re spot on with the analyses. I went through at least 2 bottles of the Givenchy; I remember wearing it to a wedding, spraying myself numerous times throughout the night. Ruffles was a bit tart and candy-ish to me; I remember it being quite fun. Great memories with both.
Thank you! I briefly tested all three, though I gave the Givenchy more time and skin.
Yes, Eau de Givenchy is a spring floral that reminds me of Cristalle, First and Private Collection: crisp greens and flowers, a green cocktail dress and a glass of brut champagne. I can totally see it as a wedding scent! The drydown is mossy. I expected to find hyacinth, narcissus, bergamot and galbanum. It turns out I was a bit off about the notes – no hyacinth or galbanum, but lily of the valley instead – but I got the overall idea of the composition right.
Ruffles is definitely fun and candy-ish. I tried only a tiny drop, so I may change my mind later, but I can imagine it as a modern perfume composed in a deliberately retro style: gourmandish amber and candied flowers.
Versace turned out to be a little scary: huge animalic resins, perhaps even an oriental chypre. Unapologetically vintage. But then it calmed down somewhat.
Excellent bargain hunting Glannys for classics!
Thank you! And all in excellent condition – clear liquid, no signs of turning.
Well done you!
Ohhh, Ruffles is such a pretty scent! You smell glorious. It’s been ages since I’ve heard anyone mention it.
It was a favorite of my Aunt, Grandmother and myself back in the day.
Oh, a family favorite? It must be special to be so beloved by three generations.
I have not heard about Ruffles before buying it either. This one seems to be really a forgotten perfume.
SOTD is not a forgotten fragrance, but a fragrance I rarely wear because I want it to last forever. I think my bottle is probably 10 years old. Chanel Exclusif 31 Rue Cambon. Beautiful.
Glad the shelf life is good if you are really saving it up!
May your wish come true Kris that it lasts for a very long time!
I forgot to say that I was wearing one of those “forgotten” Hermes fragrances yesterday: Poivre Samarcande. It’s one of those lovely Hermes travel sprays, gifted by a lovely NST perfumista. I have gone back and forth on this one, but yesterday I thought it was wonderful. I think I like it best in warm weather.
Today I am wearing Milky Musk 39 (Parle Moi de Parfum) with a bit of Musk Therapy (Initio). Grocery shopping done and about to head out for a walk.
PS truly is forgotten, I almost never see a mention? So glad you love it.
Hope you had a lovely walk…I walked so much Friday and Saturday that I could not bring myself to walk today. Did go to the gym though.
Serendipitous moments keep following me:
One of my duties as a library volunteer is to restock the area where library patrons can purchase used/donated books, magazines, CD’s and DVD’s in good condition and at ridiculously low prices – the most expensive items are recent novels for $2. One of the perils of this duty is that I find items I MUST have (not really!). Recently I found a like-new CD & DVD set of the Best of The Beach Boys for 50 cents and, of course, I HAD to have it.
THEN a nearby theater that features live performances of tribute bands advertised a concert featuring Al Jardine, the last remaining original Beach Boys’ member, and his Pet Sounds Band performing their music. HAD to get tix for that, which is today, later this afternoon.🎶
THEN today my favorite daily Mutts comic strip featured the Mutts Boys Pet Sounds Band performing, you guessed it . . .
https://mutts.com/products/strip-082326
My SOTD to harmonize with all this is the classic Coty Sand & Sable (which works with last week’s cp Forgotten Friday and this week’s cp – don’t like white florals, especially tuberose) layered over BBW’s At the Beach.
Wishing good vibrations today and the week ahead to all!⛱️
Oh my, that is a lot of Beach Boys! Hope the concert was great fun.
Still playing the forgotten game today with CSP Cotonnade. Not only had I entirely forgotten about my ancient decant, but looks like just about everyone else has forgotten about this scent.
There’s a barebones listing on Basenotes saying it released in 1988, but that’s all I can find.
It’s quite pleasant, mostly slightly sweet mango to my nose and not at all a sweet CSP “Vanille &…” No idea what the notes are.
Gosh, that rings NO bells at all! You might win the cp.
I’d like to thank the Academy… ; )
I’ve never heard of it either but I love finding out about all these vintage & d/c fragrances. CSP has a lot of them, it seems. I once had a CSP bottle called Eau des Artes that was very pretty. I’m in my cheap and cheerful Honore Payan Vetyver again, hosing myself down with it to beat the heat. It lasts about 1.5 hours but I just respray. I’ll never find one again, it’s obscure, vintage, & d/c, someone prolly brought it back from a vacation to Provence before it fell into my hands, and no one has ever heard of it, hah, talk about ‘forgotten frag” — but I’ll enjoy it until it’s gone.
I hope everyone has a good week. We are off to the beach today and I can’t wait to sit on the pier and eat my fave calamari while we watch the waves – and surfers – roll in.
Yes, there are tons of early CSPs that just seem to have vanished without much trace.
I so envy you your beach day!
Monday again!! They come around so fast. I’m wearing TF Noir de Noir.
Gaynor, here in the US you are the early warning signal that the weekend is over 🙂
Such a beauty, Gaynor. You smell marvelous.
Here’s a scenario question:
You are in line with another person you came shopping with. Your friend is called to register 5 and you go to register 5 with her. Register 4 then calls up the next customer in line. Do you hop back to register 4 expecting to be cashed out?
I don’t take people who backwards cut the line, and they always get angry. I thought I would take a vote here.
My sotd and work night is CD Poison, for obvious reasons 🤣
I will try to answer Your question, my Mom worked as a cashier for a very renowned grocery store for 11 years until last December.
Technically there is not much You can do not to make the customer upset, unless they really cut in front of someone else. It depends on how many cash register does the place have open: out of the 13 operating cash register very often only just 3 would be open at any given time even when it’s very busy.
Generally speaking: I don’t like people who cut in front of other people anytime, anywhere. I don’t like scammers, thieves, liers and line skippers. 😂
Smelling great lillyjo! I agree, no line-cutting. I like that you refuse to take them!
A couple weeks ago, we had been getting our gas meters at home changed out by the district. Obviously they were working in some sort of order (so no one was missed). We had an annoying neighbor from a few doors down come onto our property to talk to the workers to see if they could drop what they’re doing at our place and do their place instead (since they had to leave, apparently). They were told no! It wasn’t necessary for the workers to enter your house so I don’t know why our neighbor tried to “jump the line”.
I would say that’s wrong to cut back to line 4 after you left for line 5 personally.
People be peopling! I can’t imagine shopping with a friend and going WITH him/her for checkout. Just stay in your spot and go the next open register, for Pete’s sake! Really, really simple.
And I know how you feel because I have stories, just like you. Here’s a recent one:
You go into VTach (a lethal heart rhythm not compatible with life), get swiftly shocked, your heart goes back to doing its basic business, then you come to you senses and COMPLAIN about people BOTHERING you! No lie, people blow my ever loving mind! 🤣
Lol! People stories never get old.
People be peopling, I’m going to borrow that! Hahahaha, although it doesn’t roll off the tongue easily.
oof, that’s funny but not surprising.
I mighta asked them if they’d want to be woken up when the coroner arrived… 💀💀 ☠
I’m not safe to be with people today…
My normal instinct is to stay with the person with whom I shopped; however, I may be tempted to go to an “open” line just because I was there first. This probably not the answer you were looking for but there it is.
I am wearing Gabrielle parfum and You can’t get a better beachy scent than this. It’s not a beachy perfume per se: no coconut, no suntan lotion or any marine notes: but it’s the most “solar” perfume I ever smelled so it fits perfectly.
I was able to make a jewelry purchase that I really “needed” and wanted to have: You know Chanel makes some no. 5 jewelry, right? But these “Eternal 5″ pieces go for so many thousands. But what I did find online a while back is this 18k quilted #”5” charm and I always told myself I needed that because I am a “perfumista” and I just wanted to wear a number 5 piece of real jewelry on me. I can’t believe it but I finally found one in Japan being sold for basically gold junk price even though it does come with free authentication and I already know it’s real, even if it wasn’t it’s still 18k gold and the price was a complete bargain. It cost way less than most costume jewelry pendants in US. A LOT LESS. But I know it’s real: it’s identical to every other one I saw and yes comes with authentication service and has all the stamps. It’s impossible for it not to be real. I’m so happy
Oh, but Gabrielle is so pretty, I enjoyed my sample, a bottle will be going on the Christmas list for Mr. SmokeyToes to consider..
It really is so special in my opinion. I have smelled this “profile” thousands of times in my life – light, fresh, white floral with some fruity undertone. Secret is that it’s done by Chanel. And made to smell absolutely gorgeous.
Ok, so after I remarked last time I was here that the Texas summer was not so bad this year, we are immersed in a heat wave. Today and yesterday, I watered my plants which were about to die. But on a brighter note, it is already late August so only about a month of summer left.
Wearing a sample of Spiky Muse today, which I did not have when I was testing out rose samples a few years ago – and never settled on anything to buy as a full bottle. I am looking for a musky fruity rose and this is along those lines, reminds me of Delina which was one of my favorites of the candidates.
If you are still looking for something that might be similar to Delina, I would suggest Rose Magnetic by Essential Parfum. It has a much more reasonable price and I think it’s beautiful. Of course, like all scents, it may smell different to you.
I think I tried that one but may revisit. I will check out the other ones you suggest below.
I tried so many rose samples I actually have a separate collection in a glass jar so I would not have to go into my alphabetical box.
Also, Montale Rose Musk or Montale Rose Elixir is good too😊
Which Delina? I bought the one that’s more vanilla-based but went back to the boutique and exchanged it for the original one that had rhubarb.
The original Delina. I love vanilla but seeking a fruity rose – more sherbet than ice cream sundae! . I think the rhubarb note might be what makes me like Delina. Spiky Muse has strawberry but similar effect.
My knee made it through night 3! Still not great but I think mobilizing up and down hallways helped better than babying it propped up on a pillow.
I wore a vast amount of sprays of DSH Perfect Vanilla last night. I sprayed myself, I sprayed my scrubs and I just kept spraying and spraying until I could finally smell it. It’s quite nice when I overdose it, but wow- lots of sprays. No coworkers complained, sneezed, gagged, or otherwise had a negative comment so I guess it’s just a very, very laid back scent.
Off for four days and no one is going to tell me what to do/not to do for the ENTIRE time. Heaven. 👼
Happy Monday!
Happy Monday! IDK what happened re: the knee, but I’m glad it’s a little better.
With as much time as you spend on your feet, knee/back issues can really add up. I hope the knee feels better pronto! 🙂
I am certainly not going to tell you what to do! And I hope you enjoy your time off.
Hi all!
My SOTD is Roger & Gallet’s Bouquet Imperiale, florals, fruits, and spices.
I’m going to UCSF for an ERCP procedure tomorrow, I spent much of yesterday baking different cookies for the nurses to say thanks for all that they do. Many of the original team have retired, there are so many new faces but I’ll get thru this. Hoping my ERCP procedure goes well and no pancreatitis afterward.
I’m currently reading Junglekeepers, the story of a kid from NY who sets off to save the Amazon. It’s hard reading at times but also inspirational. Everyone have a good Monday!
Have a great Monday, SmokeyToes. And good luck with the procedure tomorrow, I’m sure your cookies will be much appreciated!
Good luck tomorrow!
Good luck SmokeyToes!
Adding my good luck wishes to the others and echoing Cookie Monster about my favorite food COOOOKIES!!!🍪🥠
Thanks, all for the happy thoughts! The recipe is from Food 52, link below.
https://food52.com/recipes/78504-3-ingredient-nutella-brownie-cookies
My additions/changes
Follow the instructions exactly. My changes were:
Base recipe ingredients –
Add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
I mix the ingredients well, and chill for at least an hour, preferably 2, then bake as directed.
Enjoy!
Thinking of you tomorrow! And thanks for the recipe. 😀
I am sure distributing those cookies will add to the good karma surrounding your procedure…good luck!
Monday already! The weekend flew by, I was reading. Today I am wearing a tiny spritz of CDG Kyoto, it’s supposed to be in the 90s so I didn’t want too much of anything.
It did fly by…more chores than reading here, but it’s gone all the same 🙂
So with respect-no talk of fall, sweaters, pumpkin spice-nothing fall! It’s gonna be August forever in my world.
Wearing Rose and Cuir to cut through the warm thick air here. We had a cold day yesterday, and loads of much needed rain. Then the temps went up and it’s hard to think. But I’m ok with that.
Liked my Roger Gallet scent so much I bought another-Persian Almond. Hope it’s good. Hope everyone’s day is going well.
I promise not to mention the growing waiting lists for advent calendars then 🙂
I simply have no words :)))
Popping by to say that I’m wearing SHL 777 Taklamakan.
Today is Monday. I wore Chanel Chance today but it was a combination of the very original Chance (thanks DeniseH!!) topped with a couple of drops of Chance pure parfum. 8 hours later, I swear so much while working today, but I am smelling it still pretty strong.
SOTD = Berdoues Assam of India
I may do a week of lemons 🍋, good ones, not like lemon cars 🤣. Anyway, it’s a good one. I still have so many rows left of the elephants 🐘 and I decided not to count them.
In other news, although I haven’t been on a cruise since June 2024, I still read about a cruise news. Anyway, I noticed that the pricing while reasonable did not include up charges. And now, starting from September 2026 (some earlier, some later), the cost for tips has gone up. I haven’t backed out of not paying but I’ll see if I may need to just because they are nickel and dining. No plans yet at this point but it is starting to add up!
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/travel/cruise-lines-fees.html?unlocked_article_code=1.71A.Wk5G.l_07aOPzYzQU&smid=nytcore-ios-share
The third beautiful day in a row, hard to believe – 🌞, blue sky, temps only in the upper 70’s and low humidity. A good day to be home inside and outside doing chores. I opened all the windows this morning and didn’t even have to turn on any ceiling fans!
SOTD is VS Angel Gold layered over BBW’s Hello Beautiful body products, a nice layering of soft white florals, mostly a musky gardenia. I could probably do this week’s cp all week, as white florals are my least-liked fragrance genre yet I do have some and enjoy a few as one of my August themes. I love the scent of the real flowers, especially gardenia, jasmine, and my night-blooming Nicotiana but for some reason I don’t like those notes in perfumes.🤔
Happy Monday!
After shower now and I changed the time: meaning changed the perfume.
Imagine, anyone who loves fragrances, a perfume so good that it is the ultimate perfection. Wait, let’s start by saying imagine a total classic. As classic as it can get and we are not talking about an aldehydic bomb here. Imagine that it has such opulent blend of spice, exotic but within a very classic frame. You’re thinking Opium or Youth Dew and You are on the right track. You put Your nose to Your wrist and You are enveloped in a dry-fruity-velvet. When You move Your wrist this fresh but spicy breeze envelopes You. The only thing that comes to Your mind are Angel’s singing even though this perfume is rather on the darker side, You are taken straight to a beautiful mansion with champagne glasses clinking or to an Opera where the voices sound straight from heaven. It’s dark, opulent but mellow and oh so beautiful – takes Your breath away. They don’t make them anymore like that – You’d be right. They don’t.
Let me tell You which perfume I am wearing right now – it’s OLD Coco by Chanel. My bottles are from the 80s I believe.
Aha — I guessed right on the old Coco from your description!
Iris Poudre today. Just gorgeous!
I whole heartedly agree, springpansy 🙂