Before we start this week's poll, a word about next week's: coming up next Saturday, a Haiku Challenge poll hosted by Miss Kitty V. Pick a perfume, any perfume, write a haiku about it. We'll be using the simplified English form — your haiku should have three lines, the first line with five syllables, the second line with seven syllables and the third line with five syllables. You can put the perfume name in the title if that makes it easier, and at any rate, don't stress over the rules of traditional haiku — this is just for fun. Be ready to post your haiku in the comments next Saturday!
This week, it's the usual open thread: talk about anything you like — what perfume you’re wearing today, your favorite of the spring launches this year, whatever. Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer.
Note: image is New Life.... by law_keven at flickr; some rights reserved.
SOTD = Melograno. I still can’t believe how much I like this soapy, aldehydic thing! I’ve also come to really respect Santa Maria Novella, which isn’t as stodgy/old-fashioned as one might think. Decants of Nostalgia & Peau d’Espagne have knocked my socks off, and I really like Hay/Fieno a lot.
Question: Do most of the rest of you feel the need to buy some perfume whenever you get paid / monthly? For me, it’s like once I have that infusion of funds, I feel it’s license to spend $100-$150 on perfume (of course, lately, I’m usually splitting any full bottles I buy).
Have a great holiday weekend, everyone! Remember the fallen (reminds me I’d like to rewatch “The Thin Red Line,” one of my favorites, to commemorate). I plan to enjoy my extended weekend by taking Tuesday off as well.
I feel the need to go on a spending spree in April and October, not necessarily on perfume though, just on things ive wanted to buy. Those are the magic months for me where there happen to be 3 pay fridays, so that extra paycheck is awesome. When my car is paid off this august it will be even more pocket money, but i really should save that to put towards the downpayment of the next car i buy. We shall see how well my willpower holds out when that time comes.
Maybe you need to set up a “slush fund” account (for me, it’s an “allowance” account). Somehow, tracking my “play” money separately makes me more aware of what I could have done with it instead. (Much like the quarterly damage polls do…. thanks for that, Robin!)
Have never fallen in love with Melograno, but will add a plug for the lovely (and unisex) Eva!
R: Everyone’s saying that Eva is so hard to find and that LafCo has been out of it for months and months. It’s such a large line that there are many I’m curious about now.
Oh, I didn’t know! SMN has never been great about keeping things distributed, and they have such spotty distribution in the US anyway. Too bad.
Joe, I do feel the need to buy perfume every time I get paid, but luckily pay bills first–and then see that I don’t have the money to buy groceries, much less perfume. I wish I had a job that could afford more… well, afford more. We’ll just leave it at that. Now, the sad thing is, if I had not used my credit card for every stupid thing over the past three years, I would have more than enough money each month for perfume. To make that worse, when I do buy perfume it, yes, goes on the credit card! I’m trying really hard to not do that. Some months are more successful than others.
I do a little with my credit cards, a little from leftover funds each month and occasionally some from my savings, depending. This year has been lean b/c of car issues, but I’ve found it to be a good thing with focusing my desires. I don’t feel like I need to buy each time I get paid b/c of how our household finances flow, but I do make a list of frags I want, or splits I want (or even funds for swapping supplies & mailing) and then prioritize for when some extra money does pop up. I love swaps too which help so much with spending and issues of too many bottles. But I love a good challenge, so the process of figuring out the best way to get what I want is fun for me.
(muses, finger on chin, eyebrows raised) Aldehydes? *I* like aldehydes…
I do too… but Melograno gave me an increasingly massive headache. Just sayin’.
I love aldehydes! I’ve not tested any of the beauties that Joe mentions, so I will have to put them on my list. (The only adledhyde I don’t get along with is No 22, but I am working on it!)
I haven’t tried 22. The thought of it scares me, mostly because it seems like a huge-mongous floral thing. I love the way LT describes it in the guide. There is nothing really floral about Melograno. Mals & Ann, I’ll try to send you both samples.
Oh no, you have to try it! I’d put it closer to BdI than to a huge floral monster, myself… and I’m not at all a huge floral fan.
Ooh! Samples, yeah! My big problem with No 22 is the incense – it just seems so huge to me, and I have incense problems in general. It just seems to magnifiy over time as it dries down – No 22, for me is a real battle of getting the church out of the perfume. All I smell is a whallop of aldehydes and then this big booted incense accord. I am like: where is the charm? I think I am gradually learning to get over my incense problems, but it is still a challenge to me. 22 is my Everest.
..and based on that, I’m thinking you’ll hate Melograno. Do let me know if I’m wrong, though!
Duly noted. 😉
What I hated about No. 22 was that once the aldehydes burned off, it was so SUGARY I could practically hear the grains of sugar crunching between my teeth. Bleah. A 747’s worth of florals suits me fine, by the way.
to me 22 was like no5 with sugar poured over the top….which ruined it for me—I like no 5 but dislike 22….go figure
How very odd! I have massive sweet-amping skin, and this one isn’t sweet on me at all. Or at least, not sugary sweet. On me, it could be a BdI flanker.
Hey folks! Just chiming in to the conversation to offer my two (s)cents. Ugh, I can’t stand No. 22. It’s very “poo-poo” on me – is it the aldeydes or the incense Ann mentioned?? I don’t know, but it’s yucky. I don’t get sweet or sugar or floral at all…just a great big dose of poo in a very old and warn leather bag that’s been sitting in the corner of a horse barn for years. I realize that may sound good to some of you… 😉
I don’t plan on teaching myself to like this one because I think all my friends and family would run for the hills if I dared to wear it. And I don’t say that about many perfumes…
Sometimes I think I’m the only perfume lover who has issues with aldehydes. Anything too aldehyde-y smells icky icky poo poo on me.
You are not alone. I don’t think they smell icky on my, but they do give me a headache. I’ve tried and tried but I just can’t do it. I’m usually scrubbing within a half hour and angry that there is another beautiful fragrance I can’t wear. And I’m also mad at myself for trying another thing that I knew would probably cause a headache. I just keep thinking maybe it will be different this time….
Thank you Julia for letting me know I’m not alone… sometimes the fact that I can’t appreciate aldehydes really makes me feel like my tastes aren’t as sophisticated as they should be, since so many of the true classics contain them.
Oh, pssshh. You like what you like. Life’s too short to try to make yourself like something you don’t like just to be “sophisticated”… I have stopped retrying Mitsouko. I don’t get it. Don’t hate it, but don’t get it either.
I don’t like big tannic red wines, either. Pinot Noir’s about my limit for reds… and I’m happy. 🙂
Yes! I usually give myself a budget of about $100/month, and perfume is usually the first charge on my credit card per month. Question is, how do I deal with a charge that’s over $100??? Can I save my pseudo dollars for a couple of months before making a big purchase? I have a really hard time justifying spending more than $100 on a bottle, though…and this is really hurting my NEED to buy a current craving at a $235 price point. Ouch.
Ooh, what’s the craving? $235 sounds like an Amouage-ish price point. 😀
$235 is also the latest price-point for the Hermessences 🙁
Oh – I bet I know what that is – the Atrappe-Coeur – your new favorite!
I would say to have one credit card just for perfume, etc. If you buy something over $100, pay it off $100 per month and no more purchases until it is paid. I do understand using a credit card for perfume–many of the fragrances I like are not readily available at stores near me, and I cannot go to New York or Paris to buy them, so I have to buy online. BTW, it is probably better to buy one $235 bottle of something you love than 3 or 4o bottles of stuff you merely like.
I use a check card, thus have to save up in advance. Means I miss out on some stuff, probably, but also leaves me without debt. And if there’s something that is just TOO good to pass up (and there, my standard is pretty high), then I can put it on the cc and pay it off (or pass it off as a gift for the next gifting occasion).
I’ve just made myself stop buying everything that I “like.” I am now trying to buy scents that I cannot live without. For whatever reason everything that I enjoy is pricey. With that said, I think $100 a paycheck is reasonable. I do think that this is a place that we are amongst good company. Most people think its ridiculous to spend that much on a bottle of fragrance.
Glad I’m not the only one…
I liked Melograno, too, based on a one-time sampling. As I remember, it really grew on me over the course of the day, too! And I don’t wear highly aldehydic fragrances like Chanel No. 5, White Linen, etc. Just don’t like ’em.
I never put perfume on a credit card, but I do have my own little slush fund account for the money I get from knitting classes and private lessons. I also get a “perfume allowance” from my husband. His day gig is as an attorney, but he is really a musician. We have an agreement that he can book the band whenever he wants, and I get his take of the band money to spend however I choose. It is a win-win situation.
I’m a student so I work part time. I tend to get my paychecks direct-deposited into my bank account. So when I get paid in cash, my mind automatically thinks, “Whoa, what can I buy with this?” I bought some Voyage d’Hermes a few weeks ago when I get an influx of cash.
Such are the dangers of cash. xD
It seems to me that several months ago, some commenter here was regretting that he could no longer find most of the Aramis line (Devin, JHL, 900, etc)– well, while noodling around the Neiman Marcus website, I spotted six different scents of the Aramis line. Fans, go to the NM site, click on beauty, then fragrances, then search by brand=Aramis, and voila.
Yes, the Aramis gentleman’s collection:
https://freebox.it.com/2009/07/17/aramis-gentlemans-collection/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Is it my imagination, or have perfume bottles become super-sized along with everything else in our society? I can remember when it was common to find 1 ounce bottles of EdT or EdC. Now, it seems I can hardly find anything smaller than 50 ml, and sometimes 100 ml. The only 1 ounce bottles are extrait (when I can find extrait at all); the 1/4 ounce bottles have vanished. Also, more and more fragrances seem to be the more concentrated EdP, and 50 or 100 ml of EdP is a lot of perfume. Very often, I like a fragrance enough for more than a sample or two, but not quite enough for a large bottle. I know I can get decants from TPC and others, but it would be nice to be able to buy a 10 to 30 ml size and get the actual bottle.
They have… but a lot of them are starting to offer smaller sizes again too. Hooray for 30 mls! (and a bigger hooray for 10-15!)
You’re right, I think– it’s not your imagination. In edt and edp, at least, 50ml and 100ml seem to be the standards. For myself I prefer the longer-lasting concentrations so edp is usually good for me, but I’d like to see it available in 30ml bottles. The only extraits I’ve bought have been quarter-ounce or 4ml minis on *bay, though, so I can’t say much about current availability of small bottles.
“… small bottles in extrait”, I meant to say.
I know what you mean! I’m having a hard time finishing 100ml bottles as I get tired of the scent and want to move on to another. In the past, I actually thought I would be able to choose a signature scent I could wear for a long, long time. As it turns out, it’s trying new fragrances that appeals so much to me. I think 30ml bottles are perfect for this purpose.
I agree.. 15 years ago almost all the fragrances had 30ml bottles.
And now it is only for travel editions!
The 30 ml also makes it easier for the impulse buy..
In those days almost everything 30ml was u$s 30.
Only new releases were higher.. usually u$s 50 (totally acceptable for impulse buy or a gift) and only the rarest or newest went over u$s 60.
I think they do that with larger bottles to force us to pay more, which has kind of backfired for the number of us crazy perfume consumers who have turned to splits. If you can get 5 – 10 splits per huge bottle, then those are 5 – 10 customers that you just lost. It was a bad business model. I always look at Chanel: if they only sold 1 oz or 1.7 oz bottles of something like eau Premier or even one of the Les Exclusifs, then they would be charging just about the same as for standard bottles of their regular line. They want to make them “special” : more expensive : better, so they have to sell these huge sizes. It is really foolish business model. I would have outright bought 4 or 5 of the Les Exclusifs if they were in smaller sizes. But I don’t need liters of perfumes at that cost.
I am currently obsessed with the Exclisives – and yes – those are pricey. I’ve been thinking about it and to say the trouth – I like it that those are sold only at several places and not at every perfume store that has chanel, I like that they dont get any advertising, I like that they cost twice as much and are sold only in huge bottles so that a lady whose signature is say BdI doesn’t have to visit the store more that once a year. All that assures their exclusivity and makes them even more special for me. This may sound vain and even lame… but let them stay that way and not only be pieces of artistry perfume bot also luxury objects wich are not at all widely accessible and wich one sometimes longs for.
No, it is not lame to want a special experience to buy your favorite fragrances, esp. when they are at a boutique. But smaller size would still be nice, or maybe a coffrett? 😉
Oh lawd, a coffret of the Le Exclusifs would be the stuff that dreams are made of…
I agree totally about the Les Exclusives. I like several of them very much, and I really like 31 RC, but I don’t need a lot of 200 ml bottles. A coffret of, say, 15 ml bottles of each would be wonderful. 12 times 15 would be ml total–they could still charge the same $200, or even a little more, and it could still be exclusive. They could do it as a limited edition if they liked.
BTW, I don’t know how many of you know this ( I may be the last to know LOL) , but I just found out that ParfumsRaffy and Beauty Encounter both have sets of Amouage minis. There are six 7.5 ml bottles of EdP in each for $280. The women’s is Gold, Dia, Jubilation 25, Reflection, Lyric, and Ubar, and the men’s is Gold, Dia, Jubilation XXV, Reflection, Lyric, and Silver. Way to go Amouage! This will probably prompt me to buy, as I have been wanting to buy an Amouage, but couldn’t decide which one, and I can’t manage mutilple $300 purchases. If only more houses would follow suit.
holy cow—$280 for 6 / 7.5ml sprays? I bet it’s exquisite looking but that’s still $46 for 7.5ml of fragrance….the little bottles are tempting but I think I’d go for splits. Oh–I just saw the mini sets yesterday so I’m late to the “know” too. 🙂
I wonder if Chanel would have adopted this model in pre-Internet days? I mean, they must know that there is a massive trickle down effect through decants and spits, which could hardly have been so widespread as they are now without online communities. Maybe Chanel is happy with things as they are. People are smelling and getting the stuff one way or another, they love it, long for it, occasionally fall for a FB etc. Chanel may not be making much money out the LEs – the workhorse fragrances do that – but they help to keep the brand exclusive. You don’t give customers what they want; you keep them hungry by withholding something.
Still, I’m almost willing to bet that eventually Chanel will cave in and bring one or two out in smaller bottles. 31RC hopefully!
I recently purchased 212 for Women by Carolina Herrera, and my oh my, is it beautiful! It’s a soft and powdery floral, just the way I like my scents. I also adore the bottle–two separate containers; one for home, and one to take with you. Have you tried it? What do you think of the scent, and the bottle?
I admit soft powdery florals are not generally my thing, but I’m sure it has other fans here, hope someone else will chime in 🙂
I liked the original CH very much and I think I liked 212 when it came out, although I don’t own it. The two bottle idea is very appealing!
I’m going to New York with my mom early next month on a perfume-sniffing expedition. (Mom has been to NY many times, but I’m embarrassed to admit that I never have been.) We’re definitely planning to go to Aedes. I’m looking for advice on where else we should go, please!
Aedes is definitely the nicest perfume shopping experience in NYC, but do try Bergdorfs, Barneys, Bendels, and Saks, and don’t let any snooty SAs put you off! I’ve found most of the Bergdorf SAs to be really nice and happy to let you sniff the JARs with no intention of buying. Barneys is hit or miss — there are a few nice ones and a few stinkers.
You could also try the new Frederic Malle shop on Madison, the weird little Caron boutique near Bloomingdales, and CB I Hate Perfume out in Brooklyn. Have a wonderful time!
There are some interesting shops in the Soho/Nolita area. The LAFCO NY store is gorgeous and carries niche Italian lines. There is also the Le Labo store, and a new shop I’ve heard good things about called MiN.
Near Aedes in the West Village is the Diptyque shop (on Bleeker) and Bigelow Chemists (which has a surprising selection of interesting niche fragrances).
Have fun (and always ask for samples)!
I agree, always ask for samples, and at BG the SA for Kilian is very generous! I find a lot of the SA’s want to ‘push product’ so keep that in mind.
There used to be a Penhaligon’s shop, I think it was not too far from 5th ave and madison, but I think that it closed… anyone know for sure?
Penhaligon’s is closed, yes.
There’s a Penhaligons counter at Saks, however.
Yes, and it’s nearly as big as the shop was — that shop was teeensy.
I was in New York last weekend, didn’t get to go to Aedes, but here were my experiences…
Bergdorf’s- Stayed by the Guerlain counter, where they were snobby and not particularly knowledgeable. However, their selection of perfumes is excellent: besides the Guerlain boutique, they have Amouage, the Le Exclusifs, the Piguets, Creeds, JAR, and many others
Barney’s- There’s a HOT-ASS SA named Will working for Le Labo. He was an Enrique Iglesias lookalike, sighhh. Great selection, but again- salespeople were not very knowledgeable.
Takashimaya- The salespeople were FREAKING AWFUL. I know they’re closing, but they acted extremely offended when I dared to interrupt their conversation to ask for scent strips. (There are none, btw).
Bendel’s- A very interesting fragrance department, the only SA there was a hardcore Goutal rep.
I hope you have a wonderful trip! I just love New York.
Wanted to add, for anyone who’s been wondering about Tak- it’s now closing June 5, but there’s still a TON of merchandise left. Tons of SMN, plenty of Histoires de Parfum, lots of Keiko M (no loukhoum though).
SOTD: DK Gold – it just seemed appropriate today. I was running late and it’s a good one that I don’t have to think about too much.
I do have the compulsion to buy whenever I get paid/have some extra money. I’m trying to curb myself of the habit though…. it’s not an easy process, so I have to call in reinforcements regularly. Of course, it doesn’t help that my reinforcements are all enablers – although they’ve talked me down twice in the last two days, but one of them was inadvertent, lol.
Gold is nice, isn’t it?
Funny, I spritzed Gold on my pillows, sheets and t-shirt before bed last night and was enjoying it so much last night and this morning. It’s really so nice. I love that lily.
That’s a great idea – it’s so cheap on eBay, I could grab some back up and use it as a linen spray.
Can’t beat those ebay deals on Gold —was it discontinued? It really is a nice big white lily and I wonder if in a few years we’ll all be paying a mint for a vintage bottle on ebay.
[[ envisions Daisy saying ‘open sesame’ in front of a humongous cabinet in her basement filled with ‘backups’ of DK Gold — like a Fort Knox of someday-hard-to-find perfumes 😀 ]]
heheheheh ….sounds reasonable to me!
Right now I’m wearing Eau de Dust Bunny (I’m cleaning the apt), but tonight when I go to work, I’ll be wearing SL Ambre Sultan – I’m playing a big game huntress in a farce and that is just the right one for this silly character.
Oh, sounds like great fun!
(the farce, not the dusting)
It’s great fun and I always have great fun choosing a scent for the role I’m playing. Next show up, I’ll post a character description and ask for suggestions for a scent for role. Happy long weekend!
Jaqsyd, it sounds like fun 😀
Hello Jaqsyd– where are you performing? In my acting past, I would also would match scent to role….once in a Schnitzler play I dusted my decollotage with white scented powder over a pearly body cream to make the entire expanse glow under the lights–drove my leading man insane when he had to kiss my neck. So worth it!!!
I once saw Ralph Fiennes in something — Richard II, maybe? — and his cologne was so distracting… It had a big honking celery note, and not only did I not like the scent, but it seemed to clash with his character as well. It sounds like you put a lot of thought into matching your fragrance with your character, however.
LOL Lilydale (love your name, btw, hope you saw the fabulous Orphan’s Cycle plays) – you must have been extremely close to Fiennes to have smelled him. I’m rather new to scent, only a couple of years, and it’s become a hoot to figure out what my character would wear. I do,however, always ask my castmates if it’s okay with them. The last thing I want is to distract or turn them off. It’s for me not for them, anyway. I knew I had this one right when the actor playing my husband whispered to me offstage after nuzzling my neck on stage, “You smell delicious.”
Actually, I just had to look up “Orphan’s Cycle”! I picked my screen name based on a character in a Trollope novel rather than the Horton Foote play — I had no idea the name was elsewhere.
As for Ralph, I wasn’t that close, but it was a smallish theater (BAM in NYC), and he REEKED! It was definitely more “I’m Ralph Fiennes and I’ll wear what I want and lots of it” and not just getting into character. Your way of doing it sounds much more professional!
These days my city wafts the wonderful smell of jasmine (white, green and sweet… and STRONG) and the most horrible smell of skank (STRONG, especially after the champions league night-long victory party on the streets).
I’d really like to support jasmine’s battle against ugliness and am searching/longing for a great jasmine fragrance.
So far I tried A la nuit, which disappears too quickly and is soooo far from the death by jasmine I was expecting/pretending; Joy (on paper) which does not fit my brief, and Songes, which is stunning but has way too much vanilla for my tastes. The last I tried (on paper) was Keiko micheri, and it seemed nice, though a bit simple, maybe.
Any suggestions?
Is there any Beyond Love/carnal Flower/Fracas jasmin equivalent of these tuberose masterpieces?
I echo Zazie’s question. What are the Great Jasmines?
I like Montale Jasmine Full, and just bought Jo Malone’s White Jasmine and Mint, which I was surprised by. I also like Opus Oils Jitterbug (not to be confused with another perfumers Jitterbug).
None of these could be considered Great Jasmines, but they smell good! 🙂
Jamsin full sounds nice. It is a non-oudh Montale right?
I’m asking because I’m not a fan of oud… except for a couple of exceptions (Tom Ford and Amouage)…
No oud! Jasmine, honeysuckle and orange blossom are the listed notes.
I totally agree – Montale Jasmine Full is tremendous – really straight up jasmine. I think it is great. Jasmine White Mint is refreshing – it kind of reminds me structurally of Mandragore so it wears like a cologne. You may want to try one of the special Givenchy Organza Jasmine harvest blah blah blahs – which ever one is out right now. I have the 2007 and it is really good.
I guessed you were going to put up the Givenchy. 🙂 I should try that one myself, now that I have my bottle of the Amarige.
No problemo – I can get you a 5 ml of that soooonnn.. Maybe a swap for some of that Teo Nero? or MPG Bois de Turquie?
Oh, that Te Nero is so cheap though! It’s under $40. I should explore that line a little more…their body creams are fantastic. I’ll email you re: the BdT. 🙂
oh Ann —my Givenchy Jasmine Harvest blah blah blah 2007 has disappeared (somewhere in customs I imagine) I’m sooooo bummed. I need to contact the shop that sold it to me and let them know it’s been a month…..cross your fingers they have another to send!
OH dear. 🙁
yeah, I’m very bummed—they had already promised either replacement or refund if it didn’t show up —the only problem is the 2007 Organza Jasmine is soooooo hard to find. I’ve never had a shipment from the UK disappear before—sure wish it had happened with something easily replaced 🙁
It makes me wonder if there’s a whole back room somewhere filled with parcels from the UK that were delayed by the volcano. Maybe we’ll ALL get them eventually after replacements have been shipped if possible.
you know, I didn’t even think of that—your package from the UK went missing about the same time as mine!
Unfortunately a postal worker I know told me once that it’s pretty common practice in customs to waylay certain “types” of boxes, and divvy them up at the end of the day. She told me that these people supplement their income with ebay sales…. wahhhhh! they stole my perfume! 🙁
Well, I guess you never know (I tend to trust the post service… seems there’d be way more theft on a constant basis if your mole’s theory were true)… and I did receive a domestic package once almost a month after it should have been delievered. It’s like someone eventually ‘finds’ them somewhere. I really can’t complain; I always am happy with the postal services. And the split I just sent to the UK Monday was received today, which is pretty good!
They certainly have been much faster lately… I wonder if it was the increased cost funding improvements, or if people now rely SO much on other means that it just doesn’t get as backed up.
Oh Daisy – that is awfully stressful!!! Maybe you need to make an offering to the volcano and customs gods to bring your bottles to you!!! A spritz of some jasmine harvest to the four corners of the universe should suffice!!!
Joe, this is the first time I’ve lost perfume in US customs but not the first time I’ve lost merchandise….I hope these show up someday, but I’ve never had “lost” merchandise ever show up before…if the customs Gods are listening: I’d really like that shipment of freshwater pearls from two years ago please….. 🙁
Oh dear. But will say I once had a package (sent from 2 states away) show up 7 months after it was sent. So you never know.
I agree that Montale Jasmine Full is terrific.
I also recomment Parfumerie Generale Drama Nuui — I was VERY in love with it last year, and I too live in a city where banks of jasmine bloom for a few weeks — but ours peaked a month or two ago.
Oh greayyyyyt Thaaaanks so much…..now I’m totally lemming a bottle of Jasmine Full…..sigh…..must find some suckers….er …friends, to split it with….. 😉
oh wait a minute—-isn’t Jasmine Full quite indolic???
get ye back to the corner evil lemmings!
No, not indolic. Indoles = poo poo. It is more of a bracing, dazzling, (lightly sweet) fresh GREEN jasmine, IMHO. Very potent. It smells more like a the wafts of fresh green jasmine in the air, magnified like 100x.
Lemmings –reactivate!!
To be honest, my sniffer has never been able to really distinguish heavy, indolic poo-poo jasmine. Or else I’ve never smelled good examples. Do people say that about Joy? What are some other examples? What sets your indole-alarm off?
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the poo-poo either – either that, or I get it and like it and don’t think of it as smelling like poo.
Joe – my fav poo poo jasmines are Joy and AG Songes. Joy the poo poo jasmine is not so strong to me – just really “natural” – it is pretty well blended. Songes, at times can be too much, even though still beautiful. A friend once sent me some jasmine absolute and I thought I was going to gag. I respect any perfume or perfumer who can “control” jasmine. Oh, and I forgot to mention another great non poo poo jasmine: Badgley Mischka Fleurs de Nuit. Great stuff.
My nose is very sensitive to indoles…..the tiniest whiff of poo-poo and I just can’t stand it! I like Joy but strangely enough—the Edt and Parfum are mostly rose on me and I seldom get any of that indolic iccky smell. The Edp , on the other hand is a problem!
Lutens A La Nuit? I think Tania described that as “death by jasmine”. Always makes me chuckle 😀
Maybe it has been changed since she wrote that?
Mumble, mumble…
There is some jasmin in the opening but really, it fades sooo quickly; if that is death by jasmin then a real jasmin bush in a warm summer night is the apocalypse!
A la nuit just didn’t sing, and I like my white flowers to be great sopranos 😉 !
Lol, okay, what about Diptyque Olene?
I second Olene – love wearing it in the summer!
SL Sarrasins! Jasmine for days! Also, if you can find it, the Le Galion Jasmine is great.
Do you like L’Artisan Thé Pour un Été? I don’t think one could call it a masterpiece, so its maybe not exactly what you had in mind- it’s so quiet and understated. And of course the green tea is fairly prominent, at least to my nose, so maybe it can’t be considered primarily a jasmine scent like Á La Nuit (aka death by jasmine)… But I find that I reach for it a lot when I’m in the jasmine mood, it has a nice vibe.
Thé pour une été has been my first “niche” bottle, bought during my honeymoon!
🙂
Honestly I almost barely use it, and it’s still completely full: I get just a pinch of jasmine and lots of lovely refreshing green tea. It is very nice but I always seem to choose something with a fuller body instead…
Zazie – Please consider L’Artisan’s La Haie Fleurie as well. It is a gorgeous jasmin. I love the Montale as well, but (believe it or not) LHF outlasts JF and has more sillage on me – and the oakmoss keeps the drydown interesting.
Yes, Haie Fleurie – gorgeous, very natural, sweet jasmine.
I join the chorus for La Haie Fleurie….but I also like SL’s A la nuit. It does seem to last well on me. Years and years ago the best jasmine was a solofloral from L’Occitaine just called jasmine, but it was a from a series called Julie’s Garden. I bought it in Paris before L’Occitaine had internet, mail order or boutiques in malls. It is what turned me onto jasmine and I have been searching for a substitute ever since.
You know, I’m not sure anyone else gets as much jasmine from it, but to me, MPG Baime smells like jasmine essential oil infused with aromatic herbs (primarily basil). Worth a shot, anyway!
I’m wearing TDC Bois d’Iris today and I’m really loving it. I gave myself a couple extra sprays this morning because yesterday was my birthday and there was probably a bit too much celebrating going on. The Bois d’Iris is a nice pick me up.
And since I like to extend my birthday as long as possible, I’ll also be celebrating this weekend. On Saturday my boyfriend and I are doing something that requires a fancy dress (he says its a surprise), so I’ve saved my Amouage Epic Woman sample for the special occassion. Can’t wait!
Happy birthday, fellow Gemini!
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday! and Bois d’iris is a lovely choice for the happy unbirthday that follows!
Happy b’day and enjoy your special evening and surprise Saturday. Amouage Epic Woman sounds like a great choice for the occasion.
oh I second that whole heartedly! Epic is special for a special occasion!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday!
I love Bois d’Iris 🙂
Happy Birthday from a fellow Gemini:) Beautiful scent to choose.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday EE – may all your fragrance wishes come true!
Oh a fellow Gemini! Happy Birthday Emma! Have a wonderful dinner! 🙂
Happy Birthday Evil Emma! And enjoy your Epic Woman- what fun to have not just a special dress, but also a special scent set aside just for your special occasion. 🙂
Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday from a twin too! Is that why your Evil Emma, is it your Mr. Hyde? or Dr. Jeckle? wait, who was evil? I’m a left handed Gemini, oooh, scary. The Shrinks love me.
May you smell so good your boyfriend swoons. 😉
Happy Birthday, Evil Emma! I love Geminis, and I love Bois d’Iris!
SOTD: Guerlain Vetiver, and I wish the top notes lasted much longer. All I can smell is the vetiver at this point, and while I like it, I guess I like it *with* other notes more than on its own. I’ve been having the same problem with iris lately, too.
No, no compulsion to buy on payday… just at random intervals that fortunately are becoming farther apart. And oh, happy day! for some unknown reason, my 5 yr old’s daycare seems to think today is meant to be a holiday. They’re closed, which means I get to leave work early to pick her up directly from school. HelLO, long(er) weekend! 🙂
Longer weekend, but depending on the kid, maybe a shorter lifespan? haha. Im sure your kid is an angel.
Ha! No, definitely no angel, and she does spike my blood pressure frequently. However, to make up for it, she also makes me truly laugh frequently. Full of personality, that one!
how are the sunflowers? dead-dead? Are you planting new ones this weekend?
Not quite, but not looking like they’re considering bouncing back, either. I guess you could call them…. *mostly* dead. But yes, she will likely convince one of us to go buy potting soil and new seeds this weekend.
maybe they need a couple of Magic Max’s Magic chocolate covered pills….seem to work on things only “mostly dead”. 😉
😀 I think they’re hopeless, actually, and she’s fine with it.
Well after a heatwave that lasted all of ..oh…3 days we are back to having cooler temps. Thanks to that I’ve been trying out two Malle scents – Noir Epices and Une Fleur de Cassie. Both are great and yet neither one is anything like I thought they would be.
Still, so far I’ve enjoyed every Malle I’ve tried but I’m yet to really fall in love with one.
Oh, I loooove Une Fleur de Cassie. To my nose, it is a masterpiece/haute couture version of bois des iles…
Have you tried Carnal Flower? It is one of my favorite perfumes, it is definetly in my top ten (well, actually it also figures in my top two 😉 )
Yup, Carnal Flower was the very first Malle I tried. I keep going back to my sample because I adore the opening. I find that realistic green stem thing that it’s got absolutely gorgeous but there’s something the drydown that just doesn’t work on me. A definite case of so close and yet so far.
UFDC is probably my favourite so far. I wore it two days in a row this week because I find it so complex and hard to figure out.
I have yet to try UFdC… maybe I’ll get my sample out this coming week and wear it. I understand it’s one of those that usually grows on people, instead of being love at first sniff.
I fell in love with En Passant but I like Une fleur de Cassie, Lys Méditerranée and Carnal Flower too (this one is a masterpiece).
But I haven’t tried some of them yet (I’m looking forward to trying L’eau d’hiver).
Hiver will probably be the next Malle I’ll try since I like a lot of what Ellena does.
I must try L’Eau d’Hiver sometime soon. I am a Malle lover.
Yes, you must, so we can split a pack of travel sprays sometime…
Fan of L’eau d’Hiver here. And En Passant.
Angeliques Sous la Pluie is next on my “get” list when it comes to Malle…it seems I am entering through the door with the translucent glass. 😉 I might eventually enter another portal, though; I’m also intrigued by Parfum de Therese.
Oh, I love Noir Epices, but indeed a bit heavy for hot weather. I’ve not got far into the FM line y et, but one of these days I’ll get to them all!
I’m enjoying NE too. The opening is very dry but the softer, floral drydown is really lovely!
NE is my favorite fall cold rainy weather fragrances – so rich and warm, and it lasts forever. It is one of the few fragrances I have that I like to get in my clothes.
So far the Malles I have tried are appreciated but not loved, but I haven’t really tested anything deeply. Carnal Flower is pretty amazing.
I have the same “problem” with Lutens – I respect a lot of the fragrances, but have not had any kind of urge to buy any. Sometimes I think it is because I smell them all as technical achievements, but they don’t move me.
Me too – I try Serge, but nothing quite goes to the right place. I have some Malles and Serges to test out, so we’ll see if anything moves me.
I feel the same about Lutens too! A lot are nice but I just don’t feel compelled to own any. I’ve not tried any of the Paris exclusives though (well, except the MKK) and I’m really intrigued by Bois de Violette.
Same with me regarding Lutens. Gris Clair is an exception, though. Quite taken with that one! And I want to fall in love with Chergui and may get there yet.
I like both of those Heidi.
Oh Tama — love the Malle’s!! I wear Une Rose, Lys Mediternee, Parfum de Therese, Noir Epices….he was my first niche love!!!
Can the Hermessence line be found at Hermes stores in the US? If so, I might want have check it out this weekend.
Yes it can! Be sure to ask for samples as they are HUGE.
Most Hermes stores, but not all (the smallest ones don’t have it).
Yes-they do have the line at a lot of Hermes stores. If you get the chance, try Vetiver Tonka, for some reason, it smells very much like Amazone (vintage version).
I have a question for all you decanters out there: I recently did my first split, and it was fun in an artsy-craftsy project kind of way, but I was wondering about funnels. I have those teensy little metal funnels, but they’re too small to spray directly into, so I rigged up a tin foil cone to fit inside. Is there a better solution? Are there funnels with wide openings but small tubes? I considered spraying into a beaker and then using a medicine dropper, but that seems like it would waste too much juice.
I rarely use a funnel at all:
https://freebox.it.com/2007/03/29/perfumista-tip-how-to-decant-perfume/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I’ve tried the funnel route, but it ended being more wasteful than anything else. It’s usually easier for me to just spray into the decant bottle.But maybe that’s just me.
Natalie: I have only rarely used funnels as well. And those shallow metal funnels don’t seem that great, but they might not be bad. I find a funnel useful sometimes when an atomizer has a REALLY strong spray (otherwise, I try to control the pressure so it “streams” out rather than goes into a diffuse spray). In any case, Accessories for Fragrances have some plastic funnels that are a bit better designed than those small metal ones.
I don’t often use a funnel either. I have some small metal ones that caused more waste than anything plus there are just too many things to hold on to at once. For most decant bottles I just hold the nozzle right in the mouth of the bottle and as the nozzle goes up and down, so does the decant bottle! But some bottle mouths are just too small! Then it’s perfectly acceptable to spray into another clean container —a small beaker, graduated cylinder, or another decant bottle with a wider mouth …then transfer using a disposable pipette…if there’s not a handy pour spout .
Thanks to a split, I’m wearing the new Heeley Oranges and Lemons, etc. etc. Bells, something, something … I have to say that I’m finding it to be delightful – crisp, cheery, perfect for the weather. I’d seriously consider buying a bottle if I hadn’t decided yesterday to retire this summer. No job = enjoying the perfumes I have for a good, long time.
Oh, good to hear – I got a sample of that with the latest Luckyscent temptation packet. I’ll have to try that one later.
I’m loving the Heeley too… My heart sank at first when I got a blast of citrus disinfectant, but then it turned wonderfully caramelized on me. I happened to be cleaning out the fridge the same day I tried it, and when I opened a bag of parsnips I swear there was something similar to the Heeley! In fact, I think someone needs to come up with a parsnip perfume — they have the most wonderful herbal/floral smell.
Parsnips do smell really interesting. I turned a whole group of people on to parsnips at a dinner gathering once – none of them had ever eaten them and all were hooked. I don’t like the way they smell when they’re cooking, though – kind pee-ish.
I love roasted parnsips! My Dad will make them for family dinners – he lays them all out on a baking sheet with olive oil and some herbs and then roasts them in the oven. Yum!
Mmm, yes! I roast them with olive oil and rosemary — sounds like your dad’s recipe.
Oh yum! Roasted sound lovely….. I like them boiled, mashed and covered with buttttterrrrr. 🙂
Just tried the Heeley St Clemens and LOVE it! An excellent citrus – but I am really liking the way it is drying down – I kinda want to hug myself. Nice clean-skin scent, but not soapy.
Grumble grumble… I talked myself out of that one bc it was unsniffed. Grumble grumble. Guess I’d better get on tracking down a sample (along with my fellow resisters).
B: I sense us both kind of chewing our fingernails on this one. I’m still SO curious, but I think I’ll power through it without caving. LOL 😉
I love Heeley, I love citrus, I love the name… so I’ll probably end up hating it anyway, right? 😉
Oh, you guys! I’ll let you know if I cave.
Today I’m wearing CBIHP I am a Dandelion (thanks bosgc!). I think I was wearing a CBIHP last poll also (At the Beach). Trying it for the first time today and when I spritzed it, I was like, wow, that does smell like a dandelion! I was curious about this as I’d never really thought they smelled much at all.
Love the photo today Robin – poppies are my favorite flower and I’m sad that my Iceland Poppies are pretty much done already.
Isn’t that a great shot? My poppies usually don’t come up until June, although only have a few of them.
I’m wearing FM’s Lipstick Rose today. I don’t know what made me reach for it except that I’m wearing a pink top today that’s ultra-feminine. I seem to only wear that perfume a few times a year.
I do the same with Drole de Rose — same thing, a bit toned down maybe?
Oh, Lipstick Rose is my SOTD too! I reach for it so rarely… it’s one of those fragrances that requires a particularly girly mood.
SOTD – testing Diptyque L’Eau de l’Eau – my local store is having a sale on all the l’Eaux ($99 for 200 ml, only $1 more than the 100 ml) and I got a sample of this in a packet. Funny smell, kind of medicinal. It reminds me of something from my childhood that is simultaneously alluring and off-putting, but I kind of like it. Of the 3 Eaux I sampled on skin during the SF Sniff, this was the only one that lasted more than about a half hour. Too bad.
Speaking of the Sniff – we had a blast!! Barney’s put together a great gift-with-purchase sample pack for us and everyone was really nice and happy to have us there. I was also pleased to find that the Chanel boutique had installed a beauty and perfume counter with a very fun SA who thought he was being punk’d or going to be on TV when all nine of us crowded in at once. Neiman Marcus (also nice, and I got a mini-makeover), Diptyque, Chanel and Barney’s were the focus, with a side trip to Bloomie’s for a few of us (we split up at lunch and regrouped at Barney’s).
I bought CdG Carnation and JM White Jasmine & Mint. Because my car had just sucked $600 out of me, the new Byredo la Tulipe had to wait.
Joe, I do tend to want to buy myself a “treat” of some kind at payday, whether perfume, a trip to Ross, or a lipstick. Sometimes if it is glum, even a good pint of ice cream will do the trick.
Planning another sniff for October-ish – email me at matadecoco2001 at hotmail dot com if you want to be on the update list! Existing sniffers – I already have you.
Love the JM White Jasmine & Mint for summer — one of my go-to’s for the hot months.
That sounds so fun fun Tama! How often do you arrange these ‘sniffapaloozas’? 🙂
This was the first one! I am aiming at spring and fall if everyone wants to keep doing them. Nice way to meet new people with a common interest, for sure!
Tama: When I tested awhile ago, I LOVED L’Eau de l’Eau (much more than the Hesperides and Néroli). At one point I really wanted to split a bottle. It’s good stuff. L’Eau de Tarocco is also a fave of mine, and one that I own.
Tarocco smelled great for about 5 minutes and then poof. I am very much liking the drydown on the l’Eau de l’Eau! I’ll let you know if I cave.
You know, Tarocco actually lasts *quite* a long time with a goodly spritz. It does that “wafty” thing all day… and I’m a notorious scent neutralizer.
Maybe I’ll go back tomorrow and give myself liberal dousings.
My buying compulsions seem to have nothing to do with my income. What gooses my “BUY” button is a) a good 20% off sale, or b) an ebay find. I’m trying to stay off ebay… and luckily, what’s been offered for split lately either hasn’t attracted me, or it’s been very reasonable (I think I’ve bought two 5ml splits this quarter).
SOTMorning was Tocadilly, so I could finish my review. But it’s worn off, and I’m going to go hunt up my decant of Vega…
My sweet first baby turns 15 on Sunday. I almost can’t believe how tiny she used to be!
Decant of Vega? [Ears perk up…] Where is everyone getting their Vega? I feel like that one forever eludes me.
The Vega was from the google group in… February? I’ve worn it a few times, and it is lovely. Recipe for Vega: Top and heart notes from No. 5, with the aldehydes toned down a little, plus the bottom of L’Heure Bleu minus the anise/heliotrope cast. Hmm. Could be the bottom of Chamade instead, maybe.
Trouble is that it lasts three hours tops, and I can’t “spray wet” to make it last longer, because that brings on Aldehyde Overdose, i.e., headache. I love aldehydes, but the overdose symptoms are ugly.
My beautiful ‘baby’ girl turns 31 on June 6th. She is a textbook Gemini that one! I have given her perfume the past few occasions, so this time I changed things up a bit and I’m giving her some artwork for her apartment, a charming little book called ‘Paris: Made By Hand’ [she’s quite the Francophile and this book is full of lovely images], and yes, fragrance samples. I had to. 😉
Happy birthday to your sweetie!
🙂
Happy Birthday to your daughter. I started lol because my sweet girl, who is Scorpio, always finds herself with Gemini boyfriends–couldn’t be the Gemini mama genepool, right? 🙂
Yes, I get very excited when I can swoop in on ebay and buy some vintage No 5 or something (normally used) for like $15! It is so much fun! Or a good sale and free shipping too!
You must be an expert swooper! I have trouble finding such bargains on the bay (although I do admit to an occassional “good buy”…
You just have to look for the half used, poorly photographed bottles of No 5 that are clearly from estate sales. They come around every once in a while. No one wants to bid on some old amber colored No 5, but I have two now that are most likely from WWII and smell like complete heaven. It is fun too – if it smells awful, for that price, I just put it on my dresser for decoration.
I just bought a mostly-full 50ml bottle of vtg Chamade edt for $21. Yep, $21. It was in a funky bottle, it was used, it had no box: ergo, cheap! The topnotes are wonky, but once ten minutes go by it smells exactly as it should.
I got a 2.5 oz. FB of vintage Arpege EdT (still in the box and sealed) for $25. The box was slightly damaged, as though it had been dropped or dented by something, and there was quite a bit of evaporation. From the insert in the box and the list of available fragrances, I place it as mid to late 60’s, so 40 to 45 years old. The top notes seem to be largely gone (no doube they evaporate first), but the rest of the scent is just what I remember, and much better than the reformulation. I did a side-by-side comparison, vintage EdT on one arm and new EdP on the other, and there is no doubt the vintage is richer and longer-lasting. Arpege was one of my first perfume experiences, as my mother had it on her dressing table, so I was happy to find it.
Vtg Arpege is amaaaaazing stuff. The drydown has such gorgeous sandalwood.
excellent score by both of you!
Mals and RD – Congratulations on the (no-longer) babies. Mine’s only 3.5, so I’ve a long way to go to catch up…
Oh – so lucky to have a little toddler running around – I miss those days!
You can borrow mine until you get little grandbabies running around. 😉 (I have to say, you just don’t look old enough to have a daughter that age!)
That’s very sweet Boo – thank you!
Oh, no problem at all, her bag is packed and ready to go, anytime. Kidding! And you’re welcome.
Well… not so nice when you’re already hitting your middle age. I can’t keep up with him! (That said, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything either.)
I wonder whose idea of a bad joke it was to give me my quiet, peaceful child when I was 25 and my wild active one when I was 33, but that’s the way it went. Of course, I didn’t have the patience for a naughty one when I was younger, so there you go.
Awwwww… and yet, it seems that it was only yesterday when I was escorting Bookworm into a preschool classroom….
(Insert maudlin-but-true comment about how fast the years fly past here.)
I know! My 2.5 year old just got this cute frog puppet from her granny – it is amazing b/c that puppet is exactly the same size that my girl was when she was born – and she had these long legs that were all scrunched up too, so we used to call her our little froggie bon-bon (petite grenouille de bonbon which I am sure is not exactly correct. Is that too much information? Eeks.) When I see her playing with the frog puppet it makes me wonder how much she has grown!
awww, it’ll be okay Mals. The cool thing about Bookworm getting more grown up is that she’ll be less “child” and more “friend” ….and that’s nice too. Now just wait for high school graduation….that’s a killer.
I had enough trouble with high school SIGN-UP. Just did that a couple of weeks ago. How did she get to high school already? I thought the younger years went fast, but when you suddenly realize that in just 4 short years, your child will move out…… ACK!
Not necessarily—my baby just finished her first year of college and still claims she’s living at home FOREVER. (:-O
Mine used to say the same… but has seemed less insistent about it of late. Not sure if it’s the age or the roommate. 😉
happy birthday to your little 15 😀
same feelings with my almost 7…
I have been contemplating Micallef’s Vanille Oud lately, but it just doesn’t last on me so I couldn’t justify the purchase. Then the lightbulb came on in my head – Un Bois Vanille has that same coconutty vanilla smell, so I layered UBV with some Pure Oud, and that produced the right effect and is lasting just fine! Problem solved. I love it when things come together.
As for budget, I always get tempted to have a splurge when I get my bonus twice a year.
Oh, perfect!
How clever! $$$ saved, and you get the scent experience you wanted anyway.
SOTD = Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum Eau Poudree. It doesn’t always agree with me, but it felt right today- subtly sweet and powdery, I feel like I’m floating on a meringue instead of sitting in front of a computer!
Random personal perfume news of the week: my mom just came back from a whirlwind trip to the south of France- swanky rental apartment, stunning scenery, premieres at the Cannes film festival, seats at the Formula 1 race in Monte Carlo. If I didn’t love her so much I might die of envy. But wonderful mother than she is, she brought me back just what I wanted…. PERFUME!!!! Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio and Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque (they were out of my top pick Encens et Lavande, but still…). SCORE!!!!! I felt like such a lucky duck when she gave me my presents. 🙂
Awesome souvenirs your mom brought you!!
ooo congratulations! Perfect souvenirs, for sure.
I would say the pefume almost beat the vacation except when you said Monte Carlo F-1. I’ve been dying to see that since I visted MC in ’89! Nicely chosen perfumes though! If someone asked me what perfume to bring back from Europe, they’d regret they’d ever asked a hour later when I’m still listing “alternates”. lol
Oh lucky you! I’d love if my mom brought me a bottle of NM!… but I’d love it even more if I could go over there to buy it myself!!!
I agree I would have much preferred to go over there and buy the bottles myself! France is my personal mecca second only to La Bella Italia. But I have resigned myself like that old saying goes, and I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth… look for more and you might get bitten!
Amen!
Since you love Italy so much, have you ever tried any of the DSH Italian Journey fragrances? I’ve not tested them all, but the Giardini Segreti #3 is just a very beautiful floral, and Joe thinks the Cimabue is very good too.
Not familiar with those AnnS! I’ve heard so many raves about DSH, but still have yet to try any of her scents (been on my “to try” list for ages). Thanks so much for the tip, I just adore all things Italian those will be deemed “must try.” Also on my “must try” list: CBIHP Room With a View (Florence), and Parfums de Nicolai L’Eau Mixte, inspired by Taormina, Sicily, which is one of the most beautiful and magical cities I’ve ever been to!
I haven’t been to Italy, so can’t comment in that regard, but I’m planning to buy that CBIHP toward the end of summer. It smells like the Augusts of my childhood to me (nowhere near Italy, in western WI)… love it.
Ooh!!!
what a wonderful mom you have!!! You lucky duck! Was her excellent selecting an amazing coincidence or did she have some idea what to look for?
I love your mom’s perfume choices; I’m sure you will enjoy both fragrances a lot!! Lucky you!!!(and lucky mom, for what looks like a pretty exciting trip 🙂 …I envy those Cannes tickets!!!)
Trying SSS Champagne de Bois for the first time today (thank you, Daisy!). Definitely more of a cold weather scent I think, but I am loving it so far. Cozy, velvety woods. Yum.
I bought Cinq Mondes Eau Egyptienne this week, a splurge, but not a big deal since it comes in 15 ml! Really like it too, a very light incense scent.
EE is a great scent, and a bargain.
I love Champagne de Bois, also! Which I discovered here, such luck. The aldehydes, then the clove, and then it just lingers so nice and spicy and a bit musky on me. I knew I’d hit the gold mine when my mom told me I smelled good and then sniffed me again. I can always count on my mom to be honest, thank goodness.
I have to say, the longer I wear it, the better it smells! I don’t seem to be getting clove from it though — and darn, because I love clove!
CdB is really great.
I just new you’d love it! Just sorry it took so long for me to get samples to you—my gmail box, I call it : The ABYSS. 😉
I know, that’s how my yahoo email is … things kind of get lost in there. 😉 Another great thing about C de B is how long it lasts! Great staying power. Thanks again!
SOTD is Vetiver Tonka. Earlier in the week I tested Diptyque’s Vetyverio from a sample. Once I quit thinking of it as a vetiver fragrance I liked it. (The name sets up false expectations.) Robin’s review is right on. I like it a lot and think it’s a great summer scent.
So agree about the name! Would have probably liked it better if they’d called it something else.
I recently received the May sample pack from Luckyscent and today I’m wearing the Yosh Ginger Ciao [thumbs up, though I think this one would be a little strong for some. It’s also a little sweet, especially at first, but it’s drying down to spicy warm fuzzies]. The only other one I’ve tried from this batch of samples so far is Penhaligon’s Orang Blossom – Loved it! Perhaps my favorite OB so far. Anyone else purchase the May sample pack? Thoughts?
That Yosh has been languishing on my to-sample list for the longest time!
I’ll send the rest of my sample to you E! 🙂
I did get it – and so far have only tried one Yosh (don’t remember which one – ack – didn’t think much of it so far) and the OB. The Orange Blossom was gorgeous and completely GONE in a nanosecond. So disappointing! I’ll try again with a more generous application next time.
I wonder which Yosh that was? I’ve only tried this GC so far and I really like it. Funny about the POB not lasting on you. I have that problem a lot and since I love an orange blossom note, I put a LOT on. Perhaps that made a difference, but it lasted on me.
I thin kit was the Sottile – had to go sniff to check!
V., I hope my samples made it to you. I sent them out last week, I think.
Gosh Ms K – I completely forgot to let you know I received them and to thank you! So sorry about that. Things have been quite hectic for me lately, but that’s not a good excuse. I kept meaning to send you a note the other day and kept getting distracted. Oy. 🙁
Question: when do y’all start buying backup bottles of things you already have instead of new things? I feel the pull to keep adding to my collection, but sometimes I think I should be stocking up on some of the old favorites. What to do!
SOTD: Derby! It arrived today! I’ve been doing “masculine” fragrance these last few days, which means wood city. But Derby…my my. Now that I have it, I can see its kinship with the other leather chypres like Bandit. I love seeing family resemblances!
Hi Jared: last year was the year of the backup for me. A number of perfumes I love were being disc’d, reformulated, or suffered the oakmoss issue (as well as opopoanx). I spent a lot of time researching bottle codes, packaging, etc, and put most of my fragrance funds stocking up on my absolute favorites and tracking down some vintage/pre-reformulations: Coco, No 5, Mitsouko, Safari, Joy, Magie Noir, Shalimar, Chamade, Nahema, Eau d’Hadrien, Heure Exquise …. there are a few more. It seemed like a worthwhile thing to do. I’d spent so much time and money the prior year sniffing new stuff only to realize that I needed to save some that I really loved. Now that I feel like I am set up for my fav’s, I am getting back into smelling new releases.
Wow, yeah, the whole oakmoss thing totally makes sense. I kind of feel that way, too. Anything with oakmoss, for God’s sake, buy now because who knows what it will smell like even at the end of this year? Of course you never know which note will be next. Ok, now I’m going to stock up on everything chypre! ha!
I can see one or two fragrances I got carried away with backups, but I figure one or two bottles of your very favorites is good. If you never get around to using them, you can sell them on ebay. I also had a whole lot of fun researching all the different ones – batch codes, bottle styles, etc. It is fun looking for vintage on ebay or ecrater too – there are still a lot of bargains for sure.
Heure Exquise?! Oh no. I don’t have a FB but I love it. Now I wonder if my sample is pre or post reformulation. Do you know if they’ve already changed it, Ann S.?
Suzy: let me just begin that I have no idea if Heure Exquise has been reformulated or will be or even discontinued. I ONLY bought extra of that one because it is my holy grail fragrance (with Chamade that has been changed). I just took it upon myself to stock up now regardless so I wouldn’t be ripping my hair out anytime in the future wishing I had. I am comforted to know I have some extra edt, edp and dry body oil. (There is a pronounced difference in the formula for the edt and edp which smells more like the dry body oil, but all my various bottles smell OK.) I do think that Goutal may change its distrubution to the US, but that is about all I know. It was just a matter of collecting one of my most cherished fragrances, but I don’t think they have done anything to it.
AnnS, thank you for this information! I do love HE, too. Oddly, it makes me feel sad, the only perfume so far that has that kind of effect on me. I haven’t figured that out why yet.
What a lovely list Ann. I’ve seen you mention Heure Exquise so often, I think I’m going to have to give it a try. Do you favour the EDP or the EDT? I have a feeling you are going to say that you love both.
Hi Annemarie: Yes, I do love them both, but the edp wears better on me overall. They are really almost different fragrances. The edt favors the galbanum aldehyde blast at the opening, has a lovely iris accord (like No 19 iris) and the most divine bone dry sandalwood drydown. Structurally it reminds me a lot of PdN’s Temps d’Une Fete…. I love wearing it, but occasionally it is cranky on me (like when you put on a favorite but tight fitting dress or something) and tends to be more fleeting. I will enjoy reapplying the edt often when I wear it. It is great stuff. The edp is comparatively “wetter” and favors the rose more completely. It is a glorious soft lightly sweet rose riding on this amazing sandalwood. It wears longer and very beautiful. The edp is a dead ringer for the dry body oil, so if you are agonizing over access or cost, try the dbo rather than the edp. I like all of them. Good luck!
Perfect, thanks! I’m thinking of trying samples of both from TPC.
Jared: I have not even remotely started to think about backups yet. My position: Life’s too damn short! If it’s reformulated… then well, life is impermanent. The only time I’ve ever bought another bottle of the same thing (VERY rarely, with small bottles) is if I’ve drained the first.
I bought a backup of Covet, but only because I found a huge gift set for $20 and I wear it fairly often. Otherwise, I am contemplating a backup of Theorema, but know in my heart it would only be because I am afflicted with a bit of greedy hoarder gene and not because I’ll use it up.
I have backup bottles of a few things which have been discontinued or reformulated: L’Arte di Gucci, Ines de la Fressange, Parfum Sacre, and No. 5 extrait. I may never use them up, but I’d hate to be without those particular ones.
Interesting question. Do you read a book you own twice, or fall for the temptation of buying a new one?
I buy back-ups immediately if it’s a fragrance I love, or if it’s one I really want to explore in different concentrations and vintages. I do that quite a bit actually – concentrate my collection on the fragrances that are special to me, and really get to know them.
I’m a frequent re-reader. In fact, if it’s not a book I’ll like enough to read again, I won’t buy it at all. That’s what libraries are for! Granted, every so often I’ll make a mistake (much like frags), but then I weed those books out to make room for new ones.
I am a re-reader too.
That is so interesting, Boo and Ann! There are only one or two books that I *might* read again some day, but I’d rather spend my time discovering new ones. Same with movies. And I only have one backup bottle of fragrance so far, the discontinued Theorema (got a good deal).
You probably don’t suffer from my abominable memory. I’m so bad that it’s *almost* like discovering a new one each time I re-read. :O Anyway, that’s why I love it when someone buys me a book, because it’s usually something I wouldn’t have stumbled on for myself (especially since I’m in the bad habit of preferring children’s books). Most recently (last year?), it was The Alchemist.
I DO have a terrible memory. I guess I should have said that I don’t *knowingly* read a book twice, lol!
sometimes I’m an “accidental re-reader” ….I’ll get 20 or 30 pages in and go “hey, this is familiar….I think I’ve read this before!!!” but by then I’m hooked all over again so I read it.
It only happens occasionally with a handful of special books –
mostlly I don’t have t\ime to read as much fiction as I would like b/c I am too busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I do try new fiction, but I am often bored with storylines. Here come the tomatoes, but I often find modern story lines to be rather self indulgent and lacking quality editing – everything seems to be written to be made into a movie script. I have a picky kind of attention span. Anyway, the last author I really enjoyed was Joseph Kanon who wrote Los Alamos and the Berlin one – a WWII war writer. Good stuff, but I won’t be reading those again. My fav re-reads are 1984, Lolita, anything by Edith Wharton, anything by Graham Greene, Hopeful Monsters, Confedracy of Dunces, Grapes of Wrath, … stuff like that.
Edna O’Brien said that the true test of a book is not in the reading, but the re-reading. 🙂 I do reread my favorites, for sure.
Oh, and I was going to say! I bought a bottle of SSS Incense Pure (naturally, how could I not?), and let me just say bravo! I’ve never tested any of that line, and I know it receives a lot of love here, and now I can see why! One of my instant favorite incenses, and so much more complex, interesting, and powerful than many of the other things out there. I feel like I need to write Laurie Erickson a thank you letter for doing what she’s doing!
Jared- I got a decant of SSS Incense Pure a couple weeks back, and I second your bravo. What a scent! Lovely, well balanced, substantial yet not overpowering. Now it ranks among my favorite incense scents (of which I have several), maybe even supplanting my previous favorite for “outdoorsy incenses” (to crib Robin’s term),Tauer’s Incense Extreme. Incense Pure is a knockout!
Go ahead a write her a note! She has a blog section at her site.
Laurie is about the nicest person ever and deserves all sorts of wonderful feedback. Besides, who doesn’t like hearing that they’ve “done good”? (oh, it’s fine to add “never stop making Champagne de Bois” it furthers my cause…..) 😉
SOTD: Petite Cherie edp dabbed from the butterfly bottle. Want to hear something crazy? I bought this in a set (large bottle & mini) back when it launched (1998) and instead of “breaking down” the way I’ve heard other describe theirs, mine has gotten better! Some of the alcohol has evaporated and the consistency is more “oily” now. I can actually smell it for hours now after I’ve dabbed it on and the peach and citrus doesn’t sour! How happy am I? Plus it’s been really refreshing to wear in the 90F/80% humidity we’ve been having lately. Also have been wearing Hermes Un Jardin Sur la Nil but turned myself off of it the other day when I swallowed an errant spritz accidentally. My taste buds were numb for the whole day and part of the next!
As far as bck up bottles, the only ones I’ve bought are for bottle of things that are discontinued with very little hope of being brought back: Ultima II Maroc, Revlon X’ia X’iang, CSP Eau des Artes. Or bottles of certain vintages I prefer: YSL Rive Gauche, Caron Narcisse Noir. Most others bottles I have gone through and enjoyed but not wanted to rush out and buy another. Especially since it takes me forever to go through one! lol
Oh – Rive Gauche – good one! Have you smelled the original v. the current version? Any comments?
Ann S – I like the modern version quite well but it doesn’t have the bite or mystery of the vintage I have (which is about ’79/’80 according to the seller). It’s like RG has aged backwards and is now more girl that woman. 🙂 I do however find that most people perfer the modern one on me. Believe it or not, one person asked me if I was wearing Poison when I wore the vintage (?!?!?!), so I’m a little more cautious about who I wear it around now.
I’m going to have to troll *bay again soon as my bottle (which felt about 3/4 full when I received it) is now nearly gone.
LaMaroc- despite its many critics, I too am a Petite Cherie lover (and for that matter, an all around AG fangirl). Sadly I do not have the lovely butterfly bottle, just a regular ol’ 1.7 oz spray bottle (and I would just kill to get my hand on any of those AG special bottles, especially the etched Songes with the moon stopper). But my ‘lil PC bottle is over two years old and I have had none of the degradation that I have heard so many horror stories about, thankfully. It is such a charming and innocent scent to me, I don’t wear it very often but I’m glad to have it in my collection.
Yes, this was one of my few splurge purchases. I normally don’t buy the “special” bottles, but I had a gift certificate to Nordstrom that I received as a work bonus that helped ease that expense. I love PC. It never fails to lift my spirits.
Seriously, your PC got better? That’s the only thing I keep in the fridge, because I love that pear note and wouldn’t want it to deteriorate. It’s so light that I can wear it like cologne.
I know! Go figure. I’ve never refrigerated mine. I’ve kept both bottles in its original box which does have some spongy foam inside it to keep the bottles from rolling around. Maybe the insulation of the foam has helped keep the air from altering the more fragile accords? I’m always careful to keep my bottle in a closet that shuts out light and maintains a cool temp year round.
SOTD: DK Chaos layered with DK Wenge.- needed comfort/calm scents today and these were just the ticket.
You all are so knowledgeable that is a huge pleasure to read this blog – thanks for helping educate a newbie! I’m looking to try a nice new summer fragrance that would appeal to someone who has been a diehard Shalimar fan since high school, and loves Calyx, Hove Perfumes Verveine, Black Cashmere, Chamade, vintage L’air du Temps (new one is awful to my nose), Coco, L’Heure Bleu ….just to name a few.Can I tap the collective wisdom for help? Thanks!
Hi Frangrantwitch! I like a number of the fragrances you mention. My tastes for summer are all over the place b/c of our wide variety of weather – a handful of soliflores, eau’s, florals, etc. I look at your list and I think you need to try L’Artisan Timbuktu, Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil or Un Jardin en Mediterranee, Rosine Une Zeste de Rose or Ecume de Rose, AG Mandragore or Heure Exquise, Lancome Climat, Chanel No 19 or Sycamore, Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette, Wood Violet, or Velvet Rose, Caron Aimez Moi or Narcisse Noir, Bulgari Black.
I’d second nearly all of these, only excepting the Carons (which do nothing for me) and the handful I haven’t smelled (the Lancome and the SSS frags).
Thanks AnnS and boojum for the lovely suggestions. I haven’t tried SSS before but as I now see they can ship internationally I shall be placing a sample order of the Voile de Violette and the Wood Violet for certain. The others I shall test when I next get into Harrod’s. Thanks again!
FragrantWitch, welcome! I love your SOTD as well as your list of faves. I want to strongly second Ann’s recommendation of trying Sonoma Scent Studio. I have many of their samples and a couple small drams (having a hard time deciding which to buy FB, er that’s “full bottle” 🙂 ) . I think you’ll love Voile de Violette and Wood Violet…actually I’m trying to think of one that I don’t like and I can’t! lol So definitely at least order a sampler set and get ready to have fun!
Thanks AnnS and boojum for the lovely suggestions. I haven’t tried SSS before but as I now see they can ship internationally I shall be placing a sample order of the Voile de Violette and the Wood Violet for certain and no doubt some others will find their way in. The others I shall test when I next get into Harrod’s. Thanks again!
SOTD DelRae Bois De Paradis, which I didn’t think I’d like, but I’m really loving.
Keeping your comment in mind, Joe.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend with wonderful weather!
I need to try BdP again, it’s been years.
SOTD: my new HG, Attrape Coeur!
Have a fantastic weekend Robin, and everyone!
Oooooh. AC is so gorgeous – I love that amber.
I though AC was discontinued, or did you stock up before that happened? If you can still buy it, can you tell me where? It gets a lot of love, and I can get a decant from TPC, but I am reluctant to sample, and possibly fall in love with, something I cannot actually get a FB of if I do love it.
You can still get it at Guerlain boutiques – just call.
Thanks, and you too!
After a few days of miserable heat and wearing either Cristalle or Eau d’Hadrien, today I wanted to wear something more floral for this really dreamy cool early summer rainy weather: MAC Naked Honey. Boy am I glad that I bought this – it is just SUPER PRETTY and smells so much exactly like those black locust tree blossoms which will come out soon. For all the crap that is regularly released, I’d like to make an open plea to MAC to bring this one back. It is a better floral than most of the other florals released in the mass market the past two years. Please MAC, Please! Bring Naked Honey back!!!
My question for those die hard Eau d’Hadrien lovers out there: I understand that it must have been reformulated with the citrus issue. For those of you who have worn it for many years, have you noticed much difference between the older version and the current version? I’ve only ever had the same bottle for a few years now, so no comparative experience. I am wondering if I should get another bottle and whether or not the current version is still good.
I know! Can we petition MAC?? I am afraid to wear my Naked Honey because I don’t want to use it up! I want 100 mls! lol. I really have come to love Africanimal, too, and I put that Naked Honey salve on my lips every night before bed. More!!!!
I never smelled the Africanimal, which I regret, and didn’t buy any of the extra Naked Honey products. I did buy two of the little 20 ml bottles though.. but still. It is so well done for an inexpensive floral – much more lively than Flora or even the new Balenciaga. Above we are all discussing the woes of fragrances only coming in huge bottles, but for once I wish it were true of this one!! I kind of respect MAC for doing such a relatively high quality one time only fragrance, but at the same time, I think they should bring it back. If they did another limited release it would sell out in days.
Ditto all of that. (Oh, and remind me–I can send you some Africanimal to try.) I stopped giving out samples of the Naked Honey because it was leaking when I decanted it, and I am not losing any more of it. I’m almost afraid to wear it, although that defeats the purpose of it’s existence. I also wish it had come in a larger bottle– I think what we all want is options. I want to be able to buy 30 ml (or less) of something, but overall I want a range to choose from. I think I would have bought a big, 200 ml, Les Exclusifs-type bottle of the Naked Honey. 🙁
I also have 2 bottles also of the Naked Honey and am a bit afraid knowing there’s no more out there : (
afraid to wear it, that is!
I think AG swears it has not changed.
Thanks Robin. I may as well just go for it – it will most likely still smell pretty good as AG has fairly high standards.
SOTD is SL Bois de Violette. I finally gave in and bought a FB. I was afraid if I waited too long, it would be unavailable, as it is supposed to be a limited edition in the US, and I don’t expect to be going to Paris anytime soon.
The original Shiseido Feminite du Bois was one of the few perfumes I have ever fallen totally in love with from the first sniff. I bought my first bottle of it after testing it in the department store once. I wore it constantly, and I ran through nearly the entire bottle within a few months. When I went back for more, it was discontinued. It was only within the last couple years that I discovered the online perfume retailers and have been able to buy more.
If there is anything about FdB that I would change, it is that the cedar note can be a little too dominant. Enter Bois de Violette: the violet softens the effect of the cedar, while the cedar keeps the violet from becoming too sweet. The overall effect is quieter than Feminite du Bois. I don’t know whether to hope that I will love it as much as FdB, to justify the expense, or hope that I do not love it as much, so I will not run out quickly and be unable to replace it.
BdV has been on my FB list for a long time; only its expense keeps knocking it out of first place. I tried the SL FdB but, unfortunately–cost wise!–I didn’t like it as much as BdV. I never smelled the Sheseido version; maybe it was better. Congratulations on your purchase! i
50: Interesting to hear your take on BdV vs FdB. I have decants of FdB edt and of BdV, and some FdB extrait as well. I keep meaning to do a side-by-side comparison, but I have to say that I’ve generally been disappointed by BdV because it is *so* much like FdB to my nose. I keep looking for the violet underneath ALL that CEDAR!
Yep, same here!
I haven’t tried BV, but what surprises me in FDB is that the woody note I get doesn’t smell like cedarwood. Cedarwood is one of the most wonderful smelling materials, apparently SL’s adventure in perfumery was triggered by smelling such a wonderful chunk of wood, so I am always surprised that cedar wood notes in perfumery don’t bear much relationship with the actual material: as much as I like FdB, I’d love to find a perfume faithful to a real chunk of cedar… :/
Zazie, perhaps there are also different varieties of cedar as well. I find SL scents to be very true to cedar shavings or the type of cedar oil or cedar blocks that are sold her to keep insects out of clothes closets.
Maybe you should try CdG Hinoki, which is supposedly very cedary.
You are right, maybe the variety I smell is not the one used in perfumery (I smelled the wood used for bath furniture/lining, which has a slightly citrusy/piney/honeyed smell)!
That CDG I smelled and liked, but it didn’t fit the brief. The closest thing I smelled so far is Tom Ford oud wood, which of course is not even meant to evoke cedarwood, and probably contains none!
Hello everyone,
I was one here last week lamenting my ‘overboard’ sample buying last week but I’m over it! I got many of them (some still on the way) but what I am purchasing is from Velvet and Sweet Pea Puurfumery, have any of you gotten Laurie’s products?? To die for! and God what a sweetpea Laurie is, me and her have had a couple email exchanges, and I want to hug her, she’s that genuine ! And her Fir Ever Young perfume is what I got. It embodies the fragrance of my beloved forest in a way I’ve never encountered anywhere else. From here website it states – “A whole forest of Douglas fir, silver fir, grand fir, blue spruce, juniper, and more are joined by green and fruity florals, juicy citruses and black currants, with frankincense and agarwood for just a hint of smoke.
Fir-ever Young is planted firmly in a base of pineapple sage, fir, lavender, rose, agarwood, and frankincense house-infused alcohols. ”
You guys it is simply magical for me and I am really happy I found it. I will be wearing it all summer to keep my forest with me.
Anywho, I always ramble on here but honestly no one else in my life gets my perfume craziness but you guys so thank you for that , really. I hope you all have a awesome weekend. Take care!
Glad you found a new perfumer to love! Fir Ever Young sounds like quite a scent.
Hey you, I love how you half my name 🙂
Yes it is, it’s not Christmas tree at all- maybe thats why no one but you commented about it? It’s so good Tama, it’s juicy fir absolute and smells just a tad sweet, a lil’ smokey and earthy. And it doesn’t help that I am enamored with Laurie, it took her 10 yrs. to make it! It was a labor of love and it shows. I run in a beautiful forest daily and this perfume smells like it in the best possible way. It’s perfect. Thanks for talkin to me<3
I have her site in my “perfume” folder on my desktop – on my list of sample purchase-wishes!
SOTD Chloe Eau de Fleurs Capucine, although it has a laundry musk base, it has a very nice top note that lasts, it does remind me of both smelling and chewing a nasturtium flower….
Oooh, did you buy it or are you just sampling? I’ve been eating nasturtium buds lately when I see them. Love them.
Found a tester on ebay, you can have all you want…..
I really liked the top notes of that one too.
SOTD: Nothing yet, as I’m heading over to the Perfume House this afternoon! I don’t think that they have Nuit de Tubereuse yet, but I’ve only sniffed my way through about a tenth of my “to sniff” list.
During my last visit to that magical place, I learned that even though there’s space on my body for six different fragrances to be sprayed, this technique is not desirable for either a. riding in a car afterward, and b. wearing a leather jacket. A month later, my bomber jacket still smells like Black Aoud (a nice smell at least).
Al Oudh is on my to buy list, but I think I’ll be spritzing Saffran Troublant (I haven’t tried it yet!).
Oh dee! Have so much fun! I just had the amazing privilege of visitng PH last week while on vacation. ( I even got to meet Chris and discuss vintage No 5 packaging – it was like being in a wonderful lecture!) B/c of the cool rainy weather I was testing some Amouage Gold and the new Parfum Sacre edp Intense and Hermes Rouge… then I realized that I was going to get on the #14 bus to get back to my in-laws place. I was contemplating my total conundrum: I am normally so careful to not wear major fragrances in close quarters, but this is my first big trip to PH!!! What is a perfumista to do? Can someone throw me off the bus for smelling really good? Thank god it wasn’t rush hour. But I figure if Portlanders can tolerate smelly can people, then they can tolerate some Amouage Gold for 20 minutes!!!
It was a PRIVILEGE for them to be stuck on the bus next to someone wearing Amouage Gold! 😉
😉
Oh, how was that Parfum Sacre Intense???
Totally and completely gorgeous. Lasts forever. More swirling rose. Just amazing. It makes me think that Caron got their hands on the recipe for Lyric for Women and boosted the quality of the Parfum Sacre by recognizing how similar to PS Lyric is, and how much better (of course). But that rose in Lyric is right there with that great pepper and woods in PS. You are totally smelling PS, but it is a whole other level of glory than what most of us know.
Oooooooh. Ahhhhhhhhh…. MUST GET HANDS ON PS Intense!
After having ridden the number 19 daily for two years straight, I can tell you that sitting next to someone wearing Amouage (anything) would be an absolute delight!
So glad you had fun at PH!
Maybe they can make fragrant Amouage air dispensers in the buses – wouldn’t that be fun. Get rid of the moving poetry and put in spritzers. 😉 I once walked 20 blocks b/c I had to get off the #17 during rush hour when a very smelly person crushed themselves into the seat next to me. Amouage would have been a treat – maybe a large dose of Epic!
Ann, I feel like an oversensitive freak when smelly people are next to me on the bus. I can’t stand it. Maybe it’s karmic retribution for when I sit next to someone who’s perfume averse. 😉
It’s been rainy here for a few days. I’ve been wearing Bois des Iles parfum and edt all week long trying to understand wich I like more. While parfum is stronger from the very start (bergamot, some flower oil – I think rose, but others say it is ylang) I really like powdery iris in the middle stages of the edt.
They also layer well with each other and I dont regret the 15 ml parfum purchase anymore. I even want 200 ml of the edt when my 4ml sample hits its bottom. The only thing to complain about – those two guys are fleeting 🙂 People are able to smell my perfume only very close to me only an hour after application. N5 has much more sillage – I can smell it even after a shower the next day.
I wonder wich of Beaux’ creations will capture with its beauty and break my heart next 🙂
I must have magical skin…BdI edt lasts at least 8 hrs on me.
My SOTD is Guerlain Laurier Reglisse, it got hot here all at once! It’d been cold and rainy for a while. I’d been wearing 31 Rue Cambon which I will def. have to invest in. It’s so subtle and musky, then if I touch my neck or something and warm it up, it gets almost fruity, so lovely.
I am still hoping to find a bottle of LR at discount. I’ll keep looking!
I saw a bottle on the bay a few weeks ago – for less than $20. I was afraid to buy it and then discover I didn’t like it. No idea if it’s still circulating.
Thanks! Will take a peek.
Today feels a bit humid, so I’m wearing Calyx. It’s such a cheerful scent, and very easy to wear too.
For some reason, both my cats like to lick Calyx-isn’t that strange? Has anyone ever had that happen?
I used to wear Calyx all the time, but never had a cat want to eat it! 🙂 I really should get some again for old time’s sake.
Buster would rather just coat me with drool over licking anything off me.
Happy Long Weekend Friday!
Today I am wearing an old standby fav Hanoe Mori. I havent spritzed her in a while but I was in the mood for something sweet and comforting as it’s been a long week. Of the 2010 Spring launches Balenciaga Paris is nice (though smells strangely reminiscent of something else to me) and I may be one of the few that really enjoys Chloe Eau de Fleurs Capucine. Great for a summer day!
No, there is a comment about Capucine above! Balenciaga Paris is one of my favorites from this spring too.
Robin – I can’t make up my mind about Balenciaga – I was testing it with the Prada eau d’Ambre at Nordstrom and ended up sniffing the Prada much more than the Paris. I was disappointed that they were only giving out fragrant ribbons of the Paris too – no chance to revisit with a clear nose – it did seem very pretty. But in regards to comments above from Addict – it briefly reminded me of the way the St. Ives Collagen body lotion *used* to smell – the creamy-violet-toiletries type smell.
I love the Eau Ambree too! The Balenciaga wears nicely on skin though, too bad they didn’t give you a sample.
This past week was finals week at SCAD, and me with my bad time management this time around became very stressed.
However! I made sure to wear Nina (pretty much my favourite) everytime I was about to go out for a long and arduous session of working on finals. It really kept me going sometimes and just served to keep me less stressed in general. 🙂
The thing is though, I haven’t been wearing any perfume for the past 5 months (since school started), except for cheap little body splashes here and there. So I’m guessing the effect was magnified since I hadn’t worn it in forever.
Hey Tati, I *teach* art students. Y’all need to wear perfume more often. Maybe we’d all feel less stress! Happy end of the semester!
Hahaha! At SCAD that usually only goes for the computer art majors, such as game designers. Also, thank you!
Oh my, the perfume haiku is awesome. I’m going to be out of town next weekend without computer access so I’m going to cheat and post mine today.
Dana Tabu
Cougar goes for kill
She likes to make you pancakes
After making love
Blvgarli Black
Faster Pussycat
She’d rather cuddle than kill
Still likes to drive fast
I am REALLY SAD you are going to be absent for this. These are great. Love it. I am hoping I will remember to re-post these on your behalf.
Love those!!
Those are great – hope I can think of something….
These are great! I’ve never written a haiku (only bad limericks), but can’t wait to try!
Oh come now… I remember a good one about a wallet floating by on a river of perfume. 😀
(Good limerick, that is…to clarify.)
Forgot about that spontaneous one. A gem, if I don’t say so myself. 😉
Speaking of limericks, I was going to suggest a limerick lazy poll as a follow-up to the haiku one. I’m excited for the haikus, but I’ll take Edward Lear over Zen any day!
Oh, that’s even harder! But will add it to the list.
Oh, goodness no… limericks are MUCH easier!
I was thinking the same thing. I love limericks, such silly fun!
Ok just thought of one more I had to post, (promise I’m not trying to hijack thread)
Tom Ford Velvet Gardenia
Cries feed me Seymour
Washes down people with brie
Plots world takeover
LOL! You are good at this.
I’m wearing Kenneth Cole Black layered with BBW Rain Kissed Leaves. I acquired Black through and incentive program at work, and I selected it after smelling it briefly and liking it. I find after wearing it for a few days I really like it and it seems to layer well with other fragrances.
Nice to find another good layering scent 🙂
Sooooo… no one else has said anything yet and I didn’t really want to be the first to broach the subject, but I’m kind of dying to know… is anyone else here who is doing the preview on Honore des Pres’s Vamp a NYC unreasonably excited? I haven’t been this excited about sampling a perfume in a long time!
I am too. And since I don’t sample very often at all, I’m pretty excited for a FREE sample of something new.
I am excited as well – being a late-comer and still getting in. It’s a great concept and I’m looking forward to trying it and giving my feedback.
Clearly I missed something… but have fun!
I am quite excited too, but I also wish to keep my expectations low… I don’t want to repeat my Nuit de Tubereuse failure, but as I have a real tubey addiction it is quite difficult not to get a furry lemming running around!!
To keep it quiet, I’ll try to feed him all the very disappointing recent releases that I had to scrub off lately…
Wow. did I find a deal- $5 for all the samples on the Antonia’s Flowers website. Does anyone think any of those are good for a wedding scent? They sound like it- except the oceanic one. I love a good romantic floral.
SOTD Micheal mixed with Demeter’s Cinnamon Toast.
I love the sound of your SOTD!
I have that sample pack and it IS a great deal for the price. I was once in love with Floret for the sweet peas. Depending on when your wedding is, Antonia’s Flower (the original freesia scent) may be nice as well. Otherwise, the body products would make nice scented gifts to present to the bridesmaids.
Great idea!
I love Tiempe Passate. Don’t know if it’s a good wedding scent or not, I guess it would depend on your taste, right? It’s not your standard romantic floral.
It may not be a wedding scent, but I like the notes…can’t wait to try it.
I found out that I am pregnant this week and that is pretty big news for me. Really really good news.
SOTD: nothing. I took a red-eye flight home and slept the whole day.
Congratulations on your happy news!!
Oh Congrats Antje! That is wonderful news! My fragrance tastes were non-existent or all over the place when I was pregnant. Good luck!!
Congratulations, and a happy/healthy 9 months to you!
Great news! Congratulations!
Congratulations Antje! That is wonderful news. 🙂
Congratulations, Antje!
Congrats on your big news! For whatever it’s worth, I had no problem with perfume while pregnant, but scented cleaning products (particularly dish detergent) made me queasy. Everyone’s different, though, so I hope your 9 months are blissfully uneventful…
Oh, many congratulations, how wonderful!!
wonderful, congratulations : ) first kid?
A cool and very wet weekend coming up on the east coast of Australia, with weather drama building about another East Coast Low that created a huge shipwreck not far away a couple of years ago, and more disappearing beaches ( we are already feeling the effects of the slightly higher sea levels)…
Am trying Micallef Jewel from a decant – strikes me as a HUGE Amouage-ish aldehydic, and for some reason decided to spray Nicolai’s Vanille Intense on the other hand.
I wore Tihota yesterday, and its ghostly presence is still with me!
Gosh, this SOTD reminds me of how many lovely things I have!
Nearly time for my treasured Saffran Troublant…
Wini: I am loving that Micallef Jewel, huge aldehydic orange essence and all! Wore it the other day. I’m really impressed by much of the Micallef line and I’m glad I got some of that.
Funny, but for some reason I have so many L’Artisans but haven’t tried Safran Troublant. My huge saffron scents are Diptyque L’Eau de Tarocco (again) and Montale Red Aoud. Have you tried the Red Aoud? If not, I can include some with your Tilda Swinton when it comes in (IF the dang thing ever comes in!!!).
Ha that Tilda!!
I did sample the Montale Ouds last year as I awoke from my Big Mitsouko Sleep! The Red was my favorite but because my nose was only coming out of hibernation I sort of wasn’t ready for the onslaught, but strangely enough I have been craving something Oudy lately, was only trawling Luckyscent a couple of evenings ago – will be keeping an eagle eye out for the decants as I now own about 4000 litres of perfume!
I got a bottle of Theo Fennell Scent nearly free off ‘bay last week, its a L.T. 5-star that he calls a ‘saffron musk’. But its the EDT version and from what I can make out its been de-fanged by removing some cumin and spices…maybe its too tame for the hardliners!! But you can smell the saffron and musk, making it a softish oriental.
I was recently sent a sample of M. Micaleff Red Jewel. Is this the one you are referring to?
C: Daisy determined they smell nearly identical but one might be packaged for the Middle Eastern market? Red Jewel has PINK Swarovski crystals instead of white. LOL. But it’s mah-velous!
ahhh. ok. I really am loving most of the M. Micaleff line. 😉
Me, too. I’m coveting a bottle of Black Sea.
Uh oh, H!!! You weren’t privy to my email “conversation” with Daisy, Boojum, and Cynthia where I was telling them that I seriously can NOT get Black Sea and White Sea out of my head — but I’ve never smelled either one!! I assume you’ve smelled Black Sea? I really need to get samples of both of those.
Yes, something about Russian lemmings… I of course was paying NO attention, because I’m actively ignoring that line. *whistles*
Joe, they’re both great! I think my Black Sea sample is almost gone, but there’s enough White Sea to pass on. They are both fantastic, very much to my taste. IMO, the White is more masculine, the Black is more gender neutral.
Not much really to report this week. Today I wore TC as I was working an estate sale and man did my boss love it. I wasn’t surprised because it does smell great for the first hour but after it heats up…. : (
Also, last poll I mentioned going to an estate sale with piles of perfume. Well, there was a lot, but most of it was L’Air du Temps, which is not my cup. There was a full bottle of Evening in Paris which I sprayed once and promptly startled everyone within a five mile radius with the sillage. It definitely was not me and I wonder if was a newer bottle, because it sure didn’t smell vintage.
I picked up the cutest little Joy EDT mini. There are only 2ml but judging by the base notes, it’s vintage-y, at least 10 years old. I still can’t wrap my brain around it, though.
Also got a manufacturer’s sample of Angel and it doesn’t seem to last very long for how big it starts out.
Oh, well at least you got the Joy! Vintage Joy is lovely.
Very surprised about the Angel, that lasts forever on me.
Wearing Euphoria for men today.. dunno why, the bottle just felt nice when i picked it up! always get compliments when i wear it as well! I love the fragrance although i detest the advertising for it, how Silly! the Old Calvin Klein “Obsession” and “Eternity” Commercials made more sense, and where incredibly FUN as well! Hoping Beauty is a good one, loving the name and the Adverts! although very rarely have i been disappointed by a CK fragrance, (except those INFERNAL Flankers!)
does anyone remember how AWESOME his fragrances “Contradiction” Smelled? OH HONEY! those were INSANELY Good!
I hope Beauty is a good one too…
I do remember Contradiction and have a the very fond memory of Valentine’s Day 98′ and my hubby took me to the Galleria Mall in Cali and bought me a huge bottle of it, it looked like some sort of tubelar weapon and the cold metal felt soothing to hold in your hands. The smell was divine but I never knew exactly what the notes were, it would be weird to find out now. I had two bottles and then moved on to other adventures but looking back I’ve always had a thing for musky , rich scents. I also loved LOVED Avon’s Natori , I was so sad when they discontinued it, that one mixed with the alchemy of my skin so well, delicious<3 And I was 20 living in the high desert while everyone else was wearing Tommy Girl and Poison. Thanks for making me walk down olfactory memory lane 🙂
I’ve been saving up the courage to write this post for months, now. Here goes…
I want perfume buddies! I want friends I can go into The City (SF) with and shop, spritz, gab, lunch, rinse and repeat, with. I want someone in my life who loves scent as much as I do. I want a friend who, when he/she gets paid the first thing they think of is “Which perfume can I buy with this?” I want a friend who stops and smells the roses, and lillies, thistles, peppers, wood, plastic, leather, Guerlains and Chanels.
Is there a Meetup.com for perfumistas/perfumistos? I’m a member of Basenotes and Makeupalley but when last I checked the SF Bay area group on Basenotes was inactive. Makeupalley is completely unintuitive to me and I have no idea how to make those token thingys work. How did you meet your perfume buddies? Do you have perfume buddies?
Thanks for reading this far. It feels good to get it all out there. Also, SOTD: Guerlain Figue Iris, Aqua Allegoria.
Email me at matadecoco2001 at hotmail.com – I just organized a spring sniff event and am planning another for fall. Of course, if you wanted to meet up in between I’m sure a couple of us could get together.
I’d be up for a get together this summer, since I missed the last sniff due to bronchitis. (I’m from Berkeley, and also known as Nina Z). Thanks for all the organizing, Tama!
See Tama’s note above… there are SF area sniffers right here!
Haha, and I cross posted with Tama, so now see her note *immediately* above. 😀
hi Luminous, and welcome 😀
wish i could be in SF and have perfume sniffing fun together. i hope you will find buddies soon in real life, but believe me, it is also great fun to share experiences here on nst as well
Thank you so much for the warm feelings. I’ll try to comment more 🙂 SOTD: Jean Nate powder and body splash. It was 80 here and she was calling my name.
Awwwwwww Luminous! I have been feeling thee same way! It sucks I’m here in the Pacific Northwest or I would totally chill with you . Damn. I know how you feel, it’s like were aliens or something- well really lovely smelling ones but no one else gets it huh? I’m sure maybe someone will pipe up and be brave to meet you. I don’t know anyone either on here and it can get lonely seeing all the back and forth comments from people that seem to “know” of each other. Your not alone! I wish we could go on a smellin spree and blow our sinuses sky high 🙂 Love your name BTW!
Be well<3
Many of us only know each other from here, and participating in splits or offering up samples. Eventually you start to learn who has similar (or even more useful, opposite!) taste to you, and you chatter back and forth in comments. Really, just jump in!
So what’s the protocol for offering up a sample?
Hm, protocol… not my forte. 😀 It just sort of happens, you know? Like, someone mentions an interest in a frag, and someone else has it and just says “contact me at this email (or on MUA) if you’re interested in a sample”. Pretty simple!
ha ha I live in rural Australia! But the blogs, sampling, sharing etc has become the most enjoyable thing! But it probably is an unusual hobby – its like being an enthusiast of anything, there are not too many of us!
I am also an Aussie and quite alone, here, in my love of perfume! Although I am trying to get a few friends “into” perfume, they just dont share my absolute adoration of the stuff! Im not in rural Australia but may as well be as we dont really get anything here that isnt mainstream. Its so sad to read about all the choices the rest of the world have!
Also in Australia and I know what you mean about only mainstream perfumes being available. And the few places that sell niche perfumes are very expensive, online shopping is better if the postage isn’t too much and the AUD$ is trading at a decent level!
SOTD- Fireside Intense by SSS- it’s cool here today with a major storm forecast so it seems appropriate to cosy up indoors!
Oh and SOTD is Belladogia-im having a carnation day! (its been raining here off and on all day)
Oh dear that should be Bellodgia – the wet weather is playing havoc with my typing! Ha
Tamara, as boojum says, just jump on in – the water’s fine! 🙂
I am very happy with my decant of L’artisan Parfumeur Nuit de Tubereuse. It is luscious. Happy I didn’t buy a FB since I don’t know how much I will wear it…but I LURVE! Seriously! So my fav’s from the house are this and Al Oudh….Havana Vanille….major DUD for me!
I meant to say fav recent releases. 🙂
I’m definitely curious to smell that Tubereuse! Seems like hit or miss. I have a bit coming my way soon…
Funny also how HV was a big DUD for many of us too, even those of us who are hardcore L’Artisan lovers! But it was a hit for many too!
Yes, I had a similar experience with HV. I really liked it at first, but the dry-down turned to milk and left me rather disappointed. Maybe it works better on other skin chemistries? Anyone find that?
My local Space NK in Richmond now stocks a selection of L’Artisan frags – luckily one of them is Timbuktu and the other is DZING. Another is Fou D’Absinthe, but I havn’t tried that on my skin so far – I keep enjoying Timbuktu. Now, if they’d add Mechant Loup and Bois Farine to the mix, I’d be a really happy bunny.
I appear to be in that small group for whom HV was a slightly boozy, lightly smoky, yummy vanilla.
Well, I liked it as well. I have a decant, and probably will not be buying more – but it’s quite pleasant.
Just got a split of HV, which I’ve worn in the heat (in Florida, so right next door to Cuba). It works pretty well but does get a little milky in the far drydown. The first L’A I’ve encountered that lasts more than 15 minutes on me, too! I like it but the split should be fine.
HV is the only vanilla focused fragrance I do enjoy wearing, from time to time. Well, my 1 ml sample is still almost full, but I think it has a beautiful, textured, grainy feel. It makes me feel calm, though it is often a bit too sweet…
Blimunda, et al.: It’s funny, sweet or milky wouldn’t bother me, but somehow HV just has a slightly “sour” vibe on me. For example, I LOVE Spiritueuse Double Vanille and other vanillas, and they perform well on my skin. HV just didn’t make it.
And B, all those L’Artisan’s you mention are faves of mine and I own, except Fou d’Absinthe, which I’ve only sampled; I probably should try Fou sprayed in more goodly amounts.
Wow, I didn’t realize there were so many of you who were disappointed with HV. I love it! Joe, SDV was “too too” for me – too weighty, too boozy. I like HV ever so much better!
And isn’t that interesting, considering we often have so much overlap? Now, the one I really like quite a lot is L’A Vanilia. I should get a backup bottle in case they discontinue… my current has very little left, though I bought it less than half full awhile back.
HV was ok for me, but there was something just a slight bit off… and by all rights, it *should* have been perfect for me. (LAP, Duchaufour, the list of notes, the inspiration…all perfect.) When it wasn’t, it could almost as well have been a scrubber. I do have a decant, and I’ll probably use it, but I’m glad I didn’t buy much!
Luminous, I wish we were in the same city because I would love to go skipping round town with you… I have been dying for some women or gay men to ‘fume bond with (pretty sure a “perfume date” with a straight man falls under inappropriate for a taken girl like myself). I post what feels like 50 comments on these NST open thread days cause I’m dying to talk about my obsession with other people who get it… I haven’t met anyone here in Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota who loves perfume or even just likes it enough to spend some time discovering and discussing it with me (though my wonderful boyfriend has made a real effort to fill the post for me, which is adorable cause I know he couldn’t care less about perfumes and does it for me). I know its not the same Luminous, but if you (or anyone else) would like to chat it up about our ‘fume obsessions via emails or pm’s on mua or basenotes, please let me know and I’ll give you my info. I’ve always thought that it would be super cool to have a perfume pen pal. 🙂
k-scott – I know no one in real life who has any interest in perfume, so blogs and forums are the only way I have to share my enthusiasm. Perhaps we need to get together with our fellow Floridians to talk perfume.
Count me in, Florida frag lovers! 🙂
I’m luminous [dot] phenomena [at] gmail.com 🙂 Let’s be scented pen pals! 🙂 Remember the scented pens? I loved those as a kid.
Oh, me too! And the scratch ‘n sniff stickers, and pretty much anything else I could get my hands (and pitiful spending money) on. Bath cubes, lotion, perfumed shampoo… my family thought I was nuts.
I’m late as usual, but I must share: I finally have got acquainted with Tauer fragrances! (late here, too). My parcel have arrived yesterday with 3 extra samples Andy put in! 8 samples in total.
My favorites are Une rose chyprée, Le Maroc pour elle and Incense rosé, not surprisingly, cause rose is my favorite note. So now I’ll have a hard time deciding about my first Tauer FB! And I must say I’m having a great weekend largely due to this experience.
I love URC, have not tried Maroc… and the IR is lovely, but veers toward “too much” on me. I tend toward light scents lightly applied, so Andy’s frags are difficult for me…definite dabbers! I need to retest Reverie, though…that one, I think I could wear most easily, but I could easily be forgetting something.
Le Maroc is so beautiful, it’s more jasmine than rose on me and smells like an ancient aromatic oil. It’s not strong on me, but maybe it’s due to my skin chemistry: fragrances tend to “disappear” on my skin. I need to retest Reverie too, as I didn’t really “get it”. I do think it’s lighter then his other frags.
I felt the same about Reverie when I first sampled his frags. However, it is now my all time favourite scent ever – alongside Bandit by Piguet! It’s an incredibly unusual scent, and if any perfume can smell like a TEXTURE, Reverie would be it. I find it such a great and interesting thing to smell, it is so satisfying!! Try it a few more times this coming summer and see how it sits with you then!
I so agree about Reverie–it has been my go-to scent all spring. I am now testing Orange Star and look forward to adding it to my growing “tower of Tauer’s” !!!
B- I like rich orientals but the Tauers wear so stronly – I only need a tiny drop to enjoy – especally UNC – that one is very potent. I’ll have to send you a sample of Maroc pour Elle – I have about 15 mls of that – it is my favorite from his line. Elegant hippie.
So glad you discovered Andy! He is a lovely man, and makes such marvelous scents. Enjoy!!
Thank you 🙂
His scents really are terrific, and I love how you describe Maroc as like an ancient oil. I love the way it blooms in warm weather and feels magical somehow. (Btw, Boo, I can send you a small sample… it’s a strong one, almost as strong as L’Air dD).
It’s probably too much for me. Even URC, which I love, gets to be too much after awhile. I tend to dab a tiny bit, and eventually wash off a bunch to tone it down.
Just a question for those in Europe. Did anyone else have the impression that their perfumes smelled different while there was so much volcanic ash about?
Or if anyone else knows if such things affect either how perfumes “behave” or one’s sense of smell, I’d be grateful to know more.
lenika!!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Tauer’s perfumes! I love his scents too:)
🙂
Everybody’s saying what they like/don’t like. Here’s a few words from me: I am enjoying CdG incense series sooo much right now. I absolutely adore Zagorsk. I really feel like I’m somewhere in the dark forest, and I can see an abandoned church… it’s cold and dark… ohhh I just love Zagorsk! I also have been loving Bond no.9 fragrances. First of all my all time favorites are Park Avenue (the most beautiful floral I have ever smelled in my life and the smell of my childhood), Little Italy (the most amazing orange/mandarin perfume ever. No other citrus is as juicy and real smelling as this one), Gramercy Park (I adore it because it really smells like a forbidden garden, ivy leaves and all that good/green stuff. I so wanted to love Central Park but Gramercy is a winner), Chinatown (the most beautiful pink, candy-like, sweet, interesting gourmand ever created). I could go on and rave abou Bond no.9 for a long time… they are just great! The one I’m really curious about is Andy Warhol Silver Factory (I think I have to try every, single incense scent out there haha), and of course… High Line. The first railroad perfume? I love the whole idea!!! Since I tend to love Bond no.9, I will be trying it for sure! Has anyone tried High Line yet? If so, what it is like?
I sniffed a few Bonds on paper the other day and I think one of them was High Line – didn’t make much of an impression. My favorites so far are Silver Factory and Chinatown, but I keep trying them whenever I go downtown. I’ll definitely put Little Italy and Park Avenue on my sniff list!
Lav: I love Bond’s Chinatown & Silver Factory too. Also enjoy Eau de NY (have a discount FB of that coming). I got the sample of High LIne & didn’t like it at all…I didn’t get any of the groovy promised railroad/urban/river smells, just eye-watering white florals. I guess I was expected more of a Comme des Garcons experience but it was a scrubber on me. And being Bond, I thought I’d have to amputate my arm to get rid of it. Ditto Bond parfum, that rose/oud monstrosity. Whew!!! (gasp, gasp :0
Yeah, I found Highline SC-REEEEEEEEEECHY! Which one is Rose-Oud?
Hey, Carlos! It was the new “bond #9” parfum.
Lavandula: I also LOVE Zagorsk. When I got a sample pack of all 5 incenses, that was the one I HAD to have, though I’ve since bought or got decants of all the others but Jaisalmer (though that one’s nice too).
I like Little Italy a lot, but LOVE Brooklyn. Silver Factory is a nice incense. I’m also curious about High Line, but it sounds like it might be a bit too floral and not quirky enough. Pity. I find some Bonds very nasty as well though!
I recently discovered Bond’s Broadway Nite. I really adore it – it’s close to a HG for me, which surprised me.
It *is* sweet and loud, but there’s a lot going on in there and it is fun to check in from time to time as it develops. The central violet/mimosa is yummy.
I hated the only two Bonds I’ve tried, and haven’t been inspired to chase after any others. It’s one of those lines, like Creed, that just doesn’t tempt me much at all. Probably unfair. Zagorsk though… that may well be my favorite incense frag of all. It’s certainly in the top 5. I haven’t tried Avignon (grew up Catholic and probably know just how it smells, lol) or Jaisalmar yet.
Warning: Boojum…Avignon’s got that right out of the censer smell. Talk about scent associations!
That’s why I haven’t bothered. 😀
I just bought Jaisalmer yesterday!–and it is a refill of a bottle I used up completely. (Of course they are small.) Among the Bonds, I also really love Silver Factory, but not too many of the others. They seem to share an overly sweet candy quality. But if you haven’t tried Jaisalmer, do!
I like most Bonds, but some I just find kind of boring. I loooove Wall Street, and I think that Little ITaly is very underappreciated. On me, It’s such a nice fresh orange with a touch of greenery, and when it dries down I smell the NYC subway. I know, that sounds gross, but I’m not talking about the dried pee scent. I’m talking about the underground humidity mixed with trail steel and electricity. It’s very interesting on my skin and makes me homesick. High Line worked on me as well, floral with a burst of green and also somehow smelling like NYC. Mmmm, Bonds. I’ll have to get my hands on some more of the newer ones.
SOTD: Clean Shower Fresh.
SOTD is A Scent by Costume National, which a nice SA gave me a sample of the other day. I’d never tried it before and really like it. We are having days in the high 90’s here in Houston and I need things that are light. ‘m leaning toward incense-y scents too, to cut the heat.
Question: I’m going to London soon. Last year on a trip there I was able to visit perfume counters in Harrad’s and Liberty’s, and sought out Parfums de Nicolai and Penhaligons. What are the other niche places I should try? Thanks for any suggestions!
Go here:
https://freebox.it.com/perfume-shopping-in-london/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Jealous!!!
Hey Calypso,
Not that I’ve been, but Ormonde Jayne would be a must-stop for me if I were ever lucky enough to find myself in London. Enjoy!
Guys, I’ve tested Aqua di Gioia on Friday as it launched in Sephora.
First impressions are not good, and that’s a big disappointment as I expected to love it.
Aqua di Gioia starts with a wonderful, screechy fresh note of citrus and mint, lasting 10 seconds. After that, 15 minutes of flat warm mojito and something vaguely like green sap. After that is migrates slowly but surely towards the latest Armaniade,almost like the one you can smell in Diamonds – pale woods, pale flowers, a hint of very clean musk. It had a pretty good sillage although by that time I wished it hadn’t.
The bottle is very nice, and the marketing campaign spectacular in an Avatar-ish sort of way.
As for the scent, give me Herba Fresca anytime.
It is almost uncanny how much that sounds like what I expected!
Thank you all for the good wishes. It’s the first one, so everything is a bit scary and exciting at the same time,
I have not noticed any effects on my ability to smell yet, but it is early.
Congratulations, Antje, it’s a wonderful time of year to be with child. Everything is growing, blooming and budding.
Oh the horror of packing up my life, my perfume, my books and *returning* beloved library books that I’m not ready to part with!! But stressful times call for some perfumista aromatherapy! Scents of the Week have included: lots and lots of Chanel EdC; Hermes Vanille Galante, Osmanthe Yunnan; LTd’UF, and BK A Taste of Heaven. In addition my partner and I have been taking turns wearing the Atelier Colognes (he’s just about ready to plunk down for FB of Grand Neroli!). Today, I may wear no perfume at all….helps focus the mind, you know?
I’ve sampled all that you mentioned except the Osmanthe and the GN, they are mentioned here a lot. I love BK ATOFH. One of my favorites of this year and also the LTd’UF.
Ahhhh, the library, I understand.
Hello fellow smell seekers–If you are anywhere in the greater Mid-Atlantic region of the USA do plan a trip to Longwood Gardens for the perfume exhibit. Just went yesterday (sorry Robin, it was a spur of the last moment trip so I wasn’t able to connect with you), and I am happy to report that it is a wonderful, sensual experience. The exhibit is interactive throughout the conservatory and has a wonderful display of perfume bottles. I loved experiencing the scent of the live plants and then the little puffs of scent as part of the “teaching tools” prepared for different types of smells.
Also, right now happens to be Lilytopia–for the next few weeks only there is a room devoted to an impressive display of all kinds of fantastic lilies…the smell is overwhelming–like being inside a bottle of FM’s Lys Mediternee–loved it.
Only sour note–the drydown on the scent created for the exhibit and sold in the gift shop, Always in Bloom. Nice blast of lily of the valley then the cat pee-ness came up on me. lots of scrubbing in the rest room, but it stayed with me all day!! Yikes!!
So glad you got to see it! I have not been back yet to see the lilies, I better hurry before they’re gone.
Has anyone smelled Balenciaga Paris?
Yes, C. Nice violet! I can maybe eke out a sample for you if I send your Swinton later in the week.
Only about everyone except us:) For all the raves it gets I’m surprised at my restraint. It’s probably going to make me cave….