Do tell us what fragrance you picked today!
I'm wearing Frédéric Malle Eau de Magnolia. Very pretty — prettier than I expected, really — but I am not in love. Did anyone buy this one?
Reminder: this Friday, 11/7, we're doing "down the rabbit hole Friday": wear the perfume that turned you into a perfumista (whatever that means to you).
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2014, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is twins [cropped] by Muffett at flickr; some rights reserved.
I’ve only tried POAL (which I love) and Vetiver Extraordinaire (which I only liked even though I am a vetiver fan). Would like to try more from Malle.
On subject, today I am wearing Emporio Armani Lui.
The price point kept me away from Malle for awhile, but then I tried Iris Poudre and I love it! I really want to try their roses – POAL and lipstick rose.
And don’t forget Une Rose!
Love Une Rose!
I picked Tocca Bianca from a sample, though its body and staying power can’t really match up to last night’s *voice drops to a whisper* Coty Vanilla Musk.
No need to whisper, LOL…
SOTD is The Scent of Peace for Him (Bond no. 9).
I liked that one.
I’m wearing Carthusia Ligea La Sirena, which is basically Shalimar.
I have a sample of Eau de Magnolia but have only smelled it on paper so far. It seemed a little wimpy but yes, pretty.
You know, that might be one of the few Carthusia scents I have not tried. But the early ones were all supposed to be based on the old recipes of the monks…so that means they did Shalimar first, LOL…
Ha! Shalimar seems a bit indulgent for the monk way of life.
Have your tried the jasmine one, Gelsonimo? It’s quite indolic.
Ha…you made me consult my testing notes, and no…so there still some I have not tried! I keep meaning to get a sample of the Capri Forget Me Not so will add the Gelsomino to my list.
I am loving Capri Forget Me Not!
I tried the Eau de Magnolia when sampling several other FM’s– and I thought it was a little wimpy too in a nearly otherwise fabulous line-up of amazing fragrances. If I had the dosh I would definitely purchase more FM’s!
I’m craving quiet today, so I’m thinking it’s a Gaiac 10 day.
Ohhh, that is a lovely choice if you’re shooting for a serene day.
I tried Eau de Magnolia and liked it OK but did not find it to be Frederic Malle Prices worthy.
My favorite FM is Dries Van Noten.
I am wearing Maison Martin Margiela Replica Jazz Club from a Sephora handmade sample today.
And frankly I still don’t know what to think of this one yet…Any thoughts on it Robin?
Love Dries Van Noten. Agree, would not pay a premium for the Magnolia.
I thought Jazz Club was the best of the early Replica set (I do like boozy notes), but even then, did not think it was worth what they’re charging for the Replica scents…none of them smelled to me like they invested much in the materials.
Totally agree Robin.
Jazz Club hooks you long enough but then fails to make you swoon…
Mall-worthy, yes, but not Malle-worthy. It’s quite nice in an everyday-pretty way, but fortunately there is something just slightly off-putting in the top notes, successfully preventing me from whipping out the credit card.
Annie, I loved the play on words.
I think I’ll even use it moving forward (Mall-worthy but not Malle-worthy haha)
I can totally understand which off putting note you’re referring to.
Is it that oniony sour note that points it’s head out in so many fresh citrusy frags?
Versace Man Eau Fraiche and D&G Light Blue for men to name just two.
By George, I think that’s it! I hadn’t articulated it as oniony. Bleh, I cannot bear Light Blue…
1826 (Eugenie de Montijo) by Histoires de Parfums. This was one of the first niche lines I explored, because I like the ones with literary connotations 🙂 I like all the book series, this one is probably my favourite though.
Yes, wish they’d do more in that series! A few more modern authors would be fun.
I agree. Hemingway is pretty recent, but there’s still 90-odd years and plenty of inspiration left to go. I think Anais Nin would translate to a (potentially) great perfume. I wonder what Kerouac would smell like? 🙂
Oh my word, I would flip (with joy!) if they made an Anais Nin scent. I’d also love a Joan Didion one or a Louis-Ferdinand Celine fragrance. I feel like, how do you get cigarettes, coffee, and amphetamines into a fragrance? That would be Kerouac to me! Interesting.
I would wear Joan Didion in a second.
This would be a great quiz: scent your favorite author, or any author.
Of the ones I tried when I was overseas, Hemmingway was the winner!
Hit post by accident. I got a travel Magnolia during the split meet….I really love it too! I tend to find magnolia overwhelming, even in real life, but the green-ness if the FM creates such a great balance! Yum!
I would not mind having a travel size of this either, just wouldn’t pay for it 🙂
SOTD is Saffron by Jo Malone. A sales associate suggested it and gave me a sample. I really like it. Definitely very saffron-y for the first 10 or 15 minutes, but now is just creamy and woody with a hint of saffron.
First time to try Eau des Merveilles. I got several minis a few weeks ago, and this is the last. I really like it. I’m going to try a few more minis of Hermes scents.
Love that one! I bought a small bottle recently. It’s one of my go-to scents when I don’t really want to think about what to wear.
I bought a big bottle recently! And I was just thinking what to wear today … So it will be Eau des Merveilles 🙂
Farouche let me know about the Nomad set, and I bought the 15mL bottle of EdM. It is amazing. It’s become a go-to scent for me. I have mown through a good portion of the bottle already. Great stuff!
SOTD is Tauer Une Rose Chypree. I love it, but maybe my nose is broken, it doesn’t seem nearly as strong as it did the last time. Last time was still in the summer, so maybe that’s the reason. I’m trying to decide which 3 scents to choose for that Explorer set he is offering on his site and I am definitely getting this one.
I love the explorer set! I literally ordered a set the DAY he announced its availability.
The explorers are genius. I’m thinking about the next one …
Am currently wearing L’air du desert marocain, deciding on whether to pull the trigger on the set.
Explorer!
I will most likely get LADDM and Rose Chypree, but can’t decide on the 3rd. Haven’t tested Carillon and Vetiver Dance yet. If I hate those, I might get Rose Vermeille.
I like Orange Star (and I don’t generally like orange) and Maroc pour Elle
Maroc pour Elle is my fav Tauer. I like Vetiver Dance too, but it’s very grassy. I like his roses best.
I love that flower image! I’ve not smelled Eau de Magnolia – I’m far behind sniffing new things.
SOTD is Guerlain’s Bois d’Armenie courtesy of a lovely sample given to me by Rappleyea. I smell so good! I really like BdA so far. It reminds me a little bit of a few other fragrances, so this is fun. Just a tad like Coromandel, a tad like Memoir Woman, a tad like Ambra del Nepal. It’s very nice.
I have a decant of BdA somewhere – need to find it once the weather cools off, if it ever does!
I’m wearing Violette Fumee.
I have somehow managed not to try any of the recent magnolia perfumes, the Malle or the two Magnolia Grandiflora Michel and Sandrine ones. It’s not really a favorite note but I did mean to try them sometime during the summer… maybe I’ll get to them before next summer!
One of my top three fumes, LOVE Violette Fumee, you smell fabulous 🙂 I tried the two Grandiflora Magnolias and to my nose they can’t even come close to the beauty of Malle’s Eau de Magnolia. I have a decant of it from the recent swap here and a fb is near the top of my wishlist.
Totally dreaming of a FB of Violette Fumee. Sigh.
Ditto!
I’m trying Guerlain’s Arsene Lupin Voyou and I am nooooot entirely sure about it. Might be a touch to manly for me. I do love a masculine scent once in a while but there is something a little too pine-y going on here. Maybe it will calm down as the day goes on.
Some fragrances just are too Dude, or perhaps trop Monsieur…
SOTD: Le Male Jean Paul Gaultier for men
Paestum Rose for me today. I only wear it every once in a while but I do love it.
I’ve tried Eau de Magnolia, I found it very pretty but wasn’t enamoured with the drydown; mind you I’ve only tried it on paper.
Wearing twenty-year-old Stetson. (I assume they can’t have changed the formula THAT much since then, although these days you never know.) It’s so cheap that I forget just how good it is.
Wearing Lyric Woman again. Needed something warm and cheerful today.
I’ve not tried a Malle yet, but I might have to get some samples soon.
Lyric fixes everything, IMO..
Hahaha, yes. It’s definitely making today much more bearable 🙂
Hope you are all very well today.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – I derive so much comfort from visiting every day and hearing how all of you are in your daily scented adventures, even if I don’t get a chance to post. And today I *really* appreciate that comfort, as it’s helping to prevent me from becoming a cranky little mess. Things need to change in my life, but the NST comments section has become a happy constant.
I’m reaching for my vial of Tolu today. Amber seems appropriate. Warmth is necessary and greatly appreciated.
Be well dears.
Anytime you want to hang out and sniff just let me know. Sending comforting hugs
You’re the best Rena – thank you!
You guys keep me sane(ish) too. Such a great place to escape to.
Big hug to you, and best wishes for sailing through the crappiness unscathed x
Such a shame that Perth is so far from New York….
Thanks for the kindness, and the same to you!
A nice perfume turns back the dial on Rotten Day. So does chatting with buddies…
Seconded!
Indeed, and as the Golden Girls would say – thank you for bein a friend.
Ditto what you said, completely. Been feeling the same way. Hope you have a good day 🙂
Aww – glad to know I’m not alone, and glad to know that this helps you too! You smell amazing by the way – I love Lyric.
I completely agree. Even if I don’t manage a comment, just checking in is soothing. It’s a great community.
Your ambery Tolu is beautiful. I have a friend who wore that as her wedding scent. I wore it Monday. Be well!
I can see this as a wedding scent – not necessarily for me, but absolutely a worthy choice!
Glad to know it helps you too.
Be well Hemlock!!
I loove Eau de Magnolia, it’s been a while I wasn’t in love with any perfume , i find this very wearable, nothing too loud but it’s still there , I can’t describe how much I love this.
SOD is a layering combo, Arancia di Capri lotion mixed with Oscar from Oscar de la Renta. , I love to experiment with layering and I think this is a success, love it.
The weather is now back up in the 80’s today so I went with Corsica Furiosa from a decant. Love the opening of this with its big bold greenness and wonderful sweetish dry-down.
Haven’t tried the Malle magnolia, but I did spring for a small bottle of Musc Ravageur last year. It was a toss up though, because I did like Dries and d’Hiver as well.
oh, to have a endless supply of greenbacks…;)
I’m wearing Iris Silver Mist and even though it’s getting a little cooler here I am loving it. I find it doesn’t last on my skin that long though so I spray it on my sleeves a bit too and then I’m happy for hours. This was a birthday present last month and it came in the black sprays which I find brilliant. Wish Serges would put a lot more of the bell jar fragrances in this packaging.
What an amazing birthday present!!
Wearing the other iris, Bas de Soie. Wait, did we both do this last week?
I’ve never smelled Eau de Magnolia, in fact I am afraid to try any of the Malles because of the price. I’ve already fallen in love with several Amouage and Tom Ford fragrances and they are pricey enough! Anyway my SOTD is Apercu parfum, such a nice old-fashioned (also inexpensive!) floral chypre.
+1 for Apercu, I never see it mentioned. Great scent.
I really should retry Apercu… I’ve probably still got a sample of it somewhere.
And really should recatalog my samples. At one point they were all organized by house in a craft box, but not now.
I had mine nicely organized for about 10 minutes, once.
I seldom say this (thankfully! lol) but I smell BAD today. I fished a sample of Micallef Red Sea out of my untried sample bin and thought it might be a hit on a cold clear day. It’s very ‘manly’. It was listed as unisex, but I’d definitely call it a masculine. And it’s a cumin spree on steroids. I actually like cumin. A lot. I can usually pull it off without wandering off into B.O. territory. But not this time. This is so strong of cumin that I’m afraid it will cling to the suede blazer I’m wearing, making it impossible to wear again without sending it out for a cleaning.
I MIGHT like this on a man. If he didn’t amp the cumin like I’m doing. But this is definitely not for me. So of course it’s hanging in there with the tenacity of a pit bull. Don’t come into my office! lol
Oh no… It’s been a couple of years since I tried it but I remember liking Red Sea—I think I got lots of cinnamon, but I don’t remember cumin at all. This makes me want to try it again (cautiously!).
Yikes – a perfumista nightmare a few days late for Halloween!
On additional reflection, I’ve had this sample quite a while – I’m thinking at least two years – and it’s possible it has changed or gone bad in the interim. I should probably get a bit from someone who likes it and see if there’s a difference.
I just drained my sample of Old School Bench by MiN’s Scent Stories–…
Which starts with wonderful blast of dust, wood, pencil shavings and hints of a fire in the grate. With repeated applications, it kept fading to nothing pretty quickly however, so I finally just dumped the rest of the vial on my arm. Now… I am getting the angelica root and wood cleaner/furniture wax (with the very faintest hint of pine oil), which is errr interesting, and not bad or a scrubber… and then perhaps the essence of patchouli….
So I guess it does tell a story about an old school bench… and I am glad I tried it. But the the tale ends there. Fin!
I’ve been pretty impressed with the MiN scent stories so far! They are pretty interesting.
I’m in Coco. Two sprays, which is usually a little much for the office, but my only appointment of that day isn’t until 3:00, so it will have time to diffuse by then.
Nice! Coco will be just perfect by the afternoon!
Recovering today from dental surgery yesterday 🙁 so pulled out my ultra comfort gun, Mona’s Oud. I may have a swollen face and pain but oh I smell wonderful 🙂
Definitely one of my favorites Ouds! You smell great!!!!
I am wearing Turquoise by Regime des Fleurs. Spotted it in my collection this morning and just decided that I wanted to smell it all day long.
I’m curious about this line (and I kinda like the bottles)- what’s it like?
Pulled out the old Calvin Klein Truth. Had an early morning yoga sculpt class so it seemed appropriately zen…
Regime des Fleurs almost kind of has a natural vibe to it, I think, as a whole. Turquoise has a nice grassy and dried flowers smell to me and I like that. I agree; the bottles are really pretty.
My SOTD is Black Flower Mexican Vanilla from Dame Perfumery.
Shalimar edt this morning – two sprays should last all day. I woke up thinking of wearing this one, sniffed a couple other bottles to make sure, and yup. This is it.
Nebbe, huge score on the Batiste dry shampoo! I found it at nordstrom, at a comparable cost to the drug store brands. I purchased the one for brown hair and is smells fabulous although I can’t pin down the scent, chocolate maybe? Works great too – thanks for the rec!
Hey, Nightingale, that is great news!! Happy to hear it. Gotta love another fun thing to spray in the morning, ha! 🙂
Finally, it’s cold enough in London for Daim Blond! I can only wear it on a cold, crisp day, and I’m really enjoying it.
I can echo previous commenters re. Eau de Magnolia. I rushed out to sniff it when it was released, and although I thought it was beautifully done, it wasn’t love.
Good morning! You know, at first I thought the SOTD posts would be too much (I get anxious about all the blogs and comments, of course, I HAVE to read). But I’ve been really loving them. Like today, it reminded me that I needed to put some on so I could post about it! And I love hearing about the weather and such from all over the world. Such fun! So my SOTD is AG Chevrefeuille. While I don’t think it’s my rabbit hole scent (probably Missoni since I read an Allure article with L&T who mentioned it, then I went looking for it online, blah blah blah), but it is one I learned about from Robin’s review right at the beginning of my perfumista-ness! It’s another warm day in San Diego, so using all my summery stuff while I can before it cools off, if it ever does.
So glad!
Ditto! This community is a lovely breath of fresh air (wink,wink) and never fails to make me smile.
Wearing Ambre Premier by Jovoy from a small dab sample. This is such a gorgeous amber, but I’m afraid to check the price…
Oh I love that one too. I have a small sample and scheming about how to get more.
I am dosed up in Songes to go do laundry. No school today, no work (still) so I can wear big scents
Glass half full!! 🙂
SOTD is Memoir Woman. I flip-flop on this scent. Some days I get incense and leather and spice, other days I get a sweet/sour note (the wormwood?) that makes me want to scrub it off. Today it’s the scrubby kind, but I’m going outdoors to see if a cooler temp helps. I’ll certainly be the most unusually-scented person at my Home Depot this morning.
I hosted the Eau de Magnolia split and although I think it’s pretty, it’s probably not $12/ml worth of pretty. Of the recent releases I’ve tried I like Wit better but still don’t have but a sample. Hinting a lot at Santa this year.
Don’t forget to tell your cats too!
Today I chose Cuir de Lancome inspired by yesterday’s lemmings’ conversation. It truly is a gorgeous fall scent!
Met up for lunch with my only perfumista friend and she let me sniff her latest acquisitions: JHAG Oil Fiction and Liaisons Dangereuses by Kilian. Oil Fiction is very beautiful and seamlessly blended, but now in the drydown I find a not-so-appealing chalk note *my wallet sighs with relief*. Liaisons Dangereuses on me smells like a Bellini cocktail – peach and prosecco. but too soon I only had some flat and sour alcohol left *another sigh of relief*.
I got the Serge Lutens wax set today with 34 scents. WOW did the mail smell good today! I wasn’t really sure what to expect so I cracked open one I’ve already got a liquid sample of, Tubereuse Criminelle and rubbed a little on my wrists. Definitely works as a skin scent, which is nice because I thought they were just to sniff at like a wax candle.
Anyone have an experience with how long these hold their scent? I don’t know if I should dive in nose-first or I can slowly pick away at them.
Also got a sample of Tauer’s Rose Flash and a larger 5ml spray of Portrait of a Lady, speaking of Malle. I doubt I will ever find myself with a bottle because of the price, but I’ve had men trail me around stores while wearing it so it seems like a handy thing to have if I’m going to attempt dating again 😉
Wearing Cuir Russie today.
I am wearing a blind buy: CSP Sultan Safran, which is very nice woody-spicy scent for a cool office.
Wearing vintage Ubar Amouage with perhaps the most beautiful sandalwood drydown in my experiences.
Usually I don’t like to pit two of my favourite ‘children’ against one another, but Ubar’s sandalwood smells better than Bois des Iles parfum’s. (Is that grammatically correct?) Anyway, both are fantastic, but the Ubar has that bit of perfume magic that makes me smile every time I get a whiff. 🙂
Ha…on behalf of your children, will say that to be fair, you’d need comparable vintages! IMHO, the new Ubar doesn’t smell as fantastic in the sandalwood department as the old Ubar. And I have smelled vintage BdI, but not in ages and don’t have samples of both to compare. I do think my current Bois des Iles (extrait, a few years old) smells better than new Ubar.
That’s true, Robin, different vintage wise. I have a bottle of late 1950’s BdI extrait but it is not in the best condition (very-tarry).
I purchased an extrait last December and will have to compare with the current Ubar. A perfume project for the weekend !!!! 😉
Ah, then you have more to work with then I do!
Anyway, you’re lucky to have that vintage Ubar. It was a great scent.
Committing Guerlain sacrilege by wearing L’Heure Blue EDT layered over Heritage EDP. Enjoying it very much! LHB is a little too chilly and the Heritage is a little too bass, but together they rock!
Broke out a sample of Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt today. Sprayed really liberally. I was expecting something a little greener. This goes oddly fruity/spicy on me. I smell a bit like a yankee candle or something. It’s not bad, and I am happy that it’s not at all ozonic, but I can live without a full bottle, for sure.
“Yankee Candle”? Eek!
Haha! Yankee Candle has saved us all a bundle on perfume. Thanks, Yankee Candle!
I went with Tresor Midnight Rose this morning because I hadn’t worn it in a while. Bad. Idea. Whatever they use for the cedar note is really getting to me today, poking me repeatedly in the nose and giving me a headache. I’m generally not prone to perfume headaches, and this one normally doesn’t bother me.
SOTD is Clinique’s Aromatics Elixir… it was a sunny, chilly day, perfect for a sweater, hat, scarf & leather jacket. AE seemed like a good accompaniment for wool and leather. POAL is one of my FM favourites, as is Musc Ravageur… now that I think about it, MR would have been a good call today too!
I’m scentless today, as my coworker is having horrible asthma. I did not want to trigger her attack in any way. I’ll put on some ginormous scent when I get home.
Funny thought–PBS Idea Channel posted a vlog today about hyperbole in modern life and on the internet http://youtu.be/53rv3cwyLlk. I’m very guilty of over the top praise for things, scents in particular. If I don’t like something, I simply tend to be quiet. I respect that others may like it, and would never want to hurt someone’s feelings. Scent inspires (ha!) intense reactions. I’m not sure how to write about it with less over the top language…
That was very considerate of you. Enjoy your glam SOTE!
Nice vlog! (See, no hyperbole) 😉
Thanks. I’ll work on elevating nice in my mind to conveying pleasant, good, admirable. . . instead of meh 😀
Another day getting to this after hours.
I feel like apologising again for not hosting a Tauer explorer set in the last split. Oh well it’s been a week of mea culpas.
SOTD was Coromandel with a booster shot of Patchouli Antique tonight. Musty patch has it’s special melancholy charm for me this time of year. Maybe it’s because of the extra hour of evening darkness that those damp earth smells are so appealing?
Testing Olfactive Studio Still Life; this is the first from the brand that I have not liked. The problem is that it smells unpleasantly of cigarette smoke to my nose, or a particular combination in some masculine scents that I don’t like. No one else seems to get this in the reviews that I’ve looked up, though. That effect seems to diminish over time, but I’m not willing wait.
I have a sample of FM Eau de Magnolia. To me, it’s like they took a fairly genuine magnolia recreation and then filled it out as a perfume in the manner of Le Parfum de Therese.
What I like about real magnolia is its unusual dryness, however; since FM has taken it in the opposite direction, I prefer Sandrine. For something lush or fruity, I’ve already got LPdT and Manoumalia. I can understand why others might enjoy Eau de Magnolia, though. I do see it as well done.