It's Hump Day! If you have a minute, do tell us what fragrance you're wearing.
I'm wearing Maria Candida Gentile Elephant & Roses (review coming up later today).
Reminder: this Friday, 10/23, will be Slow Burn Friday: wear the perfume it took you the longest to love, or the longest to buy, or the longest to find.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2015, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
sotd: (somewhat vintage/1990’s) Balmain Jolie Madame. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
I love Jolie Madame, one of my vintage favorites
Excellent!
You smell awesome, of course.
Marron Chic for me today
Hi, scent twin!
SOTD is Iris Silver Mist.
Question for all: I was in Marshall’s last night and almost bought a small bottle of Kenzo Flower for $30. I think I must have smelled it sometime in my past, but I don’t really remember it, so I chickened out. I rarely buy a full bottle of anything, so I wasn’t ready to commit to one without a good reason. Was I crazy for passing this up? Should I go back and see if it’s still there?
I think the bottle itself is beautiful and easily worth $30. But the scent is non-existent on me. I think it’s a wispy powdery inoffensive (boring) fragrance, but could perhaps be a nice Office Wear scent if you can actually smell it on yourself.
I have the opposite experience with it: I find it completely overpowering, like I’m walking in a suffocating cloud of powder.
I don’t know what size you were looking at, but you can find a 30 ml online for about that much anyway — so I’d be tempted to try it first. It certainly has lots of fans, but I don’t personally love it.
Yeah, Flower by Kenzo (which I personally love, but is not for everyone) is available for cheap all over the place so definitely try before you buy!
Pass – I’ll second and double everyone’s remarks above – Kenzo Flower is easy to find at the discounters, so you should test first.
I love Kenzo Flower! Victoria did a wonderful review on Kenzo Flower at Bois de Jasmin.
I’m just starting out as a perfumista, so I haven’t figured out how quickly (or slowly) I go through mL, and I frequently buy full bottles. That said, I found that exact same deal at Marshalls, but I went for it. My bottle is the EDP with a bud on it. I’ve seen bottles with open poppy flowers on them though – are the different flower stages for different concentrations?
On me it consists mainly of a juxtaposition between spice and powder, with the flowers tying them together in the background. I love orientals, so I love Flower’s unique use of spice. After the first watery and greener 20 minute opening it ramps up the volume and I can smell it on myself for at least eight hours.
Since this perfume is so unique I agree that it is not for everyone, although every perfumista should smell it. If you enjoy spice and powder, then I would say go for it – although it doesn’t hurt to shop around since it is widely available at discounters.
Thanks for the input, everyone! Feeling better about my decision to walk away. Still hoping that someday I’ll find a great bargain one of these days.
I love elephants- great photo above. They are so majestic
Today is suppose to be a beautiful outside-
Right now I can still smell some noir pour femme from yesterday’s spray- after I shower I am thinking of good girl gone bad
That is one of the images Maria Candida Gentile is using for the fragrance 🙂
I am wearing Jean Louis Scherrer vintage extrait, one little drop is enough for the whole day.
Do you know how it compares to the current EDP?
Unfortunately I haven’t tried the new edp, I am curious to know that too
Current edp is perfectly acceptable, but vintage is considerably more oakmossy.
Thank you. I should try it then
Histories de Parfum 1740 Marquis de Sade. I love this fragrance it is familiar and soothing although I really wish they hadn’t named it in honor of such a sick character.
I know, I never really gave it a chance because of the name. Reviews were great, but I took one sniff and considered how many other leather scents I already had. 1969 on the other hand – had to have it! 😉
I think that 1740 is the best of the bunch. I love it in summer. That ambery drydown is hard to beat.
I think I’ve tried 1969, but it’s a long time ago, so will try again.
I also like 1969 a lot, only thing is at times it turns a tad sweeter than I’d like.
I adore the fragrance, and I don’t know enough about De Sade to be a judge of his character. Still I tend to call mine 1740. Same with Casanova, just 1725 in my book.
“Quills” was a movie I really enjoyed that was about the Marquis de Sade. It’s with Kate Winslet and Geoffrey Rush whom I adore.
Just looked up Geoffrey Rush. He was in The King’s Speech as well.
Oh, that movie! So great in parts. So hard to watch in parts.
ooops, previous comment was about Quills. King’s Speech was not too challenging, but also a good movie.
3 SOTD today:
A La Folie this morning
Silences to work
Kingdom now that im home again
Nice trio…and you got the times right!
Love the first 2!
I was out of town in DC last weekend and decided not to post on the Swapmeet because I was worried I’d be too distracted to respond in time, but now I’m kind of regretting it. Have some things I’d love to swap, but it’s probably too late to post anything. Ah well. Next time around.
Haven’t decided on what to wear yet, but it’ll probably be sandalwood based. Bois des Iles maybe.
A coworker arrived at work doused in Bond No. 9’s Upper West Side (is that the big tuberose?) and after hugging her, I still smell of it. Too bad I’m not a tuberose fan..
I know I still check the swap meet post at least once a day until it’s officially closed. Maybe others do to.
Thanks Vanie! I think I will!
Wait, same here–if you post today, I promise to look! And I will try to gather up my things for swap too–after all, it’s not like anything’s lost if it just doesn’t work out. (Mainly it means I’ll have a list well-organized for next time.)
Hmm….ok I’ll post then!
Great, me too, posted!
Ditto – me too…!!!
SOTD is Nuit Étoilée. Works well in this weather
Beautiful scent. Nuit Etoilee is becoming one of my favorites.
You inspired me to spritz some on too. I confess to buying it at Winners due to the pretty bottle, and am not sure that it isn’t a little too minty for me.
Love the edp so much! The balsam and mint remind me of winter and Christmas 🙂
Today it’s Hermes L’Ambre des Merveilles for its cozy sweet/salty goodness. Mmmm.
Love this. Only wish it were more potent with better longevity.
You smell delish! I find it works for warm weather, too.
SOTD is Bel Ami EDT orig. from a new sample. Mmm. I wish I had enough to spray with abandon.
Wearing Cabochard. Perfect for fall.
Indeed it is. You smell great!
Testing Lolita Lempicka Minuit Noir. It’s reminding me somewhat of Aimez-Moi, except with licorice and missing the “flat” powdery vanilla that winds up boring me in AM. Pretty nice.
Gearing up to host our high school’s cross country meet this afternoon! I hope it goes well.
Ooh, cross-country meets are fun! Hope you’re having nice weather for it.
Clear and low 70s – I’d call that perfect. 🙂
Oh yeah, doesn’t get better than that! Have a great day!
I was talking about Vanille Galante yesterday and of course that put it in my head, so I’m wearing it today. So subtle and yet so interesting. It actually bears a resemblance to Safran Troublant, I noticed for the first time today.
I keep meaning to put on Vanille Galante, Iris Ukioye and Santal Massoia all together one of these days, as it’s basically what I want OJ Vanille d’Iris to be (but I fear, will not be.)
Mmmmm, I love Vanille Galante. Subtle and interesting are the perfect words for it.
Sweet powdery Lou Lou for me today.
Lou Lou is the ultimate!
Cuir de Lancome today. I have two major deadlines today (uuuuugh) and probably should have worn something with a little more energy, but it’s beautiful nonetheless.
Go team go!
Thanks! The thing that’s getting me through the day right now is the fact that I have no choice but to be finished with my work before the end of the day. 🙂
Hahaha yes, the good news is that you will definitely get to the end of the day and be done with it one way or another! (Hm I wonder if I could finish my dissertation if only someone said it had to be turned in at COB! 😉 )
Very beautiful!
Twins!
Volutes edt, one of my autumn favourites.
Trying to decide between discounted full bottle of Jub 25, (suspiciously discounted?!), on ebay,
or new bottle of Tauer’s Incense Rose, when i go to London on saturday.. Any suggestions, advice would be most appreciated.
Perfume decision making is so painful, need to stop sampling for a while!
Hmmmmm, that is a tough one! They’re both really nice picks. Couple of questions: how’s the seller’s feedback? And, how fast do you tend to go through perfume? I’m a pretty light sprayer, so a 15ml spray from a Tauer Explorer set would last me a long, long time. And then either you get to pick two more, or you share it with a friend and save the money. So, as long as the seller seems reputable, I think I’d go for Jub bottle, since it’s much harder to find an equivalent smaller version at a good price.
But of course it also depends on how much you enjoy each! If there’s one you’d wear more regularly, that’s probably the right answer.
Who’s the seller? There’s this Kuwaiti guy who sells Amouage testers at a discount and then ships them to his son who lives in CA, and so far as I can tell he’s legit. Can’t remember his seller name at the moment.
Abujouda?
Or Gulf something or other?
There have been some amazing deals on discount sites over the last year for Amouage. FragranceNet, which I have found to be reliable, has Jubilation 25 3.4 oz for $193.59 currently (on ebay US). If someone is offering it for less, I would compare photos very carefully, as well as what C.H. recommends in terms of checking feedback. I often read through the feedback reports in addition to checking the overall numbers.
Yes, good idea.
My experience with FragranceNet has been great too.
I just bought a 40 ml travel set of Lyric for $108 at Fragrancenet. I was thrilled and it smells great.
Continuing my SL week, I’m wearing Muscs Koublai Khan today for all the furry sweet warmth. The furnace turned on this morning for the first time this season!
Ours came on last week! And today it’s sunny and in the low 70s 🙂
Today I am wearing Marni, another fragrance I love but ignore too often. For some reason it seems to trigger headaches in the summer but is much more wearable now. And it’s great!
Wow, would not have thought it strong enough to trigger a headache, even in heat.
Yeah, I don’t know why! It’s not the strength really, but perhaps you know how some perfumes can just “feel” “sharp” on the sinuses? That’s how it feels to me sometimes. Which is sad because I love it!
I’m wearing Prada. I really must stop choosing scents for the day when I’m in a hurry. This thing is a vanilla bomb on me.
La Treizieme Heure for me this morning, lots of it since I forgot the sprayer on my current decant is wonky and shoots a stream off to the side. I have a very nicely scented chin/neck/décolletage. Off to do housework since it’s warm and muggy outside (supposed to rain the next few days – yay!), and my family is slowly starting to arrive for the annual hunting-season get together. I really hope it rains enough to fill the tanks so we don’t have to ration showers or better yet, enough to fill the river so it isn’t a series of sludge holes. Cross your fingers!
You smell fabulous – good luck with rain!
I seem to be in “just finish it” mode a lot lately, so I’m wearing the last of my Coze decant. It’s really, really good stuff, a spicy patchouli.
Love Cozé. Parfumérie Générale does some nice abstract gourmands. I haven’t tried a whole lot of them, but of the ones I’ve tried I’ve like most. Still wouldn’t mind a bottle of Felanilla.
I wouldn’t mind bottles of both! Their gourmands are great and just different enough.
Cozé is my protective patchouli forcefield of choice for winter. Wonderful!
It’s kind of spiky so perfect as a protective coating!
I don’t recall ever trying Coze…must remedy!
Cuir de Lancôme for me as well. I had to dig out my bottle from the bottom of a drawer. I wonder how it got there in the first place. It’s a lovely fragrance and my first proper leather scent.
CdL is lovely….. I only like really soft leathers.
I have tro try this! Is yours current or vintage?
Well, it’s been discontinued (again) for at least a few years. The old one was in production through… what, the 40s? I think. And then rereleased in Lancome’s La Collection version around 2007. Apparently the OLD Cuir was pretty butch.
It’s the La Collection version like so:
http://www.basenotes.net/ID26129412.html
I am wearing Memo Inle, which I think is layered over a persistant last night Quelque Fleurs which did not fade.
I have a mini recommend a scent query. With Snifapolooza coming up this weekend, I am wavering between Jicky (which is available on line) and Sycamore (Chanel Exclusif)((only available at the store). Which would you chose?
Have you tested Jicky?
I have tested the Eau de Toilette of Jicky, but not the EDP. The parfum is pretty darn good, but probably out of my budget. Have tested Sycamore.
I’m hoping to finally get Sycamore this Christmas in the Saks NOLA Chanel boutique (after failing to get it in Vegas in July). Realize that doesn’t help you….. 🙂 Good luck choosing.
Don’t be a stranger at Sniffa 😉
I’ll be the one dressed in Mets clothing.
Marion Chic for the third day in a row!
Glad that you have stopped wearing Marron Chic. Marion is much more interesting.
SOTD is Annick Goutal Heure Exquise edt. Just wearing it made me want to get all dressed up for work today.
I can see that.
You smell lovely – such an elegant yet welcoming scent.
I’m in Cuir de Russie, as we had a big press conference today and I needed to be serious, but I also wanted to smell somewhat sexy.
You chose wisely!
I need to dig out my bottle of Cuir as well. Haven’t worn it in a long time. I hope you behaved nicely at the press conference 🙂
I can see that completely achieves both – intelligent with an edge.
Something just pretty for today…Narciso Rodriguez for her. I’ll be in a two day seminar and not sure how close we’ll be so I’ve worn so little I can barely smell it myself. Bring on the weekend so I can spray with abandon!
Lol I had a bottle of NR For Her years ago and I never realised I could’t smell it. I must’ve massively oversprayed it at the time 😀
I resampled it a while back but all I could get was a faint, wet lily-of-the-valley for 30 seconds and then it went gonzo.
Whoops 😉
I have same experience with EdT, but the EdP i can smell. The EdT is weird, because i feel something in my nose, but don’t get any scent experience.
I’m wearing Marc Jacobs Decadence. I went to Sephora yesterday to buy some eye shadow primer, and they made me a sample of Decadence.
Robin, I love the photo you posted today.
It would be pretty hanging in my bedroom.
I wouldn’t mind having that hanging in my house either! Somebody should needlepoint it for us or something.
yay! love Decadence.
I’m in Rose Infernale…I was not impressed when I first got a sample of this but I have grown into it!
Portrait of a Lady by F Malle. Haven’t worn it for months. I had a mad initial fling with the scent and then it turned ‘mmkay but eh’ on me quite quick.
Overall, I find PoaL wee too dry and incense-y to my liking, and, erm, boring. It’s a powerhouse of a scent, though. I’ve 5mls left of a 3x10mls travel set (gave one away) so that’s all there’ll ever be between us methinks.
I’m in Clinique Wrappings today. I started thinking about it when I got up, so I put some on.
I love when that happens and makes my decision easy.
I would love to try Wrappings one day. It’s supposed to be very much a one of a kind fragrance.
I had loftier intentions but ended up in Joop! Rococo. It’s a sunny, mild Indian Summer day here, and 2000 Rococo reminds me of how optimistic the new Millennium seemed to me that year.
Still suffering from jet lag today but giving Fendi by Fendi a whirl. Right now, it smells exactly like Chanel Coco (not Madamioselle or Noir). I hope it gets out of the dated 80’s smell soon.
Haha, I am expecting my Fendi to arrive this week and I am very much hoping that it has not left the 80’s at all.
Wearing Folle de Joie, by Joie, purchased for mybirthday. Definitely not the weather for a light, citrusy woody cologne. Will likely make a stop in Barney’s over lunch to top up with something more fall-ish.
Even thinking of returning the bottle of Joie, i don’t think I have a place in my wardrobe for it.
It was the first scent that really got me back into perfume a couple years ago, but i would rather have Volutes edt, or Coco edt, or make a nice payment on my credit card 😉
I must admit I don’t know Folle de Joie, but I can absolutely see the appeal of Coco or Volutes right now!
It’s put out by a clothing line (Joie) and frankly not really anything to go out of your way for. 🙂
A morning’s wear and is decided: definite not a love, more a kinda maybe like, except not really.
Bring on the spice!
SOTD = Bvlgari Black
This is one of my reliable office-safe go to scents perfect for any weather. It feels like being hugged by a pleather-clad motorcyclist inside a bakery. with freshly baked vanilla cupcakes out on display.
Hujusuuri, your descriptions are very poetic. All I can usually master is ‘oh it is not too sweet’, or ‘it smells like a flower’
LOL – As weird as it sounds, I see and feel perfumes first before I smell them.
Wow, I’d go a long way out of my way to buy my bread if I got leather-clad hugs with it!
But it has to be pleather as to my nose, there’s no leather in Black but plenty of rubbery vinyl.
Love the “pleather-clad”…and it’s true.
🙂
SOTD Lyric Woman body cream. Soft but definitely there and pretty good longevity.
Grumpy and dissatisfied today. Trying to fix it with Coco edp and coffee in bed.
Feeling the same way today. Hope your day gets better.
Oh, you lucky! How I wish I could join you, if you see what I mean.
Does coffee and Coco work for a grump? I should compile a list of failsafe mood cures: Earl Grey and Jungle L’Elephant for a major snit, do you think? Black tea and Femme for the dread of the mother-in-law’s visit? Latte and Fate for irritation?
What would be a good match with the biggest glass of red wine in the world? Purely an academic question, of course.
Replying in a purely academic spirit, if I were contemplating a glass of red big enough to swim in, I’d like to be wearing a voluptuous, confident perfume: Ysatis, Paloma, even Angel. Coromandel. Aromatics Elixir. Mon Parfum Cheri. They would all shout at the wine, but then, the wine could shout right back if it wanted: I like my reds rough, not refined.
I think I am going to try this experiment Friday night! 🙂
Weirdly, I think Aromatics Elixir would do the trick too, or Ylang 49, or Ubar…. That is a three-glass wine test! A cheerful thought that!
Hah, great ideas! I remember LT saying Shalimar was designed for dinner parties. Cuir d’Ange and very expensive milk chocolate truffles would be ideal for frayed nerves and feelings of being put upon. La Via del Profumo Mecca Balsam could assuage a sense of desolation.
Ylang 49 by Le labo.
The swapmeet was a ton of fun. I have been decanting and packing, packing and decanting for the last 2 days, very happy to have all the packages go out today
Hello there, NST. I spent the last two days head down, tail up, in the final throes of a migraine, the teaching semester and the beastly marking, which I finished at 5.40 yesterday evening. I expected to feel jubilant, but I didn’t. Just tired and a bit flat. Thank goodness for 19 Parfum–it perked me up, soothed me down, and reunited me when I got so cross that I was beside myself.
The next big project is shuffling towards the centre of my computer screen even as I write these words, and I now want a completely different aesthetic for my spine stiffener., but nothing is bouncing on the shelf, whistling and waving to me. So many of your scents today sound so gorgeous that I wish my trip to TOH were tomorrow, that I might shop for something new and desirable. SIGH. I think I’ll wear an Amouage; most likely Epic. It’s that little bit greener and less sultry than Lyric. I’ve no idea if it will help me anchor myself to my desk as 19 did, but I will know soon. I shall report back.
Hey, enjoy your days and nights, all.
Sorry to hear about what sounds like a very tough few days and hope whatever you wear today does exactly what’s needed. Oddly I sometimes find that scents that remind me of being out in green spaces help anchor me to my desk when needed- I think it can provide an element of escapism when I absolutely have to get my head down and get work done.
Oh, interesting. Maybe I should have chosen something hugely green –no, cancel “hugely”; I’ve caught careless, meaningless overstatement from my students’ assignments– for today. I’ll try it tomorrow. Thank you.
Take it easy. Remember to treat yourself gently after all that hard work! Amouage- I am not familiar with it. Please describe and let us know!
I think Epic is good for work. To me it has this “Despite the oil wealth I inherited, I’m a career woman and NOONE is more professional than me” vibe.
Me three. Was gonna put on something to wallow in, but luckily Champagne de Bois intervened. Now I smell like zest and sparkle, which is a considerable improvement over my prior state!
Whoops. Was trying to reply to Oakland Fresca and lillyjo. That’s about how my day’s going. Ah well, at least I smell nice!
sorry your having a stinky day also. I just got myself back up, I should maybe spray something cheerful like you did. Zest and Sparkle sounds wonderful.
I am still in bed. Had a momentary moment of levity when I realized that my cat who is supposed to be locked in the house recovering from a fight he lost ($500 vet bill and 5 hours in the pet hospital waiting room… He is damn well going to stay in!) was outside, stuck on top of our very high and unsteady heat lamp… He had managed to leap onto it from my son’s second floor bedroom window which had been left open a crack. Wobbling away up there and howling, he was quite a sight. I got a ladder out and got him down. He’s been pretty mellow ever since.
Wow, that sounds pretty scary, for you and your cat. Hoping tomorrow is a better day for us all.
Fleur de Chine today. I have been thinking about edgier scents for the past few days and realised when I put this on this morning that it is just so beautiful it seems to cancel out the need for anything more ‘interesting’. I am surprised by just how completely enjoyable it seems given I had previously shied away from TF fragrances.
You smell completely beautiful indeed.
SOTD = Burberry London
Pretty busy at work today, so I wanted something pleasant that I could smell all day, but which wouldn’t distract. I usually save it for colder days though, when the berries really jump out and comfort me.
Ah – forgot to add the twist. 😉 I layered Burberry London over a 5 hour drydown of Alien. Pretty with subtle edge.
Alien makes it a great twist!
My morning conversation:
13 y/o son – “You’re perfume is either really bad, or you’ve sprayed too much.”
Me – “Hmmm…you think?” (But was thinking…Can lovely Nirvana Black be over sprayed from a sample??)
Me to husband – “J thinks I over sprayed my perfume this morning. What do you think?”
Husband after a big hug, “Never!” That’s true love! 🙂
However, truth be told, I am a chronic over sprayer and 4 hours later, Nirvana Black is still super strong.
Your husband is sweet!
Foggy, foggy day here in PDX metro area. In Wilsonville especially there is a thick, persistent fog that makes the changing leave colors seem almost shimmering and ethereal.
I am wearing Noir(Femme) by Tom Ford- which I think will be a signature scent for me, along with Cuir de Russie- and I have a large mug of hot masala chai made with almond milk in my office. So I really do smell like a treat!
Another early morning–so early I was getting dressed in the dark. Managed to find my bottle of Caleche purely by touch. Two sprays. Perfect. It has been a great workhorse/background scent in a difficult and very busy day.
On a cool and rainy day, wearing Noir Exquis was probably a mistake, because I spent the day *wishing* I was in my local coffee shop with a Cafe Americano and a good book, instead of at work :-/
Vintage Shalimar, because I was moving things around from the swap and there it was. Perhaps a bit much for carpool in 90 degrees, but no regrets with Shalimar, ever.
I love the elephant and roses picture. It would be beautiful on a scarf or t shirt.
SotD is Eau des Merveilles plus an accidental bit of the PW Tea Rose I spritzed on clean linens this morning. Funny combo, but ok for a Wednesday.
That’s a nice idea Tiffanie. I have a bottle of Tea Rose that I never use. I may have to borrow your idea. Thanks!
Wearing Bois des Isles today. I love this scent, it is perfect.