It's Hump Day, and it's Three Kings Day. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm wearing a dab of Tom Ford Black Orchid.
Reminder: this Friday on 1/8 we're doing Woodfest Friday. Wear something woody — but no oud, because we already did oud!
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2016, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
SOTD: Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline. Not FB worthy, but a nice sample to wear from time to time! 🙂
I am so psyched about the January Olfactif samples! I’ll be getting Winter by Dasein, The Dark Heart of Old Havana by 4180 Tues, and Poopoo Pidoo. Can. Not. Wait! I already have a sample of Poopoo and LOVE it.
Have a good day…..26 degrees in “Hotlanta”…..LOL
I’ve been wondering if I should start Olfactif. Have you been doing it for a while? Do you like it?
This is my very 1st order coming! Should be here next week….Can’t wait to try. I’m only doing a 3 month subscription, to make sure I like the service and will use most of the samples that come. It’s $17 a month…but each month you get a $18 coupon code to use on a FB if you like one of the month’s selections….
I also just started ScentBird….on that site you can choose what you want sent to you. Can’t wait!
I subscribed to Olfactif for a year lizbee, and I really enjoyed it! I’m in an area where the perfume choices for me to sniff in person are limited, so this was an ideal solution for me. It was a lot of fun for me to receive a surprise every month, and I was introduced to many perfumes that I probably would not have considered sampling based on reviews and notes. I also think that the monthly selection is really well curated. Their customer service is excellent to boot! The only reason I stopped my subscription is because I have waaaay too many samples now!
Are their samples 1ml or larger?
I actually just went to the site to make sure. Their samples are usually 2.25 mls, with more expensive perfumes being 1.75 mls. They are spray samples.
Alright, well, I just broke my “no more samples for a long time” resolution and signed up. It’s the sample size that did it for me. Plus, I love surprises.
Mind if I chime in, lizbee? I had a subscription for 2 or 3 years, and also liked it. My preferences are generally, well, not floral, and their selections were pretty balanced so quite a few florals. Not sure if you have any particular leanings.
Thanks SicilianaNM! I’m new enough that I haven’t explored much out of my comfort zone, which seems to be florientals (I think). When I look at lists of notes, all I see is words. The only thing I know for sure is that cumin scares me. So…maybe this will be a good way to get to know more about what my leanings actually are.
Cumin scares me too!
PS. Want to smile today? Watch this fella describe his top 5 fragrances for women! His excitement for fragrance (and the woman who wears it) makes me laugh….I might have to buy a bottle of Armani Code, just to get him to talk to me in that fabulous accent! 😈
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7c8VYl2ZMI&feature=youtu.be
Thanks, that was really fun!
SOTD is Indochine by Parfumerie Generale. It’s a good scent for a cold day.
Yum you smell great. Love Indochine.
SOTD JM orris & sandalwood
Love???? You smell delicious!!
Yes, this is a beautiful fragrance
Great scent for a cold day. It’s very warming.
I’m wearing the 2006 version of Missoni, which I love but don’t wear very often. I also love the original 1982 version. And now of course there is a new version which came out last year. All by different perfumers, and with no relationship to each other, except the name. Has anyone tried the new one? What do you think?
I have not smelled the new one — don’t think it’s in the US yet?
Lyric for this cold and grey day. Robin I almost went with Black Orchid too but Lyric was calling my name!
Oooh. Yum. You smell wonderful!
Then of course you have to answer 🙂
Lyric is a great antidote to cold and greyness. You smell wonderful.
I’m wearing Cuir de Russie. It’s been a while since I last wore it, and I find it so beautiful and elegant. It’s my first hate-turned-love scent, and I can’t get enough.
And you smell wonderful too!
Very beautiful scent!
Twins! I’ve always loved it, but I’m with you on the not-getting enough part 🙂
Another twin! It was also a hate-turned-love for me, though it didn’t take long to turn to love. I now find myself craving it. Oh Chanel, why do you have to make Les Exclusifs so expensive? I want them all!
It didn’t take long for me, either. But boy did that pendulum swing hard! The experience is making it difficult for me to let go of perfume samples (as I simplify for the New Year) because as much of a scrubber as one might be now, I can’t help wondering if it might be a true love in the future.
Cuir de Russie was a hate-turned-love for me, too! I was excited to sample it and disappointed when it smelled odd for me. But I was compelled to continue returning to the sample and also had my friend sample it (smelled lovely on her). Then one day I found a bottle with a bit left on eBay for a song and went for it. Love ever since.
SOTD Cristalle eau verte
Still no sign of baby.
Today is the anniversary of my fathers passing, its been 2 years. Feeling a bit melancholy and Cristalle is very uplifting and easy to smell when you have a stuffy nose.
Have a good day ahead.
Secret to having Baby: Plan something to do this week! LOL Make plans, and Baby is sure to arrive and rearrange the schedule! 🙂
Good idea! I should plan something…
Yes, buy some expensive theatre tickets, that should do the trick!
Before the holidays I suggested that to my husband, I had some points on my credit card and wanted to see the Lion King, he talked me out of it 🙁 should of got them…
Glad Cristalle is uplifting for you today, it does feel like sunshine.
So sorry it’s a difficult day…hope baby will come soon!
I imagine today is going to be emotionally crazy for you. I’m sorry for your loss and so excited for your impending addition to your family. I hope Cristalle provides some balance for you today.
When is your due date?
The official due date is this Friday-though my stomach has been measuring a few cm bigger. But those measurement are variable.
Loss is part of life, just when you think someone is going to be around for everything and then poof! They are gone. It was my biggest lesson on impermanence.
I learned that lesson the same way. (((Hugs))). Hope the little one comes soon and gives you something to smile about.
That’s a tough lesson to learn. I’m sorry.
I wish I had some tips or tricks to help move the baby along…but my son was a week overdue and my doctor sent me to the hospital to be induced. After 30 hours of labor it was obvious that he wasn’t coming out, so I had a c-section. Perhaps I should tell you everything I did and then you can do the opposite. 🙂
Hang in there. He or she can’t stay in forever.
You smell great! I considered Cristalle for today-such a sunny one. I’m sorry for your loss. It must be such a mix of feelings with the excitement of the upcoming little one. Life…
My overdue third child was making me so uncomfortable, but I went for a long walk and the next morning jumped up and down for good measure. He arrived that night.
Good luck on the arrival of your baby. Sometimes those due dates come and go and nada. Take the advice above and do anything else but think about it! And take heart, from my own experience being overdue, being induced isn’t the worst thing ever if it comes to that.
I’m sorry to hear that today is a sad day for you. I hope the Cristalle Eau Verte helps. I thought I was the only one who liked Eau Verte, since I never hear it mentioned. I enjoy the extra green crispiness.
Last night I thought of you because someone near me at the opera was wearing Angelique Noir. The sillage was absolutely gorgeous, the plush vanilla lifting up the delicate angelica. Swoon! I just gave my sample to a friend, after deciding that it’s not for me, but now I want a bottle, knowing that I could be wafting that scent around. You are certainly doing your part to make Manhattan that much more beautiful every time you wear it.
Thank you for your kind thoughts.
AN does leave a beautiful trail, someone commented that they sprayed it on their scarf in the winter and the warm vanilla made the cold more bearable.
Cristalle Eau Verte doesn’t get a lot of love, but glad I found a kindred spirit!
I fully understand your melancholic feelings. Good luck with the baby!
SOTD: Bottega Veneta
I love this one! Just bought the body cream and shower gel to go with it too. Yummmm.
I love this one too, bet the body products are fabulous 🙂
Seriously yummy!
You smell wonderful! I almost went with BV today. It’s so elegant and cuddly too.
Love BV.
Today is leather day! Mona di Orio Cuir and Odori Cuoio.
That sounds lovely – what is the Mona di Orio leather like (I don’t know leathers very well but am developing a liking for Cuir de Russie)?
I am not good at describing things, but it starts of as a potent and slightly smoky leather but dries down beautifully. There is no sweetness, I would call it a bit dry but not dusty or powdery. It is my favorite leather perfume.
SOTD is Dior Cuir Cannage, inspired by a mention in one of Angela’s past posts.
Such a leathery day! You smell great.
Nice one.
Leather and orange blossom! One of my top 5 leather scents.
So nice to see CC getting some love! 🙂
Parfums de Nicolaï New York. I’m in fragrant heaven!
Nice!
My bottle of this is almost empty, I am contemplating another purchase…..so many perfumes, so little time!
The New York I’m wearing is no longer available. It’s now called New York Intense which is a little different. Not quite as austere. Still a good scent, but I prefer the original.
I can’t believe I missed the Damage Poll yesterday. I’ve been waiting…then got busy and missed it. When I was cleaning last week I found an Allure magazine from 2010. On the last page there is a celebrity poll where they are asked “What was the last thing you did before you left the house tonight?” (Before leaving for awards show/parties.) Donatellas answer was, “I sprayed perfume.” It made me smile. I think she really does love it as much as we all do.
I am so proud to report two purchases, the best I’ve done since falling down the rabbit hole. I bought a mini sent of Tory Burch and TB Absolu, and an Hermessence coffret as a souvenir while on vacation. I received a bottle of Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom for Christmas from Mr. Lucy too, but I’m not counting that. It will be my SOTD though. It keeps getting prettier each time I spray it.
You smell lovely.
Thank you. You do too. Cuir de Russie has grown on me.
two purchases! You have good self control. And smell lovely 🙂
Babies tend to steal from the perfume budget. 🙂
Which fragrances did you choose for the Hermessence coffret? I want a bottle of Osmanthe Yunnan, but I’m wondering if I should get a coffret for less money and more options (maybe OY, Brin de Reglisse, Cuir d’Ange and Iris Ukiyoe). I already have travel bottles of Rose Ikebana and Ambre Narguile.
It looks like we have similar tastes: I got Osmanthe Yunnan, Iris Ukiyoe, Rose Ikebana, and Poivre Samarcande. I mostly chose the PS because it is not as tart, light, and springlike as the rest. I was buying in December and wanted something a little more spicy and winter appropriate. I’m glad I got the coffret but I could see myself easily needing more OY. I love the top notes and tend to over apply.
I dabbed some OY on my hand last night, and nearly swooned. It was like I had poured springtime onto my skin. It’s not something I would wear in the winter, but I think it’s something to reach for during those days when it feels like winter will never end, to bring a little warm sunshine in.
I missed it too! Dashed around doing housewifely things and completely forgot to enter up my buying. It wasn’t so very interesting anyway- a bottle of TF Noir, ditto Sahara Noir, and a modern Mitsouko. I did a lot of dithering around about purchases this last quarter, but then didn’t buy.
Those are stellar buys! You were very efficient with your $$$.
I’m wearing Marc Jacobs Honey today. It was a Christmas gift from my sweet son. He was so proud of himself for picking this gift out. He said he got it because he knew I loved perfume and bees. It really touched my heart.
How sweet! How old is he?
He is 24 years old. He is getting married in June, so this was a special Christmas morning. Next year he’ll be in his own home with his new wife. Time flies by so fast.
That is really sweet.
Awwww.
Aren’t those the best gifts? So nice. Congrats on his upcoming milestone!
😉
Awww…How sweet. You raised him well! I hope you’re having fun planning for his wedding.
That’s so sweet!
Adorable!
I planned to wear something more exciting, but was drawn to Cuir de Russie in the morning and here I am, wearing it again. God, I love this scent.
Right there with you.
CdR seems made for a winter’s day- and it is a lovely scent!
Me, too! It’s so special.
I am not sure exciting matters when you smell classically elegant and yet slightly edgy!
perfect description for Cuir de Russie!
Well said and I agree, the only reason I mentioned the (non-existent) excitement is that I’m trying to go through my samples in the beginning of this year.
See, I think “classically elegant and slightly edgy” IS exciting!
Totally with all of you in loving CdeR. If there were a fire, I would save the cats, my Kindle and possibly my pearls, and my Chanels.
I agree. That classy, yet edgy, feel is one of my favorite. It’s subtle, even if the perfume isn’t quiet.
It’s kind of how I feel about my nerdy clothes. I love wearing things that show my various nerd attachments, but I like doing it subtly, so the over all look is stylish, and it’s only if you look closer that you notice the details. It gives me a delicious thrill to wear some of my nerd stuff to the corporate office. Nobody there ever notices there’s anything different about my clothes, but it makes me feel a little saucy, like I broke a rule without actually breaking one.
I almost reached for CdR this morning, but the hand veered towards Sycomore, so that’s my SOTD. Hard to go wrong with Chanel.
It’s so beautiful though, especially in extrait de parfum.
I’m wearing Voyage today. It’s official, I love all the Hiram Green perfumes!
The opening gives me a vivid scent memory, but I can’t put my finger on what it is that it reminds me of. Then the vanilla/leather dry down (that goes on for hours) is so warm and cozy. Best blind buy ever for me.
Twins!
I’m sorry I didn’t get in on a split of this one as I love it and there’s limited supply!
Is is so warm and cozy 😉
I’m going to go out on a limb and say… it’s hard for me to imagine he wouldn’t put it into regular production if it sells well! I have no basis for this claim, just the thought that in a line that only has two other perfumes so far, why would you shelve a successful creation? Of course there’s the possibility it won’t–but I’d be surprised, I really find it the most wearable/accessible of all three, so I’d think it’d have the broadest appeal.
What is very weird – only 250 bottles available for sale, and luckyscent still has it. I know at least of other 5 shops selling it, so I am surprised that between all the people buying frags, we have not been able to buy up all 250 of them. Personally I think this whole ‘only 250 bottles made’ is a marketing gimick.
It is a beautiful creation thou
Well, I certainly think “only 250 made” is a marketing tactic (one that seems to have worked, since at least among NST commenters, a good number of people bought it blind!) But I don’t take that to mean it’s untrue. When I look at the Luckyscent bestseller list, Voyage is all the way down at #360. To run the rough figures: if Voyage is available in seven places (the six shops you mention + HG’s own stockroom), that’s average 35 bottles in each place, and it’s only been available three months. It’s really hard for me to imagine Luckyscent sells more than 11 bottles/month of 359 other perfumes! (If they are, I salute them and would like to know how I can get in early on their IPO.)
If you would like some, shoot me an email at bonanza 29 via hot you-know-the-rest
Oops, my comment below was meant for you, floragal, since you regretted not splitting 🙂
Ok, this is getting sad, I can’t seem to get my reply to go in the right place :-/
Looks right to me!
Nice of you! 🙂
To me, Voyage smells just like 1970s head shops full of incense, bedspreads, and carved wooden items from India, and the old buildings they were usually part of.
I’m wearing Caron Parum Sacre, courtesy of hajusuuri, whom I hope is having a wonderful time on her trip.
I’m not sure if this is the original or the 2013 version. If I had to guess I’d say the original, because of the color of the juice, and the initial impression I’m getting from it.
Love Parfum Sacre.
I’m quite enjoying it. I think the name suits it well. It feels reverent somehow. I’m glad I chose it, even though it was all I could do to keep myself from wearing Chergui again. I feel like if you turned me into perfume and bottled me, I might smell like Chergui.
LOL. Fragrancenet has good deals (sign up to get emails) and you also save some if you opt for the tester bottle (no box and it only comes with the atomizer top.
Thanks! I’ll keep an eye out. Right now my full bottle list is smallish, so it feels manageable. I do know that I want the big, full size, 3 oz bottle of Shalimar EDP. I’m going to buy it from Saks Fifth Avenue, because I’ve never bought anything from them before, and this feels like an appropriate thing to have as that first. The others I will stalk and try to get cheaper.
Parfum Sacre is a gorgeous fragrance. So smooth and rich.
Hey newbiebex! I have been back since Sunday and boo hoo (even though I love it) back to work yesterday and put in a 10 hour day! I got the Parfum Sacre bottle from Henri Bendel and I tend to think it’s the 2013 version unless I just got lucky and ended up with the original version?
I’m so glad you got home safely! I trust it was a fabulous trip? It certainly sounded like it.
It probably is the 2013 version then. My nose isn’t good enough to pick out that many notes yet, so I can’t really tell if there’s a difference in what’s described and what I’m smelling. When I first sprayed it I smelled incense and was reminded of a church with candles lit. It fit the name so well.
The trip was fabulous although I did not “get” Madrid due to the short time I spent in Madrid Madrid. I spent a day in Segovia and a day in Toledo. This just means I have to plan another trip to Madrid!
Some cities don’t open up on the first visit either. Maybe the time wasn’t right for you and Madrid to properly meet. It’s not as magical a place, but it took three or four visits for me to finally “get” Seattle. Now I love it.
I haven’t sprayed yet because of a yoga class earlier in the day. You decided it for me, newbiebex, Parfum Sacre it is!
Yay! We can be scent twins. I need to start doing yoga again. I have a great DVD for it, to do yoga for relaxation and for flexibility. I liked the way my body felt when I did it regularly.
I’m wearing Violette Fumee for another day of rain.
This sounds so good. Violette Fumee didn’t really work for me, but I love the concept and I’m glad there are people who love it.
I layer it over some violet lotion as it veered a bit masculine on me. It worked well.
A great idea, thanks!
Hello all, SOTD is Fille en Aiguilles, which my mum bought me for christmas, i’m especially enjoying pairing it with a fir green cable knit cashmere dress, which was my christmas present to myself.
I feel very cosy and happy when i wear both, and my little daughter loves snuggling up to me, and sniffing too.
Sounds a wonderful pairing.
Great gift!
I’m coveting your dress! And the pairing sounds lovely.
You smell heavenly! Fille en Aiguilles is one of my favorite winter scents!
Oooh, luxurious combo.
Thank you for nice comments!
also in Tom Ford with TF for Men
Cousins 🙂
I love Black Orchid and still think it’s Tom Ford’s best fragrance. Today I am indulging in clouds and billows of Shalimar, I smell great 🙂
You do! I need to plan to wear some Shalimar this week..
You definitely smell great. Every time I put on Shalimar I feel impossibly chic and sexy. Even when I’m wearing raggedy pajamas and playing Skyrim.
Lovely. I’ve been wearing Shalimar Ode a la Vanille to bed this week. So cozy.
Twins!
SOTD is Rahat Loukoum, following some delicious L’Occitane almond shower oil.
That sounds so good.
Epiphany Day calls for frankincense and myrrh, something very, very resiny and luxurious. So today I am wearing two scents: Opium AND Belle du Soir (discontinued Anthropologie scent).
Belle Du Soir seems to combine and temper Opium’s sugar incensy bigness, and I feel great.
Outfit of the day: grey silk blouse, big green scarf patterned scarf, grey slim trousers, short black boots.
love your combo!
I love scarves!
you smell lovely!
Ooh lovely!
Epiphany! Should have checked to see if our “European” bakery has galette des rois. Not in the mood for a baking project.
I bought a galette – we will be eating it for dessert tonight in about an hour!
I’m wearing Dioressence, apparently a vintage of some kind. It’s green plus the kitchen sink. So far it’s too chaotic for my mood. I think the only other time I’ve worn this one, I sprayed it in my eye, so I’m glad to try it on a more appropriate surface today.
Ouch! Perfume in your eye sounds very miserable.
It does. I winced when I read this.
Leathermountain, I’m definitely glad you are trying it on a more appropriate surface!
Yikes, me too!
I was inspired to pull out my bottle of Papillon Tobacco Rose after talking about it here on Monday. Gorgeous and unique scent! From reviews I’ve read, different people seem to experience it very differently. I would not call it a rose soliflore, but it does not smell like rose with tobacco (or anything else) simply added to the mix. On me, it is a vivid, lush red rose, complete with leaves, stem, and earth. My in-laws grow tobacco on their farm, and here the tobacco impression comes through for me as leaves heavy on their stalks at the end of summer. The overall impression is completely organic, like something that could be smelled outside on the farm, sitting by the rose vine, if I got very lucky and the wind arranged itself just so.
I haven’t worn Tobacco Rose in several months and now I’m kicking myself. I got it in my head that it’s a bit too wild for the office (it probably is, but I have only 5 days left, so whatevs) and will be perfect for wearing with abandon when I’m living in NC again.
How was the opera?
How is the Tobacco note in Tobacco Rose-is it strong?
I enjoyed Bel Canto. I’m not that knowledgeable about opera; all I want is to feel something and I cried at the end, which is my way of giving thumbs up. 🙂
The tobacco note is not strong at all. It is noticeable, but seems like part of the rose’s scent based on its natural surroundings, if that makes sense.
Just got a head cold so I went for something light. SOTD is Le Galion Snob (new version).
Yuck, get better!
Thanks!
Mary Greenwell Plum today, so cheerful. It’s cold but sunny here.
It’s amazing how versatile plum is – there aren’t too many florals that would work well in our current cold, dry winter weather and just as well in July.
I’m working from home today and burning Annick Goutal’s Noel candle which was another 4th quarter damage item which I coveted for a while and finally indulged in.
The pine and orange is magnificent but I daresay not as much throw as Diptyque candles…or at least not Diptyque Ambre.
Also used the Lush Snowman Shower Jelly this morning and it has a lovely scent.
Pine and orange are that is…I did learn grammar…
I love the idea of an Annick Goutal, or Diptyque, candle but I know what would happen if I bought one. I would never burn it, for fear of using it up. I have candle issues.
Okay, I have to ask. I LOVE Lush, so much. But the shower jellies baffle me. How do you not drop them and get them everywhere?
Newbie, the only way I’ve found to deal with the shower jellies is to use one of those shower poufs. Put a dollop in one, and you’re good to go. I guess a washcloth would work also.
Yes, a shower pouf is the best bet…otherwise the water degrades them pretty quick and makes you want to cry when you see the fragments go down the drain.
I also just ripped the snowman in half and used it palm-sized and then it wasn’t unwieldy and that worked better if you are against poufs…so to speak.
I’ve got the same candle issues. And I think I’m saving money buying the smallest size, but those burn down much more quickly and are more expensive per gram. If there’s a candle I’m in love with, I’ll buy the larger one, now. My Le Labo(Santal)candle is going on about 2 years since it’s very potent.
The Noel candle has pretty good “throw” even when it isn’t lit, so you don’t really have to use if up to enjoy it. 🙂
Yep. I bought my Noel candles at Parfum1 a couple of years ago, in the spring (?), and they were on a fairly deep discount, but they’ve kept their scent well. And burn well, too.
Shower with a friend!
Thanks for the input! I might have to give one of them a try. Also, Kanuka, I like how your mind works! 😀
Elisa P – It’s a terrible thing, isn’t it? You bought the thing to enjoy it, which involves destroying it. I may just have to force myself to get over it once I get done remodeling and have a good place for it.
nozknoz – Ooooh, good to know! I guess I could also use a warmer. They don’t disappear quite as fast that way. I had a little melange going last year, a couple of fall B&BW tea lights, with a sprinkling of white sage leaves crumbled up. It smelled so good.
The AG Noel candle sounds beautiful. I can never get my Diptyque candles to burn evenly, which is frustrating given the price. I follow all the instructions, but still end up with sides that do not burn down evenly.
Me too – I have given up on candles.
Givenchy Organza after some deliberation. It’s smelling warm and golden-matches my muted mustard sweater dress. I’m enjoying seeing others’ scent/outfit pairings today.
I never thought about matching my outfit to my perfume. I usually think of lipstick and perfume
I will give it a try tomorrow
I have an old very small bottle of Organza, and when I’m in that super oriental jasmine mood, there is nothing better!
This was a recent, random discovery and I’m surprised by how much I like it. I think I have an older bottle judging from the small size and dark juice.
I think it’s lovely, my mum wore it in the 90’s when i was a teenager, so it alway’s remind’s me of her, and growing up.
It’s such fun pairing makeup and clothing with fragrance, i usually think of my perfume’s as being certain colours, some more obvious than others, i like girly vintage spring/summer dresses with soft, rosy florals, and more dressy summer dresses with aldehydic florals.
And of course any perfume compliments jean’s and a tee shirt!
Today I am wearing AdV’s Palisander d’Or…the “Or” (gold) being one of the three gifts of the Magi.
I am saving that one for Friday’s wood day. 🙂
I’m in No. 5 EdT. Over the last couple of months I’ve gone from only wanting to wear it on rare days to it being a rare day when I wouldn’t happily wear it. I keep looking at vintage parfum online, but so far have managed to restrain myself.
You smell wonderful! No 5 edt is fantastic stuff. You should go for some vintage – even if the top notes are off for a few minutes, you will be totally bowled over by how good is the drydown.
Oooh…so many dangerous enablers here! 😉
😉
The good thing about No. 5 is that so, so many people owned it, you can often find a nice bottle if you are not too picky about whether it’s pristine/unused or not. People wind up cleaning out Aunt Myrtle’s (or whoever’s) lingerie drawer after she passes on, or Granny’s closet when she’s moving to the assisted-living complex, and they often put those bottles up for sale on ebay.
I’m in Marc Jacobs Decadence, which, to quote Cher Horowitz, is a full-on Monet (from far away it’s OK but up close it’s a big old mess). The top notes are so artificial, but I like the sillage of comforting woodsy amber when it dries down, but if I sniff my write to get a bigger dose, it’s synthetic screech again. And that bottle…just, no…
Ha, I haven’t heard that description applied to a perfume before, but it makes sense.
I know what you mean. Some of the Tauer’s smell great to me from afar, and just weird up close.
Shalimar edp for me today. Happy Hump Day 🙂
Happy Hump Day – you smell great!
Wearing Coeur de Vetiver Sacre. Great for winter, but it really disappeared fast this morning.
I decided to wear Maai last night to bed. Hadn’t indulged in a while and wanted something vintage-y. Horror of horrors, the dreaded Youth Dew ice-pick to the brain note emerged and stalked me for hours. What the heck is that awful thing? It doesn’t smell bad, but it either gives me instant migraine or makes me completely gaggy and does not respond to scrubbing in any noticeable way. It usually doesn’t bother unless I have it on skin either. I can enjoy a blotter soaked in Youth Dew unless I have the beginnings of a migraine. I’ve been inclined to think it’s either Tolou or Peru Balsam, but it might be one of those in conjunction with the the civet. Anybody with a better nose have any insight?
Today I’m counteracting it with a generous dose of Dame’s New Musk Oil. Not masculine at all (unless you find Fleur du Male to be butch). Sweet, clean but not cheap smelling floral musk. I smell approachable and cozy and I really want to find shampoo and soaps in this scent. Can’t think of any high-end gift shoppe where this wouldn’t do well, and that’s not a back-handed compliment because it’s very well done and I like it. Wonder what keeps it from being a straight-up boring functional scent? It would be a great gift fragrance for a non-perfumista and I’ll probably buy a bottle to keep in my gym bag. I can’t wear BFMV, but New Musk Man joins Leather Man on the easy-to-wear cheap thrills list.
I am going to order a bottle of that as soon as I am straightened out from my Christmas presents purchases.
A late in the day observation; the New Musk dry down is a bit more white musk than some will be able to stand. If you can’t handle the sweet musk in the lighter Nicolais, skip this one.
Oh dear Lord, the Dreaded Youth Dew Accord. For me, it seems to be a combination of tolu balsam, (a certain grade of) labdanum + (a certain grade of) patchouli. The stuff just killlllls me. I cannot bear it.*
On the other hand, I didn’t get any DYDA in Maai. To me, Maai smells like coal tar soap. (Not pine tar soap. Different stuff.) It’s this fascinating clean/dirty, dirty/clean duality, but there’s no tuberose in it or any chypre, either. It’s pretty much coal tar soap in the scrubbed bathroom of my elderly mechanic cousin, ca. 1978.
*I know, we all have our Kryptonite. I love BWFs and aldehydes, but I have trouble with classic orientals and sometimes vetiver.
I like coal tar soap (better than pine tar soap, actually). Gonna have to sniff for it if I ever brave Maai again.
I’ve been suspecting Tolou balsam + patch + vanilla because all of them can go wrong for me.
Today I’m in Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet. I’m embarrassed to say that this one was on my to-sample list for many months, and then just recently I did an audit of my sample collection and there it was, and “filed” in such a way that I’d clearly enjoyed it and meant to put it into rotation. Addendum to New Year’s perfume resolutions: form at least a halfway articulated opinion of everything in my existing collection before buying anything new!
Ha, I do that all the time!
SOTD is Chanel Coco edp. I need some serious Chanel style luxury to bring me up today. I just want to stay in bed all day and read and there are meetings and blah….. I need a all by myself post holiday personal day pretty soon!
I hope smelling great helps your day go by! I really did not want to get out of bed this morning, either.
I think I could rest in bed for a week after the holiday madness!
Ha! I wore Coco on Monday for this exact reason. If I had to be back in the office and back in real clothes, I at least wanted something that reminded me of the indulgent luxury that was the holidays. Hope it’s working for you. : )
I smell fabulous even if I feel a little ruffled! Glad we are of like mind with Coco!
Wearing Shalimar Ode a la Vanille today. What I am thinking of doing is wearing this perfume until the bottle is empty. Then finish a bottle of Chanel no 5.
AH! SOalV! One of my favorite. Which version are you wearing?
I think it’s the Mexique version. It’s the only version that I can find online to buy.
Sniff-off begins! Iris Poudre is out of the gate with a strong showing, and I can barely smell Ferre in comparison. Will try to report back later in the day, during breaks, if any…
Tell me about this sniff-off? Iris Poudre is my desert-island scent.
mine too!, i’m really tempted to try to find a sample of ferre, as i love iris poudre so much, but if its much weaker, i won’t bother.
Lunchtime update: they are smelling practically the same right now. Sniff-off rationale: I kept hearing comparisons of the two and I already had and liked the Ferre. My sense is that you are already an Iris Poudre fan Ferre might be a fuzzy photocopy, but if you don’t know either then Ferre is pretty good at easily half the price.
That might be the key, whether you already love IP or not. Ferre is nice, but so far nothing else has been like that fluffy IP drydown (my favorite part). My vague memory of Ferre is that it got kind of sweet-woody in the drydown (I could be remembering wrong).
I’m familiar with Iris Poudre (love it, actually) and new to Ferre. They are similar, but the aldehydes and rich dry down in IP can’t be beat. Ferre also has a fruity note that differentiates the two, but I agree that if you’re new to both, there may be some over lap.
I was debating what to wear on this cold, dry day until I read Ede97005’s comment that Epiphany calls for frankincense and myrrh, and the choice became obvious.
I’ve layered Armani Prive Bois d’Encens with Aftelier Ancient Resins. These two complement each other brilliantly: alone, I find Bois d’Encens a bit sharp and Ancient Resins rather fleeting on the skin.
Your pairing sounds perfect! I’m not familiar with the perfume, but I love Ancient Resins.
It’s great, isn’t it? And I bet it would work with other incense perfumes, and probably other types as well. I should experiment with it more this winter…
Back at work. At first it wasn’t so bad, and then it was awful, and now I am at lunch! SOTD =VC&A Bois d’Iris. Right now it is a little iris, a lot of vanilla and various woody elements…I love this stuff. I will probably wear it again on Woody Friday, since I do not have any Breath of God, which is the ultimate woody scent to me… I am trying at least one pair of samples each day until I have tested them all, and sorted out the non-keepersfor the upcoming freebie meet…
I should wear a few samples everyday to get through them-good idea
28 la pausa today.
Yum!
In seven sprays of T42 today. SEVEN! And sadly it’s pretty much done. The day I got it I sprayed right away and then realized I had an allergy appt so I had to scrub and it lingered all day!
Oh well I have a mini of Timbuktu riding shotgun in my pocket so the day is not lost. 🙂
I did 10 or 12 sprays of T42 once. It didn’t disappear on me, but it definitely didn’t seem obtrusive and nobody even commented at work.
Kerosene Black Vines again today! I just did not get enough yesterday! I was very amused to see that quite a few people find this fragrance loathsome on Fragrantica. One individual commented that “Black Vines is what Bvlgari Black wants to be when it grows up and is old enough to drink.” I find it a strange and oddly beautiful gourmand.
BV is certainly not for the faint of heart!
I think it’s lovely. In fact, it is one of the rare-ish gourmands that I find wearable.
Box of Eels for me today. Wearing it for the first time and really enjoying the sandalwood.
Gorgeous! Your associates are lucky to be near you!
He he. The lady sitting next to me is a very loud chewer/eater/burper/lip smacker/finger licker who also farts. I have considered switching desks, but feel this would be too obvious. Other person who sits next to us just goes into an office to work once she gets in.
It is quite hilarious really. I put on headphones the second she gets in.
I imagine nose plugs would be beneficial as well.
Yes, I need the nose plugs, ear plugs, and for the good measure eye plugs. That would solve the issue 🙂
We used to have a person warming up fish in microwave for lunch (and we are a tiny 20 ppl office). Our CEO ended up sending a ‘no fish in the office’ type of the note
This will be my Friday pick for woods….. you smell great!
Hello, everyone. A few days ago I decided to follow the sensible steps of my NST compatriots who are determined to wear every perfume they own at least once. I lay awake in the night thinking that I would start today. Yay! Decisions… I excluded my Exile Shelf from this project–decided that maybe after I finish visiting my loved ones, I might pay courtesy calls to the bottom shelf. That was easy. Then, should I proceed alphabetically by house or perfume, or by notional seasons or by genre? Oh dear….this is All Too Hard. The dear one asked me why I was looking like a chook laying an egg (apparently cogitation does terrible things to my expression!) and when I told him, he burst out laughing and said that trying to organise my whims and impulses was a charming but pointless endeavour and will never succeed. I don’t know whether to be hurt, insulted, or impressed by his insight! Anyway, the result of all this is that now I have no idea what to wear today, and I’m going to go commando to have lunch with a friend over on the North Shore. There must be a moral to this story, but I’m damned if I can see it! Have a wonderful day, everyone.
Hee Hee!, i think my husband would probably say something similar!
Enjoy you’re lunch and catch up.
How descriptive 🙂 My husband would have just ordered in a mildly exasperated tone, that I relax my forehead. I know this because my default expression seems to be a frown of concern, and he says it almost every day.
I think you should be impressed by his insight. If I had to do the same – and believe me I’ve thought about it!- I’d just grab the bottle that appeals most to that day and then make an effort not to wear it again until you got through a significant portion. I think it would be impossible for me to wear each one and then the decants! But I try and reach for the neglected ones at least once or twice a week.
I agree. His insight is remarkable. I’m already having a hard time choosing and not playing favorites, and my collection is entirely composed of samples at the moment. Once full bottles enter the mix, I don’t know what I’ll do.
Oh, that’s easy! You either put the samples and decants away and then never wear them, OR you send them off to another newbie to torment them. LOL!!!
LOL! I’m looking forward to the day that I can have enough samples and such to bestow them on another newbie! I already have so much, and more on the way, ahem. Samples only right now. It’s so much easier to spend $25 or $30 when I know I’ll get to smell 6 or 7 perfumes for it.
So easy to over-complicate things, isn’t it 🙂
I do far too much sewing, then worry that I won’t get to wear everything in a season. I try to remind myself that it doesn’t actually matter because I enjoy the sewing for itself. So I agree you should be impressed by your dear one’s insight!
And a belated best wishes for your anniversary yesterday.
When in doubt apply the time-zone map…start at GMT with your English scents, then France, Sweden and Italy, Oman, India, Japan. Then back to USA…finish in NZ. Or start with NZ …in reverse. Just a suggestion and an aid to general knowledge of time zones! Ive set myself the task of reading one book from every country in the world (in translation) and am doing it by time zones, north to south (for no real reason). The good thing about this system is that your perfume frowning will be cancelled out through greater confusion.
I guess. Or I could just go back to randomly choosing perfumes by mood and hope that I’m mercurial enough to need all of them eventually.
That sounds so much more sensible. Can’t wait to hear about your ‘apoplectic’ choice (something by Yardley?)
Probably Penhaligon’s Bluebell!
Sampling 4160 Tuesdays Goddess of Love and Perfume. Love the name but it doesn’t produce a goddessly effect on me ( unlike Fumee D’Or). Oh well
4160 has zero staying power on me. I rather liked their Sexiest scent on planet but it was not worth the money because of staying power
Like a few others in iris today, I’m in the powdery vanilla iris of Lolita Lempicka L’Eau Blanc.
I like that one. Wish I’d run across a bottle at TJ Maxx.
I gave myself a bottle of this for Christmas. 🙂
Robins post a few days ago about Zoologist Perfumes was intriguing so I ordered samples. They arrived yesterday so todays SOTD is Bat on one wrist and Beaver on the other. Bat is very interesting, smells like damp earth and vegetable roots (smells like beets if you ask me). Beaver is musk and smoky woods. Of these two I actually like Bat the best even with the “beet-y” smell. I still have Hummingbird, Panda and Rhino to go. ZP uses no animal-products and has very cool artwork designs on the bottle, the juice is strange, off-center and not for everyone. So far I like them! LOL
Really curious to hear how you like Hummingbird. Read a lot about it
Smells like beetroot? Now I really need to sniff it.
That was Erin! I have not tried the brand at all.
Still sampling: Today I have Ellen Tracy Linda Allard on one arm (too sweet!) and Armani Onde Mystere on the other (meh… I’ll give it another chance).
Following nozknoz’s lead, I spritzed SSS Cocoa Sandalwood over Aftelier’s Chocolate Saffron body oil.
Oh! That sounds wonderful! Speaking of chocolate, La Via del Profumo does an Amber Chocolate perfume that I like very much. 🙂
Thanks, the combo worked out well! I have some difficulty with amber, but I love many of La Via del Profumo’s offerings so I’ll add your suggestion to my wish list. 🙂
Something elegant and subtle for a sunny winter morning of appointments etc… Angelique Encens.
Does it skew more to the Angelique or the Encens, or does it hover right in the middle?
Angelique-ambergris-skin scent? Not too much of the Encens. I hope my chiropractor appreciated it as he worked diligently undoing all that the crutch has wrought.
Miss Dior for me, which I think is now known as the original, after all the renaming that I haven’t kept track of. It was one of my first purchases as I developed a serious perfume habit.
Does anyone remember the ‘original Indian love oil’ called Kama? You might not because I have just discovered that it was made in NZ – a real patchouli oil that everyone used to wear back when I was flatting in the early 1980s. The reason I thought of it is because today I’m wearing YS.Uzac’s Immortal Beloved and in the first few minutes I had massive flashbacks to the old Wakefield Market in Wellington (dreamcatchers, second hand goods, clove cigarettes and Kama) …and my heart sank. But 1 1/2 hours and a good hill walk later…it’s developed into a beautiful black pepper, rose and rich honey scent…maybe a hint of cognac, maybe a touch of English lavender. I like it…not as much as Pohadka though. Feeling very spoiled trying these samples.
Added to my scent map yesterday – unplanned visit to a second hand bookshop…and all that that implies!
They still make it – Kama (imagine the naked Scuba diver/instructor from the movie ‘Along Came Polly’ as a 65 year old…or don’t imagine. Might be better)
http://www.kama.co.nz/About+Us.html
Ack! Not that with the scuba diver…my inner Waterdragon is scarred forever! I do remember the “love oil”–it’s indelibly associated in my mind with a capping stunt! And more than that I shall not say, because the stunt was silly, dangerous and illegal. But fun!
Today it was time for Mitsouko. Ahh!
I am still waiting for Mitsouko to let me in. We don’t disagree, we just aren’t in love. But I love so many other Guerlains that I feel like I should love Mitsouko. I just need to give her time.
In Angela’s post on her belated appreciation of Chanel No. 5, someone mentioned the Eau de Cologne strength being a gateway to Mitsouko. I loved the EDP at first sniff, so I’m of limited use.
Interesting! I haven’t encountered the eau de cologne version. I’ll have to look for it.
Jicky and Shalimar welcomed me like long lost friends, with open arms. L’Heure Bleu feels like the next one of the Guerlain Grande Dames that I might be able to cozy up to. Mitsouko is more aloof. I’ll figure her out eventually.
Mitsouko is so beautiful! I need to dig into my Guerlains. When Mitsouko is right, she is just so right!
She’s been right a fair amount lately.
I’m sampling Memo African Leather today. I was expecting raw leather and animalics but what I got was well-worn gloves, a bit of saffron, cardamom, oud, and a touch of something sweetly floral. This is leather for non-leather-lovers. I like it but don’t need it.
Wearing vintage Emeraude today.
My SOTD was Wild Fig & Cassis by JM. Just wanted some figs in my life today.
SOTD = Rania J. Ambre Loup
Picture Chergui on steroids or Chergui mixed with Mitzah, yes, that FANTASTIC! I am working off a split from clarissa and already have a back-up bottle.
I will be posting my 4th Quarter Damage as soon as I can get to my laptop.
Well you certainly got my attention! I’ll put this at the top of my list!
Grand Amour’s myrrh note is very nice on Three Kings Day. Now I know why I chose it. (Not really, it was serendipity!)