Rabbit rabbit rabbit! And welcome to February. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm wearing Rodin Olio Lusso Perfume. Tea at the moment: Upton Mincing Lane breakfast blend.
Reminder: on 2/5 we're doing 1 Star Friday: wear your favorite perfume ranked only one star by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez in Perfumes: the Guide (if you don't own the book, you can find a compiled list at Basenotes) or in Luca Turin's Style Arabia columns. Partial credit for a two-star perfume! And if anyone knows where other lists can be found online, do comment. (suggested by Bastet) Update: you can download the index to the 2008 Hardcover version of Perfumes: the Guide here (thanks kpaint!)
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.
Note: top image is "My Bunny Wabbit" [cropped] by Julie at flickr; some rights reserved.
Annick Goutal eau de Charlotte. I’m back at the middle school this afternoon so I wanted something that wouldn’t be too challenging for working next to 6th graders.
Charlotte should be perfect!
I always forget to rabbit!
I’m wearing Dzongkha. It’s warm in Houston again. 🙁
Little warmer here too, but that makes me happy!
I’m wearing Diptyque Florabellio – I think it’s the most interesting of Diptyque’s recent fragrances. I was puzzled the first time I tried it, but it kept haunting me and the more I wear it, the more I like it. I don’t think it’ll be a huge hit for them, but it’s fascinating.
It did not haunt me so I didn’t even try it again — maybe eventually I’ll give it another shot.
The first time I tried it, it didn’t come together for me at all and I think for most people, it may never work. But it has sort of fallen into place for me now. Mostly 🙂
I didn’t like it at all, but may I should try it again as well.
You might still hate it – even for me, it kind of hovers between appealing and annoying. But also on principle, I prefer divisive fragrances to safe ones.
“I prefer divisive fragrances to safe ones.” love that
Well, in theory, at least – I certainly own my share of crowdpleasers. But I always appreciate when brands take the braver route and I try not to forget that when shopping.
I also had the same reaction when I tried it last year: one of their more interesting releases. Not sure I could wear it, though. I think there’s calone in there and it never fails to make me queasy.
Yes, I think the calone is there, but I can handle it. I will not buy a bottle, but it’s been interesting to wear the sample.
haunting is the right word for this one.. I feel the same way
There’s hope for me yet 🙂
SOTD: Petit Fracas
Just read somewhere that a new Amouage called Lilic Love is coming. I feel the need to start saving up…
According to Fragrantica, it’s now available at Harrods, 100 mL for £260, so save save save.
Luckily for me I am not likely to want it! Pretty color bottle though.
I hope it lands in the States for me to try. I love lilac in perfume.
Ditto
I was watching a fragrance collection on YouTube (Ami Loves Perfume), and she had a HUGE collection of Amouage. Fascinating! 20+ bottles or so? A true collector, and she seems to know her stuff! 🙂
I watched some of those vids on YouTube. She has so much stuff, I don’t know how she ever has time to wear anything. Her collection puts Donatella’s to shame!
Oh, an Amouage Lilac – that could be fantastic!
Hermes Rocabar. Bone-dry forest smells, all trees and resins, and then, at the very end, the surprise of cuddly vanilla. It’s amazing.
Ooooh, this sounds intriguing.
That grabbed my attention too…
I don’t know of anything else quite like it. Even if it’s been reformulated, the Hermes website description sounds on point, so I bet it’s still terrific. Two notes: one, most people think of it as a quintessence of masculinity, although I don’t think that should stop a woman from trying it, and two, it no longer comes in that wonderful Serge Mansau bottle wrapped in a tiny Hermes blanket with a leather cord, but instead in the classic-to-the-point-of-boring house bottle.
Sounds fantastic.
And uggh as to the bottle change. I understand that it cuts costs and “brands” everything, but I think the loss of so many of the beautiful, distinctive bottles of the older brands is truly sad.
I need to try this!
Me, too! I’ve been planning on getting over to the Hermes boutique in Amsterdam for two years now. Still haven’t tried their osmanthus fragrance!
Home sick with vague symtoms-just feel lousy. Sniffed my usual rotation bottles, everything smelled off except for Boucheron, so I am suroundings by powdery and soothing at the moment.
Hope u feel better soon, meridifay- it’s rubbish when even you’re perfumes feel to cheer u, at least you have Boucheron!
Boucheron is bound to make you feel better. Isn’t it a shame they don’t still make the parfum, in that extraordinary ring bottle? That and the Jaipur parfum bracelet were two of the most desirable bottles ever.
I have EDP, which seems widely available. They used to do parfum? I would love that, I expect.
EVERYTHING in the eighties had a parfum. Literally every new department store launch had perfume and EDT or EDP: then six to twelve months later, a sizeable bath line with soap, shower gel, lotion, body cream, and a few ancillary products. Those were the days.
There are a couple of these on eBay for what seems like a reasonable price, if you’re determined to have it, and I wouldn’t blame you. Even if the juice has gone off, you’ll have that nonpareil bottle.
Feel better – hope the Boucheron does the trick!
Feel better! I felt like that for days last week just wishing it would manifest its full self and get it over with. Now I have a mild cold but not too bad.
Feel better soon. I hate general unspecifiable feeling rubbish and fear it’s partly the time of year.
Sick & Monday? Ugh! Do feel better soon!
Maybe some Mohur Extrait can cheer you up? It did me today 😉
Boucheron is a lovely fragrance. I hope you feel better soon.
Sending get well wishes your way.
Wearing Aromatics Elixir Perfumer’s Reserve. It’s a good take on AE, but I prefer the original.
I’m wearing my beloved Teo Cabanel Alahine today.
Friday will be easy for me….
Looking at Surrender to Chance today and considering ordering a sample of this one. Have heard one too many good things…
Bet you smell lovely!
Poopies – no Alahine available at the moment on STC.
I wonder if it’s sold anywhere in New York…
I don’t know about brick and mortar stores, but Luckyscent has it. It’s definitely worth sampling if you think you’d like amber with a good dose of ylang.
I’m not sure I ever thanked you for popping a sample of Alahine in with a sample of Oha… but I should have. THANK YOU.
So, what, Friday will be Amarige for you?
Oh you know me so well! Yes, of course it will be Amarige (one spray only!)
Might wear this one tomorrow if its not to warm. It always make me feel so put together!
You smell wonderful!
Alahine = perfection!
SOTD is POAL for the second day running, which often calls for a raspberry red or bergundy (in my head!) outfit- so enjoying catching wafts from my red scarf on this very windy and wet day. I was catching up on the lazy weekend thread this morning, reading comments about back up bottles- i don’t have any, but i do find 100ml bottles of my favourites hugely comforting!
Yes, these colours make complete sense to me in relation to POAL.
Oh yes I always have in mind deep red velvet or slightly dry dusty reds when I wear POAL – it’s one of the very few perfumes which make me think of specific colours. You smell great.
Yes, deep red velvet is a perfect image, a slightly musty and dusty velvet i think!
Twins! I’m wearing the last drop from a sample, and it is powerful! I have a small decant as backup, and it should last me into the next millennium 😉 .
Hi twin, we smell wonderful!
How funny, I often wear burgundy red when I put on POAL!
PoAl reminds me of the work of Petah Coyne. She likes to use red-black-purple velvet and silk flowers to create elaborate sculptures with taxidermy birds.
http://tinselandtreasure.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/birds/artists/coyne/coyne_love.cfm
The second work resulted from the death of the husband of a couple who had been her friends. It’s composed of red-black velvet and silk flowers with albino taxidermy birds. They had been a strong presence in her life and after the death, “The color drained out of them.”
Thanks for sharing this knoznoz, her work is beautiful and unsettling. I like the description; “19th century mourning art meets Tim Burton”.
Rahat Loukoum, fighting the Monday. As far as I’ve been able to see, I only have Amarige from the LT 1 star basenotes list. And as much as I take our community projects seriously, Amarige is a bit too much, even for a crazy person like me who wears RL when it’s 36 degrees Celsius outside. Where is that Hiris sample? (And why on Earth is it on the list, among Joop this, Heiress that and the tuberose from hell?)
I wondered the same about Hiris, along with a few others!
Hiris was my first choice, but my bottle has gone off. Luckily I have more than 1 on the list 🙂
I find this perversely satisfying. 🙂
Although I have 2.
I think I’m going to stop by Hermes this week and see if I can snag a sample of Hiris. I really do like that one.
It’s nice, isn’t it?
Happy Monday! Have a good week everyone! And February already? Time keeps on slipping slipping slipping….into the future…. 🙂
SOTD: Fat Electrician. Groovin’ on some sweet vetiver today! (And yes, my pants are hitched up! LOL)
It’s gonna be a sweet smelling week….Have a few samples coming from Luckyscent, and have a small order coming from Fragrancenet.com. Fun stuff!
In other smelly news, I discovered a YouTube channel “Ami Loves Perfume”, which is MESMERIZING. This young woman has hundreds of bottles valued in the thousands of dollars. She’s a true collector….check her out! 🙂
Happy Monday! I love it when I have fun perfume packages on their way to me in the mail. What are you expecting from Frangrancenet?
I’ll check out that YouTube channel. I enjoy vegging out sometimes in front of perfume videos, and I wish there were more women creating them. The vast majority seem to be by guys, which is fine but a different perspective.
FragranceNet = Something Blue, Euphoria, and Katy Perry Meow! (for my 11 yr old)
I had Something Blue coming from ScentBird in a month or two, and realized I could get the full size for just $5.00 more! Taking a chance with it….
LuckyScent: I think I have 5 or 6 samples of things with rice notes! Also have 4160 Tues Silk Lace and Chocolate sample for Valentines Day! 🙂
Fun! I saw TPC having some Valentines Day specials… tempting!
Enjoy!
Ami has quite a few videos and her perfume collection is massive. I am always fascinated when she puts up her perfume halls. Each one is thousands of dollars of perfume. I don’t know how she does it but I love watching to see what she buys next.
I wonder if she’s on NST? Her collection would be a fun one for Angela to write about! Just her Guerlain collection alone made me swoon! 🙂
You smell great! Fat Electrician is my favorite ELdO.
I was actually going to do a 1 star week, but I packed to come to Mom’s in too great a hurry and left my pile of samples behind. Today is supposed to be a day of record-breaking heat and high winds, so I had planned on a Chance eau Fraîche but will be wearing Fleurs de Citronnier instead.
Grrr. Posted before I finished again. Anyway, I’m changing this to a one and two star week so my SOTD qualifies. “Failed Cologne”will have to do for today.
Nice choice. Looking at Turin’s list of 1 and 2 starred fragrances, many leave me confused and sometimes personally offended (how dare he!). :-p This will be a very interesting Friday project.
Sometimes I don’t take M. Turin at all seriously. He certainly has a better nose than I, but in the end it’s so subjective. He can be good for a laugh.
I do love his sharp tongue.
I own a few 1 and 2’s !! LOL My taste is to be questioned! 🙂
Wearing Rose Oud today. but I have to tell a story. At a little boutique that sells a few perfumes and stationary I scored Korrigan for 75% off!! I asked why it was marked down and the shopkeeper explained it was to make more room for additional perfumes and Valentine’s Day inventory. FINE. BY. ME. I couldn’t believe it at first–I thought the sign wouldn’t apply to the perfume.
I am SO ENVIOUS. Great score!
Wow, what luck! Now I’m tempted to go boutique perfume shopping, too 😉
With the surfeit of releases each year I’ve always wondered how stores keep making room for all their perfume. I’d always assumed department stores simply ship them to storage and post them online, but I wish they’d go on sale in the store first.
I love Korrigan and while I’m very, very jealous, I’m also happy for you 🙂
Wow! That’s a great find. Korrigan is yum.
Wow – fantastic!
Oh! That is good! Congrats!!
Nothing better than a deal found on a true treasure! #HappyDance
Reports week here at work… rolled out of bed this morning and thew on Samsara. Needing lots of comfort.
LOVE that bunny image!
Good luck!
Today’s SOTD is Bijou Romantique, which never fails to make my eyes roll back in my head.
Over the weekend, I went shopping with my mother, who always complains that perfumes make her sick. Well, she became enamored with A*Men to the point where she’s now considering buying a bottle. For someone who usually avoids all fragranced items like the plague, she certainly picked a doozy to latch onto.
Wow! A very unusual choice for a perfume hater!
Ha, that’s a fun choice by your mom.
I wore Bijou Romantique yesterday. I bathed in it. That’s a lovely scent. Interestingly, yesterday, it went a bit gourmand on me, which it never had before.
Wearing BR also! It gets me in the mood to study. That’s funny about your mom. My gran loves A*Men also.
A perfume that made me more productive would be a welcomed addition to my collection! As it is, Bijou makes me want to curl up under a fluffy blanket and eat pastries.
I first read this as eating parasites instead of pastries.
I love Bijou and need to get more of it since I used up my decant. Last time I wore it, I guess I must have sprayed right before heading out because my seat belt soaked it up like nothing else, and my car smelled pretty distinctly of it for about 2-3 weeks. Even now, a couple months later, I still get the occasional whiff — and sometimes I like that better than whatever I’m wearing that day. 😛
Sounds like the best kind of air freshener!
Yesterday I viewed a beautiful home on three acres with rose bushes, a huge vegetable garden, and a tray of well-used perfumes in the master bath: Chanels, Lauders, and a nearly-empty bottle of YSL Champagne. I’m tempted to ask for the Champagne to be thrown in, if we make an offer! 😉
This morning I was inspired to search through boxes until I found my sample of YSL Yvresse. Mmm, oakmossy, rosy nectarine. It may be time to hit up eBay.
How is house hunting? How are you feeling?
House hunting is going well and I feel good. 🙂 There are two homes that we really like, the one from yesterday and another that’s less expensive but needs renovations. Going to see the latter again today. I really want to get out of this tiny temporary rental apartment!
How are you and the baby doing? Are you all settled into your new place?
Good luck!
We are mostly settled in that there is only 1 box to unpack and we haven’t hung a thing on the walls yet
That’s great – fast unpacking!
The house sounds lovely and hope you find the one that’s perfect for you. I adore vintage Yvresse and you summed it up perfectly.
Thank you!
Oooh! Write an offer that includes ALL of it!
And I am about to start house hunting very soon. So scared!
Ha, that’s an idea!
Enjoy the house hunting. It’s very fun at first, until it’s time to negotiate an offer. We already lost out on one home because we were outbid.
The house sounds amazing! I’d love to have expansive gardens…
I’m sooooo excited to have gardens after living with balconies my entire adult life.
I can’t agree with you more! There is nothing like being immersed in nature and gardens!
Balconies to 3 acres is a big jump. I’d be scared!
Love Yvresse / Champagne. Dottie, if you haven’t sniffed Champagne parfum, DO give it a try. It’s pretty easy to find the little mini’s on evilbay or etsy. I like the EdT lots (own a bottle) but love, love, love the parfum (got 2 of those mini’s. So I guess you could say I have a BUB for the parfum, though considering they’re what, 4ml each, does that really count? lol)
Today, I will be filing my taxes. Pre shower, I am wearing no 19 in edt. After my shower I will wear the edp. I forgot why I love Chanel no 19.
Taxes, ack. Not ready.
I am quite annoyed that I can’t do ours yet as I’m still waiting on my H’s W2.
I’m wearing Hermès Hiris today, very lightly applied. I’ve been battling an upper respiratory infection, and some smells send me into miserable coughing spells. Pesky cough is always the last to go…
I miss my perfumes when I’m sick.
When I get sick I tend to go the other way and smell my powerhouses (so I can at least smell some of them). But coughing fits would obviously prevent that. 🙁 In the meantime perhaps you can still enjoy the smells of your environment? For example, ginger tea.
Hope you feel better soon!
Yes, I love the smell of a hot cup of tea. I may make a cup of peppermint tea in a little while 🙂
You poor thing. Feel better!
Also, I think someone here mentioned last week that you have made scented candles before. Is that right? I’m going to be making some and wondered if I might ask you a few questions. Totally ok if not! Just thought I’d ask.
I’m at mary (the letter kay) brunner, all one word, at the geemale.
Hope you’re reunited with your scents soon!
Yes I do make scented candles.
I’ll send an email out to you very soon 🙂
Thank you for that!!
Hope you get better soon! I miss my perfumes when I’m sick, too. I’ll drop a little Eucaliptus or Pine EO in some corner of the shower floor, which is decongestioning and, most importantly, adds some beauty to a warm shower when you can’t smell your showergel.
I hope you are feeling better soon Barqs. Take care.
Hope you feel better!
I hope you feel better soon!
Thank you all for the get well wishes.
For a few days I haven’t been able to wear my scents.
This respiratory thing is hard to beat. I’ve been drinking emergenC vitamin drinks,taking B12 vitamins, cough syrup and lots of cough drops. My doctor also put me on antibiotics. I finish the last of them today.
Hope the cough goes away soon!
Feel better soon!
Hope you’re feeling better soon. Seconding the essential oils. Actually, having all the respiratory issues I do, I need to get in the habit of sniffing preventively on a regular basis.
I am also planning to do a 1 star week. Starting it off with Mona di Orio Violette Fumée, which I believe was released after the guide, but since all her scents got a 1, I feel safe in my choice. I have 3 more Monas plus Chanel Gardenia and Cartier Delices waiting in the wings. 🙂
🙂
Whatever the star that is a really beautiful perfume – might have to dog out a sample now you have reminded me of it!
I wanted to love Violette Fumee but could never really smell it. I had a few hints of something lovely but it eluded me. Must be anosmic to something in this scent.
Violette Fumee was 1 star?? I mean, I didn’t love it (seemed a bit soapy and I got neither the violet nor the smoke until later in the drydown, and even at that, less of either than I would have liked), but still that seems harsh. I have a sample so I guess that gives me another option for Friday.
I dont think it was reviewed- im not sure any of hers from Nombres d’or onwards were, only the earlier ones (i may be wrong I havent looked, but I havent seen any..)
Happy Monday! I am TCB in the office this morning!
I’m in Parfums de Nicolai Patchouli Intense. One of my desert island scents. My sinuses are a bit blocked at the moment, so I was worried I went overboard, but my husband assures me I’m fine. 🙂
It’s Monday, again, boo, so I needed something extra yummy to get me through the day. I went with Coromandel, my new love. I’ve put it on the FB list, but I think that it and Chergui may be the only ones that ever actually get purchased. I love Shalimar, but it’s pretty easy to come by in decants, and I do love Jicky dearly, but the EdP is SO pricey.
Coromandel is extra yummy! I lucked out by finding a bottle with 15 mls left on eBay for about the same price as a decant. There’s something about having the bottle (and box) that makes it more special.
oh that’s nice!, it gives me such a buzz finding used bottle favourites on ebay, that are hard to find and/or expensive.
I found someone who was selling sets of 2 each of the 4 ml bottles of some of the Exclusifs at a very reasonable price. I picked up 3 sets, including Coromandel. I prefer to spray so I planned on decanting them but the 4 ml bottles are so pretty I don’t know if I can. They also came in boxes, which is very gratifying. I’m getting to the point where I’m willing to pay more to get the box (I am otherwise a bargain hunter.)
Morning, everybody!
Sure enough I was out of service range Friday-Sunday, but I caught up on the Shalimar Friday posts and loved the love for my personal favorite. I also wore the extrait on Friday, and it was the most enjoyable part of my morning. We hiked up about 3/4 of the way up Mt. Hood to the cabin in freezing winds and several feet of snow. It took hours and was the most grueling hike I have ever done, very proud I accomplished it. The extrait was perfect for the trip because it lasts forever, but with very low sillage so I never felt self conscious in the close quarters. And it is beautiful.
After a weekend filled with snow angels, snowballs, fireplaces, and a delightful descent (clear skies and no wind, but everything was covered in pristine snow) I am quite ready to go back to work. Where we have heaters.
Also, after that mountaineering expedition with no makeup (or even a comb, yikes) I am craving girlishness. SOTD = L’Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse paired with a salmon pink blouse, wool slacks, nude high heels, and Sephora Red Carpet rouge shine (which smells fabulous). Would have worn a skirt too, but I don’t want any part of me to be cold today.
That hike sounds intense. I secretly love things like that, where you can test your mettle but only if I know 100% I’m not going to die (I hike, but I don’t mountaineer).
Speaking of getting snowed in at Mt. Hood, _Slain in Schiaparelli_ (the latest addition to Angela Saunders’s Vintage Clothing Mysteries book series) involves a glamorous group snowed in at a remote mountain lodge. It was such a fun read, especially if you know those OR mountains. Not affiliated, I just love Angela’s writing on this blog and really enjoy her fun books.
Yes, it was extremely intense and my first time “mountaineering”. I was scared for awhile when our guide (the only person in our party who had done the hike before) got fed up with waiting for everyone and left us all behind, and then I had to almost hyperventilate just to breath. Luckily an experienced member of our group caught up with us and guided us to the cabin…where we discovered the rest of our group who were ahead of us hadn’t made it to the cabin. They had gotten lost and were retrieved by another guide, but definitely not 100% certain we wouldn’t die on this trip. Luckily everybody made it up and back. 🙂
Thanks for the book recommendation! That sounds so cool I’ll put it at the top of my library list.
So glad you can look back at your mountain hike with a sense of pride and enjoyment – despite having a less than ideal guide. Hopefully once summer comes around you ‘ll be able to have some more enjoyable experiences, taking advantage of longer daylight and nicer temperatures. I love mountains and Shalimar would definitely be on my list of ‘can’t/haven’t washed properly for several days/weeks’ perfume.’ My Swiss friend used to tease me about my ‘Douche Italienne’ when we went into the hills for a long trip…I can live without coffee (just) but not scent. Good on you! What a champ.
Sounds wonderful, Shalimar and the hike.
All told it was a lovely trip, and I would definitely do it again. Great pictures.
Sorry for the long comment – I meant to make a new thread!
Coromandel is also on my list to get – you smell wonderful! I’ll definitely be offering it for the splitmeet, and hoping somebody offers Chergui.
Shalimar is my favorite, so just having decants makes me nervous I’ll run out. The bottles are so lovely, and it’s easy to find them cheap online, so that’s my excuse for buying full bottles. 😉
Wearing Voyage d’Hermes on this very spring-like day.
Guess I’ll be wearing Amarige this Friday!
SOTD is TF Oud Fleur.
me too! Outrageous that Amarige didn’t receive 5 starts in The Guide…. so what if it’s potent…. Angel is even more so. ((never getting over this!))
haha!
Ha! Maybe it’s a 5 star 1 star perfume? I used to love Amarige. The more recent stuff I’ve smelled doesn’t smell the way I remember it though.
There are a few of those in The Guide, but if you read the description you’ll see it is actually a five star that was given a 1 star because the raters were sick of it at that point. However, having never experienced when Amarige was ubiquitous I experienced it with a fresh nose and I agree that it is lovely, though potent.
I’m so excited that my idea has been picked for the Friday project! Among my favorites I only have one 1-star perfume, so I decided to save it for Friday and wear my best 2-stars the rest of the week.
Today its SL Clair de Musc, which to me is very pretty, not too skanky for the office, but also not boring.
I LOVE Clair de Musc. When I first tried it a few years ago, I thought it would be SO boring. But it’s not. It’s one of the most beautiful light musks I’ve ever encountered and so wearable.
Commando
Tea is English Breakfast from Peets, my friend from San Francisco sent it to me.
How is Lovestosmellgood Jr. doing?
He is a big big baby- 2 weeks old today. And no sleep for mommy at night these days
Sleep when Baby sleeps for sure….no matter what time of day! (But you know that!) 🙂 I remember the 1st night that all 3 of mine went to bed at the same time (age 4, 18 mon. and baby at the time)….I called my mom to tell her! HA HA (Then the baby woke up shortly thereafter!)
Nothing better than the smell of a freshly bathed baby….Enjoy that! 🙂
Awww, that sounds lovely. Peet’s is the place that got me started adding fresh mint to my iced coffee. Fond memories. Enjoy your tea!
I use to live in SF, did you?
No, I actually have a some close friends out there and have been lucky enough to visit! It’s so beautiful and everyone was SO nice. But I had Peet’s every day I was there (sometimes twice a day) because I couldn’t get enough of that mint. I bet living there was a great experience!
When I was writing my thesis for grad school I would spend the whole day at Peets typing
Wearing Desarmant today– it is 50° here in Boston and sunny and feels so springlike that a lilac scent felt appropriate
It’s 59 in NYC
Envious of thegoddessrena and the springlike weather Boston is enjoying. I’m in a cocoon of Cuir Pleine Fleure on a chilly, foggy, sprinkly day in Oregon.
Iris de Nuit on a blowy grey day in London!
Then we’re scent sisters 🙂 I nearly bought Iris de Nuit, but the CPF called to me more loudly and clearly, I guess.
I have and love CPF too – it’s gorgeous.
SOTD is MFK’s Pluriel for Women.
I thought that one was nice, but not distinctive enough for me to pay MFK prices for. (For full disclosure, I’m saving up for a bottle of Lumiere Noire pour femme.)
Lumiere Noire is GORGEOUS! I have a little sample, and the day I wore it, I smelled it for 12 hours. Absolutely beautiful!
I really think it is. Similar to L’Arte di Gucci, though, and I’m stocked up on that one, which weakens my case for buying LNpf!
Natori again today. I sometimes forget between wearings how much I like this one. I’m not usually one for aldehydes, but the way they are combined with the plummy rosiness of this one is really nice.
A friend in a band played a show at a little club on the Lower East Side this weekend and the band after them was a Clash cover band. My expectations were non-existent, but they KILLED and put on one of the best shows I’ve seen in New York. An unexpectedly invigorating experience.
Have a lovely one guys!
Natori sounds perfect, i’m still looking out for it on ebay uk, when it comes up, there will be an enabler pin coming you’re way!
The gig sounds brilliant, gr8 when expectation’s are low and u are nicely suprised! cover bands can be really dodgy, hit and miss.
I love live music, and am upset that i missed out on tickets to see a fairly new favourite, american singer (Ezra Furman) playing in Brighton, tickets were £12, so we could have had a relatively cheap and fun night out, rare with 2 small children, i’m really kicking myself for not being on the ball!
Aww – I hope the chance comes around again soon! I know it’s hard when you have little ones around.
Also hope you get to try Natori in the not-too-distant future. One of the most satisfying surprises of my perfume-smelling career.
Thanks. Plum is definitely one of my favourite notes,
i’ve just ordered blind, a partial bottle of mon parfum cherie par camille from ebay, and love plum japonaise, feminite du Bois and Liasons Dangerous. Femme is still on my ‘Must Try Soon’ list to try!
You smell great! Natori is a lost Chanel, IMHO, or what Coco Noir should have been….
You know, I hadn’t considered it in that way, but you’re right – it does have a bit of that “blurred, luminous abstraction” thing that someone (possibly Luca Turin) described as being characteristic of Chanel.
I love Natori, it was really well done despite how little attention it got.
SOTD: Oud & Bergamot (Jo Malone). 🙂
You smell great! I love the oil too.
I’ve had a mild cold since the weekend but my temperature regulation is very off, so I’m overdressed today and sweating at the moment but hoping I smell like Lyric instead of sweat!
The best kind of sweat! Hope the cold abates asap.
Sorry I meant smelling of Lyric was clearly better – my typing got garbled by trying to pick up the phone at the same time.
Lol! I knew what you meant. Thanks for the well wishes 🙂
I hope you feel better Elisa. I’ve been battling something since last week too. The changeable weather is wreaking havoc with my sinuses. It’s been so warm that our trees are actually budding which I am very allergic to. I guess we’re going to have two spring allergy seasons on the East Coast this year.
Yup. My husband is the allergy sufferer and he’s had it rough this year. Winter is usually a break from that. Hope you feel better, too!
I hope the Lyric makes you feel better!
Thanks! Luckily I can still smell and it definitely helps.
That was me last week too. Hope it passes soon!
Having one of those days where nothing sounds good which is close to those days when everything sounds good – either way it’s hard to make up my mind. Makes me realize that I don’t really have a “default” perfume that I always fall back on….it used to be Chanel 19 but that doesn’t even sound right today. Maybe I’ll just go without, the horror!
Ahahahaha, I am kind of in the same boat. More of a “blah” day for me where nothing sounds good. And I also thought, “Hmm, maybe some No. 19” but then thought, “Meh.” I ended up putty on my therapeutic blend in hopes of shaking off my bad attitude.
Putting* although putty definitely describes what my brain feels like today.
Infusion d’Iris for a doctors appointment this morning and now on the opposite end of things in a bit of L’eau d’Ambree ????
Infusion d’Iris is perfect for a doctor’s appointment! I wore Caleche to my doctors appointment this morning, but I think wearing perfume to a medical office is a no no.
Then again perfume is a no no almost everywhere now ????
I normally don’t either. But I was nervous, so one tiny spray on my chest. Plus it wasn’t a general office, so no one else there. I haven’t come across any rules yet (except maybe hospitals). Difference between Europe and US?
I’m in Canada and some work places do not allow any fragrance. My gym does not allow it either, although I can understand that.
La Fumee Classique which feels very elegant and warming and prefect for a complex presentation. I love love love that photo Robin – thank you!
Glad you like it!
I’ve been wearing Imaginary Authors Memoirs of a Trespasser today. I really love it but it is just a tad too refined and elegant for me so I don’t wear it very often. But I was dressing rather elegantly today so it matched…
I can also still smell the remnants of HdP 1740 from yesterday. Definitely more me! And the longevity is awesome! That’s about 26 hours now, how about that! 😀
Great pic! I adore bunnies..
SOTD is Mohur Extrait (also mentioned above).
In the 50s today which led me to pull out the tights and where a skirt. I typically only wear pants in the winter with the cold but I can bear a little more exposure with these warmer temps.
You smell wonderful!
three generous spritzes of Guerlain’s Vetiver for me today. Mmmm, yum.
You smell wonderful. 🙂
G Vetiver is one of my most favorite fragrances, and you smell great! I could seriously wear this every day.
Combining full bottles and samples, I’ll be able to make it a full week of 1 or 2 stars rated fragrances.
SOTD is Bulgari Au Thé Rouge, which I got in a swap. I like the underlying nuttiness of this one.
I think that one’s nice too.
I noticed that Neiman Marcus has this now plus a bunch of bath products and gift sets in their site. In case you need more!!
The Rouge is my fav of all the “thes”. I need to get a full bottle of it one of these days.
You smell great!
Thanks!
Chanel No 19 for me today. Perfect for the mild weather we’re having.
I’m putting off my shower today until a bottle of shampoo arrives from UPS. I have shampoo, but really want to try this one on my bodyless straight hair. Suggested by Anniky, I think. Still commando but will be trying Rien from a stash of samples I discovered on Saturday. Feb 1, no snow, no cold. This could turn out to be a very dry spring in upstate N.Y.
I’m wearing Agent Provocateur EDP. It’s lovely and long-lasting but a bit linear, not to mention bordering on becoming boring at the end of the day. Because it’s so darn long-lasting. Rose, rose, dark spicey rose, by any other name . . . rose. Oh well.
It’s one of the the lowest LT rankings I own with *** (‘throwback rose’). I used to own two 1-star beauties (Vivenne Westwood Boudoir and Amarige) but gave them away.
Oh, AP is very nonlinear on me, I find it to evolve a lot and deliciously.
Wearing Do Son for the first time and boy is it lovely!
Oh, I have a little sample of that to try and I’m looking forward to it. What’s it like? May have to throw it on later!
It is beautiful. To my nose it smells like tuberose and white flowers. A bit sweet and citrusy too. A lovely spring floral. Not cloying either. Slightly aquatic maybe too.
I am not sure if this is the EDT or EDP. Will have to check the sample when I get home. 😉
Yes, how is that? I have not seen any first hand reports on it yet…
Just replied with my 2 cents above. 🙂
I just feel so blah and down today. Maybe I’m getting sick. Half-heartedly watching a physics lecture before work. Wearing my blend of tangerine, neroli, and jasmine sambac absolute to try and shake off my blahs.
Oh dear. This season usually does that to me, and I hope you’re out of the pit soon.
Thanks so much, Karen. I think it is the season. It’s not horrible outside, just so grey and blah, it’s hard to get motivated.
Oh no – so sorry to hear this. Is it grey and overcast where you are? That always makes it worse.
That blend sounds lovely and cheering – hope it does the trick!
In the meantime, maybe this video will help:
https://instagram.com/p/BBLnWBAu9Va/
Oh my word, thank you SO MUCH ihadanidea. It is grey and overcast here. It stinks, because it’s actually really nice for February (50 degrees outside!) but it’s so grey I’m having a hard time getting myself to do anything.
I have to say though, your video DEFINITELY helped. I laughed so hard. How did you know that would do the trick?!
Good morning, best of days to you all! I’m scuttling here and there in a state of self-inflicted unpreparedness (not a word; never mind) for my first staff meeting of the year. I feel frazzled, and it’s only right that I should, because I did NO WORK AT ALL over the long weekend–I read books and lay about lazily like a lizard in the heat. I’m hoping that Beloved will give me the push I need to rise to the occasion and take this meeting with aplomb and make it count. The new lecturers in my area have great potential and talent, but we aren’t a team yet, you know? Wish me luck: I don’t deserve it, but I need it!
I like your style. 🙂 I hope your meeting goes great! Hopefully you all will start to click soon. I’m sure things will come together!
Thank you! I’ve got some great individuals here, send we all like one another, but we haven’t worked closely yet. Everyone’s got their drivers and their issues and heaps of strengths, but that magic “click” you spoke about has yet to happen. I hope I’m still up to this!
They will encounter your strong and loving heart and be delighted to join your team!
Oh, you darling! Thank you! I feel quite teary– I think that ‘s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!
I deeply admire your dedication! Thank you for sharing with us!
Good luck! So glad you had a proper holiday.
I firmly support the way you spent your weekend, repercussions be damned!
Sending hugs to everyone battling cases of the Mondays! I’m trying out Dior Homme today — too much lavender for this non-lavender-lover.
@Robin: Oh, how I love Rodin! My wallet DESPISES Rodin! But I love the Olio Lusso Body Oil and wore it as perfume AND would take it to massage therapy (bad shoulder impingement). My therapist said it made her VERY happy to treat my back! I smelled Rodin’s Bis at a Saks in Seattle, and it’s wonderful, but just could not pull the trigger!
Back from business travel in Rochester NY! Despite the unexpected news, it was great being with colleagues, eating unabashedly rich food and drinking great Finger Lake Region wines (I highly recommend trying them, specifically the Gewurztraminer from Lamoreaux Landing).
Today, back in business mode and so am wearing Bois des Illes by Chanel. I have a couple samples of this. What a subtle and elegant fragrance, yet perky enough to get me through 35 UNANSWERED EMAILS. Yikes!
OOTD: Black cashmere sweater tunic, brown satin tired miniskirt, tights and snakeskin print hi topped sneakers.
Ha, my wallet despises them too. I keep eyeing the lovely candle, and then moaning at the price. No way.
I sampled Narciso yesterday based on the 4.5 star Luca Turin review. After half an hour, or so, it developed into a slightly ‘artificial flavour’ on me , reminding me of a strange milky white chocolate and hazelnut drink that I once tried…a drink that had more smell than taste. I like abstract and ‘non-natural’ scented perfumes but this one is really odd on me, reminding me of flavourings rather than scents.
On a different note….I had a couple of fantastic scent map moments at the weekend. Someone down the road(s) was trimming their macrocarpa (Monterey cypress) hedge. This hedge is huge, about 12 feet high and 3 feet thick, and so dense that you can walk or lie on the top of it( like a bed). My granny had one with a doorway cut into it, like a tunnel and we would climb up and spread out on its top and watch the clouds. The smell brought to mind a childhood summer of heat and adventures….sharp cypress green, pencil shavings, eucalyptus, dust, pine…wonderful.
I like that scent image. Really lovely.
You write the coolest descriptions! looking forward to more…
This week, I am doing a Luca Turin ratings count down starting with a 5-star perfume today and down to a 1-star on Friday. On Friday, I will also have two-word descriptions of some of his 5-stars that 8 think are 1-star or below, with apologies to fans. I don’t have enough to do a full week of 1-stars.
We begin with 5-star Bvlgari Black. LT and I are in complete agreement on this one! If you don’t agree, I won’t judge you 🙂
Great idea!!! What fun!!
I had to think of something creative to make up for the 1-star hole in my collection 🙂
I’ve only got one one star in my collection, not counting samples.
A countdown! That’s awesome.
Thanks!
And I meant “I” instead of “8”
I love the countdown idea! 🙂
Love how creative you are!
What fun…great idea!
I’m looking forward to your 2-word descriptors. Some of his really crack me up.
Exactly. I may not always agree, but I always laugh.
And I will keep it clean and all in good fun!
🙁
Cool week-long challenge! I’m excited to read your Friday post 🙂
+1. And the more snark, the better!
I’ll be worse than Muttley in Wacky Races. His laugh = snark. Heh! I think I just dated myself 😉
I LOVED Muttley!
I’m getting list ready!
MY list – I will blame the guy who just plopped down next to me
Super crazy busy today! Augh! SOTD is Volnay Brume d’Hiver, which seems extra peppery and lovely today!
SOTA is Dior Feve Delicieuse. This is among me think of a much more wearable TF Noir Pour Femme. Yum! Thanks for the sample, Hajusuuri!
🙂 I love both!
Freebiemeet update and a question.
I managed to mail out 10 packages. The remaining 4 (Mainstream Meets Niche Packs 1 and 2, Weird Combo and Newbie Pack) will be going out this week.
Question for those who mail packages using Paypal: Have you noticed that all packages U.S. to U.S. under 9 oz now cost $2.60 regardless of weight? I may have missed the announcement on this although I am more concerned about the labels being null and void (not the price increase) because of a potential screw-up by PayPal.
Yup. Ebay/PayPal negotiate with USPS over rates, and when the USPS rates went up recently, the Ebay/PayPal rates went up too, but the structure changed. So now 1-8oz is all the same price, and (at least on Ebay) you can now mail up to 16oz via First Class.
Guess who’s been selling a lot of perfume odds & ends on Ebay recently 😉
🙂 Thanks for the info, Pixel! And good news about getting the package weight up to 16 oz before having to switch to Priority Mail. I have to say that USPS does a great job most of the time!
Earlier today I wore Parfum d’Empire Tabac Tabou for a first time full wear, after some sampling. I fell heads over heals for this one at first sniff. Now I kinda get some Dzing! from it, only better.
Now post-shower for the evening it’s all Dior Homme Parfum.
Hope you all have a good week!
I really enjoyed Tabac Tabou too! I love the tobacco note in it! I’ve only found that sort of tobacco in indie oils previously, kind of raw and green almost! <3 Loved the creamy honeyed narcissus was really lovely too, such a great contrast! I got kind of bad longevity though…
I had to work up to full-strength on that one too. Now I really like it and may throw some on this afternoon.
I like that, too! It’s heartening to see someone create something this deep and intriguing with the restricted palette of the 2010s.
I bought an Orlov sampler pack from STC so today I’m wearing Flame of Gold. It started out on me with a blast of rather aftershave-ish citrus, but now is a quiet cedar scent, with an edge of sweetness. Not terrible but not FBW and I am kind of wishing I had put on my Olio Lusso too. It’s so good but doesn’t last long at all.
I really disliked Flame of Gold too. I haven’t really tried the other yet. Maybe tonight.
I’m testing Cross of Asia, which smells good, I think. Now that I’ve learned that STC has it, I’ll probably order a spray decant to see how much I really like it.
SOTD for a long, tough day: RL Safari. It just last forever and smells so good at all the parts. Cheers!
I always look at the Safari minis on EBay, but have never pressed Buy Now.
A small spray or dab lasts for hours and has very serious projection. A mini would last forever….
Hi AnnS, Is the modern version of Safari worth trying, or should I look for vintage?
I have a bottle from about 10 years ago – so it’s not vintage, but it’s not new either. I’ve never smelled what is new so I can’t comment. Maybe someone else can chime in?
I took the plunge on a mini parfum from the Bay. I haven’t spent much time with it yet but it seems rather complex.
SAFARI SAFARI SAFARI!! So gorgeous.
SOTD is the modern formulation of Chloe.
Woke up in traces of last night’s Rose Nacrée du Desert; continued the theme with Encens Mythique d’Orient.
Une Rose Nacrée is just stunning!
I looked at the 1 star list in preparation – He one starred Hiris and Tabac Blond!!?? What…why…how? How could you put Tabac Blond in the same category as Paris Hilton and Very Sexy for Her? I guess there’s no accounting for taste.
Well, when you put it that way… I was surprised by some of his ratings too.
I think it’s the *current* version of Tabac Blond that makes him cranky. (Actually, several of the Carons get scathing reviews… it is perhaps unfair, but he and Tania Sanchez are united in loathing the Caron reformulations.)
Yes. And have to say I loathe the newer ones too. Don’t know about 1 star, but do think Caron has butchered most of their back catalog.
Victoria of Bois de Jasmin isn’t too enthousiastic about the reformulations either.
I’m not familiar enough with the old versions to have anything original to add, but I have sniffed vintage Tabac Blond and it is gorgeous, as is Poivre by the way.
It’s been a while, but my recollection was that he was just disgusted by what Caron had done to reformulate Tabac Blond, finding it a poor substitute for the original. If giving a one star review was an attempt to shame the company into bringing back a beloved fragrance, I don’t entirely blame him.
It’s also worth noting that it was Tania Sanchez who did the Tabac Blond review, although I think it’s safe to assume they agreed on the rating.
She notes that it’s generally gotten sweeter over the years, but the then most recent version smelled completely different. “I’m not sure what’s going on with these variations. All I know is I loved Tabac Blond. Can’t Fraysse [the guy at Caron who was responsible] go ruin some perfumes that weren’t interesting in the first place?”
I can just see your biography of him on the shelves
From Caron to Carrion: The true story of Richard Fraysse – the man who killed perfume.
🙂
🙂
Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente – on Mondays I need something to stand up to the weekly commute down to London. This is lovely stuff. I’ve done well on AG, also bought a FB of Sables unsniffed and which makes me happy each time I wear it. :^)
Sables is like liquid gold!! <3
I’m wearing Penhaligon’s Ostara today. I need to get out my copy of the guide (I have an older copy so probably missing some newer stuff) and see what 1-star things I have. I know I have some Amarige, so that’s an option.
How do you find Ostara please? I liked it but not w/ the intensity liking some others here have found…at least not yet…
Intense that is
Started out with the drydown of last night’s Theo Fennel Scent. So good! It actually has a lot in common with Beloved, I think (except I own Theo Fennel, and you can still find it here and there for under 100$, and I just have a tiny Beloved sample). Everyone I’ve encountered at PT and on the street was pretty keyed up, so I’m going to try and find a soothing sample.
Such an amazing comparison! All I remember about A Scent is the CUMIN smell…. I couldn’t get past it.
I don’t smell it here (which makes me a little worried that I’m anosmic to the part that other people think is sweaty BO :-0 )
You have my attention. Adding it to my ‘to try’ list.
Sorry, that was meant for jjlook re: Theo Fennell Scent.
I think it’s discontinued, but I got the EDP cheaply from Amazon UK a year or two ago (though I live in Canada, it was still cheaper than any N American site) and the EDT in a swap here. I think I might be in the minority and like the EDT better.
SOTD is Neela Vermeire Trayee. It makes me wonder why I buy/wear scents that are merely good when there are GREAT scents like this to be worn.
That has sort of become my goal in curating my little collection. I want each scent to be in some way unique and yet perfect for me…:-)
Robin, I believe it’s misleading for anyone to refer simply the list of one-star perfumes from The Guide without reading the actual reviews. In many cases, the authors gave one star to perfumes that they thought were originally wonderful perfumes, but which had been reformulated badly. Caron Tabac Blond, Coty Emeraude, and Gres Cabochard are some examples. I applaud their efforts to call these companies and IFRA to account for damaging and even dishonest reformulations.
Of course, if you love the 2007 version of an older perfume, or anything from around that time (such as Hermes Hiris), then you have every right to disagree with the rating.
I had a feeling Tabac Blond was rated badly because of its reformulation. Fortunately for me, I’ve never smelled the vintage so I’m fully satisfied with the reformulation. 🙂
Part of the problem that Tania Sanchez highlights in her review is the variability. Reformulations over the years had trended sweeter, then one of them smelled like reformulated Arpege, after OK top notes, and the next one smelled like Sisley Eau du Soir.
If you love the bottle you have, that’s great, whether it’s actually Tabac Blond or not. It sounds like anyone who is trying to replace a favorite bottle may be in for a surprise, though. 😉
Yes, I suppose it is, but not everyone owns the book! Of course, people can also look at the Style Arabia columns in that case, if they want to be sure to read the reviews.
The list is a useful reference but it needs a caveat.
And the reverse is true. They revised some ratings downward in the subsequent book, and 2007 is a long time ago already. A five-star review is no guarantee, even leaving aside taste differences.
I was going to say something along these lines. Thanks for pointing this out.
It’s 530am here and Ive been at work since 415, on about 3hrs sleep as my body rebelled. Feel rather crappy 🙁
Monday’s SOTD was Shanghai Lily. This morning Im in Phi, but I have enough 1*’s to do the rest of the week…
I visited my local niche perfumery yesterday and tried the 5 offerings by Re Profumo Venezia. Has anyone else tried these? (NeimanMarcus and HarveyNicks stock them apparently). I thought they were all really well done and totally sniffable.
Awww – sorry to hear that you feel poopy! Hope the Phi helps.
Haven’t tried that line yet, but will go seek them out.
Going to bed late (after midnight). SOTD was Montale’s Roses (sic) Petals layered over Roses (sic) Musk. Sleep perfume is Atelier’s Oolang Infini.
I was craving something rich and bold when a decant of Bvlgari Black showed up in the mail. It is scratching the itch perfectly and is not at all what I expected. I’m getting tonka, spices, and woods. Up close I pick up a bit of rubber but it’s way back in the background. I have been crampy and nauseated all day and this is proving to be very comforting.