It's Paris Hilton's birthday! I hope everyone is wearing Heiress! (No really, what fragrance are you wearing?)
I'm wearing a tiny dab of Paris Hilton Siren myself. It was not a brilliant fragrance to begin with, and my sample has not aged all that well. I'll be in the basement with the Liquid Tide pretty soon.
Reminder: on 2/19 wear a perfume by Maurice Roucel, if you have one. (suggested by Elisa)
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: 1913 (Domenico Caraceni)
A good year?
Indeed. I haven’t worn this in a long time, and I seem to be on a sort of rose kick this week.
First Roucel of the week; Rochas Tocade. It’s much nicer than I remember it.
I should get my bottle out and give it another shot. Maybe there’s just gunk in the sprayer… it’s just so *smoky* that I keep thinking it’s turned.
I’ve had mine for years, and it’s still fine!
I’m waiting on my sample of that one from STC – very excited to try it.
It’s more wearable than I thought it would be after testing it on my hand and paper. I’ve actually gotten little cravings for it here and there after wearing it on 5-star Friday.
SOTD is The 7 Virtues Middle East Peace.
Ah, I wonder if they’ll do any more fragrances?
Since their earlier releases they have added Vetiver of Haiti and Patchouli of Rwanda.
No affiliation, but since the Canadian dollar is so low this could be the best time for Americans to get a deal. Not to enable 🙂
The name attracts me.What does it smell like?
5-star week 2 brings me to Azzaro Pour Homme, a perfectly acceptable eighties-style men’s scent, but not worth more than 3 stars, unless it used to be miraculous and reformulations have reduced it to the merely good. (Mine’s probably ten years old.) Nothing that would raise an eyebrow but very nice.
Still, you’ve got to smell better than I do 🙂
Paris Hilton WISHES she had a three-star scent, let alone a five.
Maybe — or maybe she could care less!
SOTD = DSH Pomander oil. I was hoping for the classic smell of an orange studded with dozens of cloves and then rolled in orris powder as a fixative. But what I get is an orange studded with half a dozen cloves and rolled in black pepper. Ugh! Pepper has joined all forms of tobacco as absolute no nos for my nose…Fortunately, 2 and a half hours later, it’s all gone, so I will reapply something from my work stash…VC&A Bois d’Iris should do the trick! Hmm, iris. I think I will wear Iris Poudre tomorrow and finish out the week with Roucel’s Iris Silver Mist, and take up my sampling of my backlog again over the weekend.
Sounds like a good plan.
I’m not keen on pepper either. Its heat somehow seems to deaden other notes for me. It doesn’t sparkle or lift, for me, but rather seems to abrade the rest of the composition.
Yes, it just serves as an irritant to me. I love pepper on steak and salads, but it just does not go with flowers!
It’s ruined a lot of fragrances for me because my skin amplifies pepper like a bullhorn. It’s used way too much.
Lol I associate (white) pepper in fragrance with a good rare 300gr rump steak. Great, but not an image I wish to evoke with perfume. 😀
I personally love black pepper in fragrance, like gorgeous peppery Mitsouko. Don’t know if that’s an official note or a nasal trick but oh well.
I didn’t enjoy Tauer’s Vetiver Dance which was peppery, though that wasn’t the pepper’s fault.
I love black pepper, too. what are some of your favorites?
I love le labo poivre, if you have the $$
I’d own it now if it was regular LL price. As such….
It is pretty reasonably priced if you go on a split over in Basenotes.
Mmm — I’d be very interested in *your* version of a pomander scent! 🙂
Not the OP but Orange Sanguine is my pomander scent. Apparently a lot of people wear it in summer (which I can’t stomach) – it’s a total xmas/winter scent for me.
Wow! I love Orange Sanguine in the summer but now that I think about it I would also love it in the winter as a mood enhancer.. citrus notes really pick me up when I get grumpy about the cold weather!
SOTD is the lovely Lyric.
Saw a bottle of Elie Saab le Parfum last night at Marshall’s for about $32 USD. I’ve never sniffed it so I did not buy. I recall reading something about it here recently though… Is there someone here who loves it? In other words, should I go back to the store and hope it’s still there?
Lyric IS lovely! You smell great!
Elie Saab is one of those perfumes that I should love, based on the notes but I find it has something in it that just puts me off after a little while. I have had 2 decants of this and I have given both of them away. Altho I know there are people who love it. You really need to sniff this one before you buy, even at that price…
I felt the same way. Maybe if the ingredients were a bit better it would’ve been an amazing scent, but something about it just smells off and chemically to me.
I loved the sparkly aldehyde-shining orange blossom up top, but then that patchouli started screeching at me and I can’t get past it.
I didn’t care for Ellie Saab either. I left my rollerball in the ladies room at work and it disappeared shortly thereafter.
You smell lovely.
I like it–it is a honeyed neroli. I like a lot of the Francis Kurkdjian florals, but don’t buy them because they are sometimes too expensive for what you get, in my opinion. That Le Parfum is priced right.
I agree with others who say sniff before buying however, especially if you have trouble with sweeter/honey scents.
Just wanted to stand up for the this pretty perfume at the right price!
I think it’s really pretty too, but definitely try before you buy. It’s great for spring.
Totally agree, I think $32 is the right price to pay for the Elie Saab. If it were mine, I might use it to experiment with making perfume solids: I’ve been curious about that process for a little while now, and, I also find that while I like how the Elie Saab smells, it wears as a little loud/insistent on me. So I wonder if I’d like it better in a different application method. (As I do for another big/sweet floral, Lust.)
very easy…1/2 teaspoon beeswax to 3ml essential and/or fragrance oil ….I melt mine in the microwave in a glass pyrex…..I bought little blue plastic round containers at best bottle.com as well as fancy metal pill containers with pretty designs on the outside and a mirror on the inside at my local gift shop and made lots of Christmas /birthday presents…..heck of lot cheaper than Aftelier solids and so far no one has complained but rather, they have raved 🙂
Let me know how your experiment fares….
Oh AWESOME, thank you so much for this!! I’ve read Mandy Aftel’s book on perfume solids but hadn’t tried yet because I wasn’t completely persuaded whether it was really so simple or if there was some Aftel magic that I would necessarily be missing. But I do know how to use the microwave!! 🙂
The Aftelier solids come in a Sterling Silver compact which would account for a portion of the higer price.
Good to know Hajusuuri! Unfortunately I cannot afford $500 for a compact of solid perfume….I’ll take the cheap route-LOL!
True about the case, but even refills start at $195! I don’t have a great grasp on how much wear one gets out of a quarter-ounce solid but–well in any case, out of my price range!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WTHLMU4/ref=s9_hps_bw_g201_i3
One of the decorative pill boxes I purchased looks similar to the ones selling above at Amazon. I paid $9 at a local gift shop but then bought a few more half price b/c they weren’t selling. I also bought several rectangular ones with two compartments inside …amazon sells those as well…in fact, amazon has quite a lovely selection…some are quite fancy..it is easy enough to make a simple solid with just one essential oil (ie; lavender, jasmine, sandalwood) and in a decorative pill box would make a lovely gift.
Oh, so cute! Thank you!
So I am wondering about using the fragrance oil versus an alcohol-based perfume to scent the solid (apologies in advance everyone for whom this is a painfully obvious and perhaps horrifying question!) My main curiosity about making solids really does stem from the handful of perfumes, like Elie Saab (also Demeter Mahogany), where I like how the scent smells and only wish its projection were a little more muted. But I can imagine that for reasons of texture or concentration or whatever, maybe using alcohol-based perfume to make a solid wouldn’t work at all…? If anyone has insight on this, would love to hear!
I don’t think it would work with the alcohol…I would suggest you research the ” notes” in your favorite perfume and then purchase those in essential oils to try to replicate…I made a chanel no 19 smell alike in solid with essential oils…unfortunately I did not recipe it so I can’t duplicate it….figure out the dominant notes in Elie Saab and see if you can replicate it with essential oils….even if it isn’t exact you might create something new that you really like….
I get on well with FK’s florals too! I really like Carven Le Parfum, and found a 1 oz bottle for about $25. Bank stayed unbroken. 🙂
Holdout for the L’eau Couture flanker. I think it is better and a staple for me in the summer.
The sample I had smelled very plasticky to me (my nose isn’t developed enough to identify the culprit).
I haven’t put on any fragrance yet, but what the heck, in the spirit of the day I’ll put on a little Can-Can! The only Paris Hilton fragrance I own (a .5 oz bottle was $4.99 at CVS, I couldn’t resist) and really it’s not bad at all for a fun, cheap-thrills kinds scent. Sort of somewhere in between Britney Spears Fantasy and Jessica Simpson Fancy. Heiress, on the other hand…no. Just no.
We’ll be cousins, at least, briefly!
drained my sample of Parfums d’Empire Eau Suave – delicious and sunny.
That’s a nice one.
That was my summer rose last year. So, so good. You smell great.
Morning. Big storm here; no sleep. Scent is the remnants of Cuir de Russie extract, which I decided, for no good reason at all, to wear to bed last night. Why did ii do that? The dear one doesn’t like it: in fact, he dislikes it so much that he harrumphed off to the spare bedroom before midnight. Dakkie came by, but he doesn’t lke it either: he’s sulking on my computer chair. Now the night has shrunk to just Isabella and me, sipping very hot tea, watching the rain and the lightning and thinking about violets and the possibility of a new leather handbag….
This made me smile, thank you, though I am sorry you can’t sleep but tell it amusingly! Have you considered online searching for the new bag while you stare at the storm (I always find middle of the night online searches oddly soothing)!
Me too, unless they result in middle of the night impulse purchases 😉
I always love reading Waterdragon’s comments too. Would love to be sitting and sipping tea with a kitty while considering new handbags.
Carnal Flower today, feels beautiful and cheering, which is good as really not feeling my happiest best today. One of those grey days when a cloud of grey melancholy descends and yet I have to be focussed at work whereas I need to be sat by a fire sipping tea (or scotch) staring out at a country landscape. Promise to try to cheer up by tomorrow.
Hope things get better today! You do smell fantastic.
Thank you for both comments!
I hope you do get to that Scotch (or tea, at least) soon. You smell beautiful.
Thank you- I have indeed had a nice evening with a tiny glass of scotch and feel a lot more normal.
Aw, SophieC – I’m so sorry to hear that. Hope you get your tea or scotch or anything that will make you feel better. Hope that BWF works its magic.
Thank you- a combination of a small scotch and more BWF has indeed helped.
Hope you’re feeling better this evening sophie, sitting by the fire, or at least warm and cosy in an armchair/sofa with a (large) glass of scotch right now.
Carnal flower is so beautiful, i hope it has cheered u today. I received a bottle as a gift last spring, it’s now one of my favourite’s.
It’s beautiful isn’t it? And thank you!
your licorice spree made me grab my nearly empty reglisse noire bottle today, I hope it hasn’t been discontinued? I do not however think that I’ll ever try a PH scent, not unless I’m forced.. I apologize, Paris, if you’re reading.
Scent twin! and it is still being sold at 1000 Flowers website but no longer in the small 15ml bottles…however the 1oz and 1.7 oz bottles are quite pretty and reasonably priced when I figured out the conversion from CA to USD….
I’m sure she’s too busy doing something ultra-exclusive to be reading NST.
SOTD is vintage Shiseido Murasaki. This will always make me think of the day I bought a bottle. My mother and I were visiting family in NJ and took the bus to NYC and we’re going to sight see. I realized that I had forgotten film for my camera (clearly this was eons ago) and my Japanese immigrant mother said, “let’s get some here,” and I managed to stop her before she got the door open and let her know that “XXX Films” meant something different! For someone who did not know her way around the city, she managed to find every out of the way Japanese shop and I bought a small purple bottle of Murasaki.
“Were” not “we’re”
Go mom! Cute story.
Now that is a funny story! But I would like to know what Murasaki smells like.
What a great story! I’ve been interested in the older Shiseido perfumes and this one definitely has a lot of fans from what I’ve read.
Oh, vintage Murasaki! That was my mom’s signature scent. I really miss it (and her).
funny! I love mom/daughter stories!
Cute story! Reminds me of a Parisian friend whose mom buys odd food items from the local kosher market because all the packaging is in Hebrew.
Murasaki was a lovely light green floral on me.
Hehehe 🙂
Nice story! This reminds me of the time I had to rescue my then pre-teen nephew who walked into a head shop in Amsterdam before the adults with him could stop him. He was attracted by the toy soldiers on display.
On my third day of roses I’m wearing YSL Paris.
Huh, that’s an idea… rose week. Goodness knows I’ve got plenty to wear in that category.
I did one last week and I like reading all the rose scents Priscilla is wearing this week. There are so many rose scents to choose from. Hers have been completely different from mine so far.
I’m trying to do roses that don’t have rose in the name and aren’t rose soliflores. I’m a little stumped as to what to wear tomorrow. I know I’m wearing Tocade (although I’m not a fan of vanilla) on Friday. I was thinking Perles de Lalique on Thursday, but I’m having issues with patchouli right now. I think I’ll wear one of my perfume oils from BPAL.
The Nostalgie I’m wearing today would qualify, if you have any. 🙂
That is what I wore to bed last night… I have had Mandy Aftel’s Wild Roses on my to-buy list for ages, but I am thinking that Nostalgie might just scratch that itch.
I’ve been afraid to try any of Aftel’s scents, due to longevity-of-naturals issues. Definitely don’t have that problem with Nostalgie!
I second Nostalgie….
Un Fille de Berlin!
Portrait of a Lady!
Mohur!
Maroc pour Elle!
This is a fun game…Roses without rose in the name…
Ta’if
Jardins d’ Armide
Some of my very favorite!
And Natori too!
I think I could almost do a rose month. . .
Just Beautiful.
Paris is beautiful. I remember a new teacher at my art school started wearing it when it came out in the early 80’s and always left a trail when she walked down the hall. The original formula had something that isn’t there anymore. It was a totally evocative herby/vetivery note, maybe oak moss? I was mesmerized by it.
A school friend wore it and I loved sitting next to her in class. It’s always been a favorite and one I have a deep sentimental attachment to.
Received my first two Dame Perfumery minis yesterday, New Musk and Black Flower, so I’m wearing both. They smell great both separate and together.
You smell great! I also like to layer them with other scents!
How is the new musk?
I like it but it is sweet on my skin…I have the oil and the EDT (which seems less sweet with the alcohol base)
It is sweetish and I thought the lasting power was minimal but then I catch little whiffs throughout the day. My husband loves it, it should be his really, his skin doesn’t amplify sweet like mine does.
Reglisse Noire which is both fresh and gourmand…love this one!
Thanks to all the NYC ladies for their input on the best stores to get samples!
Has anyone tried the new Jo Malone Limited Edition Herb Collection? I am particularly intrigued by the Lavender one as well as the Parsley and Strawberry one (for the tomato leaf note….I am on the lookout for a good tomato leaf fragrance)…and the bottles are so pretty…
Have you seen the new JM’s in stores yet? I read they were due out in March…
No I just got an email directly from Jo Malone…you can purchase them online right now….did not know that they weren’t debuting until March….
I’ve not, but just received an invite to the Jo Malone at Bergdorfs to try these. I’m curious about the strawberry one; never had a strawberry fragrance.
What intrigues me about the strawberry one is the tomato leaf note…I hope it is prominent cause that’s what I want 🙂 !!!
Tomato leaf/stem is such a wonderful smell!
Have you ever tried PPC Branch and Vine? The tomato leaf is so fresh and lovely.
My local Jo Malone counter doesn’t have them yet. But I’m very curious, so will be smelling asap and reporting back!
Oh please do!
I saw the testers out in Nordstrom’s on Sunday.
Neiman Marcus has them.
I love the tomato leaf note in AG Passion and Diptyque L’Ombre dans L’Eau (two of my favorite summer perfumes).
I agree ….
the tomato leaf was also prominent in FolAvril (another AG) and in Pucci Sole 149 which was sold at Sephora for a song ..then pulled off the shelves and can now be found on ebay for upwards of $300….I could kick myself for not getting an FB!!!!!
Metaboles has quite a strong tomato leaf start, then it goes a bit minty and licorice. I liked it.
How does a 2-line comment turn into a Fragrantica search that turns into a Google search that turns into (yet another) sample set purchase, this time Ys-Uzac? The magic of NST, that’s how. Dammit Kanuka, at this rate I’ll never finish all my samples! :^D
As a freelancer you have a responsibility to stay on top of things and embrace all avenues of research. I wonder if you will like it?
I’m waiting for when I get back from my business trip. I’ve promised myself one as a reward ????. I’m eyeing the Lavender, the clover or the sorrel one.
If I won lotto I would probably buy the coffret set with all five full bottles because the box and the bottles are gorgeous!
Demeter Tomato Leaf! Orla Kiely has a tomato leaf hand wash.
Wearing French Kiss to keep myself in good spirits for the bus ride down to NY. Then, while waiting for my boyfriend to get off work, I’ll go sniffing at Twisted Lily. I haven’t been there since August so I’m really looking forward to sniffing all the new stuff that’s arrived since then
Oh, welcome back! Have fun sniffing!
I always have fun sniffing new things and I always love going to Twisted Lily. Can’t believe it has been so long
I’m wearing French Kiss, too! But I can barely smell it after an hour. I know it’s still there and occasionally get the faintest whiff, but obviously my nose is completely immune to it.
I like it so much that it’s on my FB wishlist (plus I have scent glue skin)
What’s funny is that almost everything lasts all day on me, which is why I think this is just an example of my nose short circuiting. Oh well. I’m pretty sure you smell lovely, though! 🙂
Kenzo Air Intense. I like the original a little more, this is great if you like the smell of angelica, which I do. It reminds me of an herbally, dryish liqueur.
I am drinkking some Harney & Sons Citrus Blend with a couple of pearls of jasmine tea dropped in. It is pretty good.
I like Kenzo Air. Maybe I’ll wear that after I scrub off the swill I’m wearing now.
Tea here is Upton Gunpowder plus some spearmint.
In a fit of contrariness, I have been wearing spring scents for a week or so. Finally decided I could handle a little more oomph today and put on Nostalgie. I smell purty!
This is about the time of year when I start craving spring scents.
We’ve had a few “teaser” days of not-quite-sunny but definitely warmer (and dry!) weather. Oh, and my neighbor’s daffodils are in bloom.
It all makes me ready for spring.
Same where I am (just north of you IIRC?) The weather has been so mild for the past month or more that I have to keep reminding myself that it’s deep winter and not spring. I almost started swapping out my (clothes) closet from winter to spring the other day until I remembered it was February. Daffodils in bloom here, too, and my chives and parsley are in full growth.
SOTD: Pacifica Island Vanilla.
Just saw some Paris Hilton Tease at Dollar General yesterday, and left it on the shelf! LOL For $5.00 though, I could have gotten the perfume, lotion, and shower gel……When your fragrance hits the Dollar General clearance, you probably don’t have a 5 star on your hands! 🙂
Not that Miss Hilton has ever stepped foot in a Dollar General to know…. hee hee
A great inexpensive scent that satisfies my sweet cravings (the Pacifica is what I am referring to)
Today I am enjoying a sample of Robert Piguet’s “Knightsbridge”. I think you know by now that I’m not great at picking out individual notes, so I end up judging scents by how they make me feel, how long they last, and how pleasantly they morph along the way. Knightsbridge, judged by those rather crude standards, is almost a re-run of Monday’s Habit Rouge. It’s rich, pleasant, and lasts half the day when I really need stuff to make it all the way. In dry down it’s a nice creamy vanilla-with-something-else – Fragrantica says tonka and leather, but I don’t get anything as definite as leather.
One for the longlist rather than the shortlist. That is, it’s very pleasant but not special.
Thanks for all the good wishes yesterday, I’m back at work today and holding the cold at bay. :^)
Joining Robin in a teen scent with Be Delicious (ancient rollerball). People hate this in part because it was the beginning of the end for Donna Karan, plus it got copied a lot. But shrill though it is, I can’t say I hate it.
I like to wind down at night by watching fragrance collections on YouTube, and I find that a LOT of YouTubers have Be Delicious in their stashes! Donna must be selling a lot of ’em…. 🙂
People make videos of their collections on YouTube?!
OH YES!! You might enjoy it! Just search for “Fragrance Collections” and be prepared to be amazed at how many there are out there! 🙂
Check out the channel “Ami loves Perfume” for the best of the best!
Sali Hughes’ tour of her collection is great (she’s a UK beauty journalist and perfume lover):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u8_GVgUbXEk
Katie Puckrick has her collection on YouTube as well. Definitely about what she loves and how they smell.
Same here. I was thinking that I would love for there to be a NST youtube channel where we could all post little videos of our collections. I would love to have a glimpse at the collections floating around here. 🙂
That would be SO fun!!!
Fantastic, what a great idea, especially for any sleepless nights!
I had a coworker who wore Be Delicious exclusively. I can’t imagine forming a passion for it but it wasn’t bad. Maybe pointless….
I should add, she was NOT a teen.
I’ve never owned it and haven’t smelled it for years, but I liked it when it came out. I always thought it was like Gucci Envy (loved Envy…) for teens and I have only now realised that they are by the same nose.
Yes, they are definitely similar! However Envy is perfection and Be Delicious is … what it is. I used to wear it to the gym.
Yes, of course, they are not quite in the same league.
That whole series and later Donna Karans gave me an instantaneous headache. The older ones that I’ve tried don’t.
Stink bomb has returned (my cube-mate that is). Ugh. I’ve not had a chance to inquire on what she’s wearing and to be able to move her in a different direction.
All the talk of Mohur Extrait yesterday drove me straight to my bottle this morning. Sandalwood & rose loveliness.. unfortunately competing with stinky.
Shout out to C.J., the German shorthaired pointer who won Best in Show last night!
Thanks for making me laugh in the middle of a drink from my diet coke! (stink bomb, lol) Sorry, the situation is still at hand.
Oh, that can be bad, especially when it exits thru your nose!
Do what my coworker did to me last week, when I came back from lunch with a spritz of Aromatics Elixir (from Macy’s tester):
“What the $%^# are you wearing? You smell hideous! If you ever wear it again, I’m going home early….” HA HA HA
Of course, we’ve worked together for 15 years, so we are pretty comfortable telling each other the cold hard truth……LOL 🙂
Ironically, I always get compliments on Aromatics Elixir. I wish I wore it more.
I LOVE IT! I won’t wear it to work henceforth, but I have a little sample for home…..
OOF! Aromatics is a HARD fragrance. It’s delightful but there is a edge of cat pee and butt which is the initial interplay of the musks, patchouli and ylang ylang. I I would not wear it to the office EVER.
LOL! I have learned my lesson!
I don’t call him the “office Grinch” for nothing!
He is very blunt, and I am blunt back. It totally works for us! 🙂
I had a boss like that once. Somehow, I was the only person at the restaurant who could talk back to her and not get yelled at. I was some sort of mutual respect! :-/
*IT* was some sort of mutual respect, that is.
We had a young, cocky doctor out here for a while that no one would stand. He really was a pain in the tookus. I think he was trying to prove himself, because he looked like he was 18….
Anyhoo, one day when he came by and was being particularly snarky, I pulled out my candy jar, handed him a chocolate kiss, and told him to take his meds! HA HA From that day on, we were friends, and he’d even come visit to chat from time to time. Even had a birthday lunch for him. He’s moved on, and I miss him! 🙂 You just never now about people until you reach out and give them what they give out! LOL
Lol chocolate kisses as Meds!
Lol! That’s great.
One spritz of Bas de Soie – I am sure I could get away with two, but I am behaving…
Have you had to cross any office-friendly favorites off the list, yet?
Encens Mythique is currently on the No Spritz List, but I am waiting to the end of Mingy Spritz Winter to try it a cautious second time. I hope the feedback at the end of msw won’t be vaguely “Some days the perfume wasn’t so great”.
I’m testing Balenciaga Paris today, sprayed lightly, and liking it very much – Robin’s review seems to be spot-on, so far (30 minutes in). Pretty sure I’m going to end up loving it.
One of my all time favorites! I like it better as the day goes on….
I have decided that I love Paris, but I prefer it at a distance rather than on me. I have, as a result, nearly used up my bottle as a room spray. Makes my house smell clean and like spring whenever I give it a spritz!
Good tip! I think I’m going to do exactly that.
I think I’d like it better in my house than on skin, too.
I really like that one for warm weather, and the bottle is great, too.
I’ve been keeping my eye on 30ml bottles on ebay.. really would love to add this to my collection.
This sounds like a good one for my department store challenge today. I always park my car on a street near the back of the shopping centre and take a short cut through the perfume counter on my way home from town.
Misia today. Sometimes it is mainly violet, but today it is mainly iris and that is fine with me.
I keep trying my 3ml decant – it’s very dry and irisy on me. Unfortunately, I am not a big iris fan and I’m underwhelmed.
This one smells different on me every time I wear it, too. I love all the facets, and it’s one of my favorites. If I understood the column I read on the subject correctly, Luca Turin posits that fragrances with larger doses of naturals will do that – smell slightly different with each wear.
It smells really different on me every time I wear it too. Sometimes rose, sometimes violet, sometimes iris, and sometimes, alas, baby powder.
Did you smell baby powder or was it just your partner? Incidentally, my husband hates anything powdery (I love powder notes) and actually complimented Misia the other night (which happens very rarely.)
Ah good point. At first he said it and I smelled iris. The next day I started to point on a t-shirt I’d had on the day before and it was pure talc. So maybe it’s the dry down? Or his powers of suggestion!
SOTD Timbuktu
It’s so hot and windy in southern ca I feel like I’m in Timbuktu
such a gorgeous fragrance!
Sounds like perfect weather for that one.
Nanban today and wow is the tobacco really amped up on me today. I smell like a very ripe stogie.
Yum, you smell great!
Sounds wonderful to me – I hope you don’t mind the tobacco!
Oh no, Nanban has tobacco? Crossing that one off her list…
I don’t often wear tobacco scents but I like Nanban quite a lot. The tobacco is fairly sweet to me but stays in the background and I usually don’t notice it much. I catch a whiff in the opening, which is my least favorite part. Mostly, I get really good incense.
You might want to give it a sniff of you happen upon it, but if you really detest tobacco you probably shouldn’t pay too much for a sample.
Not really detest it, really allergic to it. Takes three days of wearing something with tobacco to trigger a full immune reaction, and then it’s like I have the mother of head colds and COPD at the same time, and it’s takes weeks of doubling up on my antihistamines to get the reaction to subside. I made that mistake with Spirituese Double Vanilla. It smells great to me, but after a while, it makes me sick. So, I just have to be really careful, because I love woody, incensey fragrances, and it seems like they put tobacco into more and more things recently = maybe a substitute for orginal Mysore sandalwood? Also some versions of “hay, grass, meadow weeds and flowers” trigger a bad reaction.
That’s odd. I suppose it’s a particular chemical used that causes you to react, but I can see why you would steer clear of all tobacco scents. It’s an interesting and unusual reaction though (but I think allergies and sensitivities are extraordinarily fascinating).
Both my parents were heavy smokers. I developed allergies at the age of 8, and had horrible problems all through high school. When I went away to college, and lived in a non-smoking dorm, after about six weeks all the problems went away, like magic. First time I went home for an extended stay over Christmas break, rather than a two or three day weekend, the symptoms came back with a vengence. Ugh…
I take a lot of antihistamines now because several coworkers are smokers, so I am chronically exposed, albeit at lower levels…
SOTD is Jubilation XXV. Deliciously spicy. Couldn’t be more different from what I wore yesterday, but I love them both.
Jub XXV is great.
You smell great. I was thinking of wearing that today, but went unscented because my husband has a headache.
Wearing Byredo Pulp – still fun, still my favourite Byredo. J is on his second bottle and I’m stealing.
I love this scent. It’s on my full bottle list, after blowing through a decant. It really is fun, and makes me smile.
I applaud people who can wear this scent. It was nothing short of a BO stink bomb on me and I had to scrub it off. When I smell it on paper it smells great and I like all the fruitiness to it, but on my skin it turns in a very bad way.
I wish they’d do more fun-bombs.
I want this as a soap…even though I have yet to smell it! But the description sounds like it would make a great soap!
That’s dedication, Robin!
I had a friend in high school who wore Heiress. I hope she’s in something nicer now….
I picked the original (but not l’Artisan!) Aedes de Venustas it the bizarre curvy bottle. I found it for an unbelievable price in October and after trying to sell it, I’ve decided to wear it. It’s very pleasant, both fresh and sophisticated. The use of rhubarb actual reminds me of Roudnitska’s love of melon, or maybe even Vero’s use of passionfruit.
I think that one is really good! For that matter I hear they’re all good, I’m really impressed with what a nice job AdV has done with their house line.
Ha, dedication would be if I’d worn it all day!
Wearing Cuir Ottoman today and will be going in to the shelter this afternoon. My boss told me once that I had somehow made a room smell nice, and all I had done was walk through it wearing this scent. I’ve just been promoted to full-time employment, and am wondering what scent I will treat myself to in celebration.
Congratulations!
HUzzah! Congrats!
Yay!
Congrats! What scents are you considering for your reward?
I think I’m finally going to bite the bullet and get myself by Killian’s Rose Oud, which has been on my full bottle list for ages. For a while, I had it in a death battle with Rozy VdT, but I’ve recently gotten a large decant of Rozy, so a full bottle of that is not such a pressing ‘need.’
I think a full bottle of Rose Oud sounds like a very wise investment at this stage in your career!
That is a worthy treat! Congratulations!
Yay, congrats! Will you buy yourself a treat to celebrate?
Congrats on the promotion!
Congratulations! Enjoy treating yourself.
Most excellent news! Congratulations!
Whee!! That’s so awesome all around!
Oh, you smel fab and congrats as well!
Congrats!
Congratulations and you absolutely deserve a celebratory perfume!
Congrats! And yes a treat is always a good idea 🙂
Congratulations!
Congrats! Let us know what you pick.
Wahoo! Congratulations!
My concoction for today is Rose Jam shower gel, Korres Jasmine lotion and JHaG Mad Madame.
Wow!
Oh, yeah! Anything with Rose Jam gets my attention.
I bet you smell fabulous!
Oh I like the sound of that!
I have a colleague who always smells like Korres jasmine lotion — she leaves a beautiful trail wherever she goes!
I was super-grumpy last night (book revision going badly) and before bed I spritzed myself about ten times with MJ Daisy. I would never call Daisy a great scent, but it’s pretty and comfortable and it never seems to “spook the horses,” so to speak.
Woke up this morning in this wonderful soft woody-benzoin cloud of scent that made me wonder if I’d put on a bunch of Iris Poudre, before I remembered the Daisy. Huh.
Considered giving my Tocade another shot to not be rosy ashes, but instead I pulled out my bottle of Tableau de Parfums Miriam, beautiful retro woody floral aldehyde thing. It’s so gorgeous.
Now to tackle that blasted revision again.
Oh, good luck with the revision! And congrats on even having a finished book to revise in the first place! I consider that itself a major accomplishment.
Interesting. I keep my old, nearly empty bottle of Daisy on the back of my perfume shelf. I haven’t worn it in years, but sniffing the bottle on occasion always brings me back to the time I wore it daily, circa 2009. Good memories.
Good luck!
I hope the revision clicks and goes better today. Good on you for sticking it out and I’m sure the end result will make it all worthwhile.
Hope the revision goes well. And you are so right — Miriam is beautiful.
Deep, deep aggravation with my apartment management. Will do an hour of kickboxing later on to deal.
SOTD: Velvet Rose &Oud from Jo Malone. This smells very soothing, rich but light at the same time. Exactly what I need this morning!
I hear you there. I turn on my internet after the move and discover they remodeled over the phone jack! Serenity now.
REALLY! My goodness, were there no workers who said “hey, wait a minute….?”!
I agree about Velvet Rose & Oud being soothing. I have a small decant that I use after a bath at night sometimes. Just a few small dabs on the wrists — very calming.
It’s a wonderful, very calming and soothing scent. Sheer and stays close to the skin, like a hug from a sweet clean baby. Exactly what I needed today.
Everytime my apt. mgmt or staff at my building get me in that perturbed place I simply recall the countless stories of my homeowner friends having to deal with all apt. issues on their own and with their own money! Kick boxing sounds like a very good remedy.
ARGH. It’s a lot of sheer nonsense, and at this point I have run out of my (vastly limited) NY patience. In my metro area, rents have gone up precipitously, which is why I think onsite management is playing the fool. However, I could also buy a small condo or fixer upper(that would have repairs) for about the same money that I would putting out in rent. If I screw up my repairs, then I can self medicate with tea or legal herbal substances.
I was just wondering if Velvet Rose & Oud is similar to Kilian Rose Oud. Have you tried the Kilian?
Fwiw, I find them related but def not dupes. To me the Kilian lusher and oud-ier. Very deep and dark. I find the Jo Malone only a medium-dark fragrance, rosier and as Ede says, pretty light, esp compared with the Kilian. I’d say the Jo Malone might have more in common with Rose Anonyme?
Thanks for the detailed info! I didn’t like Rose Anonyme, but I’ll try the JM next time I see a tester.
Oh yeah that’s a good idea–you know I will say, despite thinking Velvet Rose & Oud is closer to Rose Anonyme than to the Kilian (which I think is gorgeous), I don’t much care for Rose Anonyme, but I do like Velvet Rose Oud fine enough. I already have some Aerin Evening Rose for a mid-weight, darkish rose, so I didn’t need the JM but I think it’s perfectly nice and one of those Goldilocks questions. The Aerin is a little more berried which I like but I can totally see someone prefer the JM without that quality. Worth testing around to find your favorite! Though I am sorry to say I don’t know of any precise Kilian Rose Oud dupes, that would be nice 🙂
Hey, looks like you were answered! Let me just say that I personally prefer the unsweetened sheer dark rosiness of JM to Kilian’s which is gorgeous but a lot ‘bigger’ of a scent. I find JM very, very soothing, and the sillage is light- stays very close to the skin.
Kickboxing is wonderful agro management. Mind you, I can’t kick past about waist high, so if I ever get into a real life or death sitch that I need to kickbox my way out of, I hope the person is short????
Ha! I just feel sorry for the (imaginary)bag I will be kicking and punching! And I am sure I will be completely spent when I am done!
I think below the waist by a few inches is quite effective when it comes to male attackers
I’ve used kickboxing to just that effect. I had a boss once who was not fit to breathe the same air as a rabid dog.
SOTD: L Lolita Lempicka. I am going to do three days of Roucel. This one is a longtime favorite. I used to be completely obsessed with vanilla and tried everything with even a hint. It is no longer as interesting to me but still comforting and familiar.
I’m not a huge plain-vanilla fan but I love it with patchouli. You smell great.
My L is put away for the winter (its usually a summer scent for me – I’ve probably been brainwashed by the beach-themed trinkets) but I may need to get it out for this project.
Yesterday, I had a bad experience with TM Angel. I put some on Monday evening after a shower because I was craving it. Tuesday (yesterday), I woke up and I could still smell it on me. Not bad. An hour later, I did my workout at the gym, and some of the notes of Angel started showing up, and not in a good way. Lots of musk and sugar. Ugh! I really felt like I was going to be sick. I left for home, showered and put no fragrance on for the rest of the day.
I don’t know if its my allergies or I just can’t wear Angel anymore. I used to wear this most of the time, back when I only owned about 4 bottles of perfume total. Angel was the scent I wore the most.
Today, I wearing Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint. I am taking it easy with fragrance today.
I had a similar thing happen to me with Private Collection (totally different fragrance but, to my nose, also quite potent). Made the mistake of wearing it when I had a bit of a headache and then worked out–got so strong, headache got worse…think it’ll be some time before I can really enjoy it again.
This was about 14 hours after I had put Angel on me. I always knew it had staying power, but this was so overbearing, I started to get dizzy.
I haven’t worn Angel for such a long time. And, after yesterday, it’ll be a long time before I can think of wearing it again. I do enjoy wearing Angel EDT and Angel Eau Sucree still, and I wear them frequently. And, I do enjoy smelling Angel on others.
Doc Sinister, I hope you are able wear your Private Collection again in the future.
I’m in vintage Givenchy III. It came in a see-through plastic holder and I think it’s been somewhat light-damaged (at least in the top notes). I don’t wear it often–but I’m trying not to buy anything new until Easter, so I’m visiting some under-used parts of my collection.
At least Easter comes early this year. 🙂
AND it’s my anniversary…maybe I should ask for something that smells nice as a present!
Happy anniversary!
You’re a brave woman, Robin. About to break open my new bottle of Epic.
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for being so sweet yesterday, and also to reassure some people who seemed worried about me – I promise there’s no need. An ex just got in touch with me and that led to a host of “uuuugh” feelings that I thought I was well rid of. And I am for the most part, though yesterday was a reminder that some feelings never completely go away. But I’m feeling good, and again, thanks for your sweet concern. Nothing like NSTers.
It is amazing how our hearts can remain tender way longer than our brains think they need to be.
Glad you’re feeling good (at the moment ;))
And enjoy that Epic!
I was absent yesterday, but I’m happy to hear that you’re feeling good today. I’m vicariously excited for you and your new bottle of Epic! 🙂
A woman’s heart is full of a lifetime of memories and experiences…that what gives us such an amazing ability to nurture and love so many! Glad today is back to better…..
I’m glad you’re feeling better today 🙂
Bad feelings come but then they go. Hope the epic beauty of Epic helps. Stay warm, dear.
Agh I know that feeling.. I went through kind of the same thing a few months ago when an ex that I had cut off contact with and hadn’t heard from at all in like two years or maybe even more texted me out of the blue, like just wanting to catch up or whatever. I had very mixed feelings about it.
Anyway, I’m glad you’re feeling better today.
Nary a drop of Roucel in this entire joint! In L’Ombre Dans L’Eau from a sample I picked up at Nordies. It would make a nice dish soap. Not over wowed.
Oddly, for a perfumer who is so renowned and prolific, he’s only done one that I really love: SL Iris Silver Mist. I used to love Rochas Tocade but sort of ruined it by wearing it to work (in tiny amounts) during a stressful time. I need to find a way to rehabilitate it now that I’m retired. 😉
I tend to go scent free whenever I’m going through a tough time — don’t want to ruin any favorites by association. Those smell memories are so tenacious…
Good idea! I am more cautious about that now than I was then.
Not sure how long you’ve had it on but L’Ombre has 2 distinct phases on me: the initial shadowy somber green phase, then the rose phase that comes much later.
I used to think that a good spray of Demeter Beeswax was a fine substitute for dusting and furniture polishing. Just spray and slump back on the couch with a book – at least the room smells spick and span. Actually, I think a coffret of household chore scents: dishwash clean plates, laundry fresh clothes, sheets and ironing, mopped floors etc. would save me a lot of trouble given that no one in my household ever notices when I have done the housework anyway.
I spent the morning on my knees weeding a rose bed that is at eye level outside our kitchen window. It took several hours–invaders included masses of mushrooms and clover on top of the usual weeds and fallen leaves. My son’s comment? “Well I can see from all of the leaves in your hair you have been gardening…. It looks good; It looks the same.” Pass me The Rose of No Man’s Land, stat!
Funny! We should also invent ‘ cleaned my room and done my homework so leave me alone scents’.
Brilliant, Kanuka!
Today I sprayed a little Parfum Sacre EDP on my wrist(latest version from a STC decant) and it is so lovely on. Strange, some days it smells too soapy on me but today the spice is really developing. Could be that I’m in the habit of not bathing as often since returning from India (LOL).
In any case I noticed a discussion about Jo Malone frags a bit further up the thread. When I was at Heathrow I sniffed a few that I hadn’t tried before at the JM counter. My favorite was called something like Cucumber Earl Grey? Don’t know if that one is new or old, but I really enjoyed the upbeat spicy tea quality of it.
It was a limited edition that was released into the main line….I had a full bottle which Igifted to my dad because he loved it so!
Yes Earl Grey and Cucumber. I thought I liked it, bought it, thought I didn’t like, almost regifted it, then tried it again and now think it smells really good. How’s that for the roller coaster of scent?
PS It was one of the perfume emergency scenarios: traveling for a month, ran out of the perfume I brought with me (Le Laba Bergamote), no great perfume shopping near by, but a Jo Malone counter at Blue Mercury, “oh, this seems nice,” then home and not sure I liked it. Now I always have a lot of decants or travel sprays with me!
I am wearing Bal à Versailles vintage extrait and enjoying it a lot. I would have preferred to stay at home today but I had to work. I am working in a derm clinic and someone at the waiting room smells very nice.
I love when I get a whiff of someone smelling nice. Unfortunately, it seems people either wear no fragrance or something too loud and sweet.
This morning I’m wearing a sample of Kilian Rose Oud, a lush rose with a sprinkling of cinnamon and saffron over light woodiness. Not heavy, not too oudy. I’ve spent all morning huffing my arm. This is the only Kilian fragrance I’ve contemplated buying, but the price is an instant deterrent, even for the travel pack. And I’m wondering who in the world would pay twice as much for the proper bottle ($395) when it’s the same amount as the travel pack – 1.7 oz. Just to have the fancy wooden box?
I’ve been more obsessed with rose than usual lately. All I want to smell is rose. Yesterday, after my final prenatal appointment before my due date and learning that I’m probably nowhere near labor, I went to Sephora (wearing Mohur) and treated myself to a heap of roses: Origins Rose Clay mask, Fresh Sugar Rose lip treatment, L’Occitane Delice de Rose hand cream, and Dior Cleansing Milk with peony extract. Then I fell asleep last night wondering if I should use Rose as my baby girl’s middle name. I’ve officially lost it. 🙂
Roses are so soothing, I’d bet smelling roses has a healthy effect on baby. Wore a lot of Rose Splendide while pregnant/nursing myself!
The baby enjoying the rose, too – what a lovely thought!
Rose *is* soothing!
I wound up finding a set of 3 samples of BK Rose Oud on Evilbay some months ago, and I’m getting by with that. It’s so smooth and lovely.
Sounds like I should set up a search notification on the ‘bay.
I love Rose Oud, too, and managed to find a discounted unboxed bottle on ebay a few years ago. It’s worth watching for, or finding others to split a refill.
Originally, one could only buy the refills with an ID number that came with the box, but that changed after a year or two. I don’t love the original boxes, but I do love the travel atomizers.
That’s an interesting bit of history to know. I love the travel atomizers, too, even better than the large bottles.
My husband and I chose Rose as a possible middle name for our 2nd baby, but then we ended up with another boy (a big disappointment at first but I have learned to love him).
It is such a pretty middle name. I am seriously considering it. 🙂
Love this one, and am thinking of buying it this Saturday, but it will be the refill bottle. Can’t even fathom getting the spendy lacquered box one – not when I could get two fabulous scents for the price of that one.
I applied a bit more for the evening and am now officially ebay-stalking a travel bottle. 🙂
I’m testing the original Marni on one arm and your description of the Kilian fits this one, too (if you sub vetiver and cedar for oud 🙂
I love all things rose, too. I bought some rose kombucha yesterday and have been drinking rose-scented teas. I wish I could buy some food grade rose petals to add to all my teas.
I wonder where and when the scent of rose became associated with “old lady?” I have always loved rose fragrances, bath products, hand and face creams, including when I was a teen (many years ago.) Must be that a generation younger than mine developed a phobia at some point.
I would recommend Tulsi Holy Basil Rose tea…I think vitacost sells it…to add to your “rose scented ” teas collection….
lavender kombucha is great too!
I had a little packet of Tulsi Holy Basil tea from Arbor Teas that I drank up in the fall. No rose in it, though, but I found a vendor on amazon that sells food-grade rosebuds and petals. Will be ordering some shortly!
Rose tea sounds lovely. My most recent purchase was Marni Rose, which is beautiful and a steal at the price. I still need to try the original. Rose tea, mmm, that gives me an idea. 🙂
I’ve now tested all 3 Marnis and I think Marni Spice might be my favorite. The original and Rose are lovely but I think might wear best in warmer weather.
I just blind bought Original Marni and was happy with having pulled the trigger. Hadn’t known about Marni Spice until a few days ago. May be more up my alley.
Hope you’re feeling well in the home stretch! My OB vacillated between saying “This baby’s coming early” and “This baby’s in no hurry” so many times… and then he showed up right on my due date. Glad you have so much rosy-ness to help keep you comfy!
Thank you! I’m feeling well, considering. 🙂 I would love to be right on time (Saturday) since I’ve kept my schedule clear from then on.
Oh, wow, that’s right around the corner! Hope things go according to plan 🙂
You have SO not lost it. I was rose obsessed all of last year and found it to be a completely reasonable state of mind. 🙂
Your goodies all sound amazing. Treat yo-self!
Also – how’s the house search going? Hope you find a place soon!
Glad to hear I’m not alone. 🙂
The house search is going very slowly, waiting for new properties to come on the market. We’re going to see a property on Friday that just popped up, which fits our criteria but probably isn’t the one. We’ll see!
Crossing my fingers for you, rose homie…
Merci!
Heiress! (No really, I’m still binge wearing L’ Heure Bleue since last Friday.)
Ha! 🙂
You cheat!
Is Shalimar still your favourite Guerlain? I sort of hesitate between, LHB, Shalimar and Chamade, and Mitsouko.
These classical Guerlains are very hesitation inducing, Austenfan. I love l’Heure Bleue and Chamade, and Shalimar of course. Mitsouko is my mother’s, so I leave it to her. LHB was the first classic Guerlain I loved, and I think it’s perfect in any weather, but I love Chamade and Shalimar even better. Barely noticed Chamade at first, and then it really grew on me. Mals says in her blog it’s like “falling in love with a stranger you hardly noticed when you first met”, and this is perfect. The preference for Shalli is almost a political stance at this point, and I’ll need to buy bottles of both the next time I travel. What about you, no preferences, like a good mother?
I like the one I’m wearing best, I suppose. Wearing Shalimar the other Friday made me realise just how fond I am of those big Guerlains. LHB seems slightly more civilized and Chamade is ‘wistful spring in a bottle’.
You know, Eau de Guerlain might me my top pick after all.
The big Guerlains are very satisfying indeed. Can’t wait to try Eau de Guerlain!
I may wear a Roucel later, but now I’m wearing Puredistance I again. Looking for information on the perfumer, Annie Buzantian, I see that she’s done a new LE series of Daisy flankers (Daisy Blush,Daisy Blush, Daisy Eau So Fresh Blush and Daisy Dream Blush) for February 2016. What adorable bottles!
http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Marc-Jacobs/Daisy-Blush-34874.html
(You probably featured this somewhere but I’ve missed some days.)
Yes, you did:
https://freebox.it.com/2016/01/09/marc-jacobs-daisy-blush-daisy-eau-so-fresh-blush-daisy-dream-blush-new-fragrances/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
The notes in I sound gorgeous. I keep hearing wonderful things about the Puredistance line, so I’ve been eyeing the sample gift set. I need to get through my Amouage sample set first, though.
I find I often get more pleasure from a nicely packaged sample set than from a single full bottle.
The Puresidtance sample set is nice. I won mine in a draw, but would certainly pay for it. Even the scents I don’t like that much are nice and wearable.
Good to know / nice enabling 😉
Still dealing with a mild cold. I can smell, but not all that well. I’m debating between vintage Chanel no 5, Amouage Gold or Amouage Epic. So yes, perfume wise, I’m nekkid.
New Ivoire de Balmain. I needed something cozy, soft and comforting. Perfect. Ivoire really is well blended. It’s powder smooth, slightly violet-candy sweet with vetiver showing up later.
And later I realised Ostara from a few days ago was wafting off my jacket to blend with it. Very nice indeed. It’s those moments when a lovely scent keeps puffing at you, at random, just so to distract you from small insignificant annoyances elsewhere.
A good friend of mine wears the new Ivoire and it smells wonderful on her. I sure you smell lovely too!
One of my favorite office scents, and you’ve described it perfectly.
Woke up to a dead refrigerator. Things can only improve after that opening act! I am in the process of calculating how many bottles of perfume I could purchase with fridge money but had to stop torturing myself. Bottom line is I love to smell good, but I like to eat even more. It was 15 years old so I’m not complaining (well, maybe a bit!) SOTD is yet to be determined but I’m leaning towards PG Indochine. Pretty sure this kind of humdrum stuff doesn’t concern our birthday girl!
Have a great Humpday all- you smell swell????
I hope you can find your new fridge soon. We had our dishwasher and clothes dryer die on us last year, and the repairman said nowadays you’re lucky if you get 10 years out of an appliance.
To be delivered Sunday. I live online shopping for sure!
OOF what an unpleasant morning surprise! Indeed hope the day improves from there!
Thanks, I’m sure it will- as soon as I spritz myself!
What a drag. Although, you may enjoy having a new appliance and will probably save money on electricity as well. I’ve heard the same as Barqs, that new appliances only last 10 years. I hope you don’t lose much food..
I bought the exact same model. 15 years of service is pretty good in my opinion. Have replaced my washing machine once and dryer twice in that period of time. The dishwasher is about to be 51 years old next month- can’t beat that ????
That is an amazing dishwasher!
This happened to me a couple of years ago after a power surge. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my old (1995) refrigerator was still repairable. Of course, new refrigerators are more energy efficient, but I’ve read there is also efficiency in not replacing them until they are truly worn out, due to the energy that goes into production, delivery, and disposal.
Good luck!
Very true! I think especially if you have a very expensive high tech model, it would be worth looking into repair cost rather than replacement.
All the new appliances are made to break eventually (unfortunately)…my fridge went dead after five years…growing up I remember having a fridge for 30 plus years!
Yes, as much as I love perfume, I love food even more. 🙂
Soul sisters in the food department ????
Indochine is really lovely. I was told by a repairman not to expect more than 7-8 years from a new washer and dryer, which absolutely infuriates me.
Seriously. That is just unacceptable. I’ve heard the same about mattresses. I got mine a few years before they majorly rehauled the way they’re made. My mattress is 22 years old [yikes! being this old is really shocking and scary sometimes] and still in perfect condition.
I know! So much of the new stuff is overly complicated, more expensive to repair, doesn’t last, too big, and more expensive. 🙁
Oh God, nothing worse than a dead fridge. I do hope you can get it repaired without too much money! I eat a ton of fruit and veg, so I would be so mad!
My apartment has a cheapie dishwasher that has only last all of 5 years- I can hear when it works that it’s dying a slow death.
I used a new shampoo this morning that smelled so good in the shower that I didn’t want to get out! It smells like roses and the temples in India saturated with incense and I was immediately transported back to the wonderful year that I lived there almost forty years ago. Eep! Forty!
Moving onto the business of getting ready for the day, my hair was still VERY fragrant and I was ready for it to be over already! Since that doesn’t seem likely even now, many hours later, I finally decided to test Nahema for the first time, thinking it might complement the clouds of fragrance emanating from my hair. I can already tell that it’s going to be “interesting” but not me. As much as I try to love rose in perfumes, it is very rare that I actually do.
I highly recommend that you try Nahema on its own on a day when your highly scented shampoo isn’t competing or exhausting you. It is a rose and yet it is so rose that it isn’t.
Thank you, Princess Tonk. I definitely will try it some other time. It’s now developed that lovely peach note, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the development. Next time I’ll use a different shampoo. 🙂
Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez did a Q&A here a while after The Guide was published, and one question was what was the best perfume they had smelled since then? I think Tania said it was a German shower gel. 😉
That’s hilarious! I wonder what it was…
She might have mentioned the name or brand in the Q&A, but it wasn’t anything I’d seen in the U.S. If you search the NST website for Tania Sanchez, that Q&A article will come up. NST has a great search function.
Thanks! I’ll look it up.
Now I’m curious, what is this amazingly fragrant shampoo?
Yes! I was waiting for you to name it.
Me too!!!! GIVE US THE NAME!!! 🙂
I will give you the short version, and then if you want to read the long-winded version, keep reading. 😉
The shampoo is “Anti-aging Support” made by Hair is Fabric, aka hif.
NST’s own dear Annikky introduced me to skincare in general on her blog, and Caroline Hirons in particular. Hirons is always talking about the benefits of hyaluronic acid. One day she had a Q&A on her blog with the founder of DECIEM, which is the umbrella for ten different brands. I bought some skin stuff from DECIEM and they sent me a free “Hydration Support” shampoo from their “Hair is Fabric” line. I would never have chosen that one, as my hair is like Gwyneth Paltrow’s on a bad day with no access to a hairdresser, stylists or extensions. Plus, it’s a cleansing conditioner and that’s not my thing. Anyway, I tried it and my hair expanded into seriously big, heavy hair. However, it felt very dry. It was so odd that I wrote the company, and we ended up corresponding several times about the science behind the products etc. They wanted to send me more shampoo and get my feedback, but I couldn’t decide which one. I fit so many of their categories : I’m aging (I prefer “aged”), my hair is blonde, some grey, very fine, dry, maybe thinning and so on. I asked them to choose, and they sent me two more shampoos! The second one was “Volume Support” and it’s just meh. Which is even more weird because Hydration Support was mega-volume but drying. Sigh. Today was the first go-round with Anti-aging Support. I like it quite a lot, and the smell is quite nice but it may impact my perfume choices and that’s off limits!
The wonderful thing about DECIEM is that they have incredible customer service and a no-questions-asked return policy, and their skin care is top-notch. Plus, the founder Brandon Truaxe is a perfumista. 🙂
“my hair expanded into seriously big, heavy hair”…now that is what I need :)!
Me too!
And me!
OMG! I just ordered some product to try from NIOD (one of the brands under DECIEM) It’s the clear photography fluid, which I want to try as a primer!
Small beauty world!
I just ordered “white blur” from the White Rx brand under DECIEM to try as a primer!
Thanks! I wonder if the Volume Support shampoo also smells good.
It vaguely reminds me of the Aveda Pure shampoo, at least the original one. I haven’t smelled it in ages, so I don’t know if it’s the same scent now.
My hair is like yours, minus thinning, but adding curly and sensitive scalp, so I never fit into any single product category. I stopped using shampoo and switched to cleansing conditioner (or just conditioner to cleanse) and it’s been life-changing. Glad you found one that works for you AND smells wonderful!
Thank you! I’m glad you also found something that works for you.
Wait! What’s the roses and temple shampoo?! Inquiring minds need to know!
Cold is hopefully winding down. Another Roucel today – Roberto Cavalli Oro. It’s vanilla, it’s amber, orange, cloves and pepper and it has a plastic snake on top. On this gloomy day it was a moment of fun and I’m just glad my nose is working again. Still hoping my head cold doesn’t go into my chest. Theorema is much better.
Wearing Chanel Pour Monsieur today. Lovely bergamot and labdanum chypre. I could not leave well enough alone and layered it with a gardenia body lotion.
I decided to wear a freebie sample that I received with my last perfume order. I’m wearing La Route d’Emeraude Panouge for Women by Isabey. I remember smelling my mother’s bottle of Emeraude when I was a kid and thinking that it smelled like green jelly beans, which was a compliment back then. 🙂 La Route is nice but just not for me.
Home today after yesterday’s medical misadventure (gallbladder attack; 7 hrs+ at local ER, mostly spent cooling my Doc Martened heels on a gurney). Turning to my go-to sick-day scent, Yves Rocher Cedre Bleu. Saffrony sweet, good for what ails you.
I hope you feel better today olenska!
I do, thanks! 🙂 I just happen to have today off and I’m very grateful for that– gives me a chance to unfrazzle myself.
Ugh — 7 hours! Glad you’re back home.
Many thanks, Robin! It was an adventure to say the least. I was so happy to get home afterwards.
Glad you’re home and doing better.
Thank you kindly!
By the way, your icon looks exactly like my cat Hiro! I love tuxies!
Yeah, he’s my handsome boy 🙂 Tuxed are such little charmers. I think it’s because they know they are always dressed perfectly (although, Newburg wears one white sock pulled up higher, I tell him he looks like a wannabe gangsta).
Hope you’re feeling better today!
Nothing cures like a full night’s sleep in one’s own bed with no busy hospital noises around!
Oh, yikes! Sorry to hear that. Not too much worse than lying on a stretcher in a horrid mass produced, revealing “gown”, all the while in pain, topped off with nausea, and the cherry on top is the problem sometimes doesn’t get fixed in that 7 hour time span. Hoping you can avoid the OR.
Ah yes, the glamor of the gown! 🙂 I wore my raincoat over it for extra style…. I’m lucky though, that they were able to diagnose me with ease. If it happens again, I’ll know what to expect…
What a horror. Glad some good came out of it.
Most vexing, but thankfully over. 🙂
Ugh ER, I’ve only been once and it was enough. I’m fascinated and admire any one who works there, but no thank you. Hope you’re feeling better and won’t have to go back anytime soon!
Oof! So sorry! 7 hours is pretty decent, though. I had an ER visit a couple of months ago for a GI thing. It was about 8 hours and that was just waiting for a CT scan which was all they did. The itemized “bill” from the insurance co almost made me faint. I hope you are doing better and don’t have to go through that again!
I sm glad you are home recovering and smelling fabulous. I think the Cedre Bleu is my favorite Rocher shower gel. I bet the actual fragrance is divine.
I fell asleep for a couple of hours not long after I posted above. Now I’m showered, breakfasted, dressed, not perfumed. I really would like to wear 19, but I’m not quite ready to trust her behaviour in public yet after she was so bratty on our last outing. I have planning meetings all day–I want something fresh and enlivening, because I am very tired. I think it should be…wait, it’s definitely Temps d’une Fete. Mmmm-cool and freshly sweet; slightly crisp. Yep, beauty. I’ll do.
Ah, beauty. Gets us through boring days and sad days and frustrating days as well as the good ones.
I ended up wearing California Reverie yesterday and today I still want a floral, so I’m wearing Wit. I adored it last spring before I bought California Reverie, but today it’s seems a tiny bit too sweet. I may put on something with more backbone later as I tackle my income taxes. Ugh.
Wit was too sweet for me. I am just coming to learn how I need a certain structure in perfume to keep it from sliding into a space that makes me just the tiniest bit – I hate to say it, but nauseous. Just a tiny tiny bit.
Is that a thing or am I nuts?
No, you’re not nuts. I’m discovering a similar reaction to a lot of florals. For them to be wearable on me they need to be cut with something fresh/green/tart/citrussy, otherwise they’re just too sweet and make me a little nauseated.
Same here, I felt bad for not liking it as it seemed a good fit on paper. Apparently I too need a dash of something herbal/green/spicy/dirty in my florals too.
Can you claim perfume as an expense? I’m going to try to do that this year…as a necessity of research.
You can if you, say, host a perfume blog…
SOTD = Atelier Cologne Silver Iris
With yesterday’s No.19 EDP and today’s Silver Iris, my theme for the week revealed itself – different treatment of iris to culminate with this Friday’s wearing of the mother of all iris perfumes.
Silver Iris is sweet rooty iris with violets. Think face powder and lipstick. If you detest these accords, don’t bother trying Silver Iris. If, however, like me, you adore iris and violets and don’t mind the face powder / lipstick combo, you must try this perfume!
Oh I am getting my discovery set from atelier soon and now I am excited to try this one 🙂
thanks for the recommendation!
Yay! I hope you get the new Orient-inspired line as well.
I revisited that one at Sephora a couple weeks ago, and I really like it. I could do with a travel spray.
Are you thinking of the 30mLs or the 4mL nomads? They are both pretty cute. I can attest to the 30mLs traveling well.
Silver Iris is just too sweet for me…
It is berry sweet 😉
I love this one, wore it for my wedding day in 2014.
Nice!
Today’s SOTD is Miller Harris’ Figue Amere, one of my favorites that I don’t wear often enough….
my respect for MH Figue Amere has grown and grown. It’s an excellent fig that’s different from most.
PS – I totally agree. I have figs for different moods, MH’s Figue Amere fits most of them. I also adore sharp green figs, as is the case with Fig & Poppy by Speziali Fiorentini. It’s a very refreshing fig.
My favorite fig, and I am not a big fig fan… It smells a bit chocolatey to me.
Perhaps someone already posted up above but ai haven’t had time to go through all the comments yet.
PSA: 20% of Amouage at LuckyScent. Once you’re on the website, it should see the code somewhere up top center or to the right below sign in. It is possible you may need to be looking at an Amouage product page to see the code. I sas it on my iPhone so not sure how a regular browser would behave.
Wearing Boxeuses today, set for a series of meetings, but ended up in sick in bed. It smells good in both contexts!
Bummer about being sick. Good to hear Boxeuses is working for you!
Oh dear. I got confused for a moment when my brain translated this into “Boxers”.
Ha!
Hope you feel better! I love Boxeuses!
sotd: Amouage Lyric (woman) and not loving it the way I used to….huh….
SOTD was Alahine again. Off to hotter climes tomorrow evening so not sure if it will still be cold enough when I get back, so making the most of it!
Re Paris Hilton, I still can’t believe she’s happily living in a rural town here of all the places!
Where?
Its called Schindellegi in Canton Schwyz close to Zurich. One of our celeb mags did a story in Dec with some amusing pics. Its in German though.
Finally caved and bought a little 1 oz bottle of vintage Diorella for a pretty good price. AAAAHHHHH IT’S SO WONDERFUL no regrets
Yay! Congrats.
Continuing with roses and/or violets. Wore Mohur and La Fille de Berlin yesterday/last night and confirmed that I am not fond of either. The honeyed sweetness of Mohur is too much for me, and La Fille’s rich, heavy base and spices are unsettling and make me a little nauseated. (My husband thinks La Fille de Berlin smells exactly like Copenhagen chewing tobacco.)
Am currently testing Marni on one arm and White Linen on the other. They’re quite nice together!
Haven’t decided if I’ll try one of the many roses in my collection that I’ve never worn or if I’ll wear a rose or violet that I love but don’t wear very often. Contenders in category 1 are Rosine Roseberry and Rose d’Ete; category 2 are Balenciaga Paris and Rosine Glam Rose.
Or I may finish off the sample of Marni Spice that generous NSTer Eleebelle was kind enough to send me, which is really really nice. What is up with the distribution of Marni perfumes, anyway? They don’t seem to be very readily available, even online.
You’re like the first person I’ve ever seen not like Mohur! So glad to know it’s possible – now I am less desperate to get a sample. 🙂
I’m not crazy about it either. I like the idea of the NV brand and the creativity of the range, but they are a bit too synthetic for my taste.
I liked Mohur, didn’t love it.
There are a few of us out there 😉 I quite disliked Ashoka and have Bombay Bling but haven’t tested it yet (can’t say I’m particularly interested in doing so, tbh, but who knows – maybe it’ll be The One.)
I recently bought the coffret and my favorite by far is the small sample of the newer Pichola. It’s refreshing, light and fizzy but with some structure to it. I am scared to try the extract, but the Mohur is just ok to me. On the other hand, I really like Fille de Berlin. It doesn’t wear so heavily on me.
I should say, scared to try it because it’s so expensive.
Mohur EDP was my least favorite of the original 3 but the extrait is quite special.
Admittedly, I never tried the extrait, just the original.
I started off the week with only 1 bit of Roucel, a sample of Musc Ravageur. Yesterday, post appointments I popped in a Sally Ann and picked up a treasure trove of minis which include a few of his: full set of Rochas circa 2000 (including Tocade) and a 20 ml purse spray of L’instant guerlain. If they don’t work for me or the local perfume crew, I figure I will put them up for the swapmeet. (Also a 90s set of YSL, but I don’t think he did any of those)
So far tocade and alchimie seem pretty fun, and l’instant seems like the fanciest shampoo ever…
What fun! Congrats on your vintage haul!
Oh, how fun. A dear friend of mine who enjoys soapy florals bought me a large bottle of L’instant for my birthday. I feel so guilty because I don’t love it. But at least when I wear it, I think of my wonderful friend. I usually wear it during the spring.
You know, I thought “not me,” when I sprayed it on a bit of paper, but every time I’ve walked near the trash where I threw it I think, “something smells nice?” So maybe the day-later drydown is super great.
This Sally Ann sounds like a magical place and I would like to go there. Congrats on the new goodies!
The more well-off the neighbourhood, the better the Sally, I suppose!
Ooooh fun! I’d love to try those YSLs out. And must visit whatever this Sally store is when I’m in town!
Sally Ann = Salvation Army thrift store(s).
I wanted something relatively easy today, so went with a generous application of Bulgari Thé Rouge.
I got a frazzled start today. Slept through my alarm so was up and out in 15 minutes. Ugh. Good thing I have a sample stash! I went with ELDO Jasmin et Cigarette today. I’ll be getting a FB when they have the 50ml back in stock at MiN. The SA gave me some samples to tide me over 🙂
Nice! Methinks I should have an emergency stash in the office as well. I nominate No.19 EDP because just about the only time I forget to wear a perfume is due to being unfocused during my morning ablutions which means I would need a spine strengthener to help me through the day
I think I need to give 19 a serious try. I feel like I’m missing out on some serious spinal assistance.
Plus, it’s just darn beautiful. 🙂
Checking in late, started off in the original Marc Jacobs gardenia perfume then switched to Datura Noir for the afternoon. Will now go put on some LADDM for the night.
Sounds like you’re making a dent in your resolution!
Weather is suddenly cool here in the SW US so I’m craving Ambre Narguile.
Hold on, be right back . . . aaahhhhh, that’s the stuff of dreams and magic.
Tested Dior Pour Homme (regular and intense versions) last night at bedtime, and tonight am trying Serge Lutens Boxeuses. The Diors were both very nice once they got past the “smells like cardboard” stage, but I’m not sure I really need (NEED) either one in my arsenal. The Lutens, on the other hand … just when I was thinking that it was close enough to Cuir Mauresque to be redundant, it morphed into something unique and quite beautiful. Darn you anyway, Uncle Serge – now I have to add Boxeuses to my wish list!
Inspired by Mals today, I’m wearing Miriam. To me, it is tender and a bit wistful, with a gorgeous sandalwood drydown.