Happy Almost-Friday, and happy Almost-July! What fragrance are you wearing?
Our vacation is over. I am leaving for home today — there won't be any more posts today, but I'll be back tomorrow. I'm commando, and will probably stay that way until I get home, when I'll put on something by Olivia Giacobetti.
Reminder: on 7/1, wear a fragrance by Olivia Giacobetti, if you have one.
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: the Pantone bikes are from Abici Italia.
It’s been kind of sultry here the last few days and for some reason I thought Andy Tauer’s Une Rose de Kandahar would be perfect, and it is: arrestingly sharp and brittle up top, then an armload of roses in a field of tobacco. It makes me grin like an idiot, it’s so good.
It is outrageously good!
Your post inspires me Pyramus! Heading straight to that bottle of PHI on this sultry afternoon.
Love the yellow bike. I’m wearing D’Orsay Tilleul and Ostara, Quite a lot of Ostara actually. These two do really well together. Have a safe trip home!
Wow! That sounds like a fabulous combo. You smell wonderful!
The layering was motivated by the fact that I wanted a little more oomph to my day, and Tilleul is lovely but wears very lightly. I’m loving it though and will repeat it.
You must smell gorgeous, and I am going to try this any time soon.
Do, it’s a great combo!
Still doing last weeks community project
Sampling Thorn & Bloom Stranger the Cherry Grove and Wild Rose
Stranger in a Cherry Grove really caught me off guard since I tend not read about the notes in a perfume before I sample. When I see the words “Cherry” I think sweet, this one is leather with smoke, some wood, not at all what I was thinking.
So far I have sampled 4 perfumes from this line (including the ones today) and I am really loving everything 🙂
Tried to decide on today’s scent, so popped on NST to see what others were wearing today for inspiration. Saw your mention of Thorn & Bloom and my day ahead is filled with yardwork, so I am wearing Savage Garden as my SOTD! Haven’t tried Stranger in the Cherry Grove yet, but I have a sampler that I am working my way through; so will likely try that one next. Your description reminds me of real BBQ where the meat is slowly cooked by the fragrant smoke rising from the smoldering logs of cherry wood.
Sorry to hijack your thread, but ValentineGirl, Ive been waiting to see you to add a suggestion about basil fragrances you were asking about. Tacit by Aesop is super basily and citrus, great for summer and great quality.
Oh my that sounds just like a perfect fragrance for me! I just looked at it on the Lucky Scent website – yuzu & basil notes – yum!! Friday is pay day and I wanted to order some samples of basil fragrances to try – and this one is definitely on the list now. Thank you for the suggestion!
I also love savage garden! What do you think of the line so far?
I think SG is a great scent to be doing some yard work in..hope you enjoy it! House twins!
Well I had only tried Bird of Paradise before today and I found the jasmine & frankincense notes really came out on my skin and I kept wanting to sniff myself..lol!! The ylang ylang & tuberose of Savage Garden was delightful and now I can detect the palo santo coming through. Yes, I agree it is lovely scent.
I just worked my way through weeding the front border and the herb garden & sowed a crop of cilantro. It is now getting too hot to do any more work outside for a while, so I am taking a backyard break and sipping on a gin & tonic with Bombay Sapphire East (Thai lemongrass & Vietnamese black pepper), fresh lime & plenty of ice.
I liked how you layered the two scents together and I think I might try a little spritz of Wild Rose over the Savage Garden now to see how they complement each other while I relax and sip my gin and juice! I absolutely love the exquisite packaging of the T&B line with the hand-stamped wax seal. I find that the perfumes are not overpowering, but make people want to get just a little bit closer to me to smell how fragrant I am!!
Wow your drink sounds very yummy and well deserved after a day of yard work.
I didn’t layer these two but applied them separately on each wrist, but I am sure you could layer and that would be fun.
Keep me posted what you like so far..
Safran Troublant. 🙂
It’s my tomorrow wear (my only Giacobetti) and I wore a spritz of it today pre-shower: it’s SO GOOD. So minimal and so ridiculously perfect.
It’s my only Olivia too. I’ll be wearing it in solidarity!
(I misread that as “in solitary”! ????)
Ahahaha I love it!
I’m getting a little of the remains of last night’s Oud Ispahan (the animalic part) along with ST, and I must say it is delicious.
As an FYI, the SF is on sale at Twisted Lily:
http://twistedlily.com/shop/eau-de-toilette/safran-troublant/
Scent twins! I usually wear ST in the fall but its seems OK in the heat.
Lovely and comforting.
Probably wearing this tomorrow if I can find it????
Day 5 for Passage d’ Enfer
Twins! 🙂
I’ve got one of my first perfume loves, Safran Troublant, unintentionally layered over the glorious remnants of l’Occitane’s l’Arlésienne l’Huile de Soin. I wouldn’t say they add to each other’s beauty, but they don’t interrupt each other, either.
I needed something gorgeous to lift my spirits this week. The boyfriend was visiting me in France from the US, and he’s gone, so I’m having trouble sleeping again. On top of that, I’m hopelessly trying to write a research summary so I can send out postdoc applications in time to put together grant proposals with whoever will take me. I’ve been chugging tea all week. Luckily, I stocked up at Fortnum & Mason’s last week while in London.
One ray of sunlight in the misery, though: My 5 on the AP French Language exam some 12 years ago gets me out of taking a French language exam here in France in order to get my PhD! Now if only I could find an official piece of paper with my AP scores on it. (I don’t even know where to begin looking. I expect it’s somewhere in my parents’ house.)
Best of luck on the summary and the AP score sheet, and keep the Safran handy for well-deserved (and needed) rest!
Perhaps the school still has a record of your exam score & you might be able to request a transcript if you can’t locate it at your parent’s house. I hope you find it!! Too funny that you are wearing l’Occitane’s l’Arlésienne, as you will see why when you get your package! Good luck on your summary 🙂
Do you know if they’re discontinuing L’Arlésienne (at least in the US)? It’s on sale on the website, and a lot of products are missing.
I doubt it (and really hope not!!!). Pivoine went on sale last year, and all they did was change the packaging. I hope that’s all that’s going on here, too! Which products are missing? I know that in France, they discontinued the Arlésienne brume de cheveux and poudre de beauté last year.
Right now, the website only shows the beauty milk, the candle, and the body oil. Maybe you’re right, though, and they’re just changing the packaging.
I don’t know if they are discontinuing the line or not, but it is still for sale at the L’Occitaine shop in my nearest mall in Delaware. I think they have the perfume, beauty milk & shower gel still in stock. I hope that is not the last of it.
Good luck! Hope you had a good time with your sweetie!
Hope all this helps Koyel!
It definitely does 🙂 and so do your wonderful bags of samples!
Wearing Balenciaga L’Eau Rose.
Robin, there may be a new Hermes- Galop d’Hermes: leather and roses. FYI
🙂
If the picture on Fragrantica is correct, it’s a terrific-looking bottle, like a riding stirrup with a leather strap, and if anyone can do a great leather rose it’s Christine Nagel (she did Theorema and Mugler Pure Coffee!) working for Hermes. All of a sudden I am DYING to try this.
Me too, but I kind of hope they adjust the name a tad. “Galop” makes me think “glop”. (I need a wrinkled-nose emoticon right here.)
It may not make you feel any better about the name but a galop is a spirited dance, named after the horse’s gait, and if you want to pronounce it “gallop”, well, who will judge? Not us!
A spirited dance named for galloping … all day I’ve had that guy in my head singing “Kristen Schaal is a horse!” and I am finally breaking down and sharing that thought with all of you to get rid of it. I won’t insert a link to the YouTube video because that would just be cruel, but a search will turn it up quickly.
Listen to the Infernal Galop from Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach, it’s the can-can music!
I saw that news online somewhere and am VERY excited – two of my favorite notes!
Yes…Denyse (Grain de Musc) posted pictures from the press announcement the other day. Looking forward to it!
So far I’m in Eau Claire des Merveilles by itself. I usually layer it with Eau des Merveilles, and it’s actually very nice alone, but it feels sort of … lost or something. I’m wondering if Le Galion Iris layered over the top might help – may try that before racing out the door to work. Although, the longer I stand here sniffing it, the more I like it by itself. Maybe I should leave it alone?
Dzing!
Dzing! (me too)
You smell great.
I am wearing Cuir de Russie extrait today. I have a busy day ahead, work half day and going to the airport to greet my sister in law and her kids who are coming in from Abu Dhabi.
Lovely!
You smell fabulous!
A good friend sent me a carded sample of Hermès Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate which I’m planning to test-drive today. Haven’t applied yet, but am curious to see if it would be an appropriate “on the job” scent. (I’m coordinating an art installation/reception at the library this weekend, and I need something sprightly and energizing, yet not overpowering.) Robin’s review gives me hope. Anyone out there tried Rhubarbe Écarlate?
I tried the 2 new ones yesterday and really enjoyed both. The zingyness of the rhubarb lasts further into its progression than the topnotes of the neroli do, but Id happily take a bottle of either. 🙂
“Zingyness” is the perfect word for it! I’m wearing it now, and I’m really loving how tart and edgy it is…
I have tried it and quite loved it! It’s quite sweet, but in a well balanced, tart way. Not exciting enough to buy a FB, I think, but if I got one for free, I know I would use it pretty often (quite unreasonable of me). I think it would be perfect for your work this weekend. (Which, by the way, sounds like an awesome project.)
Thanks! It’s nice to see an artist have their moment in the spotlight. And even nicer when it’s followed by two days off 🙂
I agree re: Rhubarbe’s FB-worthiness. I’m enjoying this spritz very much, but I can’t really imagine using a whole bottle… a mini-bottle, sure.
I have tried it and loved it a lot, it is fresh and perfect for summer .
Very much so. I’m going to put it to work this holiday weekend for sure.
I tried it about 2 weeks ago when I layered it with L’Occitaine’s Pamplemousse & Rhubarb soap and it was refreshingly tart, but I wished it had lasted longer only about 4 hours on me. I think layering it with the soap helped.
Oh, wow– grapefruit plus rhubarb! I can only imagine the delicious bite that combination would have!
Next time I cook rhubarb I am going to try adding grapefruit zest too.
I am wearing my newest fragrance purchase Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche which I absolutely love. Ironically, this week is the first time I could have done a week of fragrances by the perfumer featured tomorrow, Olivia G, but I keep forgetting to put her on! I have at least two bottles of her fragrances and several samples/decants of others. Trying to decide which it will be for tomorrow. Happy Thursday, everyone!
Went mainstream today with Daisy.
Question – What are some good fruity fragrances? I have Byredo Pulp, but looking for others.
Emmotionelle by Delrae, Manguier Matisse by Huiteme Art, the pineapple Histoires (colette?), Blackberry & Bay, the Hermes rhubarb….
I like Tropicana from Lorenzo Villoresi
Not to sound like a broken record or anything, but Ineke’s Scarlet Larkspur and Angel’s Trumpet are fruity and fun.
Thanks for all the great ideas!
I’ll put in another vote for Tropicana if you’re interested in super fruity. Also, Bombay Bling and 1804 George Sand . I also think Vero Profumo Rubj EDP is pretty fruity, but I might be missing something major because I seem to be the only person who doesn’t find it dirty.
I think the extract and Vd’E of Rubj are very fruity. Only the EDP is sharply animalic to me. All that cumin added to that version.
I like Parfums de Nicolai L’Eau a la Folie which is peachy, mango, and something mossy. A little harder to find these days, though. Worth Courtesan is a pineapple fruit salad over a creamy musk and can be had for cheap.
Badgley Mischka is the fruitiest scent I know.
Plum by Mary Greenwell, though maybe a bit too jammy for what you want. And most of the Hermes Jardin series for a more pulp vibe …esp. The Nile.
Rose Praline and Hanae Mori!
I second Hanae Mori!
You might like L’Artisan Mûre et Musc Extrème?
Thanks for all the suggestions. Many I looked up sound like possibilities. Thanks again.
I am wearing Cologne du Maghreb in all its dark orange glory.
I am drinking some green rooibos with hibiscus and lemon verbena that I mixed up. It is okay.
I wouldnt mind me some of that Tauer, I really enjoyed my sample.
I find green rooibos teas incredibly bland, if drunk plain. I never tried mixing them with other things myself but do remember drinking some ready made mixes for a while. I used to drink a lot of rooibos and Honeybush but somehow don’t feel like either these days. Tea seems more varied and more interesting somehow.
The cologne sounds good!
Wit today. I’ve been wearing wintery scents but craved something sunny and pretty for today’s sunshine. Perfect! And a compliment too 🙂
That was a contender for me today. You smell loverly!
I’m in CDG Ouarzazate. I could barely smell this the last time I wore it, so I nearly dumped the whole vial on myself today. I got this as a sample instead of Tokyo because apparently they were out of Tokyo and while it’s nice, I think I’d rather like to try Tokyo instead.
Today is testing my patience. We sent people home due to crap internet issues (only half the office left because we still have some weird wifi signal) and then I spent an hour bouncing around the office like some monkey while on the phone with our IT support. I’m hot, sweaty (this office has crap AC too) and generally annoyed.
On the bright side: I spent near 5 hours in the yard last night hacking down all the shrubs and weeding. It was very cathartic. The previous owners put flowerbeds EVERYWHERE. Our yard is seriously 50 percent flowerbed and that’s WAY too much. They also put in 20K azalea bushes around it and I’m really not a fan of bushes/ shrubs in general. So I’m in the process of hacking my way through them all and either taking them out to put in the flowers I want or just seeding the yard because seriously… way WAY too many flowerbeds.
thats a lot of up keep
Good luck
Thanks. It IS a LOT of upkeep, which is why I really want to take out over half the flower beds. The entire backyard is a U shape with the fence line being nothing but flowerbeds full of very ugly shrubs I can’t identify. They all bloom once and then die and look like crap for the rest of the summer. Hacking down the holly bushes around the front made a vast improvement. Our front door doesn’t look like it’s being choked by plants now.
We are so lucky to have perfectly crisp and sunny summer weather this morning. It’s inspired me to put on Cartier Baiser Vole. I won’t be back for a few days so I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend if you are celebrating in the US. Cheers!!!
You smell great!
Have a great holiday and you smell lovely.
I am finally in a Giacobetti, The Pour Un Ete. It’s pretty lovely!
I’m wearing one of my two neroli fragrances, Annick Goutal Neroli. I have this and the Yves Rocher Neroli and I love them equally. This one is spicier somehow, and the YR is sweeter, but they are both great.
Both wonderful neroli’s.
Today started dark and dreary, but it is supposed to officially stupid hot by the time our annual Canada Day Staff BBQ starts this afternoon.
I went with the new Tauer Rose Oil and sprayed Ombre Rose L’Original by Jean Charles Brosseau. Sultry rose topped with powder rose – yummy.
I thought Canada day is tomorrow
It is, but since the office will be closed, we are having the party today.
ok..well happy Canada day!
Happy Canada Day in advance from Montreal! Hope your BBQ went well.
Sideris for me today. Will see the Degas exhibit at MOMA later.
Ah, I envy your life. Do tell a few high points from the Degas exhibit!
I’m envious too. How do you like Sideris? Been meaning to sample that one for a really long time.
Craving a white floral today, so I’m in the gardenia pudding of Tauer Sotto la Luna Gardenia. This stuff makes me happy.
I adore this scent. I need to try the Tuberose from the same line to see if it is as much of an instant love .
I did try it when it first came out, but only on paper. I liked it- it’s a but drier and greener. I prfer the gardenia. How do you like the rose oil?
Straight out of the bottle, it is an amazing scent. The oil is a nice consistency and absorbs well. The issue I have is longevity – I only get maybe 90 minutes from the scent.
Love the rose oil as well. Looks like it would be a good base for rose flash
Thanks for your impressions! I have a bottle on the way.
I’m waiting for a sample of the rose oil and now disappointed in advance. I don’t enjoy reapplying anything all day. But I’ll try. NST members are so helpful!
Really? The big rose blast lasted an hour or two but the soft scent continued on for another 8 hours on me. Must be just lucky.
test driving Royal Mayfair today.
How do you like it? Creed people always push it on me
I find Creed people like to push in general. I think that’s why I refuse to try any. Am I missing out by my stubbornness?
I really like it, but of course it’s overpriced. I don’t own a bottle or anything. What can I say, Creed is a guilty pleasure for me. I understand people disliking Creed based on what I keep hearing. As far as scents go– there is that sharpness about their perfumes–almost a metallic note. I happen to like it for some reason, but I get others hating Creed and thinking they’re product is crap and extremely overpriced. And to top it off the bottles are hideous! hahaha. Honestly, I just try and like what I like whether or not people consider it trash. If it brings me joy, I wear it. I always hear bad things about Creed’s customer service. Maybe it’s where I live, maybe I’m just lucky…I don’t know, but all the Creed sales associates I’ve dealt with have been extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and always willing and offering to make an extraordinary amount of samples. They have never pushed me to buy. One lady who works for Creed as a rep is a member of the International Perfume Bottle Association and every time I come into Nordstrom we talk perfume and she takes me all over smelling this or that, not just Creed and it’s always a blast.
UGH. *their* product
I thought their Vanilla was nice, but not something I would buy. Aventus for Women – not sure – Have not tried it yet, reviews have been mixed. I like Royal Oud on a guy buddy of mine (I am guilty of introducing that poor man to Creed – he used to be a cheap parfum type of guy, until we became friends).
Wearing Tenera by Rouge Bunny Rouge. It’s a completely delicious fragrance, however, I cannot stop myself from feeling that it reminds me of something, not the slightest idea of what however. It is also one of those fragrances which have a very clear development. Usually I can smell the bottom notes from the start, and it just slight changes in balance. That is why I have such trouble reading Kafkaesque reviews, for whom everything seems to change completely every 10 minutes, and, moreover, depending on the exact position on the right arm and left arm. I feel very crude when I read those reviews.
I found her site when I first fell down the rabbit hole, and was so intimidated. How could anyone pick out such detail?? Now I just shrug. My nose is what it is; if I like a scent, I like it; if I don’t, I don’t; dissection not required. 🙂
I like RBR myself, have several: Arcadia, Lilt, Incantation. Might get Embers one of these days.
Much as I love Kafkaesque and her blog, I have a similar experience – my nose is too much of a blunt instrument to get all of the facets she does, and I therefore read through each of her reviews with a certain amount of jealousy. You’re not alone!
Speaking of which: does anybody have an idea how to become a member of caufleurebon blog? They have such great giveaways every now and then, but somehow, to my shame, I never managed to find that mysterious button on which you have to press to become a member.
I figured it out and now can’t remember! I think if you go to the comments and all the way to the end it might become clear?
If you go to the bottom of a page you should see on the right side a little note about registration. I think I was at the bottom of a string of comments, but I’m not sure if that was relevant. I hope you find it.
I signed up through “bloglovin”. The downside is getting lots of emails from other blogs I’m not interested in reading.
Search the page for “Register”! It’s on the right, toward the bottom. I can’t keep up with it. I tried for a while but there’s just too much to read on it.
Thanks everyone!!! I think I managed it, finally!
I love reading her reviews – and all of her recommendations usually are very well appreciated. But I cannot follow a frag every 10 minutes – my nose is not that developed!!!
I read the first couple of paragraphs. Then it starts looking too much like a scientific analysis and my eyes glaze over… the overall impression is enough for me 🙂
Exactly my experience.
Haha! Yes. Although I get a certain pleasure imagining her with a ruler measuring inches to feet of projection ????
You know, I just decided not to be intimidated and to smell what I smell. I have a friend with an amazing nose and scent memory and he always tells me I smell good, so I read or scan reviews for ideas – and certain people I know if they like it, I likely will too – and move on. I do want to take a basic smell some of the partcular notes solo class sometime, although I realize even that is not so simple.
I am sure though that all of you have much finer sense of smell now than when you started! And that is one thing that makes me happy, that we are making this trip together, without even noticing it.
Absolutely! I am think this is from smelling and smelling – just the paying attention even if I can’t specifically name things. There are things I love now that were too hard for me when I started, and things that now do seem too linear.
Oops extra word there, but you her the gist!
Ha! And then I did it again. Oof.
I think we can read with only 20% (or some such number) of the text being correct 🙂 so no worries 🙂
I realized why all the typos. Some of the perfume bloggers makes me kind of angry, as despite all the disclaimers, there are often clear value judgments inserted throughout. ‘If you could really smell, you would know this is garbage.’ I actually get why the making of expensive, boring, and/or bad perfumes makes the experts angry, and I appreciate reading their blogs, but sometimes it just seems a little much. I have to remind myself that in my world of expertise, arcane as it is, I can be as ranty and judgmental as the best of them!
Brava!
I feel exactly that way about one particular “critic”. Ufffay!
Oh, that’s totally Luca Turin, he actually I think enjoys being “nasty” 🙂 but the fact that he does not even make any effort to be nice, for me that somehow makes it funny as opposed to offensive…I feel that he actually instead of making no value judgements, makes pure value judgements, without it being possible to see any rational basis to it. His reviews are, like, “smells like an old lady who has gambled away her fortune but keeps pretending that she is still well-off”..I kinda feel that he’s being derisive, but that is all I can tell, because I have no idea what such an old lady might smell like! He gave me nothing informative about the perfume!
Ha! I wasn’t even really thinking of Luca Turin. He sort of makes me laugh because he’s so obviously ranting. ????
Thank you! Takes a not at all smirking bow!
I appreciate the beautiful writing and thoroughness of Kafkaesque’s reviews plus we have very similar taste and shared abhorrence of Iso E Super. I am always on the look out for perfume bloggers with similar taste…
Oh, totally; she’s the opposite of Luca Turin, in this respect! I totally respect how thorough and really involved she is! Do you like Victoria’s blog (bois de jasmin)? I pretty much had similar tastes when I started, although now my tastes kind of became more idiosyncratic. She also is very much a sensory personality, I enjoy how she describes things with visual or tactile appeal!
While she is very talented in a detailed deconstruction of scents, I often lose patience with the lengths of the reviews. I also dislike her use of Frangrantica members’ reviews to bounce off of.
However, her “court trial” of a scent is very entertaining:
http://www.kafkaesqueblog.com/2013/09/13/secretions-magnifiques-a-satirical-courtroom-review/
Philosykos for me today. Perhaps I need some assistance being philosophical. Had some professional bad news last week – a promotion denied – and am trying to sort thru all the thoughts that brings up…
I’m sorry to hear that 🙁
Argh… picking yourself up and dusting yourself off can be exhausting. Very sorry. I thanked you many times over the past couple of days. Little sniffs of my gorgeous Caldey Lavender have cheered me no end. Hope something really great happens today to you!
Ugh – I am so sorry. I’m sure it won’t hold you back in the long run, and in the meantime, hope your day is a good one.
Pixel sorry to hear that – I know how frustruating it can be 🙁 can I cheer you up with some goodies – I will send you a note later
That sucks. I’m sorry.
I’m sorry sorry – that sounds really frustrating. Hope the perfume is the first bright spot that brings on many others.
Sorry to hear that Pixel. It’s hard to not take those things personally. Hopefully it’s just making room for something better to come along.
Thanks everyone! It’s a lot to process. And a lot of the issues revolve around age (I’m 52) and when I plan to retire (2-3 years). This isn’t how I had thought my career would end, but starting over elsewhere isn’t real appealing, even if it’s possible — I have seen quite a few friends my age struggle to find new jobs. Tech companies prefer to hire younger/cheaper labor. Sigh. Will I even care in 10 years? Probably not. Bah. A pox on VP’s everywhere.
This kind is age discrimination, based on the desire to save money, makes me nuts. It happens where I work all the time, with senior high salary super competent women – and here it’s always women – being forced out so they can pay a younger person a lot less.
That is disappointing, but you are right that starting over would be hard and if it were me retiring in 2-3 years, I would stay put and stick it out. I retired last year and I barely remember my career any more – there were a lot of years of boredom and frustration but it’s over and forgotten now.
Continue to do the job you love. Make yourself indispensable and leave when you’re good and ready and time it when they need you most. I’m sorry you have to go through this.
I’m very sorry to read this. I hope your lovely perfume selection uplifts you.
So sorry to hear that you didn’t get the promotion you wanted. I try to think of disappointments like that as their loss, as I am sure it is in your case.
That stinks. So sorry. I know others in that same boat, who are conflicted about going elsewhere because they’ve invested a couple of decades where they work and are too close to retirement for it to make sense financially to move on for just a few more years.
So sorry, Pixel. I have spent too much time pondering how I failed to impress or impressed negatively or whatever only to realize eventually that the pass-over was political/sexist, etc. and nothing over which I had any control. Be extra nice to yourself in the coming week.
That’s rotten news. Wishing you well.
Well wishes Pixel, I think you are spot on that in 10 years time (and hopefully much earlier) you won’t care one bit.
Uggo. Do you think it might be gender related as well? 52 year old men are usually considered to be in their prime career-wise.
Hiya… fell away there for the last week… began with what turned out to be a delightful trip with my family to Harry’s Wizarding World… we are NOT an amusement park family and I hated Disneyland when we went a year or so ago with the kids… but maybe because my expectations were so low… things could only go up. But between Pumpkin Juice and my son being being picked to have his wand made at Olivander’s shop, the nice weather, and the peace I made before hand with my credit card, it all went well… But had to deal with weird inter-family stuff, and then a series of increasingly strong and frequent migraines has laid me very low this week. I have taken way too much medication and am now in a rebound cycle. Yuck!! But ANYWAY…
I have at the same time been the recipient of several perfume fairies’ bounties and have looked with longing at the amazing scents I want to try. This morning I finally felt well enough to test Buterbaugh’s Fragile Violet, courtesy of the lovely Holly. Well. Hmmm. I have seriously been looking forward to trying this one. Any Shrek admirers out there? (Yes, too many of my cultural touchstones are scarily linked to the psyche of tween boys!) Remember that scene where the bird sings a pretty song on the branch… higher and higher and higher, and then she pops? That is exactly how I feel about Fragile Violet… so sweet, so so so pretty…. so so so so so so SHAMPOO.
At $295 a bottle, I go “pop” too.
This is a hillarious review. Glad things are getting back to normal. Ping me if you would like another care package – I have some things you might like 🙂
Thanks for the laugh OF, hope you’re feeling better.
I am glad the trip came off and sorry about migraines. The worst. I was excited by something I read to try the EBs and then didn’t like any I tried. Just boring to me, or worse! You nailed it.
Hope you’re all well soon!
… ha, with all the Harry Potter talk, I first read this as “Butterbeer Fragile Violet…”
Actually, now that you say that, Fragile Violet does sound like a perfume cooked up in the mind of JK Rowlings. Poppy Pompfrey’s Potent Perfume Potions. From the PPPPP line? Womping Willow Water, Moaning Myrtle Eau de Toilette (I am very proud of that one!), Fleur De La Cour Fleur, Morning Mandrake for Men…
???? Moaning Myrtle Eau de Toilet(te)! In a U-bend-shaped bottle!
I loved reading your trip report. We went to the Harry’s WW in Orlando a few years ago, and I loved drinking the pumpkin juice.
Le Jardin de Monsieur Li for me today,
I tried to buy Eau de Neroli Dore last week but I did not because didn’t find enough participants for a split 🙁
Also reviewing Masque L’Attesa today
I’m sure when a few more of us have tried it you’ll find some takers- it really is lovely.
Thank for the L’Attesa review. I already love it and did a half-Christmas present for myself on that one.☺️
Lovely review! I have to try that one now!
BTW, Go Poland! Our game against Portugal in Euro 2016 is about to start
Wearing Ylang in Gold in an attempt to camouflage my sour mood with a dose of creamy-sweet elegance. It isn’t helping much, but I do smell nice.
Sorry for the sour mood. I think the past month or more has been bad for a lot of us.
Today dawned cool and foggy after a blistering heat wave, and I’m in a nimbus of Safran Troublant, which matches today’s Pantone color quite well! I layered it over Ren Moroccan Rose Otto body lotion, and I’m sort of in love with the result.
Good morning from LA! Just starting the day and planning to go scentless until I get to ScentBar around noon. If you’re in the area and happen to be free then (unlikely), do stop by! Would love to meet you.
I’ve been told I must try Gardenia by Dominique Ropion, but if there are any other suggestions, let me know. As I did at Tigerlily, I plan to smell all the things.
Have a great time in LA!
how is your trip so far? How was SF and your drive?
The staff there is awesome in my experience so you might also follow their lead. Have fun!
So jealous of your road trip! Have an awesome time sniffing today and do tell us what souvenir(s) you choose 🙂
I so envy you! It is a great road trip to do alone…and if you feel free to go whenever you want, you might want to choose to go to some out-of-the-way small towns – in the mood of “California Gothic”, that is how I visited them…
What a fun day! I hope you get to experience some lovely scents.
So excited for you!
Have a great time, and do report your experiences.
:^D
Yay! Give a wave to my hometown for me. I’d say go for the Veros and Neela Vermeirs! And maybe those Gezo Shoen collab thingys. And, and, and. Have fun!
Oh yes. Things you can only smell there in the U.S.!
Today I’m wearing MFK’s Ciel de Gum. What a great scent!
I think so too.
Me three!
Forgive me, Donatella, for I have sinned. Thanks to Portia on Perfume Posse posting about Andy Tauer’s sampler set on his website and the free shipping, I caved and ordered it. For the price point and what you get, it’s a great deal. I’ve been pretty good these past couple months with the perfume ordering though.
Wearing Une Rose Vermeille today since I haven’t worn it in forever.
Donatella forgives you. Now I am heading over to the Tauer site…
Wouldn’t sinning against Donatella be to NOT buy the sampler set? I think she’d most definitely approve.
Gosh, that is a really good deal. My fingers are getting itchy…
I say go for it, for a total of 45 mls (travel set) for $120 US dollars, it’s a bargain.
I love Rose Vermeille so much. You smell fantastic.
Chanel Beige today. Looking forward to Giacobetti Day tomorrow. Decisions, decisions…
IUNX L’ether this morning. Working on organizing the sample drawer today and this fell into my hand.
It is woody. Next…
ooh where do you get INUX samples?
SunnyDay passed this on! I’ll pass these on to you next (she gave me two, this one and l’Arbre). They came from Perfumeniche…
Enjoying my haul from TigerLily. I got a small bottle by Miris, who is a local Parfumeur. All of his creations were amazing, but I ended up with Questionable Motives which is nice for summer.
I’m not surprised that people, when asked what fragrance they’re wearing, mumble and say “I can’t remember” Saying “Questionable Motives” as a response might make one seem a tad crazy … 🙂
????
Ha, that’s a good point. The names of his fragrances were crazy – something like ‘Wicked Mother in Law’ or something like that (which was very nice btw, I just had to stop)
So chilly here today in Michigan so I warmed myself up with an unexpected favorite, by Killian’s Amber Aoud. Hits the spot…
Ooh yum. Thanks for the reminder! You smell awesomely good.
🙂 This is one that I wear more than I thought I would!
Philosykos EDT, which I’m hoping will keep me calm when I meet with our placement director to talk about going on the (terrible) job market.
My father is coming to visit tomorrow and staying over the long weekend, so I’m going to have to get a lot of work done today. Guess I better start.
Good luck! I hope you get some good advice.
Thanks! I will need the luck, I’m afraid.
Scent twins! I only wear Philosykos in summer. It reminds me of air conditioning.
It really is so evocative of being cool even if the world around you is hot.
If you’re on LinkedIn, have a look at Liz Ryan’s stuff on dealing with the jobs market and work life in general. I found it encouraging.
Thank you! I am applying for jobs on the academic market, which has some peculiarities, but I will keep Liz Ryan in mind.
Hey ajellyfish. I know the academic job market well, although fields differ a lot. The one piece of advice I’ll share is stay off the blogs and discussion boards. Every year they are full of misinformation, rumors, and often just lies and can be extremely disheartening. I know they are meant to share information and so to alleviate tension, but unfortunately all the ones I know about do just the opposite. Seek info from possible employers and trusted sources! And again, good luck!
Thank you so much! I have good people on my side, even if the numbers are not very encouraging. But, I knew that when I got into this game.
You’re right that the blogs are . . . awful.
It’s overcast outside and put me in the mood for Chanel. Unfortunately, I cannot find my little bottle of Coromandel, so Rue 31 will have to suffice. They are both just so perfect though 🙂
You smell great.
Wearing AG Vent de Folie today. It’s odd that I get a lipstick note from this one, but I don’t with other perfumes where others do (such as Lipstick Rose, where it’s even in the name of it).
Actual summer continues here so I’m wearing Carner Barcelona Costarela, which really does the hot weather trick. It’s like the smell of warm sand at the beach, with just a bit of citrus – a smooth bergamot – and a lovely light saltiness.
AdP Iris Nobile EdP. Husband is on the mend, and I decluttered my perfume drawer. Some bottles had to go, I will bring them to a charity shop. All beginning blind buys…now I know mostly better.
Tomorrow I will do my samples.
Good to hear he is recovering. I’m actually often better at blind buying than not blind buying, and I’m crap at parting with perfume.
Today I am in Bottega Veneta pour Homme, as a ‘bad online supermarket search algorithm’ match for the OG (room) scent “L’Artisan Bottega Veneta Intreccio”. (Come on guys, you’ve seen weaker segués than that!).
I don’t usually like leather, but this smells very nice as I spray it on. And then, well, it basically disappears from my perception and I may as well not have sprayed it. So this one is not coming home with me. Judging by Fragrantica reviews, a lot of people find this dwindles to a skin scent and some of them are fine with that; I am among the minority who are not.
I started the day in Pinrose’s Garden Gangster but it ended up being a scrubber. I decided to cleanse my palate with some musc 25 from le labo. Such a favorite. Wish it wasn’t more expensive than a car payment.
I’m wearing Dzing! and loving it, somehow it works especially well today. Otherwise busy with the dinner party preparations – will report back later/tomorrow.
Good luck and have a lovely evening!
Dzing! is always a good idea. And it does well in wet weather.
You smell great.
LL Vetiver for storms and humidity and good luck on my digital interview today. Any spare fingers or toes that could be crossed will be, etc.
(and then back to my regular erranding and baby-holding for my last day in the Midwest)
Best of luck to you.
Good luck with your interview! Fingers and toes crossed!
I’m wearing Nicolai Odalisque today.
We are heading to the beach tomorrow for a long weekend. We’ll be celebrating my parents’ 51st wedding anniversary and the 4th of July. I’m both excited and apprehensive about this. I love and get along with most of my family, but some of them have the potential of causing anxiety. I’m keeping my distance and bringing wine 🙂
You smell lovely!
Congrats to your parents and enjoy the celebration. Keeping your distance from the anxiety-causing relatives is a wise move and more or less the only thing you can do, so hang in there!
Nice bike! I don’t like yellow but somehow I wear yellow shirts often as it is a good contrast to the darker clothes I usually wear. True story:! I used to have a bright yellow stuffed chicken leg pillow. When one of my nieces was a toddler, she used to run screaming whenever I showed it to her. I don’t know if it was the shape or the color that terrified her and since I didn’t have a non-yellow chicken leg pillow or a yellow pillow with a different shape, I was not able to confirm. Is anyone going to ask me why I kept ahowing it to her?
SOTD = Chanel No. 19 EDP. …just because. My bottle is officially below the halfway mark after 16 months of its debut into my perfumed life.
Trauma by Chicken! The newest addition to the DSM-5 manual, thanks to Hajusuuri????
Hee! Thank goodness despite having a rotten aunt, she turned out to be a well-adjusted young lady!
What does that say about me that I laughed out loud!? I need one of those.
Birds of the same feather 🙂
???? I nearly spit out my coffee. You’re my kind of aunt! I’d do the same with the pillow…whatever that says about me.
PS Don’t know if you saw it, but I replied to your comment yesterday about posting links.
I did! Thank you. I was going to practice if I found a picture of the stuffed pillow, but I didn’t find it.
I did it in the name of science!
I have been MIA lately due to overactive day dreaming and picking up extra shifts to hopefully facilitate turning day dreams into real life changes!
Today, I zipped out of the house commando and then remembered my handy dandy purse spray of Atelier Bergamote Soleil. I smell FRESH! A bit fruity and a whole lot citrusy, which is a great pick-me-up in Swamplandia.
You all smell fabulous and hope all in the US enjoy the upcoming holiday. Robin, sorry your vacay is at an end but hope you were able to recharge your batteries a bit.
Happy Almost Friday Day ????
I hope things work out!
I’m wearing Desarmant today. Such a pretty lilac, and it lasts on me.
I really need to try that. Thanks for reminding me. I’ll put it on the list…
I’m waiting for my Discovery Kit in the mail!
I’m kind of having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
I doused myself in Eau de Magnolia though so I’ve got that going for me…
hope your day improves by leaps and bounds. and you smell wonderful!
I’m sending day-improving vibes your way!
Hope everything’s ok and that it gets better.
Hope your day improves tremendously.
Hey, at least you smell great!
Hope it got lots better. Hang in there!
Also. I just have to share. Yesterday, I got home after work to find a package addressed to me at my front door. I was puzzled as I wasn’t expecting anything. I opened it to find a bag from Jo Malone with “just because” on it. I opened the bag to find a box with 2 bottles of cologne inside. Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Grapefruit. The box had special “just because” ribbon along with a tag that said, “just because…you’re adorable.” There wasn’t a gift note or anything so I contacted the sales associate who normally helps me. She told me it’s a campaign they’re doing (#justbecause) and every boutique got to choose one customer to send a gift to. The boutique manager let my sales associate choose the person, and she chose me! I was so grateful! and excited! It definitely made my day.
Congratulations! Enjoy such a beautiful surprise!
Sweet! Enjoy????
Awesome!
What a nice surprise!
That is so awesome!!
That is a great story!
That’s fantastic Elizabeth! Your post made me smile and actually say “that’s so sweet” out loud! Congratulations and enjoy????
Wow! Congratulations!
That bike is fantastic, the kind of bike that might get my sorry rear end on a bike after many years! Ramping up for the Olivia day (I’m kind of a fanboy) I reached for Lady Vengeance drom JHAG. It still manages to be one of my favorite rose scents! Tomorrow?? Hmmm….. Let’s see…..
Refreshing myself with Ô de Lancome. I find this fragrance to be so uncomplicated and so simple to wear. It is like strolling in a botanical garden surrounded by all the green beauty and enjoying the lemony, earthy and wet woody notes that the air embraces. Easy, happy and bubbly scent.
You smell great. I also like it because the oakmossy base has nice longevity.
Especially the original version has a lot of moss that makes it last longer. The new version is more refreshing, like sipping lemonade in a very hot day.
That has to be the world’s cheeriest bicycle!
I’m currently enjoying some much-needed desert rain and watching my Wildcats in the postponed CWS final. And thanks to a generous perfume fairy, I’m also testing Olivia Giacobetti’s Idole de Lubin. Spicy, boozy goodness!
I’m glad we got out before the rain! LOL Enjoy it though….I’m sure you do love it! 🙂
I love Idole. I am wearing that tomorrow.
Late today! Covered up at work, but finally caught up….
SOTD: Modern Muse. I haven’t worn this in a few months…I forgot how much I LOVE it! Still haven’t seen the latest flanker in my neck of the woods….
Hark!!! Friday approaches!! 🙂
Something weekend this way comes! ????
Ha!
My evil scent mother turned up wearing vintage Byzance. She had such a gleam in her eye as she wriggled into the passenger seat. She’s asleep In my bed and I’ve spent the night on the floor and I’m wondering about what to wear for today’s long drive. After only two days I’ve gone right off Angel Sucree….as I knew I would. Kicking myself over that. Thinking that she might bring out Byzance again or something worse…that bottle of Giorgio I spotted. Then again, it could be Bamdit or vintage Dior Dior or Eau Sauvage. Oh, how we laughed. Think I’ll pack the Wagner CDs. Might as well join the party.
You don’t like Byzance? Sacrilege! 🙂
Ha ha Don’t you start!
Hahaha…A true ride of the valkyries…trailing Giorgio?
LOL! Nice visual.
Passage d’Enfer today, my favorite OG so far! Perfect for the weather mix we’ve been getting today,
Histoires de Parfum 1969… To go with my peach iced tea. Yay summer!
mmm, sounds good. I have this one in my discovery set, I’m gonna give it a go when I get off work!
Testing Sammarco Alter today which is definitely a must try for jasmine hounds. The effect of a very green jasmine and myrhh is the closest to a true jasmine tea fragrance I have yet experienced plus the first 15 minutes are flagrantly jasmine in the most beautiful way and then lovely mimosa too!
I haven’t spent much time with Alter. I liked Ariel the best out of the bunch, followed by the chocolate opening of Bond-T, and then Vitrum (but only on paper).
Definitely going to have to dig our my sample and revisit!
Wearing DK Gold while getting quotes for homeowners insurance. I got a couple of quotes from my current insurance broker and was shocked at how different they were for the same coverage.
NST, you smell wonderful. If I could put you all in a room together and take a deep breath it would be like heaven.
Scent of the Morning was Hiris, again, from the Never-ending Sample Vial of Mystery. Tomorrow I will use the last drops and be well and truly done with it then decide if I can live without it or not.
Sample of the Afternoon is Le Jardin de Monsiur Li. I put M. Li in the time out box a few months ago. I lightly spritzed and now smell life-like kumquat then a sweet floral note. I think I like it.
Candy of the Day is Chimes Mango Ginger Chews from Trader Joe’s. Sooo good. Glad I bought two bags.
MonsiEur Li, je suis désolé.
Vraiment, désolée. 😀
I get the Chimes ginger from Marshall’s!
Yay for Marshalls, I will definitely look at the candy (after fragrances) when next I am there.
The Chimes Ginger Mango candy at Trader Joe’s is probably part of their summer mango theme. When it’s gone I’ll need a new source to feed my ginger habit.
Well very late to the party and no SOTD except sandalwood oil so far because of clients. However the very first post here by Pyramus has inspired me to douse myself in Une rose de Kandahar for the late afternoon and evening. It’s hot here and I’m noticing that smells are so much more magnified with the humidity, especially the unpleasant ones like dog doo. Curious what Rose smells like today.
I got my answer on what Une Rose de Kandahar smells like on me today. My husband just told me my arm smells like Yankee Candle LOL
Men! 🙂
Haha I know. PHI is a gorgeous rose perfume. I’m slowly training my husband with 4 or 5 colognes/EDP just for his use. So far he has Coach Leatherwear 2, PdN New York, Grey Flannel, Dame Perfumery New Musk and Dark Horse But has a little way to go.
Here are a few classic reviews from him:
LVDP Hindu Kush: Smells like a train station
Bvlgari Black: Smells like a bicycle shop
Salome: Smells like.. he wouldn’t tell me
SL Cedar: Yup another Yankee Candle, but in this case he was correct
Oh and he said LDDM smells like a really nice workshop where they make old fashioned wooden toys.
I hope you’ll keep sharing your husband’s pithy reviews. 😀
Etat Libre d’Orange La Fin du Monde on one arm, Miu Miu on the other. Fun contrast, and something I’d only try on my way to or already at home!
It makes me smile that La Fin du Monde smells like popcorn.