Happy Friday and happy Saint Nicholas Day! It's also Ira Gershwin’s birthday, and in Canada, it’s the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. We're doing Plus One Friday....our community project for today: wear your favorite layering combination, or try a brand new one. (We've done variations on this project before.)
What fragrance(s) did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
Again I meant to experiment but instead I'm in another tried and true combo: Terre d'Hermès and Kelly Caleche.
Reminder: on 12/13, wear a fragrance with ginger, if you have one.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2024, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) [cropped] by Joshua Mayer at flickr; some rights reserved.
I loved all the pics this week, Robin, but juniper berries are especially fitting, since one of my scents has a juniper berry note.
For Friday, I wanted a layering combination that recreated a walk in a winter forest. Eventually, I decided on a blend of calming, relaxing scents. Fun fact: all three perfumes were created by female noses, although I didn’t plan it and only discovered this after choosing them.
So, here it is:
Light and Shadows of the Winter Grove
– Hayari FeHom (Sidonie Lancesseur): A soft amber scent. Described as floral oriental, but I can detect just a hint of rose. For me, it’s mostly woody resins – very cozy and tranquil. Represents the tree trunks, the heart of the grove.
– Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu (Daniela Andrier): Airy lavender and minty tea. Bright and clear – fresh, crisp air and sunlight dancing on snowy branches. Represents the light in the grove.
– Lalique Encre Noire (Nathalie Lorson): An earthy, grounding layer, described by Lalique as an “ode to woods.” Underbrush and forest floor. Represents the shadows in the grove.
This is quite a balanced blend, and I’m pleased with the result.
Some other combinations I considered (names are AI-generated):
Frosty Forest Air (Eau Radieuse + Guerlain Vetiver + Tam Dao)
Golden Forest Sanctuary (Guerlain AA Winter Delice, Tam Dao, Guerlain Vetiver)
Classic Winter Woods (FeHom, Tam Dao, Fille en Aiguilles)
Snow-Dusted Sanctuary (Tam Dao, Eau Radieuse, Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu)
Resinous Snow Glow (Guerlain AA Winter Delice, Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu, Eau Radieuse)
👒 👈 This is my hat and I’m tipping it to Glannys for all the fabulous layering combos and names she’s come up with this week! Can we get a hand for her?! 👏👏👏👏
👏👏👏👏
👏👏👏👏
👏👏👏👏
YES!
More applause from me! 👏👏👏
Applause from me too!
👏
These combos are so creative. Ooh! I had two of the scents for Resinous Snow Glow! Ah well, another time perhaps
Glannys, you are amazing! Last night I finally layered Jasmin et Cigarette with vintage Joy and it was beautiful! Today I’ll try to find another jasmine to layer on top.
Yay!
So interesting that you decided to use AI to generate the names!
no idea why this post showed up in the middle of a subthread. oops.
Mine did too.
Wow!
Glannys is No🥇.
That sounds fabulous.
Lovely work, Glannys!!
Nice layering – and you and I were on the same wavelength today with thoughts of walking thru a winter forest and juniper berries. 👍
Glannys wins another cp!!
Thank you, everyone! You inspire me! 🥰
Not participating in today’s CP. Wearing no 5 edp today since it will be my first day back at work in three and a half weeks. Participated in Bath and Body Works Candle Day today. Had to wait in the virtual line for close to an hour for 2 candles. Those two candles were all my gift card would allow me to get instead of my usual 4 to 6. If I didn’t upgrade my cellphone I would have gotten more candles. Forgot about the activation fees.
Good luck in your first day back to work!
Hope your first day back is smooth and you’re not too tired out!
🍀🍀🍀 at work.
Hope everything goes well for you today.
Hope that today was a good day for you!
I tried doing the CP, using cheap thrill scents in the form of Demeter fragrances. First Frankincense, then Myrrh, and finally Blue Spruce. This is my first time attempting to layer, and I’m enjoying it. Being cologne it probably won’t last long but that’s OK.
If you’re going to stack scents, Demeter is a great way to do it — they’re mostly single-note fragrances so you’re unlikely to get any weirdness. That sounds like a good combination, too.
I love the sound of your combination, but I couldn’t help thinking what you needed after your first two was really CdG Gold, in honor of the Christmas holidays!
Yes, I also was thinking that the Demeter line was a great path to take to layering.
Those Demeters sound quite tempting! I have yet to try one.
Happy Friday! I am not participating, in snif soda snob. I think if you already have a lab on fire paris la, you don’t need this, but the snif is cheaper!
Aha, then maybe I need snif soda snob…really liked Paris LA.
If I didn’t have a project going on I’d have worn my favourite combo, CSP Vanille Abricot and Vanille Banane, which pair perfectly. But for no reason I decided in December to wear all my Lutenses — one after another, not all at once! — and today I’m in Chypre Rouge, the first Lutens I ever bought. It’s fascinatingly strange: cough syrup, wine gums, pine resin, honey, and a hundred other things.
House twins! 🙌
Chypre Rouge is so “Lutens” in the best way, you smell wonderful!
I love Chypre Rouge, you smell great!!
I’m another Chypre Rouge fan!
I’m in a new-to-me layering combo after the conversation a couple of days ago about layering rose over leather (sounds like a Stevie Nicks title). Decided to see if a little Le Dix would soften Bel Ami — lo and behold, it does and it’s very nice. VERY nice. I’ll be doing this again!
Oh, you’ve inspired me to see if Le Dix will do the same for Cuir Amethyste!
That might be even better since they both have violet. I have a smidgen of Cuir Améthyste and will give that a try as well!
https://youtu.be/iLEMiDrdSKU?feature=shared
Song comment match!
💚
Nice!
I thought of that song too.
I’m wearing a combination of Theorema and Bvlgari Omnia, and drinking a Stash chai tea made with almond milk to put an exclamation point on the combo. It’s a nice combination but I’m not likely to adopt it as my primary way of wearing these two scents; I like each of them separately too much.
Lovely combo, and somehow matches the tea drink
Sounds like that would be a nice combo, I just might try that one!
Still surfing 🏄🏻♀️ the Sample Sea! Today, it’s a dabber sample of SL Ambre Sultan. Dumped what’s left in the vial down the front of me and now, I’m DELICIOUS! I’ve had it so long it’s turned to a dark coffee color. It’s so much more than an “Amber perfume.” Over on Basenotes (yes, I have too much time on my hands but these reviews are close to being literary magic😂) someone wrote:
“Serge Lutens’ Ambre Sultan is the Elvis Presley of amber fragrances – it’s left the building, but its influence is still felt everywhere.”
If a bottle fell into my lap I’d snap it up. But, I’m sure there have been at least one if not more reformulations since I received my sample a millennia ago. Still, it’s a delight!
Remember I said recently, and I think it was you I was responding to, that I no longer liked Chergui? I wore Ambre Sultan the other day and I don’t care for it any more either. I’ve changed so much! (I don’t think it’s the scents, although they have both changed colour to a dark brown nearly impenetrable to light — they aren’t murky, they’re perfectly clear, but they’re so dark.) If you want to talk about a swap or something, let me know. You should definitely have them both if they’d bring you pleasure: I’ll never wear them again.
Well, that’s super kind of you! As for the Amber Sultan, I don’t imagine I have anything to swap that you don’t already have? Are you SURE you’ll NEVER wear them again? (Btw, my sample was the same- very dark but perfectly clear.) There is the chance the pendulum will swing back and you may find you still love them…🙃
No, honestly: I used to be a massive amber fan, and the first niche scent I ever bought was MPG Ambre Précieux, but all my old favourites — Ambre Précieux, Ambre Sultan, Anne Klein II, YR Voile d’Ambre, Prada Amber — simply don’t work on me any more. They feel too heavy and monochromatic in a way they didn’t before. I’m certain I’ll never wear it again and won’t miss it if it’s gone. If you want to talk more, my email address is [username] dot nb at gmail dot com.
It was me you were talking with about Chergui 😃
Oh, thanks! Offer still stands. Email address is above if you’re interesting in working something out.
I have a vintage bottle of SL Ambre Sultan that is the color of Coke.
Gonna reach back there in the cabinet and see what happens!
I have a mini of SL Ambre Sultan that was one of Robin’s Daily Lemmings last year (I think?). Been enjoying occasional sniffs from it.
After a week of puzzlement, I remembered that an Atelier combo would probably work, and am wearing a pleasant combination of Vanille Insensée and Trèfle Pur.
I also went with at Atelier for the CP, but only one.
I am wearing Amouage Epic and decided I wanted some extra musk. Kiehls Musk would be too strong, I think, so I dabbed on some Dame New Musk oil. It adds a smoothness to Epic and smells nice but I prefer Epic alone.
House twins! Amouages are quite “complete” right? Took me a while to think what combos might work and not fight the long list of notes.
Which version of Epic, Woman or Man?
Inspired by AnnE earlier this week, I’m in Safran Troublant and L’eau d’Ambre Extreme, and it’s a winner so far!
I’ve been loving all the layering experimentation mentioned this week and I’ve jotted down many to try in the future. Definitely inspired to try rose+leather and as many of Glanny’s combos as I can, given what I have.
Interesting! I would have thought the ST would be drowned away.
You are right, the drydown was all Ambre… 🙁
I’m taking the easy way out: I have been wearing DSH Rose Vert for the last few weeks, so why stop now – but I added Strange Invisible Perfumes Aquarian Roses to it. They both share the same green rose heart and they are meshing very nicely. Might add a spritz of Black Rosette later, to spice things up.
Oh nice! Hope the Black Rosette will not eat the other two up.
Hello and tgif!
Pair-otd is Guidance 46 + Red Roses.
I am still not really brave enough to layer together individually complex perfumes so for now layering with JMs is my comfort zone.
Red Roses is so pretty, too.
That sounds like a nice pairing.
Red Roses is one of the JM scents I am considering getting the body butter version of. After I use up a few more lotions, LOL!
I’m not one for layering so I had to come up with a combo on the fly, which worked pretty well in the end. I went with Orgasmo by Hilde Soliani, a buttery gourmand, and Rihanna’s Rouge, which works as sort of a dupe for Bottega Veneta but with more peach/apricot. Pretty delicious together.
Yay!
We’ve woken up to another beautiful sunny morning, but so many times lately it’s cloudy by mid- morning. However, I am ever-optimistic, and I’m wearing AG’s Le Chèvrefeuille.
Smelling beautiful.
Happy Friday, fragrant ones.
For the CP I went with AA Pamplelune + Atelier Mistral Patchouli.
I love this pairing, which is the only combo I wear on the regular. The patch ever so slightly dirties up the Pamplelune and the whole thing would probably horrify the Pamplelune=cat pee crowd.
(It definitely layers well with today’s denim + silver combat boots)
A double grapefruit, excellent.
I’m not a layering kind of person and I have a limited number of perfumes here, so I am wearing Atelier Pomelo Paradiso body lotion under Acqua Viva. I figured two citruses couldn’t be too bad, and the combo turned out to be nice.
I bet that smells great.
Fresh apples, frozen mango and yogurt smoothie
Pretty much the only layering I do regularly is l’Artisan Méchant Loup (nutty) with Rouge bunny rouge Tenera (boozy), somehow that combo has always worked for me. This morning it was SJP Dawn, I don’t have Stash or even Lovely but I’m very fond of Dawn to this day, I discovered it years ago from a little set of three SJP fragrances, the two others didn’t impress but I liked Dawn immediately.
I gave Dawn as a gift once when it came out.
Perfect scented gift, not polarising at all, it lasts well too.
I had never even heard of Dawn and had to look it up. Discontinued I’m guessing, as the prices on evil bay are crazy.
Oh no, it was cheap as chips when I got it ten years or so ago. It’s not worth paying $$$ for it.
I vaguely remember when SJP Dawn came out.
I don’t ever layer perfumes, but I do many combinations of body wash, lotion and perfume.
Today is Rose Jam Shower Gel->Weleda Pampering Wild Rose Body Lotion->FM POAL. All rose scents, but they work well together.
I bet you smell awesome!
👍 on the POAL. I got sick of the Rose Jam shower gel and tossed it. I’m also pretty sure I’m allergic to Weleda products – go figure.
I would probably get tired of Rose Jam too, but Robin suggested combining it with Shakai Yuzu shower gel and that seems to make it a little less strong.
If you have Sticky Dates, also try huge dollop ShiKai, small dollop Rose Jam and tiny dab of Sticky Dates…really nice!
Rose Jam also works well with Posh Chocolate.
I do have Sticky Dates and you did tell me to do that😊
Ha, sorry for repeating myself!
We both picked rose scents today! Cool!
As usual I’m out of the loop with the CP. End of year is super busy for me at work- 12 hours days most of the time.
Wanted to hop on though and say that the hubs did good this year. He got me Baccarat Rouge 540 AND Eau des Merveilles for Christmas. And yes, he already made me open them lol. We are traveling for two weeks during Christmas and he wanted me to go ahead and have them. The BR540 (while maybe overhyped) I love and wore it on our wedding day and most importantly he loves it on me. And the EdM I’ve just wanted for ages but haven’t bought it for myself. Wearing the EdM now. Woohoo! Needed to share with people who would appreciate. 😌
Oh, those are both ones I like. Your husband did good!
Great gifts KellyC!
One of my very favorites – EdM, you smell great!
You smell great!
Your husband did excellent, and I’m glad to hear you’re already enjoying the gifts!
Wow, your hubs did a great job of gifting! Which version of BR 540 do you have, the EdP or the extrait?
The EdP
Nice!
Thanks, everyone!
I’m not really I’ve for layering, but I couldn’t resist trying Robin’s classic combo of Philosykos and Tam Dao today. It’s nice, and I’m having fun topping off with one or the other, alternating every couple hours so far.
Do you all know that Mrs. Meyers Fall Leaves hand soap smells of figs? I’ve someone missed this one the last couple of years that I’ve been buying the fall/winter seasonals, and I was shocked to use it for the first time and find it smells figgy, similar to Philosykos or Premier Figuer. Very bizarre that they made their Fall Leaves smell like figs, but it works great in December to me.
Yesterday, I was commando all day since I went into the office (fragrance free workplace) to help with gift sorting for our Adopt a Family campaign. Then I was too tired in the evening to think about perfume. It was a good day though.
Happily, my three Black Friday sale orders have all shipped now. I’m excited to get a travel spray of the new Lilac Brulée from Fzotic, a travel spray and an oil roll on from Marissa Zappas (the oil is unsniffed), and a hair product order from R+Co.
Sigh, that should say “I’m not really one for layering.”
Ooh report back on your new items!
Ohhhh I haven’t tried that combo. Must try tomorrow.
Glad to hear that your Fzotic order has shipped! That means mine can’t be too far off.
Definitely want to hear about Lilac Brulee!
Oh, and Robin I have an idea for the 12/20 CP if you still need one. We may have some something like this before, I can remember exactly: Wear a perfume inspired by it based on a holiday, any holiday, or wear a perfume that seems perfectly suited to the holiday of your choice.
Fun idea!!
Oh thank you!! Because yes, still need one 🙂
I made a slightly strange CP project by layering CdG Daphne with Hilde Soliani Orgasmo. The idea was to make some sort of super-luscious creamy Christmas pudding, like a trifle with some heavy notes of vanilla, almond, and orange. I’m liking it a lot, though the Orgasmo is overwhelming the always-potent Daphne in such a way that I had to spray another layer of Daphne on top to get a more combined effect. Now what I would most like in here is a potent spice, like I think, maybe a clove or two. I have not thought of a good title though. Maybe I should ask AI to give me some options (though I actually don’t know how to do that!)!
Wow, surprised anything can overwhelm Daphne!
I don’t layer my fragrances per se but I do, almost always, layer my SOTD over bath and body products, of which I have an extensive collection (I.e. too many!). So for today’s cp, I’m wearing Dame’s Chocolate Man layered over BBW’s Hot Cocoa and Cream products. If you love deep, dark chocolate like I do, you may enjoy Chocolate Man, which is mostly a deep, dark cocoa, not terribly sweet, and I think it would be a good one for layering over other fragrances for those of you who do. The Hot Cocoa and Cream underneath adds a touch of soft, creamy sweetness to the cologne. I ❤️ both!
Other favorite combos of mine for the cold, wintry weather we’ve suddenly been experiencing are Clinique Wrappings layered over BBW’s Juniper Breeze b&b products – like walking thru a crisp pine forest in winter, and Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice layered over BBW’s Gingerbread Latte – that walk in the winter forest ends in a cozy, warm kitchen with a hot cuppa ☕️ and freshly-baked cookies. Yum! 😋
Looking forward to this weekend’s activities that truly reflect the giving spirit of the holiday season: tomorrow’s Empty Bowls event that benefits local food pantries, and Sunday’s showing of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ in our historic movie theater that benefits our local Community Fund. On Giving Tuesday we went to a wonderful fund-raising event at a local animal shelter, but I almost cried seeing all those beautiful furbabies 🐶🐱longing for their forever homes! I’d like to volunteer there but I don’t know if I could 😢.
Happy St. Nick’s Day 🎅and have a lovely weekend ahead!
Yes to Wrappings!! 🥰
I’m like you Laila. I have an extensive supply of body washes and lotions so that is what I use for layering too. I love some of your combination ideas.
Not familiar with other scents you mentioned, but both Wrappings and Winter Delice are definitely winter forest material! Wrappings is just right for that “crisp winter forest” combo I was thinking about.
I’m a cp fail and instead just went with a favorite, glossier you.
I met a friend for coffee this morning and it was really nice to catch up. It’s the first time I’ve worn hard pants since my surgery 2 weeks ago, lol, so another step toward feeling back to normal. I survived going back to work this week. It probably would have been nice to have another week off, but I’d rather save those vacation hours for a week off when it’s sunny and warm next summer.
I had a craving for chocolate chip cookies and picked up a bag of my favorite Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips “on sale” for $6.79! Holy cow! I don’t remember them being that expensive. We’re going to have to ration these cookies over the next few days. I added a cup of walnuts this time, yum, they should be delicious.
Chocolate chips are crazy expensive lately. I’m glad you had a nice meet up this morning.
It was sticker shock for sure! Thanks, it was nice. And the sun even came out for awhile!🌞
I don’t even know how much a bag of chocolate chips cost these days. I usually do an abbreviated walk around Whole Foods and, other than my staples, I pretty much only buy things on sale.
I think “regular” chocolate chips like tollhouse are probably cheaper, but the dark chocolate is just so much better!😋
Agreed! Ghirardelli for me!
Ghirardelli is totally worth it for making cookies!
But I don’t remember what I paid for the bag I have in my pantry.
Yay (but also boo) for hard pants! Send some cookies my way.
Working the late shift. I am wearing my favorite combo of bbw lemon pound cake lotion and Dolce and Gabbana Devotion. I have the weekend off and really need to get some cleaning done.
Your house must be spotless by now! Good on you for having the weekend off!
It’s not! I didn’t do much when I was sick. I have some catching up to do.
Hurray for having the entire weekend off!
Song of the Day for you: https://youtu.be/1uF5xMhfp1c
Takin me back! Such great music.
Great combination. I bet you smell fantastic!
If they re-release it I will buy it again. It’s so yummy.
You can always buy it through Amazon.
That combo sounds delish.
So glad you have the we off, I bet that combo is great, I find Devotion was my best buy this year.
SOTD = a layering of Akro Bake and Parfums Satori Satori
👍 for a successful layering effort: gourmand with incense!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDQT8zkxzVK/?igsh=Z3dxd3dpeGd4NjFi
… and for your viewing pleasure, an owl:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDQUgfXRWIA/?igsh=MTltdDY4ZnBpdW16MQ==
I did a walkabout today even though it was cold. There were no new lawn decorations but the almost beheaded skeleton is no longer there! I’m glad it’s gone because I think the high winds made it quite dangerous!
Wow, I bet that layering combo smells great! And I love the owl.
Thank you! I love it!
Glad to hear the almost decapitated giant skeleton is no longer a threat. Wonder if someone got a citation about it?
Hey I think we are twins from different Houses! Bake and Devotion are supposed to be very similar.
Sort of/kind of CP compliant today. More about that below.
Downloaded a secure messaging app on my cellphone this afternoon. If anyone has been following what CISA and the FBI have been saying this week, you know why.
Today I started putting up Xmas lights on the railing to my deck. Got about halfway done before I decided enough was enough. I will continue that task over the weekend, since both Saturday and Sunday are supposed to have nice weather.
SOTDs = “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”: Agent Provocateur EdP and Pacifica Persian Rose, layered with Bliss’ Grapefruit & Aloe Body Butter. The perfumes are on different arms. The Persian Rose is particularly complementary with the Grapefruit body butter, since it’s a fruity rose. 🌹🌹🌹🌹
I read about the messaging but then it seemed complicated so I stopped reading.
Basically, Apple to Apple texts are secure. Android to Android texts are secure. Apple to Android texts are not.
Really, no texts (or emails for that matter) are “secure.” Electronic security went the way of the dodo.
Stuff like Telegram is a lot harder to creep on, though.
This is exactly how I feel about it. If I have anything secret to say I’m not going to say it on my cell phone, on ANY app. The worst thing about today’s articles is that everybody sending Apple to Apple texts is now given some false sense of security, or they download WhatsApp and now they think they are secure. There were security issues reported with WhatsApp just a few months ago, for heaven’s sakes.
This sounds like a nice combination.
It worked out really well. I’d recommend it!
Great pairing.
Thank you!
I am not usually into layering but a combination I do enjoy is Solinotes Rose with Henry and Rose Sheep’s Clothing. The latter perfume has a little rose in it but of a musky, abstract rose. I think one of the rose perfume samples I like, Rose Ardoise by Atelier Materi, reminds me a little of the combo, sort of a dry, mineral rose.
Will be working this weekend but weather is crummy so won’t be missing much.
Sorry you have to work anyway!
I couldn’t come up with any original pairing, so I just went for and edp extrait combi ation that works, Divine par Divine (even though the extrait is called l’Éternel féminin.