It’s Hump Day, National Librarian Day, World Voice Day and Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. Birthdays: Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Anatole France, Charlie Chaplin, Kingsley Amis, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What fragrance are you wearing?
For the UNESCO heritage site Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville, of course I'm in L’Artisan Parfumeur Séville à l’Aube.
Reminder: 4/18 is the World Heritage Day / International Day for Monuments and Sites. [This is sponsored by the International Council on Monuments and Sites, an NGO dedicated to the conservation, protection, use and enhancement of the world's cultural heritage.] Pick a place you've visited, or would like to visit, that has "intangible cultural heritage", tell us about it, and wear a fragrance you think fits for whatever reason.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2025, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Seville Cathedral [cropped] by Paul VanDerWerf at flickr; some rights reserved.
Awesome match, Robin!
Today I’m wearing Tauer Une Rose Chyprée for “Practices and craftsmanship associated with the Damascene rose in Al-Mrah.” While Syria isn’t my dream destination, I love perfumes with a good rose and appreciate the people who grow them and produce essential oils. According to Angela’s article on NST, “Tauer said that each 15 ml bottle of the Eau de Parfum contains one pound of steam-distilled rose petals as well as rosa damascena absolute.”
It would be so lovely to see the rose harvest though!
Oh yes! UNESCO also has “Cultural practices related to Taif roses” and “The skills related to perfume in Pays de Grasse: the cultivation of perfume plants, the knowledge and processing of natural raw materials, and the art of perfume composition” listed as intangible heritage.
Very perfume related!
I am continuing my incense week in Sonoma Scent Studio Incense Pure for The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru. It was designated as a World Heritage site by Unesco in 1983. I visited Machu Picchu with my parents on a winter solstice in 2004. Lots of amazing incense was burned by the indigenous people while performing their rituals. I have many wonderful and nostalgic memories of that trip.
Happy Wednesday! 🌿
Sounds like a very memorable trip! I would love to see the Machu Picchu someday.
It was a very special trip. We were full of emotions. I hope you can visit in the future.
I tried to go to Macchu Picchu when I was in Bolivia in grad school, but Sendero Luminoso blew up a bus on the road up, so we couldn’t go. It’s one of many “almosts” that still bothers me — why? so silly — and I have probably mentioned it here before.
It must have been very cool to have been there on the solstice! Incense Pure is just right.
It was really bad in Peru in the 80s and 90s, due to Sendero’s attacks. I hope you still have the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu someday. You feel so much peace and connection with people and nature during the solstice. A unique experience!
What an adventure, Robin and rather scary, hope you make it to Machu Picchu one day.
What a story, Robin!
What an incredible experience.
I was. I highly recommended!
What an amazing trip!
It sure was!
Hello.
Sotd is Angelique Noire. One of my favourites from the line.
The new Chanel Chance had launched. Going to try it out perhaps later today. Will report back!
They are doing Eau Splendide pop ups in LA & London, maybe elsewhere.
I’m continuing on with Parfum d’Empire wearing Azemour.
Oh, Azemour! You smell amazing.
Yay!
I’m in Mojave Ghost, for Taliesen West which I toured several years ago. Frank Lloyd Wright’s work fascinates me in general, especially Fallingwater which I’ve only visited virtually and is on my bucket list.
I can’t believe I’ve never been to Fallingwater either!
How lovely! FLW is big here in WNY.
Oh, we almost visited Taliesin West when we were in Phoenix two years ago! If we’d had one more day there, we would have. Just didn’t have time to do all the things we wanted.
great idea SheriG! You smell marvy.
I’ve been to Fallingwater since it was nearby when I was in grad. school in Pittsburgh. It’s way up the hilly or mountainous woods, so the trip up to see it is itself nice, especially in spring because it’s completely full of wild rhododendrons in bloom. The house was a bit of a letdown for me, I am not sure why–I think I was perhaps too young to appreciate his aesthetic and to be honest parts of it looked rather run-down. It makes me wonder if they’ve had problems over time in maintaining it? I did like the interiors a lot.
Fallingwater,!with its Bear Run locale, would make a first rate inspiration for a fragrance. Woody-aquatic-mineral !
I think there are challenges to keeping such a property up, and it may indeed have been somewhat rundown when you saw it. In fact, right now they are just finishing up on some exterior maintenance projects that required scaffolding all over the outside, or so the website says. And I agree with LesLiesse that someone should do a Fallingwater perfume incorporating the scents of its forest and other surroundings — could be amazing!
SherriG, Fallingwater will not disappoint – it’s spectacular and an engineering and design marvel. I also visited Taliesin West, but still found Fallingwater far superior.
Wearing Fischersund No. 101 (an Icelandic perfumer) for Vatnajökull National Park. UNESCO includes the description –
“Dynamic Nature of Fire and Ice” which is so…dynamic!
I really want to visit Iceland allo! It’s on my bucket list! Where did you find an Icelandic perfume?
Andrea Maack is another Icelandic perfumer to explore, LesLiesse. I’ve not smelled Fischersund either.
I hope that trip happens for you😊
I learned about Fischersund at our local Nordic Heritage Museum. They carry the brand in their gift shop and Fischersund also helped with a scent exhibit at the museum.
Sounds exotic and wonderful, allo. Have you read Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss? It’s non-fiction, about her family’s sojourn to Iceland to live for a year. She is an excellent and perceptive writer, I’ve read all her books, most of which are fiction and have some kind of archeological angle. Available Dark by another one of my faves, Elizabeth Hand, is a dark mystery with a female sleuth set partly in Iceland (and Finland).
Hi DeniseH, I haven’t heard of those books and their author. But I love the sounds of a dark mystery and a female sleuth!😎🧐
I’m currently celebrating Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day…though that’s most mornings in my home office, at least for a little while. I’m about to get going here, though, and SOTD will be Paestum Rose, for Paestum (duh! 🙂 ).
Ha! And you’re wearing the perfect fragrance for ANY day. Still can’t believe they axed it, still can’t believe I never bought it.
To be fair I had a ton of luck and found it for half off in a high-end department store in Munich in 2008, after having sampled it before. Otherwise I might not own it (and Sienne l’hiver). But bless Ludwig Beck, because I’m hoarding what I have of both, and they are my best buys ever.
Revisiting the site and city of Hue, where the Perfume River winds through it.
SOTD will be Vietnamese Coffee.
Sounds lovely…
Could there be a more beautiful name for a river? I think not. YOu smell wonderful, apsara.
Robin, I read your 2012 review of Sèville à l’Aube. Rapturous! Putting it on my buy list and ITA w Glannys it’s inspired for both CP and photo! Btw, the CP absolutely rocks – deep, creative, intellectually stimulating, can’t wait to see how others interpret.
Sotd (sot-hospital actually) Yin Transformation by The Harmonist because I’m trying to transform this prolonged heart-wrenching experience into something beautiful if painful. Continuing my “be extra kind to three strangers at hospital” since it was especially uplifting yesterday and gosh everyone there sure needs it!
I think it’s great that you’re associating perfume in a positive way with the hospital experience. There are so many kind people, and opportunities to reflect on human strength and courage, and hope that perfume can add to. Plus, perfume brings calm during stress . I hope your days with your aunt go well.
Thank you Kanuka! I’m drawing peace from lifting my wrist to my nose periodically plus the wondrous NST community!
I am sure those strangers appreciate your kindness more than you know.
Thank you lillyjo! Everyone in that place has a story, and could us a thoughtful gesture!
Hope your aunt is progressively recovering, you’re making the most of what can be a rather draining experience, so glad your perfume is helping.
Aurora, we’ve tried several lifespan extending procedures, but now I’m just hoping we get another summer together and she will be able to pass in her longtime, beloved home next door to us so my mother can see her everyday. I feel like we’ve driven down the field multiple times only to lose yardage from penalties. Looks like we’ll be stopped at the one-yd line but we drove down hard – fought the good fight so I’m making my piece with it!
When the time comes, I also wish this for her, to pass in her own home, surrounded by loved ones. You are a wonderful niece, LesLiesse
🤗😘
You did so much, bringing your aunt much comfort, a precious thing.
🤗😘
You are doing better than I am with wearing fragrance in a very stressful situation. I had a couple incidents where I stopped wearing perfume altogether.
Me too — afraid of creating negative associations with a perfume.
Sending you a hug, LesLiesse. It’s very inspiring to read about your “be extra kind” exercise in this challenging time.
Thank you tulipani! It’s been uplifting to be alert to where I can send out some positivity.
Don’t buy it unsniffed! Not everybody loves it.
👍
Yes, get a sample. It was not one that worked for me.
Hi all, my SOTD is Gabrielle by Chanel, for a day full of work (in-person) meetings. Something discreet and fresh.
Nice choice.
Ugh, meetings all day?
Dug out one of my bottles of Eau Premiere. Can’t believe I neglected this beauty.
It’s a wonderful scent
You smell lovely, I forget it too.
It’s a beauty. After months of neglect, I wore it recently too. To me, it’s the perfect contemporary spin on a classic (and to some, challenging) fragrance. I love vintage No. 5, but I like Eau Premiere a lot too.
https://nzaht.org/shackletons-whisky/
I’m wearing JM Whisky and Cedarwood for Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds in Antarctica. The whisky refers to the crate of whisky that was found by conservationists and replicated by the original whisky distillery in Scotland in the 2000s. The hut itself is in a beautiful location, in a very stark black and white environment of black volcanic rock and ice, amidst an Adélie penguin colony ( also black and white). It’s a very homely feeling hut inside with a big stove and dark wooden walls, and big tables. It had a good vibe.
Yesterday my son passed his driving test ( the first practical test. After a year he’s allowed to do the second practical test for a full licence). I was so nervous but spent the waiting time in a garden centre where there was a display of stocks in flower which all had that wonderful scent of cloves and spice. . Thanks for wishing him luck!
Kanuka, I volunteer at an automotive museum and whenever we ask visitors about memorable automotive experiences it’s heart-warming how many mention getting their license and how their family celebrated and they posed for photos with the license next to the car! Congratulations to your son for a major and memorable milestone!
Also how fascinating about Shackleton’s hut and the way you tied it into the CP! Bravo! Well done!
Yay for your Son passing his driving test!
I wish getting a license was harder here in the U.S.
He’s all grown-up now, well done him.
Nice choice and story behind it, Kanuka. I like that Jo Malone too, it’s not the usual light florals the house is known for. My supposition was they wanted to broaden their appeal to men, though women like it too. Congrats on your son’s milestone.
Congratulations to your son!
Yay, so glad he passed.
And great pick for the cp, I love it.
I’m wearing Eau du Lude, which is a lovely discontinued Muguet fragrance by Patricia de Nicolaï. The Oude château is in the Loire region (although not strictly speaking in a département that is on the Unesco list, I think) and so wonder of wonders I’m actually on CP.
I will leave for a few days in Alsace tomorrow. It’s practically on my doorstep, which is just great.
Hoping to sniff their new Muguet next month when I am in Paris…
Springtime in Paris! How divine!
That is a great trip to look forward to, have you planned any other sniffing?
Have a happy trip. I hope you get some nice walks.
It’s very rainy at the moment but apparently it will get better this weekend. And thank you!
Alsace, oh boy is the dining going to be luscious!
I’m planning some tartes flambées.
🔥🔥🔥
*Oude should be Lude
Safe travels.
Thank you!
Enjoy your trip!
Thank you!
Bon Voyage!
Have a great time austenfan!
Yes, yay, Paris in May! It’ll be the first visit for my friend, and my frist in a couple of decades. I hope to visit Astier de Villate, and maybe a nice big department store with plenty of perfumes.
I wore Eau du Lude on Tuesday! Happily, I don’t find it overwhelmingly lily of the valley since I struggle with LOTV perfumes. I find it more an abstractly grassy, green floral. It’s so rare that you can’t really find a full note list anywhere. I was lucky to swap for this, I believe, a long time ago, though I only have about 10-15ml in my bottle.
Doing more travel spray emptying, with Iris Poudre today.
You smell fabulous AnnieA !
Thank you!
Wearing the new Chance Splendid flanker
Horseback riding- Library- busy day
We are scent twins!
Do you like it?
Hi 👋
I love it!
So beautiful for spring
I almost bought an extra large decant 😆
What about you?
I just posted below, but I like it very much. I could see wearing it throughout summer.
In the wildly misleading (misleading name that is) Nuit de Cellophane. Was craving that fresh out of the shower sort of perfume when I was fresh out of the shower this AM. It’s pretty linear to my nose, reliably happy if not exactly challenging.
Thanks for the perfume suggestions yesterday! 🧡
I forgot all about that Lutens, Oakland Fresca. Thx for the memories.
I am testing the new Chance Splendide today. It’s a lighter fruitier version of Eau Vive to my nose. It starts out with grapefruit and then what I think is raspberry. It’s very soft and feminine. The reviews I have read seem to be mostly negative but I really like it.
Thank you for that mini review Lillyjo, sounds like a lovely fruity floral.
It’s a happy scent for sure. Eau Vive is still my favorite though.
I liked it to! Glad I didn’t read a single review
I waited to read them until after I tried it.
I remember the same thing happened with Gabrielle and No.5 L’eau initially.
Glad you came across something new you liked without the dreaded ambroxan!
***FREEBIES***
Just email me at my NST username at gmail to claim. US only please. Feel free to claim more than one.
1. Imaginary Authors samples: A Little Secret, In Love With Everything, O Unknown, and Telegrama
2. Jo Malone Cologne Discovery Set Collection 4 x 1.5ml: Ginger Beer, Emerald Thyme (half full), Memento, and Passiflora
3. Jovan White Musk vintage year unknown 2oz 60% full
4. Decants: Le Jardin Retrouve Osmanthe Liu Yuan 5-6ml, Teo Cabanel Lace Garden 3ml, and Bruno Fazzolari Fzotic Fontevraud 2.5-3ml
Also, PSA for anyone who likes O, Unknown as I do — they’re discontinuing it.
Yes, Telegrama was discontinued too! They included a free sample of Telegrama when I ordered the other samples.
#1 has been claimed
Speaking of discontinuations, there might be some at Fzotic in the near future. Bruno mentioned that in a recent email newsletter.
Yes, I saw that too. I’m curious which ones.
Smoothie is a pear again. 15C today with a mix of sun and clouds, so a bit on the cool side but I don’t mind, the cherry tree is in bloom across the street.
This morning I chose Miss Dior Chérie first version and I’m warming to it, in principle I like the second version better but this one is a bright fruity floral gourmand, it’s not serious and perfect for spring, tonight Bellodgia edt or au Bellodgia as per my vintage bottle, I have a soft spot for the EDT with its shower of carnation effect which is just as well as I don’t have any extrait.
You are right, a “not serious” perfume is ideal for Spring.
We can be a little foolish in spring🙃
I’m wearing Zoologist Harvest Mouse today. It’s still sunny here and I am enjoying every minute. Winter and early spring were wet, wet, wet, and I say that as a PNWester who is used to wet.
A question–I am making a list of perfume houses that sell travel sizes, because I really do not need 50 or 100 mls of anything these days. Please tell me the ones you know! Thanks-
Some from my spreadsheet:
Imaginary Authors
Fzotic
Parfums de Nicolaï sometimes does coffrets of 15ml bottles, but shout out as well to their 35ml bottles, which aren’t crazy expensive and are all the juice I’d need.
Puente will do a travel set, but you have to buy 3 15ml bottles and it isn’t cheap.
CB I Hate Perfume has 5 and 10ml bottles (but roll-ons, sigh)
Kilian has 7.5ml bottles
Malle has 10ml bottles
Tauer sometimes does the 5ml bottles
La Curie does 9ml travel bottles
Nomenclature (sister brand to Aedes) has 20ml bottles
Sonoma Scent Studio does 15ml bottles
Great list! I agree with you.
Scents of Wood
Masque Milano
Durga
Different Company used to, but not sure they do anymore.
thank you!
In addition to the lists above:
Astier de Villarreal
Maya Njie
Scent Trunk
Tom Ford
Vilhelm Parfumerie
(there are many)
thanks!
No one’s mention it yet, and I’m a fan: Trudon. It’s not cheap though!
I’ve never smelled any. Looking forward to it. Thanks!
Occasionally Chopard and Estee Lauder have travel sizes. But it’s not for all of their scents.
Thank you!
Zoologist
Gucci
Dame Perfumery
Hermes
thanks!
I think maybe the Hermes small bottles are easier to get in Europe? I bought my small bottle of Un Jardin sur le Nil in Germany, but have never seen a similar size here.
Soivohle does a couple of sizes of tiny bottles.
Thanks!
Almost all the designers are doing them now when they launch something (or shortly thereafter) but most don’t seem to keep them in stock past the first year.
Maria Candida Gentile
Hermes (but you have to buy 4, or get singly on ebay)
Guerlain (but not everything)
Ormonde Jayne
Arielle Shoshana
Aedes (do they still? maybe not)
Lush (but not everything)
Neela Vermeire
Diptyque (often tho in coffrets only, or get singly on ebay)
L’Artisan (but not everything)
A few more:
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Marissa Zappas
Providence Perfume Company – but they’re roll ons
Arquiste offers travel size for select perfumes (unfortunately, not Venice Rococo, which I’d buy in a second)
Fūm (independent brand that doesn’t get talked about enough and I think has some wonderful perfumes, especially Ariose, Neroli, and Jurassic Flower)
Hendley
St. Clair
Wearing Poire Melisse from L”Occitane, a long d/c parfum d’ambience. I have a handful of parfum d’ambiences that I wear on skin and I’ve never had a problem. Does anyone else do this? Has anyone had a bad experience?
Poire Melisse reminds me of Provence, a place that is dear to my heart and has many fond memories for me. (my mother grew up in Nice).
I wonder if this fragrance is starting to go, though. There is something overripe and funky about it. As if it might have the same pear-like aromachemical as Petite Cherie from Goutal that is known to turn.
I may have to wash it off and start over!
I used to wear a L’Artisan linden room spray, til it went off. And used to wear the Diptyque John Galliano room spray til I used it all up.
This is the only way I thunk bottles anymore! In the bathrooms, I went through a Fragonard bottle, am working on a cheap violet fragrance and Smell Bent Hot House.
CB I Hate Perfume used to make room sprays, and I wear those and never actually spray them in my room. 🙂
I’m in Splendiris today.
One of my favorites. You smell wonderful!
A fellow iris-ian today…
Hi lucasai! You smell fabulous!
SOTD = L’Artisan Parfumeur Seville a l’Aube
Orange blossom, lavender, and incense – what’s not to love? 🥰
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIhUAsiRG51/?igsh=OHg4ejhnMWJrM2Zz
I have gone to Panera to get my “free” Sip Club coffee, usually hot coffee but occasionally a soda. I figured if I go 7x a month, I would get my money back. I have been going at least 3x a week and so I have more than made up for the initial outlay! That said, I get annoyed when people DO NOT abide by the library rules but I have decided that it is a public place and there’s no sign that says you can’t talk in a normal tone / volume and so I am leaving things be. Just about the only time I get annoyed and will say something is when someone decides to use a really loud voice and / or have their phone on speaker.
Regarding cleaning candle glass, I saw responses to my question yesterday. Thank you and I will respond to them in a little bit!
Didn’t Seville a l’Aube smell like corn tortillas according to some posters on Fragrantica?
I don’t remember corn tortillas, but it didn’t work for me.
Me either. It was cloying on me, and not in a good way.
Me too!
Ha, it makes me chuckle to read this! I always feel a bit wistful that I missed out on sniffing Seville a l’Aube. So you and SheriG get an opposite-of-enabler pin that makes me happy, we need a term for that.
“Repellent rewards” seems overly harsh…
OMG, people on speaker are the worst. Why would you do this on the bus, in a cafe, or in a restaurant? I still can’t figure out why.
Definitely seeing a change in the weather slowly creeping in over the afternoon today. It’s still quite warm, around 75 degrees F, but thick clouds now cover the sky. It’s “supposed to” snow this Friday. I’d better get any groceries I need for Easter tomorrow.
My tally of World Heritage sites is kinda sparse. But I do have an idea for the CP. Stay tuned!
SOTD = still hanging out in Cartier La Panthere. I can easily get 24 hours with this as it quietly purrs on my skin.
That is long-lived!
Chanel No 5 L’eau today.
Hubby found out that it is 50/50 that he has a herniated disc. The surgeon is doing an MRI with contrast to see what is going on. Although he won’t admit it, I do thing the steroid pack is helping him some. I got him to put up a towel hook for me today without complaining so he is moving a little bit.
Maybe a herniated disc? Yikes.
You smelled great today.
He thought that was probably it.
Oh dear. Glad he is moving around better.
Yes, I am too.
Gosh Kris, thanks for update. Herndiqted disc sounds serious and painful. Are steroids a long term solution ?
No, he is probably looking at another surgery.
🤗😘
We’re having an absolutely gorgeous week with sun in the 60s, and I’ve smelled so many flowers in the air on my walk so Monday I time myself craving DelRae Wit and wore that. Then I decided to just do a week of florals in honor of UNESCO “The skills related to perfume in Pays de Grasse: the cultivation of perfume plants, the knowledge and processing of natural raw materials, and the art of perfume composition.” So yesterday I wore the lovely but rare and discontinued PdN Eau du Lude and today I’ve been luxuriating in Lys Mediterranee.
You smell fabulous, matching the art of perfumery and our beautiful weather💐☀️😎
Why thank you. I hope you’ve been able to get out and enjoy the weather too!
Wit! So lovely. I do miss DelRae.
Such a great perfume house, definitely gone too soon. I can see the DelRae line sitting there at my neighborhood boutique before I knew enough to get them all. Fortunately, said boutique had “garage sales” and I was able to get a few testers. Sadly, not Wit🥲
I’ve been extremely lucky to swap for decants and more recently a partial bottle of Wit through NST swaps. I also went back and reread your review when I wore it on Monday. 😀 You had asked people to name their favorite beautiful florals, so all the comments helped me remember some other good ones to wear soon. I also wish DelRae was still around. I wonder what other beauties she would have released.
Yes! I wish I had more than a sample on its last legs.