It’s Hump Day and the last day in April, plus International Jazz Day. Birthdays: Alice B. Toklas, Annie Dillard, Jane Campion. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm recovering from a head cold, so commando again today.
Reminder: 5/2: is Our Lady Donatella Versace's 70th birthday. Wear the last fragrance you purchased, or anything that you think fits the occasion.
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 Madonna for Versace, I think from 2005.
Hermés OrangeVert
You smell lovely! Anything from Hermés is a favorite!
So one of the things I bought at a Superdrug in one of the UK ports of call was a set of 8 10-mL sprays of the entire men’s Discover line from Marks & Spencer. For £16! They’re named in the usual generic way — Smoked Oud, Deep Mimosa, Spiced Wood, that sort of thing — with three notes listed for each one: today I’m in Black Pepper (“black pepper, vanilla, amber”), which has less staying power and projection than you’d expect from those notes, but for that price you aren’t expecting a work of art. It’s nice for what it is. Haven’t tried any of the others but they’re on the docket.
I also bought a Lynx (Axe in Canada/US) shower gel called Peach Infusion. A peach-scented men’s toiletry! That would never fly in North America. They also have Cherry Spritz and Watermelon Freeze fragrances. Imagine!
Yes! Lynx has quite a few “cute” sounding scents in their collection. I was surprised by it also! But do they smell “masculine” or more “unisex”?
I tried only the one but I’d say unisex for sure. Peach Infusion (the shower gel, at least) is very peach-forward but dark, too: the other notes listed are patchouli and amber, which sounds about right.
In the same line is one called Cocoa Velvet (chocolate, vanilla, and cedar), which I didn’t try because I knew I had only so much room in my luggage and I just bet I would have bought at least the shower gel if I’d smelled it. There were a LOT of things I didn’t smell!
Now I want some of that Cocoa Velvet!
I know the feeling of not being able to smell enough. I was in London for a conference a couple years back and in the final 2 free days I spent almost all my time in Harrods, Selfridges and Liberty smelling my nose off and even then I felt I missed a lot! Regarding luggage space, well, I am shameful to admit I did toss a few items to make space…
I threw away 4 plain T-shirts to make room and still it was only just barely enough. Next time I’m bringing a bigger suitcase and filling it only halfway so I know I’ll have room. On our last day in Europe I had to forego buying a bunch of Bilou shower foams (in aluminum canisters that dispense it like shaving cream) because I knew I didn’t have any space for them.
I love a black pepper note in perfume.
I do too.
Thanks for the report. All sound good!
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cassellferere/2025/04/27/pete-davidson-teams-up-with-axe-to-boost-confidence-with-new-scents/
Hello.
Sotd is Commodity Juice. Rhubarb and mixed berry sorbet. I like that it’s quite rhubarb-y. Might be nice layered over something gingery for a bit of warmth.
Been browsing Aesop’s website and am tempted by their mouthwash. Has anyone tried it? I also want to try Floris’ Violet mouthwash. Sounds heavenly.
Report back if you get either!
Have you tried any Marvis mouthwashes. The cinnamint one is good.
Yes I have. I liked it!
Get well, Robin!
I’m wearing Hanbury – bought a decant in March.
Hanbury is one of my favorites. You smell great!
YUM. I really need one of those minis.
I’m continuing to dig through my big bag of assorted decants and came up with Viper Green by Ex Nihilo. Pretty good.
Hi all, my SOTD is Knowing, by Estee Lauder, Chypre/Floral at it’s finest. I’m working from home today, so two spritzes for me. It should die down by this afternoon when I have a doctor’s appointment. 🙂
Get well soon Robin! This cold season is miserable…
Thank you! I am already much better than yesterday. But because I was away for the long weekend, today is day 7 of not going to the gym, which is a bummer.
Hope the doctor’s appt is uneventful!
Knowing really is amazing, one of the great eighties chypres. People had this notion of Lauder as being a cheap department-store line but for a few decades they made high-end, reasonably priced fragrances that were as good as anything on the market.
I think EL scents are so under rated they are quite good, even the reformulated versions! I’ve owned so many of them it’s difficult to say which is a favorite. Probably my desert island scents are: Private Collection, Azuree, Aliage, Cinnabar, Knowing, White Linen, and Estee Super Cologne Spray.
Hopefully your doctor’s appointment was routine and NBD.
Get well soon!
Today: ‘Coromandel’ by Chanel.
Coromandel is such a beauty.
Feel better Robin!
Sotd The Harmonist Yin Transformation
🤗🤗🤗
How are you doing? Did your aunt get moved to hospice in her home yet?
Yes Kris. And the hospice nurses are angels. It’s daunting for the family members as I’m now monitoring 11 different meditations daily. Some are as needed. It’s a lot of moving parts. But it’s a lot easier having her next door.
Thank you, I am!
House twins with SmokeyToes this morning, in Private Collection. It will probably be my evening scent as well, for a family dinner/send-off for a dear daughter-in-law who is going abroad to study.
Exciting times! How long will your DIL be gone?
Four months. Assuming she doesn’t encounter issues in returning here, that is. 😖
Fingers crossed for both legs of her trip!
Hi everyone, it’s been a long few days. My other ended up in the hospital on Sunday and still remains there. We are not exactly sure of what is going on. Is it that all the stress of chemo and being guardian over my grandma pushed her over the edge or her doctors not paying attention to all her meds before adding more that did her in. Monday morning I had phase one of getting teeth pulled. I am thinking that next week’s phase 2 will be a little too much for me with too many moving parts. Just wasn’t up for posting yesterday but was in Happy. I think Coromandel will work nicely for today while finishing up laundry.
I’m sorry to hear about you mother and that this is all going on at the same time you are having extensive dental work done. Hopefully, they will find out what’s going on with her and help her to feel better soon.
You have definitely chosen the perfect fragrance to calm nerves and accompany you while you do laundry today🌸
That’s a lot going on, Dawn! Sending you a hug. Are you going to postpone phase 2?
I postponed the 2nd round of tooth extractions until June 2nd. About to attempt some breakfast sausage. I am not exactly willing to stick to a liquid diet with some mozzarella cheese and apple sauce for the next few days. The dentist prefers a more liquid diet with very bland soft foods. I just want to eat more normal foods.
I hope things calm down soon and your mother becomes more comfortable
That’s a lot on your plate, Dawn. I hope you can get a breather soon.
This is stressful timing all around, sending healing thoughts.
I hope things will soon calm down for you!
So sorry you’re having such a difficult week with not just one but two major stressors. Sending healing hugs your way.🤗🤗
Wow. That’s a bunch of major stressors hitting all at once. Hope you catch a break soon.
Sorry to hear all this Dawn. Be sure to take care of yourself.
Gosh Dawn, so much! Wishing you peace and do report back on your mom, I hope she is better soon.
I’m in the spine-straightening No. 19, for what I very much hope will not be a difficult meeting.
Wishing us a healthy May,
Fingers crossed it is/was not a difficult meeting but you’re in the perfect fragrance for any occasion😊
I hope the meeting went well. Smelling so good in No. 19. Is yours the edt or edp?
Good luck.
Wishing you a not-difficult meeting.🤞
Thanks for the good wishes! The meeting turned out to be just fine, as it turned out, that while grumpy on email the person was perfectly pleasant via video. And, my posture was impeccable…
Yay!
Glad to hear that your meeting was fine.
I can’t remember who had the brilliant idea to wear blind buys in honor of our patron saint Donatella but I’m inspired and have plenty with which to regale our Dear Lady.
Yesterday was Hiram Green Tryst. I was in an Orange Blossom phase when I bought this but it proved to be more challenging than I imagined. It has grown on me, though, and once the strong top note settles, it’s the perfect fragrance for this time of year, as my orange blossoms are just about to pop!
Today I’m wearing SL Fourreau Noir. This blind buy was fodder for more blind buys because I love it so much. It’s unlike anything else I own and makes me feel like I’m wrapped in a big fur (not real!) coat on this chilly spring morning.
Yay for successful blind buys!
Yay! And when they don’t work out, there’s always another Swapmeet!
Fourreau Noir was a successful blind buy for me too! I especially love mine because it came in the sleek black Lutens travel packaging.
I love the packaging too!
It was I! 😉
Are you still in an Orange Blossom phase?
You could send her the SL Fleur d Oranger and see if she likes that one. I was thinking you didn’t care for it and then again maybe you don’t even have it anymore.
It’s been patiently waiting for me to unwrap it from the stuff I packed it in. Loved the first brief sniff I took of it, but have been distracted by lots of shiny perfumed objects.
Maybe it will fill in for BV Knot when I thunk my sample?
Oh, for some reason I thought you didn’t like it. Yes, it could replace Knot.
We are packing up to come home from our month away — two months really, but we came home in between months for a week. Wearing my ELdO I Am Trash sample which has grown on me as an easy to wear non-sweet fruity/musky fragrance. We fly tomorrow – looking forward to getting home.
The Lilacs are waiting to greet you!🌸💕
Have a safe trip.
Have a safe trip and Welcome Home! 🏡
Safe travels back home!
I am wearing SMN Angeli di Firenze today
Heard good things about that one, never did try it.
Coco Mademoiselle
Horses 🐴 then Library 📚
Busy day and I stopped by Sephora and did a spray of the above.
Hope both activities were just what they should be 🙂
Frassai’s Victoria for a day at work and lunch with old coworkers.
Tea of the day is unexpectedly luxurious, Palais de Thés Tahitian Rooibos, from a coworker. I’ve had their loose leaf teas before but never a tea bag, and that’s a very fancy tea bag!
I have never seen their tea bags that I can remember but Tahitian Rooibos sounds nice.
SOTD will be Diane St. Clairs late, lamented ( at least from me) Pharoahs Passion. I have a little bit remaining.
I bought this blind and I can remember it was early in Covid when I sprayed in on and swooned.
Why did I not grab another bottle? A question for the ages.
I feel your pain. Maybe Our Lady bought a case of BUBs and has one or two to share💕
I’m starting my day in Champagne from my dabber bottle. The scent brings a bit of light to another cloudy, wet day. Glad you’re on the mend Robin.
Oh, that is a great scent, and very, very cheerful.
I am thankful now when I get a good old fashioned cold…48 hours, basically. So much less of an investment than other viruses 🙂
Sorry you’ve got cloudy and wet, hope the Champagne helped!
Wearing Love les carottes. I oversprayed myself!
Ah, but it’s such good stuff!
I’m wearing another blind buy from Goutal this time, which is probably the second house after Nicolaï as regards successful blind buys in my collection. My SOTD is Passion, one of the weirder and stronger Goutals.
I never hear anyone mention Goutal Passion. What’s it like?
A white floral with a lot of ylang ylang, very bitter in the opening and sweeter in the dry down. I happen to love it, but it doesn’t seem like it would have a wide appeal.
Thank you! I like ylang ylang but I can see how it is polarizing.
SOTD is BBW Butterfly shower gel and lotion followed by Dusita Spendiris.
Dusita does pretty so well.
Yes, they have a few scents that I have tried and liked.
Frozen mango and yogurt smoothie
The warmest day of the year so far, 25C. Today from a sample, Black Opium intense which has a nice licorice note that cuts through a little of that very sweet coffee and vanilla, it’s well executed but a little bland, tonight it’s bpal all joys are due to thee, a filthy honey musk, now this one has personality.
25 Celsius is lovely weather! Glad to hear that you’re getting some sun.
Thank you Jalapeno, until now spring had been rather fresh.
https://youtu.be/qI_XrJOb43o?feature=shared
Here’s a video featuring a bpal collection. I’m not sure if you haved watched him before but he’s from England.
Thank you very much Lillyjo, never saw him before.
SOTD = Glossier You Doux
Seriously 💩 and not in a good way …
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJFR04ORZVn/?igsh=am81MHFxYW85aTJx
I know a bunch of people take these GLP-1 medication for on and off label. I just found out that my BIL is taking the one that begins with an M and curiously, it is not listed in the article. Anyway, just like the vaccines for COVID, not enough after-effect studies have been done for some drugs taken off label.
https://nypost.com/2025/04/29/us-news/grandma-of-11-and-nj-man-join-growing-chorus-of-ozempic-wegovy-users-claiming-severe-vision-loss/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=message_app
Yikes! Some seriously scary side effects mentioned in that news link.
You just never know 🤷🏻♀️.
Your sotd review made me laugh!
Robin, 🤞your recovery is proceeding smoothly!
Spending the day in yet another vintage scent, one that was a teenage favorite of mine and I still enjoy wearing occasionally, the original Helena Rubenstein Heaven Sent (1941). With many notes too numerous to mention it’s deep and sensual; I don’t envision young teens wearing something like this today. Well-blended, a bit powdery, no one note stands out to me, but it’s pretty powerful stuff! A couple of spritzes last all day. The later version by Dana is pretty insipid compared to the HR.
It’s raining gently and the birds are softly singing 🎶 Here’s wishing🤞that heavenly blessings come your way today!🤘🌤️😇🙏
Ha, young people today would not touch my teenage favorites either…Coriandre and Diorissimo.
I woke up with a nasty headache this morning, so perfume wasn’t an option for me today. I did take something for said headache, but it took a little while to kick in.
Yesterday I had a reminder that small things can make a big impact on someone’s day. I was grocery shopping and heard a person in the same aisle as me sneeze. I reflexively said “Gesundheit”. (Been saying “Gesundheit” since around age 4, so quite a while.) The lady who had sneezed brightened up and thanked me for it! Seems that she had also grown up with it, and almost never hears anyone say it these days.
SOTD = Korres Mint Tea Elasti-Smooth Body Butter in the usual spots. It doesn’t really smell like mint to me at all. It’s more citrussy-herbal. Works well for days when a strong scent would be Not A Good Idea.
Headache twins. Took a while for medication to kick in for me too, but it’s gone now. Maybe you will be able to wear perfume tomorrow.
Anything on Deva? I was thinking about emailing her though my guess is she is not doing that either since she is not on here.
Yuck. That’s not a recommended way to start the day in my book. Did you miss out on a morning coffee or tea?
I have no idea what is going on with Deva right now. Hopefully she and T-Rex are doing OK.
No, I had plenty of coffee. I didn’t get it until this afternoon.
I think I will email her and see if she answers.
That’s great you brightened someone’s day!
I thought it was rather cool. 😉
But kind of surprised that “Gesundheit” seems to be scarce here.
I heard it all my life. Wouldn’t be strange to me.
Same here!
Oh boy … could it be the change in air pressure?
Maybe? A front did pass thru this afternoon. But the weather has been unsettled here for a few days now.
I loved the Gesundheit story! Had a similar chance encounter with a fellow shopper at Aldi some years ago. We both reached for the same item at the same time, which led to chuckles and a chat. When I found out somehow she was from Kentucky I started telling her about our numerous camping trips to different areas of her state, which we love, and our conversation ended in warm hugs like we were old friends. A bright – and memorable – spot in both our days!
That’s a good story too. I love when things like that happen.
It’s not difficult to be nice!
Wonderful that you brightened someone day, hope the headache is long gone.
Thanks Aurora! Headache was gone when I first posted, but I felt much better when I woke up today (01 May).
*someone’s
I called in sick today because I worked last night and ended up more sick. My daughter is sick now too with an ear infection.
I wore No.19 to take her to the Doctor.
Oh, no! Hope you start feeling better soon.
Oh no! Here’s to a speedy recovery!
A big fat BOO HISS for both you and your daughter being sick now! Ear infections suck.
Wow, so much of this happening to NST’ers today! Hope you’re both better soon! 🤗🤗
Oh dear. Hope you both got lots of rest today.
Take care Lillyjo, don’t go back too soon.