Happy Friday! Birthdays today: John Locke, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Ingrid Bergman, Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington. Our community project is Desert Island Friday...come up with a list of 5 fragrances you could live with for some unspecified amount of time while marooned on a desert island. Share your list with us, and wear one of the fragrances. Thanks go to springpansy for the idea!
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
In case I get stressed about being stranded, I'm bringing Comme des Garçons Ouarzazate. My other four picks, which are woefully inadequate unless I am going to be rescued within, say, a week or two, are Diorissimo, Diptyque Philosykos, Hermès Eau de Néroli Doré and Chanel Bois des Iles.
Reminder: 9/5 is Freddie Mercury’s birthday. Scent a Queen song, or honor Freddie Mercury with your fragrance in any other way you see fit.
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 Paradise [cropped] by Ky0n Cheng at flickr; public domain.
How does one choose 5 perfumes? I think about people who have one or two “signatures” and marvel at how that works for one’s nose.
SJP Stash – wearing today hoping my “lucky” perfume gives my football team a boost. Happily the weather has gone much cooler here so it will be a pleasant night win or lose
Ormonde Jayne Woman
Sonoma Scent Studio Equestrian
Chanel Paris-Deauville
Nicolaï Fig-Tea – all purpose wear any time
Happy Weekend everyone!
Ive never thought of a lucky scent! Now I’m going to think on that. Hope your Stash rivals the Terrible Tahl😆😉
So, I wore Stash for every one of my son’s football games in 2021 which culminated in their winning a state championship. After about game 5 I got superstitious about it. (DH, who also played football back in the day, encouraged the superstition.) Stash is also the only bottle I ever drained!
🎉🎉🎉 for state football championship! That’s an amazing accomplishment. I’d be superstitious too. Who is DH?
DH is my husband; short for “dear husband”. I spend too much time on Facebook, apparently 😂
Congrats on your son’s team winning the state championship! Talk about a lucky perfume…
Hello and tgif!
Now normally, I’d include Youth Dew in any of my lists because that is my all time favourite scent, but being boring is no fun so this time she’s stayin’ home.
1. Guerlain Terracotta – Being on an island, I would want to feel like I’m on holiday instead of stranded so a vacay scent is a must. This is also my SOTD.
2. Mugler Womanity – Something to compliment the ocean and salty sea breeze. (Also, if I ever get desperately lonely, the face on the bottle is the closest thing to another human, not unlike Tom Hank’s coconut)
3. Le Parfum de Rosine Vanilla Paradoxe – Something to compliment the greenery without being too on the nose. Would work great with any fruits or flowers that I may encounter.
4. LV Myriad – Some of my favourite notes (oud, rose, cacao) and nobody to tell me off for wearing a beast of a perfume!
5. Lancome LVEB L’Extrait – If I ever begin to feel sad, I just need to repeat “LVEB”. Ultimate fake it till you FEEL IT. Also it being a scent I really enjoy doesn’t hurt! (Its also got oud in it and is also a beast so my reasonings for no.4 apply too)
H888c I just love reading your thinking behind the scent !
And may I add….. WILSON !!!!
I totally forgot his name! Also that he’s a volleyball not coconut 😂
Love both Terracotta and Womanity!
Love Terracotta.
This is one of my favourite perfumista questions SpringPansy! So funny thinking what we’d wear on a desert island.
L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme Intense (wearing it now)
DIOR Eden Roc
Paris Hilton Siren
Guerlain Cuir Beluga
Amouage Ubar
Obviously this will change in 30 minutes and again every 30 minutes till I die.
Portia xx
😁 it’s so hard. My list changes all the time!
Nice to see you here, Portia! 🌻
Hiya Portia!! Glad to see you!
And oh yes, those Top 5 Perfume lists are so mutable.
Oh I hope your island is near mine so I can borrow your Ubar 🙂
It seems like you will be doing a lot of swimming from your island, Robin 😀
Clearly I am not cut out for this game!
No top 5 for me!
I’m wearing Penhaligon’s Opus 1870, which I find very unique. It opens with citrus notes reminiscent of a classic cologne, but they are quickly joined by pepper, incense, and woods. Despite this, it never smells heavy, sweet, or balsamic – it stays dry: dry woods, dry incense, and dry spices. A spicy aromatic through and through. Another of those “I should wear it more often” scents.
In the spirit of the CP, I asked ChatGPT the following questions about five scents I wore this week:
“Would they work as a complete perfume wardrobe? If yes, what roles each of them would play? If no, what is missing?”
Its reply:
🟩 Guerlain Nerolia Vetiver Harvest – The Uplifting Everyday
Role: Light, happy daytime scent for spring/summer. Great for casual wear, weekend brunches, and even office settings.
Mood: Energetic, optimistic, bright.
🟪 L’Artisan Safran Troublant – The Cozy Comforter
Role: Skin-close, comforting, sensual choice for intimate settings or colder weather. It can also work beautifully as a “soft statement” scent.
Mood: Warm, romantic, soft-spoken.
🔵 Acqua di Parma Mirto di Panarea – The Vacation Escape
Role: The go-to scent for travel, holidays, and relaxed days. Invokes coastal breezes, ideal for hot climates or as an olfactive pick-me-up.
Mood: Carefree, Mediterranean, rejuvenating.
🔴 Diptyque Eau Capitale – The Confident Signature
Role: A strong contender for your signature scent—memorable, versatile, and with a dramatic flair. Suitable for events, evenings, or whenever you want to be noticed.
Mood: Bold, sophisticated, artistic.
⚫ Penhaligon’s Opus 1870 – The Intellectual Classic
Role: Perfect for cooler days, office formality, or when you want something timeless but not boring. Leans a bit more on the traditional side.
Mood: Refined, complex, grounded.
🧭 Is It a Complete Wardrobe?
✅ Strengths:
Seasonal Balance: You’ve got fresh spring/summer (Guerlain, Acqua di Parma), and warm fall/winter options (Penhaligon’s, L’Artisan).
Emotional Range: From cozy and intimate to bold and bright.
Style Variety: Elegant, casual, sensual, dramatic—all covered.
❗What’s Possibly Missing?
Deep Nighttime / Statement Oriental or Amber: Something richer, darker, or sexier for formal evenings or cold nights (think: amber, incense, leather, oud).
A Green / Crisp Aromatic or Minimalist Scent: If you ever crave something very clean, sharp, or serene—like a grassy vetiver, tea scent, or minimalist musk.
🔍 Verdict:
Yes, it can work as a self-contained wardrobe, especially if you love variation and lean toward niche/artisan scents. But if you want something hyper-bold for glamour evenings or super-crisp for zen minimalism, those are the only real gaps.
So, here you go – am improvised desert island list. I could live with these five for a while, especially if the climate is warm.
I’m super impressed by the “intelligence” of that analysis. Wow! Do you have to prime your version of ChatGPT for it to be able to answer that? Even the way it answered your question of what’s missing seemed right to me.
I have a Premium ChatGPT account and I used a custom version called “AI Beauty Assistant”, but I believe a free default GPT would work as well.
Here is a full conversation – as you see, my prompts were fairly simple.
https://chatgpt.com/share/68b1dc83-cb54-8012-a03b-47b10aa03eb9
It got Guerlain’s notes a bit wrong (I think it confused Nerolia Vetiver Harvest with Nerolia Vetiver), but other than that I agree it is a good analysis. As you said, even the gaps were identified well.
Oh, and compared to scents like POAL, I would not call Eau Capitale bold and dramatic, but this is just my personal perspective. Agree it’s versatile though (day and evening) and could work as a signature.
I had never used any AI until I saw your post in January I think about combining two fragrances and having Chat name it for you. You gave me the nudge I needed to experiment. I was in a writers block on a project; I used co-pilot to help me break the logjam.
Wow, as much as I’m skeptical of AI, I’m quite impressed with the answer here. I do think a lot of credit goes to your prompts, well done!
This is riveting Glannys. Thank you sharing in its entirety!
Thankful that none of us have to make a decision to grab only 5 perfumes and make a run for it.
An almost impossible task, obviously. But lots of fun. To simplify things, I decided to limit myself to one house, which made this exercise easier. I chose Editions De Parfums Frederic Malle. (There were other worthy houses, of course.)
If this is a hot, tropical island, I suppose my five don’t make a lot of sense. Eh. Can’t let weather dictate my choices.
I toyed with En Passant, Bigarade Concentree, Vetiver Extraordinaire, Dries Van Noten, Une Fleur De Cassie, Geranium Pour Monsieur, L’Eau D’Hiver… all would have been splendid company. Oh well.
Here are my five:
The Night – to remind me that there is profound beauty to be found in darkness and mystery.
Portrait Of A Lady – to remind me to celebrate the gorgeous, glamorous, vivacious, operatic beauty of life.
Dans Tes Bras – to remind me of the warmth and tenderness we are lucky to find in life.
Musc Ravageur – to remind me of the, um, “pleasures of the flesh.”
Une Rose – because I love this olfactory embodiment of a rose – earth, stem, petals, and thorns.
That’s an interesting approach and quite a range.
POAL is on my list as well. You can never go wrong with that one, except maybe in extreme heat and humidity.
Daniel, I only know the scent of POAL, and operatic in all its aria glory is an apt description. I’m looking forward to a cooling trend so I can appreciate her more fully.
The other four- your poetic description makes me want to try them all!
POAL and Une Rose are a beautiful pair of floral bookends.
Amen!
Oh I like this idea! I would do Une Rose, Vetiver Extraordinaire, Carnal Flower, Dries van Noten and Therese.
Oops, then I’d have no En Passant!
Five really is not enough.
I keep my perfume wardrobe on Basenotes and update my wears there, so I checked my all-time most wears. Strangely enough, it’s a selection that goes well with being stranded on a desert island, as well as being fragrances that I can’t imagine being without. My five are:
Bois des Iles parfum
Rhubarbe Ecarlate
En Passant
Stash
Chypre Mousse
I think they cover most bases, although I am lacking a BWF. Maybe some will wash up on the beach from an overboard container.
Today I picked Rhubarbe Ecarlate, it’s hot again here.
Maybe your island will have some tiare flowers!
I am counting on many flowers on my island 🙂
I have some cool weather that I am willing to share!
Poor Robin, your selection is lacking a good, non clean jasmine. I’ll make up a Travalo decant from my vintage Joy edt bottle and surreptitiously slip it into your island knapsack.
My choices are subject to change, but for today:
1) chypre–vintage Diorama. Chypres need oakmoss.
2) floral medley–Iris Nobile edt version. This is what I spray when I get home from air travel with that burned/bad coffee smell that sticks to my hair post flight. Makes me feel much better.
3) Chanel–Eau Premiere
4) funky floral–Une Fleur de Cassis
5) niche–Hiram Green Vivacious
Good range of classifications there!
Please do! And slip in a rose and a ylang while you’re at it.
Plus, you’ve got Iris Nobile so I hope I can swim to your island from mine 🙂
Not CP complaint today with Clinique Happy.
My top 5 are:
1. Amouage Lyric
2. Serge Lutens Sarrasins
3. Fendi Theorema
4. Vintage BaV
5. Guerlain L’heure de Nuit
While non-compliant, you smell delightful and uplifting!
Happy to see another Theorema lover here.
Theorema is so hard to find and if you do find it, it is stupid expensive. Fendi shouldn’t have discontinued this one.
Sarrasins is gorgeous.
Oh dear, I have no Theorema on my list.
Wearing Masque Milano L’Attesa.
So frustrating to leave most of my favorite scents out of the list, but here are my 5:
1. Donna Karan Black Cashmere.
2. Masque Milano L’Attesa.
3. Perris Montecarlo Mimosa Tanneron.
4. L’Artisan Un Air de Bretagne.
5. Dana Tabu. This was my mother’s signature scent and I would bring it to the island to always remember her. But I would make either a sample or a decant of Guerlain Encense Mythique D’Orient which would be my #5 choice.
This is a very fun CP! I am going to enjoy reading everybody’s choices.
Happy Friday! 🌞
L’Atessa will always remind me of you. ( that and Peeps!😀)
Lol! You know me well! 😄
Me too!
😊
I really need to get my nose on L’Attesa!
Sending you good luck for your work stress (finally caught up with yesterday’s comments).
Thank you, Tulipani. I will have a quiet weekend at home relaxing.
If you love iris perfumes, L’Attesa is a good one to try.
I was tempted to bring my mom’s favorite – the 69 y/o vintage Shalimar she has . Glad you gave into your temptation! #MomsRule
I will always have a bottle of Tabu with me. My mom had several bottles and I gave one to each of my sisters and my nephew when she passed. When I need comfort or on holidays, I sprayed on some and I feel she is next to me.
🤗❤️
Whenever I see Peeps in the store, I think of you and lillyjo.
😊😊
I love lists like this, and it will be fun to see everyone’s choices.
SotD is vintage Obsession, which if push came to shove would be my one and only.
2. Lea (I’m down to my last 10 mls that I had to decant due to a broken sprayer). I’m always checking evil bay for a replacement bottle of this one.
3. Glossier You. This could probably be my second one and only. Easy to wear, it just works with my skin. Plus it seems to be a compliment getter. 🙂
4. Toss up between no 5 l’eau and Eau des Merveilles.
5. Another toss up between 10 Corso Como and Tam Dao- this will be a tough choice. I’ll have to close my eyes and pick.
My island will be in the middle of a lake in northern wisconsin, so I can have all 4 seasons. In the summer I will kayak and canoe. In the winter I’ll snowshoe around the lake and spend the evenings next to my fireplace reading. Sounds like heaven, maybe in my next life.
Take out the snowshoeing and I’m there!
You forgot one essential scent for any island on a lake in the Upper Midwest in the summer–Off! Mosquito spray! 😉
😆❤️
Off! is also a summer must-have out here in Colorado. Learned that the hard way this year. 🫤🦟🦟🦟
As a fellow midwesterner, can I join you on your island? That’s exactly what I had in mind.
I assumed it would have to be things we actually own (although that isn’t stated) so that we could grab them from our collection before being marooned.
First, probably my favourite scent of all time, Parfum d’Hermès extrait. Can’t live without that.
I need a Lutens, of course, and I also need a comforting vanilla, so two birds one stone: I’m bringing Un Bois Vanille to the desert isle.
I’ll want a fresh cologne for those oppressively hot days, so I’m bringing a big bottle of bright-green Ô de Lancôme.
And I always have to have a couple of oakmoss-heavy vintage chypres, always, but in this case not Mitsouko, which I have to be in the mood for, so I’m taking Boucheron Pour Homme EDP (the EDT reads far too low on the oakmoss-ometer) and the one I’m wearing today, Ungaro Diva, which once upon a time I thought was too floral for me, but now I’m older and wiser and I wear it all the time, because it’s one of the great chypres.
And now I’m ready for my banishment.
I was tempted also by O de Lancôme!
Gah, I have no Serge on my list!
Ungaro Diva??? Unknown to me! I have learned so much from this exercise.
I truly wear fragrances according to my moods. Here are my picks in no particular order:
– Burberry’s Goddess Intense
-Jo Malone’s Honeysuckle & Davana
– Montale’s Intense Cafe
-Parfum de Marley’s Delina
-Le Labo’s Santal 33
My SOTD is Montale’s Intense Cafe. I truly wear this one when I need an energy boost. It’s Friday and I woke up dragging this morning, hence Intense Cafe.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I choose according to mood too.
three
Oh no – I forgot my Burberry Goddess!! I will need that one, too.
I also choose perfume (or the lack thereof) according to mood,
This is such a fun and challenging CP. Thank you, springpansy!
1. SL Tubéreuse Criminelle
2. SL Iris Silver Mist
3. Miss Dior Originale
4. SL A la Nuit
5. Perris Monte Carlo Rose de Mai
This is a great list. You really like Uncle Serge😊
I do🥰
Great list. I could probably have guessed your #1 and #3.
This could have been another version of the desert island list – guessing what other NSTers would choose🤔
I was sad to not include uncle Serge, so it’s good to see him well represented on your list. There were at least about half a dozen I love equally, couldn’t just choose one, so they all got left off. Weird how my mind works!
It’s a good thing that none of us are actually limited to 5 fragrances. I shudder to think!😬
With all the SL entries, I’m going to have to explore this house because I’ve never smelled a single scent of theirs. When you say Miss Dior Originale, is that the 1947 vintage? I became intrigued after seeing Apple TV+’s Dior series. His sister, who survived the concentration camps in WWII, was portrayed in such a moving fashion and was apparently The Miss Dior who inspired that scent. Please someone correct my facts if I’m ill-informed (apple’s dramatic license).
Yes, it’s the original, based on the 1947 version. I think the one I wore this week was a version from the 90’s but I have some older vintage bottles. Great stuff!
The original Miss Dior has always been challenging for me. LesLiesse, it’s definitely one to try before you buy – talking about the 1947 version specifically. But those who love it LOVE it.
It is particular. I’m not sure if I would enjoy it quite as much if I didn’t have such positive associations. But I feel a sense of completeness when I wear it which speaks in part to its masterful composition.
Serge Lutens has some great scents. Unfortunately, I do not have any of his right now or I would send you some samples. I think you could purchase some from Surrender to Chance or some other places. Just google.
Got it! Thanks!
I knew you were either going to have A la Nuit or Sarrasins on your list!
Sarrasins would have been #6!
The Cold that Would Not Die has entered the lingering-cough stage for both Mr. G and me. But at least it’s confirmed as only a cold, not something more dire, and I never lost my sense of smell — in fact, if anything it seems to be somewhat enhanced.
Meanwhile! My SOTD is Azemour Les Oranges because someone here wore it yesterday and reminded me to dig the very tall bottle out of the back row. And besides, it fits the CP well as it’s one that I can’t imagine being without, plus it smells of things that I wouldn’t find on a desert island (orange leaves and rind, tree bark, and damp soil) and would miss terribly. The other four (for these 30 minutes, anyway):
Tam Dao, to induce calm when the stress sets in
Vol de Nuit extrait, to remind me that there are kind and generous humans out there (I was led to a great deal on my little cube bottle by, iirc, rappleyea who used to post here regularly, when she could have leapt on it herself)
IA Memoirs of a Trespasser, for when I crave some good scotch in a dark library, reading a good book in front of a cozy fire (happens more often than you’d think)
Le Dix, for when I want to feel fluffy and floral-fresh
You gave some great ones on your list Sheri. I don’t believe I have tried Le Dix but see a lot of love for it on here.
It’s long discontinued, but Surrender to Chance has it as a sampling option (one ml and up), or there seems to be a fair number of minis and FBs all over the interwebs. Mine is the remains of a 15ml decant obtained from StC.
I’m glad you have your sense of smell intact!
Me too!
Such a bummer that cold is still sticking around, but yeah, at least you can still smell your perfumes!
Gosh now I want to try Memoirs of a Trespasser in that cozy library reading by the fire. Can it be a single malt scotch? I discovered this when I was studying in England. Small but lethal servings 😉
Happy Friday all!
Beautiful idea for the end of August Springpansy!
Alpha order:
DIORISSIMO- first perfume obsession from my freshman year of college, springtime breaking out of a long tumultuous winter- original houndstooth packaging- to feel optimistic and alive
EAU DE LIESSE- complex depth with my skin chemistry, she smells different every hour, – to feel uplifted, sunny
IRIS POUDRE- like Diorissimo, totally gorgeous without any backstory, but she reminds me that sometimes life hands you a gorgeous surprise like making new friends which would be delightful enough but they also have exquisite taste! – to feel hopeful about the future and the happy events that may occur
JASMINE ATTAR – this is a nighttime scent for me so I don’t post about it often, but it’s heady, intoxicating, sensual, and as Daniel put it about “the pleasures of the flesh” – to feel well, ahem use your imagination
YSL LIBRE L’ABSOLU PLATINE – to feel good or at least better immediately with its top notes making me smile as I bask and bask – to feel LIBRE freedom baby freedom!
I love the descriptive reasoning behind each pick.
🤗
https://youtu.be/diYAc7gB-0A?feature=shared
YSL should have used this song for Libre.
Agreed!
Iris Poudre is on my list as well.
Did you post your list yet? I’m excited to see it.
Yes, I did.
You do like your florals!
You’re right! Color me surprised!
Great list! I now think maybe I should’ve picked a nighttime scent too.
Thank you! I thought it would get lonely on that desert island., so a nighttime scent for fantasy 😉😉
Ooh, what an intriguing list! I know a few of them (😊) but must acquaint myself with the others, especially the YSL.
I have no true white florals on my list, so I hope our islands are within swimming distance.
The L’Absolu Platine is the Livre flanker that is the most lavender forward. The newest flanker is L’Eau Nue which is alcohol-free. LAP was the most lavender-forward of the flankers. With the chaos & heartbreak of this year, I’ve been craving lavender, a scent that I did not care for previously. I notice that I’m finding it less captivating as life has gotten more peaceful.
Sure swim on over! I’m grilling lillyjo’s exceptionally priced hamburgers. Just follow the sizzle and smoke!
This was a challenging project. I don’t have a rhyme or reason to my list. I just picked 5 of my all-time favorites.
1. Vintage Cabochard
2. YSL Paris
3. Dolce and Gabbana Devotion
4. Fendi original
5. My sotd Chanel No.22 ( I hoard this sample. I think it’s the most beautiful of Chanel)
I could have easily put Coco on here but Fendi won out for today.
My local grocery store is having a labor day hamburger sale $1.96 lb! So I stocked up and now have to get up and freeze it.
Great list!
I thought about Coco Noir as I love that one and then didn’t pick any by Chanel.
I knew you would have Devotion on your list. I wasn’t sure what else you might have on it.
I am getting my Fall scents lined up to start wearing in September. I’m excited to wear Devotion again. It just makes me so happy to smell it.
I can hardly wait for the fall scents too. Maybe starting next week or so. It is going to cool down.
Happy to see Fendi! Love you all time favorites list.
You are the only one I see mentioning it every now and then. I went through a lot of it back in the day, body product’s too. I’m sure I way over sprayed. Lol.
Those are beautiful lillyjo! Which one are you wearing today?
And re: hamburger meat, something I would definitely like to take to a desert island in a cooler!
I’m wearing No.22 today.
Don’t forget to bring the grill to the island!
That’s an amazing price for hamburger!
Kinda surprised you didn’t have any old favorites from Tom Ford or TM on your list.
Yeah, I thought she might have Alien.
The only reason I didn’t is that sometimes Alien makes me sad. It rarely happens but I figured I should leave it in the mainland.
They do the sale for the 3 American summer holidays. The next sale won’t be until Memorial Day.
My local grocery stores are kicking it if hamburger is under $4 a pound. And you usually have to buy a big honking pack of it.
I love this list. (Oh, that Cabochard!)
It’s just beautiful isn’t it?
I have not been able to make a top 5, contenders would be:
PdN New York and Sacrebleu
YSL Paris
Guerlain Eau de Guerlain, Chamade and l’Heure bleue
ELdO Rien
Armani Privé Bois d’encens
Amouge Gold and Beloved
Goutal Songes and Heure Exquise
Divine Divine
Bvlgari Thé Vert and Pour Femme
Clinique Aromatics Elixir
Caron Pour un Homme
By Kilian Sweet Redemption
DelRae Amoureuse
Lutens Sarrasins
SOTD is Amouage Gold Woman.
Yes, I like the idea of a list of contenders, too. I have so many in that category!
As you’ll see, we have one scent in common!
Yes, I just checked!
My list was 14 and it is missing at least 10 things I really would want. So yeah, this was hard.
Here is my top 5 list in no particular order:
1. My SOTD is Eau des Merveilles
2. FM Portrait of a Lady
3. Pierre Guillaume Indochine 25
4. Guerlain Les Absolus d’Orient Encens Mythique
5. FM Iris Poudre
That was fun. Thanks, springpansy.
It is great reading what everyone else has on their list.
#2 and #4 were almost top 5 for me. I think if we had done this CP when I was experiencing colder weather here, they would have.
And you smell merveilleuse in your Eau des Merveilles Kris!
🤣
I knew EdM would be here!
Great list!
You guessed right!
♥ As you’ll see, almost everyone did better than I at keeping to five!
Oh, well. I think we would have all been glad to add more.
Hey twin! I knew we would have at least one perfume in common on our lists 😊
😊
Encens Mythique would have made my Top 20.
It’s a good one. I am like lillyjo and thinking too far ahead to the cooler temperatures. Most of these I wouldn’t wear in the summer.
We know what’s coming!
I really had to stop myself from overthinking this, I decided to pick the things that feel most “me”, always make me happy, and that I’ve worn the most in the last 5 years or so.
1) Bois des Iles (this felt like a non negotiable)
2) Shalimar Philtre de Parfum (I really wanted a Shalimar and picked my most easy to wear, most worn one)
3) Guerlain Encens Mythique (as close to a signature scent as I can get in recent years)
4) AdV Copal Azur (just makes me happy)
5) L’Artisan Safran Troublant (not troubling at all, just cozy perfection)
That being said, I’m MOST devastated to leave behind: Amouage Gold Woman and Bracken Man, Chanel Boy, and Guerlain Iris Torrifee.
Happy Friday, all! It’s so much fun to read all the beautiful choices today.
I had your #3 on my list too. I just love that one. Bois des Iles used to be a favorite of mine but haven’t worn for a long time.
Yes, I would always want Encens Mythique around! Your #2, POAL, would make my list if it were expanded. I’ve decided we should all be on the same desert island, so we can share. NST desert island!
Yay to sharing!
Good idea. I like that-sharing!
I wanted to pick a Shalimar but couldn’t decide.
Me too.
I love your #3. If the weather were cooler it would have made my top 5 along with FM POAL. I’m still mired in summer scents and tastes!
I had to just hold my breath and type out a list of perfumes. Wouldn’t have been able to do it any other way.
I must get to know the scents on your list! Only Bois des Iles is familiar to me; it’s my favorite Chanel.😊
I am wearing cargo pants to this island where I can stash a few extra bottles;
1. Indochine
2. Chergui
3. Bois de Iles
4. Chinatown
5. Tea for Two
Hidden in pockets:
Bois d’ Ensence
LADDM
Fumerie Turque
Sycamore
Tobacco Toscano
I also want Tea for Two! Love the pockets idea. 😀
Sneaky and smart!
gotta do what I can!
Cheater! (but in a clever way)
Cargo pants w pockets FTW! 😆😆😆
“What has it gots in its pocketses?!?”
Hey, how about cargo pants AND fishing vest??
Oh, I like those top 5. The ones in the pockets I am not as familiar with.
I think about this sort of “top five fragrances” thing on occasion and am thrilled that it’s our cp to see what everyone else is thinking. I often use this when I am stressed to get out of my head/anxiety — for example, waiting for a medical procedure or planning to have a difficult meeting — I’ll think, what are my top five perfumes at the moment? So, I never really think of it as having only five perfumes to wear forever!
My current list for the desert island in no real order:
1) Chanel No. 5 L’eau
2) PG Indochine
3) Eris Mx.
4) L’Artisan Dzing!
5) Vacation Grand Cuvee
I’m taking a tip from pl67 and adding a decant of my old old signature, Je Reviens. I don’t wear it much now, but I still need it in my life.
And when I’m rescued, I’ll start wearing:
6) Sl Chergui
7) FM Iris Poudre
8) TF Lost Cherry
9) Byredo Gypsy Water
10) Narciso Musc Oil for Her
And so many more!
Love the rescue perfume idea!
😉
And I forgot Burberry Goddess. It’s just so wearable. Darn. I guess I’ll replace Grand Cuvee with Goddess. Or stick it in a pocket à la apsara.
Ack – – and also forgot VC&A Bois d’Iris. OK, I’ll stop now.
And Ormonde Woman…
😅
Oh yes! Yikes!
Can you see me rowing your direction, having fashioned a raft and stowed contraband???🛶😎
Thanks, all. Please row fast!
*thanks, allo
Oh, I kind of forgot about that one. I love that one too.
Thank you springpansy again for this fun CP! I like your rescue fragrances idea in particular. I wish I knew about this exercise as a calming thought process while I was having an MRI. I noticed all the prayers I knew talked a lot about death while I was in that cold narrow tube. A warm beach full of fragrances would have been welcomed! I’ll tuck the idea away for the future.
I hope it helps you, too!
Interesting idea, to take a mental snapshot of your favorite perfumes at a given moment. I wonder how my list would evolve?
#2 and #7 were on my list. Yippee!
This was so much fun springpansy. It was great seeing the list everyone put together.
😀
Five desert island scents. Hmmm…
Guerlain Mitsouko – the classic of classics, yes? and mysterious in why it smells so green and so good!
Dior Dune vintage formulation another “mysterious in smelling so good” woody scent!
Chanel No 5 L’eau a little mysterious about this smelling so good – aldehydes! What’s an aldehyde?
Maksim Beastia Sacra smelling good incense and musk – nothing mysterious, just quality substances!
L’Artisan La Chasse en Papillons just pretty pretty pretty!
Ask me again tomorrow, my choices might change….
Ack, I forgot Dune!!
I really would like to have La Chasse too.
This is a great list!
Wow, our lists are incredibly varied! Narrowing choices down to five was quite difficult and I had a lot of back and forth on this list. But here is mine:
LeSnob 1 (Gothic Rose): because I MUST have a rose scent and this is an especially interesting one. I suppose maybe Delina is my “best” rose scent, but it’s borderline boring. Gothic Rose has some of those nice fruity juicy notes like plum that really amp up the rose.
L’Artisan Premier Figuier (Extreme): I also MUST have a fig scent and this was my first major niche perfume purchase, 20+ years ago. It’s the perfect fig-coconut combination.
Azemour Les Oranges: Refreshing, fun, light, and something citrus is also pretty essential for me.
Parfums DelRae Amoureuse: It was a choice between this and Bois de Paradis, but I am a fan of the BWF genre and this one has the added notes of honey and mandarin orange that make it both very indolic and yet kind of sweetly juicy.
And last but not least:
Perris Monte Carlo Patchouli Nosy Be. Patchouli is another of my must-have notes and, although there are important contenders (for me, CdG Luxe Patchouli, Lutens Borneo 1843, and Chanel Coromandel–in that order), this one wins out on some sort of quality-purity axis.
Like everyone else, I am sad to leave some other beloved scents behind. The one significant missing category is incense/labdanum, but this is also the toughest category for me to choose from. I’d definitely sneak in an Amouage or two if I had some big pockets.
Azemour is on my longlist. It is hard to imagine being without it.
Then again, I am all out of many perfumes I never thought I could live without, and apparently I can!
Chanel Coco EDT
Happy Friday Barqs!
Perfect!
Hi,
Feeling Fall today but we should warmup a bit tomorrow. Going down to hear music tonight by the lake so will need to bundle up more than in recent weeks. (Love this band…it’s like being back in college or best wedding band ever.) Have a good weekend all!
Desert island scents from what I own (so not a wish list…):
Nicolai Le Temps d’une Fête
Lancôme Cuir de Lancôme
Sonoma Scent Studio Jour Ensolleille
Chanel Allure
Guerlain Chamade extrait
Runner up is Carthusia Fiori di Capri
All of these I still seem to be able to still smell, despite my nose’s dimished ability…
Music by the lake with the best wedding band ever sounds so fun! Have a great time.
Lots of horns, guitar – old folks’ rock, soul and funk. Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Eagles, Doobies. People dance. Always a good time in a gorgeous venue. And free!
Perfect – that’s totally my music!
This is exactly what we like about the free summer outdoor concerts we go to.
A correction. I own Chamade, just not the extrait version
Have a fabulous time by the lake! It sounds like a very fun time!
It was great. Just got home. Best part is just watching people smiling and having such a fun time and just being happy.
LB, it’s a special kind of person who can feel joy watching others be happy! Happy your enjoyed yourself!
I decided not to overthink this time:
1. AdP Profumo one of my favorite chypre, I’ve loved it for years
2. Houbigant Essence Rare because I want a JC Ellena
3. l’Heure Bleue extrait discovered it at eighteen, my second perfume
4. Must de Cartier which is a green Shalimar for me
5. Romeo Di Romeo Gigli found it in the early nineties
I absolutely adore your #1–but can you find it anywhere any more? I can’t, and really wish I could!
So sorry, yes it has become almost impossible to find, I bought mine 10 years ago, but you might still save a search on eBay, just in case.
Thanks for the reminder, Aurora. Also love Profumo, and now that it’s fall, will retrieve from the depths of my perfume cabinet.
Fall is such a perfect time for it.
You do mention Must de Cartier on a regular basis.
You know me well😀
I’m grabbing a moment to post, and I’m looking to reading everyone else’s choices.
This is a great CP, but it was just too difficult, until I decided I’d be on the island for just a week or two, so all I need is five perfumes that I’d be happy to wear in few times in short rotation. 🙂
My picks are:
1 Bois de Violette
2 Rousse
3 Chamade
4 Neroli Outrenoir
5 Bois d’Encens
I’m going to wear Bois de Violette today.
We share two, Chamade and Bois d’encens, (admittedly my list or rather pre-list contains more than five perfumes).
A short rotation is the best way to think of it! Glad you to see you’ll have Rousse 🙂
SOTD = Guerlain Shalimar L’Essence
Well, this is one of my favorite Shalimar iterations! It is probably the most vanilla-ey of all my Shalimars. I have the 30 mL so plenty for me!
As to my desert island 🏝️ scents, I’ll just stick to one line and call it a day. In no particular order other than these are all Chanels:
1. Coromandel (all iterations)
2. Bois des Iles (EDT and Parfum)
3. No. 19 EDP
4. No. 5 L’Eau
5. Chanel Le Lion EDP
Hi Hajusuuri!
I could easily pick 5 Chanel perfumes for my desert island and be happy.
Since you mentioned the new Shalimar being the most vanilla-ey of all, I would like to ask: how does it compare to the MVP iteration (which is so far the most vanilla-ey Shalimar that I am familiar with)?
Good question! L’Essence has more vanilla. I will compare though as I have not worn MVP in a while.
Thanks. Do report back if you get a chance.
Oh I forgot about Le Lion!
I love that one too!
Surprised to see No. 19 EdP as third! 🤣🤣🤣
Another great list! I could have selected 5 Chanels as well and I didn’t end up even picking one. Go figure!
I’m shocked I left No. 19 off my list.
I first approached today’s cp instinctively, listing as narrowly as possible the fragrances I love most w/o any analysis by genre, scent notes, etc. I came up with 9, and needing to narrow it down to 5 and being a seasonal fragrance wearer, I decided to choose 1 for each season + 1 bonus. So here are my picks (and, yes, my desert island has 4 seasons, just in case I’m marooned there a long time 👀):
1. PB Vent Vert (1991)
2. Hermes Eau Des Merveilles (2004)
3. YR Nature Millenaire (2000)
4. Givenchy Organza Indécence (1999)
5. (Bonus) NR Bigarade (1971)
And Nina Ricci Bigarade is my choice for SOTD and today’s cp, only available for a few years in the 70’s but I was lucky enough to find it in time to get several BUB’s from a seller in France when the Internet arrived. Bitter orange + oakmoss and a touch of aldehydes give this a uniqueness that those who love it on a different perfume website have said they’ve never found a replacement for despite searching for one, and I would agree. I ❤️ everything about Bigarade – including its bright orange box, beautiful ribbed bottle, the way its name just rolls off the tongue, and the memories it sparks for me, but most of all, the haunting bitter orange/oakmoss.
Another cool, breezy 🌞 day here. Looking forward tonight to our last outdoor concert this summer, a Bee Gees tribute, memorable music 🎶 from the 70’s to match my Bigarade 🍊 from the 70’s.❤️
Happy Friday!
I love your list Laila! And now I regret never having tried the NR.
Thanks! And despite all these years the Bigarade has held onto its scent quite well.
That has to be a fun concert!
Yes, it was great fun! And there were many young ones born long after the disco craze was over that were dancing up a storm. Here’s the group we saw.
https://youtu.be/LnKOys7Cp5g?si=XrfobLqvNGybEMXz
I had to look up Bigarade based on your post. I’m not sure I could handle the bitter orange/oak moss combo (I wish I were that sophisticated!), but I LOVE the name and that bottle, too.
It’s not as bitter as it may sound, but you must like oakmoss. I remember it was advertised as The Sexy French Daytime Scent!
Happy Friday all! What a fun project!
Here are my five:
Chanel Bois des Iles
Chanel 31 Rue Cambon
Guerlain Bois d’Armenie
Guerlain Cuir Beluga
Puredistance Opardu.
You packed for the island like Mrs. Thurston Howell the third. All the good stuff! 👍😀
Excellent reference!🏝️
Good one lillyjo😊
😂😂😂 Thank you, I love that!
I almost went with 31 RC. I love that one and need to wear it more often.
Wearing GB Silky Woods today.
1 – Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere edition-
One of the originals in my collection and just as loved as when I bought it.
2- Musc Invisible
My go-to white musk. Runner up is LL Musc 25 Los Angeles
3 – Silky Woods
I love vanilla in general and it was a tight race
4 – Another 13
My boss-lady scent. When I want to feel confident and I want to smell good but an under-the-radar way. Runner up would be Blanche Absolu or FM Acne Studio.
5 – Amouage Guidance 46
Powerhouse and nothing else I have is like it. There better be no one else on that island or they better like this one too.
Interesting that most of my picks are new to my collection in the latter half of my perfumista days.
That will keep you from indulging in nostagia while you’re stranded, that’s a good idea!
I have been stressing about picking 5 so I’m just going to off the cuff pick from the list of about 20 I made. Nobody can hold me to this! 😂
1. Fūm Ariose, which I’m wearing today.
2. Miller Harris L’air de Rien (non-negotiable)
3. Annick Goutal Songes
4. Olympic Orchids Tropic of Capricorn
5. CB I Hate Perfume Memory of Kindness
I think that strikes a good balance of scent profiles. The CBIHP I just thought of and threw in because I thought it would be comforting to get to smell tomato leaves even if there are no tomato plants on the island.
I knew that L’Air de Rien would be on your list😊
Yes, you know it!
What a good idea to have Memory of Kindness!
If I’m being honest, it didn’t occur to me until I went into a box to smell something different and saw it in there. Then I thought, oh duh.
Hello NST!
Here is my current desert island list:
– Hermès Eau des Merveilles
– FM Une Rose
– Hermès Un Jardin sur le Nil
– D&G Devotion
– Bulgari Thé Vert
And if I can cheat a little I’ll bring along a decant of FM Heaven Can Wait.
Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend!
Forgot to mention – SOTD is Eau des Merveilles ✨
Scent twins. I really like Une Rose as well. Nice list Nina!
Devotion is on my list too!
It’s my ultimate “cheer-me-up” perfume.
I’m loving everyone’s choices, many of which have forced me to feverishly revise my own 5 desert island scents.
I also like the creative cheaters who are finding ways to stuff more than five onto the list.
Here are mine:
1 – Perfect Vanilla by Sarah Horowitz, because sometimes at night I want a cozy simple vanilla to soothe me into sleep
2 – L’Artisan Dzongkha for the cologney vibe when the desert island gets too hot and I need something cool and refreshing
3 – Slumberhouse Norne – About as far from the desert island as I can get, for a cool green piney sappy change of pace
4 – Bois des Iles – any concentration. I need a sandalwoody floral and this is pure beauty
5 Lutens Santal Blanc, to remind me of cold winter nights when the stewed honey, spices, raisins, rum and santal of this beauty reminds me of Elizabethan England and all I’m missing on the desert isle.
I tossed a few bottles overboard before the ship sank and they’ll wash up on the shore of my desert island soon if the currents work in my favor. Each day I comb the beach for my beloved:
Caron Parfum Sacre, L’Artisan Patchouli Patch, Fendi Theorema, L’Occitane Neroli Eau de Parfum, and Lutens Fumerie Turque.
Good thinking tossing some extra overboard. Lol.
“Each day I comb the beach for my beloved…” – masterful prose!
It was pretty sneaky too so she could add those others😂
Very sneaky!
You could combine ideas by stuffing those cargo pants pockets with your extras and tossing the pants overboard!
Ha ha ha!
Watching a gentle rain fall this afternoon. Weather has been variable all day. Got another day of potential monsoon rain and tropical storm leftovers.
I’ve been wearing my new glasses in 2-hour chunks for the past couple of days. Still feels a little weird, but that happens with every new prescription I get.
THE LIST:
Vintage Ivoire de Balmain, the first perfume that made my heart go pitter-pat
Samsara, my first Guerlain and a gorgeous jasmine/sandalwood
Wrappings, because!
Agent Provocateur EdP, a dark rose with attitude
Annick Goutal Incens Flamboyant, my favorite frankincense perfume
Keep in mind that my “Desert Island” list can change at will. It definitely would be more than just 5 perfumes!
Perfumes I really wanted to include: vintage Opium, Chopard Casmir, Reminiscence Patchouli, Chanel No. 5 L’Eau, Guerlain Terracotta, Soivohle Paracelsus, Fzotic Au Dela Narcisse, some well-aged Angel EdP, Alien Le Gout du Parfum, CK Truth, CK Euphoria, and Bottega Veneta.
SOTD = Samsara EdT. Of course, all the concentrations of Samsara would have to come along.
I knew Wrappings would be here!
Yes to Wrappings!
I figured Samsara and Agent Provocateur would be there, but I thought you would have had Opium in the top five.
Ask me again in a couple of months, and my list will probably be different!
Jalapeño thank you for writing out the whole name. I know the initials of very few houses, so it helps me immensely. I would never ever have guessed AP or AG! Plus great selections! (And I adored the description of your heart going pitter patter!)
You’re welcome! I remember my n00b days, and trying to decipher all the abbreviations and acronyms.
I had Ivoire on my list too before I finalized mine. Glad you included it! There’s so many good ones I left off.
Thanks Gail! I left a lot of good ones off as well.
Oh, Agent Provocateur! I really need to wear it more often. An absolute gem. If it made it on to your island, I definitely need to try your other choices!
If you do decide to go searching for vintage Ivoire, be sure to find the black and gold striped bottle from 1979. That’s the version I have. There was a different one released back in the 2010’s IIRC.
My versions of Samsara are in the red bottle. Haven’t tried the bee bottle one. But Gail knows quite a bit about Samsara.
What a great list. Like Lillyjo I’m not surprised by Wrappings, I think you have a bub, Encens Flamboyant is also my favorite incense.
Thanks Aurora! You are correct: I have a couple of BUBs for Wrappings. Glad I have them, since it seems to be well and truly discontinued. I also picked up a BUB of Agent Provocateur when I noticed that full bottles of it were getting scarce here.
My list:
Bvlgari Omnia original
Shalimar Ode a la Vanille sur la Route au Mexique
Atelier Cologne Silver Iris
Chanel Bois des Iles
Wearing Silver Iris today.
Rats, forgot No 5 L’Eau
I like several on your list.
Thank you!
This was more difficult than I thought. In no particular order, here they are.
1. Chanel No. 19 edt
2. SL Iris Silver Mist
3. Guerlain Insolence (for some fun)
4. Calyx by Prescriptives (for additional fun)
5. Prada Infusion d’Iris
Of course, as already mentioned by many, the list is subject to change at a moments notice.
I was unscented for the day since it’s still ridiculously hot here. The week ahead remains hot with no rain in the forecast. Peach #2 was fantastic!
Rats, I left the Prescriptives version of Calyx off my list!
Some very tough choices with only 5!
Insolence is very fun.
It sure is!
Another great list!
Thanks Kris!