It’s Friday, plus Boxing Day aka the second day of Christmas, Candy Cane Day and the first day of Kwanzaa. Happy Birthday to David Sedaris! Our community project for today is Best of 2025...wear your favorite new release of the year, or your favorite purchase of the year, or the fragrance you wore the most in 2025, or interpret this project however you like. (We've done this project several times.)
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.
I did not smell enough new fragrances this year to really do the project, but I am wearing a 2025 release: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Black Death Cherry.
Reminder: on 1/2, wear a fragrance to match Cloud Dancer, Pantone's color of the year for 2026 (or, wear something that matches the description). "A Whisper of Tranquility and Peace in a Noisy World. Introducing Pantone Color of the Year 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, a lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection. A billowy white imbued with serenity, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer encourages true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe, making room for innovation." (More reading: A minimalist statement or just Pantonedeaf? ‘Cloud dancer’ shade of white named Pantone’s 2026 colour of the year at The Guardian, Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year Is ‘Cloud Dancer’ at The New York Times, Pantone’s colour of the year 2026 divides opinion amid mounting social media backlash at Cosmetics Business.)
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2026, where I'll try (but usually fail) to have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Turtle Dove [cropped, doubled and flipped] by Koshy Koshy at flickr; some rights reserved.
p.s. I still have out of town guests and I’m a bit behind on comments. I probably won’t catch up until Sunday night.
Happy Last Friday of 2025! Enjoy your guests Robin!
Thank you, hope it was a good Boxing Day for you!
Yes! Santa elves were very kind and I’m not returning a thing!
Hello, tgif and Happy Boxing Day!
Sotd is my favourite 2025 release, Shalimar L’Essence. I have been wearing this a lot when I have free scent estate e.g. before bed, evenings, card to scent my handbag etc.
Thought I’d be fooded out after eating non-stop yesterday but nope, woke up hungry! Not complaining though because food is wonderful. 🙂
Happy birthday Kris! 🎂
Wearing L’Artisan Drole de Rose, just because….
Happy Friday! 🌹
Oops! I do not know how my post ended up here. Sorry Happy888cat.
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
I wore your favorite purchase yesterday. I really like it.
Happy belated Birthday, Kris!💐
Not belated. It’s today! Thank you.
Happy 🎂, Kris.
Thanks 😊
Twins!🙌
Triplets!
Quadruplets!
My new favorite fragrant idea, “free scent estate”. Thank you, happy888cat!
Wearing L’Artisan Drole de Rose, just because….
Happy Friday! 🌹
Happy Friday!!!! We are rose twins 👯
👋🏻🌹
Happy Friday! And Merry Christmas a day late!
Thank you, Lillyjo! Happy Friday and Merry Christmas to you too!
As the kids would say, “67”. That would be my age today. Will be going with my stepdaughter to a movie this morning.
One of my favorite purchases this year that I will wear today is Rose Magnetic.
Hope everyone had a great holiday. I didn’t get a post out. My husband had two tooth extractions that were pretty tough so I’ve been pampering him 😂
Happy Birthday, Kris! 🎂
Thank you!
Happy Birthday!🎉 What movie are you going to see?
We went to see The Housemaid since we both had read the book. I always like the book better, but not necessarily this time. I loved the movie.
Happy birthday, Kris!
I’m taking myself to see The Housemaid on Monday afternoon since I took the week off work. I’m glad you liked it better than the book. I hope and expect it’ll be the same for me.
I will be curious what you think of it. Let me know!
Happy Birthday Kris!
I hope your husband is recovering well.
Thanks. He is doing much better.
Happy Birthday 🎁🎈 Best wishes
Thank you LTSG.
Happy Birthday!
Thanks Glannys.
Happy Birthday Kris! I hope the teeth extractions fared well with TLC!
Thanks.
He is doing much better. The entire side of his face was bruised so it looked like I had given him a right hook😂
Happy Birthday Kris, you lovely generous lady that you are! Mr Knis fortunate to have you giving him TLC, but I am sorry about the teeth especially during a holiday. Enjoy your film! I don’t know your scent, but I’d bet a large sum that you smell gorgeous!!!
Thank you. I really like it and it is very reasonably priced.
Happy Birthday! It’s my birthday, too : )
Hope the oral surgery recovery is smooth.
Oh, my. Then happy birthday to you too🎉🎁💕
Happy birthday 🎈🎂
Happy birthday, spiderplant!
Ha!!! First off happy birthday! Secondly that 6-7 drives me crazy 😂. Hope you have a great day!!
Thanks. I will be on FaceTime with my grandkids later and it will come up. Drives me crazy too.
Happy birthday! I hope it’s a wonderful day!
Thanks much!
Happy birthday wishes, Kris!
Thanks. Are you familiar with this perfume? I know we like some of the same ones😉
Me?
Hmmm I do have a bottle of this one🤭
Happy birthday, Kris, and best wishes for a wonderful year ahead! And best wishes for your hubby to continue his recovery so both of you can celebrate yourself together!🥳
Thank you, Laila.
Happy birthday, Kris! 🌹
I’m glad you like Rose Magnetic too, I think we have similar taste in rose perfumes 😊
Thanks! We do Nina.
A very happy birthday, hope it was a fun day!
Yes, it was Robin. Thank you.
I’ll join happy888cat in the new Shalimar. I think this is very good although I don’t know if it would be my favorite release of 2025. As usual, I feel like I don’t try many new releases. Of the few that I did, my favorite was Room 1015 Love-o-matic. Laundry scents are not for everyone but they are for me. 😆 I don’t need 100 mls of it though so I am hoping the brand will release it in a travel spray that several others from the line come in.
I hope everyone who celebrates had a nice Christmas. Full confession: I am always relieved when it’s over. I personally don’t feel like this IS the most wonderful time of the year. I’ve always found it to be the most stressful time of the year. Having all 3 kids home makes it worth it though. Gradtowngirl got home last saturday and we waited for her to get our tree. It’s been so nice having her home. Monday and Tuesday when I got home from work, freshly baked Christmas cookies were on the counter. ☺️ She doesn’t have to be back to her university job until after the new year! Enjoying every second that she’s here.
I’m with you on the holidays.
I just want to get my house back to normal.
Joining you in Shalimar L’Essence! How heartwarming to have everyone home for the holidays! Enjoy your second and every cookie mtg!
Have fun with those kids!
You smell fantastic!
I agree with you; my favorite part of the holiday season begins the day after Christmas when I can finally relax and the stress is over.😅
It is nice when you can stop striving for some sort of perfection, isn’t it? Enjoy the family time!
Joining happy888cat and madtowngirl in Shalimar L’Essence. Do I need it in my wardrobe? Probably not. It is a good take on Shalimar though. It also reminded me a little of Shalimar Parfum Initial and Mon Guerlain.
I held off on buying the new Shalimar , so far
Ditto.
Joining you in Shalimar L’Essence. I saw today that Sephora is now stocking it.
Oops Glannys. Please excuse lumping different Shalimars together. What type of twinning is this? Not only house twinning, but flankers twinning?
Smelling fabulous Glannys!
I am going with my last fb purchase which is No 5 L’EAU
I still would like a bottle of the Eau Premier
Kris gets enabler pin for L’eau
I am cuddled up with a book, ready for the ❄️
Thanks for the enabler pin.
What book are you reading?
I also want Eau Premiere even though a have a FB of L’EAU 😆 That 35ml bottle is really tempting…
Spending the morning in JM Amber Labdanum, courtesy of one of hajusuuri’s recent splits. It’s not my absolute favorite 2025-release/acquisition — that honor goes to Jorum Boswellia Scotia — but AL is very nice indeed, and much warmer than the Boswellia which has a silvery, forest-y coolness.
Glad you like it!
Happy Friday NST! Happy Birthday to the marvelous Kris, so kind and generous to we NSTers! Wishing you a magnificent 2026!
Sotd Shalimar L’Essence. Loved the new release and Shalimar is part of my parents’ love story. Plus extra points that my darling aunt told a funny story for years about how as a toddler I got into Mom’s Shalimar. Guess I was a budding perfumista early on!
Sotn will be The Harmonist Moon Glory. My Spotify scent wrap showed it was my most worn scent- big surprise, but still a happy one.
A beautiful Friday to all!
Happy Friday LesLiesse!
🤗
You are too kind.
Smelling wonderful!
I’m telling it like it is Lovely Lady! And thank you!
Heure Exquise today. Because it goes so well with sweats & slippers.
It’s my birthday. Freezing rain here all morning so staying in and tackling The Eighth Life which I am enjoying so far, but it will probably take me until next year’s birthday to finish it.
Happy Birthday! 🎁 🎄
Happy birthday!!
Happy Birthday!
I lucked out over here with just regular rain.
Happy Birthday SP! Glad you’re inside warm & cozy & smelling Exquise!
Happy Birthday, spiderplant! 💐 You smell exquisite!
Happy Birthday, you smell elegant.
Happy birthday!
Happy twin birthday!
👯♀️
Happy Birthday, Spiderplant! 🎂🎁
Happy birthday, wishing you a wonderful year ahead!🥳. Sounds like a great day to curl up with a good book and stay warm. 📖🔥
Happy birthday, spiderplant! 💖
Yay for a birthday in sweats and slippers! Hope you enjoyed the day.
I am wearing my sample of IA A Little Secret. I don’t know if I have tried anything else new this year but I don’t think so, and my purchases were things that I wanted from before 2025.
I am disappointed in jomashop. I ordered a bottle of L’Orpheline on Dec 14th then didn’t hear from them again until the 24th when they said my bottle was out of stock. We don’t celebrate Christmas and so for me it’s an irritation but if you needed it for a gift, that’s a pretty big thing to leave til the last minute. Now I get to shop some more.
Oy, so disappointing, but the good news is you get to continue shopping! I went to Wegmans to pick up my contribution to the party and other than Wegmans being crowded and a long checkout line at Home Goods, everywhere else was EMPTY.
Sorry to hear about that! Sooo frustrating!
Dang. I’m sorry ringthing.
No big deal. Shopping for perfume isn’t a hardship 😉
TRUTH!
I am sorry that happened. I know I was one of them that said I’d always had good luck.
And I’m glad you have! I’m not ruling out ordering from them again but my expectations will be different.
I have no idea what was released in 2025. So this is my SOTD and I am really loving it!
https://www.instagram.com/chocolatemarzipan8/p/DSu_qZVkSQD/
Oh I can see the picture today!
It’s beautiful. I can’t read what it is though.
Lancôme Mille et Rose
I bet it smells fabulous!
It certainly does!!
I’m in the same boat as Lillyjo- gorgeous bottle and photo but can’t make out the name.
See above 👆
Got it! And it translates to 1,001 Roses! Great name for a perfume!
C’est vrai!!
Good stuff!
👍😻
SOTD = Lush 29 High Street
It’s the latest and greatest “mall scent” for me, showed up in 2013 and was probably available in the UK, amongst other places. For me, it was the best smelling fragrance of all the ones I’ve tried! Love it!
I am going to an open house party at my aunt’s place, with eyes watching for the upcoming snow. I will leave early for sure and will offer a ride to 2-3 cousins (cousins + family) at whatever time makes sense. I will not endanger myself and my passengers, if any, just so I can stay until late.
In other news, there’s no better time than to plan for 2026 taxes. Here’s an article from the Wall Street Journal which may or may not be free:
https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/three-tax-resolutions-to-protect-your-income-in-2026-d0e8708c?st=ApWmdv&reflink=article_copyURL_share
I’m all for leaving early to avoid the snow! Be safe!
You’re thoughtful to drive your family in bad weather.
Drive safely! We are getting a whopper! Possibly a foot of snow!!!
Enjoy the party and safe return.
Have fun and stay safe!
Not feeling today’s CP. I wore Lyric yesterday and wearing Infusion d’iris. A few minutes ago, we lost power but I am going to work and about to see what kind of chaos is happening there.
Fingers crossed for minimal chaos, Dawn.
Gosh darn Dawn, so sorry about the power outage! Is your scent part of the Prada Infusion series? Iris is always a delight, and I hope it lifts your day whenever you catch a wafting scent!
Hope the day went ok Dawn!
When I get back to my sister’s house, I’ll be CP-compliant in Ummagumma Extra. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and is enjoying Boxing Day!
My credit card is enjoying Boxing Day
🙂
I am intrigued by the Ummagumma line because (silly reason I know) Um is what I’m called by some darling besties for decades. Not being fragrance folks they’ve been teasing me about Gerri mf an Um-compliant scent. Do you prefer this one to the original?
I need to get home and compare it to my other bottle before I decide. They are very similar. I was a bit alarmed because the travel spray just says “Ummagumma” on the label, not “Ummagumma Extra”. But the invoice says Ummagumma Extra and that’s all that’s available on his website now. Also this is stronger.
Post shower will be PdE Madagascar Balm de Vanille. My most pleasing purchase of 2025.
Yum
I will have to second CM8 that you smell yummy!
I’m slow to get to new releases but I’m enjoying earlier releases that are new to me or I revisited and it was love at second sniff. Eris Night Flower one of those fragrances.
Love at second sniff is always a fun surprise!
I have been wearing Hiram Green’s Ultra, my favorite 2025 release, for the last few days, so today I’m wearing my favourite perfume I discovered in 2025, LVNEA Feu Follet. It’s a perfect, smoky, charred incense wrapped up in magical forest essences. It was an instant love for me and I got a full bottle right away but the way I’m using it up, I may need another bottle soon.
Do tell more about these “magical forest essences!”
The best I can do is to say that if Norne by Slumberhouse is a smell of a magical forest, Feu Follet is that forest on fire / burnt to the ground and made into incense.
Intrigued! If I weren’t on fragrance buying timeout, I’d give you an enabler pin!
All I can say is that LVNEA has great sample sets..
A grey and wet day here in SoCal – what a soggy week. I needed a bit of a boost, so I gave myself multiple spritzes of Cologne Bigarade from Frederic Malle. It’s just so fabulous; it truly makes me smile. It’s fleeting, like another favorite of mine, Chanel’s Eau de Cologne, but what a joyful pick-me-up.
Happy Boxing Day, everyone!
I love a good citrus in the winter! You smell great!
I will have to second CM8 Daniel that you smell terrific and so uplifting in this weather! I was out last week so sid I miss your posting which fragrance gifts you have to the beloved women in your life?
I am wearing my favorite purchase of the year, Josef Statkus, from my trip to Lithuania. I was so happy to find it and it is an excellent incense. It’s cold and drizzly here today but the ski areas are finally open and I am hoping for lots more snow in the mountains soon. Only one crappy gift this year, too: A hand towel so embellished with fake pearls (in the shape of a large angel) that the usable surface for hand drying is about half the size of a Kleenex.
Hoping you get snow too! Do you have a favorite fragrance to wear skiing?
I need that towel for next year’s gift exchange, LOL…
Happy Boxing Day, Happy St. Stephen’s Day, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Any Other Day you celebrate!🥳
We had a very nice Christmas, the best part of which was spending much of 2 days in a row with my son’s family – that rarely happens! We had a traditional Polish Christmas Eve here complete with opłatki (my heritage) and a traditional British Christmas dinner at my son’s house (my DIL’s heritage) complete with rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, Christmas pudding (with coins) and trifle. My 18-year old college freshmen really enjoyed my SL travel fragrance gift set and were peaceably sniffing and deciding how to divide the 8 vials and were learning all about scent notes from the additional information I provided them.
I wore the original Givenchy Organza Indecence yesterday, probably my favorite winter scent. I’m stretching today’s cp, my SOTD reflects what is my most worn and favorite fragrance collection this year, and that would be Hermes Merveilles, and the one I wear in the winter season, Elixir Des Merveilles. I absolutely ❤️ the orangey goodness of this one, especially at Christmas!
Sending more ☮️ ❤️ and 🤞to all!
Glad you had two so varied fiests. I agree Laila, it’s the candied orange of Elixir I like so much in winter too.
*Fiests
Oh dear **feists
Both of those meals sound fantastic, and you picked the perfect scents too.
What a beautiful report! Thank you for sharing all the stairs! I just learned about St Stephen’s Dayntoday.
Today I am wearing Daisy Murakami Yellow. It’s a new release that I sprayed at Ulta today. It’s a happy fruity floral that makes me think of spring.
I stopped at BBW to check out the SAS. I was disappointed. I had wanted to get the Brown Sugar and fig re-release, but the price was not great. 50% off which is still 8 dollars and change. I didn’t get anything.
Oh for people who like a banana note, try the Daisy Murakami Green.
I wish they would bring back Velvet Tuberose. I loved that one. I did like Brown Sugar and Fig too.
Ok I will have to get myself to Ulta, I’m a sucker for banana.
What’s an SAS ?
Semi annual sale
They re released BS & F????? I will pretend I didn’t hear that 😝
I’m hoping it will go more on sale.
2 Clementines this evening
This morning it was Tocca Colette which I haven’t worn in a long time and tonight because I am harebrained that way I immediately zeroed on D&G Feminine again, acquired only last quarter but because I had a long hiatus in France it feels new and strange and wonderful.
New and strange and wonderful is a points-worthy interpretation of the cp!
You’re the expert Robin, I’ll gladly take the points then.
ITA w Robin! Mew strange & wonderful is major Cap points! Well done!
Thank you Leslie.
Mew instead of new should apply when kitties are in the picture! 😆
I’m wearing my last, and probably my favorite purchase of the year (I got it this week) – AKRO Bake 😻. It is sooooo good!
My most worn fragrance of the year is probably its younger sister, D&G Devotion, which I got in February. I never thought I was a gourmand lover until I tried these two perfumes. Now that I’m very familiar with Devotion, I can appreciate all the subtle differences between them.
Thinking about the 2025 releases I’ve sampled, I can’t think of many. I was pleasantly surprised by Hermès Barenia Intense, especially since I didn’t care for the original at all.
I loved this CP, I enjoyed everyone’s posts. Wishing you all a relaxing weekend 🌸
I found very little difference between Bake and Devotion. They are by the same perfumer so I guess that would make sense that they would smell similar. Which do you like better and what differences do you experience?