It’s Almost-Friday and David Bowie’s birthday, plus, National Bubble Bath Day. What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm in Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus.
Reminder: 1/9 is National Apricot Day...wear a fragrance with an apricot note, if you have one.
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 Frangapani Apricot Home-4+ [cropped] by John at flickr; some rights reserved.
Getting some points in Daim Blond. The current version does not have as much apricot as the old one – it is mostly suede and florals now. It’s an elegant fragrance for sure, but I miss that ripe fruitiness of the old Daim Blond.
Was Daim Blond reformulated? Haven’t really kept up with Serge Lutens in years.
Yes, and quite a while ago. I had a chance to compare 2 versions, and the difference is very noticeable. Still recognizable and good, but drier and thinner.
You smell amazing, and I’m glad I have an older bottle-I love it’s noticable apricot.
Here is a great blog entry about this very topic from the wonderful BlackNarcissus.
https://theblacknarcissus.com/2013/12/02/what-have-they-done-to-serge-lutens-daim-blond-2004/
Thanks for this link. I haven’t read this blog before and it’s wonderful writing. It also mentions how other Lutens have changed. I’ve been wanting to add Un Bois Vanille to my collection, but now I only want the older, and of course, more difficult-to-find version!
Your post today explains why I didn’t notice any fruit when I sampled SL Daim Blond a few years ago. It was all about the suede for me.
I am wearing Guerlain L’Heure de Nuit and drinking a cup of Irish Breakfast tea.
L’heure de Nuit is lovely and can’t believe that this was discontinued. Guerlain keeps cranking out a million flankers of Shalimar though. As much as I like Shalimar, I would rather see another flanker of Mitsouko or keeping L’heure de Nuit.
Ditto
I only have one fragrance with apricot that I’ll save for tomorrow.
Today I’m celebrating sunshine and dry roads with Sol de Janeiro cream and Cheirosa ’62.
I didn’t expect to like Cheirosa 62 as much as I do. It has a Worth Courtesan vibe to it, minus the funky spray mechanism that Courtesan has.
There’s nothing like sunshine and dry roads! I was driving this morning and had to crank the radio up. Lol
Yesterday’s SOTD was vintage Mitsouko. Today, I am debating on if I should wear Lolita Lempicka Mon Premire or no 5 Eau Premiere.
I love that No 5 flanker
Hello.
Sotd is TF’s new Figue Érotique.
It is a tropical fig parfait on an resort island. Whipped coconut cream topped with flaky sea salt and juicy ripe figs sprinkled with light brown sugar. Gently blowing is the wind carrying the creamy scent of ylang ylang and sea air.
You had me until sea air!
Figue Erotique sounds like it’s well worth a sniff for me! Thanks for the review.
Straying from the CP today, I’m in Caleche edt.
I read your post as “staying with” and was surprised that Caleche had an apricot note. Oops.
And mean to add, you smell lovely!
Thanks, and lol! Funny how the brain sort of jumps to conclusions, isn’t it?
I’m joining the PHI Une Rose de Kandahar crowd and happy to be enveloped in its beauty. I would never have know it had an apricot note without the CP.
I might try this tomorrow, I have a smidge left in my bottle and it’s sooo beautiful. Thx for the idea, allo.
I’m in Creed’s Fantasie des Fleurs-huge apricot note here. I bought it because people on MUA were crazy about Creeds, and I found it on sale at Les Ailes de La Mode, in Montreal. I was in the wedding from heck that summer-I was bad bridesmaid #2. My Creed scents made me feel special during all that chaos.
So over winter-roll on Spring!
Knowing wedding tradition, I’d guess the bride might have been…a touch difficult? Glad the Creed got you through, and this made me laugh, remembering once saying to a Montreal friend that I was headed over the “the garlics of fashion” -oops.
AnnieA she was and is a really nice person, and that was one tough project 🙂 Garlics of fashion-thanks for the laugh:)
2026 is one week old! Happy Thursday scent lovers!
Sotd Natura Ilia Plena, a 4q25 purchase (so I’ve worn all of this first week). Similar to POAL, but with more rose to my nose. A worthwhile buy at $55 for 50ml. Brazilian.
Speaking of nationalities, Robin, have you decided on our CP’s for the upcoming Winter Olympics in the Italian Alps in about four weeks? I have zero Italian perfumes and would like to try and score some samples at the local department store prior to Opening Ceremonies. Or do you all pick an Olympic event to scent?
Correction: I have Prada Infusions de Mimosa from a generous NSTer, so one Italian scent.
Sometimes I think Prada lives in their very own country-!
Brilliant!
I love these CP ideas!
🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
Done.
Mm, my post disappeared so I apologize if I ended up somewhere else and you’re going??? Robin I adore you gave an option of a protest scent if you like neither sports, specifically Olympics sports, or winter! 😆
I completely forgot to post my scent of the day yesterday—Rose Prick by Tom Ford 🌹. Since Robin mentioned above that its it’s David Bowie’s birthday (and I’m a fan), today I’m pairing Chanel Cristalle with “Heroes.”
Avocado toast with an egg, an oat-milk double cappuccino. I realizing I have combined breakfast and lunch today…
I started watching Death by Lightning, the four-part series about the assassination of President Garfield. So far so good.
We (mostly) enjoyed Death by Lightning. There were many times when I thought they spoke more in today’s language than how they would have said things at his time, but maybe that was on purpose? Anyway, I learned quite a bit of history that I really knew nothing about before.
I know nothing other than he was assassinated, so I am learning too! Enjoy all those sun salutations!
🧘🏻♀️
It’s also Elvis’s birthday, which I think I neglect to mention every year until they tell me on the radio 🙂
The radio station I listen to most of the time played “Heroes” this morning.
It has been Philly loves Bowie week on your old haunt XPN, and so they have been playing lots and lots of Bowie and Bowie covers all week 🙂
Every so often I do stream XPN on my laptop.
Not following the CP all week. SOTD is Shalimar L’Essence.
Kris you smell gorgeous!
Thanks 😊
You figured L’Essence would be a good one for winter when you got it.
I think it is and it’s one vanilla fragrance I can wear.
I’m so glad that L’Essence is such a winner for you!
Me too!
Wearing I Profumi di Firenze Ambra del Nepal, just because…
Happy Thursday! 🌻
oh that’s a beauty and you smell wonderful, pl67.
Thank you, DeniseH!
Yum.
😊
“Just because” is one of the best reasons to wear a perfume. Right up there with “I felt like it”. 😃
Wearing the delightful and perfect CP scent today, Lutens Bois et Fruits, which of course has apricot, through I’d never really considered it before, so thank you to the NSTer who mentioned it yesterday. This Lutens does not get enough love from me but I aim to remedy that.
I was thinking that perhaps vintage Rochas Femme also has an apricot note, it certainly has the stewed fruity notes though it might tilt more toward plum/prune.
Vintage Christian Dior Diorella has always pinged stone fruit to me, and looking it up, I see notes of peach, melon, citrus, honeysuckle, & ‘green’ included. To me, apricots have a perfect balance of sweet and tart/acid so that the blend of notes in Diorella with the sweet creamy peach/melon and the more tart green/citrus/honeysuckle notes can evoke apricots even though there aren’t any in it, or osmanthus either as far as I can see.
I love that combination of Diorella! It comes close to being too much melon but doesn’t cross the line. Sadly, I can no longer tolerate the beauty that is La Perfume de Therese.
Hi twin! I did not read your comment before I made mine RE: wanting to get to know Bois et Fruits better. 😸. We smell wonderful.
Yay twinsies, MossyBerry. We smell fab!
Very nice description, Calypso. The first time I smelled Le Parfum de Therese, I immediately thought, welp, there’s money saved because it’s just like Diorella which I already own. I still find it to be a slightly more refined Diorella in which the citrus and fruits are dialed back a bit, and all the sharp edges sanded down. Maybe it’s a bit more powdery or sweet or floral or something. Why can’t you wear it anymore?
It’s simply too much melon for me now.
Hi all – taking points in Fzotic Monserrat, a unique citrussy apricot with a “wet plaster” note in the base.
@Laila – my surprise date with Mr. SP was to see the movie Marty Supreme. I’m so glad you commented on it previously so I was somewhat prepared. Your mini review on the weekend poll was spot on — it was loud and chaotic and even brutal at times and yet mesmerizing. The sets were perfect and the acting was terrific. I loved the shots of the table tennis competitions. Also, it was definitely not the kind of movie I would personally pick to go see!
Also, for anyone interested: Re the 108 sun salutations to welcome the new year that I broke into 3 days of 36 – Robin you asked if they were with full chaturanga. The instructor (Erin at FiveParksYoga, free on youtube and I’m not affiliated but love her) gave multiple modifications for the salutations at the beginning and believe me, I used them all! (Including lower down completely then cobra, lower down with knees down, lunges instead of chaturanga, etc.) It gets kind of meditative as you go along, which I assume is the point.
Thank you! I salute anybody who can do the 108 sun salutations with full chaturanga, at once…that is more upper body strength (and possibly just more energy) than I can summon!
Agree!!
Monserrat is quite pretty. Its eccentricities add to the charm.
Thank you for the clarification SP! I had to look up full chaturanga ( which my French keyboard changed to chateau ange) as it’s been 15 yrs since I did yoga and I’d forgotten. I’m still in awe at how you and Robin started the year, modifications or not.
Thank you, springpansy! I’m so glad you saw and enjoyed Marty Supreme and that your response to the film echoed mine. I’m really glad I saw it.
I’m also joining the PHI group today, thanks to whoever mentioned it earlier this week! Surprisingly, I do get the apricot note from this. I have one of the cute Tauer pentagon-shaped miniatures.
It is noticeable if you catch it early 🙂
Our summer weather has finally made an appearance over the last couple of days, now that I’m back at work – sadly typical.
I’m wearing Amouage Journey for the CP, as it’s Friday here already.
So typical and frustrating. I hope you’ll get to enjoy it on weekends!
I will be twinning with you tomorrow
Ugh, sorry Gaynor!
I am so very off the community project this morning in Zoologist Hyrax. It is helping me deal with customs this morning, I bought something from Hong Kong (not perfume) and it is stuck in customs. They are asking many redundant questions of me when they have the information they need from the shipping documents. Sigh.
Oh I’m sorry to hear about that problem. Ugh. Hyrax will make you tough, I’m sure!
Oy vey! Good luck dealing with Customs.
I hope you get your package foxbins!
I’m doing the CP in SL Nuit de Cellophane. It’s striking me like a much toned-down version of what I wore yesterday, Noel au Balcon. It’s rather “meh” to my mind. In fact, although the Noel au Balcon scent seemed too overpowering to me yesterday after I’d had it on for awhile, I do think that the SL one could benefit from some of the strong spicy notes in the ELDO fragrance. So far I’m not finding myself a huge fan of apricot notes in perfumes, but we’ll see how tomorrow goes. I suppose as far as the actual fruits go, I”m only a moderate fan, and perhaps that has something to do with it. Right time and right place they can be great though….l am fondly remembering a rather romantic evening by a beach in Greece after a lovely dinner having ouzo with fresh apricots…. Sigh…
I remember a lot of people felt the same as you re NdC. I really like it-I find it delicate. Which could read as meh 🙂
I’m with Calypso, I tend to like perfumes that hit you over the head. Must be my perfume-eating skin. So now I’m curious about Noel Au Balcon. I liked Nuit de Cellophane just fine but within the Serge oeuvre, there were too many others that stole my heart that I wanted for my preciousssessss. But now I’m drooling about apricots with ouzo on a moonlit Greek beach.
A good apricot can turn you around about the fruit but many folks never even get to try a good apricot warm from the tree or fresh from the farmer’s market because so many of the commercial breeds are bred for transportability and looks, not taste.
Truly good apricots are hard to find, and have been for several years. At least that’s been the case where I am at.
Not doing the CP today — too many new samples to sniff! I’m in Mendittorosa Architipo, which I’m rather enjoying though it’s in pretty well-worn territory. Late yesterday I tried Wild Coast Perfumes Tofino, the first of 16 samples I have from them. I liked it, but I think I need to spray more next time.
New samples are more fun than cps 🙂
Frozen red fruits, yogurt and honey smoothie
I fell asleep yesterday, so didn’t report on sotd&e, I have been under the weather since early last week, I think it was an attenuated flu, I say attenuated because I only had a sore throat and low fever, the vaccine for this year didn’t contain this particular strain I’ve read recently.
Today I wore vintage OdlR Volupté which contains osmanthus, it’s always been very fruity for sure and tonight I extracted from the back of the cabinet Miller Harris La Fumée Maroc which contains plum, peach and apricot, it’s the only one in the series without cumin thankfully. I’ve always felt it somewhat similar to Maasai Mara.
I haven’t heard talk of Volupte in years! I should retry it. I loved the original Oscar and went through many bottles. Sounds like you found some good ones.
Thank you Denise, I totally agree Oscar is lovely too.
Sorry to hear that you haven’t been feeling well. The flu vaccine here in the US isn’t a good match for the strain(s) circulating either.
Thank you Jalapeno, yes, it’s a worldwide situation.
So glad it wasn’t any worse Aurora! There is lots of crud going around here.
Thank you Robin, it’s challenging for health services to deal with an influx of severe cases.
You are smelling very elegant Aurora.
I hope you are resting and feel better soon!
Thank you, Lillyjo, yes I’m still taking it easy.
For the CP, SL Bois et Fruits from an older 50ml bottle. I just may keep wearing this one to get to know it better. I like it!
You smell amazing. I miss Bois et Fruits.
Those 50mL bottles were nice!
Happy birthday, Elvis!
I’m not in apricot, but still super sweet in a sample of Fire at Will. It’s a great vanilla, mimosa and brown sugar. Some vetiver in the base to keep it light. Much sweeter than I normally try, but I wanted to try something different. I don’t have much with Apricot as a note in my collection. I’ll have to find my decant of PHI (thanks to you guys for the idea!). I hope you are well.
Nice to see you post today, Hemlock Sillage!
They played lots of Elvis on the radio today, in between all the Bowie. I don’t know how I forget every year that they were born on the same day!
Smelling fierce in Le Lion today! 🦁 🔥
Excellent!
You smell wonderful!
SOTD = Hermes L’Ambre Eau des Merveilles
AFAIK, no apricots so I am essentially not following the CP.
I subscribe to BottomLine Personal and I am a little behind in my reading (although not THAT far behind). In the September 2025 issue, there was an article where Barry Ritholz was interviewed. These are his tips on avoiding investment mistakes:
– Don’t fall for denominator blindness i.e., if you hear that the Dow fell 500 points, don’t panic because your share of it is a tiny tiny fraction of a fraction
– Don’t ignore your psychological biases (assumptions that distort our ability to make choices based on facts and evidence)
– Don’t panic sell
– Don’t underestimate how difficult it is to pick big winners
– Don’t interrupt the compounding of your investment money
… and Positive Ways to Minimize Unforced Errors (only the ones I agree with):
– Create a diversified long-term financial plan that you can stick with no matter what (indeed!)
– Understand what is and what is not in your control
– Keep a cowboy account (5% of liquid capital) as long as you don’t mind how the account goes (win or lose). I never did this but may still do …
I’d add to the denominator blindness issue the fact that the Dow Jones Index is, I think, 30 stocks. You may not actually hold those in your portfolio, so what does it matter if they go up or down? (I mean, yeah, it’s directional, but based on those large stocks.) And always take a long-term view of returns, rather than a one- or two-day or even one-month view.
I have a combo of individual stocks and index funds and I do see the difference month over month; however, I rarely bought and don’t sell. That said, I have to do some financial cleaning house to consolidate.
I opened up my first CD at one of my credit unions earlier this week. Finally got around to it!
I put your sotd in a online cart today. I still need to retry my sample.
Yay for Merveilles 🧡
you smell wonderful!
The sun came out for a few hours today. It really lifted my mood. It was short lived, as now it’s raining with a possibility of thunderstorms.
I picked Chloe Luminous to wear today. It’s so bright and pretty. I wish it came in a shower gel.
The weather this winter has seen a lot of ups and downs but this is true of there’s nothing I don’t control it …
I wish I had a weather control super power! Lol.
I sent the sun your way! I have seen a lot of it so far this winter. ☀️🌞
Thanks! Keep it coming!
Glad you got some sun, wishing you more in the coming days, and of course you smell lovely in your Chloe.
The Snow Gods are taunting me today. I saw very light snow around lunchtime, but nothing has stuck. It’s mostly been rain or a bit of rain/snow mix. I am thinking that any forecasts suggesting accumulating snow are overly optimistic. It is desperately needed, though. Denver is almost 14 inches below average at the moment. It’s just as dry here.
Teflon kitty spent a bit of time snuggled in my bed, under the flannel sheets. She’s getting extra treats lately.
SOTD = back in Hypnotic Poison EdT, paired with Korres’ Jasmine Body Butter.
Hope the snow will catch up? But 14 inches behind is a lot.
Looks like the storm center dipped south into NM. Southeast Colorado will get the bulk of the snow.
You have me searching for HP deals!
LOL! I will take that as a potential Enabler Pin!
So, I wish you the reverse weather of Lillyjo, hope you will soon be snow-bound.
sotd = Jardins de Bagatelle
Goodness, I’m super late but didn’t want to miss a day of perfume thoughts. 🥰
But there is sometimes a person who is later still! 😍