You know how it works: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you’re planning to buy this weekend, the last sample you got your hands on, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is Flower HDR by Dylan Luder at flickr; some rights reserved.
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Hello, everyone! We are having an Indian summer here and in the last few days the weather’s been positively beachy by UK standards
SOTD is Heeley iris de Nuit.
I received an email today from Marni announcing that they will be bringing out a new scent with Estee Lauder. I love Marni’s aesthetic so, in principle, I’m quite excited by the idea but there was absolutely no information about what it will be like/notes, etc. Anyone happen to know more?
If they’ve announced anything other than the license agreement, I haven’t seen it.
We’ve been having Indian summer too, but I think the temps are supposed to drop tomorrow. Boo hoo.
Just checked the email again and it says on sale from A/W2012 and not 2011 as I thought when I skim read it this morning. Duh, nothing else has probably been decided which would explain the lack of info.
We are supposed to have a warm weekend before the temps start to drop again. It does NOT feel like October.
Although not all designers bother to have the fragrances follow the aesthetic of their line.
Yup, which is why I added “in principle”.
I would love to have Amouge Epic — truly amazing stuff.
Another fragrance that’s out of my price range is Hermèssence Poivre Samarcande, which I’ve never sniffed, but it’s really piqued my interest. Does anyone have any thoughts on that one? I’d appreciate your opinions!
Today I am wearing Balmain Ambre Gris. The bottle is 1 of my favs. It’s the perfect fall day – 56 degrees. I only wish the sun was out.
I really want to buy Elie Saab’s perfume.
Ambre Gris is such a lovely, easy to wear scent! Nice choice
SOTD Joop Le Bain! I tried the new Valentina by Valentino. I found it a mix between Jil by Jil Sander in the beginning and Elie Saab in the end. Like Elie Saab it gives me a headache. And I could swear I smelled patchouli in Valentina, although it is not listed.
I freakin’ love the Valentina bottle. Curious to try the juice, too. Thanks for the review!
You’re welcome. But I think Robin can give a much better review of Valentina. The bottle is really cute. You only need to look twice (at least I had to look twice) to find the spray mechanism. It is in the small black round part on top of the bottle.
LOL…then I’ll probably break the tester before I try it! But thanks for the kind vote of confidence.
SOTD is Creed Silver Mountain Water.
Whats everyones favorite incense to burn?
Kevin did some nice incense reviews awhile back. I’m dull — I just burn those Papier d’Armenie papers every so often, but mostly I stick with candles.
http://www.nstperfume.com/2006/11/19/home-fragrance-papier-darmenie/
Comme des Garcons 2 incense sticks. They even come with their own aluminium tray, appropriately minimalistic.
Emerald Awareness from Shoyeido’s Jewel Series. Fennel, clove, sandalwood, and cinnamon, seamlessly blended and always tranquil.
No perfume for me today, because I woke up with a fever and stuffy head and other assorted flu-like phenomena. But I’m getting random whiffs of leftover Maui Rain off of the T-shirt I’m wearing.
Has anybody tried Jacomo for Her? I ordered it unsniffed (I know, I know, but it was $20) because it sounded kind of interesting, and because I’m enjoying my sample of Jacomo #08 so much, though I’m sure the two are totally unrelated.
Oh dear, my whole family has been sick this week. Hope you are better soon!
Emily,
I just received my bottle of #8. Someone kindly/cruelly pointed out a good source for inexpensive FBs and I gave in. . .I do really like it! However, I am surprised that it doesn’t seem to last very long on me–maybe 3 hours and then I have to really stick my nose in some fabric I’ve sprayed to notice it. Sort of a bummer, but I don’t regret the purchase. I just need buy some little decanting bottles so I can reapply!
I haven’t tried J for Her, but I can see how $20 would be enticing. Hope it’s wearable at least if not fabulous!
I find the same thing with Jacomo #8 –wonderful, cozy scent–but you need to do a serious full body spray down and then reapply after a few hours. Indiescents (as far as I know) only ever has 50ml bottles ….but I have recently found that the New London Pharmacy carries the 100ml bottle! (much better per ml price )
Long time no see you here!!! I e-mailed you!!!
Hi! I’m so glad you finally got your samples–that was super slow shipping!
I bet you smell amazing today!!
Hum. You’re right! I’m wearing Moss Breches. Loved the benzoin-patchouli base. Its top was the kind of frag that I used to like on others, not in me. But Moss Breches is so well-ballanced that it fitted me perfectly. Thanks.
Yes, I have the 100mL bottle. It seemed like a lot to buy at the time, but now I am glad to have so much so I don’t have to feel like I have to dole it out more carefully. I’ve been wearing it nearly every day since I got it, so I’m definitely happy to have made the purchase!
I knew right away that I liked you
Well, it just arrived. I’m getting a mild rose-chypre-ish vibe from the bottle cap — so far, so good — will spritz in earnest when I get home tonight, as I don’t want to offend neighboring cubicles and am already wearing Youth Dew.
I’ll probably get a FB of #08 at some point — I don’t have any issues with lasting power, weirdly enough (and I sprayed pretty conservatively).
So my mom gave me a little money and is insisting that I buy a few nice things for myself. I’ve invested in a beautiful black bag that I’ll love forever, and am now considering a bottle or two of perfume. Jubilation 25 and Rubj eau de parfum are leading contenders right now.
So, if you HAD to buy a new bottle or two and wanted it to be an both investment and something you really love (although not necessarily your HG), what would you pick?
Well, after coveting it for the last couple of years, I finally got a bottle of Jubilation so I think that’s a great choice.
Or, if there’s a fragrance that you like that comes in extrait then that would be a lovely way to indulge.
Yeah, that’s exactly what I was thinking (re: extrait).
Great minds!
Probably a Guerlain in parfum — Vol de Nuit or L’Heure Bleue. One of those would last me forever, and I doubt I’d ever get tired of it.
You have exquisite taste!
Haha, thanks! Guerlain makes it easy.
How much money? If it was a really nice sum, I would consider investing in actual parfum, rather than an eau de parfum L’Heure Bleu
that’s a great idea.
Yeah, that’s what I meant … I probably should’ve said “extrait” rather than parfum. Behold the power of cold medicaiton.
Mine would be an Amouage! My next big purchase will be Opus IV, because it really is an investment, but one of those 100mL bottles will probably last a decade or so
Bois des Iles in parfum… now there’s an investment in something timeless.
Mmmmmm… Have you tried it Mals? I want to buy this as well— I just got into a split on the EDT, so I’m covered on sillage; just need to add some depth and longevity to the layering
Um… actually? no. I just know that the LE EdT is so light as to disappear on me in about two hours, and I figured that the parfum would correct that problem.
I mean, I do love BdI and it is indeed timeless, and the parfum is an investment…
I haven’t tried it yet either, but still plan to buy it (eventually)
the Bois des Iles extrait is just a little more “dense” than the edt. It’s nice but not really as long lasting as I expected. Nice, but I think you get more scent mileage out of the edt. IMO
Oh, no, really? Les Exclusifs version of BdI only lasts a couple of hours max on me and I too was hoping that one day I’d get a bottle of extrait because I assumed that it’d be richer and more long lasting.
your mileage may vary…..but I was a little disappointed in the extrait. For the difference in cost I didn’t feel I got nearly a commensurate difference.
You should test it though–maybe on you it would different.
Thanks! Right now it’s more of a “maybe…one day” kind of thing but it sounds like I’ll definitely have to try first if start to seriously consider buying it.
I love Bois de Iles, but it’s one of my mom’s two signature scents. (The other, which I introduced her to and ultimately bought for her, is Odalisque.)
I was considering Cuir de Russie and Le Temps de Fete for parallelism.
meant “Le Temps d’une Fete”
Cuir de Russie extrait is another worthy contender, it’s gorgeous!
Ooh, I just tried Cuir de Russie for the first time today (thank you tessture!!!)… what a timeless perfume – it drips with elegance! That one would be my choice.
ooh yes! second the Bois des Iles parfum..
Or Vintage Shalimar extrait
I think i would probably indulge in By Kilian Straight to Heaven. You get that nice refillable bottle.
Oh, that’s fantastic! Rubj EDP is pretty nice, isn’t it?
If I were to be forced into two bottles, maybe Feminite de Bois and Iris Ukiyoe. Hm. That’s a toughie.
Jubilation 25 is gorgeous and timeless. Rubj is a greta choice too (is that the orange blossom one? I need to resniff Vero Kern perfumes)
Mine would be Amouage Lyric Woman.
Gorgeous!
Meg – great question! Here are my must buys: Guerlain Chamade parfum, Ormonde Jayne Ta’if edp and all the various body products, Vintage No 5 parfum (easy to find on ebay), Amouage Memoir Woman. Good luck & have fun!!
So tempted by Memoir Woman too.
Yes, it’s really stunning.
It’s worth every penny!
(I’m working on my Bronze enabler’s pin)
Memoir is definitely on my “someday” list! If I didn’t have to think about the money, it would me mine in a heartbeat!
Memoir is firmly on my “decant’s only” list. Someday I’ll have a full bottle, but until then I’ll still get to enjoy the juice one way or the other. I’m happy to say my decant from the Queen Enabler has just arrived in time for fall!
Enjoy your decant of Memoir!!!
Chanel Bois des Iles or Patou Joy extrait. Jubilation is a great idea though!
Oh, the Joy is a PERFECT idea. I inherited a small bottle from my grandmother that was a gift to her mother from Mrs. Beech of Beech Aircraft. (My great-grandmother made her clothes.) I treasure it even though the juice has turned.
Great story — i would treasure it too!
I think I’d get one of the Chanel special editions “Les Exclusifs”, since the bottles are humongous and stylish, but you would have to select the one you wanted for yourself, as tastes vary so much. Personally I would probably go for Coromandel, which I only have in a decant size.
That was a lovely thing for your mom to do! (she’s a keeper!)
I happen to adore Jubilation 25 edp….. it also comes in an extrait which must really be something since most Amouage edp’s wear like extraits already! ( I have Dia in parfum and one little spritz is an all-day commitment! ) And then you might consider Jubilation 25 body cream which is very highly scented and luxurious!
My second choice would be a big bottle of Frederic Malle Carnal Flower and the matching body cream — F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C. stuff.
Rubj went too sweaty & skanky on me so that wouldn’t be on my list.
Hey Daisy – Have you (or anyone else) every tried Amouage lotions and shower gels? Just wondering if they also have staying power…
Opera–I’ve not tried the shower gels….so can’t speak to that. The body lotion however is very nice, not greasy and smells very nice….but it’s not as heavily scented as the body cream. I was thinking over the last couple of days if I should splurge and get the Jub.25 body lotion and hand cream….but then I decided to simply replenish my body cream/butter instead —it really is the nicest perfume body cream—it’s only competition is the Frederic Malle body cream which is HORRIBLY expensive. it’s bad when something seems spendy compared to Amouage!
So true, but I hesitate over the fact that even the Amouage body lotions cost so much. The creams are beyond my reach, unfortunately. You DO know about the BH sale, yes?
you betcha! I picked up a back up of Maison de la Vanille Absolu de Vanille ( so incense stick yummy) I wish they carried Amouage!
Parfumsraffy is having 10% off –so I’m trying to pick up some more Jub. 25 body cream but they don’t have it listed on their site
I would go straight to the Caron urns and buy En Avion and Acaciosa.
I would love to have Amouge Epic — truly amazing stuff.
Another fragrance that’s out of my price range is Hermèssence Poivre Samarcande, which I’ve never sniffed, but it’s really piqued my interest. Does anyone have any thoughts on that one? I’d appreciate your opinions!
Oh, and I have another one – has anyone tried Hippie Rose?
I’ve been wondering the same thing – I hope someone here has tried it!
I have a sample of Hippie Rose but I can’t find my notes about it so I dug out the vial and dabbed a little on. It is nice, but doesn’t really distinguish itself from all the other rose fragrances I have. I don’t know if it has oud but the topnotes remind me of by Killian Rose Oud and Juliette Has A Gun Midnight Oud and maybe a little Citizen Queen thrown in. It is kind of sweet and jammy with something slightly dirty/spicy in it – maybe saffron? It is very nice, though. If I didn’t already have a raft of rose fragrances this one would definitely be on my list.
Thank you, Julia! This sounds worth a try – and LuckyScent is finally selling samples.
SOTD: Jicky Edt. It took me a while to come around and appreciate it but I’m there now and it’s love. Liberally applied this morning; it’s still with me and it’s wonderful.
Q: Has anyone on the site tried the Bottega Veneta scent? Been very curious since it was announced.
I have not tried it yet, but have been hearing good feedback. N did a review on her blog: another perfume blog
March has a review of it at Perfume Posse this week, too.
The initial returns seem to be positive. I’m really curious to try!
I’ve tried it and it smells like… the inside of a bag to me. I spoke with the Coty rep and she told me that this is what they use to scent the leather of their purse line, so there you have it. It’s OK but a little musty to me for some reason.
Now, see, “the inside of a leather bag” is appealing to me!
(Coty? BV is produced by Coty? Huh. I must’ve missed that.)
Sounds appealing to me too. This is quickly moving to the top of my To Try list, can’t wait!
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bottega-veneta-and-coty-inc-sign-a-fragrance-license-agreement-78499277.html
Coty makes a ton of fragrances.
… I know.
Just missed Coty’s name on the announcement. Was surprised. Particularly because the pricing scheme is a little higher than your usual Coty-produced.
And now I remember WHY my eyes just skipped past “Coty” in the announcement. They went straight to “Nine d’Urso,” and I got all hyper about Ines de la Fressange’s kid.
Not to mention the leather.
Leather? leather, anyone?
Really, you knew? Huh, I must have missed that. And contrary to your belief vis a vis Coty, they do make perfumes that one might consider higher end. Prada, anyone?
You’re right, they do make some high end perfumes, but Prada is from Puig.
Yep, I knew. Too many new releases to keep track of who’s doing what.
Am actually a Coty fan, particularly of the older stuff. However, apparently you know a lot more than I do. I’m sure your Coty rep is a big help with that.
I reread my comment and it came across as much bitchier than I intended. Bad day. Apologies.
And hope it gets better
No big deal! I love it that we can all show up here and share info.
I can’t wait to try the BV either – I am hoping that this one will be the leather fragrance that I will enjoy wearing. Leather is tricky for me. I did some homework: Nordstrom will have this in October or November before the holidays, but it’s already at NM.
I got a sample in with a purchase from Needless Markup and at first I really like it: 5 minutes after spritzing I was online and had a bottle in the cart. ….then there’s a note in there that just started “working” the back of my nasal passages….it didn’t smell yucky or anything–I can’t even identify it—but after a while I found it “agitating” . Within the hour I emptied my basket and walked away! Glad I didn’t just spritz and buy. Not that I would ever do that
Thanks for killing my lemming, Daisy! I know if something in it bothered you, I wouldn’t like it either.
Hmm – weird note? – good to know. See this is why hearing so many opinions about a frag is useful. I will be patient with this one.
It really didn’t strike me as anything “great” ….and $130 (before tax and shipping) seems a little high for 75ml of mediocre.
“Needless Markup” ROTFL!
I just “got it” – so clever!
We are still having summer summer here–temps in the 90′s. I am trying to get some work done outside, so right now SOTD is Eau de Sweat.
I just got my DSH order with my little bottles of Oeillets Rouge and Pandora. I only have tried a tiny dab of the Pandora, but so far I really like it. I don’t usually buy unsniffed, but this time I am glad I did. I wish I knew how to describe things better, but I will say that this smells old school, in the best possible sense. It is very rich, warm, and luxurious. I know when this was announced last week, some here were leery of the “ruby fruits” note listed. Let me tell you, this is nothing like the Kool-Aid/fruit punch/bubblegum/cheap air freshener fruity scents that have glutted the market. I think it will make a perfect fall/winter scent, provided fall and winter ever get here.
Okay, now I really really really really want Pandora (as opposed to just really wanting it).
Pandora is pretty glorious, though I wish it were just a tad greener. I hear that Dawn’s scent Vent Pour Madame (I think) fits the bill, and need to give it a try!
Ooh, I also heard good things about that one.
Pandora sounds exactly like the scent I am in the mood for..vintage-y, chypre-y..mmmm. I definitely need to try Dawn’s stuff.
Yes you do! The 15% off should help too.
last day for it peeps! Do it, do it!
Pretending I didn’t hear about the 15% off …
15% OFF…15% OFF…15% OFF…15% OFF
Wow, Daisy must have been giving you lessons!
15% OFF….15% OFF….15% OFF….. why, H dear, I don’t know what you could possibly mean….
Hee hee
I also have a small bottle of Vert Pour Madame, and I like it very much too. The opening is perhaps a little too sweet, but it settles down after 5 or 10 minutes to a lovely green floral chypre. Mind you, I am not necessarily a big fan of green scents, as I find many of them too austere. VPM, though, has some warmth and earthiness to it. One thing I really like about DSH is that so many of her scents are available in 1 dram bottles, which are essentially decants.
Dawn’s stuff is never dumb n’ frooty. I should have a sample of Pandora coming to me soon…
I believe Dawn has a promo until the end of September (so we’re up against the wire). You can use “extra15″ for an extra 15% off.
I believe Dawn has a promo until the end of September (so we’re up against the wire). You can use “extra15″ for an extra 15% off.
I hear you about our awful weather, and on top of everything my air conditioner is broken and totally defunct!
My house is not so much eau de sweat as eau de cat litter I’m afraid.
I really like Oeillets Rouge. I bought a carnation sampler a couple of years ago that included this and Prada No.2 Oeillets which I fell in love with only to discover that it has been discontinued for quite some time. I’ve searched for a full bottle of it but alas, no luck.
I lurve Oeillets Rouges! Have a small sample of the Prada that did not suit me… If you’d like it, Julia dear, drop me an email!
Done! And thank you so much!
Hey hey! Just bought the bottle of Givenchy Pi Eau Fraiche
It’s pretty cold here, I’m wearing Opium PH EDP at the moment.
Congrats on your new bottle!
I have the traditional Pi . It was hard for me to habituate to it. Now I like its sweet-wood-leather notes. It’s very strong… Is Fraîche too different?
Opium PH is so good: the opposite to the repulsive female’s version…
Moore- love Pi and Opium PH – think both are very sexy !! You’re the first person Since I’ve become a perfume obsessive to write about Opium PH!!
Yeah, Opium is such a good frag but it’s so underapreciated. It’s bottle doesn’t help much either, it’s very 80′s. Opium PH has some similarities with the equal underapreciated L’Instant PH e Obsession Men (CK). Do you know them?
It’s been like 100 years since I participated in a lazy Friday poll, and I’m glad to be here!
I’ve been dousing myself in Prada Candy a lot over this past week— it’s a delight, though I do with it lasted longer.
Also recently I’ve been on a Chypre kick, and discovered, thanks to The High Queen of Enabling Daisy, Roja Dove’s Unspoken, which leaves me speechless in it’s splendiferousness. Ha
I just moved this past month to Austin, Texas, so any Texans please speak up! Where do you like to sniff???
Hi dee! Welcome to Austin!
I go to the usual department-store suspects: Neiman’s, Saks, Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s. I’ll be glad when/if the northern Nordie’s opens so I can hit everything up near home. Also the north Anthropologie doesn’t seem to get all of the perfume lines they carry.
I am not the greatest expert on buying niche in Austin. I recently tried a locally owned store on 6th and Congress called Enchante. They have a variety of niche things including most of the Maître Parfumeur et Gantier line, some L’Artisan, Juliette has a Gun… etc. And they have men’s shaving products and home fragrance too (I didn’t look much at the home fragrance last time). I only just read about this place on Basenotes. The owner is a little odd but it’s nice to be able to try all of these in person.
Other than that, I’m kind of stumped about places to buy niche perfumes in town. I’ve toyed with the idea of opening my own store someday (I’ve worked in fragrance retail before). I’d love to hear other suggestions as I’m just beginning to explore niche.
Yay, thank you!!!
I’ve been to Sephora, Nordie’s and Anthropologie— and I was kind of surprised by the selection at Anthropologie— I finally got to test the Lostm’arch (sp?) scents, and a few others I’ve been wanting to try, but could never find. Haven’t been up to Neiman’s yet, but want to try and get there soon (Bottega Veneta, among others, are calling me).
I’m going to investigate this Enchante place; even if it’s just for the MPG’s, which I am sorely unfamiliar with.
I was surprised that there is not a niche boutique here! I really thought there would be, and I too was thinking about filling that niche myself… *giggles*
I’m down off of SoCo, but if you ever want a sniff buddy… email me at botoblog at live dot com!!
Yup, the central Anthropologie at 6th and Lamar seems to get all of their lines (Honore des Pres, the new Ineke Floral Curiousities)… the north location at the Domain, not so much!
I live right by the Domain/Neiman’s. Truthfully, I don’t find the Neiman’s here to have a show-stopping selection. in some respects, Saks is better here. But they do have some nice things I wouldn’t otherwise have tried – Atelier Cologne, etc.
Besides the lines I already mentioned, Enchante has Jovoy, Fragonard, and Parfums d’Orsay. When I was there I was most intrigued by the MPGs, though.
I’d love to have perfume get-togethers! I’ll send you a note sometime.
Sounds good
I went to Enchante; just got back! The owner really is a character— in fact, I didn’t even get to try anything new. I spent my entire visit getting a “lesson” on perfume, and convincing him that L’Artisan’s Al Oud really does smell good (I even applied two sprays to prove it!).
LOL.
Oh, Lordy. He’s so weird. He strongly feels that perfume is only for seducing men, etc. He’s really quite the character. Why, he has invented his own method of shaving!
Link to a SEVENTY-FIVE PAGE PDF detailing his theory of male grooming:
http://www.enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/robertsmethodshaving.pdf
Next time I go back to Enchante, I’m really going to insist on being left alone to explore, I think!
Love the primer, LOL!
I sniffed some Javoy’s, which I hadn’t ever done before, and a few MPG’s, but I would like to try them on skin— hard to do with enthusiastic service.
I’m going to see if I can convince him to expand his indie/niche selection… wish me luck
Oooh! I want to have perfume get-togethers! I live in Austin too! And thanks for the heads-up on Enchante- didn’t know that place even existed! There’s a cute little place in the Domain (I think it’s called Atelier?) that carries Santa Maria Novella and Tokyo Milk. Would be so fun to meet up & geek out on perfume!
Yay! We’ll have so much fun!
verrry bad Dee : )
now I HAD TO place a sample order of Roja Dove’s Unspoken. and some others. like Bottega Veneta. the ability of reading makes life so expensive….
Oh, I hope you’ll give us an update of your impressions of Unspoken! (I am an acolyte in the order of Enabler’s)
Did you run into my daughter at Anthropologie? I think that’s where most of her paycheck goes these days. She graduated last May and works at UCHI. If you ever want a table let me know. I have connections!
Hi dee! Welcome to Austin!
I go to the usual department-store suspects: Neiman’s, Saks, Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s. I’ll be glad when/if the northern Nordie’s opens so I can hit everything up near home. Also the north Anthropologie doesn’t seem to get all of the perfume lines they carry.
I am not the greatest expert on buying niche in Austin. I recently tried a locally owned store on 6th and Congress called Enchante. They have a variety of niche things including most of the Maître Parfumeur et Gantier line, some L’Artisan, Juliette has a Gun… etc. And they have men’s shaving products and home fragrance too (I didn’t look much at the home fragrance last time). I only just read about this place on Basenotes. The owner is a little odd but it’s nice to be able to try all of these in person.
Other than that, I’m kind of stumped about places to buy niche perfumes in town. I’ve toyed with the idea of opening my own store someday (I’ve worked in fragrance retail before). I’d love to hear other suggestions as I’m just beginning to explore niche.
Prada Candy is great on others, but it doesn’t work well with my chemistry. In the end it smells really bad. Such a shame…..
Bummer! But, as the wise ones always say, “money saved!”
Have you tried the Molinard Vanille? It’s a really pretty scent, for a steal, if you’re in the mood for a new vanilla. Also, Laurence Dumont Tendre Madeline is really, really yummy.
Thanks Dee! I haven’t tried them, but they are now definitely on my must try list.
Tendre Madelene is a yummy cookie scent. Excellent recommendation and so reasonably priced— you can find it at be-glowing and now at parfum1 ….one or the other always seems to be having a discount coupon so that makes it even better.
arg! sorry — Tendre Madeleine….I had to go look, I knew I was doing the bad spelling thing…
TM is still one of my most favorite “enabled” purchases! It’s the lemming that sprouted a thousand lemmings… lol
and isn’t it a relief to lemm after something that does NOT cost an arm and a leg?
Dee! Sorry to have missed the chance for a final sniffathon before you moved! Oregon will miss you.
Sounds like you’re settling in OK in TX, though!
Oh, I wore some of the amazing no. 19 edp you gave me for my brother’s recital about a month ago. I felt very sophisticated! Thanks again! I still owe you some Gris Clare. . .
I know! I was thinking about you the other day, actually, and wishing that we had been able to meet up again. As it stands, our little sniff day is one of my favorite memories (even with the pasta in my hair, LOL!)
I agree with you 110% about Unspoken! Swoon! Welcome to the Lone Star State. If you come to Houston give me a holler. Niche perfume shopping is best here at Kuhl-Linscomb which is near one of the big Whole Foods Stores (the one on Alabama at Kirby).
Thank you Calypso! My hubby and I have fallen in love with Texas, and we feel at home already
We were in Houston this past February, and enjoyed our time there— will definitely visit again! I’ll have to sniff you out and drag you along to this magical place you speak of… lol.
And yeah, Unspoken is pretty much to die for…
Welcome!!! I’m in San Antonio and have a (short) list of Texas perfumistas in SA, Austin, and Houston but we’ve never managed a Texas sniffa or swap but it would be fun. Drop me a line – julia941 at yahoo dot com.
If I go sniffing in person I usually go to Neiman Marcus or Saks, plus we have Macy’s, Dillards, Nordstrom, Anthropologie, L’Occitane, etc. I sometimes to to a small boutique that carried CB IHP and said they were looking into the ELd’O line. So far my best sniffing trips have been in Dallas – dept. stores like Neiman Marcus have a lot more perfumes in-store (and a Chanel boutique that carries the Exclusifs) and also Barney’s for F. Malle, Le Labo, TDC, Serge Lutens, etc.
Wonderful! I envision a Texas Sniff in our future!!! I’ll drop you a note now, so you have my contact info too!
Isn’t Unspoken wonderful?? It’s become one of my very favorites.
We’ve had lovely warmish weather this week, but looks like temps will drop tomorrow, down to a high of about 40F.
And I got dragooned into chaperoning a marching band competition trip tomorrow, too… at least 7 round trip hours on a bus with 38 high school kids, plus all the work that goes into getting a show on the field (uniforms, equipment, instruments, yada yada) and then packed up again to go home.
I’m thinking… Tabac Aurea. Maybe Parfum Sacre.
40! And I’m complaining because we’re going to drop to 59.
TA will smell better with all the coffee and homemade cookies!
HA. The host band boosters were woefully unprepared, and sold out of food before the competition was over. Those grilled-in-a-smoker burgers we were smelling before our band went on? GONE. Pizza, hot dogs, nachos, hot chocolate, coffee… alll GONE. We were stuck with water and protein bars. Got home at 1 am.
But my Organza Indecence was gorgeous. And we did take home a slew of awards.
Wow – that is a food tragedy. Health bars are never a good substitute for excellent baked goods and stadium food, lol. OI sounds perfect for the day though & congrats on the awards. I love band music – my HS band did a great cover of “Rockin Robin” that Ijust loved.
One of my favourite homesick songs by James McMurtry has a line that I love –
I can hear the marching band doing the best they can to play
Smoke on the Water, and Joy to the World….
My son goes to a magnet school on the campus of Robert E. Lee HS ( I think every town South of the Mason-Dixon line has one) and the marching band plays Dixie every time the team makes a touchdown. Not very PC, but they don’t make many touchdowns, either. Look away, look away….
Today I’m wearing Lola! I gave a sample to my friend, but she hated it – said it reminded her of her grandmother’s Chanel No. 5. Odd statement, isn’t it?
The next fragrance I think that I’ll buy is Delices de Cartier and Miss Dior Cherie. I wore a sample of Miss DC yesterday, and I loved it, but I’m sad that I will only ever be able to get the reformulated version. I’d love to have gotten the chance to smell the popcorn!
Love your site, by the way!!!
So glad you love it! (and yes, Lola isn’t much like Chanel No. 5!)
I just love your moniker, d&t!
And you’re right about the Lola remark. I am quite bemused by the comparison to classic No. 5!
I love the flankers of your next purchases: Délices Fruitée and Miss Dior Cherrie L’eau. Have you tried any of them?
So, the weather guys (they’re all guys on the local stations) keep saying “a cold front is coming through,” and in great anticipation I keep putting on a Fall scent – today it’s PdN’s Sacrebleu – and then those annoying weatherheads are wrong!! It’s in the 70s today. Oh well, it’s a beautiful scent anyway, and my Fall HG. But I am ready for some cooler weather!
They keep forecasting cool fronts for us too, but they never materialize.
Word. We’re still reaching 100 or above most days, but it is slightly cooler during the night/early morning. At least half the state isn’t on fire anymore. I’m dying to wear my suede jacket, boots, sweaters, and fall/winter perfumes but nothing so far. I have to settle for wearing “cold weather” perfumes like Amber Narguile to bed.
Aack – I am definitely never moving to Texas! The mid-Atlantic is bad enough!
Well, San Antonio is known for its special kind of heat. Other (northern) parts of the state have four seasons and sometimes get snow as early as October. I remember trick or treating in the snow when I was a child.
My husband grew up in Amarillo, and, as Julia says, they can get snow as early as October. Even by early September, the nights are generally cool, even if the days are still hot, so it isn’t just unrelenting heat. I lived in San Antonio for a couple years, and found it much more bearable than here. The summers were hot, but it was a relatively dry heat. I am on the coast, in the Houston area, and this summer has just been brutal. We had a record number of 100+ days.
I didn’t know you were in Houston. I agree that the heat is oppressive and unbearable. Factor in the traffic and welcome to my nightmare. Bruce Springsteen is the only person who can entice me to drive in Houston. Excellent perfume shopping though!
Wearing JM Blue Agave and Cacao. I think I must be anosmic to something in this because I spritzed heavily (at least for me – I usually only spritz 2 or 3 times, but I had to do some extra spraying just to smell anything at all) and I can’t really smell anything. I know JMs are light, but not this light! I read some reviews to make sure I wasn’t crazy and seems like some people do get a nice dusty cocoa from it. Not me. Oh well, into the swap pile it goes!
I must be anosmic to the same thing — I could smell it, but found it oddly bland.
I can smell it, and like it, but do find it very light and it disappears so quickly — same with JM Black Vetyver Cafe.
BVC is heaven on me, for about 10 minutes. Then it’s all over.
tempted to buy Serge Lutens Vitriol d’Oelliet
So am I, but I’m trying to be disciplined about it and use up my sample first.
Have you tried it? Because it’s a bit of an odd one….I really like it, but it’s not the sort of thing you should buy without sniffing….unless you are very brave…I suppose that goes for any Serge Lutens though.
Agreed. It isn’t a carnation along the lines of Bellodgia or CdG Red Carnation, or even Old Spice, which I love to wear. I get lots of compliments but nobody recognizes it as Old Spice. Vd’O is more “masculine” and sort of funereal, but that seems to be a theme with his last few releases. SL fragrances usually work on my and I’ve bough a few things unsniffed and not been disappointed, something I cannot do with a B. Duchafour composition. He hates me for some reason.
He doesn’t “hate” you….he just wants to challenge you and help you grow……
He keeps challenging and I keep falling for it thinking, “THIS will be the one I can wear!” Then it turns into curried armpit sauce and I head to the bathroom with rubbing alcohol and Tide in hand. Not that they do any good against the mighty force of Duchafour. Even Havana Vanille! And his rose fragrances!
“curried armpit sauce” now there’s an image O_o
I am in the mood for something warm, ambery (but not too ambery), vanilla-y(not outright foody vanilla), woody..Shalimar fits the bill and is yummy. Wearing my sample of SSS Champagne du Bois (thanks to dear Rappleyea) and it is definitely hitting the spot.
Any other warm, woody, deep, enveloping scent favorites?
CdB is a good choice for cool weather for sure. My fav vanilla orientals are Mauboussin, Guerlain Angelique Noire, Goutal Vanille Exquise, PdN Sacrebleu, vintage Emeraude (so much like Shalimar though!), Fifi Chachnil, Kenzo (Jungle) L’Elephant… I’m sure there are some I’m missing!
Thanks AnnS! I really need to get my hands on some vintage emeraude. (‘watching’ some on ebay..shhhh..:))
Good luck with that! I have some vintate Emeraude and I wear it a lot, esp. after a nice hot shower or right before bed. Perfect!
Un Bois Vanille or Vanille Noire du Mexique come to mind …
Thanks Jill! It has been a while since I have sniffed this SL..I don’t really seek out too many vanilla scents- but this year after finally ‘getting’ Shalimar- I am craving warm woody oriental vanillas. Thanks!
I love Vanille Noire du Mexique and ordered the sampler set of all LMdV fragrances which is a great deal. The bottles are 15ml each and the atomizers screw on so it’s easy to refill or split. My other fave is Vanille givree des Antilles.
Need to get out my sample of Antilles — I got it with a bunch of others and never gave it its due!
I was surprised by how much I like it – I’ve almost used up my 15ml bottle. Honestly, they all smell quite similar to me, especially in the topnotes. They are very fresh and clean and only start to distinguish themselves from one another after half an hour or so of wear. I just looked up the notes which include tuberose, tonka bean, lavender, opoponax, vanilla, bergamot, tangerine and rose. I was surprised by the tuberose because I can’t really detect it, and while I usually don’t do well with lavender fragrances (Jicky excepted) this one really works.
Lavanya, have you tried Alahine yet???
nope, dee! but it has been on my radar (read : lemming list) after reading your review and mals’ review..It does sound like what I might be in the mood for. Is it ambery, like TF amber absolute, or ambery like Puredistance M?
Message me your addy, and I’ll let you find out for yourself
botoblog at live dot com
xx
Emailed you..:)
Lavanya – If you like CdB, you should sample some other SSS woods/ambery scents like Winter Woods, Ambre Noire, Tabac Aurea. All beautiful in their own ways. Her Sienna Musk is a nice cuddly one for the cool weather as well as Incense Pure. Laurie Erickson has a way with woods.
I do have samples of Tabac Aurea and Incense Pure (again thanks to the sweet rappleyea). Tabac Aurea seems similar to CdB but more amber-y- will wear it tonight..Thanks Opera Fan!
I only quickly sniffed Tabac Aurea, so my description might be off…:)
They share several common notes, but to me, Tabac is a completely different animal. Try them side by side and you’ll see.
I’d agree – some notes in common but different angles. I only own two bottles of SSS now (having passed on my small bottle of Velvet Rose), and they’re CdB and TA.
I used up my sample of Winter Woods and Amber Noir quite a while ago and don’t really remember either. I need to get more and re-try. We need to confer about the last vial from dear Laurie.
OMG. It just occurred to me that we’re coming up on the third quarter spending poll, and I have NO IDEA how much I’ve spent over the last three months. (I think I’ve been pretty good… but I’ll have to go check PayPal to find out for sure.)
I was just doing that this morning, because almost all of my stuff this quarter has been decants. Guess that is better than full bottles!
Oh, you would have to mention that! I was hoping if we were all very quiet and didn’t say anything, Robin would forget about that darn damage poll.
HA and DOUBLE HA! It is either Tuesday or Thursday, sorry.
Ugh.. I think I’m going to sit this next one out!
You HAD to mention it….
Think this is the first quarter that I stopped tracking my purchases. Now off to look up all of my receipts….
Hahha, I was so sure I’d see it when I popped over just now… happy to see a lazy poll instead. I haven’t had nearly enough time to read here lately, and miss it!
I figured that was what Robin was hinting about with the “almost October” title of this Lazy Poll!
Oh… guess I missed that part, LoL!
was blocking that out….. egad, I don’t even want to think about it!
LOL…not really, but I did plan the damage poll for Tuesday or Thursday — it’s already on my calendar
coincidentally, I happen to be VERY busy on both Tuesday AND Thursday.
Wearing Ricci Ricci today, but what I’m *really* loving are my new Slatkin & Co. candles from Bath & Body Works — Marshmallow Fireside and Cinnamon Sugared Donut. Amazing. The Marshmallow Fireside in particular reminds me of a perfume I’m just not able to pinpoint and it’s driving me nuts!
That Marshmallow Fireside sounds amazing! I have sniffed the Fireside before and liked it, so will have to check that one out.
It is wonderful, and VERY potent. Stays in the room forever after I blow out the candle. They are doing great stuff with their candle line this fall — gave my friend the S’mores one and she also says it’s amazing.
The only perfume I have tried that made me think of marshmallows was PdN Sacrebleu.
Interesting, I have a sample of that and will have to get it out — thanks!
Killian’s tuberrose (I think its just called Love) smells like a marshmallow
Oh, interesting! Will have to try that one.
I thing you’re right that Love is supposed to smell like meringue or marshmallow. The beautiful tuberose Kilian, however, is Beyond Love (which I can only remember because I have the travel set – I had to look up Love to be sure).
My favourite marshmallow scent is Farmacia SS Annuziata Vaniglia Del Madagascar. To my nose it is a lemony marshmallow with something like smoky tea lurking underneath. In my notes I called it a slight lemon tea with a little smokiness, a little amber, and only a hint of flowers.
I haven’t really fallen for any vanillas (unless you count Tocade and Shalimar), but this one sounds interesting!
This sounds amazing! Will have to look for it.
I’m curious about Ricci Ricci. I’ll have to try it. Its bottle is so nice and someone told me its juice either.
I like it. I think it’s a nice scent for the fall weather — I find it a bit heavy for warmer temps. It reminds me somewhat of EL Pleasures Delight — a similar vibe. And the bottle is so adorable.
Thanks!!!
Today I’m wearing Chanel Coco edt. I’m testing TF Violet Blonde (Thanks Daisy!), which I am very relieved to say isn’t a cumin disaster on me and I like it very much. Unfortunately the TF Santal Blush is a cumin disaster on my so I am bummed about that. I am dying to test the new Bottega Veneta and I wish it would stop raining.
Anyone want 5 mls of Santal Blush or 8-10 mls of Elie Saab? Just email me at anneroosie at hotmail dot com and we’ll work it out – swaps preferred!
…. Hey, I’m just realizing through an whole other frag venue that the reason I’m liking TF Violet Blonde so much is that it’s reminding me of a more tame DelRae Amoureuse. Anyone else getting that?
…but… but… but why would you want a tamer Amoureuse??
(kidding. I have scent-eating skin, and Amoureuse settles in on me. Doesn’t radiate past about four feet, when I put on two spritzes.)
Exactly – I don’t know that I do want another Amoureuse, even though I’m impressed with VB. I love that chewy dry down in Amoureuse, and I’ve got more than enough of that to last forever. I don’t have scent eating skin, but I always manage to pull off those big fragrances. I am able to control myself and apply sparingly. I think Amoureuse is a dabber.
If I’m going somewhere, it’s a half-spritz & smear.
Ann – I’ll write you about the TF…
OH -Yeah! I hate to let a good fragrance languish in my drawer. Darned cumin!
Good to know. I’ve been wanting to try Santal Rouge but cumin is a sweaty armpit curry sauce on me and this definitely helps kill my lemming. I have a gift card to NM and I’m no longer thinking of buying it unsniffed. I know I should never do that, but I do. I’m weak.
Oh Julia- cumin is nearly ALWAYS a dealbreaker for me. For some strange reason it works for me in LL Rose 31, but most others it totally fails. I’d rather have civet overdose than cumin panties anyday. In any case, I try very hard to not buy unsniffed and this year I nearly failed a few times. Thankfully I can usually think of something else that I do know how it smells to help divert my lust.
I’m generally not happy on my blindbuyings. That’s why I always search very much before doing it. Nevertheless I do so many mistakes! Luck on your next purchases!!!
Thanks. It isn’t a huge gift card and I’ll probably either do a blind buy of Prada Candy or an informed buy of Tea for Two. I know that reading listed notes, ad copy, and reviews are no substitute for sampling first, but everything I’ve read about Candy makes me think I will love it.
Of course, blind buys are not my only perfume mistakes – I’ve bought plenty of things that I sampled first and was then disappointed with my own bottle. The reverse is also true. I had a 5ml sample of SDV and I couldn’t stand it for the longest time then I tried it from a tester at the counter and I loved it. I tested the two side by side and something was definitely off with my sample.
Today (as usual as of late) I’m wearing Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly. I got this as a gift in Holiday 2009 and I’m finally got to it and am trying to use it up. It’s okay, but it’s not great. I do like the vanilla though.
I just purchased Hilary Duff With Love on Amazon for a good price. I really like this one and it’s a good deal.
Does anyone have any good comfort scents to recommend? I’ve been reaching for those lately as I have recently moved away from home to the middle of the desert. It’s very hot here, but I’ve been told it’ll get colder later. So, a warm weather friendly comfort scent?
If you need more information, please do ask. Thank you.
The first thing that came to mind for a warm weather comfort scent was Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess.
Seconding Bronze Goddess! Also, AG Ambre Fetiche wears amazingly well in the heat (I wore it a lot this summer in 90+ degrees), if you like amber
I need to try the Ambre Fetiche again and I can’t find my sample! But I have fallen head over heels for Myrrhe Ardente. I love that spicy myrrh with just a touch of vanilla underneath. Perfect for this time of year too.
Guess I should have sent you my AF instead of the Incense last time. I probably still have an extra around here. Yummy amber at the bottom but the top was too smoky for me.
Do you know what has been growing on me that you sent? The Mecca Balsam! The first time I tried it a year or so ago, I wasn’t crazy about it, but each time I wear it now, I like it more and more.
Would you like to try some of the A.G. Myrrhe?
We’ll talk offline!
a:)
I had one of the VS scents and felt the same way. I remember a time when VS had a handful of scents and they weren’t that bad at all. Now they have a ton of fragrances that all smell like fruit salad or cake. I just have no interest in smelling like either.
Since you like vanilla I recommend giving the La Maison de la Vanille fragrances a try. The Vanille Noire du Mexique has been my bedtime scent all summer and I find it light and fresh enough to wear out in the heat. I mentioned the sampler somewhere on here. It’s a good deal with five 15ml. samples for $50 and the full bottles are $40/50ml and $60/100ml at luckyscent and beautyhabit. I think you can find them for less from some online retailers.
Could anyone help me out? I’m having an Annick Goutal dither. Love Songes but only after the first four hours. Shall I buy it? Or try a different one (I don’t have any yet because of the dithering problem). I also like Ninfeo Mio and the new one in the amazing burgundy bottle.
Or, is there something else snuggly I would like that is similar to Songes?
My inclination is to say don’t buy it. The simple fact that you are so uncertain about it, and are asking the readers here to tell you what you should do, tells me that you are not really sold on it. It is best not to ever buy a FB of something unless you truly love it. If you want to test it out further, get a 5 ml or 10 ml decant. The only exception might be if you came across a really cheap bottle at a thrift store or discounter or such. If you can get a bottle for the same price as a decant, then fine. Otherwise, keep looking. There are bound to be other things you would love a lot sooner in their development. Four hours is a long time to wait, and what you are loving is probably the base notes. You might want to try other perfumes with similar base notes but different top notes.
Cellobelle: I am a Goutal nut. I have bunches of the Goutals in all kinds of ways – FBs, decants, minis, etc. I love Songes. I have the 15 ml edt that is easy to find on the internet. Try beautyencounter which has most of the Goutals in those smaller 8 or 15 ml bottle sizes. That being said, I also have a 5 ml decant of Songes edp. Both of those bottles will last me until the end of time b/c Songs is so rich. I don’t think you really have to pick between any of the Goutals you love so much as it’s easy to get decants or minis online and then you can have them all!
IMHO a cuddly, skankless type of oriental woody jasmine tuberose in the same ball-park as Songes (but not as exquisite) is the new Esprit d’Oscar. It’s a nice humid powdery oriental tuberose with a soft vanilla-ish base that is very wearer friendly – no jasmine indoles, etc. Sometimes Songes is just too much.
I’m going to second Ann’s recommendation: Esprit d’Oscar it’s a really pretty scent –and you can find it for a song on evilbay.
Ha! –a purchase I get to blame on Ann. ( you naughty enabler, you!)
That’s a great compliment coming from you!
I enjoy Songes very much but agree with the idea of a decant first, plus other sampling. I’d recommend that you try the wonderfully tropical Manoumalia (which I adore, but it’s worth noting that some find it too much or don’t like the vetiver base notes). I also like J’Adore L’Absolu. And, if you like rose at all, you should try BK Liaisons Dangereuses, composed by Calice Becker, who composed the original J’Adore – it’s a perfect fall scent.
I hope you’ll let us know what you end up trying and buying!
Today it is in the 70s in greater Philly-area and I am trying Yosh Ginger Ciao today. It is really nice, but I notice it is similar to Bronze Goddess. I saw someone else recommended it here in a poll or a Monday Mail for someone, and it is that warm, summery, beachy scent in the later stages, but I think it is very Fall-appropriate initially.
I am wanting Elie Saab as my next FB and hoping I will get it next month for my b-day!
I’ve been meaning to order a sample of that. I love ginger scents.
I am traveling to Lisbon Portugal in early November and am looking for local perfume shops or things that people would recommend. I would love advice on any Portugal made perfumes or bath items and also food markets or items to bring back. Fragrance and food, the perfect souvenirs! Thank you.
One clue: there are good “drugstores” perfumes there that are sold in classy boutiques in Spain…
I am wearing Tauer Orange Star today, layered with a bit of Eau de Baux from L’occitane. Orange Star has nuclear power and has almost obliterated the other fragrance:)
In a bit of a quandry – my 10th wedding anniversary is in two weeks and we don’t normally exchange gifts, just go out to dinner. Part of me wants to find something nice to surprise my Hubby and part of me wants to get myself something nice instead because even if he thought of commemorating the occasion (Ha!) it usually means a stop at our local Kroger’s floral dept. And he’s being a butt head lately.
(Sorry about the butthead.)
Orange Star nearly killlllllled me. Seems like the Tauers either really work, or really don’t. OS doesn’t… for me, anyway.
No Orange Star for me either – it smelled like Smarties and Comet. But I do love that Maroc Pour Elle!! Anyway, Ruth: To solve this problem, I think you should use the old adage “two for me, one for you”. Get yourself something special to celebrate you and then get him something to celebrate that you got something great for yourself.
There’s no sense in waiting until year No. 11 and wishing you’d used that great No. 10 as a good excuse to get something special you’ll likely end up buying for yourself eventually anyway. Huh? Go for it!
I like your style!
A box set of one of his favorite artist = two bottles of perfume! Thanks for the great suggestion.
It seems like you’ve found a very elegant solution. Let us know what you get! The best presents my husband ever bought for me are the ones he doesn’t even know about.
My dogs have given me some of the most thoughtful gifts ever. So has my hubby and he has no idea about them half the time. I find if you want something really badly sometimes you just have to buy it yourself. I can drop all sorts of hints and my husband just does not figure them out so now I just buy for myself.
My dog and cat have excellent taste in perfume and they often treat me with presents for special occasions such as Mother’s day, Valentine’s day, my birthday, Chanukah, etc. Sometimes they like to surprise me with gifts for no other reason than I’m awesome.
Isn’t it amazing how we all have such considerate and loving pets?
When I am shopping/snooping around online, my cats will often give me a look that can only be interpreted as “buy it mom, you deserve it!”
My SOTD is Frederic Malle Noir Epices. I took a day off work last week and went on a bus trip to New York for the St. Genaro festival. However, I spent the better part of the afternoon sniffing perfume at Barney’s and finally met the SA I’ve been dealing with over the phone for several years. I ended up buying three new perfumes: Le Labo Santal 33, Serge Lutens Vitriol d-eillet and Diptyque 35 Blvd. St. Germain and treating myself to lunch at Fred’s (the restaurant in Barney’s). I haven’t done anything like that for years and it was most enjoyable! Of course, the experience made me want other new perfumes as well…if only my bank account could cooperate!
Congratulations on your new bottles, and finally meeting your SA! That must have been a lot of fun, to meet someone who already knows so much about your taste
Yes it was fun to finally meet her. I’m so glad she was working the day I was there!
I love Santal 33. Those “fermented” oranges…
I love Santal 33 also. It is addictive and I’ve gotten a lot of compliments every day I’ve worn it.
…smell (Oops, no listed oranges)….
I noticed that they are doing a new thing with perfume notes on fragrantica. They show the listed notes and then next to that they have a list of notes that people actually detect in a fragrance. Some of them vary widely and I say if you smell fermented oranges then that is one of the notes.
Now I’m off to find my sample and try it again to see if I can detect a fermented orange scent.
Yeah, I know what you’re telling about. I did’nt know we could “add” notes to it. I tthought it was the notes we can smell better on the listed notes. Good idea they had!!!
Aw, I’m here so late! I’m looking for fragrance suggestions! A friend’s birthday is coming soon and I’d like to get her something, but I don’t have much money. She used to wear Vol de Nuit in her 20′s. She also wore L’Instant. Now she uses Aqua di Gio, she has the travel kit for Kenzo (I think her favorite is the most floral one), and I also saw a bottle of Eau d’Orlane. Would you have suggestions? I’m thinking about another Guerlain, but I wouldn’t know which one; I’d also appreciate cheaper options… :/ Thanks!
What about an Ormonde Jayne Discovery Kit? Or a Tauer Discovery kit? Then she can explore on her own, and you won’t be out a huge sum of money! Besides, it might be a fun process of discovery together
Thanks! Discovery kits are a good idea!!
Laurie at Sonoma Scent Studios also has a nice discovery set at a reasonable price, and I can’t recommend her fragrances highly enough!
Seconding the OJ Discovery kit, the packaging is really fun, and shipping is free worldwide. It is tricky to buy perfume for someone else unless you know that person’s taste really well, or if you already know of a specific perfume he or she wants.
You don’t say where you live, but if you are in the U.S., consider a sample set from Sonoma Scent Studio. (If you are outside the U.S., maybe not–SSS does ship internationally, but not to every country, and I know it can be a headache anyway, and most of her stuff is only available online, not at department stores or boutiques.) Anyway, if you are in the US, SSS has some of the best and fastest customer service I have ever experienced. You could get a box of 10 or 12 carded sample vials or 5 larger spray vials for $35 to $40. It will be packaged really nicely, too, so it will make a nice looking gift.
AND… (chirping up in support of SSS), if she does find a perfume to love from a sample set, there isn’t a single SSS perfume retailing over $100, and they’re extrait!
…Indeed, and if you happen to be in the U.S., you will be supporting a home-grown artisan perfumer.
Thanks! You’re right, all of you, I guess I just would have liked to give her a FB right away, and didn’t really think about the reality of it.
I live in Canada, so it can indeed be tricky to order from the States; sometimes it’s ok for vials, but they refuse to ship full bottles (or charge an extraordinary amount). I’ll look into OJ, especially if shipping is free!
Oops! Sorry, 50 Roses, I didn’t read far enough to see this. Great minds though….
I think Laurie ships to CAN…
Not sure about fragrance suggestions- but you should check out websites like beautyencounter and fragrancenet. beautyencounter seems to have reasonable prices on Guerlain edts (unless your friend wore the vintage versions). Parfums de Nicolai is another line I would highly recommend. beautyhabit stocks it and there is currently a 20% off there. luckyscent also stocks it and has cheaper prices on some of the PdNs (so comparable with the beautyhabit prices after discount).
Phew! hope that helps.
Thank you! Actually PdN is available at a store here, so maybe if I don’t get a discovery kit, we could make it a day of sniffing fragrances… Hmm… Also, I know that Fragrancenet ships easily (and for cheap) to Canada, so I must keep it in mind! Thanks!
A sniffing day with a friend with a fragrance choice would be like a double gift to me!
Maybe 212 or Carolina Herrera (Carolina Herrera), Miss Dior Cherrie L’Eau, Lâncome Ô, Mugler Cologne…
Thank you!
The indian summer is coming to an end here in my part of Scotland. Wearing Reglisse Noir by 1000 Flowers as the temperature falls and it is DIVINE. Bought the smaller bottle unsniffed on a whim as my partner and I love old fashioned liquorice, it is warm and spicy yet light, and the liquorice is well blended and elegant, not like wearing Allsorts at all. SWOON will be wearing this in autumn winter along with my usual suspects.
That sounds wonderful. I love licorice scents so I’ll have to track that one down.
Scotland seems like a beautiful place too. Someday I’d love to take a trip but that won’t be in the budget for a while. A long while.
YUM!! I love Reglisse Noire and am now greatly anticipating the arrival of her new scent : Fleur No 1.
Poodle — Reglisse Noire is available for purchase and/or sampling at Indiescents dot com. (no affiliation….just a happy, and frequent, customer).
Thanks for making my search easy!
lol -if I’m not spending my money, I’m helping someone else spend theirs!
Notionally Spring here in Sydney but we’re having a cold snap.. I’ve gone back to BdI, no 19 edp and theorema!
Thinking my next purchase will be Beige in 75 ml or Sa majeste Rose… Have been *almost* about to buy both for the better part of a year though
I love Beige and Sa Majeste!! Excited for you, but also wonder about the hesitation – maybe there is something else out there?
For those who expressed interest several weeks ago . . . I just got an e-mail from Sephora about a HK Noir makeup pallette; I checked the website and there are several HK Noir items available, including the frag. So, all you HK fans, Get Your Noir On!
SOTD is L’Eau d’Hiver. Had to add a squirt of Aromatics Elixir as self – defense from the scent of the intern in the next cubicle. Whatever it was made my eyes water. I emailed his supervisor to ask that she tell him to tone it down…
Anyway, I have a friend who is looking for a good amber. We live in Chicago so we can sniff at NM, Nordstrom, Barney’s, etc. Suggestions? She has olive skin and dark hair…
Ambre Narguile is my favourite amber.
Chanel Coromandel is great too. It starts off with a blast of dry, refined patch but I find the drydown to be mostly amber. Ambre Sultan is another one. MPG Ambre Precieux is a straight up big amber. Armani prive Ambre Soie is a slightly dryer take. Tom Ford Private Blend Ambre Absolute, Parfum d’Empire Ambre Russe, Laura Mercier Ambre something or other ….wow, there are a lot of ambers out there!
Original Prada if you are after something more mainstream. Jo Malone Dark Amber & Ginger Lily is not hugely ambery but worth sniffing just because it smells great.
Thanks, Abyss, I have a sample of Amber Narguile that I’ll pass along. (got it from the wonderful Keisha at Hermes in TO.)
Nice list. I highly recommend all of them. Amber Narguille is my favourite, too.
Teo Cabanel’s Alahine is very lovely amber that is readily available online and I think it is in some department stores in large cities.
ALAHIIIIIIIIIIINE!!
Love that stuff.
The reviews of Alahine are interesting to me. Many people seem to start out dismissing it with a tired “another amber?” kind of attitude and set it aside. Then they test it again and think it’s not so bad, then a couple more times as they begin to warm up to it, then it starts haunting their dreams and it becomes the best amber evah. I think it is deceptively simple. It is just a basic amber fragrance, no bells and whistles or pretentious gimmicks trying to make it more than what it is, but it is distinguished from the pack by using quality materials that are exceptionally well put together.
I also have “Julia” which was mainly purchased for the name and the excellent discount I found. It is very lovely but maybe a little young for me. I think it would be the perfect Sweet 16 gift or first “fancy” perfume for a young woman from her aunt, god-mother, etc. I haven’t tried Oha, Meloe, or Early Roses yet and would like to know what people who have think of them.
Julia–I have Oha and it is one of my very favorites, and one of my go-to perfumes for when I am not sure what to wear. I find that I can wear it year-round and it never seems like a wrong choice. I was looking for a really good rose perfume; I find that soliflores often tend to turn too sour on my skin, or seem to thin or too simple, but a lot of the other “rose” scents I had seen recommended had too much other stuff and not enough rose. For example, OJ Ta’if is supposed to be a spicy rose, but I mostly get the spice, with very little rose, and I hardly get any rose out of Parfum Sacre. Oha strikes just the right balance with its earthy, woody rose. It is unquestionably rose-centered, but with enough other stuff in there to keep it interesting.
Thanks for the info! I will definitely get my hands on Oha now.
The new Jo Malone Amber and Patchouli is really nice, and to me, the amber is the stronger of the two elements, so the patchouli should not put anyone off if they are scared of it. It’s just a sort of delicious dark-scented yummy fragrance.
This sounds lovely, Calypso , thanks for the suggestion
Hah! Good weapon!!! There are lots of interns that think that they will detach themselves by make-ups, perfumes, pieces of clothing or high heel. I know a gang of that. There are also the ones that want to detach by saying, saying and saying to show how they know! At least perfumes are silent!That are lots of girls that plasters their faces with make up. They go work like a clown! It’s so fun!!! It may be a good for shapping take away all that at night!
Like Kelly Red, I have a trip planned soon (end of October for me!) and a similarly travel-themed question, though mine is slightly more broad:
What duty-free fragrances are you curious about, or have sniffed yourself and would recommend others try when they get the chance? I’m unlikely to buy anything just now (my funds are budgeted with higher priority toward the food and shelter parts of my trip), but I’ll have a few hours to kill in Sea-Tac and about half as long in Seoul-Incheon airport, and I imagine I’ll end up using much of that time spritzing and dabbing and generally making a niusance of myself at the DF shops.
There are so few ‘duty-free-only’ scents anymore that I don’t know what to recommend, sorry! Hope you’ll come back and tell us what you found.
What is it that makes the classic Chanels smell so… rich people-ish? You know, that whiff of being a notch above so many other fragrances in terms of quality, I guess it is.
Is it the iris? I’m in the process of sampling some of the Exclusifs and enjoying some vintage No. 5 extrait.
Oh, that brings up another question – how can I reliably date my bottle and box? I’ve seen the drawings of the bottles and caps over the years and mine doesn’t quite match any of them but it’s No. 5 for sure (tested it against some modern extrait).
Kriziani, I believe LT notes that a big dose of iris is the surest way to say luxury. With Chanel, I also think it’s the perfect balance and refinement of the entire composition and the highest quality of ingredients.
Can’t help you on the bottle, although I’d suggest searching for Chanel ads on ebay, as these are usually dated.
Oh, great idea, nozknoz!
Thanks to your idea I did some sleuthing and it’s looking like I got a 1940′s bottle.
I knew that you could generally date the bottle from the thickness of the stopper, but that didn’t really help me dial it in. Then I saw a vintage ad from 1949 and bingo. A little further searching turned up the little tidbit that if there is a tiny dot under the “o” in No 5, that dated it to the 40′s.
I’m feeling rather smug right now LOL! Actually I’m just really lucky – and it does smell divine! And the best part is that I did a side-by-side with some current extrait today to find that it’s richer and fuller, like what Tanya Sanchez had to say about doing the same thing in the Guide. The old musks really are very plush and make a huge difference from top to dry down.
But, as she also says, I’m in awe of a group of people who can keep that perfume to spec for so many years. Not to mention keeping it to such strict quality standards. That’s dedication and love, I think, in the face of so much cynical product out there. Wearable art indeed.
That’s quite a coup, Krizani – congratulations!
OOh – vintage No 5 parfum. I love vintage No 5! Last year I was very into nabbing those partially used bottles on ebay (I now have about 6 of varous styles and periods), and I was doing lots of research on the bottles too. I loved using the magazine adertisement pages that are also for sale on ebay to do a lot of research on the really old ones.
I do have 2 bottles that don’t fit into any of the standard bottles Chanel released. There is a lot of info about the Chanel bottles that can be gleaned from different resources online. But I always wished there was a difinitive source. Anyway, this one bottle puzzled me a lot, and I was very fortunate that I could talk to the owner of the Perfume House in Portland Oregon to get his opinion about this old bottle. It is his opinion that if you have a bottle that is old but anomalous, it is very likely one produced during WWII. Apparently there were issues with bottle production around the world during the war. Chanel produced No 5 and would export it in large vats to be bottled in the country it was sent to. Sometimes those countries, especially during the war (and this includes the US and Asia) had troubles sourcing bottles, stoppers and packaging, so from time to time there were irregularities. So, for instance, the bottle I have is a standard style in the shoulders, but the stopper is remarkably different from the standard Chanel stopper (once that was establihsed). And in another case, I have a parfum box that is unusually made of plastic and covered in paper & cardboard, rather than the normal heavy paper/cardboard box (I’d not necessarily believe this one was from the war, b/c of the styrofoam in it, but it is perplexing). So anyway, I am going to make a gross gernalization in your case: if your bottle doesn’t match any of the styles you normally can identifiy from the research, then it is likely from around the war.
There is also a very early style bottle that is more tall/rectanglular with a small stopper. If you have anything like that, or one that has a completely ground glass stopper, you have a very old bottle indeed. I hope this helps and good luck!
If you haven’t seen this guide, you should!
http://reviews.ebay.com/Dating-Vintage-Chanel-Perfumes_W0QQugidZ10000000002810781
Thank you for the very detailed info – this search turned out to be really interesting.
The bottle I have does indeed have a ground glass stopper – not the whole thing, but the part that goes into the neck of the bottle. I had to remove what looked like wax, not plastic, from around the stopper/neck, cut the cord and then follow some precise instructions, given on Sorcery of Scent blog, to get it open safely. There was no loss to evaporation, yay.
I really do think this was produced around the time of WW2. There was a LOT of this perfume distributed to the military bases here in order to keep sales up. I think you could by a bottle for about $5. Which, at the time and under those circumstances, was still quite the luxury.
It just amazes me to have a perfectly good perfume, superior in fact, that is older than I am! Perfume is so fun!
How extraordinary! Sounds like you got yourself quite a find and makes me want to start stalking ebay and antiques stores for some old No5.
Krizani: how wonderful your bottle sounds! I also have two bottles from the war, and two from before, and all of them were partially used and stored very well. Only one of them is beyond wearing. The others smell just amazing even though the top notes are a little off. The middle and dry down are totally worth the wait. All these bottles of No 5 bought during the war are amazing – fine fragrance with serious history attached. How many other fragrances are like that?
What are you, some kind of librarian or something?
Hope the project is settling in nicely by now.
Who, me? A librarian? ROFL!
No, just a perfume nut that got sucked into the world of vintage Chanel No 5. Turns out it’s a pretty big place to play in, which I had no idea of when I bought the silly bottle.
But I do indeed have a scholarly bent and this was right up my alley. More fun that lots of other research projects since I get to smell it whenever I want! It’s kind of magical, really – I mean, you can’t wear paintings or sculpture, this stuff sort of co-opts you into being a participant with history and art.
And it’s your own art; even though it’s recognizably Chanel No 5 your own individual physical presence, chemistry or whatever, makes it yours too, and unique. Gotta love it.
Have you read The Secret of Chanel No. 5, The Intimate History of the World’s Most Famous Perfume by Tilar J. Mazzeo yet? It was published in 2010 by Harper. Informative, but It lacks pictures except for a black and white of Marilyn Monroe holding a screw top bottle in her hands and looking sexy on the title page
Boojum – 1. most of the time and 2. NO
Sat morning here and I cant decide what perfume to wear-its husbands birthday and he wants to go in to the city and to the market but its cold and showery. Tossing up between Fracas and Bandit-may wear both- and watch the crowds part- if the mix becomes too skanky!
I think “Happy” by Clinique applied sparingly will put a lift in your spirits and part those clouds. Let us know what you went with. Cheers.
I went with the Bandit, possibly over sprayed- which was ok until the sun came out and made it very intense-its spring and we are still having four seasons in one day weather! May wear Fracas tomorrow!
Hah! Happy Men is pure ascorbic acid!!! To protect and to uplift…
Well, I was referring to Happy Women. And I find it uplifting for sure.
I know that. Happy Men is even more uplifting. Have you ever tried it?
LOL at both! Hope it was a fun day.
Hello everyone, I’m new, I’m in love with scent, and I have a question for you.
I recently smelled the most delicious woody/cedar/balsam scent (I later found out it was labdanum) on a friend at work. I almost swooned. He was wearing F by Ferragamo Black Pour Homme. I don’t know if I swooned cuz its been awhile since I had male companionship,
, or if the scent was really courting me… in which case, I’m in love.
I looked up the notes on the stuff, and became intrigued w/ labdanum, which I’d never heard of before, and then through more research and googling (I TOLD you its been a while since I had male companionship!) I found that the combination of all of my favorite scents were those commonly used it male or unisex perfume.
here they are: rock rose (labdanum) and Patchouli; incense (nag champa); spices like coriander, pepper , cumin, and nutmeg; jasmine and gardenia; vanilla and Tonka bean; and cedar, balsam; pipe smoke, and tobacco leaf.
I have ordered samples of more high-end unisex perfumes with these combos, but wanted to see what people out there think about this “neighborhood” of scents and combos. I don’t want to smell like a man… however this scents make me crazy happy so I am looking for a feminine version… grounded yet uplifting… patchouli fits that bill 100% on its own… but I don’t want to make a “patchouli statement”…
anyways, happy Friday, hope you all have an interesting weekend planned for yourselves. Cheers!
Welcome!
Just wanted to say wear what makes you crazy happy, and don’t worry so much about department it comes out of!!
Meant also to add that though they are very expensive, you’ll probably love the Amouage line.
Since I discovered the decanted websites where I can get the spendy stuff in smaller amounts, I’m okay with that. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hello and welcome!
My first thought is my latest swoon–Ormonde Woman. It has a wonderful spicy balsam note to it, and it is much more unisex than the name implies.
Thank you! I’m writing that one down for later reference!
Welcome! I’ve only been here about 6 months myself and I’ve found that the people who are interested enough in perfume to read NST and other perfume blogs aren’t intimidated by the “gender designation” of fragrance; likewise, people who aren’t interested don’t know the difference. Wear what you love!
I’ll second Marjorie Rose’s take on OJ Woman; to my nose, several of the frags in that line have a similar drydown and may be to your taste.
You may also enjoy Caron Yatagan (technically “for men”) with lots of wood and spices and quite inexpensive, too!
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
Its not that I am worried about smelling like a man, I just was curious what was out there with some of those scent mixtures that has been geared to the feminine.
Welcome! If you like labdanum, many of Sonoma Scent Studio’s fragrances have prominent presence of that note. L’Occitane has/had a fragrance by that name and is quite yummy.
I believe also that Perfumeshrine (you can find the link in the blog list) and possibly Bois de Jasmin discussed the material extensively and made many references to perfumes having labdanum in them, so that would also be a great place to check.
I’m seconding the SSS suggestion – and – they are reasonably priced!
Thank you… I see your personal avatar and it made me think of a new place I’ve tried out… have you been to that new LatherandLace website? They seem to be geared towards the western and horse and cowgirl/cowboy crowd, but I’ve used many of the products and they are very nice. I like things with natural EOs and that site uses them a lot. There is one scent, “White Birch” I think, that smells like rootbeer. (In a soap it makes for an interesting shower!). Also, for the incense/patchouli crowd, they make a strong patchouli herbal scent called “Tack Room”… sometimes it has a pine overtone to it, but it is delicious in the “Belly up to the Bar” soap. I have the lotion (“Whipped into a Lather”) and a little goes a long way. The site has body sprays too. Just passing it along in case that type of thing appeals to you! cheers!
Thank you… I see your personal avatar and it made me think of a new place I’ve tried out… have you been to that new LatherandLace website? They seem to be geared towards the western and horse and cowgirl/cowboy crowd, but I’ve used many of the products and they are very nice. I like things with natural EOs and that site uses them a lot. There is one scent, “White Birch” I think, that smells like rootbeer. (In a soap it makes for an interesting shower!). Also, for the incense/patchouli crowd, they make a strong patchouli herbal scent called “Tack Room”… sometimes it has a pine overtone to it, but it is delicious in the “Belly up to the Bar” soap. I have the lotion (“Whipped into a Lather”) and a little goes a long way. The site has body sprays too. Just passing it along in case that type of thing appeals to you! cheers!
No, I’ve never heard of it (I’m in the Thoroughbred racing industry), but it sounds very interesting – I’ll definitely check them out! Thanks!
I don’t know why that posted twice, sorry.
The L’O Labdanum de Seville is one of my favourites. I didn’t find it on the but last time I searched for the honey lemon scent I couldn’t find that either and thought it was d/c but it isn’t. Maybe it’s only be in boutiques. It is part of their Voyage collection and it is a great unisex/comfort scent of labdanum and a touch of citrus but it’s not really a citrus perfume.
Le Labo Labdanum 18 is also nice and totally different from the L’O. It is a wonderful comfort fragrance, powdery and gently with just a little bit of something animalic. Also unisex and highly recommended.
I think the Donna Karan line that Neiman Marcus carries also has a labdanum fragrance.
I saw mixed reviews on the Le Labo Labdanum 18… I think the “powdery” part was the sticking point for some.
Thanks for the references… I now have a nice long list of potential scents to try.
take care!
It is definitely powdery and if that’s something you don’t like at all then I don’t suggest it. No powder in the L’O though.
Hi! I’ve seen the reference to L’Occitane in another perfume review somewhere… will have to try it. I appreciate the suggestions and look forward to spending more time on this forum!
Oh, yes – I agree. Wear what you want, doesn’t matter if somebody’s put a “masculine” label on it and you’re not “masculine.”
And I am a big fan of SSS. Tabac Aurea makes my eyes roll back in my head. Yum.
Gosh I love labdanum, so I can doubly see why it made you swoon! Donna Karan used to? still does? make an “essence” fragrance called Labdanum, that is very rich and woody. My fav scents with labdanum are the following: Sonoma Scent Studio Rose Musc, SSS Tabac Aurea, Ormonde Jayne Ta’if, Amouage Memoir, TAuer L’Air du Desert Marocain. Labdanum is just a wonderful sensuous base – good luck!
ahh, well, its always good to get personal references from someone who also loves the labdanum… I’m jotting down your references so I can check them out! thanks so much, hope you are having a relaxing weekend!
You will likely find that Donna Karan Labdanum to be the most masculine, if you test it at all.
Hi and welcome! After you’ve done some testing, you might want to think about the Monday Mail:
http://www.nstperfume.com/the-monday-mail/
Welcome! If you are still reading this I highly suggest trying Chanel Coromandel. It is the best patchouli in the world. Drop me a line at julia941 at yahoo dot com if you would like a sample.
Welcome! If you are still reading this, I recommend Chanel Coromandel. It is the perfect patchouli. Drop me a line at julia941 at yahoo dot com and I can send you a sample.
Calling All Australians
I am fortunate enough to be going to AUSTRALIA in early November and would love to hear perfume recommendations from Aussies on the list. Any unique perfumes to look out for and/or good places to shop for them in Sydney? Thanks!
Im an Aussie but live in a small city, no where near Sydney, so cant help you, but I hope you have a great time while you are here!
Wish I could help, bit I don;t know Sydney well either. I know of a few niche Australian perfumers to look out for:
Perfume by Nature http://www.perfumebynature.com.au/
and
http://www.budparfums.com.au/
I have tried Perfume by Nature yet, but have bought some sample sets from Bud Parfums. I was impressed especially by Sophia. A lovely, rich, Emeraude-style fragrance. Fleur de Lilac suggests an old fashioned powdery floral, like an old Guerlain that I can conjure in imagination. Pomegranate Noir is not my thing, sweet-sour, nice smell but not, for me, as a perfume on skin. Ugly Bastard seemed to me like an easy-wearing version of Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Marocain. I remember liking Kalgoorlie too.
But Sophia was a big stand-out for me. It has a slightly harsh opening, but softens quickly, and it then reminds me of nothing so much as a delicious, soft-centred chocolate. I could not say what flavour, it’s just the idea of soft-centred chocolate. But it also has something sharp and green in there, from top to bottom, which I also love and which balances the gooeyness brilliantly. Lasting power is good too. Dear me, I really am going to have to get myself a FB, I think!
Adding: Perfume-Smellin things has reviewed both these lines recently.
Why have I never heard of these -especially budparfums! I will be ordering a few samples this week-oh dear!
Sorry! Yep, it’s a good deal if you live in Australia – for once! To be completely honest, I’d say that there is something a bit unfinished about some of the perfumes, and perhaps there is too much product on the market at once. And the website is very ordinary. But Bud Parfums is SO worth a try! Really interesting. Good luck!
Such a great deal-5 free samples and just pay for postage! Im quite interested in the new perfume-pur blonde, and sweetheart, fleur de lilac and jessica sound worth a try.
Thanks so much for these suggestions, I have bookmarked both websites and will investigate more soon!
Calypso, I’m not in Australia, but The Guide gave four stars to Marrakesh and Mystra, two perfumes from Aesop, “the upmarket Aussie botanical cosmetics firm.” I know Aesop can be found elsewhere now, but presumably it’s easier to find in Australia.
Yep, in Sydney it will be no trouble. There are stand-alone stores, and Aersop is often carried in some up-market department stores. I have Mystra and it is terrific. I wish they’d bring out more perfumes. There still only have the two.
Oh, good, thanks for this tip!
I went to Saks today. They are having their Beauty Week promotion and I was interested in getting something new. I tried quite a few things and wound up buying Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Toit. I had not sampled it before and tried it the other day and kept sniffing and sniffing it. It’s still really hot in Houston and it was very refreshing in our muggy weather. Anyway I got a lot of nice samples from the Hermes rep, including Terre, Voyage, and Eau Claire (?) the flanker for Eau des Merveilles, plus many other great samples including the new Cartier, Elie Saab, and Fan de Fendi (they threw in a small jar of the Elie Saab cream which has a great texture, though I am not wild about the fragrance itself), and numerous other small samples of creams, cleansers, and hair products. I think their gift bag items were really nicer than Neiman’s a few weeks ago! I looked for the special Bond that is the Saks For Her plus rose, but they didn’t have it, though it was featured in their flyers and their web advertising as part of this beauty promotion. I like that Bond quite a lot and it’s one of the few (maybe half a dozen) that I’ve bought, and the addition of rose to it sounded very intriguing. Oh and they also had the nice big long box of all the By Kilians. I was really tempted because it looks so cute and I like the idea of a collection like that, but I have the ones I most want and it’s also not cheap (it’s $190).
Good to know about Saks, thanks! Sounds like you got some great stuff.
It’s been cooling off here over the last month. A cold front came through today and temps will really dip over the weekend. I broke out the Tabac Aurea and a favorite orange sweater in honor of fall. Also very much looking forward to wearing – at long last – the Armani Prive Bois d’Encens that I FINALLY managed to hunt down last spring.
What I most want to sample is the new Via del Profumo Sherif. I’m nuts about his Mecca Balsam, and the reviews of Sherif are compelling.
Yay for the sweater and the TA!
I’m seriously about to break down and order Traversee du Bosphore. Used up a 2.5 mL decant in about 3 days.
I love TdB – and it’s so perfect for fall!
TdB is a gorgeous scent that I think can be worn year round. It is one of the few L’APs I have in a full bottle and one of my favorite gourmands. It is just lovely and I say go for it!
now would be a good time to break down and buy it–the Beauty Habit sale lasts until (someone help me out here) Sunday night?
yep just checked –midnight Sunday. code: FF11 for 20% off but there are a few brand exclusions….for example TDC won’t play.
I’ve been wearing TdB so much lately! I vote yes!
Does anyone know Cartier’s Must Pour Homme? A description?
Someone? Omeone? Meone? Eone? One??? I’m not lucky with my unhappy questions…
Hi, don’t know the scent, but on basenotes and on fragrantica is a description and there are a few reviews. Maybe that will help you.
Thanks, but there the reviews are a little tendentious…
How lovely to wake up, check in, and get those responses to my Goutal-dither post! Thankyou so much Nozknoz, 50_roses and AnnS for your suggestions. Exactly what I needed to look in other places, and yes, I do love rose. Enough to name my aromatherapy business after it! And decants are the way forward. My dream would be to have every single AG as a series of little bottles.
On that note, I don’t think they do this any more, but my Omi in Germany used to get given all sorts of miniature bottles (I remember a Lancome one) from the girls in the department stores. She used to save them up for my summer visits and they were my best treasures. They must have been 6ml or so. Absolutely adorable. I can dream..
Now I will go a make a list of all those perfumes and start trying some of them! Thanks again
You are welcome & good luck. Goutal is a truly wonderful line to explore.
Here’s to better health for all!
Also a new poster on this blog, been lurking in the background for weeks reading everything I can…Parfum D’orsay Le Nomade is what I’m wearing, arrived earlier this week. It’s just so good! I love that it makes a little journey of its own.
Welcome! It is so nice to get to experience fragrances – it’s one of the things that makes it so much fun – how they change and develop over time.
Welcome! And I’m glad you “de-lurked”.
just a couple of perfume musings: this weekend’s FT “how to spend it” has 3 pages on JC Ellena, Molton Brown has just (?) issued a line of 5 scents called “navigations through scent”, a first sniff showed that some might have promise – note to myself: have to try them. Armani’s “la femme blue” is a wonderful iris-apricot jam thing, but is somewhat proihibitive in price.. I’d like to try it against Iriss. And last but not least I just love one of my newest buys and SOTD “reglisse noire” (1000 flowers)..people: please try it!
I can completely understand your enthusiasm for Reglise Noir. I have a sample that I return to on occasion. I like it, but it is not quite love. I love the black licorice which seems so true, but I think I want a little more depth. Do you get other notes when it’s sprayed more liberally?
when I dab Reglisse Noire I get mostly licorice. Sprayed I get a lot more of the woody notes. Then, just for funnsies: I layer it with LL Santal 33 —-swoooon!
So I know this comment is very late to the party, but as this is the only place where folks will understand. . .
I have mentioned before that I am in the process of saving for my first home. Actually, I will meet my downpayment goal this month, two months ahead of time. However, I find myself not really jumping onto the home-ownership bandwagon. I know that my expenses will be higher and my budget will be tighter–especially the first two years as I finish paying off my school loans.
So what does this have to do with NST/perfumistahood? Well, I hate to admit it to muggles, but I don’t want to be in the position that I can’t afford my monthly new bottle of whatever lovely scent strikes my fancy! Am I crazy to want to hold off a little while longer, buy a few more bottles on my wish list, and maybe save a little more money, too? What would do if it were you?
Hi Margorie: for what my opinion is going to be worth here… first, congrats on making it to your savings goal, which is no small feat indeed. Second, a few years ago we were looking into getting a house (we passed b/c of location issues), but our bank person said something like – if you are going to be so tight that you can’t get X once in a while (and I think she said go out to eat at a nice restaurant), then you are likely financed too tight. And third, unless there is a house on the market right now that you absolutely HAVE to make an offer on, there is no reason you can’t wait. If you have the luxury of waiting until the right house comes along, then you have the luxury of splurging. And, I guess fourth, once you make that offer, don’t underestimate how long it might take to close on your loan (4-7 months) and how you might have to really tighten up at that time to cover closing & moving costs. I say take your time and don’t underestimate. Good luck!
Thanks, AnnS for the input! Sounds very reasonable. I really am pretty money-conservative, but I know that I will have to be less spontaneous in my purchases that first year or two of home ownership–really no matter how good a deal the house is. I mostly don’t feel pressure to buy soon, but there’s always that little voice that says “this is a great time to buy a house. . .” Mostly I’m spraying it away with my latest fragrance purchases and happy that I can continue to save for a while longer!
If it enables…. er, *helps*, there are many days when I wish I’d never bothered to buy. There are plenty of arguments in either direction, but I do think it depends on your particular situation.
I know that many people have regrets. I feel rather confident that it is the right choice for me. I’ve been working on it for nearly 2 years now, and I’ve plenty of opportunities to change my mind. My hesitance is really just knowing that my budget will be less flexible for a while–and I enjoy that flexibility!
Don’t stretch yourself that thin. You need to own the house not have the house own you.
No, I definitely don’t want my home to become a burden. But I think there is place between burden and total financial freedom (ie. living with my mom or something), and it is tough to figure out where that line is. . .To those OUTSIDE this community, some might think that a monthly perfume budget is a rather luxurious notion. . .and I recognize that the extra $100 or so a month can equal more house or house repairs or a better neighborhood or whatever. I dunno. I guess I know it’s all priorities, but it is hard to prioritize!
I like owning a home and I like perfume and I have many pets to tend to. Thankfully the area I’m not interested in spending too much is clothes and shoes. I’m a fan of clearance racks and not too concerned with the latest color or style. The latest scents, yes. Strange I know, but we all have our weaknesses. I cut corners in cothing and accessories and have more to spend on perfume and dog and bird toys. We have an idea of what we may want to do to the house each year and plan accordingly. It works for us.
Yes. I’m happy to wear niche perfume with a clearance sale dress! Oooh, and these pearls I got on sale at Penney’s–seriously, they were originally priced at $150, and I spent only $20! Love a good deal!
SOTW (week) is Cuir de Russie in extrait. I can’t get enough of this! Simply beautiful.
Nothing on my radar to buy, however, every time I say that something turns up that I can’t pass up!
Latest sample tried is Dior’s Patchouli Imperiale – a very sweet patch that reminds me of Coromandel and Nobile Patchouli. I’ve about decided that I like my patch more herbal though.
How does it compare to the edt? Markedly different, or no?
No, not markedly different, just a bit richer, sweeter and with more base – sort of like the edt with Guerlainade! (I know that won’t create any lemmings in you!) I wore the edt this summer with no problem while the base of the extrait makes it perfect for the cooler weather.
Ha! No, even w/o the Guerlinade, the word “sweeter” is rarely welcome to me. Unless we’re talking food, of course.
I wore this a couple of days back and I concur- it is lovely!!! I like it much better than the edt (so thank you for introducing me to it)
I agree with Rapple – the EDT is great for summer! That said I think that both formulations work quite easily more or less year round. Well, they certainly do in UK climate.
I find the EDT more floral and, to me, there’s something almost slightly soapy about. It’s definitely cleaner by comparison. The extrait is heavier on the birch tar. I like ‘em both.
…but heavier on the birch tar might be. So we’re back to square one.
Fortunately it’s a quiet, well-mannered little lemming. I’m pretty happy w/the edt.
Abyss – I totally agree with both of your descriptions.
Boo – you know that I amp “sweet” and can’t take scents that are too sweet and/or musky, so the extrait isn’t *that* sweet. It just has a bit more of a sweet, resinous base than the edt. Does that make sense?
I think CdR in extrait is my HG! I’m headed to Paris later this month for a few days, and that is my main Paris perfume wish. I have a tiny sample, and adore it.
I keep dithering, because I have tried the EdT and it’s lovely, too. I think the extrait weirdly has smaller sillage, and hangs closer to the body than the EdT, which seems more diffusive. I actucally like the idea of things that hang very close, and have low sillage. Is that your experience as well? Which do you think projects more? Thanks for your input. Be well.
I definitely agree that the edt has more sillage – in a good way though – with the emphasis on the top and middle notes, which naturally project more than base notes would. I love them both!
Oh and meant to add, that surprisingly the edt is longer lasting on me that the extrait! That may partially be the difference in synthetics and naturals.
I haven’t picked out a SOTD yet, but I can still smell the Le Labo Labdanum 18 I put on before bed last night.
I’m still on a quest for a very rubbery scent – something that smells like a tire store – and I’m not having a lot of success. I bought a bottle of Bvlgari Black and I like it quite a bit. I get some rubber in the top notes but they burn off rather quickly. I like the drydown very much but I wish the rubber part lasted longer.
CB IHP has three rubber scents in the Accords line but they are only available in the gallery and I cannot go to Brooklyn any time soon. I’m thinking of calling and begging them to let me buy them anyway. I’ve called before when I had a problem a bottle and they were super friendly and helpful so here’s hoping. Otherwise I might be begging somebody in NY to get them for me in the next open thread.
Have you tried Le Labo Patchouli 24? I get no patch from it, so even if you hate patch I think you could wear it. But to my nose, it is very “rubbery”. I’ll be happy to send you a sample if you’d like.
Thanks, Rapple. I do have a couple of samples of LL Patch that Luckyscent included in my samples when I asked for “rubbery” but I’ve only tested it once. I need to get it out again and see if it is more rubbery. I’m starting to feel like this is some weird pica-type thing – I have a closet full of beautiful perfumes and all I want is tires. Maybe something is missing in my diet?
What about PG Psychotrope? I get old tire from that one.
I haven’t, but I like several PGs so I will order a sample next time. Thanks!
Demeter also makes a rubber. although doubt it’s as good as CBIHP’s. I get a bit of rubber from Dzing, but no more so than from Bvlgari Black.
Thanks, Robin. I think I will call and throw myself on the mercy of the people at the CBIHP gallery and see what they can do. I haven’t seen the Demeter rubber fragrance. I have a few Demeter fragrances from way back when Christopher Brosius was there (the original Dirt) and they have held up surprisingly well.
Have to share my joy. Went to my godmother’s today and she gave me that big bottle of Shalimar that I’ve loved since I was little. Not sure of the age and haven’t opened it yet because I’m savoring the moment. It looks like the juice is still okay. The color doesn’t appear off. It’s a 500ml bottle of eau de cologne. It’s the old classic round bottle and it has a glass stopper in it. It’s a little less than half full. I’ve always loved that bottle because I thought it was awesome that anyone would have a bottle that big. She was my fashion and fragrance idol as a kid so I’m pretty happy to have it.
Oh, Poodle–you will treasure that bottle the whole of your life. How wonderful for you!
That’s just wonderful for you on so many levels. I’m happy for you!
what an incredibly special gift!! wow–you will treasure that bottle forever! Now go get yourself a purse sized atomizer and a pipette, make yourself some to wear and get the bottle into a safe place…does it have a box?
No. No box unfortunately.
I have some 200ml bottles and always think myself: “These will last for my next generations.” For you I can say: ” Your Shalimar bottle will last for the eternity!!!”. At least, a good choice for the eternity, right??!!
Awesome!! I’m so jealous!! Shalimar holds up extraordinarily well over time. There is an eBay tutorial on dating vintage perfumes that focuses on Shalimar, I guess because there is so much of it out there, and it compares it to fine wine that develops in the bottle and gets better over time. I have several vintage bottles of extrait, EdP and EdT and they are still great. Like Daisy said, keep it out of the light and it will last forever.
O Lâncome… good one…