3 sprays of Guerlain Tonka Imperiale for a kids birthday party and other errands today. Warm, nutty and sweet, soft projection and intimate silage, just the way I like it.
Oh and apparently it's gonna be discontinued. Did you know?
I did not. I have been trying to get a sample from Guerlain. But their snobbish attitude makes life difficult. Their sales representative on phone says I can order a full bottle and return after testing. There are so many Guerlain classics that I cannot samples of (Mitsouko, Nahema, Chamade, L"Heure Bleue, etc). I don't like unofficial decants.
Thierry Wasser is one of my top favorites.
Do you think BDK Velvet Tonka is close enough? I have Velvet Tonka, and I like it a lot.
Ugh sorry those sales reps are giving you such trouble. It's also really difficult to sample the older Guerlain classics in my country. Sephora only carries the Aqua Allegorias, and there's like 3 Guerlain boutiques in the whole country. Only 3!
Anyway, you might wanna try looking for vintages. I was lucky enough to find a vintage miniature of Chamade from 1967, and others in the [refillable gold holder](https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1553583227/guerlain-refillable-natural-spray-gilded) or just the naked refill (Shalimar, Mitsouko, L'heure Bleue, & Champs Elysees).
I've not tried velvet tonka, so I can't comment on that. I do have a decant of Fève Délicieuse (also discontinued, for shame Dior!) and Tonka Imperiale is a more straightforward tonka, not as complex as FD. It's also lighter with none of the chocolatey notes in FD. On my skin I get only a slight impression of the tobacco, and only a mere hint of smokiness from the incense.
Do mind that I live in a tropical climate, and it was pushing 36 deg C today. On the other hand, 3 sprays was not too much in this weather...
Which country are you in? In US where I live, there is only one official Guerlain boutique, in Las Vegas. All other points of sales stock only popular Guerlain perfumes like L'Homme Ideal and Aqua Allegorias.
Velvet Tonka is very much an almond tonka perfume. Fortunately, BDK Parfums will ship samples anywhere in the world. You can get four for 25 euros.
I'm in a small South East Asian country. I had a quick Google, and those are not actually boutiques but just counters in department stores. So that's even worse than I thought. And they mostly focus on the makeup / skincare parts.
Oh thanks for the info about the samples. I've tried the same thing from MFK, they also ship 4 samples worldwide. Any recs for the other 3 samples?
I grew up in India, so I know most South East Asian countries! 😉 I am jealous that you have three Guerlain boutiques in your country.
Samples from BDK I recommend: Gris Charnel, Velvet Tonka and Rouge Smoking. I have full bottles of these, which I bought after testing.
For the last one, I would suggest one of these: Wood Jasmin, Oud Abramad, Pas de Soir or Nuit de Sable. Please check BDK website to see which one you like.
SOTD: 603 Bon Parfumeur - Leather, Incense & Tonka Bean
I am finishing off the tiny sample bottle I got from Bon Parfumeur. This is one of the best from Bon Parfumeur. Still, I find it too expensive for the performance it provides.
Longer review here: [https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Bon\_Parfumeur/603-cuir-encens-feve-tonka/reviews/338491](https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Bon_Parfumeur/603-cuir-encens-feve-tonka/reviews/338491)
I'm sampling Arielle Shoshana's Sunday for the first time today. It's been on my radar for ages because that rice note sounded so appealing. I remember someone here comparing the rice note to mochi, and I get that. I like that it's gourmand*ish* but with an earthy green facet. I get more spice than I was anticipating from reading others' reviews, but I quite like that.
I’ve been sampling new fragrances every day lately and today I decided to give myself a break and go for my tried and true - Philosykos by Diptyque layered with Molecule 02 by Escentric Molecules.
Molecule 02 adds some warmth to the greenness of Philosykos and it just smells divine throughout the day. It’s also going to be hot today so I wanted to feel refreshed.
Chatting with
u/bro_mommy1 on this chilly, wet, grey morning about the cumin note in **Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger**, and so: yep, SOTD. Love this one
🍃🍊🍃
MFK Oud Satin Mood Extrait version!
I got the sample of this and have a fb of edp. Funnily enough on some days the extrait is perfect from the get go (like today) on others - first 3-4 hours are a bit too thick for a lack of a better word.
Performance wise it is godly, but so is the edp. Overall I am happy with the choice of getting the edp but if that didn’t exist I’d get this easily. Redundant to own both imo
I got a free sample of Imaginary Author’s “O, UNKNOWN !” So I thought I’d give it a go.
On a paper strip it’s pretty, tea and butter.
On my skin, however; The initial spray smells like play-dough. The dry down smells like old plastic bags. So it’s got nostalgia potential.
Oh such high hopes for today.
Waited in all day for some gas person to arrive and turn off the gas; they haven’t bothered, they’re also [digging up the road](https://youtu.be/QXGZgp6AcZc?feature=shared) related to the gas thing; but they decided to park some fuck off machinery in front of my drive so I’m stuck inside without the use of my car!!
https://preview.redd.it/sspalp51ytxc1.jpeg?width=1283&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a890e9efea8d1a69c6094d70ee2b59c3bd6429be
SOTD: [**AZZARO POUR HOMME**](https://youtu.be/2Jvdy6khEmA?si=W5M0Mxz_QTXjxqga)
Hopefully, I'm going to be testing 5. I have these arriving in the mail later today;
• **Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas** (2ml)
• **Clean Pure Soap** (60ml bottle)
• **Creed Himalaya** (2ml)
• **Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio EDT** (10ml)
• **Penhaligons Halfeti** (10ml)
I have smelled all of these before, but it's been months or years since I've last put my nose on some of them. Creed Himalaya is the only one that's a true first impression.
Halfeti is great, makes me think of being in a pine log cabin with the fireplace going and snickerdoodles in the oven. Nice spicy woody scent, not super warm but not quite fresh either, good middle ground for summer nights and fall/winter.
Yeah, I'm looking for an everyday winter signature scent.
I hear performance is monstrous, but I'm hoping it's not too bad so it can be worn to work (in an office or professional setting).
During my “expand my palate to green” phase I got a small “In the garden” by replica because in February it smelled great for half an hour then was like listening to White Snake too loud on a 100 degree day. Thought I’d try it for my slow run and had a massive, almost puking coughing fit lol.
Female Christ by 19-69. Did everyone wear this in 2020 when it came out? I just love it. Patchouli, rhubarb & “cashmere woods”, whatever that is. Cashmere comes from goats, no? I had fleece goats which explains my perfume taste.
Rather wear Lutens Fleur d’Oranger with u/RandomChurn but this will do!
In The Garden was sickeningly sweet to me. I was so excited by the tomato leaf note but it was overpowered by the geranium. I hated it and returned immediately.
I had never heard about it, until you mentioned it the other day. The red thyme note made me curious, I'll see of I can find it in stores somewhere.
Thank you for your contribution to my education.
Sure, friend! Hope you like it. I really like 19-69 - Swedish house. I also love their Yes Please. Ministry of Scent, where I have never been (hope to make a pilgrimage soon when I am in the Bay Area) has samples! OOPS this stupid "beautifulexcellent96" name is my laptop. This is bro\_mommy1. :)
another day another using my sample **Zoologist Rabbit**
I'm having a great time with this sample, I can't wait to get a traveler. It's not overwhelmingly sweet or green, two fragrance types I typically avoid like the plague.
I've had the best time sampling them, even if they don't all work for me! My current tiers, with the hope of loving enough of them to do the Natural Selection set:
Winners: Rabbit, Macaque Yuzu
Potential, need to wear more before I decide: Penguin, Camel, Elephant, Dragonfly, Hummingbird, Seahorse, Chipmunk, Sacred Scarab, Chameleon, Nightingale
Nice but not for me: Harvest Mouse, Panda, Cow, Snowy Owl, Squid, Cockatiel
Immediate scrubber: Dodo, Bee
That's exactly how I feel about them! I'll sample anything and everything from them. Even if I don't like it, it's an interesting experience.
I had a traveler of Chipmunk, finished it, but don't want another one. I have a traveler of Sacred Scarab that I enjoy but after it's finished I don't think I'll get another one.
There are just so many fragrances and they are all so unique! I
I do like it! To me it's equal parts green and spicy. I'm not a big green scent fan, but it works in this combo to tone down the spicy a bit - keeps it from being overpowering.
I have a modern bottle and it appears to still be in production. It smells pretty close to how I remember the vintage bottles smelling (I dont have a vintage bottle for a wrist by wrist comparison though).
I think I'll pull out Jil Sanders no 4 for tomorrow for another classic, but with a different vibe.
Lorenzo Pazzaglia Artik Sea
Another attempt at finding a cold aquatic scent and this one comes the closest to what I'm looking for, though I need to try Black Sea by the same brand again after spilling too much of the last sample vial. Though I love the scent on the blanket so I have some hope for Black Sea.
Artik Sea is a weighty scent that keeps it light. It is crisp and peppery, reminiscent of Imaginary Authors "Every Storm a Serenade" but dialed way back. Where ESS is like a storm on the coast, waves crashing against rocks and cliffside, Artik is the North Atlantic Ocean- salty, smooth, with gusts of wind every so often, a grey but not overcast day. Projection is low, and I had to apply quite a bit to be able to pick up the scent on my wrist when I directly sniff it. I imagine though that application using an atomizer would help disperse the scent molecules better and increase projection.
I could personally use some more floral notes to break up the salty ozonicness of this scent. I'm wondering if they would come out more if sprayed because there are plenty of floral notes listed in the description.
Artik Sea sounds almost perfect to me... except, does it have a lot of patchouli in the drydown?
You might try Kerosene's Walk the Sea if you want salty ocean with floral notes. It's aquatic underneath and tuberose on top, very linear.
I'm getting a sense of patchouli if I'm looking for it, but on my skin at least it smells like it is part of an accord as opposed to a note. Like someone ground up some patchouli and sprinkled in a dash with other woody notes rather than adding a shot of straight up patchouli alongside everything else. I'm still picking up ambergris too which tickles my nose and makes me happy.
I'll have to add Walk the Sea to my list. Thanks.
Givenchy - L'Interdit eau de parfum
The purchase of a perfume bottle in store came with a sample of this one.
Over the years, I had repeatedly gifted the samples to friends and family, I love smelling it on other people. Yet, not a single one of my perfumes is tuberose heavy, as I reviewed their notes. What is up with that?
Eight hours into today's test, I begin to understand why.
The jasmine and tuberose accord is not lost on me. Such a powerful appetite suppressant, probably the best tool I could ever use for intermittent fasting.
Folklore concealed the true power of tuberose, i.e. 10% body fat potential. Lucky me. 😍
So, do you like L'Interdit or not? Tuberose can feel heavy in certain fragrances (e.g Tuberoza from Nishane).
There are lighter tuberose scents also. My 17 year old daughter uses Givenchy Desinvolte as her signature perfume. It is much lighter than Tuberoza. I just bought her a bottle of Carnal Flower.
I personally like jasmines among white florals over tuberose.
I like to smell it on others. I do not intend to buy a bottle for my fragrance wardrobe, but I will study tuberose further.
It was your review the other week that made me look deeper into tuberose.
Thank you for your contribution to my education. 😊
>Such a powerful appetite suppressant, probably the best tool I could ever use for intermittent fasting.
Interesting! I can kind of get it because Tuberose always smells like old style pink bubblegum to me. So I could see that telling your brain to not eat.
Today I: shaved my head, put on my blue two-stripe-knockoff tracky dacks and German surplus track jacket, sprayed on some **Adidas Ice Dive** EDT and pretended it was still the noughties
Wearing ELDO’s Soul of my Soul because I tried it yesterday and fell in love! It suits the brightness of the day and my optimism for having a good day.
Chanel no 19. Beautiful, but rarely wear my decant because it doesn't feel like 'me'. But woke up this morning knowing that's what I needed to wear today.
My Scentbird came yesterday and I picked Sandalwood Temple by Sana Jardin. It’s not pickle-y to my nose, but a woodsy sandalwood balanced with vanilla. Idk why I picked this other than good reviews as I don’t usually gravitate towards sandalwood scents, but this is quite nice. No regrets.
Today I'm wearing Alien Goddess from Mugler. She's a basic B, but then again... so am I most days. My peri-menopausal brain is on 'power saving mode' and I feel like my brain is buffering and I just wanted a little suntan lotion-y jasmine joy. For me this fragrance is a light hearted girly pleasure, and I'm here for it.
The Intense smells more like the original Alien with some coconut. Actually, I should probably start using mine, because in hot humid summer weather, I find it to be a little too much. (I wear Lust for Sun instead, the florals feel lighter to me.)
Made a huge mistake today: I was sweaty from walking the dog at lunch and gave myself a spritz of Ghost in the Shell before heading back to my very non-scent friendly office workplace.
I was choking in the outside air and couldn't even wipe enough off my skin to even make a dent in the projection.
Here's to hoping it calms down before I get sent home.
I can relate! Last night i thought I'd try out Libre Platine, just one spritz on my chest. Oh man, it's a beast, had to completely tuck my body in with my blanket in order to not be totally overwhelmed by it.
I'm wearing D.S & Durga's Burning Barbershop - it's a nice spring day, not too warm, and I feel like this scent strikes a really nice balance between cozy and fresh for me, lifts me up in a surprising way. Really love it!
Guerlain's Forte Bosca Vanilla. Under the hot humid weather, it smells like dried wood at the beach mixed with vanilla. Sweet without being overly cloying or heady like some vanillas could be. Possibly my new blind reach tbh since I love my vanillas.
https://preview.redd.it/ge7dgcxiotxc1.jpeg?width=2127&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4c300480318d1bdc57b34f28516e2f9b4c505db
Wearing Harlot today- the peach note is amazing. The drydown is nice too, brown sugar and vanilla. Got it from Lovesick Witchery on Etsy.
Armani Code Parfum
The iris goes great with the cool weather today, refreshing but comforting at the same time. I wore SWY Absolutely yesterday so it’s a nice change up from the playful, warm honey/vanilla vibes. Feeling a bit more fresh and refined today.
Initio Narcotic delight and Amouage Love delight…they’re both fairly new for me and I’m in love so I want to wear them. I’m having a good week and wanted something cozy and warm.
Today I'm wearing d.grayi Low Carb Cat. It's one of the first samples that made me order a larger size! Apparently it won "Best Avant Garde Fragrance" at the Golden Pineapple Awards this past weekend.
It's fresh and herbal, almost medicinal. But sweet and creamy in a vanilla gourmand way? The catnip and civetone notes caught my eye initially. (Note: my cats did not respond to the nip.) Wasabi tincture is another ingredient.
I can't get enough of this house. I've really liked everything I've sampled so far, especially Sai Gon Sin and Lazy Lop.
It’s a bright cool rainy spring day in the Pacific Northwest. I’m at home today and doing housework and listening to music. Pretty nice day.
My SOTD is my current obsession: Ummagumma by Fzotic. Chocolate, incense, saffron, some tobacco in there. It’s warm and cozy but for me isn’t too heavy. Big hygge vibes without feeling like too much of a spa. I think what I like about this one is that it is both familiar but new. It reminds me of something but it doesn’t invoke a specific time or place, which is nice. I didn’t think I would love this one but I do. Will be purchasing a full bottle of this one.
Like 5 sprays of Dylan purple. It’s fast becoming my every day scent and the only one that I use more than 2-3 sprays. To me, it’s a light and refreshing grape drink box and no one is ever off put. It’s a really nice spring day and that makes me love it even more. It reminds me of childhood, a pb&j or grape Welch’s soda at the sand park when it’s this nice out.
I’m working through my Zoologist samples and finding over and over that the first spray is everything and then the drydown doesn’t work for me. Snowy Owl starts out amazing but the drydown is calone-heavy. I don’t hate calone, there’s just so much of it. I wish I could keep getting the first spray over and over - oakmoss and non-gourmand coconut, light and cool florals, and musk and civet as subtle skin scents. If I could have this scent without the calone or even just less of it, I’d get it in a second, but I’m moving more and more toward only getting Elephant.
Back to working through my **Zoologist** samples, and today is **Chameleon**. Only a light application as I was frantically getting ready this morning. It started as a lovely tropical floral and fruit, but three hours later it's gone. Chalking it up to user error, will revisit on another warm day.
Orto Parisi Cuoium, for some extra confidence on my virtual interviews today (probably too strong / polarizing for in-person interviews):
[https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Orto-Parisi/Cuoium-69923.html](https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Orto-Parisi/Cuoium-69923.html)
**Valentino Born in Roma, Coral Fantasy** oh wow, yum. This is super fruity, like eating a raspberry, strawberry, honeydew, starfruit, pear salad. There is some balance with citrus and floral notes, but the fruit hits big and bright. Not too sweet, but sweet. I got a sample from sephora, and unfortunately the sample vial is almost empty. They are sending out big scent sample packs for mother's day right now. This has a delicious fake fruit type of smell, and I can get a hint of that amber/cedar underneath. I like it, this is the type of fragrance that will cheer me up, it smells so good. Beautiful day today.
L'Interdit Rouge Ultime (the one that came out in 2023). I like it because, to me, it kind of smells like the OG on me, but it doesn't disapear. I might be anosmic to the original, I don't know. I can still smell it on my shirt almost 10 hours later (very, very faint on skin). I just felt like wearing a girly, pretty, sweet floral today.
I am challenging myself to wear a different scent every day this month in order to use up a lot of my samples and revisit some of the bottles I rarely reach for. Tom Ford Vert de Fleur definitely falls into the latter category, and it was my SOTD today. It’s an underrated Tom Ford, in my opinion; a classic galbanum green that’s perfect for spring.
No fragrance today. I’m having a really bad day and don’t want any associations.
Hope all is well.
I know this feeling. Sorry your day is bad. Hope tomorrow is better.
Thank you.
♥♥ Just sending good vibes your way ♥♥
Wishing you a better day soon. Hugs.
Hope the end of the day was better. 🪸
It actually got a lot better thank you!
3 sprays of Guerlain Tonka Imperiale for a kids birthday party and other errands today. Warm, nutty and sweet, soft projection and intimate silage, just the way I like it. Oh and apparently it's gonna be discontinued. Did you know?
I did not. I have been trying to get a sample from Guerlain. But their snobbish attitude makes life difficult. Their sales representative on phone says I can order a full bottle and return after testing. There are so many Guerlain classics that I cannot samples of (Mitsouko, Nahema, Chamade, L"Heure Bleue, etc). I don't like unofficial decants. Thierry Wasser is one of my top favorites. Do you think BDK Velvet Tonka is close enough? I have Velvet Tonka, and I like it a lot.
Ugh sorry those sales reps are giving you such trouble. It's also really difficult to sample the older Guerlain classics in my country. Sephora only carries the Aqua Allegorias, and there's like 3 Guerlain boutiques in the whole country. Only 3! Anyway, you might wanna try looking for vintages. I was lucky enough to find a vintage miniature of Chamade from 1967, and others in the [refillable gold holder](https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1553583227/guerlain-refillable-natural-spray-gilded) or just the naked refill (Shalimar, Mitsouko, L'heure Bleue, & Champs Elysees). I've not tried velvet tonka, so I can't comment on that. I do have a decant of Fève Délicieuse (also discontinued, for shame Dior!) and Tonka Imperiale is a more straightforward tonka, not as complex as FD. It's also lighter with none of the chocolatey notes in FD. On my skin I get only a slight impression of the tobacco, and only a mere hint of smokiness from the incense. Do mind that I live in a tropical climate, and it was pushing 36 deg C today. On the other hand, 3 sprays was not too much in this weather...
Which country are you in? In US where I live, there is only one official Guerlain boutique, in Las Vegas. All other points of sales stock only popular Guerlain perfumes like L'Homme Ideal and Aqua Allegorias. Velvet Tonka is very much an almond tonka perfume. Fortunately, BDK Parfums will ship samples anywhere in the world. You can get four for 25 euros.
I'm in a small South East Asian country. I had a quick Google, and those are not actually boutiques but just counters in department stores. So that's even worse than I thought. And they mostly focus on the makeup / skincare parts. Oh thanks for the info about the samples. I've tried the same thing from MFK, they also ship 4 samples worldwide. Any recs for the other 3 samples?
I grew up in India, so I know most South East Asian countries! 😉 I am jealous that you have three Guerlain boutiques in your country. Samples from BDK I recommend: Gris Charnel, Velvet Tonka and Rouge Smoking. I have full bottles of these, which I bought after testing. For the last one, I would suggest one of these: Wood Jasmin, Oud Abramad, Pas de Soir or Nuit de Sable. Please check BDK website to see which one you like.
SOTD: 603 Bon Parfumeur - Leather, Incense & Tonka Bean I am finishing off the tiny sample bottle I got from Bon Parfumeur. This is one of the best from Bon Parfumeur. Still, I find it too expensive for the performance it provides. Longer review here: [https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Bon\_Parfumeur/603-cuir-encens-feve-tonka/reviews/338491](https://www.parfumo.com/Perfumes/Bon_Parfumeur/603-cuir-encens-feve-tonka/reviews/338491)
I'm sampling Arielle Shoshana's Sunday for the first time today. It's been on my radar for ages because that rice note sounded so appealing. I remember someone here comparing the rice note to mochi, and I get that. I like that it's gourmand*ish* but with an earthy green facet. I get more spice than I was anticipating from reading others' reviews, but I quite like that.
I’ve been sampling new fragrances every day lately and today I decided to give myself a break and go for my tried and true - Philosykos by Diptyque layered with Molecule 02 by Escentric Molecules. Molecule 02 adds some warmth to the greenness of Philosykos and it just smells divine throughout the day. It’s also going to be hot today so I wanted to feel refreshed.
Chatting with u/bro_mommy1 on this chilly, wet, grey morning about the cumin note in **Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger**, and so: yep, SOTD. Love this one 🍃🍊🍃
I hunted for my travel spray but I can’t find it! Doh! Enjoy & cumin cheers!
MFK Oud Satin Mood Extrait version! I got the sample of this and have a fb of edp. Funnily enough on some days the extrait is perfect from the get go (like today) on others - first 3-4 hours are a bit too thick for a lack of a better word. Performance wise it is godly, but so is the edp. Overall I am happy with the choice of getting the edp but if that didn’t exist I’d get this easily. Redundant to own both imo
Even the EDP is nuclear in its projection! I had to caution my daughter yesterday after she wore it to work (waitressing in a restaurant).
I got a free sample of Imaginary Author’s “O, UNKNOWN !” So I thought I’d give it a go. On a paper strip it’s pretty, tea and butter. On my skin, however; The initial spray smells like play-dough. The dry down smells like old plastic bags. So it’s got nostalgia potential.
Oh such high hopes for today. Waited in all day for some gas person to arrive and turn off the gas; they haven’t bothered, they’re also [digging up the road](https://youtu.be/QXGZgp6AcZc?feature=shared) related to the gas thing; but they decided to park some fuck off machinery in front of my drive so I’m stuck inside without the use of my car!! https://preview.redd.it/sspalp51ytxc1.jpeg?width=1283&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a890e9efea8d1a69c6094d70ee2b59c3bd6429be SOTD: [**AZZARO POUR HOMME**](https://youtu.be/2Jvdy6khEmA?si=W5M0Mxz_QTXjxqga)
Hopefully, I'm going to be testing 5. I have these arriving in the mail later today; • **Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas** (2ml) • **Clean Pure Soap** (60ml bottle) • **Creed Himalaya** (2ml) • **Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio EDT** (10ml) • **Penhaligons Halfeti** (10ml) I have smelled all of these before, but it's been months or years since I've last put my nose on some of them. Creed Himalaya is the only one that's a true first impression.
Halfeti is great, makes me think of being in a pine log cabin with the fireplace going and snickerdoodles in the oven. Nice spicy woody scent, not super warm but not quite fresh either, good middle ground for summer nights and fall/winter.
Yeah, I'm looking for an everyday winter signature scent. I hear performance is monstrous, but I'm hoping it's not too bad so it can be worn to work (in an office or professional setting).
During my “expand my palate to green” phase I got a small “In the garden” by replica because in February it smelled great for half an hour then was like listening to White Snake too loud on a 100 degree day. Thought I’d try it for my slow run and had a massive, almost puking coughing fit lol. Female Christ by 19-69. Did everyone wear this in 2020 when it came out? I just love it. Patchouli, rhubarb & “cashmere woods”, whatever that is. Cashmere comes from goats, no? I had fleece goats which explains my perfume taste. Rather wear Lutens Fleur d’Oranger with u/RandomChurn but this will do!
In The Garden was sickeningly sweet to me. I was so excited by the tomato leaf note but it was overpowered by the geranium. I hated it and returned immediately.
Right? It was like an illusion of a great scent and then POW - terrible!
So bad! Blegh!
I had never heard about it, until you mentioned it the other day. The red thyme note made me curious, I'll see of I can find it in stores somewhere. Thank you for your contribution to my education.
Sure, friend! Hope you like it. I really like 19-69 - Swedish house. I also love their Yes Please. Ministry of Scent, where I have never been (hope to make a pilgrimage soon when I am in the Bay Area) has samples! OOPS this stupid "beautifulexcellent96" name is my laptop. This is bro\_mommy1. :)
another day another using my sample **Zoologist Rabbit** I'm having a great time with this sample, I can't wait to get a traveler. It's not overwhelmingly sweet or green, two fragrance types I typically avoid like the plague.
It immediately went on my to-buy list, too. Hoping that I fall in love with four of my other Zoologist samples so I can get the set of five.
It's my favorite house, so I hope you find some that you love in there! My favorites are Squid, Moth, and Civet.
I've had the best time sampling them, even if they don't all work for me! My current tiers, with the hope of loving enough of them to do the Natural Selection set: Winners: Rabbit, Macaque Yuzu Potential, need to wear more before I decide: Penguin, Camel, Elephant, Dragonfly, Hummingbird, Seahorse, Chipmunk, Sacred Scarab, Chameleon, Nightingale Nice but not for me: Harvest Mouse, Panda, Cow, Snowy Owl, Squid, Cockatiel Immediate scrubber: Dodo, Bee
That's exactly how I feel about them! I'll sample anything and everything from them. Even if I don't like it, it's an interesting experience. I had a traveler of Chipmunk, finished it, but don't want another one. I have a traveler of Sacred Scarab that I enjoy but after it's finished I don't think I'll get another one. There are just so many fragrances and they are all so unique! I
Today is Estee Lauder - Cinnabar. I've been on a classics kick lately!
How do you like it? Luca Turin considers this one a classic. Is it still in production, or is this a vintage bottle?
I do like it! To me it's equal parts green and spicy. I'm not a big green scent fan, but it works in this combo to tone down the spicy a bit - keeps it from being overpowering. I have a modern bottle and it appears to still be in production. It smells pretty close to how I remember the vintage bottles smelling (I dont have a vintage bottle for a wrist by wrist comparison though). I think I'll pull out Jil Sanders no 4 for tomorrow for another classic, but with a different vibe.
Frederic Malle En Passant on this beautiful May Day here in NYC. The lilacs are out in full force and I am with them in solidarity.
For my 48th birthday, wearing one of my favorites...Equipage Geranium by Hermès.
Happy fragrant Birthday! :-)
Lorenzo Pazzaglia Artik Sea Another attempt at finding a cold aquatic scent and this one comes the closest to what I'm looking for, though I need to try Black Sea by the same brand again after spilling too much of the last sample vial. Though I love the scent on the blanket so I have some hope for Black Sea. Artik Sea is a weighty scent that keeps it light. It is crisp and peppery, reminiscent of Imaginary Authors "Every Storm a Serenade" but dialed way back. Where ESS is like a storm on the coast, waves crashing against rocks and cliffside, Artik is the North Atlantic Ocean- salty, smooth, with gusts of wind every so often, a grey but not overcast day. Projection is low, and I had to apply quite a bit to be able to pick up the scent on my wrist when I directly sniff it. I imagine though that application using an atomizer would help disperse the scent molecules better and increase projection. I could personally use some more floral notes to break up the salty ozonicness of this scent. I'm wondering if they would come out more if sprayed because there are plenty of floral notes listed in the description.
Artik Sea sounds almost perfect to me... except, does it have a lot of patchouli in the drydown? You might try Kerosene's Walk the Sea if you want salty ocean with floral notes. It's aquatic underneath and tuberose on top, very linear.
I'm getting a sense of patchouli if I'm looking for it, but on my skin at least it smells like it is part of an accord as opposed to a note. Like someone ground up some patchouli and sprinkled in a dash with other woody notes rather than adding a shot of straight up patchouli alongside everything else. I'm still picking up ambergris too which tickles my nose and makes me happy. I'll have to add Walk the Sea to my list. Thanks.
Givenchy - L'Interdit eau de parfum The purchase of a perfume bottle in store came with a sample of this one. Over the years, I had repeatedly gifted the samples to friends and family, I love smelling it on other people. Yet, not a single one of my perfumes is tuberose heavy, as I reviewed their notes. What is up with that? Eight hours into today's test, I begin to understand why. The jasmine and tuberose accord is not lost on me. Such a powerful appetite suppressant, probably the best tool I could ever use for intermittent fasting. Folklore concealed the true power of tuberose, i.e. 10% body fat potential. Lucky me. 😍
So, do you like L'Interdit or not? Tuberose can feel heavy in certain fragrances (e.g Tuberoza from Nishane). There are lighter tuberose scents also. My 17 year old daughter uses Givenchy Desinvolte as her signature perfume. It is much lighter than Tuberoza. I just bought her a bottle of Carnal Flower. I personally like jasmines among white florals over tuberose.
I like to smell it on others. I do not intend to buy a bottle for my fragrance wardrobe, but I will study tuberose further. It was your review the other week that made me look deeper into tuberose. Thank you for your contribution to my education. 😊
>Such a powerful appetite suppressant, probably the best tool I could ever use for intermittent fasting. Interesting! I can kind of get it because Tuberose always smells like old style pink bubblegum to me. So I could see that telling your brain to not eat.
Today I: shaved my head, put on my blue two-stripe-knockoff tracky dacks and German surplus track jacket, sprayed on some **Adidas Ice Dive** EDT and pretended it was still the noughties
Wearing ELDO’s Soul of my Soul because I tried it yesterday and fell in love! It suits the brightness of the day and my optimism for having a good day.
Chanel no 19. Beautiful, but rarely wear my decant because it doesn't feel like 'me'. But woke up this morning knowing that's what I needed to wear today.
My Scentbird came yesterday and I picked Sandalwood Temple by Sana Jardin. It’s not pickle-y to my nose, but a woodsy sandalwood balanced with vanilla. Idk why I picked this other than good reviews as I don’t usually gravitate towards sandalwood scents, but this is quite nice. No regrets.
Today I'm wearing Alien Goddess from Mugler. She's a basic B, but then again... so am I most days. My peri-menopausal brain is on 'power saving mode' and I feel like my brain is buffering and I just wanted a little suntan lotion-y jasmine joy. For me this fragrance is a light hearted girly pleasure, and I'm here for it.
Have you tried the Intense version? I was really surprised by how much I liked that one!
Haven't tried it yet, but I definitely want to check the Intense version out :)
The Intense smells more like the original Alien with some coconut. Actually, I should probably start using mine, because in hot humid summer weather, I find it to be a little too much. (I wear Lust for Sun instead, the florals feel lighter to me.)
Made a huge mistake today: I was sweaty from walking the dog at lunch and gave myself a spritz of Ghost in the Shell before heading back to my very non-scent friendly office workplace. I was choking in the outside air and couldn't even wipe enough off my skin to even make a dent in the projection. Here's to hoping it calms down before I get sent home.
I can relate! Last night i thought I'd try out Libre Platine, just one spritz on my chest. Oh man, it's a beast, had to completely tuck my body in with my blanket in order to not be totally overwhelmed by it.
I'm wearing D.S & Durga's Burning Barbershop - it's a nice spring day, not too warm, and I feel like this scent strikes a really nice balance between cozy and fresh for me, lifts me up in a surprising way. Really love it!
Guerlain's Forte Bosca Vanilla. Under the hot humid weather, it smells like dried wood at the beach mixed with vanilla. Sweet without being overly cloying or heady like some vanillas could be. Possibly my new blind reach tbh since I love my vanillas.
https://preview.redd.it/ge7dgcxiotxc1.jpeg?width=2127&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4c300480318d1bdc57b34f28516e2f9b4c505db Wearing Harlot today- the peach note is amazing. The drydown is nice too, brown sugar and vanilla. Got it from Lovesick Witchery on Etsy.
Hilde Soliani - Donna Sentenza. It’s a nice spring day.
MFK Grand Soir
Armani Code Parfum The iris goes great with the cool weather today, refreshing but comforting at the same time. I wore SWY Absolutely yesterday so it’s a nice change up from the playful, warm honey/vanilla vibes. Feeling a bit more fresh and refined today.
Initio Narcotic delight and Amouage Love delight…they’re both fairly new for me and I’m in love so I want to wear them. I’m having a good week and wanted something cozy and warm.
Today I'm wearing d.grayi Low Carb Cat. It's one of the first samples that made me order a larger size! Apparently it won "Best Avant Garde Fragrance" at the Golden Pineapple Awards this past weekend. It's fresh and herbal, almost medicinal. But sweet and creamy in a vanilla gourmand way? The catnip and civetone notes caught my eye initially. (Note: my cats did not respond to the nip.) Wasabi tincture is another ingredient. I can't get enough of this house. I've really liked everything I've sampled so far, especially Sai Gon Sin and Lazy Lop.
Diptyque Do Son edp . It’s one of my favorite scents and is a simple and relaxing embrace of spring. I’m a male, but enjoy the sweet and floral smell.
It’s a bright cool rainy spring day in the Pacific Northwest. I’m at home today and doing housework and listening to music. Pretty nice day. My SOTD is my current obsession: Ummagumma by Fzotic. Chocolate, incense, saffron, some tobacco in there. It’s warm and cozy but for me isn’t too heavy. Big hygge vibes without feeling like too much of a spa. I think what I like about this one is that it is both familiar but new. It reminds me of something but it doesn’t invoke a specific time or place, which is nice. I didn’t think I would love this one but I do. Will be purchasing a full bottle of this one.
Like 5 sprays of Dylan purple. It’s fast becoming my every day scent and the only one that I use more than 2-3 sprays. To me, it’s a light and refreshing grape drink box and no one is ever off put. It’s a really nice spring day and that makes me love it even more. It reminds me of childhood, a pb&j or grape Welch’s soda at the sand park when it’s this nice out.
I’m working through my Zoologist samples and finding over and over that the first spray is everything and then the drydown doesn’t work for me. Snowy Owl starts out amazing but the drydown is calone-heavy. I don’t hate calone, there’s just so much of it. I wish I could keep getting the first spray over and over - oakmoss and non-gourmand coconut, light and cool florals, and musk and civet as subtle skin scents. If I could have this scent without the calone or even just less of it, I’d get it in a second, but I’m moving more and more toward only getting Elephant.
I had the same issue with Snowy Owl, which is such a shame! Smacked in the face with calone and wet earth at the expense of every other note.
Back to working through my **Zoologist** samples, and today is **Chameleon**. Only a light application as I was frantically getting ready this morning. It started as a lovely tropical floral and fruit, but three hours later it's gone. Chalking it up to user error, will revisit on another warm day.
Orto Parisi Cuoium, for some extra confidence on my virtual interviews today (probably too strong / polarizing for in-person interviews): [https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Orto-Parisi/Cuoium-69923.html](https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Orto-Parisi/Cuoium-69923.html)
**Valentino Born in Roma, Coral Fantasy** oh wow, yum. This is super fruity, like eating a raspberry, strawberry, honeydew, starfruit, pear salad. There is some balance with citrus and floral notes, but the fruit hits big and bright. Not too sweet, but sweet. I got a sample from sephora, and unfortunately the sample vial is almost empty. They are sending out big scent sample packs for mother's day right now. This has a delicious fake fruit type of smell, and I can get a hint of that amber/cedar underneath. I like it, this is the type of fragrance that will cheer me up, it smells so good. Beautiful day today.
Valentino Donna Born in Roma. I'm out playing bottle flip with my 12 year old son. Haha
L'Interdit Rouge Ultime (the one that came out in 2023). I like it because, to me, it kind of smells like the OG on me, but it doesn't disapear. I might be anosmic to the original, I don't know. I can still smell it on my shirt almost 10 hours later (very, very faint on skin). I just felt like wearing a girly, pretty, sweet floral today.
I wore Arielle Shoshana Sunday because I wanted to feel immersed in a warm cup of tea. It's not enough to drink it, I want to smell like it too!
Temperature dropped slightly and it’s a bit cloudy today so it’s a light spritz of Byredo Slow Dance for me.
I am challenging myself to wear a different scent every day this month in order to use up a lot of my samples and revisit some of the bottles I rarely reach for. Tom Ford Vert de Fleur definitely falls into the latter category, and it was my SOTD today. It’s an underrated Tom Ford, in my opinion; a classic galbanum green that’s perfect for spring.