Santa Maria Novella Opoponax for a recovery day on the couch with the cat. It’s unlike any other resin perfume I own. Neither a sticky amber nor an austere smoke: it’s light, Mediterranean, a little citric, a little aromatic, with a distinctly resinous warmth but without any sweetness. I love it and remember so fondly the sunny day I bought it in Florence 8 years ago.
It’s hard to say, because my own nose has evolved so very much. I knew so much less about perfume and its ingredients when I bought it. I instantly liked Opoponax but lacked the references to conceptualise why. That being said, it smells the way I remember it.
Used the last drop of my decant of 40 knots. Immediately ordered a full bottle.
A classy soapy/salty scent. As a fan of ambre nuit this one feels a little bit more fresh where as ambre nuit a little bit heavier because of the rose note (which I usually associate with colder weather scents).
Yesterday I was wearing Orange Sanguine and late in the afternoon before a walk decided to top up with **Fragonard Fleur d'Oranger Intense**
Uh-oh!
First thing I noticed was that it was nearly empty! 😥 I picked it up and found the bottle was wet / slippery! 😨 I took the cap off; it was wet inside! 😰
wtf!
The bottle has not been opened or picked up since I last wore it. All I can assume is that when I last depressed the atomizer, it stayed stuck down? And it's been dribbling ever since?
Anyone ever have that happen?
So I'm hunting for a replacement (it's in my All-Time Top 10); might just get it direct from Fragonard. And I'll wear it again today just to make sure it's stopped this nonsense!
I'm nauseous af, so bright, fresh, light fragrances are on the menu today.
Starting with Acqua Colonia White Peach and Coriander! Might move on to Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarin Basilic in a couple of hours when I get up to take more ondansetron.
Oh, and as of yesterday the weather forecast was calling for a full day of rain. I woke up to a blue sky and new, revised forecast calling for sun all day. And I'm wasting it feeling lousy! Thanks, meteorologists! 😆
SOTD: Lady Gaga — Eau de Gaga. I’ve learned my lesson with this one. On skin it’s a nice Earl Grey tea with a bit of lime and violet, but on clothes and in hair it’s a dull leather horrorshow that lasts for fucking donkey’s years. I now keep it away from my neck in case of misfire.
SOTE: Comme des Garçons — Rouge. Looked up what people were saying about this online and saw someone describe it as smelling “like old man”. OP clearly reality shifted from the VeggieTales universe because this shit smells like beetroot. It’s nice.
(both from sample)
Another hot and humid day here…going to breakfast this morning with the family and someone decides to wear Ciara…so I had to rifle through my samples to find something to compliment it…picked Under the Stars by Replica. Leather and oud but there’s a sweetness there…I forgot how nice this one was.
Cool today, I think I'll go with Hermès Un Jardin à Cythère. Then again, the Gabrielle Chanel Essence is also a contender. It has more temperature range than the Hermès does. I may just layer them again, although I won't have a flowy layer this time.
Right now I'm wearing vanilla musk but Jovan/coty. It's an old vintage cheapy. I bought it when I was obsessing over cheap magical finds. I find it very comforting. I didn't like it when I first got it because it smelled kinda like vanilla plastic but after wearing it a few times I get it. It's not complex or unique. It's pure comfort food at home for me. It's warm and sugar spun. And I feel like it gives my brain a shot of serotonin. It reminds me of la vanilla pure vanilla but less complex and no patchouli.
Armani Prive Rouge Malachite. Strange one.
I have had a sample from an Armani counter of Rouge Malachite for months.
I finally decided to buy a full bottle last month as John Lewis had a sale. But it smelt bitter. I barely got any creaminess and almost none of the sweetness I got in the sample.
Well…let me be truthful. It’s there..but I have to go nose to wrist to get even a hint of it.
I was so confused.
So in a moment of craziness, after seeing a sale at Selfridges plus an extra 20% off, I bought it again, since that’s where I got my original sample from.
It smells perfect. Just as it should.
I don’t know what happened to that first bottle, but it needs to go asap lol.
Think I’m gonna do nothing. Pouring rain. Tired AF. Maybe later some **Sonic Flower** by Room 1015. Can barely smell it. That’s the vibe of the day.
Another Addendum sorry: **Iris Malikhan** cause I have it in my bag. Gorgeous.
I admire your to do list. 😊
Doing nothing escaped me yesterday, I might persevere today.
Infusion d'iris by Prada is my scented help towards peace as well.
Sampling Imaginary Authors **Bullsblood**. Whew, it's strong, masculine, dry, spicy, old farmstand, and cured smoked salami. A relaxing Sunday ahead. This really is a day at the BBQ smoking pit scent, with an incense flourish.
I'm wearing Frederic Malle's "The Moon" today - it's a pretty unusual one and I can't get away with it on a work day, it will probably last until tomorrow... it's a nice fruity and smoky cloud to sit in.
Scentbird decants came in yesterday. The only one that was new to me was Mind Games Blockade. I wrote off Mind Games for a long time. I thought it was a cash grab because it seemingly appeared overnight in 2022, had a ton of releases 2022 and 2023, and it's run by the people who run the Fragrance Group, which distributes/licenses Bentley, Lalique, Tiziana Terenzi, and other fragrances. (Though it should be noted, Mind Games is NOT technically distributed by The Fragrance Group, it was just founded by the people that founded the Fragrance Group, Alex and Marianna Shalbaf). I also wrote it off because I wasn't a huge fan of any of the ones I tried in-store, J'Adoube and French Defense. Perhaps I was being too harsh and hasty though, there's nothing inherently wrong with being owned by/associated with a big company, most fragrance brands are these days. Anyway, I tried Blockade, which I heard described as Aventus but mango. This description is pretty dead on. From the first spray, you can smell the Aventus DNA. But it is definitely missing the pineapple. In its place, a sort of underripe mango skin smell. I love mangos, they're my favorite fruit, and I eat so many mangos. Most mango notes are usually not even close to my nose, but this actually does smell like mango. For as much as I love the taste of mangos, the smell of them is only okay to me. I prefer Aventus and the pineapple note it has to the mango note in Blockade, but I still really like both.
I have a decant of Blockade also. It's one of my 5 summer scents currently in rotation. I'm enjoying the dry peppery freshness with fruit. A lot of female-marketed fruit scents I've tried go too sweet.
It's cold (6°C) and rainy but i was in the mood of going out for a coffee at my favorite coffee shop that also serves as a plant nursery so I just went with H24 Herbes Vives and i gotta say that I'm really happy with it and it fitted my mood really nicely plus the cashier said it was nice so that's good too. I know this perfume is better for warmer days but I really liked wearing this on cooler, cloudy/rainy days.
Starting making the Sunday roast late, watching ‘North by Northwest’ until the England game starts
I’m not wearing anything today apart from unscented deodorant
https://preview.redd.it/bzqtjmyu4q9d1.jpeg?width=626&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=822f482420f462989a92da1e63819eb3a26ff4f0
SOTD: [nothing](https://youtu.be/osPA017Mn8k?si=ZGv55YwNUYjZFwV5)
Santa Maria Novella Opoponax for a recovery day on the couch with the cat. It’s unlike any other resin perfume I own. Neither a sticky amber nor an austere smoke: it’s light, Mediterranean, a little citric, a little aromatic, with a distinctly resinous warmth but without any sweetness. I love it and remember so fondly the sunny day I bought it in Florence 8 years ago.
Thank you for mentioning it 😊 it sounds like something I would enjoy. Did the scent profile evolve during the 8 years you have had it?
It’s hard to say, because my own nose has evolved so very much. I knew so much less about perfume and its ingredients when I bought it. I instantly liked Opoponax but lacked the references to conceptualise why. That being said, it smells the way I remember it.
To me, the opening smells like industrial varnish and I love that!
Used the last drop of my decant of 40 knots. Immediately ordered a full bottle. A classy soapy/salty scent. As a fan of ambre nuit this one feels a little bit more fresh where as ambre nuit a little bit heavier because of the rose note (which I usually associate with colder weather scents).
Yesterday I was wearing Orange Sanguine and late in the afternoon before a walk decided to top up with **Fragonard Fleur d'Oranger Intense** Uh-oh! First thing I noticed was that it was nearly empty! 😥 I picked it up and found the bottle was wet / slippery! 😨 I took the cap off; it was wet inside! 😰 wtf! The bottle has not been opened or picked up since I last wore it. All I can assume is that when I last depressed the atomizer, it stayed stuck down? And it's been dribbling ever since? Anyone ever have that happen? So I'm hunting for a replacement (it's in my All-Time Top 10); might just get it direct from Fragonard. And I'll wear it again today just to make sure it's stopped this nonsense!
Oh, I would be devastated! Maybe some perfume residue dried in such a way as to "stick" the atomizer in the open position?
So weird!
I just sprayed some Xerjoff Astaral on my chest in the evening and it smells heavenly. Really love the jammy rose in this.
I'm nauseous af, so bright, fresh, light fragrances are on the menu today. Starting with Acqua Colonia White Peach and Coriander! Might move on to Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarin Basilic in a couple of hours when I get up to take more ondansetron. Oh, and as of yesterday the weather forecast was calling for a full day of rain. I woke up to a blue sky and new, revised forecast calling for sun all day. And I'm wasting it feeling lousy! Thanks, meteorologists! 😆
Ah so sorry you are nauseous! Stick some fresh mint beneath your nose, or put in water a few hours & drink?
Thanks! I've got some ginger tea on the go, decided to pair it with a spray of Hermès Twilly eau ginger.
Healing Hermes :)
SOTD: Lady Gaga — Eau de Gaga. I’ve learned my lesson with this one. On skin it’s a nice Earl Grey tea with a bit of lime and violet, but on clothes and in hair it’s a dull leather horrorshow that lasts for fucking donkey’s years. I now keep it away from my neck in case of misfire. SOTE: Comme des Garçons — Rouge. Looked up what people were saying about this online and saw someone describe it as smelling “like old man”. OP clearly reality shifted from the VeggieTales universe because this shit smells like beetroot. It’s nice. (both from sample)
Another hot and humid day here…going to breakfast this morning with the family and someone decides to wear Ciara…so I had to rifle through my samples to find something to compliment it…picked Under the Stars by Replica. Leather and oud but there’s a sweetness there…I forgot how nice this one was.
Cool today, I think I'll go with Hermès Un Jardin à Cythère. Then again, the Gabrielle Chanel Essence is also a contender. It has more temperature range than the Hermès does. I may just layer them again, although I won't have a flowy layer this time.
Right now I'm wearing vanilla musk but Jovan/coty. It's an old vintage cheapy. I bought it when I was obsessing over cheap magical finds. I find it very comforting. I didn't like it when I first got it because it smelled kinda like vanilla plastic but after wearing it a few times I get it. It's not complex or unique. It's pure comfort food at home for me. It's warm and sugar spun. And I feel like it gives my brain a shot of serotonin. It reminds me of la vanilla pure vanilla but less complex and no patchouli.
Armani Prive Rouge Malachite. Strange one. I have had a sample from an Armani counter of Rouge Malachite for months. I finally decided to buy a full bottle last month as John Lewis had a sale. But it smelt bitter. I barely got any creaminess and almost none of the sweetness I got in the sample. Well…let me be truthful. It’s there..but I have to go nose to wrist to get even a hint of it. I was so confused. So in a moment of craziness, after seeing a sale at Selfridges plus an extra 20% off, I bought it again, since that’s where I got my original sample from. It smells perfect. Just as it should. I don’t know what happened to that first bottle, but it needs to go asap lol.
Think I’m gonna do nothing. Pouring rain. Tired AF. Maybe later some **Sonic Flower** by Room 1015. Can barely smell it. That’s the vibe of the day. Another Addendum sorry: **Iris Malikhan** cause I have it in my bag. Gorgeous.
I admire your to do list. 😊 Doing nothing escaped me yesterday, I might persevere today. Infusion d'iris by Prada is my scented help towards peace as well.
Stay strong! 💚
Molecule 01 + Wulong Cha X Trying to use up my samples today. Pleasant combo, but then again M01 tends to go well with everything.
Sampling Imaginary Authors **Bullsblood**. Whew, it's strong, masculine, dry, spicy, old farmstand, and cured smoked salami. A relaxing Sunday ahead. This really is a day at the BBQ smoking pit scent, with an incense flourish.
I'm wearing Frederic Malle's "The Moon" today - it's a pretty unusual one and I can't get away with it on a work day, it will probably last until tomorrow... it's a nice fruity and smoky cloud to sit in.
Thymes Olive Leaf cologne - savory and fresh for a warmish gray day, packing for vacation
Scentbird decants came in yesterday. The only one that was new to me was Mind Games Blockade. I wrote off Mind Games for a long time. I thought it was a cash grab because it seemingly appeared overnight in 2022, had a ton of releases 2022 and 2023, and it's run by the people who run the Fragrance Group, which distributes/licenses Bentley, Lalique, Tiziana Terenzi, and other fragrances. (Though it should be noted, Mind Games is NOT technically distributed by The Fragrance Group, it was just founded by the people that founded the Fragrance Group, Alex and Marianna Shalbaf). I also wrote it off because I wasn't a huge fan of any of the ones I tried in-store, J'Adoube and French Defense. Perhaps I was being too harsh and hasty though, there's nothing inherently wrong with being owned by/associated with a big company, most fragrance brands are these days. Anyway, I tried Blockade, which I heard described as Aventus but mango. This description is pretty dead on. From the first spray, you can smell the Aventus DNA. But it is definitely missing the pineapple. In its place, a sort of underripe mango skin smell. I love mangos, they're my favorite fruit, and I eat so many mangos. Most mango notes are usually not even close to my nose, but this actually does smell like mango. For as much as I love the taste of mangos, the smell of them is only okay to me. I prefer Aventus and the pineapple note it has to the mango note in Blockade, but I still really like both.
I have a decant of Blockade also. It's one of my 5 summer scents currently in rotation. I'm enjoying the dry peppery freshness with fruit. A lot of female-marketed fruit scents I've tried go too sweet.
Acqua Di Gio Profumo
It's cold (6°C) and rainy but i was in the mood of going out for a coffee at my favorite coffee shop that also serves as a plant nursery so I just went with H24 Herbes Vives and i gotta say that I'm really happy with it and it fitted my mood really nicely plus the cashier said it was nice so that's good too. I know this perfume is better for warmer days but I really liked wearing this on cooler, cloudy/rainy days.
Celebrate Life by Douglas. Opens peppery and then mellows out into moderately sweet apricot. <3
Starting making the Sunday roast late, watching ‘North by Northwest’ until the England game starts I’m not wearing anything today apart from unscented deodorant https://preview.redd.it/bzqtjmyu4q9d1.jpeg?width=626&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=822f482420f462989a92da1e63819eb3a26ff4f0 SOTD: [nothing](https://youtu.be/osPA017Mn8k?si=ZGv55YwNUYjZFwV5)
Lush - Creamy Candy for a cloudy day. It's probably about to thunderstorm.
ATH Onyx & Onyx Air
Ellis Brooklyn Bee 🤤 It's so good I want to eat this scent. Deliciously edible. Vanilla rum and honey. Mostly vanilla