Hey, friends — I’m dealing with some unexpected family stuff today, an overflow from yesterday, sorry. So, hard as it is to believe, there are things that take precedence over fragrance, and today you bear the burden.
The weather’s warm and weird and right now all I want are the perfumes that are my (seasonally appropriate) friends, the ones you call up when you’re stressed and feeling out of sorts. For me, for really no good reason at all, that scent is Annick Goutal Mandragore. I find it briskly reassuring and not demanding too much attention. Parfums de Nicolai Fig-Tea is like that as well. I wonder what yours are?
For anyone who’s interested, Carmencanada at Grain de Musc has thrown her hat into the IFRA regulation ring, here’s her letter at Perfumer & Flavorist.
Hope to be back soon.
Aw, babe, I hope clear skies come soon. No burden on us, just extra hugs to you.
My fragrance for those need-support days is usually Calyx, at least in the spring. Which reminds me-I need my annual refill.
See you when you can surface again
Well, it’s been raining for three straight days here in bordeaux (good for the vines, bad for the spirit). I am being drawn to Bois des Iles and Teint de Neige as I wait for the sun.
March, sending lots of good thoughts your way and really hope everything is better soon. Very. I’m w/ you on loving PdN’s Fig Tea for times like this. And these days I’m – much to my own shock – back in a vanilla mood and completely obsessed w/ Kiehl’s Vanilla, which I’m layering w/ almost everything. I’m really looking forward to trying some of their other newly released (old) scents. I’m also being very comforted by Patou’s Forever parfum (thanks to a wonderful friend).
Tend away to what needs attention–family is much more important.
Chanel No. 18 has become my comfort scent this spring. A perfect weight, a perfect sparkling effect (to deflect my attention?), then a perfect floral warmth rising from the skin. In winter, Iris Ganache fits that bill, perhaps because it’s the only fragrance I have that smells a great deal like vanilla. And as spring turns into summer, and then summer becomes fierce, Guerlain Cologne du 68 will return as the de-facto comfort scent with its almond-iris powdery gloss.
Preaching to the choir, my love.
Family is NO. 1.
Love and good thoughts wending your way from the Irish Riviera.
May all be well.
MWAH.
Whatever it is, I know you will handle it with aplomb.
When things get bad, I return to my old comfort-zone standby — and yeah, I should probably have the logo tattooed somewhere — Bal a Versailles. Sometimes JLS 1. The star of the scents from this milennium, this month anyway, is now in Rose d’Homme
Take care March. We will spritz away and await your return, all the while, sending good thoughts your way.
Oh my, please don’t ever feel as though you need to apologize for needing time … for whatever it may be. (Especially family stuff.)
Sending you good wishes and hugs …
Coincidentally, I wore Mandragore for somewhat the same reasons yesterday. “Briskly reassuring” is a perfect description. Barbara Bui has the same non-intrusiveness, but it’s softer and has a bit of vanillic comfort. Cuir Beluga has even deeper restorative powers for me. And at the end of a long and taxing day, I find that Lann Ael will put me to sleep like a baby. Sending you all good thoughts and hopes that all will be well.
Thinking of you as you take care of family matters.
I’ve been deeply involved in my big stash of PdN samples for the last week or so, and trying not to fall in love with all of them. Of the 12, I have FOUR on the wishlist… I can’t have FOUR. Budget says so. But for emotional comfort, I reach for Petite Cherie or Parfum Sacre, depending on the weather.
Sharon Reply:
April 29th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Since I’ve recently discovered PdN as well, and fallen hard for several of them, I’m curious as to what your four wishlist PdN’s are…if you don’t mind sharing that info?
mals86 Reply:
April 29th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I already own a big decant of Vanille Tonka, which I luuuuuv. The four new ones: Le Temps d’Une Fete, Just une Reve, Sacrebleu, and Balkis. If I have to knock it down, I’ll stick with the first two.
So which ones are you loving? Odalisque is very nice, but to my mind similar to 31 Rue Cambon without the amber (and I love the amber, and I have a friend who’ll sell me a decant of RC, so why would I get Odalisque?). Other “nice but not me”: Number One, Maharanih, Cococabana, Cedrat Intense, and Eau Turquoise. Still left to test: Fig Tea.
Louise Reply:
April 29th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Don’t forget Vie de Chateau-it’s my favorite
Take care, March.
And that letter from Denyse kicks ass. There’s a place to email responses, everyone. I say we let ‘em know we’re out here. (The letter is already far and away the most viewed. Go look everyone!)
I hope everything turns out fine.
!
Hugs
March, take care! Hope that everything turns out to be fine.
xoxo
V.
As always, spunky + wise = right decision. Good heavens, I’m addicted to it, and the Posse is a fabulous source of information and banter…but it’s just a blog.
Comfort scents to make the world okay: retreat = L’Ombre Fauve, Chergui. comfort = L’Heure Bleu, Sacrebleu, Mastenbroek. uplifting comfort = Mandragore. headache nurturer = Mandragore, Eau Imperiale. defiant comfort = Black Cashmere. optimistic comfort = Temps d’une Fete, Bois Blond. transitions = Silences. celebrate myself even if you don’t get me comfort = Magie Noire.
Gee, I didn’t realize I had so many comfort categories…psychosis, or motherhood???
Chiming in with the rest to send you good vibes.
Family comes first, my love. I hope things settle down. In the meantime, I’m keeping you close to my heart and in my thoughts.
My go-to ‘fume? LeLabo Iris 39!
Hugs and love!
Love to you!
carter Reply:
April 29th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Second that!
Oh, honey, hope everything gets well soon! And I had sent you off a mail before reading this; anyway, family comes first, we will talk later on. ((hugs))
My go-to comfort fragrance is something that is an old standby which doesn’t demand I dissect too much, like Chant d’Aromes, Opium, Rykiel Woman and lately the gorgeous Jubilation 25.
March, I hope everything is okay or on its way to getting there. I like a nice undemanding rose scent when I’m feeling under pressure (although half the time I just skip the scents at all). I like the damascus rose one from Profumi di Firenze…I wore it all during my bar exams to remind me of my grandmother who had passed only weeks before. I figured she wouldn’t let me down and she didn’t. So not so much for you with the rose, but to each their own.
Wishing you and your family well.
Virtual hugs and prayers that this crisis, too, shall pass. (They all do eventually, just not quickly enough.)
I so agree about Fig Tea. It asks very little and gives back so much. If Clinique hadn’t used the name “Happy”, Fig Tea could have worn it appropriately. My colder weather pick is Max Mara. It’s a dog of a scent in the very best meaning of the word. It’s faithful, loyal, never acts up or disappoints, and it’s always glad to see me.
hey, no apologies! family comes first, hope everything gets right very soon.
after reading your post i realise i’ve never ever smelled a fig perfume, what a shame. my comfort fragrance would be eau des merveilles, love the salt, reminds me so much of the sea and that is comforting to me
I hope everything rights itself soon — and don’t worry about us; we’ll hold the fort in the meantime! As for me, my curl-up-into-a-ball comfort scent is another fig: Philosykos.
Blessings and hugs to you!
Hope everything’s ok, March! *hugs*
There are too many other scents that I want to (also) own for me to be able to spring for another bottle very soon..I should have used it more sparingly, considering it was one of my more expensive bottles, but I couldn’t help myself..lol.. I just received my bottle of Diorissimo yesterday and I can see it filling that role(altho’ I like Un Lys better)..Also, been enjoying my sample of Westside- a very pretty, non intellectual, yet not completely generic scent..I am surprised – as I’ve never been a bond no.9 fan (Except for silver factory) and never really liked westside before.
Last winter, Tam Dao was my comfort scent (especially during exams)..This winter, I enjoyed my stick of encens mystic. I have been guilty of using Un Lys as my ‘don’t have to think about it too much yet incredibly pretty’ scent..I’ve almost run out..
March, sending loving fragrant vibes from the West Coast.
~T