So! Today would be my day to post! About something new and exciting! And here I am, all bright-eyed and cheerful, ready to play with you! And yet! I have no review today!
Why? Because the last three days have been so amazing where I live – a sudden shift from humid August to open-all-the-windows, let´s-pretend-it´s-fall, which I love. (Last night I had to put on a jacket – squeeee!) This is my absolute favorite time of year for perfume, because I can dig out some of my cool-weather seasonal favorites and kiss them hello after a long absence. So that´s what I´ve been doing instead of slutting around in the samples. Mea culpa.
These past few days have also been fun for me because (backing up a bit) I kind of overdid the incense thing last fall, to the point that I put them all away early. Then in the middle of the summer I spent some time exploring the wonder of incense in the heat and humidity. Wearing something like Avignon or Bois d´Encens then is like toting around your own personal air-conditioning system. Or make-believe cathedral, complete with cool stone interior… So. Instead of incense, right this second I am feeling the love for:
- Shiseido Feminite du Bois, which … how not? FdB is fall to me.
- L´Artisan Navigateur, I think the first draft of Navegar? Which you can (or could) still unearth bottles at the boutiques… coffee and spices, not at all foody. Swashbuckling but not macho; Jack Sparrow would totally wear this, with some extra guyliner and a frilly shirt.
- Idole de Lubin – I am so glad I finally “got” this, in all senses of the word. It wasn’t enough, and then one day it was everything I ever wanted.
- Lutens Fleurs d´Oranger – this would be my own personal category kink, but the thing is huge on me, and the first time I ever tried it was in the fall. So now that´s when I crave it.
I´m seeing a trend in the above – spicy, woody, not the big guns yet, and not the sweet milky comfort scents either.
So, what about you? Has there been any shift in the weather? Your fragrance interests? What have you discovered recently that you are enjoying? If all goes as planned, I am trying Wazamba today. Also I wish Mandragore Poupre would show up here already, the suspense is killing me…
FdB ad: mes-parfums.com. I love that bottle and all its lumpy organic variations so much it hurts.
I’m digging out the vintage Arpege after reading this… here in Colorado at the foothills of the Rockies, we’re still in the 70s during the day, but low 50s at night. When you leave for work at 0400, it’s chilly. I also got samples of Cashmere for Women by Cristiano Fissore and Ambre Russe by Parfum d’Empire. Both are on my FB to-get list this fall. Cashmere is good for wearing to work – not too much sillage, but softly enveloping. Ambre Russe is so rich it’s like candy…not that it *smells* candy-ish (it doesn’t at all) but it’s so yummy and voluptuous that it may as well be.
Funny, after it being really overcast and chilly for the end of July and most of August, we’ve been having a 90-degree-plus heatwave for the last week. No happy medium. And September and October tend to be clear and sunny and warm months here in So/Central Cal (and fire season, of course).
In any case, just need to mention that you started that Feminite thing with me by introducing me to the gateway drug — those extrait stylos. I later got some EdP (EdT?) and when it doesn’t turn hamster cage cedar shavings on me, I love this stuff.
I also have a decant of Navigateur that I learned to love last winter. Damn… is this stuff discontinued or not, because I don’t want to fall in love with it too much. Pretty terrific stuff, but I also dig Mechant Loup and SL Chene in that warmth-for-fall category…. whenever fall finally rolls around.
How did I miss this? Totally not discontinued, that’s apparently a myth for the time being, and those FdB stylos are a total gateway drug! It’s back into the 80s here… sadness.
I put an extra blanket on the bed last night, woke up this morning and knew it was a Sycomore day.
What a perfect story. Thank you for making me smile.
I am beyond thrilled with this welcome change in weather. I hope it stays just like this, and we get a few solid months of autumnal bliss. I’ve been craving the classics, and loving every minute of it!
Spicy, fruity, woody, skanky florals, some with powder, patchouli and dust. To-wit: Vintage Lanvin Rumeur (my new discovery!), vintage Dioressence (my renewed love), vintage Balenciaga La Fuites des Heures (hello Germaine, my old friend) and new Habit Rouge in extrait form (this is my absolute favorite recent release — God bless you Denyse, I am forever in your debt).
And vintage Madame Jolie, always.
THAT is the list of a classy lady.
It is blazing hot here in Southern California, but I’m wearing Incense Extreme as my own personal air-conditioner. 🙂 And to the poster above who mentioned Black Afghano – your description is right on. It was sweet, cloying and nauseating.
For some reason (my West Coast Canadian romanticism, no doubt) I think of crisp late-summer weather and New York City. Just stumbled across an old bottle of Donna Karan New York, and it seems perfect for the change in the weather. It’s a musky, mid-weight oriental with some bitter neroli and a good deal of suede.
Andrea mentioned nutty notes, and I wanted to mention a peachy-nutty number that popped into my head: Que Sais-Je. It’s along the lines of Mitsouko but peachier and less chypre-leathery — kind of a nice transition along with the season.
Oh my! I need to dig up my DK bottle, wouldn’t it be perfect right now?!?!? Thanks for the reminder!
Well I’m desperately clinging to the last vestiges of summer, even though I love cool weather clothes and ‘fumes, I do not love cool weather. So I’m wearing lots of Gap Heaven and Molinard de Molinard.
Once I get over it… Bal a Versailles, Mits, and Chanel No. 22. But I can wait. :p 🙂
FdB turns all dirty and cumin-y on me in cold weather, but I’ve started to figure it out for the summer. Like I can see it becoming a warm weather staple. I should go buy a bottle while I still can, no?
You all have me jonesing for Bois des Iles, now, and all I have is about 2 mls of a decant left. Wanting two Exclusifs now is really gonna go over well with DH…. 😉
We’re all very excited to be under 95 degrees here in Texas…
I’ll have to content myself with reading your lists and dreaming.
Psst-Navigateur is in stock at Art W/ Flowers now!
How did I not notice that?
Ruh-Roh. We’re both in trouble now. Wanna split a bottle? Heh.
{sits down next to as if she were a part of the conversation all along}
I’d be in!
I have a bottle. You two want me to share your email addies with each other so you can do your own split?
Sure! Thanks.
Am right there with you on loving the ‘summer that wasn’t’ in DC–I’ve totally been trotting around in things like Tea for 2, Black Tourmaline, Ambra Aurea, Dzing!, and all the rest of my heavy hitters for most of the summer. I only had one that went, um, over the skank line (not MY skank line, just everyone else within 10 yards), and that was the 1740 Marquis de Sade. But then, you’d expect that from it, wouldn’t you?
About the FdB: I have problems with it going too sweet on me, so it has never really been a fav. I was more partial to its descendant, Bois et Musc, but even that isn’t super great. I’m afraid I’m more of an Un Bois Sepia girl.
I did get to try the 2 new PdE’s, 3 Fleurs would be nice on someone other than myself, but Wazamba was most excellent. Also, anyone else try the new Nasomatto Black Afgano? It literally (and liberally) smells like the resin you have to clean out of a hookah after smoking coffee-flavored shisha. For me this means it makes me mildly nauseous!
Here in Northern California, fall is warm, and we’re still varying between hot hot hot and the occasional cool gray day.
I’ve just discovered Tann Rokka Signature, and am grooving on it. It gives me that cedar rush, without the spicy sweetness of FdB, which is gonna have to wait for cooler weather.
Oh, and for the cooler, very very early fall days: B de Boucheron!
That Tann Rokka is a great scent. Perfect time of year for it.
Thanks! I’ll start calling immediately!
As much as I love heavy perfumes in the heat (yes, L’Heure Bleue), Mitsouko gets rather cranky in the heat so I am really looking forward to the cooler weather so I can spray with abandon! And yes, FdB as well.
With cooler weather, out come Chanel’s Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie, both are just so amazingly glorius in parfum extrait. Where can they be purchased now-a-days – for a bit they were on the Chanel website and then disappeared. I finally tried No. 19 in parfum extrait – wow! What a difference from the edt!! Full bottle worthy!
My other new discovery is the YSL line – somehow I only ever tried Opium and am now basking in the beauty of Cinema, Nu, & Y – all great fall perfumes – and contemplating full bottles as the decants are dwindling fast.
My favorite fall scent: Straight to Heaven, By Kilian, which some people say is like Idole, but there is really no comparison for me. STH does the bay rum thing without the clove (and with a ton of dirt): in other words, HEAVEN.
I love that scent!
Careful with that Wazamba, March!! That was my test yesterday and it was some big sweaty stuff! I think it must have been the cypress note….
I was very excited by the promise of incense, but just got skank…sigh. 🙁
I might need a shot of Zagorsk or Messe de Minuit to get over my disappointment.
I’m still trying to decide how I feel about Wazamba.
I loves me some fall scents! Often I throw caution to the wind and spritz on those fall fragrances in the heat…but that’s why God created air conditioning, right? But with chilly mornings a bit of fall in the air—I can hardly wait to dive right into my fall favorites–Champagne de Bois, Rue Cambon, Ubar, Soleil de Capri, Mitsouko Extrait, and my newest darling Bal a Versailles….sigh….Theorema, here I come! Deciding may take half the day!
Oooh, we have a lot of the same loves.
The weather has turned a corner here as well; I was afraid I’d be traumatized by the NoVA heat and humidity forever.
I’d love to sniff Kilian’s Back to Black again, but in the meantime, I’m thinking of breaking out some Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. That one has fall written all over it.
Hey, how are you doing? Well, I hope.
First of all, since I know there will be curious folk, I found both Navegar and Navigateur at Barney’s when I went on my spritz trip last week. Interesting that I sought them out…perhaps I was on a similar fall is coming vibe? I definitely liked one more, and did not take notes. Guess I’ll have to try again. 😉
Absolutely love FdB–that’ll come out. Also am looking forward to pulling out something amber–truth be told, I rather like this odd bottle of Jose Eisenberg that I got cheap online (and is, of course, d/c’ed). Bois des Isles. Black Cashmere, Nu. Chergui, L’Ombre Fauve, LZ Journeyman. In fact, now that I am thinking of it, I am *really* looking forward to huffing on that L’Ombre Fauve…last fall was when I accepted my plummet into perfumedom, and found myself driving around town with my nose to my wrists as my hands were on the wheel. L’Ombre Fauve was the culprit. (I have since learned the hands can come to me….)
I’ve also recently fallen in with Niki de Saint Phalle…am thinking fall will be a good time to dance with that.
When it first cooled down I found myself wanting to break out that sample of Nu – it is perfect for this weather!
And I also found myself drawn to Ms Zorn’s Tobacco and Tulle ….guess it’ll soon be time to break out the yeast and cinnamon, for those Sunday am cinnamon rolls!
xoxo >-)
I live in Florida, and I just recently realized that all of my frags are summer-scents. We don’t really have “Fall”, now that I think about it, like so many in the other parts of the country. We have summer, we have a slightly cooler summer time (high in the high 80s to low 90s) and then we have what we consider winter (35 degrees in the morning, 50s in the afternoons).
Will these “fall” frags everyone talks about work in the cold, or only in the autumn?
What would be a good “beginner” fall frag? Maybe something that’s floral, not too spicy or leathery, with a warm, comforting drydown? Any recs?
I am also in Florida. I pretty much wear what I want (today is LL), but I save Ambre Russe and 5 o’Clock au Gingembre for days with a high under 70F. For me the big change in October is the lessening of the humidity, which makes the days much more pleasant, even the temperatures still well over 75F.
Florida — honey, I am almost no help there. We visit florida periodically and I’m usually fragrance free. I see somebody else has stepped in to help!
We’ll be having a few days’ worth of this glorious cool weather, so I’m yanking out warmer scents right and left. SOTD is Arpege, the modern orchestration, which I find *quite* rich enough, thank you. When it wears off this evening, I might get brave and try my little spray sample of Mitsy edp (the edt hates my freakin’ guts, but I’m hoping that, like Shalimar and L’Heure Bleue, the stronger concentration will be as lovely as the lesser was Horror in a Bottle). I think FdB, along with the Bois series, is wonderful, but – I blush to admit – I actually prefer Dolce Vita. Not sure why, although it might simply be that I smelled it first and everything else smells like a variation on it, rather than DV being a variation on FdB. DV is… sunnier? You get your Deep and Rich, but it’s all lit up like an autumn afternoon.
The FdB bottle, like the Halston bottles, always seems vaguely obscene to me. That is, it’s utterly fascinating, and I want to pick it up and play with it, and then I think, “How Freudian can I get? Embarrassing.”
Hey, when I wrote, I was thinking “I’m gonna have to come up with a floral, too”…and there you are with Arpege. I agree, I am happy with the modern formulation, though I got lucky at an estate sale and have some vintage, too. And, for heaven’s sake, I’m gonna LOVE an opportunity for L’Heure Bleu…I think I put it to the back of my mind, because I only have a small decant, so I don’t want to drain it. 🙂
Dolce Vita is amazing. In fact … I really need a bottle. It’s related to FdB you know that, right? Earlier draft? I believe. Don’t quote me. I hear what you’re saying about it. It is sunnier. I totally agree.
We had a wonky summer – only a few days of intolerable heat (yeah, I like it – sue me). Then it settled down into a chilly, rainy late July/August. 90% of my tomatoes are still solid greeeeen. And now we’re seeing the early morning breath-steam, both in humans and animals. I guess autumn is here.
and yet, there is that bit of excitement that comes from the shift in the season, even as the windows are thrown open I contemplate prepping for that battening down of the hatches.
I am fighting it, though, with TDC’s Charmes et Feuillettes. It’s got a menthol prettiness that I didn’t think would work in this cooler weather but seems to be doing just fine – I suspect this wouldn’t hold in the sultry temps.
But the warmer scents call as well – Miss Mits is never far from me but last night, when it was Really Chilly I actually contemplated slathering on a bit of Kingdom. Lost my nerve. Maybe tonight.
And Bois des Iles! That alone is worth the shift in temp!
xoxoxo >-)
Kingdom! There is definitely a cumin theme running through today’s responses. And so sorry about the weather, I know you had a really weird summer!
Are you yanking my chain? Just a little bit? With that Kingdom?? You know I have a bottle ready to slap me on the way out the door as it runs to your house…
Nooo! Kingdom is to me what FdB is to you. It’s the Scent that Shoulda Been but Wasn’t! I love Kingdom. Kingdom loves me. I loved FdB but it hated my guuuuts.
I think you should continue to try Kingdom until you finally can bear give it up. You’re not there yet:-) FdB made its dislike of me known so strongly that there was nothing I could do. Even I’m not brave enough to go out smelling like the soggy bottom of a litter box 😮
xoxo >-)
uh, I meant that in the reverse.
xo >-)
As in, *I’ve* chosen to go out smelling like the soggy bottom of the litter box? 😉 Okay, I keep the Kingdom in the holding cell, ready to see if it gets any furlough…
Are you talking about the Dior Dolce Vita? I was gifted a lovely decant of that but it took its sweet time ‘splainin’ itself. Now…….well, I think I love it! I plan to rotate this through the transitional season (aka Now) – we’ll see if it has some FB potential.
xo >-)
Wait. This is in the wrong place (the Dolce Vita query) – but to answer your question Shelley, Good Lord, NO! FdB smells INCREDIBLE on others (you, included) – it just doesn’t work on me.
And that’s a bloody shame, but there you have it.
xo >-)
I LOVE KINGDOM. I wouldn’t wear it to my next Parent Teacher conference, but I love that rank foolishness.
Having been through two nights of parent “orientation” kind of things in a row, I am kind of sorry I didn’t wear the Kingdom. 😉
We went from upper 90s and intense humidity to suddenly having gloriously full blown autumnal weather. Have been reaching for OJ Woman and Orris Noir, a couple of sandalwood scents and am thinking of Micallef’s deliciously cumin heavy Automne for today. Or maybe VC&A’s Gem. Or Mitsouko. Or PG’s Querelle. Or maybe one of the scents you mentioned – adore them all. Have been wearing Navigateur for over 20 years. Still can’t be objective about Navegar since I so resented it for taking the place of my beloved Navigateur for a while there. Anyway, decision making is clearly not going to be my forte today. Changeable weather, changeable mindset. At least that’s my excuse. 🙂
Oh, and I’m so w/ you on loving that bottle. Thank heavens I love the scent because I’d be buying the bottle as a piece of glass art even if I didn’t.
Oooooh, excellent choices, scent twin! I’d totally forgotten about that Micallef, yum.
Okay, so maybe you know if you stop back by — for Pyramus and me, did Navegar actually replace Navigateur for awhile? I mean, you can get both now, but was Navigateur gone at some point?
Back in 96/97 L’Artisan decided to d/c Navigateur and then came out w/ Navegar. It never did *completely* disappear from their boutiques (although became quite hard to find), but was supposed to be on the way out. I think there was such vigorous objection to losing Navigateur that they ended up deciding to keep it – the same as they’ve done w/ several scents they’ve made loud noises about d/cing. I wonder if they simply say they are going to d/c a scent in order to increase interest in it or to gauge how loyal people really are to it. Whatever the case may be, I’m hugely grateful that Navigateur is still around.
Thanks, honey. I passed that on to Pyramus.
Up here in Minnesota it is growing cool fast, and it’s my first fall up north, which means an opportunity to experience my fragrances anew. Les Larmes Sacrées de Thebes has blossomed in a way it never seemed to have before, and I’m wearing it a lot. I’ve also pulled Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie to the front of the Chanels (so sad, pushing Bel Respiro to the back of the line…), and Bois des Iles is just gorgeous in this weather. SL Serge Noire is also fabulous in the cooling weather, although I think I’ll wait until the temperature dips another step before putting it (or Iris Poudre) on again. Serge Noire is just so strong.
Oh, I love your list! Somehow those all seem like they’d be perfect right now.
I only smelled Thebes at the Roja Dove boutique and I thought it was phenomenal. Lucky you.
I enjoyed florals and green scents this summer, but about two weeks ago, I was suddenly finished with them. I’m not quite ready for the powerhouse wintery amber/vanilla/spice scents. But fruity chypres (Mitsouko, Femme) and the older Patous (Chaldee, Delices, Adieu Sagesse)have made an appearance or two. So have a few musks (IPDF Muschio Bella, Clair de Musc).
After reading this post, I’m considering an incense for today. I haven’t worn Juozas Statkevicius in ages. Or maybe Hindu Kush by Abdes Salaam Attar Profumo, the only natural that has any lasting power on my skin. Oh and what a beauty this one is! Depth and airiness. Dry without sucking all of the moisture from the air around you. Very nice.
I can totally see you in any of the scents on your list. Joe Stat. Sigh. I should have tried to get my hands on a bottle back in the day.
One of my fall faves is DSH Gyspy. Here in Maryland, we have one kickass renaissance faire, and to me Gypsy *is* Renn Faire in a bottle. It’s smoke from fires, a hint of roses from the flower sellers, incense of the various magick shops, and woods of the forest. And I just found out it’s discontinued! *le cry!*
I’m currently testing Baum Du Doge as a replacement. Any other suggestestions?
Diana, I don’t know whether you contacted Dawn directly about Gypsy or not, but I remember reading in some interview that she will sometimes make a beloved scent available on a case-by-case basis, even if it’s disappeared from the website. I’d email her and ask; it can’t hurt.
What mals said. I am pretty sure she’d make you more? Worth a try. It sounds delightful.
It’s cold here too! So, my used-it-all “summer” (and am now sick of it) Lolita Lempicka au Masculin (yeah, I know, but it’s very light and not too sweet) is just not working. So, back to Bulgari Black, unless I get spendy and buy some Timbuktu. We got a new dog, and she’s sucking an incredible amount of my free brain space…that and the returning to school thing…
I like Au Masculin a lot too! Aigh, brain suck. My high schooler is having trouble readjusting.
I’ve sniffed the Mandragore Pourpre in all it’s herby-goodness and I CAN’T WAIT to buy a bottle. When, when, when will it be available?
The AG distribution is so flaky here — could be tomorrow, could be next year, you know? My guess is that the Bergdorf counter would have it first of anywhere, I’d hound them.
I can’t EVER remember a summer like we’ve enjoyed in central Ky. – coolish and rainy. Yesterday was mid-70’s, crystal clear blue sky – a perfect day. Usually it’s still 90 and steamy. I’ve been enjoying a new fragrance – Sonoma Scent Studio’s Champagne de Bois and an old favorite, Mitsouko in extrait.
We had a very nice summer here as well, although they just did the recap and it wasn’t as cool as it felt, apparently. But I have no complaints.
This is my favourite time of year for many reasons – it strikes me far more than spring as a time for rebirth and renewal, perhaps memories of the new school year – but I’m certainly very excited about meeting my cool-weather perfumes again. I tried to wear Mitsouko a few days ago and found it too much for now (curses) but I am getting on very well with Bois des Iles, 5 o’clock au Gingembre, and No. 19. So I think I find myself in a similar mood, scent-wise: warmer, darker than my summer smells but “not the big guns yet”. For some reason, the crispness and clarity of the classic Chanels is working better than the heady romanticism of the Guerlains. I’m going to run off and try my FdB sample again… =)
That’s a good transitional list. And I can see wanting to pull out the classics right now.
What about Yuzu Fou, Bois d’Ombrie, Sienne l’Hiver and van Cleef&Arpels’ Automne with its refined Yuzu – Burnt Leaves – Wood accord?
I am still dreaming to find a dominant nut-flavor scent – without the nutella, caramel, honey – can you help me there?
try Vetiver tonka, from the hermessences…
Or, if it’s a nutty whisper you’re after, try Sycomore, form chanel exclusifs.
Both are among the most beautiful, elegant, vetiver scents… with the nutty facet quite perceptible.
The former is slightly more gourmand, and very nutty.
OOOOOOH, I forgot I have a nice big sample of Vetiver Tonka. Time to dig that out, too. Thanks for the reminder.
And there’s me storing the Vetivers with my Summer or my Winter frags. What a waste. I know I got a sample of Vetiver Tonka somewhere – I’ll trudge down to my cold cellar (where my perfumes live) in a minute to dig it out. Sycomore is wonderful – but too much else going on there…
What Zazie said. Hm. Really hard to think of anything that doesn’t have a sweet, foody bit.
Oh! You know what ROCKED?!? And it wasn’t even that much money! Wickle Chestnut and Vetiver!! There’s a blast from the past … google wickle frags, they’re UK? It was chestnuts and vetiver, and it was wonderful. Don’t know if they still exist.
They still have it at their Website. And yes! I just ordered a bottle. Sounds wonderful. Thank You!
OK now I’m scared! Hope you like it! ::chews nails nervously.::
Hello March,
just got the Chestnut & Vetiver in todays mail ….and…:This stuff is GREAT! It’s all about leaves, ashes, damp shetland sweaters and roasted nuts!!!! This is autumn ! I love it! Thanks for that great suggestion! Andrea
Oh, I am SO HAPPY! It always makes me nervous when someone actually listens to me 🙂
Andrea, the first ten minutes of PG Aomassai are oozing with caramel, but that all quickly runs off and you’re left with a gorgeous mellow, surprisingly dry-ish buzz of hazelnut, wenge, balsam and incense. Just in case you scrubbed at the two-minute mark. 🙂
Thanks Robin, that was my big hope when I tried it a few months ago. But I got a strange off-scent reaction which lasted forever. Only some hours later there was that utterly lovely roasted hazelnut-scent I am after.
But I’ll dig it up from my sample drawer and give it another chance. I know I am one of the sorry ‘cat’s pee cases’ but I sometimes get strange smells also out of non-suspects like Sublime de Patou (shame) – or Aomassai. Anybody else’s nose playing up like this?
Just going back in my wee head to think of something else that might suit, Andrea, and thought of Bois 1920 Real Patchouly. The drydown is smooth and nutty and it might avoid that weird note you got from Aomassai. Maybe worth a try, anyhoo. . . 🙂
Never tried that one from the line – yes, that’s an idea. My ‘check-out asap’ list gets longer and longer’….Thank you ever so much for your consideration! Andrea
Did anybody ever try Marron Chic (Nez à Nez, I think) ? The name sounds Autumnal enough…
Well, we are in the same climate zone…and I am personally thrilled by this wonderful weather, just tickled. It sure makes it easier to get to school/work…because I know I have many hours of good weather to play in after 🙂
Funny, I seem to remember you before you had found the love for FdB…didn’t you have dislike for cedar, or some such nonsense? Well, baby, you rock that scent now.
I’ve been shifting scents, too. This summer I just never really enjoyed any of my greens and pretty florals much, so I am so happy to pull out the old friends. Bois et Fruits, with a dollop of FdB parfum is working great here, too. I like my LADM in the semi-heat-I get spices, not the ambery vanilla base. Rose Praline works wonderfully, too, right about now.
But yesterday, I had to go deep incense. I slopped on Black Cashmere lotion, sprayed the EdP lightly, and dabbed a wee bit of NK incense in a couple of critical spots. I guess it was “wintery” but worked really well together. I even got compliments…that nevah happens to me!
No compliments? And we thought that attaching our noses to your arms in public meant something. Well, I will be less discrete next time.
Oh, lovey, I just meant civilians… 🙂
Yeah, I know. But you probably just haven’t noticed the trail of people following you through the mall, noses aloft.
Yummmmmmmmmm. You must have smelled amazing. I’d totally have buried my nose in your …. wrist and moaned a little.
stop it! you’re nasty. I love you 😉
Hey, March, we do like some of the same stuff, after all! ! too found myself reaching for Avignon on one of the few really hot, humid days we had this summer. It was like leaning my cheek against a cool, damp cloister wall.
I don’t have a lot of what I would think of as high-summer scents, so when I was casting about for something to wear, my eye fell on my fb of Idole, and I thought, “Soon, my precious…”I love everything about that one, and look forward to taking off the mask in the very near future.
On the other hand, I have been wearing FdB over the past few days, wondering how long Rick’s generous decant is going to last me. Suppose I should leave enough of it to compare to the Lutens-labeled one.
And finally, I’m getting very close to giving into the temptation that is Maître Parfumeur et Gantier George Sand, which to me smells like an old spicy rose potpourri with the best ingredients. Nice with cords and a tweed jacket, I think.
Oh, and ps, the FdB bottle looks like something expensive from Toys in Babeland.
KTHANX SO MUCH FOR THAT IMAGERY, DOLL
Idolllllllllleeee…. and I know it’s politically incorrect, but I lurve the bottle.
My FdB decant lasted freaking forever, but I got a bottle anyway, plus the extrait.
Smooches to Rick. Go buy that George Sand! I love that name too.
Oh yes, do by your George Sand — MPG has been steadily closing their stores and I do worry about the future of the line…
You know, I have read other people saying that L’Eau du Navigateur and Navegar are related, and I just don’t see it AT ALL. I can’t find any relationship between them. I do love Navigateur, though; it’s all delicious coffee and wood on me, with a cozy cocoa-ish quality.
Also, every time I look at the name Navegar, I think it looks like an anagram of “vinegar”, and it throws me right off.
It’s starting to cool off these days, so it’s time to retire the fresh summer scents and unbox the autumn. My number one fall scent is Nature Millenaire Pour Homme by Yves Rocher: I can’t believe they discontinued it, because it is genius. It’s all overcast skies and crumbly earth (not a molecule of patchouli in it, but lots of cassia and cedar, incense and myrrh), and I swear it smells like bone-dry leaves crushed underfoot. It’s the smell of autumn in a bottle and it is absolutely stunning.
Pyramus, maybe it’s all bs. I just remember hearing that somewhere a million years ago. They seem totally different to me too. Plus, I notice you can get Navigateur on their website no problem.
Why do they kill off the genius scents?
Pyramus, from Elle below:
Back in 96/97 L’Artisan decided to d/c Navigateur and then came out w/ Navegar. It never did *completely* disappear from their boutiques (although became quite hard to find), but was supposed to be on the way out. I think there was such vigorous objection to losing Navigateur that they ended up deciding to keep it – the same as they’ve done w/ several scents they’ve made loud noises about d/cing. I wonder if they simply say they are going to d/c a scent in order to increase interest in it or to gauge how loyal people really are to it. Whatever the case may be, I’m hugely grateful that Navigateur is still around.
Yay love to see this ode to one of mY all-time faves–FdB!!! Sweat and wood and smoldering leaves–totally fall, man–lol! And I love to wear it whenever I want–even if it’s on the warm side–albeit sparingly as it has a mind and life of its own. I have about 5 bottles of Eau Timide as well as some stronger version–thankyou Marshalls (!)–i almost fainted when I saw them there and bought every last bottle they had! Same with Helmut Lang—! And the design of the bottle –color, texture, shape–is remarkable. No bottle *anyone* could ever throw away…a little organic erotic sculpture all its own…what strength do you like? How much do you spray and where? It is a very special and intimate, “love it or hate it but never indifferent”type of scent…yay…an old friend back on the radar!Thanks for refreshing my memory–can’t wait to find it amongst my wares–(:
BTW Everyone — I am doing this thing called “working” today, the accountant is here… I’ll be responding sporadically.
So — FdB at MARSHALLS?!?!!? God. That is so unfair. I never score there. ::weeps:: It’s always bottles of Caesars Woman and Giorgio.
…and my Marshall’s is all Baby Phat with a smattering of Covet.
My nearest Ross is usually inundated by Paris and Elizabeth. But, I recently scored FdB on ebay for so cheap it might as well have been free, and it suits me quite well as I’m singing fall’s praises. Love it. Best win ever.:D
we are still way hot in the 30s but earlier morning light has the beginning of the autum feel…daim blonde and plus que jamais i love in the high humidity and heat…but goes well into the beginings of autum..( we have a very loooong summer in HK and very mild autum and winter.)i love rue de cambon, for the dryer autum heat and as the weather cools a little. definately femimnte du bois and fleur de orange and for me fumerie turque as well.i am waiting to try cuir de lancome as well…al for the dryer heat!!!where would you put jolie madame? i am thinking of chamade for autumn as well.
PS I hurt for the bottle too!!!
I’d put Jolie Madame all over myself … oh, wait. I generally trot out my vintage a little later on in the year, and/or when I need my Sacred Perfume Suit of Armor (kinda like Superwoman.) JM, vintage Femme and Mitsy fit in there.