NOTE ON POSSE COMMENTS: we’ve got a new comments widget I’m playing with, you can edit your comments, woohoo! Also, they thread, and they post newest first. The only fail so far is the emojis. Sadface. Anyway, let me know what you think.
OK, back to business….
It has finally cooled off in my neck of the woods, and I couldn’t be happier. I spent some time this past weekend pulling my wool and flannel clothes out of storage, part of my seasonal rotation. I love fall. In the US mid-Atlantic in a good year we can get two+ months of cool, crisp weather before it gets truly cold enough for a coat. This year hasn’t been great, with the wretchedly hot, dry September, but that’s only made me appreciate this late burst of fall even more. This is also my favorite time of year for sweaty, cumin-y scents that fill me with joy, like a pile of autumn leaves. Let’s jump in, shall we?
Worth Courtesan I was responsible for the tiny bump in sales of this unknown fragrance after I fell in love with it on a trip to the UK. Its spicy, raspy opening isn’t really sweaty, but it kind of gives that effect before drying down to a fruitchouli. I don’t care what anyone else says, I looooOOOOOooooOOOOOve it. Wearing it right now. Sweat Level: 0.5 if you squint.
Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger is one of my all-time faves from the line. The orange part of FdO is an absolute stunning mélange of orange blossom, white florals and musk. However, you’re probably going to start off with a cumin-y element (not everybody does) that fades away in 20-30 minutes. I personally love that sweaty top note and have been known to reapply just to experience it all over again. Sweat Level: 3.
Serge Lutens El Attarine – another favorite from Uncle Serge that I wish were sold over here, although I’m sure there are plenty of folks thrilled that it isn’t. An acquired taste (smell?), El Attarine is the full Lutenesque armpit of sweet-spicy weirdness, with honey and stewed fruit and eye of newt and whatnot. Sweat Level: 6.
I can think of a few others that smell more cumin-y than anything else, which is fun but not interesting to me once the novelty wears off. Off the top of my head: Alexander McQueen Kingdom, the modern Rochas Femme, Vero Kern Rubj…. I know I’m forgetting some. What do you think of sweaty frags? Any favorites?
Today’s giveaway: the 5ml atomizer of SL Arabie I bought from Surrender to Chance thinking I was ordering El Attarine; when the decant showed up and I sniffed it I thought, man, this doesn’t smell like I remember! Sheesh, what a dope. Well, my loss is someone’s gain, leave a comment mentioning the Arabie if you want it; to my nose it’s El Attarine’s cleaner, (marginally) less weird cousin.
just jumping in to HOLLA! No Arabie for me – I can barely stand that one that you and Erin like so much, it’s now d/c’d but it was in a dark purplish bottle, vaguely fem……..wait! Fem du Bois? Is that it? That is SUPER ARMPIT to my nose – and I am NOT here for it. Closest I come to ‘sweat’ is that teeny little sweat note in Jub25. Y’all are weird.
xoxoxo
Not familiar with any ‘sweaty’ perfumes per se but love and own several Lutens. I’ve been hearing a lot about Arabie lately and I’d be delighted to give it a go!
The SLs just blew my mind early on. So much to love.
I feel you on the reveling in the crisp, cool weather! September, and even part of October, were too warm for my taste.
I’d love to try the Arabie, if I win! Thanks!
Fleurs d’Oranger is a favorite of mine. For some reason I start wearing it in late January and then revel in it the rest of the winter, but now that you reminded me, it sounds just right for today. Would love to try Arabie.
FdO is a favorite?!? Hey, come sit by me!
I’ve never sniffed SL Arabia. I am a sweaty fragrance fan, and also am enjoying the cooler air after a unusually hot September. I’m going to suggest Papillon Salome and Bogue Maai.
I LOVE that Bogue. It should get more blog love.
WOO HOO! Courtesan! I love it so much too. VERY sweaty after the pineapple burns off. Like a working ballerinas buttcrack.
Do you remember Kenzo Jungle elephant? It’s a sweaty Betty if ever there was one.
Porttia xx
SO GLAD someone else loves Courtesan, and you’re absolutely right about the Kenzo, how could I have forgotten?!
Woo Hoo! I was able to jump to Perfume Posse from the Instagram page! We are so freaking MODERN!!
Now y’all know that that cumin/sweaty armpit business is my No. 1 nemesis — and Heaven knows I’ve written enough about it. If a frag has even the tiniest hint of cumin in it, it blows up to Godzilla size on me. But for some reason, Courtesan is great on me and I enjoy it. Hugs!
Butting in here to say how much I loooove Jungle l’Elephant! Also loving the decant I just bought of Arabie, too.
Love Arabie (think I’ve got a bottle and a half between purchase and being gifted it by a dear friend) — and definitely get some ‘sweaty’ from it (so, don’t enter me in giveaway ?). Another Lutens that fits with this description is Rose de Nuit (maybe the apricot note?) and Hiram Green Slowdive, which reeks of artisanal honey, definitely has that wonderful pong to it.
that ? was actually one of your emojis — so not sure that’s completely fixed yet …
Nope, the emojis are definitely not fixed. Getting emojis to work in comments is surprisingly hard. Fun fact: a lot of WP plugins are devoted to PREVENTING people from using emojis!
Arabie was the first Serge that I bought a full bottle of. I really do love it but don’t wear it that often. It’s a pity that it has been discontinued.
I wore it a few days ago. Arabie’s tricky for me, one of those scents that occasionally feels like it’s getting bigger and BIGGER on my skin to the point it becomes irritating.
I had a small decant of Arabie 6 years ago. It was a warm lovely scent. Would love to try again!
The Arabie is interesting to me…I’m in a conundrum, last night I showered and put on some Nag Champa lotion to soothe my soul. This morning I showered, put on a tiny sample of Byredo “Rose of No Man’s Land” and was in heaven all day, mostly Byredo, but wafts of Nag Champa (don’t know how?), and now I want the Byredo, but not sure if it will ever replicate? ?
That sounds like an absolutely lovely combination. And yeah, that’s the kicker when you accidentally layer, will the magic happen again?