So I was thinking I’d just do random sample day today, trying out a few things, and then a headache last night shoved me into this morning to write this. When I grabbed the samples I was thinking about doing this morning, I was totally not inspired to write anything. The one I was positive I weirdly loved didn’t smell the same. Does that happen to you? I was also going to write about the new Annick Goutal, Tenue de Soiree, which I do like mostly, though it gives me pause every time I put it on because I think it is not a Goutal. Lingering headache made that not the best choice to have on all day. It gives me cognitive dissonance when I wrap my head around it fitting in with the rest of their line. Next week? Yeah.
Oh, the picture! That was from my trip to the Sahara. We got this great shot of us on the camels in shadow. I had the lead camel. I loved that trip so much.
And has everyone else been a little less than inspired by this fall’s perfume releases? I know I’ve found some things I have loved. I wind up wearing the Vuitton line a lot because it’s super easy to wear and smells great, which ranks pretty high on my list. I really liked the new Starcks as well, which we talked about last week. I’m trying to go through what else has been released. I’ve not tried a few things yet. Loved Amouage Bracken Man. Just hang with me a second, I’m doing a little bit of stream of consciousness thing this morning trying to sort through how I feel about this fall’s perfume releases and why I’m not feeling it. Is it me?
Laboutins were meh. Loved the new Heeley Eau Sacree, which we talked about. I’m crazy about the weird Zoologist line, even though some of them are tricky to wear to the office, but some of them you expect to be tricky to wear around in public turn out to be perfect. That line — well, I’ve already fangirled enough, you know how I feel.
There were new Tom Fords, which I liked well enough, loved a couple. The new Puredistance that I just got a sample of and need to spend some time with. They did send me one earlier, but it got spilled in transit, so I had like a drop to sniff. I love Puredistance, so that is one I’ve looked forward too, I’ll put that in next week as well.
So is it me? Have you found this fall perfume season to be less than inspiring? If so, why do you think that is? I’ve gone through a lot of perfume seasons, been writing about perfume since about 2005 – yikes, 11 years!?!? — and I can’t recall feeling this unfloofed.
What shall I do for a giveaway this week? The new Annick Goutal? Sure! I’ll draw out three winners from comments for a sample of that.
Winners of the Starck sample sets are – chelembound, rosemacaroon and Paige W. Just click on Drop Us a Note at the top, send me an e-mail, remind me of what you won and get me your mailing address. I’ll send you a quick e-mail to let you know I got your e-mail and it didn’t land in a spam filter and then get it on the way to you. I only check Posse e-mail like once a week, so it can take a few days sometimes to respond there.
I’m not sure why but I have been feeling a bit less enthusiastic about trying new fragrances this fall. Perhaps I’ve reached a pleasant point of perfume saturation.
After years of online holiday shopping to avoid the crowds, I decided this season I would shop in person. After several trips to the shopping mall I do find myself I a bit more excited when I pass a perfume counter. But I do wonder . . . when did the music and people in the stores get so loud?
There have been a few things I’ve loved: Tauer Au Coeur du Désert, TF Vert d’Encens and Heeley Eau Sacrée (can you tell I am an incense fiend?). But also a whole lot of meh. Looking forward to trying the new Zoologists.
It happens to me all the time–a perfume will smell different on the second or third try. (Anne Pliska: 1. Really nice, but too powdery. 2. Powdery, schmowdery–this is gorgeous, and I am buying a bottle. 3. Why do I smell Play-doh?) And if the new Annick Goutal is not very Goutal-like, it may finally be the Goutal for me.
I can’t find anything new that grabs me. Just tried Santal Majescule and it was wonderfully comforting and fall friendly on skin! Lovely scent. Thanks for the draw.
I dunno. The fall releases sound pretty good when you can’t sniff them in person. I am going to have to get a bunch of samples after Christmas from STC. The new AG sounds lovely. Thanks for the drawing!
Everything sounds good when you can’t go to a store to sniff in person. Tenue de Soiree sounds lovely. thanks for the drawing. Will have to order beaucoup samples after Christmas!
Hope you’re feeling 100% again, soon. I also noticed that a headache or just feeling under the weather in general can make a perfume smell different to me. I received a sample of Starck Peau de Pierre in one of the fall beauty gift bags. Wasn’t my thing. While I like the new TF scents, they seem so fleeting and weak on my skin compared to previous releases. Looking forward to trying the new Puredistance. Other than that, I think I am in perfume over load and need to downsize my collection. I still enjoy sniffing new things, I just think it takes more to impress me now.
Headaches are such bastards. Hope you are feeling better in no time.
I am loving Aurum by Kemi Blending Magic. At first, I thought it was way too much everything. But I developed a yen for it. I enjoy the chocolate-covered strawberry opening now, but really dig the heliotrope, patch, incense, labdanum drydown. Not exactly a work scent.
Adore Macaque, my next bottle. Testing the Tom Ford Verts; there might be a winner here.
I have suffered a migraine several days over the past week due to an awful weather system. I can totally commiserate. Sending well wishes and kits if aromatherapy spa days. I own nor a single Annick Goutal fragrance and I’ve been trolling reviews to discover one that I should dash out & spritz. Hopefully, there’ll be a little extra one in your bag of floral candy. Thanks for your writing. It’s a joy to read!
Sorry about the headache. I get those as well. Knocks you for a loop. I haven’t been too wowed as of late with new releases but I’d love to try the Puredistance. I’m wearing white daily. It’s a great line. I’ve been dying to try the Louis Vuitton line too. Would like to get a sniff of this new Goutal. Thanks!!!
DNEM I like Songes and it works for me but others in the line do not or cause headaches. I hope your headache goes away soon! The only perfume this fall that I like a lot is Arquiste Ella. I have spent time exploring vintage perfumes again. I recently got a late 1960’s bottle of Chanel No 5 edt in almost perfect condition, so I’m happy.
Fall brings memories of my mom. Lost her 35 years ago this November. I never remember her having other than drugstore perfume. Always bought her Evening in Paris, don’t really think she liked it. Hey, what does a kid know. She just smiled and said thank you. I still have a bottle sitting on my dresser in her memory.
Ohhh I hope you feel better soon. Headaches can be a world of pain. Thanks for the giveaway. As kind of a newbie perfumista, I’m spending so much time just discovering the old standbys that I haven’t paid much attention to what’s new this fall. With so SO many new releases, I figure if something lasts till next year, it will be worth a sniff. This is my first day wearing Shalimar. That’s right, until today I was a Shalimar virgin!
Weather isn’t cool enough in CA yet for “fall” fragrances but I’ve been wearing Hermes Eau de Gentiane Blanche for a few days as bone-dryness suits my post-election mood. When it gets cooler, I’ll start spraying incense like mad.
Tenue de Soiree’s bottle is quite a departure for AG, isn’t it? Fragrance sounds perfect for a posh night out.
Hope you feel better soon, Patty. I have not been wowed by the fall’s perfumes either. Expected to love the Jo Malone Basil & Neroli- nope, sold it on Ebay. Waiting for my sample of Sheiduna and hope to love it and I adore Heeley and expect to love his new perfume. Other than that, I’m still on the spring and summer releases that I loved and I need to divest myself of a lot of perfume!
Definitely am in for the drawing. Thanks!
Oh yes, I can fully relate. I broke my femur right at the tail end of the summer and had to have two surgeries. I was pretty depressed for awhile and on top of that my sense of smell and taste was corrupted beyond recognition. So I couldn’t even rely on my favorite bottles of perfume to cheer me up. Alas, I am feeling much better mentally and physically. Finally my sense of smell is coming back! But, here in Houston, temps are in the 80’s. I feel like I belong in your desert photo with the long shadows. Every now and then we get some cool breezes. When we do I have been reaching for my Guerlain London. It has been very comforting and it gives me hope that Fall will get here eventually. The juicy rhubarb is cheerful on warm days, the herbal tea note is calming, and it warms up to pastry note that is comforting, and as I said gives me hope the Fall will come. When it does I feel that this one will be more about nostalgia and not the energetic excitement of boots and scarves. The Vert Bohemian sounds really interesting based on the name alone. I haven’t been out much, so I have a lot of catching up to do. Now I do feel inspired to go find my friends, in the form of their pretty bottles and memorable scents. Thank you for that!
Brandi
Hey Patty! I’d be more than happy to send you some of the satchel full of samples I have yet to go through from two years ago! Yeah, fall releases… kind of meh. Even the few I’ve started in on from the new Sylvaine Delacourte muck collection left me flat. I blame it on politics.
Still excited to try the Puredistance which is on its way, and positively vibrating with joy over Zoologist’s new release on Dec. 31st called Civet. It is unspeakably gorgeous! So that will be my first FB of 2017. (Am I too eager if I order it New Years Day? I’ve already blown thru my sample in no time!) Hang in there, things will get better if only because…. well…. you know the drill. xoxo
I know what you mean — there have been things that I liked just fine this fall, but nothing I really loved. Everything great that comes to mind is from the spring or summer. I like the Tom Ford Vert Boheme, but again, it doesn’t blow me away — it’s just very nice. The only Goutal I really dig is Songes.
I am always amazed that you can remember how a particular perfume smells. After putting on Badgley Mischka this morning, I wondered if I’d worn it before. Nothing about it was familiar, except it smelled like something else. A Goutal not like a Goutal. Sounds interesting.
DNEM but I have to just say this post struck a chord with me – the one perfume that has never smelled the same since First Sniff is Tommi Sooni’s Tarantella. I got a sample from them (back in the Jurassic Era) and nearly crashed my car trying to open the package! When I got the vial open I got this incredible whiff of leather – blew me away. Lovely as it is, I have, sadly, never gotten that whiff again.
Is it not a Goutal because it lasts and you can smell it more than 6 inches away? Signed, a frustrated Goutal lover
LOL
would like very much to try the new Goutal- if it seems not a Goutal- what’s it like?
Thanks Patty
Oooo! I’ve been curious about Annick Goutal! The bottles are so pretty too! Yay for giveaways! Have you checked out the new YSL prestige line perfumes? They are mmmm!!
Oh, Patty, I hope your head is feeling better. I am so dispirited by the events of last week that I am withdrawing into my vast collection of unsniffed and untried sample vials. Of course I am referring to the passing of Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, and now Mose Alison… Shopping at home, I am. Wearing DSH Cielle today.