Our negligees may be covered in cat hair but at least they smell divine - it's Lovely Friendly Perfume Thread number 9!

[explodingkittens]

Welcome to the long-running perfume thread! All are welcome - drop in to chat about old loves or new discoveries. Ask a perfume question and someone here will know the answer.

Be warned though, we are a bunch of terrible enablers and you may wish to put your credit card in the freezer before entering

It's a lovely local garage that are really good so I know everything is essential as well. Admittedly the bulk of the cost is due to me driving into the back of someone 18 months ago. I paid for their paintwork touchup at the time (wasn't expensive, I was only going < 5mph so not a lot of damage I thought) and only found out at my last MOT I'd cracked the light bracket in my own car that is £££ to repair. Last year it was still OK enough to pass the MOT, this year it needs replacing. So it's my own bloody fault.

SotD is Mad Madame.

Sorry Kittens I shall be asleep at 3.30am

Season's Greetings to all, especially stressed out and broke Perfumistas

Today is day 20... and it's Silk, Lace & Chocolate. This another one I haven't tried. (I have to say the selection has been absolutely great with very little overlap with things I already know). This would be fabulous for fans of chocolate notes. The woody musk heart of this is very well judged - warm and sensuous. The chocolate on top is rather too realistic and edible-smelling for me. This reminds me of one of the Crimes of Passion (The Inevitable CofP perhaps?) which is darker and more citrussy, which I really like.

Working today so a light SOTD - perfume parlour Nivea. Just smells lovely and clean

*fist

or for all stressed Perfumistas - I have resigned myself to the fact that pre Christmas is always a mare for one reason or other, and the day itself is always a bit fraught - I only "relax" on Boxing Day and feel like that is the proper start to the holidays and sitting around in pyjamas eating chocolate.

Continuing the trend this year DH's new employers have cocked his first pay up but the DCs' presents are already bought and hopefully the food shop will arrive, so it could be worse!

Cannot believe there are only a few days of advent calendars left I had jelly sweets in mine this morning and ate them at 5am I have really been enjoying reading everyones' surprises and am seriously considering seeing if any ACs are in the sales, and buying one for January!

SOTD is Zoflora (winter spice of course) as I really should be cleaning for Christmas visitors, instead of MNing and looking at vintage bottles of Obsession on EBay So far all I have done is think about removing and washing the sofa covers, then just covered them with throws and laid down again

It's day 21...another OML, this time Harvest-Red-Gratitude. This smells like lying under a cosy blanket at the end of a pregnancy yoga class whilst the fruit tea brews and the biscuits come out of their tin. Raspberry leaf tea, rose, with warm comforting smells underneath. (Listed notes also include hay, hazelnut and labdanum). Think this one might be my favourite from the OML series. I'm reluctant to try with beta as I like its simplicity.

This has helped crystallize how I feel about the OML's so far. They are very gentle and wholesome, and would be completely brilliant in pregnancy/early motherhood, during convalescence, or any of those situations where you hanker after perfume but just can't quite stomach wearing your usual choices. Would also make great alternatives to flowers as uplifting but more enduring special presents...

SotD is Agent Provocateur to go with the rose otto facial oil in the M&S AC. Get me being all co-ordinated [smug]

I used the rose oil for lymphatic drainage massage as I was feeling a bit bunged up. It worked a treat, I have had free flow sinuses for 10 mins.

HAPPY SOLSTICE, the days will be lighter and brighter from now on.

SOTD Noix de Tubereuse Miller Harris

Liberty GOTD Byredo hand cream in D’ Afrique which smells divine and seems to be very effective on my dry hands

SotD a blend of Lonesome Rider (which I sprayed thinking it was Lonestar Memories) so headed off the aftershave oudy twang by spraying Opium on top and it's really rather nice.

Day From Hell. Last official day of classes so of course the kids were totes batshit. A live goldfish appeared at one point (to give an idea)
Factor in, the opening, within the school, of a Science Museum and its inauguration with dignitaries (including a minister whose plane was delayed by an hour)
Factor in, this evening, the concert to celebrate the inauguration.
Factor in, half my classes have been missing for weeks because they've been acting/dancing/singing in readiness for said concert.
Factor in, tomorrow morning, school assembley, organized by kids themselves. I was not required to attend...until I receive a message saying there will be a meeting for all of us involved in the January thing when the school will be open till effing midnight with more singing and dancing. I am to produce some kind of performance involving Bob Dylan and Lady MacBeth.

I have just sat at the kitchen table with my head in my hands snoffling mince pies and just thinking of what I need to do still. And dp has just phoned to say he has manflu.

Oh PIAM, what a cri de coeur! Hands over . Drink and breathe, but not near the manflu germ generator; that you do not need.

SOTD L’Air de Rien. One more day of work to go. I had such a nice day today though, one of my final year classes had made me a huge hamper full of chocolate, gin in a tin, wee bits like lip balm, a Soap and Glory set, plus treats for my cat, because I always put a photo of her as my last slide in lectures. There was also a cat Santa hat, which we managed to get on her long enough for a photo. She was not pleased.

Channelling my inner Jean Valjean and joining in with the "one day more" chorus. Feeling from a barrage of announcements of new jobs/promotions in my team - very well deserved and hard earned and I am pleased but bloody hell - so many at once?! Quite the gap to try to fill in the new year. Thank God for the glut of Christmas biscuits in the office that need taking care of...

Goodness PIAM. I feel knackered just reading that.

SotD was ACAC Cedre Atlas. Yesterday was another soap so I went for RM Oxford. So struck by the similarities between the two I thought at one point I must have forgotten to actually put the Cedre Atlas on! Notes aren't identical but the same things must be picking up. The AC was a bit drier and spicier on me though, whereas the Oxford has a creaminess to it.

Oh and Floof snap on the calendars! So many sold out though.

I think there's room on Dragon's Den or The Apprentice for January Calendars with 31 gifts that can be given as Christmas presents. Very clearly a market for this (me!!)

What a good idea Cheap - January's when you really need one.

How lovely Judy - you must be a very inspiring teacher.

Large sherry for PiaM - blimey.

Have just been to Lidl and they have some great dupes in (but low on stock). Was taken with Angelique and New York. Surprised they get away with this...

Poor everyone who's had a shit week! Judy I'm so glad they're getting somewhere with your tooth, I haven't been on this thread for ages and last time I was on one of the threads you were having dental issues! I've had a horrible cold all week, haven't been to any Christmas drinks and haven't been wearing any perfume as not worth it. I'm finally on the mend now.

Balls, now I wish I'd asked for Ambre Sultan instead of Santal - I usually spend months agonising over FBs and getting samples, but I got a squirt of SM on the way past a perfume hall and really enjoyed it (they didn't have AS to compare it to and I have lost my sample), so when my mum asked what I wanted for Christmas it was on my mind. Oh well, it will be lovely anyway! I have tried Chergui and loved it initially but then abruptly went off it - I can't deal with the hay note, I grew up on a farm and the hay reminds me of musty off hay, not nice dry properly stored hay, it's just one of those weird associations you can't get out of your head! And I'm afraid Femininite de bois nearly made me boak, so did violette de bois, they were both scrubbers on me though by the notes I should have loved them!

I've been getting sprays of Mon Guerlain whenever I can recently. I don't think it's that well-thought of on these threads but I think it's lovely. But I like La Vie est Belle and it's similarish.

Have just discovered that dp's mum has a huge bottle of Coromandel in the bathroom cabinet. I can't ask for a spray because I don't want to admit to looking (was searching for a nail file!)

Pinch it!

I am writing a list for dp for my Christmas present. We are in small town Italy and the perfumery shop windows are full of Gabrielle and the latest Dolce and Gabbana and PMs.

He will go, on Christmas Eve. I think he may be able to get hold of Shalimar, but what else do I like that's mainstream? My next own FB purchase I think will be LHB but I can't see them having under the counter Guerlains here. I shall put 24 Rue Faubourg as well. I think I've seen that. You all know me, what else might he find? I might put Allure as I've always quite liked that, will put Wrappings and Knowing but I doubt he'll find those. Roma is in all the shops but as cheap as chips and even though we only do tokens, I'm worth more than £15.

Shalimar, 24 RueF, Wrappings, Knowing, Allure.

I was going to stick N5 on as it's always handy to have a safe powerhouse when meeting with the headmistress lol, but I have 2 x 19 FBs and a massive bottle of Miss Dior, and numerous bottles of Dioressence for those moments.

Hi - I am an occasional lurker on this thread. I was wondering if anyone knew where I might track down a bottle of the now discontinued Marc Jacobs Splash in Graprefruit...I bought my big bottle in 2008 (!) and I have a tiny bit left which I am rationing.

SOTD came in my beauty box. Actually really like it!
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/English-Laundry/English-Laundry-Signature-for-her-18606.html

Miffy- they have this on Amazon.com

www.amazon.com/Marc-Jacobs-Grapefruit-Toilette-10-Ounces/dp/B0020MM67G?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Don't know if it is the same?

Miffy there is one in Germany. It is one of my faves too. I think a twitter campaign is required to bring it back.

Wow, Thanks for the quick responses (and good to see I am not alone in loving this). Would love to see it come back, I had no idea the whole range would be dc'ed :(
The amazon link is out of stock but I will watch ebay, thanks (€200 is out of my budget right now but it is hopeful to see some are still available)

Sweedish Mon Guerlain is a pink minger on me. However, I have smelt it on a sales assistant and it was a lovely rich vanilla caramel. Go for what smells good with your skin chemistry.