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

Nose samples are dreadfully packaged and I refuse to buy from them aftee my last lot when 4 phials had completely leaked and ended up half empty and all sticky, and the rest had no legible labels on them.

I have Mark Buxton Black Angel samples. Not tried it though.

I agree about PP Carnal Flower. Too sweet and syrupy-musky.

Been in Opium today, and Shalimar post shower.

How did it go Judy?

@PIAM, glad it's not just me then. I think I might have to devise some ingenious standy-uppy storage system for them, though, because the range and price is so good.

I wonder if the real Carnal Flower will have changed since Estee Lauder took over Malle? It's one of the few full bottles I like to own

ACD SotD Santal Carmin. Lime, sandalwood and saffron. I got an early blast of saffron (not worn it in a perfume before so was a bit strange, made me hungry!) then it settle down into a mild woodiness. Not very interesting on me.

I also haven't had much luck with Nose samples.

SOTD was Rome 1963. At some point I'm going to have to buy a bigger bottle as the 9ml is going down fast!

PIAM I don’t want to jinx myself, but I am hoping we’re there. She opened up the top tooth last week and found decay under the filling, so dressed it and said it would either settle, or need a root canal. The tooth is mutant and has an extra root, plus the roots are long and twisted, so it was going to need referred to a specialist and cost about a grand. It thankfully started to settle down at the weekend, so today she took out the dressing and put in a permanent filling. I’ve to go back on 5 January. I took a big box of biscuits and some truffles there last week because everyone has been so kind to me!

(M&S, not home made!)

I was going to ask black or white Judy. Surely you don't give your dentist sugar.

She was actually quite teary, mrsP, which made me cry too. I suspect dentists don’t get gifts in the same way as other people providing a public service because normal people don’t see them often. I always give my hairdresser a bottle of plonk at Christmas.

Actually, my hairdresser is preg so this year she got a big bunch of flowers. Also M&S.

Aww that was kind of you Judy. I'm sure dentists always feel like the bad guys. Fingers crossed that finally you're sorted and can wear 19 simply because it's magnificent and not just for courage. (It's my.go-to for courage too)

ACD SotD Oud Saphir. Oud, bergamot and birch. Initially I got mouldy wood pile, that seems to be drying out a bit now. But not really a fan. Probably a scrubber on me.

Judy you sound lovely- hope you will be treated this Xmas by Santa for the difficult time you’ve had with your teeth this year (but to something sugar free!)

SOTD is Diptyque 34. It smells quite festive- lots of soft spices and herbs going on, but not really sure what I’m smelling as there are a lot of notes in it. Sillage not great. I think Diptyque as a brand has fairly poor sillage/ longevity given the price point. I learnt this week that you pronounce it ‘Dip-teek’ (I bet the rest of you already knew that!)

Ugh well I spoke too soon when I said I was feeling de-mob happy, hideous day 'at work' so far even though I'm not even in the office. What I thought would be a nice slow wind-down week has become a great big monster of stress. I have a horrible feeling I've been promoted beyond my capabilities

Still, SOTD is Captured by Candlelight. Lovely, cosy, Christmassy.

Right, that's my 5-min break over, better get off MN and back into the fray...

Disliked Oud Safir so much I sprayed over it with Ambre Pamplemousse Rose by L'Atelier des Bois de Grasse. Love the spice in this, thanks to the blind tasters earlier on this year for bringing it to my attention.

Ooh that’s a good choice Fosco it’s very reasonable on Amazon (also available from other sources!) must dig out my sample from the blind sniffing experiment

Oh no Kittens sympathies x10. I’ve also had a load of work dumped on me last minute and very few people in to help. I’m contemplating working Xmas eve

Swooshing through the Yuletide chores in a sillage of Vert d'Encens today, trying to swerve DH's sinus-y cold!

Turning the laptop OFF.

Tk Maxx have Missoni EDP for £49.99, the one Luca R raved about I think? Also some purse sprays of NR for Her... I'm not biting, though.

I'm going to have a bath, some paracetamol, a glass of wine and a midweek takeaway. And then douse myself in something lovely. Today has been stressarama and I have to be up at 4am to catch a flight. Sigh.

Luca T, obviously

Car went in for an MOT today. Failed terribly to the tune of £800. They've made it safe (!!!) but it has to go in on the 2nd for more work and a retest.

On the plus side a package arrived with that oh so familiar chemical warning so I know think I'm getting the perfume I asked for.

Un MN hugs for ExplodingKittens for a shitty last few days before Christmas. I was lucky, my manic (11h days, urgh) period at work finished the first week of Dec (and then the customers prevaricated again so no trip to America for a bit, phew) so I've been able to concentrate on home stuff and spend work time consolidating which has been great.

Count, that happened to me at about this time last year. Repairs were more than my car is worth but couldn't afford to replace it! Not so great just before Christmas...hope it's all sorted quickly for you.

Lots of sympathy for you too, kittens. It's horrible getting loads of extra stress at this time of year.

SOTD was Black Opium - undemanding and safe - just what I needed.

Oh lord @count, that's a bill and a half! Sympathies - I would love to get rid of my car as it feels like a money pit but I'd be a bit lost without it, at least at the weekends.

Dp has just admitted that we probably need to be up at 3.30am tomorrow. And I've lost the suitcase. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Am wearing Eau De Knackered Resignation, liberally applied.

I went into TK Maxx on Charing Cross Road today and got a bottle of Hermes Un Jardin de Monsieur Li for £40. They also had a couple of the Friede Modin sample sets.

SOTD is Heeley Cardinal. I appear to have a new dose of the cold - what fresh hell is this?

In better news, I tracked down BNIB Chanel 19 body lotion and shower gel (both now discontinued) on eBay. And kittens, the snow is gone. It’s actually quite mild.