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Original poster

We've had a bath, a hyaluronic sheet mask, egg & chips and are now in Opium. Come and join us for Lovely Friendly Perfume Thread 11!

999 replies

explodingkittens · 24/02/2018 12:55

Welcome all, old hands and newbies, to LFPT no. 11! Pull up a chair and tell us all about your new finds, old loves and burgeoning obsessions. Ask a perfume-related question and someone here will have the answer. Niche, mainstream, celeb scents, drugstore El Cheapos or hard-to-find exclusives - we love 'em all.

We are also doing the Big Sniff every Sunday, so please join us there too!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
mrsreynolds · 01/03/2018 13:13

Ds2 is very creative yes 😁
But ds1 blew me away last year when I asked him his opinion on POAL and he said it reminded him of Whitby!!!
Spot on!
Gothic spicy rose!
🤣

mrsreynolds · 01/03/2018 13:14

Ds1s school is closing so he will be coming home soon...

MotherofTerriers · 01/03/2018 13:45

Grand Neroli here today - pleasant but disappeared fast
I am not going to buy any full size bottles of anything until I have tried all my testers
I'm really not

SoFancy · 01/03/2018 13:48

That's adorable, mrsr Grin

DD (also 9) loves perfume, but is a definite PM-lover at the moment. I have a small bottle of Viva La Juicy I bought yonks ago but never wear, and she is allowed one squirt after swimming 'to take the chlorine smell away' Grin.

DCs school and the educational establishment where I work = only ones in the area still open. Always our luck.

CountFosco · 01/03/2018 13:48

I'm assuming it's because everything's supposed to be moving to the Guerlain bee bottles?

I've been eyeing up the very cheap Vetiver EdT for a while.

I'm not buying though. I have started a 'perfume expenditure' spreadsheet Blush

I kept a record of all my clothes expenditure last year. I spent about 50% more than I thought I did Shock. To be fair I went down 2 dress sizes last year so needed to buy all new trousers and skirts.

This year I'm including perfume but I'm about to crack after a morning looking after 6 kids (my 3 and my friends 3. TBF 6 is probably less work than my 3 alone because they play nicely together). It is a new month after all!

auberginesrus · 01/03/2018 13:52

Aw bless your ds Mrs R! My oriane arrived Grin with a sample of Pillow Talk. Sprayed it on the tissue to have a sniff and my ds2 (also 9) pronounced it smells like Love Hearts sweets. Does rather but in a good way.

SOTD is Rosa Ribes from the testers I bought from 4160s. Very blackcurrant at first then dries down to a lovely powdery rose. Thought at first that it was just ok but now can't stop smelling my wrist...

UnnecessaryFennel · 01/03/2018 13:59

Count, 'it's a new month after all' was exactly my rationale this morning Grin. Sounds like you need a 'reward'.

aubergines, I keep meaning to give Rosa Ribes a proper try. I got a sample recently but it's been sidelines in favour of even newer toys Blush. Might wait until the weather is a bit more springlike, maybe?

mrsr your ds sounds so cute! I'm passing quite a few samples onto ds (14) in the vain hope that he might branch out from asphyxiating us all with Lynx every morning. To no avail, sadly.

mrsreynolds · 01/03/2018 14:22

Ds1 is 14...I don't have much luck with him and scent tbh although he can't wear the dreaded lynx due to his eczema...

auberginesrus · 01/03/2018 15:39

My ds1 is also 14 - spooky! Not so into Lynx but can get a bit trigger happy with his Ted Baker and Jack Wills sprays (which are quite pleasant at low concentrations). He sometimes wears a nice Next men's fragrance. Have tried him on Invisible Ben fron my 4160 testers, he wasn't particularly keen, I suspect it's too subtle for him. DS2 loves it though Smile

UnnecessaryFennel · 01/03/2018 15:40

I've given my ds Invisible Ben too; mainly because it's his namesake though!

auberginesrus · 01/03/2018 15:42

Fennel i think RR would be lovely for spring, but its smelling pretty nice today too! Now a lovely skin scent some 5 or so hours later and is reminding me of old ladies face powder - in a good way.

SoFancy · 01/03/2018 16:28

Rosa Ribes sounds really nice.

It’s a challenge to get my DS (13) in to even Lynx Grin

LibertyBlue · 01/03/2018 16:42

Can I ask you mums for advice. Nothing to do with Perfume! It’s about childcare vouchers. Too scared to post on AIB! But AIB?!

Let me start by saying I’m not the most organised person when it comes to finances & have a lot of outgoings (FT childcare) so not much left at end of month (err probably because I spend it on perfumes!). We’ll have savings again when she starts school

Anywho, noticed my ex employer was still paying childcare vouchers to nursery. Hadn’t noticed for 3 months because the amount fluctuates so much - it’s never the same. I just pay off the balance each month. I emailed ex employer HR raising it. They emailed back asking to pay it all back in bank transfer. But I don’t have £750! Even instalments I’d struggle! Ive offered the money less NI/tax as that’s what the vouchers would have cost me (so about £500). They’ve said no.

AIB to insist paying back vouchers at cost they would have been or does this not make any sense at all. It just seems bloody unfair. Especially when I spotted it and raised it with them. It’s a big company so not dealing with ex colleagues.

LibertyBlue · 01/03/2018 16:43

(I’ve name changed btw - hopefully it’s obvious who I am)

LibertyBlue · 01/03/2018 16:45

CVC disappeared and I’m now in PP baccarat rouge but it’s majing me feel a bit sick, way too sweet yuk!

UnnecessaryFennel · 01/03/2018 17:16

Sorry blue - wish I had some useful advice but I'm not sure about this one.

LibertyBlue · 01/03/2018 17:37

Thanks Fennel and sorry to hijack the thread- I just don’t have anyone to ask IRL and I know there’s lots of mums here.

I’m proposing to pay £170 ish per £243 voucher as that’s what it would have cost me if it came from salary. I think that’s fair. They are a v profitable company if that makes a difference to a moral dilemma

SoFancy · 01/03/2018 17:40

I’m afraid I don’t know either Blue as it’s been ages since we’ve had nursery age kiddos, but I’m sure someone will know the answer!

teta · 01/03/2018 17:41

liberty could you speak to the Citizens advice People?
I think they’re meant to be good at small claims issues and things like that.

auberginesrus · 01/03/2018 17:42

Blue What a bugger.
Firstly, I do think you have to pay back the gross amount unfortunately because you have had £750 worth of childcare you're not entitled to and are no longer working there to get the tax saving iyswim Sad

But I do think it is entirely unreasonable of them to expect you to pay it back in one go. It's their mistake and is essentially an overpayment of salary. In my RL role as a union rep (public sector) Ive dealt with a few over payment cases and I would expect instalments be accepted by HR. Stick to your gums, tell them it's their mistake, you're unable to afford more than £X per month so that's what you'll be paying, and politely ask for details of how you should pay. Do it in writing.

CountFosco · 01/03/2018 17:58

I think you have to pay the full amount back since that's how much you've benefited (in your reduced childcare bill) and how much it has cost your ex-employer. Arrange to pay it in installments, they should be amenable to that, if not speak to CAB.

Why did you leave; have you got a new job? In which case are you getting childcare vouchers from your new employer? Does the DCs father get childcare vouchers from his employer? Can you and/or their father reduce your current childcate vouchers temporarily to free up money (don't stop because the scheme is coming to an end and you won't be able to start them again, I think you can change the amount but check)? Have you checked to see if you are better off moving to the new scheme?

Maybe you should start saving a small amount each month to cover unexpected bills.

auberginesrus · 01/03/2018 18:09

Stick to your guns not gums! Don't think gums would get you very far...

LibertyBlue · 01/03/2018 18:17

As thanks ladies- helpful to get some thoughts on this- it just came as a shock! Instalments a good idea, I’ll politely suggest 4 months I think to pay it off.

Yep I’m definitely going to be putting lots of £ aside from September when I get free childcare hours. It’s just tight right now! DH does not get vouchers and I’ve only just started getting them in new job (they separately messed it up - long story!)

Thanks again

auberginesrus · 01/03/2018 18:53

Well I might not know a lot about perfume but employment stuff I'm ok on Grin

Count Fosco is winning on both counts Smile

Calmwhoknows · 01/03/2018 18:58

Blue, I have a couple of thoughts, with the proviso that I know nothing about child care vouchers and have no legal or HR expertise! It just seems to me that it’s very unfair if you end up being worse off than you would have been if the mistake hadn’t been made. I know you should probably have noticed the error, but surely your ex employers are partly to blame for not following due process? There must be a case for letting you off at least some of the money? Do you have any access to legal advice, perhaps through an insurance policy or through your current employers? A solicitor may be able to suggest a good letter to write.