Perfumistas 15: hmm your ideas intrigue me, I wish to subscribe to your newsletter

[PestymcPestFace]

Hopefully just in time.

All welcome for any perfume talk of an type.

Am trying the Amber now, properly. DH has already said he hates it (this is entirely normal as he really doesn't like scent in any form) but I think this is the best so far. It's a spicy amber, lots of benzoin, and once you get past the first burst, it's loud but not bad mannered. On the basis of 3/5 samples, if I were inclined to assign gender to scent, I would suggest that this is a range for very unisex perfumistas and chaps. But I like it a lot, just not at this time of year. It could be awesome in winter with cold short days/ Three to try. So far, Neroli is okay; and the Forest may have been short changed.

Mmmm, spice and benzoin, right up my boulevard...

I'm exhausted

Hope you feel better soon spex

I had a scan yesterday and will find out on weds if I need an op for similar so I empathise

Sote is sexiest scent on the planet ever extrait

Is extra sexiest scent included in the 4160 sale??

Fennel, they are EdP samples, and dabbers (hate dabbers), so they come up very strong. I hate to genderise ranges, but my initial instinct is that the appeal is more male than female. The Neroli has a good drydown, but it's not citrus.

SOTD was Byredo Gypsy Water, and SOTE is NRFH. We just had a huge takeaway pizza, so I probably smell a bit of that now, tbh.

Fennel, Casaque is a multi-floral perfume which was originally made by Jean D’Albret. It was discontinued long ago, in the 70s. I have acquired a bottle of the eau de cologne parfumee version, as well as Ecusson, a chypre, which was made by the same house. I sent MrsL some samples. I think at least the top notes in Ecusson have probably gone and not sure about the rest, but the Casaque seems lovely to me. MrsL obviously agrees! I have fond memories of both these perfumes. If you would like a sample, let me know.

I have ordered the Rook sample set! 🐑

We moved house today! Woo hoo. I've had to pull out the big guns to cope so yesterday and today SotD was Dryad. Is it just me who like to wear their most expensive perfume when scruffily dressed? By the time we moved in DH and I were both filthy from all the cleaning at our old house. So once the removers left I had a shower and put on my shorts and SJP Lovely. Then in the evening I found my parecel from Fennel so clearly had to put on some MG Lemon. Tomorrow I have to unpack the kitchen stuff and get to grips with my fancy new Rangemaster. I love our new house!

Congratulations on the house move Count - hope there is lots of space for perfume storage .

Fingers crossed you don't need the op ttprw.

This event sounds intruiguing Fennel!

Hope junior Sock is enjoying his freedom OC?

Ah! It was me asking about the Caron Teta - thanks. Have been reading up on the six on Fragrantica and not convinced they are for me either.

at Fennel & Blue and that dress. Doesn't look like it was marked-down in further reductions, so clearly selling well on the back of the puritan chic controversy!

Thanks for the 4160 heads-up Pineapple (I think). Do we know when it starts?

I love Shazam! MrStark. In fact, as I have a horrible bit of work to do now before I can get on with my weekend, I might just go and douse myself in some...

Hi to Floof and all the Perfumistas

Let's agree not to start bidding against each other on Casaque when bottles crops up?

Love it when 6am clients don't show up.

SOTD is a Rook double-header: Undergrowth on one arm and Thurible on the other.

I'm still getting over Alien. I quite liked it, but it ended up like that house guest who stays a day too long. The floral bit was lovely but as it dried down it began to smell like sweetened plasticine. Not worth a FB for me, I don't think.

Congrats on the move, Count. Morning everyone

I love that house guest line Plausible .

Procrastinating now to avoid the horribleness - which I will return to in a moment. But not before asking you all a question:

I'm starting to think about summer holidays (much nicer than thinking about work). If you could only take 4 perfumes, what would make it into your hand luggage (seaside, in the Med)?

That's a tough one MrsL

I don't like heavy florals in the heat so I think I'd pack...

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
Dior Eau Sauvage
Hermes Eau des Merveilles Bleue
Phaedon L'eau de Concombre

...and then I'd raid the airport duty free on the way back to stock up on whatever else I could find.

MrsL I would take on holiday
Hermes Pamplemousse Rose ( lovely in heat)
James Heeley coccobello
“. “. Verveine
“. “. St Clements.
Plausible how annoying. I hate it when people are unreliable.
How Is the Rook?
Count I love my Red Rangemaster too. Even though the numbers have worn off the dials so we guess the oven temperature.I particularly love the fact the top is black and I can’t see the dirt 😊.

Undergrowth is pleasant, teta; green, slightly minty and vegetabley, but in a nice way.

Thurible I'm not getting on with. Although it's clearly a high quality composition, it's not working on me. It has an austere note to it that I don't enjoy. DH has just told me I smell like the old bibles they used to have in church when he was growing up.

Snap, Plausible. Undergrowth here too, but on both wrists. I rather like this as it puts me in mind of MMM Untitled, which is a big favourite. Green and vegetal at the get go, but will give it an hour to await the development.

Ah, you see I'm a sucker for a dusty old bible smell Plausible, so that would suit me just fine

Very not-dusty today (perfume-wise at least) - MH Cassis en Feuille. Really comes into its own on a day like today - sharp and vegetal. This is one of your faves, isn't it teta?

Hurrah for new house Count and glad Lemon arrived safely (if possibly illegally!)

Holiday perfumes? Will have to have a think. We are doing a bit of a road-trip this year, west coast of US, Arizona, New York, so temperatures will be soaring and I'll need something very cooling. Ealing Green is a possibility, will have to muse on the others.

We are heading to Ischia soon for our summer holiday. It will be hot but not crazy hot.

I will probably take:
Prada Infusions Iris Cedre
Miller Harris Lumiere Doree
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud (for evenings)
4160 Tuesdays Rhubarb and custard, London 1969 and Sex Goddess

^ actually might also take Prada Candy Kiss. It’s a lovely light citrusy (Neroli)’musk and not a pink minger at all. That’s two Pradas to wear in the daytime. So I will smell like an Italian, but sadly my pasty white skin will give me away

I’m testing the Rook.
Have Neroli on one hand and Undergrowth on the other. Neroli is a instant love whereas the Undergrowth was initially overwhelmingly minty. I have a love/hate relationship with mint with rather more hate than love. I leave it a while and then sniff again - wow, it’s absolutely addictive and I can’t stop smelling my hand. It must be a combination of the Vetiver and Musk smoothing out the edges of the mint to make a irresistible green melange.

The Rook discovery set arrived in a wet package without the Y label. The two perfumes I wanted to try (Amber and Neroli) had smashed. Do you think I should say something?

I wearing the other 4. Undergrowth reminds me of Zoologist- not for me. Funky forest with mint and quite medicinal. Suede smells like a middle eastern bbq- don’t like it.

Thurible is quite nice although a bit too masculine for my taste (Sorry to genderise) it is quite soap, powdery and incense esque- yes to the dusty old bible vibe. I’d happily wear this one. Forest smells like Christmas trees and is quite pleasant, but not sure I want to smell like a forest really.

They are all well blended and strong- the quality is definitely there. And they wouldn’t be out of place in Bloom.

I am keen to smell Neroli and Amber now.

teta yes! Undergrowth is definitely minty and also smells of dirt now. These are certainly very interesting fragrances.

The two perfumes I wanted to try (Amber and Neroli) had smashed. Do you think I should say something?
I would, Blue. They were quick off the mark sending them out so I'm sure they're wanting people to try them. And you've paid for them. Mine came in a paper envelope, inside a thin jiffy. With them being glass vials I was somewhat surprised they'd made it intact.

Thurible has settled down now and the dusty vibe has gone. (Been dusted, I suppose.) It's now incense, some smoke, and highly polished old wood. I like it more now although I don't think I want to wear it, if that makes sense. If it came as a home scent in a reed diffuser I'd have it in my office, though. (Probably a sacrilegious thing to say.) There's something removed and peaceful about it. Maybe it's the church angle.

Morning, 6am clients sounds horrific. I am currently awaiting the 11.30 one.

Am in Mandragore which I like very much. It's very clever, it starts out all citrussy and what I consider to be the signature sharp blast of Annick Goutal but quickly goes more powdery and now there's even a hint of skank (though that could be leftover Diorella from last night)

I am currently also deciding which perfumes to take to the UK with me...there'll be more than 4, but if I had to choose just 4, they would be
Chanel 19
Vintage Dioressence
Eau d'Hadrien or Eau du Sud or Jade or Liz Earle 1 (I know that's cheating )
PP Rive Gauche.

(what I am actually taking thus far is: all of the above, plus Ealing Green, London 1969, PP Infusions d'Iris)

I say thus far obvs, as have another 6 days and several perfumery boxes to go through....

MrsL, my choices for a warm holiday destination would be:

SJP Covet - this was my surprise go-to perfume on a recent holiday. It is a floral, citrussy, geranium leaves perfumes with chocolate undertones.

Yu Son ALTAIA - citrus, tea and orange blossom

Scenthusiasm 4160Tuesdays - a herby fresh perfume with a distinct gin vibe. Plus a sample bottle of Midnight in the Palace Garden for evenings.

Diptyque Philosykos or Body Shop Italian Summer Fig