The friendly perfumistas thread 31: jingling all the way to a fragrant Christmas 🎄

[Opal8]

A Christmas thread 🎄

Wishing all my fragrant chums a very Merry Christmas 💜

Sotd 4160 Shazam!

SOTD is Coco - my first wearing from a new bottle I bought myself at the end of November.

SOTD MMM Whispers in the Library.

Happy New Year Perfumistas - hope everyone is safe and well and had enjoyable Xmas breaks?

My fragrant festive highlight was receiving a sample box from Etat Libre D'Orange, which is a house I've previously had a more miss than hit relationship with (although I am fond of Jasmin et Cigarettes and Fat Electrician). Anyway, their sample box (20 x2ml) is great - and I am surprised to find myself drawn to at least half, and suspect there will be a couple of FBs bought off the back, including Eau De Protection.

SotD is Rien Intense Incense - which is a gloriously darky, smoky but clean smelling incense.

@DrJakes
I've been looking at that sample box, thanks for the review! Which are your faves?

It's an intriguing house but comes off quite pretentious I suppose...

SOTD MMM BTF - so cold here today!

@madamceladon, I have only been around the box once, and didn't take notes, so am now circling back for second tries. I am still very much making my mind up, but the four special editions (Orange Extaordinaires - 500 Years, Experimentum Crucis, Spice Must Flow and Soul of my Soul) were all things I hadn't tried before that were interesting/satisfying on the first pass, along with Eau de Protection, Les Fleurs du Dechet, Attaquer le Soleil, Exit the King and Rien Intense Incense.

And a surprise - Fils de Dieu smells like the original Obsession.

My main reflection would be how very nicely the base notes are constructed in several of these. Long and beautifully measured dry-downs (including Eau de Protection) - now there's a reason to buy full bottles!

Off to start trying them all again...

Sotd is Ffern Spring 2020.
I'm really enjoying the lime in this - bright, refreshing and predominant, whereas normally the Guiac wood in it is very much the boss . Today it's just humming along in the background & adding a touch of warmth.
The Etat Libre samples are sounding fabulous @DrJakes.
I've just given my Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise to dd2 plus loads of samples & a mini Paris perfume. This particular Jo Malone smells too sweet on me now but perfect on dd2. She's just gone off wearing a fake fur from the charity shop, my old red silk scarf from Episode many moons ago, Paris perfume & those massive platform trainers her & her friends wear.

Your daughter sounds awesome @Fferny1

trying not to get too far behind again since i keep disappearing!

No SOTN as yet as i havent made a decision on what to wear yet

I tried Liz Earl's Botanical Number 9 perfume which is lovely and understated. It's got hints of forest fruits, blackcurrant, vetiver and warm vanilla, it smells slightly peppery. I've put it on my birthday list!

SotD Experimentum Crucis. Apple, rose, and a musky honey roughed up a bit with the tiniest dash of dirty cumin and a slug of earthy patchouli. Quite a complex evolution, dark-leaning and satisfying.

Sotd 4160tuesdays shazam!

Sotd - Tauer Orange Star sample . The jury is out on this one.

Hen I haven't tried that for a while but I remember there was a note in it that I intensely disliked. I can't describe it apart from 'headachey.'
I think there's a tiny bit of it in Incense Extreme, which I'm wearing today, but it's not as strong as in Orange Star, fortunately.

Now that’s interesting Flora as I’m ambivalent about my sample of Incense Extreme too!
I felt quite nauseous this morning when I first had it on. It’s improved as time has gone on , just as IE did on me. Neither are on my shop list unlike LADDM and Shazam!

I’ve got a 4160 discovery box to start soon, but wanted to finish my Tauer and MMM samples first .

SOTD YSL Libre. @FormerlySpeckledyHen I absolutely hated Orange Star - I had an unusually strong dislike for it and had to wash it off. Usually I can keeping going with “nope, never again”!

Evening 😊
I'm being quite hibernatey atm
Sotd was 4160tuesdays Shazam⚡️
Sote is 4160tuesdays Temptation. I often wear this musky lovely to bed 🛌
I liked the 1st 3 scents from the JJB but haven't been keen on the last couple. Not sure no 6 will be up my street either 🤔
I used my xmas spa voucher today so I'm still a bit "oily" 🙃

Hello, do you mind if I join? I've started to get into perfumes and would love to talk to some frag-heads.

SOTD for me is Layali which is a perfume oil by Swiss Arabian. Cheap as chips, smells kind of honey-like but I'm not sure if it's for me. It was a blind buy from Notino :)

Welcome to the thread @Shalimar.
If you like to chat about perfumes may I suggest Fragrantica as a useful resource.

Also Fragrantica have a Facebook group and there are several other perfume groups you can join on Facebook. I tend to buy all my perfumes this way as they are often heavily discounted or partial bottles. Also the chat is great!

Sotd is Jo Malone Orris & Sandalwood.
This week I've bought this, a bottle of Paris Ysl EDP & a partial bottle of l'occitane Cherry Blossom 🤭
All from Facebook. So much for my pruning ...

Welcome @ShalimarEDP 👋. Shalimar is one of my favourite comfort scents!

SOTD for yesterday was Ambre Narguile.

Today it's Opium, but it felt all wrong as I'd meant to apply Ambre Sultan. Kind of a metaphor for my day - everything has just been slightly off . 😕

Welcome shalimar 👋

Sotd 4160tuesdays Temptation again

Welcome @ShalimarEDP.

SotD has been Eau de Protection.

Have been pondering Incense Extreme and incense notes more generally. I'm not that fond of Incense Extreme (and I do like most frankincense/olibanum rich perfumes). Am working up a theory that I don't get on so well with the very green/fresh frankincense notes (Somalian frankincense(?). See also Trudon's Mortel, L'Artisan's Timbuktu and Annick Goutal's Encens Flamboyant). Not sure if I get on better with other forms of frankincense, or whether it's just that I'm just used to them being cut with other dark and/or sticky resins and balsams, including labdanum, benzoin and myrrh?

My all time love in the less fresh more churchy/more sticky camp would be Sahara Noir (I want to be buried with my bottle! Thank you again lovely friendly Perfumista who sold me this), plus Avignon, Nu, Amber Absolute etc.

Welcome Shalinar! I often do writing work for Swiss Arabian. I've never actually smelled any of them but they sell an astonishing amount of perfume.

Feel free to ask any questions about perfume. One of us is bound to know.

SOTD Diptyque Eau Duelle.

Judy I’m glad it’s not just me with Orange Star. I tried it again yesterday and had the same nausea until it settled down. Luckily for everyone I was home alone and nobody else needed to suffer!

Sotd for work will be Timeless. I like my colleagues :)