SOTD 17.12 – 23.12.2018

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hi APJ,

A SOTD (Scent Of The Day) thread is a really good conversation generator. The idea is you’ll chime in through the week with whatever scent you are wearing. You don’t need to be super knowledgable, have high faluting tastes or be a published author to comment. Just tell us what fragrance you’re wearing, smelling, buying etc. and how it makes you feel and/or anything else about it that tickles your fancy.

You can also comment on everyone else choices too. It’s great to tell someone how much you love their choice, ask for more info about it, the house or perfumer. There’s someone here from around the world 24/7 and perfume people love to chat.

SOTD 17.12 – 23.12.2018

You probably won’t have time to write every scent, every spritz but whenever you feel the mood take you share your current spritz and a few things about it. Maybe you love/loathe it, want it, are excited by the notes/bottle/SA who sold it: WHATEVER! As always here at APJ, taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Go To It Crew.
Portia xxx

341 thoughts on “SOTD 17.12 – 23.12.2018”

  4. SOTN Narciso Rodriguez – don’t ask me which one. The label on the vial fell off and, anyway, I’ve lost track of all the variants.
    Melanie (I think) likes For Her. Someone else does too- Diana?

    Fun side of decluttering- finding treasures stashed and long forgotten.

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  9. Chanel Venise. I got a decent off you Portia and samples of the other two in the range. Loved it so much I got the Venise in a full bottle. So perfect for summer! Considering Deauville next.

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  11. I was digging through the dish of samples and testers, and couldn’t decide between all the possibilities. So wore some Coromandel. There are worse fall back options in the world 🙂

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  12. It’s midday and I’m still trying to wake up properly. Decluttering and decaffinating at the same time. Bad idea. 👿

    BV Eau de Velours. I think of Neva and her beautiful wreaths. Maybe I can get this house cleaned AND decorated in time? I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

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  13. wearing MFK BR540 for the first time even though i have had a sample for months.. I am in LOVE, it is worth the hype though it’s funny how different people smell different things. I don’t get marshmallow or candy or such vibes from it as some get. To me, it is an abstract smell of a hot liquid glass before it is cooled and turned into solid glass form.

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      • Neva, I tried the EDP. I think I am not particularly keen to try extrait which some say is sweeter. I may also have a bias since I tend to gravitate towards the original more and very rarely have found the flankers to surpass the original. I am not saying the flankers cannot be good but original are always the best, also because they are the ‘original’ 🙂 In this case, these are expensive perfumes so the safer choice for me is to go for the original 🙂

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      • That’s a pretty good description Crikey only that I get additionally the almond note and the freshness from the jasmine. Without that it would be caramel pure.

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        • I guess this is the reality of this hobby. Our sense of smells are not precise and they are influenced by our experiences and likes/dislikes, hence, BR540 is reminding all of us of different things.

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  15. Monday I wore Mona di Orio’s Eau Absolue. This is a bit of a different citrus, more subtle that the bombs that I tend to wear when it’s really hot.

    Today I’m wearing another more subtle citrus: Andree Putnam Formidable Man.

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  17. up at the buttcrack of dawn so tested the remaining evaporated decants of Bon Perfumery deciding which one or two or three to wear today….also tested the orris oil perfumes I made the other day…had to add some more orris to one of them because it wasn’t rooty enough me thinks for my friend (she likes rooty iris)…..will get back to you on which number of the Bon I have chosen (they are all numbered)

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  18. SOTN Guerlain Nahema. Further along in the cleaning but a bit behind with pressie shopping. Fingers crossed the parcel arrives tomorrow🤞

    Also I *must* clear space for the aquarium and the class’ pet goldfish who will be staying with us over the summer holidays.

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  19. Went fishing into the not-worn-often-enough back of the perfume niche, and came out with Yohji Homme. Sadly not the original which I loved but somehow never bought, but the really not bad at all 2013 version which is still a lovely twist on a classical fougere.

    (Herschel continues to recover: at her check up yesterday the vet was astonished by how well she’s doing. The power of APJers’ good wishes? I’m not ruling it out.)

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      • …and not many women, either, I think! I remember the bafflement when I bought this bottle, with the horrified SA condescendingly explaining to me that “homme” means “man” and therefore it was “NOT FOR YOU, madame, no, no.”

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        • That’s hilarious and a bit sad. I remember choosing between Dior Homme and its Intense counterpart, both rather sweet scents. An SA who was trying to help me, started bringing me blotters with all sorts of male colognes, mostly the aftershave type.
          Oh, and someone just wrote under a picture with Antaeus and Pour Monsieur something about them being the epitome of masculinity. I just replied that I actually wear them, and Kouros.

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          • Hurrah for an SA who doesn’t get freaked the hell out by people who are happy to ignore random marketing boundaries! The gendering of certain notes or combinations of notes just baffles me. (And my husband smells way better in roses than I do.)

            Antaeus was one of the first perfumes I bought and wore when I was 16. It’s just so good, why should half the population miss out on it? (I can’t wear Kouros–not because of the notes, but because it’s still associated so very strongly with someone I used to know, way back when. You must smell fabulous in that.)

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          • I know what you mean. I avoid using some expressions or even words because of whom they remind me of.

            Anyhoo, I’m glad that at least niche branch of perfumery had guts to be gender-neutral (well, they get more money this way so is it brave or simply wise?). And thank you for the compliment!

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  20. Portia, yesterday I got your package 🙂 Thank you!!! I’ve tested Hilde Soliani 25.9.11 (on fragrantica it says 24.9.11) and it’s a very dry powdery amber that gets soapy with time. Too powdery for my taste. Then I tested Versace Blonde for the first time. My first thought was – Fracas’ sister. Yes it’s a strong tuberose perfume, also not my cup of tea. Meanwhile I’m almost 100 percent sure that if one perfume contains tuberose, I won’t be able to wear it. It’s just too dominating.
    Today I’m wearing Lotree from Santi Burgas. Now that’s an interesting one! It has a light green color and smells of dry woods, like in 10 Corso Como which it reminds me of. Very light though, I have reapplied several times until I was satisfied and thunked the vial.

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    • YAY Neva!
      Yes, that is the correct dat but the 25th is my birthday so I always slip up,
      Bummer about Tuberose! That must knock out a LOT of fragrances?
      Interesting that the Lotree is soft on you, maybe it needs to be spritzed? It is quite a powerhouse on me.
      Portia xx

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      • I suspected that it has some aromachemicals like Molecule 01 that I cannot smell but no, it’s very nice but fleeting on me.
        My dislike for tuberose is probably the reason I still don’t have a typical flowery fragrance in my collection.

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      • It really pains me to read that you can’t wear tuberose, Diana, Neva. It is my favourite, favourite flower. Both real & fragrant. My parents’ garden was lush with the stunning white blooms. And the vases in our house- oh my! I am transported back. I’ve had zero luck growing them here. (Also, I am a hopeless gardener), Otherwise, I’d be another DSH 😆

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        • I am sure the natural scent of tuberose is wonderful. I haven’t encountered a singe natural flower I don’t like to smell. In perfumery the note is probably amplified. What do you say?
          We don’t have tuberose here in our climate and I’d love to try its smell, of course.

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          • Neva,
            Same as you, I haven’t smell the flower itself. I think it’s safe to say that we almost never smell the actual flower note in the perfume, only the way it was created with the help of various chemical ingredients, that’s why we may love the fresh rose petals scents but everyone knows how difficult it is to find one’s true rose perfume.

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        • Oh Jyotsna, I get where you’re coming from: I remember trying to teach my friend to love the Beatles when we were schoolkids. It never worked, lol.
          There are many things I like about perfumes, one of them is that the more we learn, the better we’re able to appreciate the scents we used to dislike.
          PS I’ve never smelt a real tuberose flower, nor a magnolia, for that matter.

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    • Neva, I’m with you: tuberose and I are almost 100% incompatible. The only exceptions I’ve met so far are Armani Prive Rouge Malachite and Parfums Dusita Melodie de l’Amour. I’m even considering buying the Armani.

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  22. My intended SOTD turned into Non SOTD. I went into the dept store intending to try Tiffany. Lovely display but no SA or tester. Gravitated over to Chanel and sprayed Coco lavishly.

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  24. Feminite du Bois for an afternoon turned evening with an old friend from high school days. I could still feel it on my scarf while walking home in the cold evening and it made me so happy. I love this perfume!!!

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  25. Eau Duelle today and now testing Dryad. Dryad is another Papillon and another love.
    Many thanks to all you APJers wishing me luck. I got the contract and I’m sure your well-wishes had something to do with it. Friends of the Wealthies will be getting a home spa, complete with steam room, a double shower wet room and a dedicated massage area. It’s a very technical project that will keep me gainfully employed throughout the winter 😀

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  26. First wear of Amouage Beach Hut Man today, from a bottle I bought online. I confess to being a bit disappointed in this. All the reviews promised minty green-ness, but I mostly get a kind of honeyed sweetness that I suppose is the myrrh. Not what I was hoping for.

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    • Actually, I need to give this more of a chance. There is definitely a greener edge coming through after an hour or two, but no mint that I can detect. I will spray it again for the big night out tonight. We are going to a nearby restaurant for our 37th wedding anniversary, and will be swanking ourselves up.

      Of course I know I would disappoint you all if I didn’t take the opportunity to brag about op shop finds, so my swanking will include Canali slacks, a Gieves & Hawkes pure bamboo blazer, s Gladson linen tie, a Fendi belt and a Lanvin pocket square, all from op shops. Rounding out the outfit will be a pink linen shirt and espresso suede shoes. Oh, and hefty sprays of Amouage Beach Hut Man.

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    • I’ve never seen the point in decluttering; it defies Parkinson’s Law, which is an ironclad law of physics: work expands to fill the space allotted to it. The only permanent solution to decluttering is to move somewhere smaller, forcing you to chuck stuff out and not replace it. Otherwise you will simply accumulate more stuff, until you are full again. We moved to a bigger place, which has had the opposite effect, leading us to buy furniture, art and all sorts of stuff to fill vacant rooms.

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  28. Went a bit out of my zone today. Began in Decadence, then Floriental and then Modern Muse Nuit. Needed the balsamic hit.

    So wishing for the Monday off… Working all the way through. At least it has not been too hot.

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  29. Last night finished my sample of Encens Mythique..with the opaque sample I could not tell that there was only one spray left. Today I will finish up the Bon Perfumery decants of 401 and 701 and sending 301 and 302 off to a good friend. Tonight I may thunk my Solstice Scent Estate Vetiver as I have just a smidgen left of it. I have been doing a great job finishing up samples and decants that have just one wearing in them. No point in hoarding or saving if they are going to evaporate or just take up space. I am seizing the day by wearing what I love and wearing it lavishly. I will continue this into 2019 until all that I have left are my full bottles. Then I will rethink what I really want and plan on sticking to a no buy until 2020. Please support me on this, my perfume friends!!!!

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    • I admire your determination, Brigitte, and your ability to thunk mercilessly. I do hope you’ll win the lottery in 2019 so that you won’t have to keep the vow. Or maybe you’ll just start buying jewellery. I hear Cartier also makes necklaces and stuff 😉

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          • Yes! This is what it was like for me for many many years! No more than maybe ten bottles at a time..then I would replace with something new that I really loved..only a few would be repeat offenders…but honestly, back in the 70s and 80s there were so few releases per year and no perfume blogs that it was much easier to do this.

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          • Diana- I held out as long as I could with the smartphone…had a flip phone for years…got a smart phone last January…now I can look at the internet constantly and I am not sure this is such a good thing!

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    • Of course you can do this Mrs. M! Easy-peasy. And it’s smart, to boot. I am thinking of joining you. I’ve become a sample slut. And things must change. Even when I stumble across a perfume that I completely love and would kill for a full bottle of, I continue looking and sampling, wondering if there’s another one that would be even more glorious. I suppose it’s just the thrill and discovery of new smells that is so addictive.
      Will you be allowing any sample/decant purchases? Or sticking strictly to what is already in your possession? Do tell, please. I need to formulate some sort of a plan as well.
      Oh, almost forgot. SOTD is the beautiful Parfum de Thérèse.

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    • Great decision Brigitte! You’ve put in words what i actually want to do myself, so I’ll support you, I promise! Here’s to happy thunking in 2019 😉

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      • Yup. With you lot all the way. It is my goal too, BUT I am determined to get Le Maroc by Tauer. If I buy it this year, I can then keep my vow.

        But as Parfum de Therese was mentioned… Nah. I can do this too.

        I promise, also, to keep my posts about things I have in my collection. That will help.

        I bought no samples this year. Holy crud! Just realised it. 😯

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        • Wow! No samples? that’s amazing. I think if we set our minds to this we can do it. I am confident that we all have enough fragrances in our collections to love …at least until 2020-LOL!

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          • Actually, I lied. I completely forgot about the Floral Street set I got a while back. So unremarkable that they didn’t even enter my mind. And I got Sylvaine Delacourte’s vanilla ones as a gift from my son. But those, I didn’t buy.

            I think I really only have about a third of my collection I love and would re buy. So, I could do a no-buy for 2019, sell off the ones I hardly wear and get my collection to a good 80.

            I’m in. Xx

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  31. I was going to wear DKNY My NY but I need something to cut through this humid, overcast day we are having so Perry Ellis Royal Vetiver Oud to the rescue. While I wish there was a touch more oud the pine needles and woods will get me thru the day.

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  32. I think I am coming around to liking cumin because I did a tiny spritz of Bon Perfumery 302 and 303 before sending them off to a friend..they both smell so good…and one definitely has cumin and cardamom….cardamom is something I have been craving lately…

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    • Got the wrong number…it’s 301 and there is cumin and cardamom and other spices in this one…so good….302 is iris incense and sandalwood….also quite good…

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  33. We are done! Shopping and decluttering! Celebrating with SL Iris Silver Mist plus a “genuine-kolh-lined” side-eye to the bags and plastic crates of stuff in the garage.

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  34. Today I’m wearing Boss Sport, from a mini that I was given as a freebie. This is not half bad; why did they discontinue it in order to produce their current yawnfest of a line?

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  37. Finally an office day at home…trying out two samples from Portia’s package: Pluie de Soleil from Phaedon is a sunny fruity perfume, all strawberries and pineapple. I’ll keep the rest from the vial for warm temperatures. The last one is Patchouli Absolu, a very dry earthy patchouli with a slightly green freshness. I’m curious about the drydown…

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  40. SOTM – TDC Bois d’Iris, SOTE – the nameless iris from Parfums Dusita. I’m sure my impression of it will change in time but right now it’s not the carroty kind of iris (not that I would mind it), smells more like a violet.

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    • OOO you finally got it!!! yes, not rooty at all…it was very sweet and floral on my skin…and sadly, did not last. How would you compare it to other Dusita offerings? I was expecting much more of a vintage vibe from it.

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      • It’s very different from the rest of Pissara’s creations. I don’t fully get the vintage vibe as from, say, Melodie de l’amour, La Douceur de Siam and Le Sillage Blanc but the green/violet notes remind me a bit of Jolie Madame sans artemisia which I dislike. I also get mimosa or something similar. It smells like springtime but really, even I don’t trust my opinion right now: I might change it after the juice gets some rest after a long and bumpy journey. I hope you’ll get to try PD soon, very curious what you’ll think of them. I think you’ll like Le Sillage Blanc 😉

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  41. DKNY My NY today. Because the big clunky bottle has been staring at me since i didn’t wear it yesterday. Its the work Christmas lunch today – you know that thing where part of you wishes you didn’t have to go because you still have so much work to do – where you have to make small talk with people you dont know, and not really fussed to know. Where the same bunch of peeps stick together and dont mingle and where a few will drink way too much and be loud and obnoxious. Or you’d really love the early minute to get home and starting arranging your own stuff for Christmas. Lets hope my DKNY helps me float through the day and a couple of glasses of lovely wine help me get thru the lunch 🙂

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    • Mel— DKNY is just the right fragrance. Enjoy the food and the wine. Think of APJ and other lovely things. Sending a fragrant hug 🤗 as a protection spell from the Loud&Obnoxious.

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    • Melanie, I actually miss those times. I’ve been working alone in a home office for more than fifteen years. You never get to talk to people except on the phone :-/ I guess, everything has its good and bad sides.
      I hope you’ve succesfully made it through the luch and enjoy a relaxed time at home 🙂

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      • Hey Neva working from home does have some good things like being able to wear your slippers and no line up for the coffee machine!!

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  42. Friends- we have rain today!! And a temperature drop 🤸🏽‍♀️
    SOTSchoolDropOff- Vintage Shalimar! 😁
    Happy Friday😘

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  46. Lazy morning chez me. Still in my jimjams but heading to shower soon. Picking up the Smallies and having them for couple of days, so enjoying lazing about while I can. Work night out yesterday and wore lashings of Frangipani.

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    • Frangipani…mmm…great to brighten up the day. It’s so gloomy anyway. If everything works out the way I planned, Sunday will be my pyjamas day.

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  47. Last working day, except for the business analysis of the current year which I will do next week. I had a pleasant business lunch and bought some presents on the way home. The traffic is horrible these days.
    SOTD was Chypre 21 from Heeley. I couldn’t smell it 15 minutes after I’ve sprayed all over my hair and clothes and I felt like I was naked all the time. Absolutely NO trace of perfume. Heeley has got some lovely perfumes but I’ll never buy a bottle. It’s like spraying yourself with expensive water 😦

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  49. Onda extrait today. The smouldering, spicy, skin warmth is just right for the longest night of the year. But we get a super rare solstice full moon tonight. And then start turning our face to the sun again.

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  53. Saturday shopping runaround in Le Labo Vetiver 46 left arm and Labdanum 18 on the right. Vetiver is awesome – it’s a bit sharp but quite smoky and seems to be hanging around. Labdanum has gone soft and musky like – it’s rather pretty. Trying to get the last few sprays out before I ‘thunk’ . Damm I don’t want to like these…

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  58. Trying Frapin’s Orchid Man this morning (thank you, Portia!) The citrusey opening has a real cologne vibe, but it’s been shifting towards a light leather with a spot of jasmine. Nice! But I think it might suit warmer days better, and bloom a little more on warmer skin.

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  60. I’m being the all-grown-up grandma in Arpege. Fun morning here as grandad and the Smallies are singing along to Christmas songs on YouTube. I don’t quite know who sounds worse – the two year-old, the five year-old or the 54 year-old😂

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  61. SOTDe-stressing PG Coze. Been slaving away perfume free the last several days. 14 hour work days to get design drawings approved yesterday. Construction drawings to follow so time to come up for air. Eldest daughter’s birthday today, so a family feast is on tap for later. Bought her TF Lost Cherry which she has been raving about. Time to get cracking on Momofuku Confetti Cake, her favorite!

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  63. Guess what?!?! I’m finally wearing Bond No. 9 — CHINATOWN!!! Squee!!!! Thank you, Mel. 😘😘❤️

    Too excited to even really smell it. Will report back later. I feel fabulous!

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  65. Onda the other day, Beaufort’s Couer de Noire today, Papillon’s Anubis last night: I’m clearly on a dark and smoky roll right now. I wonder where my sample of Lonestar Memories has gone…

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  66. So this week I’ve decanted some perfume to give to two friends. I’ve made large decants of Aqua des Minimes, but keep the bottle myself. The cologne does not last very long, but is fresh and herbal.

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  67. So for Christmas Eve I have stepped up my game and am wearing Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur. Already got one complaint from my wife.

    No idea what I will wear tomorrow. Probably something summery, as it will be stinking hot. Maybe Monsieur Balmain? Or maybe some vintage Eau Sauvage, or Geranium Pour Monsieur or Mark Birley EDC? Tough call.

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  68. So far today I have worn Chinatown (oh gosh yes, goddess quality), SL Tuberose Criminelle, and the utterly beautiful YSL Y.

    Right now I have ELDO YoSLY, Terralba, and Nest Citrine on.
    Hey, it’s almost Christmas!!

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  69. So Christmas Eve (with big dinner and openimg of presents) starts at 5 pm. So far hectic activity in the house with ironing etc. I plan to wear Dior Ambre Nuit, elegant, warm and no rough edges. Since only one part of the family really cares for perfume I have picked something which won’t overwhelm anyone.

    Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

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