Welcome to the weekly Perfume Chat Room, perfumistas! I envision this chat room as a weekly drop-in spot online, where readers may ask questions, suggest fragrances, tell others their SOTD, comment on new releases or old favorites, and respond to each other. The perennial theme is fragrance, but we can interpret that broadly. This is meant to be a kind space, so please try not to give or take offense, and let’s all agree to disagree when opinions differ. In fragrance as in life, your mileage may vary! YMMV.
Today is Friday, November 6, and we are having a LONG election week here in the US. I’ve been pretty immersed in volunteer activities, so fragrance has been a welcome distraction when I take a break from those. On the other hand, while I spent Election Day itself taking a day off work to visit polling places as a non-partisan volunteer, to make sure voters were being helped to exercise their rights (because unfortunately, we make that quite hard in the USA), I wore Chanel No. 19, which is my “armor” scent. Luckily, no armor was needed — so many people voted early or by mail this year that the polling places were very calm and orderly. And I smelled great!
When I was not doing volunteer work, I gravitated to comfort scents like a new favorite, L’Ambre des Merveilles, or Anne Klein II. I also used Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’ Smudge Nebula, which she describes as an “energy-clearing sprtiz.” I love it, and you can currently get it at a reduced price from her website, including in a roll-on oil format.
Do you find yourself using more “armor” or comfort scents lately? Have you tried any “eaux de protection” like Smudge Nebula?
Serenity Now Scents and Sensibilities 
I think I sprayed more calming scents the last days. But today I wore Agent Provocateur.
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That sounds very appropriate for what we’re going through!
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Eau de protection, I like that!! I’m wearing some of my Penhaligon’s samples this week, since I participated in a Sniffapalooza zoom sampling with the NYC Penhaligon’s boutique last night. I’ve been wearing the sly Duchess Rose, Quercus, a citrusy armor that is also strangely comforting. and Halfeti, a prickly rose with lots of spices. It reminds me of a well scented porcupine! So I’ve had the spikes out this week. I feel much better after watching a Youtube presentation by ACLU leaders talking about the election with members all over the country.
(The ACLU does not support or endorse any political party or politician. Their interest is in making sure everyone is equally able to exercise their rights to vote and to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness).
The leaders in each state said they are confident of the integrity of the local election officials in the battleground states and feel sure that all eligible votes are being counted and will continue to be counted. The only Trump lawsuit that has any possible traction at all is one contesting provisional ‘cured’ ballots in Pennsylvania or North Carolina. I think it would affect maybe 10,000 votes total. The other suits had no legal merit and were quickly dismissed by courts.
All I want is for everyone’s vote to be counted, votes for Trump and votes for Biden, even write in votes for Mickey Mouse. Count those ballots!!
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Yes, the Secretaries of State in each state, who normally manage/oversee elections, have been very clear that the counting is legitimate and not fraudulent, even the most Republican among them.
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I didn’t need any special strengthening potions because there is no perfume in the World that would make me feel better about the situation: the way I look at it, for me personally and my family there is no good outcome from the elections this year, and I don’t even know what I hope for. I want it to be over already to start planning what to do next.
This week I was busy at work, maybe slightly more than usually (I didn’t have a chance to check NST daily threads until today’s one early in the morning), so I wasn’t participating in the nostalgia CP consciously, but since on November 3d my Grandma would have been 100 years (she lived to almost 97), I wore my all-time perfume love, Lancome Climat, which we both loved, and the first bottle of which I got from her.
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I love that story about your grandmother and Climat!
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Great to honor your grandmother. I loved your story about her, too.
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Thank you.
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Hi OH,
Today I worked at the Bridal Salon. This morning I spritzed the new Atelier des Ors; Rouge Saray. It’s a fiesta frag and I enjoyed it immensely.
Later I’ll join in the NST Friday event.
Watching the US Election has been harrowing, even from this far away. Sending you all love and hugs and hopes for the better outcome. I still can’t believe that only half the USA population votes.
Portia xx
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All of that sounds lovely, Portia! I love Atelier des Ors, especially the White Collection. Yes, the US election continues to be somewhat harrowing although Biden’s speech last night was very reassuring.
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I saw a zoom interview with an Australian government minister who said voting is mandatory in Australia. That’s wonderful! Australia is such a wonderful country– sensible gun laws, mandatory voting. Aussies rock!!
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Hey Ricky,
Australia does have some excellent laws, mostly to do with the well-being and safety of our populace. We do skew slightly socialist in the very best ways: Universal Health Care paid by our taxes (1.5% of income over AUD$140K), Mandatory voting ($20 fine 1st time, $50 after), very reasonable gun control, unemployment benefits, seat belt wearing, blood alcohol limits and others.
It’s not a perfect system and the Government is still largely run by big business and media barons with little care for environment, arts or future country wealth. It still seems to be working better than the USA model right now. Fingers crossed they let Joe Biden rule well.
Portia xx
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And check out New Zealand!
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Drowned myself in 3 different rose scents today. Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses, Keiko Mecheri Damascena and Ormonde Jayne Ta’if. Divine!!! Bed of roses for me today.
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I have two out of three: Attar de Rose, and Ta’if! Love them. Very much.
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