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 25, and it is “Black Friday” here in the USA, so named because traditionally it was the start of the holiday season when retailers would make most of their profits for the year, taking their ledgers from “in the red” to “in the black.” I’m sure your inboxes, like mine, have been swamped with various discount codes and offers. I’ve reposted some of them on the Facebook page for this blog, mostly from independent perfumers and perfumeries, so you may find some there that you can use.
I got the results last Friday of the clinical COVID test I took on Thursday and yes, it was positive. I also did a home COVID test on Friday, before I got the lab results — also positive. So then I was in isolation and had to order most of the Thanksgiving supplies and ingredients online. I felt lucky to be able to do that! My daughters both had it at the same time, about 2 days ahead of me, and one of them tested negative soon enough after her 5 days of isolation that she was able to go to the store and get some essentials for us, like the actual turkey. I’ve continued to produce positive test results on home tests, but was able to do some of the cooking while fully masked and join the family for dinner with me sitting at one end of the long table and everyone else at the other end! Today is the end of the ten-day period since my symptoms started, and I’ve been feeling fine since Monday, so I hope that will be the end of that, at least for now.
One daughter and I went out earlier today so she could do some Black Friday shopping in person, and it was fun to get out of the house and spend some time with her. We’re covered up with leftovers, so I probably won’t be cooking again until Sunday, when her boyfriend plans to come over for dinner. It’s so nice to have all the kids home! We got our Christmas tree and will put it up while they’re here. I’m looking forward to that fresh evergreen smell wafting through the house. Speaking of holiday smells, we went into the local Bath & Bodyworks store, and it was overwhelming! A veritable cacophony of fragrances, all vying with each other for world domination, and most of them much too sweet for my taste. I felt the urge to rush home and plunge my nose into a bottle of Chanel No. 19!
I hope all who celebrate it had a lovely Thanksgiving and continue to enjoy the long weekend! Share in the comments whether you’ve taken advantage of any Black Friday sales, if you wish!
Serenity Now Scents and Sensibilities 
Sorry about the covid, but glad you’re feeling ok! We had 12 for Thanksgiving dinner plus an additional 3 for dessert. Fun day. My only Black Friday perfume order was with scenttrunk, their latest scent is from Ineke Ruhland and it’s called Stroopwaffel. My SIL lived in the Netherlands for work a bunch of years ago and is into that treat, so I ordered a travel spray for her to try, 30% off (might have added a second one for me to try…) Enjoy your tree – we will wait a few weeks to start decorating.
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I hope all US readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I’m usually a hog for both winter food & fragrances. This year our circumstances are very different & I find myself yearning for less stressful times in a bottle.
I’m searching for late spring in a bottle. Preferably linden forward but mimosa will do at a push. Any suggestions will be gratefully received
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I’ve read that Penhaligon’s have a new fragrance called Highgrove Bouquet that has both linden and mimosa, I wonder if you can try that and see if it suits. Or maybe Jo Malone’s French Lime Blossom?
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JML French Lime Blossom left me cold & as always longevity is poor. I have Idle from Romilly Wilde which is more beautiful but agains has poor longevity.
I can get my nose on Highgrove Bouquet relatively easily thank you
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So glad you are feeling better, covid is a bummer. We don’t do thanksgiving much in Germany, but the whole turkey would probably be too much for us two
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Hey OH!
Yes, I did a little Black Friday shopping.
Mostly eyelashes and a couple of frocks. No perfume or dude stuff.
I really wanted to take advantage of a local shoe sale but just could not get to the store for the 25% discount. I’m slightly;y miffed at myself but there is only 24 hours in a day and I’m using most of them.
Portia xx
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Ha, I envision you as Billy-no-mates at the end of the table. Glad you’re feeling better. Isn’t it great to get out of the house afterwards? I was totally clear of virus after 5 days, it hit with a bang and left as suddenly as it came. No purchases of perfume in the sales, not wanting anything at the minute, but that could change at a moment’s notice.
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Love the phrase “Billy-no-mates”, lol! Yes, it was great to get out and about a bit; I did some local shopping with one of my daughters (I bought new sneakers, nothing exciting). It was nice just to walk around somewhere that wasn’t my own garden!
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I’m so glad your family is now over Covid. And I’m glad you weren’t too terribly ill. I have avoided it so far, thank goodness. We hosted the grandkids and their parents the week before Thanksgiving and they enjoyed my homemade mac and cheese and my healthy mashed sweet potatoes with no sugar or marshmallows added. We visited them this week and we finally made it through all the leftovers. I hate throwing out good food so it all got eaten.
I bought one perfume online during the Black Friday sales, Hummingbird by Zoologist from indiescents.com, a Canadian indie perfume seller. I had credits with the store in addition to the $20 off so it was a good deal, and I have wanted this perfume for a long time. I resisted other Black Friday offers because there’s really nothing else I want.
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Sounds like a lovely holiday! Do let us know what you think of Hummingbird!
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I will!
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