I'm sure that Prince smells of wet Yorkshire Terrier and "shashajaz".

Hmmm, I'm not sure about Lush. I have some of their bath products sitting in a crystal bowl because they look nice. They do leave a residue of grit and glitter when used that I'm not so keen on. 

I bought their 'Twilight' body spray to use as air freshener with special regard to bedroom and hallway. 'Clouds of dusky tonka, lavender and ylang ylang to charm and bewitch' is how they describe it. I liked it in the shop but whenever I've sprayed it around the flat I've been desperate for it to go away.

I remember when Lush came about in the 90's, buying my mother one of their soaps that looked like bars of chocolate. I left it on the bath for her as a treat. She came out a half bottle of vodka down, saying that someone had left a strange tasting bar of chocolate without the wrapper lying around in the bathroom and it had been just about edible but she now felt sick.

Lucky she didn't tuck into the "clouds of dusky tonka, lavender and ylang ylang and ham sandwich" as well.

Nightjar wrote:

Lucky she didn't tuck into the "clouds of dusky tonka, lavender and ylang ylang and ham sandwich" as well.

Well it would be more likely to have the first three ingredients than the ham. We don't do dead pigs in this family.

Fangirl Three wrote:

I thought about buying a perfume called Fresh Laundry once, which I saw reviewed in the FT, but I forgot which company made it.

Fresh Laundry by Clean is prominent on the first search page. Here is a selection - https://www.byrdie.com/weekend-perfumes

Le Labo do detergents but sadly not in Labdanum 18. Santal 33 is the one I've been using lately - https://www.lelabofragrances.com/search.html?term=Detergent

It's always good to have a choice. Santal 33 provides that, although generally in this household we use all natural Milo soap flakes, or Gota Limpa detergents from Brazil.

Sachets of Dr Beckmann 'Glowhite' go in with all white washes.

cosmictanya wrote:

Fangirl Three wrote:

I thought about buying a perfume called Fresh Laundry once, which I saw reviewed in the FT, but I forgot which company made it.

Fresh Laundry by Clean

Thank you CT. I thought I remembered the company being called The Perfume Co or something, which explains why I couldn't find it.

It's nice and cheap too.

A cheaper one for me - Insolence by Guerlain. The first time I tried this it was someone else's bottle and my initial impression was of overpowering sweetness, like Parma violets perhaps. This lasts seconds before a mature and classic powder asserts itself. The sweetness is still distinctive but it's far more interesting as minutes give way to hours. Also strong enough to completely cancel out all trace of cigarette smoke on the wearer. I bought my own bottle that same day and have never looked back...

A classic - and another mans one. I first bought this on a very hot afternoon in 1999 at Harrods and to me it's an encapsulation of the international mood of the Brompton Road in high summer.*

My original bottle was ruined in 2001 by a flatmate who decided to 'christen' my rather gorgeous muslin draped bedroom with her dreadful boyfriend. That was a great bedroom. I had to leave behind my entire collection of terracotta pots and urns during a subsequent moonlight flit because I couldn't carry them all down to the taxi.

The bottle was decapitated (the spray mechanism) due to their crashing around and the contents remained unavailable for years but I couldn't bear to throw it out. This wreckage and a torn drape was the only evidence and I had to pour a pint of milk over her while she lounged in her own bed to get an explanation. She's a countess in waiting now, thanks to a marriage to another ugly git.

One evening years later during a trashing and surface swiping of my flat, I threw this bottle (still two thirds full) at a doorframe and the scent was released across the room and the carpet, etc. I was reminded of how stylish it was and rushed out to replace it as soon as the shops opened. 

If you need something elegant but unobtrusive you can't go wrong with Bvlgari pour homme.



*There is a stipulation in my will for a third of my ashes to be scattered in a south facing direction, in the centre of the road in between Harrods and Princes Court, on a hot and sunny summer Saturday afternoon, while Bvlgari pour homme is sprayed through the air to drag me down to the tarmac in a scented cloud.

As with all the very best, Jicky contains one horrible note that the rest of the fragrance can wrap it's legs round the waist of. In this case, I detect a faint trace of onion. So inspired was I by my latest purchase that I also picked up a jar of silverskin pickled onions from the supermarket this afternoon.

All these hours later I still have the very powdery heart of Jicky on my wrists as well as it impregnating a new and very baggy grey cashmere sweater. I'm in heaven.

I thought I'd discussed Jicky here. I'm not getting on all that well with it. I said as much to one of my neighbours who said she knew exactly what I meant. She suggested it should only be applied to the cleavage, where it could be warmed before scenting the air in front of you and those invited in.

I've been giving that a go and can see what she means. But I also have it on my wrists and I feel slightly nauseous in the hot way that comes before passing out.

The soapy powder is satisfactory but there's a burn that catches in the throat, for about an hour I'd say. I don't think it's a kind fragrance - although there is definitely an added warmth that makes it hypnotic from spraying down your top.

I was given a free sample of Chloe in Debenhams on Sunday. I tried a bit two days ago and I can still smell it.

Is that a good thing? I don't know what Chloe smells like but I don't particularly like their clothes.

It's not an unpleasant smell, but I'm not really used to perfume, so it's a bit obtrusive.

Give it another go - it can be a great pleasure. Find one that you don't mind making itself known, then you can build to one you love.

It's a very bad hair day here. Nothing is working. I look homeless. A crisp white shirt with ten inch long cuffs and three matching sets of gold cufflinks in the style of Greek keys, already affixed, is staring at me from a hanger by the mirror.

Nothing to go with, seeing as I've been waylaid by hair that won't sit. Scentwise I'll go with Acqua di Colonia this morning.

I've had a Pink Lady apple, a cup of tea, and three Marlboro lights for breakfast so that at least is taken care of. What about you? I say get your Chloe on and see how you feel out and about with it.

I got my Fresh Laundry. It does smell like fresh laundry.

Or does it just smell of fabric conditioner?

Anyway, it was very kind of my parents to give it to me.