On this windy last day of April…

I’ll close the sample draw at midnight tonight and will email the winner Thursday morning.  I won’t post names when I do these give-aways so your privacy will be kept if you prefer to email rather than post.  But I hope some people won’t be shy and will keep me company here from time to time.  🙂

I diluted a new labdanum resin today to try.  It’s a little different than the very dark one I use in Ambre Noir and Encens Tranquille.  This one is lighter in color, which would make the perfume not be so dark.  I actually like the rich colors because they show that real natural essences are in there, but the trend has apparently been for lighter colored perfumes in recent years.  This labdanum smells a little different too, but it’s still quite similar with the characteristic sweet, ambery, musky scent.  Not sure yet whether I’ll use the lighter or the darker in Champaigne to replace the one I can’t get anymore.

My pink jasmine is blooming and is wonderful.  I can’t bring much inside or the house gets so scented that I can’t test fragrances, but it’s a treat this time of year.  The roses are in the middle of their first big flush of bloom and we’re cutting so many I need to buy more vases.

I tried the new Chanel Sycomore, and although it’s nice I still like Frederic Malle’s Vetiver Extraordinaire best in the vetiver category.  Wish I had more time to test new releases, but right now I’m really busy testing my own in progress scents.  I try to make time to sniff the new launches that really interest me though.