I got my birthday nails done almost two weeks ago and I still haven’t shared them here. A sign that I have been busier than usual or just spending too much time celebrating my birthday which is something I am guilty of. As I repeated multiple times last week— very aware of how obnoxious my extended bday celebrations can be— we’re all gonna die, we may as well celebrate while we’re still around.
Some updates and links before my nails reveal!
I started an instagram account for the Substack. There’s a bigger perfume community to connect with over there and sometimes I just want to share a photo and quick blurb about a fragrance I smelled and loved or something new I’m trying and instagram is good for that. Follow me @drydowndiaries. I’ve been sitting at 99 followers for a while now, someone please push that over to three digits.
Perfume Matchmaking
I will have my perfume survey for paying subscribers very soon! I am so excited to do more perfume match making. A reminder that if you become a paying subscriber I will send you a quick survey and then recommend 3 different fragrances I think you’ll like. I spend time on this and really try to do research to find fragrances based on what people tell me they’re looking for.
I hooked Hanne up with two scents she loved and one she immediately purchased. If you’re curious one was Nice Bergamote by Essential Parfums (a really interesting brand that gives perfumers carte blanche to create, with no constraints or limits) and Future Society’s Reclaimed Flame which I wrote about here. She ordered Reclaimed Flame right away (I had a sample she tested) and was obsessively smelling her wrists all day.
Stuff to listen to, read, and smell
🌸 Everyone is talking about the new Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance collection, they are doing some serious marketing for it. My favorite review is this one by Alice du Parcq. Maybe it’s her accent, or her straight forward no nonsense delivery, there’s just something I really like about her. Not sure I feel the need to run out and try these tbh but I do think it’s interesting how much more beauty brands are investing in fragrance collections. I keep hearing it, fragrance is having a moment right now. People are crediting it to Gen Z but as a Gen Xer who has been into perfume for a while I dispute that claim. I do think social media has something to do with it though, and I think a lot of people got more interested in fragrance during the pandemic.
🌸 Another thing I am seeing all over the tiktoks or am just being targeted hard to is Phlur. I finally ordered their discovery set because I’m curious and my niece has sent me on a hunt to find her a fragrance. She turns 16 next month and wants something “ambery and musky”. I have a feeling one of their skin scents will be up her alley. That or Dedcool’s Milk or Xtra Milk. I weirdly get nose blind to the Dedcool scents really fast which bums me out because I love the smell of Xtra Milk.
🌸 I’m currently going through the Liis discovery set and should be publishing a review here soon. Donna gave me this for my birthday and I was thrilled as I have been wanting to try these scents for a while. They are just as delicate and fresh as I had heard and I can’t wait to share my reviews with you.
👁️🗨️ About five people sent me this article on Hilde Soliana in the NYT. Yes it came out a month ago. No I have not read it yet - but I plan on it and am looking forward to it!
👁️🗨️ I got some new perfume books for my birthday. Have long been wanting to order
’s (yes he’s on Substack!) Perfumes: The A-Z Guide and my good friend Jennifer sent it to me along with Atlas of Perfumed Botany which I’m looking forward to exploring.👂 I listened to this episode of Smell Ya Later with
and loved it. I also signed up for her Perfumed Pages program which is like a book club for perfume lovers. We’ll write and read and talk about fragrance together and I can’t wait. It starts May 1st so grab your seat now. Arabelle has been writing about beauty since she was a teenager for Rookie, Jezebel, Buzzfeed, and a bunch of other places. She also writes one of my favorite Substack’s, .And finally, my nails!
I say this every time I share my nails but I really do have the best nail tech ever. Kim rules and if you’re in the bay area and see her post about her list opening up book an appointment asap!
I always go to extremes with my nails. After living with bold textured nails for a month I wanted something more monotone and subtle with a little shine cause these were birthday nails after all. I had seen this green on Kim’s page and thought it would look good with a gold chrome. Obsessed with the gold dipped drip she did on the tips. I love this set so much.
That’s all friends. More scent stuff soon.
xo
OMG every time I think the nails can't get any better. Love this version. HBD!!
NAILLLLLLS!!!!!! 💥💥💥💥