February was fine, I guess? I got to go to New York for work. I saw my family for about 12 hours due to some very delayed flights. But at least I had my mom’s eggplant parm. I smelled a lot of good perfume. I saw some old friends I hadn’t seen in a while. I celebrated a good friend’s 50th. I saw Rufus Wainwright sing Hallelujah in a stunning church renovated to be a place to worship art that welcomes everyone and I was reminded of how centered that song makes me feel and proceeded to play it on repeat nonstop for days after seeing it live. I prefer Jeff Buckley’s version. But I get chills listening to anyone sing that song. I finally saw Oh Mary, and I laughed more than I have ever laughed in a theater. The play was brilliant and hysterical, but the joy also came from the uncontrollable laughter of the people around me, Kellyn, sitting next to me, and all the strangers losing their shit and giggling like school children. Go see it immediately. And pay attention to the laughter around you.

But you’re here for the perfume! I sniffed and wore so much good stuff this month. A lot of it at Stéle and Ministry of Scent—my two favorite places to hang out and sniff stuff. I wore a new-to-me fragrance 16 out of the 28 days in February, which makes me feel bad for the older bottles in my collection I am neglecting. And my number one frag of the year has still not changed, I only wore it 3 times this month, but that’s the most I wore any one fragrance. Note that I do not have full bottles of every scent I list below. I wear a lot of samples to try scents out before I buy or have discovery sets. Both are great ways to smell before you invest in a full bottle.

February 1 - Lust Oud Delice by Chris Collins - This is a syrupy, sexy cocoa oud. André kept remarking how sweet it was, but I got a rich caramel with a nice stink of oud beneath it. It dries down beautifully, and it has a velvet texture to me. Wear it in a sexy jazz club while sipping on a manhattan. Or to work like I did.

February 2 - Monserrat by Fzotic - Pretty! This is a refreshing Spring day, light and breezy. The opposite vibe of the rainy day we’re having. Zesty, soapy, freshly cleaned out of the shower.

February 3 - Gaiac 10 by Le Labo - Hands down my favorite Le Labo and an all-time favorite musk. Came home to a box of goodies from Noyz and put on 12:00 by Noyz, it was ok. I wanted more jasmine and less ambroxen. Talk to me about their solid scents though!

February 4 - Les Cahiers Secrets by Joussiance - She’s a little dirty! Perfectly musky. I love her.

February 5 - Unmute by Noyz - I liked this better than 12:00 which surprised me. There’s no ambroxen listed in the notes but it still feels like it has too much ambroxen in it? Talk to me about their solids though!

February 6 - Rosarine by Dusita - I wore this to a Caetano Veloso concert last year it was the day I bought it and every time I turned my head I could smell it, then I could smell it on André after hugging him. It was a beautiful concert and Rosarine was the perfect scent for it. A vintage candied rose. And a favorite rose in my collection of roses. Now I hear Caetano songs when I wear it.

February 7 - OroNardo by Xinu - I wrote about Xinu here. Sam brought me back the discovery kit from Mexico City. I am obsessed with this intoxicating white floral. Chloe texted when she was in Mexico City and asked if I wanted a bottle. I said no. Then I texted 10 minutes later and said yes. I do not regret my decision.