Octopus Day Scent: A chameleon Guerlain and a nutmeg tease for 10/10

If an octopus had a vanity, it would reach for Guerlain Cologne du 68. Eight moods in one bottle, maybe more. On my skin this morning it opened with bright citrus and herbs, then slid into a soft amber with a whisper of cherry-tonka and that Guerlain hum that makes you tilt your wrist back for a second sniff. It is lightweight like a cologne, yes, but with a gourmand wink and a resinous halo. That is why it worms its way into so many of my themed days. It behaves. Then it misbehaves. I love a polite troublemaker.

I pulled on a grey sweater and the fragrance warmed up like sun on stone. The florals hover, the spices breathe, the vanilla curls in at the base, and suddenly I remember why this one has a cult of quiet admirers. If you know, you know. If you do not, find it before it slinks away again. Boutique darlings tend to ghost when you blink.

Now for a spice tease. On 10/10, I am making it nutmeg or nothing. Nutmeg is the coziest shiv in the spice drawer. It sneaks in smooth, then cuts through sweetness with that dry, woody heat that makes perfume feel dressed instead of frosted.

A few nutmeg-leaning picks I am shortlisting:

• Jo Malone Nutmeg & Ginger. Clean, brisk, and unmistakably nutmeg. The one that proves spice can be crisp.
• Yves Saint Laurent Opium. The vintage vamp with a pulse. Dense resin, amber, and yes, a nutmeg thread that keeps the drama taut.
• Hermès Équipage. Tailored spice over woods, a wool blazer in scent form. The nutmeg reads gentlemanly but never fusty.
• Tom Ford Noir Extreme. Creamy spice over a molten gourmand core. Nutmeg gives the sweetness a spine.

Today is for the octopus and the shapeshifter on my wrist. Friday is for nutmeg that refuses to sit quietly on the spice rack. Between the two, my week smells like a plot twist.

Perfumes mentioned: Guerlain Cologne du 68, Jo Malone Nutmeg & Ginger, Yves Saint Laurent Opium, Hermès Équipage, Tom Ford Noir Extreme.