What's the best piece of advice you can offer on the subject of perfume? It can be about anything — budgeting, making perfume last, great layering combinations, how to find the perfect scent, how to learn about fragrance notes, whatever.
Or, as always, feel free just to chat.
Note: top image is dance [cropped] by jenny downing at flickr; some rights reserved.
Edit your collection regularly – it keeps your head clear as to what you really like and stops you from having a collection so massive that you spend more time looking at your scents than actually wearing them. Personally when I edit I split the unwanted ones in two piles – some to sell to fund future purchases and the rest to give to a charity shop (UK versions of thrift shops) so that people who might not have the budget for perfumes at retail prices can pick up good stuff for a song, and that the proceeds also go to a good cause.
Gosh, I really, really should do that…just take a bunch of unloved perfumes to the Goodwill.
Let me know when you’re heading over there. . .
Ha!
LOL! Actually, I meant to do a giveaway the last time we did a swapmeet. I’m just so darned lazy about mailing things. I’ll do it next time.
How about just doing an all freebiemeet…same rules as the swapmeet except all freebies?
We could do that! And thinking we’ll do a split meet in January.
Nice! Psyched for both.
Ouch! It even sounds painful!
I have been collecting for 30 years and I have kept every bottle that I have ever owned-even the empty ones.
However, I never keep the boxes. The bottles that you don’t see are those that you will forget to use.
I’m reaching the point that my perfume cabinet is nearly maxed out–and I have to decide if I need a bigger perfume cabinet or if that means I need to slow down my collecting. . . it’s the notion that there can be too many to enjoy them all, that I could forget what I have not not use it, that gives me any pause at all! And yet, as my tastes grow and evolve, seems a shame to not have a few new lovelies now and then to represent that! 🙂
Or maybe option three is to put aside the ones I don’t love and depart with them, but that does sound hard–I get nostalgic, and maybe I will rediscover their beauty next year?
Hi Marjorie Rose,
What is a perfume cabinet and what is its purpose? Did you build your own or is it a regular closet with shelves in it? Right now my bottles are crowding the bottom drawer of my dresser and the evicted clothes are all over the floor…
Hello, Sanjini!
I went to the Rebuilding Center–a local non-profit which has gently used house supplies (old kitchen cabinets, bath tubs, light fixtures, etc.) from deconstructed houses and found an old bathroom vanity. I attached it to the wall in my bedroom, and I keep all my perfume in there. It has 4 glass shelves behind two solid wood doors and blocks the light from the bottles. And since it’s stored in the bedroom, it’s more-or-less protected from fluctuations in temperature. There are probably classier solutions than this, but it doesn’t look awful and it keeps my fragrances in easy reach–without evicting my clothes! 🙂
Wow that’s terrific that you upcycled a nice cabinet for your perfumes. Great idea to go to a recycling or charity place to look for something suitable. Since I have very few bottles at present I like the idea of “build it and they will come”. Thanks for sharing about your cabinet.
I tried this, the getting rid of the less loved. And I regretted it. I still regret it and it was over 10 years ago!! Lol. Because what I sold then got reformulated (ysatis, rive gauche, loulou etc) and I wish I had the originals. And secondly, as Marjorie Rose has very wisely clued on to also- is that my tastes change, and each time I put things into the ‘nah, not so much love there’ pile, a few months later they get plucked back up and welcome back into the fold.
Hmm. Or maybe I just hoard. I mean Collect. Because I don’t seem to even be able to get rid of Boudoir, which is all kinds of nasty :-/
Well no MR didn’t get that MY tastes change… you know what I mean.. (it’s 4am just finished work brain has shut down already.wearing Profumi Del Forte By Night White to bed mmmmm 🙂 )
Actually, I am *that* good that I predicted that your tastes would change! 😀
Lol! You work with 7 yr olds, I don’t doubt your ability to foresee erratic at all 😉
Oh No! Please don’t diss Boudoir:)! My heart’s crying:)… I’ll always welcome a backup for my dahling pink juice, if You were wondering what to do with her! 😉
I do try to like her, in her sexy little bottle, but I just can’t find the love. I shall try again but if I ever decide to let her go I’ll keep you in mind 😉
Yay:)! But if You ever do so, don’t forget to keep at least a tiny vial 😉 )
Fairly basic but I always appreciate the advice that it’s okay, nay, even encouraged to like what you like! Trying stuff other people like is a fun way to explore, but ultimately if you like something others don’t, or you don’t like something it seems you’re supposed to, don’t waste a second feeling bad about it. The point of perfume is to enjoy it, full stop. (I’m just going to repeat this quietly to myself over and over until it no longer weighs on me that I really don’t ‘get’ OJ Woman. So bitter! But so adored!)
I don’t get OJ Woman either! Long over it 🙂
Hahahaha SO glad to hear it–I thought I was literally alone on this one. Sometimes I think it might be the most-recommended scent on Monday Mail!
Oh you’re not alone, C. H. It doesn’t work for me either, but conversely, it’s all sweet, screaming violet due to her over-use of iso e super.
I don’t like OJ Woman either (something about the drydown).
Couldn’t stand OJ Woman. All I got were never ending peaches. And more peaches. Put me off from the fruit itself for some time!
Funny — I get absolutely no peaches or violet or any sweetness. To me, it’s dry and bitter. If it were a drink, it would be Campari and soda. I love it. If it were a woman, it might be called “jolie laide”. I love it.
I always laugh, because no matter what the Monday Mail person asks for, someone invariably recommends OJ Woman. I also find it less than stellar, and a bit too sweet. I don’t want to turn this into a bash of the scent though, it just feels like I’m the only one who doesn’t like it. I also didn’t fall for Seville a l’Aube, and was very much in the minority on that last year!
YES!! I could not stand Seville a l’Aube either! It had this really annoying bubble gum note in it. Could not BEAR it and I wanted to like it as everyone love it.
Well then I guess I’m really not alone! 🙂 We can have our own little club (still, I think, vastly outnumbered by the members of the OJ Woman fan club, so anyone who doesn’t know the scent, it’s probably worth a sniff!)
I really really liked OJ Woman when I first tried it. I ended up with a 2ml sample and after 1 or 2 wearings, find it cloying and, after the initial opening, a bit boring and ordinary. Spray samples are so important!
It’s so refreshing to read that others don’t get OJ. I’ve had the coffret of OJ fragrances for several years. I regularly test them all again, but not one of them has been something I like. Today, I decided to try Osmanthus again (I’m on an osmanthus kick) and OJ Woman. I actually like OJ Osmanthus quite a bit, but it’s just not right for me. Maybe it’s a bit on the masculine side. I can also finally find some liking for OJ Woman, but not enough for me to want it. I’m a big cardamom lover, and can detect the cardamom in this, but it’s still not right for me. But, as I’ve learned, “never say never”. My perceptions of scents change with time, and I may one day try it and discover I love it.
For this reason, I hang on to most my samples. Most, I say. I couldn’t get rid of FM Une Rose fast enough! Maybe it was the truffle note, but it was like urine and other bad stuff on my skin. Not something I’d want to chance testing again.
Yes, I am so tired of people asking “I tried [some classic. I see it a lot with Mitsuoko] and I just don’t get it. What am I doing wrong??” Seriously? It’s called having personal taste and personal style.
I have a sample of vintage Mitsouko (and a few others) and every time someone reverently mentions Mitsouko, I got back to my reference vintage sample and take a whiff. I STILL DO NOT GET IT!
I actually never got into Shalimar. Or L’Heure Bleue or Apres L’Ondee. My favorite Guerlain is Samsara, followed by Mitsuoko.
My favorite Guerlain is Jardin de Bagatelle! What can ya do 🙂
The mustiness of OJ Woman really bothered me, kept the the whole fragrance in my head. I’ve got to have an emotional connection to a scent to love it. Which is why “love what you love” is such great advice. The intellectual aspect is fun – love Turin, Sanchez, et al – but it’s the perfumes that move you that matter.
Agree–the intellectual/research side of it is definitely fun for me, but, ultimately, I haven’t found that reading about a perfume I didn’t love changed my feelings enough to want to wear it regularly (although def it’s made me admire things I previously didn’t understand!)
An important variant on ‘it’s okay to like what you like’ is that if what you like is a reformulation, that’s okay too. Can’t afford or can’t find vintage Mitsouko (or whatever) but you love the current formulation? Don’t feel bad. Wear it. Pay no attention to the naysayers who declare that Diorella is dead. If you love it, wear it. And sometimes, reformulations can be very good – Rochas Femme, for instance.
Of course the vintage perfume lovers are also entitled to love what they love too, but taken to extremes, vintage-ism becomes a form of snobbishness in itself, an even more refined way of declaring the superiority of one’s taste.
And really, most classic perfumes have been reformulated or tweaked so many times, and individual bottles so affected by how they have been stored, that the vintage fetishists are likely not talking about the same thing anyway, when they talk about ‘vintage’.
Yes, such excellent advice–all too easy to have a new love crushed by a report that it’s not as good as the old stuff, but honestly, it’s terrible to be talked out of enjoying something! Do your best to go ahead and enjoy it!
Well Ladies, If you have any OJ woman you would like to offload or trade for something, please let me know! I got about a third of a bottle in the last swap, sprayed some on before going to a movie and partway thru watching Sandra Bullock fight for her life in “Gravity” got a whiff of the most delicious pina colada smell. After trying to sniff out the source I realized it was coming from me. So odd. Many perfumes smell like pee on my skin, but the OJ smells like a fruity drink.
I wish I could have smelt peaches and/or violets in Woman! The one and only time I wore it the drydown on me was dirty diapers, and I had spritzed myself liberally with it before I ventured out to the shops; I couldn’t wait to get home to scrub it off, and felt that I was trailing this behind me everywhere I went. Oh, the horror!
But I do love OJ’s Ta’if, with all my heart.
I basically liked OJ Woman but it wasn’t what I expected either. It was basically a slightly woodier Kenzo Amour on me.
Maybe a year back I asked the community about scents that people seem to either love or hate (after reading a hilariously hateful review from Kevin for a scent that I quite like). Sounds like if we were to ask that question again, OJ Woman would go onto the list. So surprising to me how differently we interpret scents!
Was it that Serge Noire one? 🙂
Yup! His interpretation of that was a COMPLETELY different experience than mine! I didn’t end up buying it, but not because it became a scrubber–just not different enough from my many other spicy orientals to make the cut!
I haven’t smelled it but I’ll get to it. I can’t imagine it’s really that awful- surely not! It is perfume after all right? 🙂
Yes, you have to like what you like and not think you must wear what others say works for them because everyone is so individual. For new perfumistas, it is good to sample as much as one’s budget allows in order to learn first hand what the different notes are and what you like best. Plus it’s just fun to do that! SOTD is A Quiet Morning.
My advice is try everything! Niche, drugstore, etsy, other etailers….u never know when you’ll find something u love!!!
Very, very true.
Excellent advice! In terms of notes, too.
And dont pay attention to which sex the scent is aimed at. I wear Royal Spyce all the time.
Hear , hear! Royall Spyce is great stuff — like a carnation cologne.
Now that it’s cooling off, it’s back in my rotation. My husband loves it on me.
And, don’t worry if you love something that some perfumistas don’t, like a celebrity perfume or a cheap drugstore knock off or whatever. You love it, wear it proudly!
If you end up buying something blind and you don’t love it… Wait!
Try it again in fall, winter, or summer, on a rainy day, when you are in a better/different mood. You may get something quite different from your first impression.
Closest example of this I’ve had was I bought some vintage scents at an estate sale when I was a newbie. Maybe a year later, I could appreciate most of them and totally fell in love with one!
Totally agree about trying things at different times of the year. For example, I’m ambivalent about the very popular Prada Infusion d’Iris – I usually get bored with it pretty quickly and then annoyed by it’s persistence. Then I happened to wear it on a hot, humid day and found it was perfect – very chill, which is what one needs in that weather.
Nozknoz, in my personal perfume hierarchy I d’Iris comes second only to Chergui. Once, however, I tried wearing it in winter and it seemed so wretched! And made me feel wretched too… I definitely think its more for warm weather, and better in smoggy climes!
I hadn’t even thought about the effect of smog – good point!
I agree – patience can be rewarding. I will always remember that the commentators on NST encouraged me to give my blind bought Cuir de Lancome a few more tries – it is now one of my favourite autumn leathers.
When that crazy enthusiasm takes you over as a newbie, sample, sample, SAMPLE. (and maybe decant) Don’t buy a full bottle of everything you think is fun and interesting–your tastes will change and develop, the more you know and you will make better choices 6 months down the line.
Good advice, especially on the “interesting” side. Def bought several things early on because I was so impressed with how imaginatively they departed from the department store fare I was accustomed to…but it turned out that there are many beautiful and fascinating things I’m glad to sniff every once in a while, without actually wanting to wear them regularly (sorry Philosykos!)
(Oh but speaking of fig–amazing call on Fico di Amalfi, thanks for that rec MR!)
Yes–how many scents can I appreciate and still not want to wear?
So glad you like the Fico di Amalfi! Just got my bottle I wanted way back in July! It will get a lot of wear in the hotter months, I’m sure. Love that bright grapefruit and creamy fig combination (and I do like it better than Philosykos–which is nice but seems to be missing something).
I admire Philosykos enormously, and would maybe even rate it as a bigger accomplishment in terms of art scents (it really does smell like the whole tree!), but for whatever reason I just find the Fico di Amalfi more enjoyable. And the latter’s no slouch in terms of interesting composition–I find it at once a little masculine but also winsome. Fun combo. Congrats on your bottle–I don’t think you’ll have any problems using that up! 🙂
Not sure who recommended recently the fig scent I’m in love with – Ninfeo Mio by AG – but I’m so glad it was recommended! I’m very tempted to by a FB but holding out. (good advice from one of the commenters!). I actually love the aromatic scent of lavender in this, and lavender is not a note I’m typically a fan of..
Which makes me wonder is it possible to actually like pretty much every note out there depending on how the note is used?
I like Ninfeo Mio as well–I could probably happily own some it in addition to the Fico di Amalfi, but it’s hard to justify two similar-enough fig scents in my collection. For the moment, anyway!
I know I recommended NF recently but I can’t remember who to? I mentioned it as my favourite fig. The fresh notes make it perfect for hot summer days. I do like the AdP but yes, how many figs can one have?? (I also have Premier Figuier Extreme in the beautiful figgy bottle because I couldn’t resist it on special for $100) 🙂
For me this is the case – there is no note that I like in every perfume, and there isn’t any that I dislike in every perfume! In some ways it makes it harder to predict which perfumes I will like, given a list of notes.
I think I can safely say that I don’t like orange blossom. Of course, now that I say that, someone will probably point out some scent that I adore with orange blossom in the notes!
Exactly! Of course there are degrees to which I like a particular note, but there just might be a composition that takes a note not high on my love list and uses it in a way that turns out to be a life changing fragrance for me (if there is such a thing).
M.R, I thought Orange Blossom would turn me off ANY perfume – Fleur de Orangers I disliked, and though I like Le Male, Fleur De Mal was a definite no. So, I thought I had found the one note I disliked – even Ellie Saab did not rock me too much. Then I got a sample of Seville and well…
Its not sold here, so I don’t have a bottle, but I certainly could love it!
I’m open minded, except for tuberose makes me gag. Now that I said that I’ll probably find something with tuberose in it that I like a lot and makes everyone else gag..
Could be useful to have something in the arsenal that is guaranteed to make people gag!
Yes–I would add tuberose to the likely-not-ever-for-me-but-never-say-never category!
LOL Merlin. There are some situations where it would be useful to clear a room with a grannylicious stinkbomb of a tuberose. I think that’s very good advice to have one perfume in the arsenal (can be marked with a skull and crossbones) that will help you get a seat on the bus, get to the front of the line at DMV quicker, or discourage those distracting cubicle loiterers…
Tuberose WAS one of those notes for me – then the 3rd time I tried Tubereuse Criminelle (after scrubbing it the first 2 times!) I promptly fell in love:/
Good afternoon NST!
I have some perfume advice for you!
Sampling is the best way to discover a perfume. I find that even 1ml is enough for me to have 2-3 wears and decide on my feelings for the perfumes.
Accept that your taste can change. A fragrance that made you enamored few months/years ago might make you go “ah, it’s ok” after a while. Don’t stick to it. Decant some for the future (you might love it again!) and let the bottle go!
Organize or participate in perfume splits. It’s the best and very affordable way to build a nice fragrance wardrobe of partial bottles. Plus you give other people happiness by letting them to have a piece of your scent. It also cuts off your costs when you keep 30ml in a 100ml bottle.
If you can – swap! I don’t like buying samples and I find swapping to be a great chance to get something I wanted to smell for a while without buying it. I just offer something from my samples arsenal in return.
To make a fragrance last longer you can apply a little bit of jojoba oil or grapeseed oil 30 minutes earlier to the spots where you’re going to spray. Also avoid contact with soap in these spots – it temporarily destroys your natural sebum layer and causes a perfume to evaporate faster.
Hope you find at least one of these useful.
It’s been a lovely day where I live so I had a walk in the forest with my parents. We picked some mushroom too!
I’m wearing Parfumerie Generale Cuir d’Iris today.
Thinking about soap and such–how long after a bath would be optimum to spritz oneself with the day’s scent? Does applying lotion facsimilate natural sebum at all?
If you take a shower/bath and use an actual soap (a bar or in liquid form) it takes around 1-2 hours for the sebum layer to re-build. But if you use a shower gel or shower cream you don’t have to wait at all since most of these products contain synthetic washing compounds that don’t affect the sebum layer.
Applying a lotion quickens the time for the sebum to cover the skin surface again.
Yeah, I’m a real soap kinda girl (mostly because I’m cheap), but it does necessitate lotion so my skin doesn’t feel like it’s gonna crawl off! Glad to hear that I’m not quickening my scent’s disappearance too much!
You’re doing it quite right. Soap, then lotion, wait a bit and apply the perfume.
I have kind of oily skin and my body stays pretty moisturized. I’ve noticed that a lot scents that supposedly last an hour or two last way longer for me. Is it because of my sebum?
Yes, that’s correct. Skin moisture is an important factor that impacts the longevity of perfume. A sebum layer on our skin surface slows down the evaporation of water from our skin cells and also the evaporation of alcohol and fragrance molecules.
This is why people with dry skin never get a good perfume longevity while those with normal skin don’t have this problem. On the other hand too oily skin affects sillage making it smaller.
Never say “never”, Lucas! My skin is paper dry with very fine pores, and I have scent glue skin. Seriously, a “fleeting” scent last 8 to 10 hours on me and most last a good 24. Laurie’s (SSS) last two days even through showers!
And there is no such thing as scrubbing scent off once it’s on – I have to let it wear off. Makes testing difficult and changing mid-day is impossible!
Hi Lucasai! I thought that shower gel WAS liquid soap. I usually prefer using hard soap. So, is there any type of hard soap that does not disrupt the sebum layer? What about glycerine soap or the other types?
Dove Washing Bar!
So a creamy soap that basically contains enough moisturizer?
Great advice Lucasai. I tried using some almond oil before spritzing perfume this morning and the perfume is still going strong 12 hours later. I usually have to reapply after a couple of hours. Such a great way to conserve perfume and save money.
Great advice, especially about being okay with changing tastes. That can be so hard, once you think of something as “yours”, but no sense forcing it! And smart about decanting a bit but letting the bottle go. I’ve been doing it the other way around–swapping away decants of underused bottles–but your idea is much more efficient!
I found that the perfumes from my earlier perfumistahood haven’t been used for almost a year, so I decided to sell them to more loving houses. But I decanted some small bits as a reference for the future.
Glad you liked this idea.
Lucasai, I’ve also adopted your method of decanting a portion from a bottle before swapping or selling it. Too often, I’ve learned the hard way and truly regret some used-to-own bottles.
Great! It really is a good method to let go of the bottle without totally letting go of the juice 😉
Hi Lucas,
I really appreciate your advice about the soap. Thanks!
Glad I could help
No words of wisdom.
Wore Bois Farine yesterday and it is iris and bread on my skin, very comfy on a chilly rainswept day.
Will be wearing Cuir de Lancome later, haven’t worn it in a while.
Kinda excited…… lol
To be continued……..
Ooh. Love the idea of Cuir de Lancome on a fella! Sounds lovely!
Thank you!
Your advice below about gender and climate is very wise.
I second your advice. ( coffee hasn’t kicked in yet and I am thinking
s…l…owww…lll…y)
Received a few compliments on Cuir today.
Expensive accessories leather and ylang ylang on my skin.
Perfect for autumn.
Sounds perfect! Sorry I couldn’t lean over and sniff you! 🙂
Me too! 😉
Take risks. Try scents that are considered traditionally for the other gender. Wear a big oriental (Shalimar!) in the middle of summer. Wear a light, airy scent in midwinter. You might appreciate the scents in a whole new way!
At the risk of starting more silliness – never, ever buy unsniffed 😀
Silliness? NO IDEA what you’re talking about! This is very serious business! (Or as the Queen Enabler would say–verra, verrah serious business!)
Abyss, for completeness (or complete silliness), I would add a number of riders:
– never, ever buy after one sniff;
– never, ever buy after just testing on paper;
– never, ever buy after just one try on skin;
and so on and so forth. Of course, I never listen to my own advice!
And I’ll take the liberty to add:
– never, ever, buy a back-up bottle of a loved scent after wearing it for only one season. Tastes change. Maybe after 3 seasons, it’s true enough love to buy back-ups. If you’re that kind of perfume person. Just sayin’. 🙂
Good advice – although I do have some great unsniffed buys. It’s also better to get a decant, if possible. You usually have to start with the sample vials, but those little dabs can be misleading.
That was my rule, too, but I broke it recently when I blind-bought a test bottle of Five O’Clock Gingembre on special offer. I figured I could always find someone who wanted it, if I didn’t like it. I LOVE IT! So, sometimes we need to take chances.
I need help for making any perfume LAST LONGER! :O
I know there is the possibility that our own noses may adapt to the fragrance and not notice it after 10mins or so or the case of dry skin but I actually got my friends to “monitor” my perfume status throughout the days when I wear different fragrances
I apply fragrances with 4-5 sprays on my neck, 4-5 on my chest and abdominal area, 2-3 on my hair (some might think drying but desperate person here will do ANYTHING :P) and rarely on wrist as I tend to wear a watch and bracelets.
E.g. I would have on something strong and “clingy” La Vie Est Belle from Lancome and on the first 20mins I smell great but soon after, the perfume would almost just disappear (never mind about the mid or base notes, they took off with a rocket too.)
I have tried with many other creations e.g. Angel, Shalimar, Youth Dew, Manifesto L’Elixir, Ambre Sultan, Rahat Loukoum, Le Petite Robe Noir, Jeux de Peau, Mure et Musc Extreme just to name a few and none of them last more than 30-35 minutes.
The longest ones are Oud fragrances (no surprise there) and they last about 45 minutes before leaving a very faint skin scent.
I moisturise my skin with creams or lotions daily too! But it doesn’t seem to change much regarding the longevity…
Travalo or travel sprays are my only remedy now but for someone like me who changes their scent everyday and with a large collection, I don’t think its too practical to have 25+ travel sprays on rotation.
Not to mention the absolute horror, desperation and utter dread when it comes to using Limited Edition Fragrances! Every drop is PRECIOUS!! So as much as I love some of them (Shalimar Ode a la Vanille anyone?) I can only use them on very rare occasions 🙁
EdT is just a huge no no for me because they won’t make it past 15 mins. As much as I want to buy some of the most beautiful fragrances, I have to force my self to refuse simply because it’s a EdT…
Can someone please help me because I am, to be honest, very devastated by this problem that I have.
Thank you…
Maybe you can try spraying perfume on fabric.
What has worked for me to make scent last longer. . .
. . . spray liberally
. . . spray your clothes
. . . spray your hair
. . . make sure your skin is well-nourished (lotion, etc.)
. . . spray a bit extra down your décolletage, so you smell it when you move around
And keep in mind that some scents simply don’t last as long as others do. I try to buy full bottles of scents that last longer so I feel like I got my money’s worth.
Ive never tried it myself but I’ve seen suggested on other blogs to put some on cotton wool and tuck it in your bra. I hope something works for you! 🙂
You beat me to it. The cotton wool in the bra technique works for me, too. Also, perfume seems to last when sprayed in my hair.
I have a similar problem…
and unfortunately not much new to add to the subject. Sometimes i spray my sleeves instead of, or as well as, my arms.
My best tip here is to spray perfume on the TOPS of your arms, rather than the inside. There’s more hair on the tops of your arms and the scent clings to the hair.
Thank you so much guys for your tips 🙂
I will try them and see how it goes!
Something else I’v heard is that dabbing petroleum jelly or shea butter on the area of skin you are going to spray perfume on provides a barrier that stops the perfume absorbing into the skin. I think I had mixed results with this – but also that I just got lazy doing it:)
Advice if you’re a complete cheapo like me…
I avoid online shopping. This means no discounters so most people will disagree with me, but I don’t shop for deals anyway. I think shopping for deals tends to be counterintuitive. I buy samples online–I prefer luckyscent’s selection but aedes is a better value. You can also get decants from people or do swapping. I prefer not to go to a shop just to try things because Sales Associates want sales and if I’m not buying then they just annoy me. Then I like the process of saving money and going to a store and saying “I’ll take it” and then lugging it around in a bag.
I have perfume worked into my budget, which I am very strict about, and I include samples in that cost. Sample costs add up so that is important.
You might not want to be too a-type, though. I missed out on a few perfumes and perfume prices only go up so a perfume that costs $125 could be $175 in 12 months.
Lots of good advice, engelwurz!
The most annoying bottles in my collections are ones I bought mainly because they seemed like such a good deal. I don’t love them enough to wear them, and don’t feel they are worth selling or trading. We joke that something is so cheap they are paying you to wear it, but every time I see these things I wince, thinking how I could have had an Amouage instead.
Amen, sister!
So true! I’ve bought a few things at Goodwill, etc., that I never wear. Who cares if it was only $12, if I never wear it. Of course, I own a few Amouages, too!
Right, got to have the Amouage!
I like your post. I have the same problem. For a while I went crazy buying things I liked, but did not know I did not love them (I guess it was infatuatuion). Now I cannot even sell them and I definitely need to streamline my perfumes.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell, Arwen. One can’t entirely avoid erring a bit on one side or the other.
If you have a scent that you feel is missing something, try layering it with another scent that has the missing thing you wish the other one had and see what happens. You can get some interesting results. That said, I wouldn’t buy a scent I didn’t want to wear without layering, unless it’s cheap.
Off-topic: I discovered on my recommendation page in Spotify that there is a band called Perfume Genius. Seriously.
Going to meet up with a ‘fume friend I met through the Fairy Godmother threads at Perfume Posse. I was going to mail her something, and it turned out we live only a few miles from each other, so we meet up every once in a while for coffee and sample exchanging. It’s a lot of fun.
Once I was wearing Bulgari Black and someone was chewing spearmint gum and I got the idea to layer it with Ava Luxe Moroccan Mint Tea and it smelled like York peppermint patties.
That’s so cool! I’ve never smelled the Ava Luxe but I have a bottle if Black so I’m tempted to try it out.
Perfume Genius is really good! I saw him live once in Denver and got a shirt, partly for the name. 🙂
Always keep decant supplies on hand – dab vials, atomizers (various sizes) and even glass bottle for larger volumes. First of all, generally, the more you buy the cheaper per item. Secondly, you are always on the ready for any swap or split opportunities. Third, but not the least, for the perfume bottles you are editing out of your collection, you have what you need to keep some for yourself.
Perfume layering – Do it! My most recent discovery — I had been trying the Le Labo City Exclusives. In particular Cuir 28 (Dubai). The listed “animalic notes” scared me at first (barnyard is NOT for me) but I decided to go for it anyway. It is dusty / dirty but not very dry leather and “some” vanilla. Wanting more vanilla, I decided to layer on Atelier Colognee Vanilla Insensee and OH MY GOD…it brought Cuir 28 to a new level.
Oh brilliant–sprayed a scarf with Cuir 28, gonna go add Vanille Insensee right now!
Oh gosh yes super nice. I’d found Cuir 28 to be a little overspiced, and the Vanille Incensee totally cuts through that. Nice call!
I actually got a compliment from someone at work while wearing the Cuir 28 / Vanille Insensee combo!
Oh, I totally believe it–I feel like it’s in that (rare?) sweet spot of being interesting enough to keep a perfumista engaged, but still being totally accessible to the general public!
You know, I just took this advice last week! After the last swap, I realized that I’d been relying on a handful of decant sizes/bottles that I’d happened upon here and there. I decided it was time to really have some options and bought a variety. I now feel prepared for the next opportunity AND can make a few purse sprays to have of my favorite scents.
I ALWAYS have sprays and/or samples in my purse!
It’s nice to be able to freshen up when you’re out and about!
I still have to invest in decant supplies. I find the idea of making decants intimidating. I’m clumsy, so I’m afraid I’d spill more than I’d decant.
As for layering, I do it often and it has brought me pleasant surprises. I still come across perfume advice sites (usually from perfume retailers) that instruct you to never wear more than one fragrance at a time. Last year, at a perfume get-together at a luxe perfume shop, the owners were horrified when I told them of my layering adventures!
Jonette, I had the same reservations you do – and vials are not easily available at shops around here. But I met with someone recently who had got hold of his own vials. I brought the bottles he wanted samples of, with when I took a trip out to meet him.
I was surprised at how easy it was to just spray into the vials! I have terrible fine co-ordination and am very clumsy, but seriously, no spillage or anything, and I made about 5 samples! There is a you-tube video on how to do it with a syringe as well, but I haven’t tried that – and would be afraid of puncturing something…
Funny; I was going to say don’t throw anything out/giveaway because tastes change and you don’t know if something you dislike today becomes something you can’t live without and are so happy to still have. This is probably very true when scents discontinue or change and how many times have I read on this and other blogs “I could just kick myself for having given that away”
Then again, I’m a new collector and am not at the point of feeling overwhelmed by years of purchases.
Be Less Biased. Being a Perfumnista is A great thing… but being a Snob is not. There are so many fragrances that are dismissed because they sound similar to other fragrances or use an overused scent element (Pink Pepper, Oud, Pear, WHATEV!) and the snobbish hackles go up immediately and the Perfume shame starts being thrown around because someone doesn’t actually find offensive what the throng does.
I would say a little more tolerance can go a long way. One simply may be happily surprised by letting their snobbery down and indulging in something else other than the rarefied and utterly exotic of which it seems are the only things that get praised.
I dunno… Maybe I am the one that has this issue and no one else does and are happy in their niche… but i always find that niches, while cozy, can be awfully confining.
A lot of well-liked fragrances (including Bottega Veneta) include pink pepper so I don’t know why people are still cherry-picking that note out of an entire list.
After Bang there was a perfume release that had black pepper in the notes and someone was like “meh, don’t we have enough black pepper?” I remember this very clearly because black pepper is one of my top favorite notes so I was very annoyed!!! I don’t know why some people think the entire industry needs to bow down to their personal preferences.
Oh I love black pepper too – feel free to recommend some! I don’t find very many black pepper scents out there at all.
I’m a big fan of coffrets. I get to try a range of scents (and often fall for ones i wouldnt normally pick if i were buying decants), and they’re often the perfect size as they’re bigger than a sample and tend to work out much cheaper than decants.
This is so true – there’s nothing better than an exploration set – some have very generous sizes and even luxurious packaging. I’ve often thought they could make nice gifts, too.
I wish I’d known about these and discovery sets when I first started learning about scents. So much fun and really, usually a pretty good deal.
Suggestion #2. If your collection is perhaps bigger than the average persons, don’t have it on display. Of course we know they should be kept cool and dark, but if you have a household where friends and family pop over regularly, Ive found that even if they know that perfume is my ‘thing’, seeing it (or a large part of it) in the flesh can be confronting for them.. i.e. “holy mother of batman!!! Look how many perfumes you’ve got!!!” 😉
Great point! It’s that fine line between fame and notoriety.
I completely agree! I have about 20 bottles on rotation in my cupboard and maybe two on my dresser. My close friends know I have a large collection but even they would be horrified to know about the hidden stash in the rattan chests!
Lol I might have to steal “holy mother of batman”.
Lol! Feel free.. I may have stolen if from somewhere else myself once 😉
Go to local thrift stores, antique emporiums, secondhand shops, flea markets, yard sales, and estate blowouts, and TALK to people. Even if you don’t find any fragrance there, chances are you will meet someone who knows where it is. Then find out what THEY like and hook ’em up accordingly.
One of my best informants is a retired schoolteacher who is a die-hard thrifter just like me. Her particular jones is fashion dolls… but when she sees a perfume stash in her travels, she notifies me immediately. And I when I see a doll hoard out there in the great yonder, I return the favor. We support each others’ collection obsessions, with extremely happy results.
Thanks for this suggestion! I have a friend who is an inveterate thrifter, but who has no interest in perfume. I know she would be willing to let me know if she sees a stash somewhere, though — just hadn’t thought to ask.
Hola Miss Lindaloo! I bet if you team up with your friend on thrift excursions, the wonders will never cease. 🙂 I have another pal whose “thing” is vintage embroidered handkerchiefs. I never really paid attention to such items while thrifting before, but now I zero in on them because they make me think of her. It’s definitely a two-way street– she’ in turn has developed quite an eagle eye for half-buried perfume bottles!
One of my pastimes is figuring out the best time of year and weather for my perfumes. It’s not always obvious, and sometimes surprising. Who knew Prada Infusion d’Iris (which usually bores me) would be great for hot, humid weather? Sometimes a perfume clicks perfectly with a certain time of year, such as AG Eau du Sud when summer first starts to feel like fall, that I can only wear it at that time. Some are counterintuitive. Tobacco perfumes usually work best in fall or winter, but Ys Uzac is an extraordinary blend of tobacco and narcissus with a touch of mint that feels like a summer evening with dew in the grass, the transition from spring to summer. Guerlain Eau Sublime is a dewy rose, which sounds like spring or summer but I love it in winter. So, like Platinum14, my advice is to try things at different times of the year.
Great advice! I did experience this with 10 Corso Como. I tested it many times and wanted to love it, was close to loving it, but it felt as if something was missing. I always associate incense fragrances with winter, so I was testing it in cold weather. Then, for some reason which I can’t remember, I tested it on a warm day, and it bloomed into incredible beauty on my skin and I found the love!
It’s so amazing, isn’t it! That’s an astute observation – it can seem like something is missing when the season or weather isn’t right.
Because I’ve learned here (today) that you might love a certain scent in the winter that you dismissed in the summer, and because I’ve fallen in love with some sample scents I’ve re-tested after waiting a long time to try them again, I’ve decided to keep a perfume journal.
In it, I write what I’ve tried, my review of it, and the date. Also, if there is any other possibly relevant info, such as my illness flaring up or that I’m going through a really good patch, I note that, too. I often forget that I’ve tried certain samples and how I felt about them, so this will remedy that as well.
Yesterday, I bought an inexpensive jewelry box at HEMA, planning to use it to organize my rings, but this morning, I realized the little compartments are just right for perfume samples. The larger samples fit in the larger rectangles and the tinier samples (like the ones from DSH) fit in the small ones. I will probably need a second box, as I have so many samples. Now to figure out a labelling/categorizing system so I can easily find what I’m looking for! No, I’m really not anal — I’m a terribly chaotic mess maker and I’ve decided it’s time to a least get a grip on my perfume hobby!
Great ideas – I wish I’d kept a perfume diary – never too late to start, of course. One of my goals for early 2014 is to organize my perfume.
And some perfumes that seem as if they’d be too heavy in the heat, actually bloom and open up beautifully. For me that was Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit parfum and Nahema (although I think most people would wear the rose in summer).
Great point! I was wearing Coco at one point last summer!
What a great idea for a poll! Thanks to everyone offering advice. I need all the help I can get.
As a relative newbie, my collection has just about reached the stage where it MIGHT be getting a little too large. Two things I have done to avoid neglecting any part:
1) Set a date (e.g. first Sunday of every month) when I rotate the bottles, replacing ones within easy reach with something else fro the stash. This doesn’t always mean a complete overhaul but just moving a couple of bottles around can make a difference to what you reach for over the next few weeks.
2) start a little perfume lending library. I have friends who like exploring my perfume collection but cannot really be bothered with decants and splits. For a few trusted friends, I just let them borrow a bottle or two from the collection for some time. I eventually get them back, the perfume has received some love and perhaps someone has discovered a note or house they like. (Note: of course this does not include my Chanel extraits or limited editions – I am very Gollum-like regarding those :D)
Ha, ha – I wouldn’t let anyone know about the preciousss. 😉
Great points, sunsetsmells!
I love the idea of lending a bottle!
My tip is a type of simple rating for samples. Since I’m too lazy to keep spreadsheets of what I’ve tried and my impressesions, I have started to write directly on the sample vial itself. (Sharpie, or attach a small paper ‘tag’ if needed).
A <3 (heart) means immediate love and these get put in the "Get More Of That" box. Likes get a "+", neutrals get a "O" and these both usually means revisiting the sample a few more times. A "-" means dislike… essentially scrubbers or decidedly "not me".
Subsequent testing of O and + will earn more + or – and after one or two more tries, I'm pretty much ready to file those away for future reference or giveaways.
Generally, the O- are usually "meh" or "ok" and ultimately not me. O+ are generally pretty nice, and usually end up in my "Get more of that" box. The idea of the "Get more of that box" will meet a bottle or a larger decant. Invariable, these end up in my collection as larger decants and bottles, and certainly on my wish list!
It's a nice easy system that I wish I had started earlier. When I get a batch of samples, I can immediately tell which I've tested and what I thought. Everything gets at least 2-3 tries before a "final" decision. I tend to sample in the morning before a shower. If I like the sample, I might wear it for the day, or after work (evening). If I don't like it, well, shower time anyway! Saturdays and Sundays are best for sampling because I have more time to linger before I need to get to moving in the morning. My nose works better in the morning, and honestly, sometimes 15-30 minutes is all you need before deciding to wear something all day. Samples are always better with coffee!
I have 3 baggies–“like”, “don’t like” and “purgatory”, then I put all of them in a big baggie. There’s a little bubble wrap pocket with samples that I love in the “like” baggie.
Ah, you have a system, too!
This is a very elegant system! I like it.
I’m going to try this!
Brilliant. Great method for accommodating multiple sniffs with multiple reactions. I must try this.
I have sniffed OJ Woman…I must have not thought that much of it cause I really can’t remember what it smelled like. I do love peach though..usually in the summer..I may have to re-sniff it.
I love coffrets too..they make great gifts as well. Some coffrets are presented quite nicely and look sharp.
My advice, don’t blind buy when you start out in perfume. Generally, blind buying is really not something I’d recommend unless you know the notes really well and know that it is something that you would probably like. But even if you think you ‘know’ the perfume before sniffing, it may smell different than what you would expect.
I keep my boxes…but have noticed I don’t use the boxed ones as much as the ones without any, now that someone mentioned that. Very interesting!
I don’t have my perfume on display, I keep them in a drawer. Some ppl know I have a bit of a stash..one asked my husband, “Ya, but is she going to USE up all that perfume”? She didn’t get it. She didn’t understand why I have several perfumes…but she bought 12 boxes of wine on their last visit to Napa(just because)…do I get that? No, but I didn’t say anything to them about it. I like how ppl can criticize but apparently they think they are perfect. OK, rant over! LOL.
Sounds like MiL trouble. Yikes!
I keep my perfume in the original box so that it is protected from the light, then I can keep it out on my dresser or on an open shelf rather than in a drawer.
Such great advice here. Thanks so much everyone. Especially about storing, rotating and letting go, being true to individual taste and the perfume/sebum factor. Very encouraging and a great thread.
I think I’ve been making all the immature newbie mistakes, (blind buying, obsessing over something I only tried once, trying a sample once and immediately rushing to the hasmat station to flush with water and tossing it back into the perfume catacomb. Right now I’m in amber/vanilla pergatory. I can’t seem to like anything that isn’t completely infested with it. Except for the OJ Woman which is repulsive for the initial hit and then becomes beautiful on me. I’m realizing that a cologne or an EDT can be very strong and long lasting and some EDP’s can be quite wimpy. I often don’t want a scent to last very long and found that I really like colognes. In the last swap, one person very generously included a handful of samples and i was thinking what a good way to pass along the samples in the “don’t like” or “not for me” category. One of those samples I absolutely love, Jovoy amber (dammit, amber strikes again!)
Sometimes I worry that there is something wrong with my ability to smell some of the notes in perfume and that’s why I hardly ever find anything that completely satisfies and possibly why I can’t get out of the sticky amber pit. Time to revisit the sample pile. Honestly I would love to take a class that familiarizes me with the different notes. I think I would appreciate perfume much more if I knew a bit more about it.
(Ha, and I didn’t love OJ Woman because the initial hemlock/violet doesn’t last on me. It goes straight amber very quickly, and that bores me.)
Crap. I’m doomed!
I know what you mean about learning about notes. What I sometimes do is spend a bit of time at shops selling essential oils, just sniffing my way along rows of testers to get practice at smelling individual scents. In the spring and summer a visit to a garden centre can be instructive, even if you are not a gardener. Also, you can buy oils and essences online from The Perfumer’s Apprentice.
I don’t count myself as a newbie at all. I’ve had a perfume collection since I was about 12, it’s just that it’s become a full blown passion in the last few years. I did a lot of aromatherapy in my late teens so I’m familiar with most notes (sniffing essential oils is a great idea!)- but all said and done, I still blind buy. Not as much, but mainly as there are lots of perfumes unavailable here, and i generally know what i like- and often bottles go quite cheap so… I don’t regret most of them at all! I just ordered a bottle of MyQueen for $30 as I’m in a violet mood. If I don’t like it so much at least it wasn’t $130 🙂
I agree that sniffing essential oils is a great suggestion as way to get to know certain notes. Thanks, Annemarie.
Thanks for the advice about the essential oils. I like to sniff my way through the display samples at the healthfood store. There is such a range of eo’s out there. I found a really pure neroli and a jasmine in Western Canada over the summer and bought them both. Recently while I was up in Toronto, someone walked by wearing a gorgeous patchouli oil. I was able to find it and sample it. (Attar Bazaar Egyptian Patchouli, so sweet, spicy, earthy and bitter!) I guess it’s a matter of experience and experimentation to find out which combinations of notes really appeal. I started playing around with layering a perfume with an essential oil to bring out something that I just want more of (ie: amber!!) I also do a layer with scented lotion and perfume (ie: Caldrea Pomelo Ginger hand lotion with AG Eau de Sud).
Eau DU Sud.
Sajini, go back to earlier advice higher up – like what you like, lol!
When I was about 12 someone gave me a set of miniature perfumes as a present. There was only one I loved – and recently have found out it was Byzance by Rochas. My mother however said it was awful and much too sweet. About 20 years later and I now know that my mother does not like orientals – she likes fresh florals, and only a very narrow range of them.
Byzance is in fact a much respected oriental perfume, and I am still most drawn to orientals. Now I can appreciate a range of other fragrances, and love many – but my collection is quite amber heavy, and before moving on I did need to satiate myself on these. And, if I only liked ambers – I guess I would have a great appreciation of the nuances between them and don’t see why this would be any worse than adoring chypres and having a large collection of those.
Aw thanks Merlin. I don’t feel like such a perfume rube after what you said. Actually I feel quite pleased about liking ambers! Not a problem, not a pathology. An elegant preference!
Oh and I’m going to check out vintage Byzance..
Lol! I haven’t actually searched for it – I think it was discontinued some time back, so perhaps any Byzance around is the original? I also can’t remember whether it is an amber as opposed to some other kind of oriental;)
You can still find it on Amazon and ebay. Not that I would ever enable!
Byzance was reformulated at some point. The notes given now don’t mention oakmoss or treemoss, and the box I have clearly mentions these ingredients on the back… If you’d like a sample contact me at lynleyforgione at optusnet dot com dot au, at least you’ll know it’s the original 🙂
I used to wear and love Byzance. Now you’ve made me want to go find some! Good enabling! 😉
Galbunum is a note rather than genre – it’s green and bitter, to be found, in, for ex. Lancolm’s Magie Noire (or is it Magie Noir?)
I’m not sure anyone has gone so far as to suggest it’s a pathology, lol, but it does seem to be suggested that it is naive, or regressive, compared to the oh-so-refined galbunums, and super-sophisticated chypres! As if there is a social hierarchy among perfume genres:)
Haw haw. Guilty as charged. What’s a galbanum?
Sorry, the comment was supposed to go here!
Galbunum is a note rather than genre – it’s green and bitter, to be found, in, for ex. Lancolm’s Magie Noire (or is it Magie Noir?)
My primary advice would be: Buy small bottles, even if the big bottle looks like a bargain. Eventually space is going to become an issue, and the smaller the bottle, the less pressure to get rid of some. This works better for light wearers like me–if you don’t feel that you’ve really worn a perfume unless you spray it lavishly, a small bottle does end up being a lot more limiting.
Yes, I agree. Wish I’d figured this one out a little sooner.
Hah, so many of You are good at sorting out the not-loved ones… I’ve been regretting swapping/selling/giving my gems away for years now… So my advice is, that I’ve heard from my Great Perfume Enabler, the one who has shown me the way to Real Perfume long ago, is to KEEP THEM! Put them away (or at least some), you WILL welcome them back some years later. They may get discontinued, reformulated, you never know.
I’m still having nightmares about my pebble bottle of Black Cashmere. And my vtg. Diorella? Will NEVER EVER find one that smells exactly the same. Who knew? I’ve been through 4 bottles since, all of them went up ebay a week later. 🙁
Addict, in the limited bottle, and the parfum version of Féminité du Bois? The Champagne labelled YSL Yvresse !refillable! bottle my Aunt gave me. You’ll forever haunt me. Okay, I gained two Serges by some of the money (serious infatuation), but still… Serge is still out there, they are not.
Dummy, dummy, dummy. So guys: yes, lets sell, swap, gift, but please keep at least some of them! 🙂
Yes, I agree. I have a shoebox full of FBs that I reserve to give to charity, but twice in the last few months I’ve pulled stuff out of it and fallen in love again. So – the trick is to not by too many FBs in the first place. Sample sample sample!
So true! It’s painful to think about the treasures that slipped away because I had led to believe that perfume went bad after a couple of years.
I feel like saying, ‘Don’t bother with the great classics: they’ve *all* been reformulated out of all recognition and are not worth the effort. Unless you can afford to buy ‘genuine’ vintage scents, just concentrate on the *good*, new stuff.’ But I can’t really say that, so I won’t. 😉
And while you are busy not saying that I’m not going to say that you have the most awesome site that demonstrates how different French perfume names are pronounced. Knowing how a name actually sounds can really add to the experience of enjoying a perfume!
Finding this blog, fragnameoftheday, was a real milestone in my adventure:)
I’ve had a girl crush on Bela’s voice forever! 😉
Lol, I’v replayed her sound bite of ‘Hermes’ about 5 times at the supper table to show how the word is meant to be pronounced! Unfortunately I don’t think my own mouth is able to give a very good rendition:)
I’m sure it’s fine, Merlin. Thanks for using my site. 🙂
Thanks Bela! The muscles in my mouth are moulded for English sounds so it would take a fair amount of time repeating French words to not sound like an English-speaking person trying to pronounce something in French!
Oh, how sweet of you!
I’ve been resting on my laurels for too long. Once I reached one thousand clips, I went, ‘Phew!’, and somehow thought I’d done my bit. I will try to post new files in the very near future. 🙂
My advice to newbies is that , most the time, you can get more reliable information here than in your local perfume shop. I now know more than most the sales people I encounter in perfumeries, and they often give incorrect info and are not knowledgeable about many fragrances.
I have learned *so much* here! Of course, it has also encouraged me to explore more, sniff more, and BUY more! I’m pretty sure that still puts NST in the plus column! 🙂
One little trick I use: keep a few empty sample vials with me when I go shopping. Well, ok, I keep them with me all the time because you never know.
I have 3 or 4 vials and caps in a tiny zip bag and keep it in my small cosmetic pouch with my lipstick and powder. Then, if I *happen* to be sniffing some day, I can always ask for a sample if there aren’t any available. I’ve never known an SA to refuse if I’ve been polite and ask very nicely. If you’re gracious about it, it’s hard for them not to be in return.
I meant, “keep them with you” of course. oops
When a SA says they don’t have any samples do you think she/he is being truthful? At Barney’s the other day they actually made me a sample, which I was impressed by. To drop $150+ on a fragrance I think it’s reasonable to want to test drive it first.
I’ve discovered that if I buy a bottle of perfume from Douglas (here in Holland), they will make little spray decants of almost anything I request! I’ve only done this twice, but it was great service, and one they don’t generally make known.
SAs lie, there is no doubt about it. So while technically they do not have any ready-made or manufacturer’s samples, they CAN make samples assuming they have vials / atomizers available. I have found Barneys, Nordstrom and Sephora to be very generous even if you don’t buy anything and/or don’t look like or sound like someone who will return and purchase. Bergdorfs is very generous when you buy something (actually, even if you don’t but I try not to take advantage). Bendels is OK…a little attitude and just a tiny tiny sample in a tiny vial. Saks and Macys are THE ABSOLUTE WORST – forget about getting samples if you don’t buy anything; Macys will give you manufacturer’s samples if you buy while Saks is, well, the pits.
For the niche stores, MinNY is VERY generous even if you don’t buy anything…same with Osswalds but their samples are in these tiny rollerballs.
I don’t shop enough at Neiman Marcus to comment.
Great info! Thanks!
Just recently I’ve been very surprised by some success at Saks. I’d agree that it is near impossible to get samples from that store, but just last week (happily on my new lavender kick) I wanted to try By Killian’s A Taste of Heaven and they very generously gave me a sample of that and one other. I walked out in near shock, and a happy perfumista.
Sadly, no love for either scent.
My advice is to be a Monday Mail participant–you can be exposed to all sorts of things you might not have tried otherwise or have even heard of though the downside is that you might turn into a total sniffaholic
Robin, you asked me to report back on my sample of Acca Kappa Giardino Segreto. I found my sample and have been wearing it all evening. It is truly lovely, but I’m hopeless at discerning particular notes. I definitely smell rose, and cedar and sandalwood, and there is a very subtle, comforting note that I would think is tobacco or hay, although neither is listed. Perhaps that is the musk, although usually I can decipher musk and find it different to this note. There is a medley of flowers; it truly smells like a lovely garden, where you inhale deeply and sigh with contentment and wonder.
On the whole, it is a harmonic floral blend that is definitely feminine but not really sweet. I would personally call it a romantic floral, if there is such a thing. It’s not frilly or fluffy at all.
Here is info on the composition:
http://www.accakappa.com/en/p/203/200/eau-de-parfum/eau-de-parfum.html
And here is info on the secret garden that inspired it:
http://www.accakappa.com/en/l/200/tutta-la-linea
I still plan to order a sample of La Via del Profumo Venezia Giardini Segreti and also Aftelier Secret Garden. There are certain words that just rope me in. “Secret” is one. “Mystery” and “Magic” are others.
I followed the advice of a fellow NST member and called Nose in Paris, after not getting replies to my emails. I spoke with their charming president, Nicolas Cloutier, who promised to try to find my missing info and get back to me. He kept his word, and so I plan to order the samples originally recommended. I think it’s a good deal — five 2 ml samples for € 10 and free shipping, plus a discount if I purchase a full bottle of one of the recommended samples in the near future. My thanks to whoever originally mentioned them here. So many links given are often for US addresses. At last, besides First in Fragrance, I have another one in Europe.
Here’s the URL: http://nose.fr/en/
I had a lot of fun trying many different ‘preferences’ and seeing what they recommended. I did learn that the majority of my favorite fragrances have similar top, middle and base notes. I wasn’t aware of that!
Oh, so happy that worked out for you! I agree, 10euro for 10ml of samples is a great deal–and such good service from the head of the company! Sounds like a nice place.
I am just getting to the stage where I want to cull the sample herd. When I go out to dinner or something, I make it a point to wear one of my “unloved” samples. If someone mentions how nice I smell (and they often do) I give them the sample. It makes them happy, and clears out my clutter. I think of it as an offering to Our Blessed Lady Donatella.
“an offering to Our Blessed Lady Donatella” – LOVE it!