Fragrance Junkie Central

[Mochapj]

I know there are a few of us on BT that are fragrance addicts, so I thought it would be nice to have a dedicated place where we can share our thoughts.

This is not to take away from the lovely What Are You Wearing Today, Fragrance Edition thread, but more a place to post longer reviews, chat about new brands or releases, and just shoot the breeze on anything good and smelly 🙂

For me, I recently acquired 2 new decants that I've been anxiously awaiting.  Ever since Lachaton mentioned that MMM was releasing a new scent called By The Fireplace I've been itching to get my hands on it.  My decant arrived yesterday, so I'm looking forward to marinating in it this weekend.  Secondly, I recently picked up a tiny sample of Shiseido Nombre Noir.  Supposedly it is one of the most expensive failures in perfume history - made by Serge Lutens for Shiseido back in the 80s.  Of course, with a backstory like that, I was dying to get a sniff 😄

What's new on your scent radar?  Do tell!

 

[Mochapj]

lachaton, I agree - redundant is an excellent way to put it.

It seems like they are coming out with too many scents too quickly IMO, which gives me the impression they aren't putting the care into developing  them that they once did.

But, I also find a lot of their scents redundant because I find they have a few signature 'notes' they like to include in many of their fragrances.  Oftentimes there is a distinct thread woven through multiple bottles (bergamot in particular comes to mind).  

[ChristalM]

Ah Yes I understand 🙂

[lipstick4soul]

I've not been following this (or the Tom Ford) thread lately so not sure if it's been discussed. I just got a sample of the new Neroli Portofino Forte. I've only had it on for 20 minutes but I regret to say I actually love it. It is an eye watering $290 for 50 ml and $710 for 250 ml.

no unicorn tears listed on the notes or anything I can see that remotely justifies the ludicrous $70 higher price tag on the small bottle. 

My initial impression is that it is much much better than the original. Opens with a very loud minty citrus and within the first few minutes is softer and more creamy wood with hint of leather and citrus. more on the masculine end of unisex. Will be interested to see how it develops. 

[Mochapj]

I heard recently all the TF fragrances are getting a price hike in July.

[luvgloss13]

Ok, have to post this here as this is becoming a favorite brand for me! 

Just want to share this fab deal!

My Sa is giving 4 deluxe Malle fragrance sprays with the new body treatment. 

I just got this today! It is  new Fredrick Malle body treatment. It is after sun balm and smell so good I usually don't spend this much on body creams $95 but this one is amazing and smells just like the top selling fragrance and is very limited!  Plus my SA added 4 deluxe Malle spray to my order. 

I have seen the mini sprays go for about $20 each, so it almost covered the cost of the cream.

Anyone that likes Malle fragrances will love this deal.

I got samples of my faves too. Lipstick Rose is pure love!

Xiomara @ Barneys NYC 

212 833 2007 

[TriesToBoClassy]

1. How do you all store your sample vials? The ones that you want to keep.. I would divvy them up in boxes depending on brands and preferences, but they seem to multiply by the day and i am a little lost as to how to organize them. I wonder if i should get a rolodex type thing lol

2. How do you decide which ones to keep or not? I roughly categorize frags into 'love' 'like' 'interesting- must try again' 'nice but boring' and 'nope'. I keep everything except for 'nope', and as a result i have a huge, unsortable pileup 😞

[doriangray]

I keep all of mine in a Sephora gift box.  I organize them with ziploc bags.  This is an easy system that's totally free!  Theres a piece of paper in each bag that says things like:
TO TRY

PLAY WITH
GIVE AWAY

LOVED/BACKUPS

ROOM SPRAY

Give aways, I don't like at all.  I take that bag periodically to clothing swaps and my friends have great fun with them.  

Sometimes I like a fragrance but not enough to wear it, those are room sprays, or if it's a vial, I drip it on a piece of paper and leave it in a bathroom or hallway shelf.  
Backup samples of stuff I have and love, I stash a few in my makeup bag.  They take up hardly any room unlike rollerballs and purse sprays.  

[mw23]

1.  I have a box in my main vanity drawer.  Inside that box is a smaller box.  My goal was to keep un-sampled scents in the larger box, then move the one's I like to the smaller box.  Ideally the ones I don't like or feel indifferent to go to the trash, but as I mention below it's hard to do.

2.  My new goal is to keep only the scent I really like.  I'm not the pickiest person in the world, so I would probably keep 90% of my samples if I kept everything that was "okay."  My new theory is that life is too short to wear a scent that I don't love.  Though I do kind of break this rule on deluxe samples because those are hard to part with due to the cute factor.  I'm trying to get better about this too, though.

[Anonymous]

#2

The nope pile is easy right?

Everything else I rotate so I can get an idea for how it will settle in the different heat and humidity conditions in the particular season.

Something that I can wear often enough through a year goes on my buy list for full size. Flowerbomb, Chambre Noire, Mandorlo di Sicilia.

Something I'm not quite sure of I may just get a rollerball or a larger decant for longer testing. NEST has fallen straight into that category for me, along with Atelier Cologne.

I find that there are scents that are fun for a few months but then after a year I just fall out of love with them... presumably for the novelty of them?

[TriesToBoClassy]

The nope pile is not easy in the sense that i hate throwing away perfectly usable stuff but find it hard to find someone to give them to. So it becomes a big piles that stresses me out x_x

I like your categorizaties- it's nicely methodical 😄

[mw23]

I relate to this.  

I've been neglecting my sample vials for a couple months, but earlier this year I got pretty ruthless about it and finally tossed a bunch of scents that I wasn't crazy about.  I need to do it again because I'd really like to free up some space.

Like you, I don't really have anyone to give extras to.  I'll give good deluxe samples to my mom, but she already has more than she needs (all from me) and it's silly to clutter up her space with my cast-offs.  I always hated throwing away perfectly good stuff, but I've finally just had to remind myself "These are samples."  I am not required to use every last drop.  If I don't like it, it's okay to throw it out.  I'm tired of spending my time wearing scents that are "okay" because I feel like I have to.

[Anonymous]

@TriesToBoClassy you do have to be methodical or you end up trying fragrances forever that don't really speak to you. Say, I still have most of that AC oud sapphir and I saw it was one of the ones you were considering way back a couple pages. Did you need it?

I have a huge list of things I need to get from STC or someplace to try. Terrifyingly long lol.

[TriesToBoClassy]

I really should get rid of fragrances that don't really speak to me 😮

Thanks for remembering re: Oud Saphir! I have a store-made sample vial or two; I enjoy it though it's not bottle worthy for me. Still it is one of the few oud-centric fragrances that i actually really like, along with MFK Oud - Satin Mood.

p.s. I am trying Guerlain Rose Nacree du Desert right now as i write, and I think i found another beautiful oud.

[alexasteph]

I will always smell it/test it right away. If I like it right out of the bottle I keep it with my other perfumes (I have a decorated box for rollerballs and samples) if it's a sprayer. If it's a dabber I will use it a couple of times to see if I like it, but then I will either buy the full size or just toss it. I really do not like dabbers, I find them way to difficult to use. 

If I like a spray sample, I will keep it with the envelop it came in for traveling (which I store with my other travel sized things). I do this especially if I really liked it and know I want to buy the full sized or a rollerball, so I can save it specifically for traveling. 

[mw23]

I hate dabbers too.  I don't really like rollerballs either, though they are much better than dabbers. I try to avoid them unless it's a scent I'm dying to try. 

[TriesToBoClassy]

i agree, dabber vials are annoying. i hate getting perfume all over my fingertips and beyond. I still keep them though 😛

i get rid of the paper sleeves asap, but i wonder if it's better to leave them on. It makes sorting them out so much easier.

[samls324]

I have a little basket from Target that I use to store my samples

[TriesToBoClassy]

I always forget that Target has nice storage options. I should go browse 😄

[StephaniLynn]

I keep mine in a tall apothecary jar. It's nearly full now lol.

[TriesToBoClassy]

those are pretty! I don't buy them because am scared of letting slip & breaking the glass lid 😛

[Samtian]

1. In a train case.

2. I'll try them all once, if they are a no I give them to my mom, or leave them floating around to eventually give away.