Pre-opening Highlights Fragrance Edition 💖

[pocketvenus]

I'm going to repost an old survey @lyravega did back in 2018 🙂 2020 saw fragrance spending tank, and I know it did for me too. But I also relied on fragrance a lot for something to enjoy during lockdown! I thought it might be nice to reflect on the past year and a half and see the kind of role fragrance has played for you as a number of us are getting vaccinated and ready to re-enter the world more.

Here's the original thread, I'm just copy-pasting everything from here, all credit goes to lyravega ❤️ https://community.sephora.com/t5/Fragrance-Fans/2018-Highlights-Fragrance-Edition/m-p/4422143

How fragrant was your 2020-2021? Any special story/experience/moment you want to share? Or you can just answer these questions. Or do both! And then some! 

1. Which 2020 or 2021 fragrance releases were your favorite?
2. Least favorite/disappointing? 
3. Best packaging according to you?
4. What amazing new to you fragrances you discovered in 2020-21?
5. Some exciting re-discoveries? 
6. What new brands/houses you discovered in 2020-21?
7. What was your most worn fragrance?
8. What was one fragrance you reached for the most: a) when you went to work, b) when you went out ( social things, dates... ), c) for a lazy weekend at home, d) for mood uplifting when you felt down/blue, e) during the Holidays?
9. Any purchase/s you regret? Why?
10. Any new fragrant memories made? 
11. What fragrance brand/s would you like to see in Sephora in 2019 for when we open up?

[pocketvenus]

How fragrant was your 2020-2021? Any special story/experience/moment you want to share? Or you can just answer these questions. Or do both! And then some! 

1. Which 2020 or 2021 fragrance releases were your favorite?
2. Least favorite/disappointing? 
3. Best packaging according to you?
4. What amazing new to you fragrances you discovered in 2020-21?
5. Some exciting re-discoveries? 
6. What new brands/houses you discovered in 2020-21?
7. What was your most worn fragrance?
8. What was one fragrance you reached for the most: a) when you went to work, b) when you went out ( social things, dates... ), c) for a lazy weekend at home, d) for mood uplifting when you felt down/blue, e) during the Holidays?
9. Any purchase/s you regret? Why?
10. Any new fragrant memories made? 
11. What fragrance brand/s would you like to see in Sephora in 2019 for when we open up?

[itsfi]

I delved into fragrances more during the stay-at-home and this was a wonderful way to reflect and reminisce on the good moments of that time. Thank you @pocketvenus for posting this thread and to @lyravega for inspiring its revival. 💖

1.   Which 2020 or 2021 fragrance releases were your favorite?

Jo Malone London Elderflower Cordial Cologne 1 oz/ 30 mL Spray 

Boy Smells Exploratory Set - my favorite two scents from the scent were Tantrum and Violet Ends. I ended up purchasing a full size of Tantrum (I wouldn't be surprised if Violet Ends makes its way here at some point). While there were a couple of scents that my nose didn't care for, I mention the set here because the whole exercise of testing these new fragrances from Boy Smells was a joy. 

2.  Least favorite/disappointing? 

Maison Margiela REPLICA Under the Lemon Trees - I love lemons and was excited for this one, but alas, it did not work well on my skin. I didn't pick up any lemon scent. Strangely, I picked up a root beer scent. Not a bad one in its own right, but not at all expected. lol.

Ellis Brooklyn BEE Eau de Parfum - There are a couple of Ellis Brooklyn scents I love so I purchased it hoping this would also be one of them. I waver back and forth over liking this one and being disappointed by it. It's heavier and sweeter than I expected or like, but I have been finding ways to pair it with other fragrances that have made the scent more enjoyable for me. 

3.   Best packaging according to you? 

Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau de Parfum -  I like fragrances. I like high heels. 

Diptyque Essences Insensees Tiare Eau de Parfum

Serge Lutens Bell Jars (for aesthetics; I can't imagine it's very practical)

4.   What amazing new to you fragrances you discovered in 2020-21?

Jill Stuart Eau de Blooming Pear - no idea when this launched but I discovered it early late spring - the fresh, crisp, faintly fruity-floral scent makes me think spring / summer. 

Boy Smells Tantrum; Violet Ends

Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique Eau de Parfum - summer in a bottle

Diptyque Orpheon - just wish the scent lasted longer on me.

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus Cologne Pure Perfume Travel Spray 0.34 oz/ 10 mL Cologne Absolue Spray  - wish the scent on this lasted longer on me

5.    Some exciting re-discoveries?

Ellis Brooklyn MYTH Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray  - this was my Sephora souvenir from my trip to Maui, circa February 2018

Jo Malone Blue Agava & Cacao

6.   What new brands/houses you discovered in 2020-21?  

Boy Smells (thank you, @pocketvenus!); Kilian (thank you, @sonnydee!)

7.    What was your most worn fragrance?  ?

Not sure if there's been one go-to; I've been using up samples and rotating through fragrances the last 16 months.

8.  What was one fragrance you reached for the most: a) when you went to work, b) when you went out ( social things, dates... ), c) for a lazy weekend at home, d) for mood uplifting when you felt down/blue, e) during the Holidays?

d) Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre

e) KAYALI VANILLA | 28 Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz / 50 ml eau de parfum spray  or #Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir Cologne 3.4 oz/ 100 mL Spray 

9.    Any purchase/s you regret? Why?

Not really. For the most part, I've been able to pick up samples first and it's been a treat carving out time to try new scents at home.

10.  Any new fragrant memories made?

Just generally trying out new scents at home, or layering / combining fragrances. 

11.  What fragrance brand/s would you like to see in Sephora in 2019 for when we open up?

Serge Lutens; Zoologist; D.S. & Durga

[pocketvenus]

@itsfi Wow, you made some great discoveries and tried so many new things 🙂 🎉 You're very welcome for the Boy Smells suggestion, I really enjoyed reading your impressions ❤️

[itsfi]

@pocketvenus, 2020 was the year of fragrance, be it perfume, candles, diffusers, etc. Same with this first half of the year. It was a comfort and I was also able to learn more about scents which I very much enjoyed. I liked being able to pick up samples or discovery sets and then take my time discovering the different notes. A fun way to get in a little 'me' time. 😁

[pocketvenus]

@itsfi Scent was definitely one of the small pleasures I enjoyed during lockdown, I'm so glad it brought you comfort too ❤️

[Libellules]

Oooh I’ll play! I’ve abandoned makeup some years ago now, but my passion for fragrances has been reignited the past year or so!

1. Which 2020 or 2021 fragrance releases were your favorite? I think Maison Margiela REPLICA' Matcha Meditation has been my favorite from the past year, which is a surprise to me since Coffee Break was such a disaster (snd truth be told, I haven’t loved a release from them since By the Fireplace
2. Least favorite/disappointing? … KILIAN Paris Angels Share Eau De Parfum 1.7 oz / 50 mL eau de parfum spray 🤐 the packaging is gorgeous, just stunning. But it doesn’t smell on me how it seems to smell on the vast majority of others. 
3. Best packaging according to you? I’ll go with the Liquors from Kilian. They really are stunning!
4. What amazing new to you fragrances you discovered in 2020-21? So freaking many! I’m late to the party on both, but 2 “new to me” discoveries that I just love but of course are either hard to find or discontinued are Eau Noire from Maison Christian Dior & Traversee du Bosphore form L’Artisan Parfumeur.
5. Some exciting re-discoveries? My love for Serge Lutens is truly unwavering 😅
6. What new brands/houses you discovered in 2020-21? Another “too freaking many!” I tried The Harmonist for the first time a few months ago and found a few scents to love. I also hadn’t really done much exploring of the Dior or Chanel private lines previously and have found a few scents I really love there too. I’ve also recently ordered a discovery set from Masque Milano and am planning to explore that house pretty thoroughly. Oh and I’d also like to try more from Profumum Roma
7. What was your most worn fragrance? Tossup on Traversee du Bosphore and Rousse from Serge Lutens
8. What was one fragrance you reached for the most:a) when you went to work, b) when you went out ( social things, dates... ), c) for a lazy weekend at home, d) for mood uplifting when you felt down/blue, e) during the Holidays? Encens et Lavande from Serge Lutens was definitely a calming fragrance, and Eau Noire lifted my mood a lot too. For the holidays, I wore a lot of Rousse, Féminité du Bois and also my A Nocturnal Whisper perfume oil from Gucci’s The Alchemist Garden
9. Any purchase/s you regret? Why? Tarab from Serge Lutens. I bought a decant and tried it and loved it - I got resinous woods and dark fruits. I ordered it quickly because shiny gold bell jar, but when I tried it again it went pretty animalic 😭
10. Any new fragrant memories made? Not explicitly since it was such a weird year. I get some really strong feelings from Rousse though. 
11. What fragrance brand/s would you like to see in Sephora in 2019 for when we open up? One day, Sephora US, like it’s Canadian counterpart will start carrying Serge Lutens - someone needs to stock those gorgeous bell jars! I’ve been wishing for this since 2015 though and it hasn’t happened 

[pocketvenus]

@Libellules I loved the packaging for the Kilian too until I saw the bottle in person. The photos are great but it is not glass! Instead it's a very light and flimsy plastic 😮 Still photographs well though! 😄

You're reminding me, I've been neglecting Lutens. I will have to break them out when the weather cools down. I didn't realize the US doesn't carry Lutens! I guess that's why I can never get them to tag!! I'm afraid to inform you though, that Sephora Canada doesn't carry the bell jars. I believe you can only get those from SL direct. Sephora also doesn't carry the gratte-ciel line either.

[Libellules]

@pocketvenus I have Angels Share, and I didn’t even realize it wasn’t glass. I just checked mine, and I don’t think it looks or feels cheap at all. It’s a pretty nice plastic honestly. 

ah yes, I know. Only a couple of smaller parfumeries in the US carry bell jars, and a very limited selection at that. A girl can dream!

[pocketvenus]

@Libellules I didn't realize you had a bottle and it seems I've put my foot in my mouth :S I did think it was glass right up until I actually touched the bottle, it is very visually convincing!

I'm not sure what Shiseido's thinking is behind the different bottles and lines. The Bell Jars strike me as better and definitely review better than the obscenely priced Section d'Or line and yet, the d'Ors are available in department stores 😞

[eshoe]

Just prefacing this by the fact that I am (embarrassingly) in no way knowledgeable about fragrance houses, perfumers, nor do I have a very discerning nose. But the descriptions here are seriously good reading, and I am learning much from just listening. Also, the past couple of years kind of all blend together, but this was a fun little quiz and I wanted to join in.

Spoiler

1. Which 2020 or 2021 fragrance releases were your favorite? I am not very up on release dates, only when I discovered a new fragrance! Sometimes it takes me awhile, for example, this week I decided to try Ellis Brooklyn Myth after passing a sample on a couple of years(?) ago. It feels homey and cozy and is like a longer-lasting Glossier You on my skin.
2. Least favorite/disappointing? I tried Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady and feel a bit lost. The initiation and majority of the wearing time, it is overwhelmingly pungent and strong. It is only in after coming back to it hours later, that it is somewhat comforting.  Perhaps it is my own inclination for scents that bring comfort make me averse to such a powerful scent. But I feel I am missing out on something important here.
3. Best packaging according to you? Violette_Fr Avec Amour has a very pretty blue ombré glass bottle, with a heavily-weighted gold topper. The lid is crested with the brand’s signature logo which might make a pretty little wax seal.
4. What amazing new to you fragrances you discovered in 2020-21? The above?
5. Some exciting re-discoveries? I think I discovered a couple of individual notes I like. Water Lily, for one. I noticed it as a common ingredient in candles that I have liked, so for now, it’s a hunt for perfumes. I think peach and patchouli would be a nice blend with this. I am not the most savvy when it comes to the olfactory senses, and feel a bit naive in posting this, compared to what I have read here. But it is my best go at it.
6. What new brands/houses you discovered in 2020-21? 7 Virtues, Violette_Fr
7. What was your most worn fragrance? Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt, Commodity Velvet, Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterranean, Glossier You, MM Coffee Break
8. What was one fragrance you reached for the most: a) when you went to work, b) when you went out ( social things, dates... ), c) for a lazy weekend at home, d) for mood uplifting when you felt down/blue, e) during the Holidays? Anything nearby. I have different travel sprays/bottles in each room that give a little lift. The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods was used most as it sits in the kitchen.
9. Any purchase/s you regret? Why? No. I make them work, even if they turn out to be less than I had hoped for, or in a worst case scenario, cause another family member’s sneezing fits.
10. Any new fragrant memories made? When a friend or family member has given me a GC or $, I like to buy a perfume that I either have had my eye on, or splurge on something new and unknown to me. Both the JM Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Avec Amour were that for me this year. I knew I loved the former, and the later is a more complicated relationship. But as it reminds me of my MIL, it always brings a smile to my face.
11. What fragrance brand/s would you like to see in Sephora in 2019 for when we open up? I love the idea of Diptyque. I am such a fragrance novice that anything might be appealing.

[Samtian]

@eshoe Waterlily is such a nice note!

[eshoe]

Cool to know you love it too, @Samtian! I hope you are able to sense it even now. Curious if your sense of smell is returning or has stayed the same.

[Samtian]

@eshoe It's mixed but on the most part there has been improvements. I've been able to smell a few things, though not strongly at all and my nose has to be right up to it. Like some chili covered mangos. For the most part it's still no smell or the really really bad smell. Taste has improved a little, I can taste a few things but for the most part what I taste tastes off. But mostly still no taste either. 

[eshoe]

@Samtian as someone who thrives on taste, this seems especially difficult. I think it is a sense (two, in your case) that we all take for granted. How bizarre that this can be a result, or a side-effect, whatever you will.

Chile mango, kind of sounds good to me!

[Samtian]

@eshoe I thrive on taste to lol but I think I've adapted to that better than the loss of smell. Which I always thought if I had to lose a sense I'd prefer that one, after touch haha. But no, I'd rather have that back if I only get one of two back. 

[pocketvenus]

@Samtian Thank you for the update! I really hope your sense of smell continues to improve 💚 Hugs ❇️

[pocketvenus]

@eshoe Nothing to be embarassed about! Perfume is a highly subjective experience as it's informed not just by the scent itself but how it interacts with your skin, your own scent memories and associations which can be realllllly strong and emotional 🙂

POAL is definitely not a comfort scent! Given your other answers, I would suggest from the Malle house

• Dans Tes Bras, one of the house's overlooked gems. It's quiet and unassuming, the opposite of POAL and but has a wamrth from an overdose of cashmeran.
• L'Eau d'Hiver is the nose's attempt to create a soft and warm winter scent, definitely more on the cosy end of the house but still very polished.
• Lys Mediterranee which takes the lily and adds salt which you might like to test given that you're enjoying Wood Sage & Sea Salt and lily notes 🙂

As for a floral-fruit-patchouli combo, scents can be unpredictable when mixing, it's not as straight foward as mixing ingredients when cooking, so definitely not naive! And patchouli can work really well with fruit, we even have this subgenre or trend starting in the 90s with Angel called "fruitchouli"!

[eshoe]

@pocketvenusit is a relief to know it isn’t just me with the POAL! I was reading some of the conversations here and think I am going to try a couple of the ETDO (I may be typing that incorrectly). I love that they offer samples for sale, especially when in person isn’t an option. 

I had no idea Angel is based in those notes. My Mom wears it exclusively, so those notes must run in the family. 

I appreciate your suggestions and am going to seek those out to try🙌🏼

[pocketvenus]

@eshoe Yes, if POAL was a perfume that everyone loves so easily, I doubt it would be so legendary or beloved by those who really do enjoy it. We definitely need crowdpleasing perfumes, but at the end of the day, pleasant, inoffensive scents are often not  as memorable for that reason!

No pressure to try anything but if you do happen to do so, I'd love to hear what you think ❤️

Oh, and did you mean ELDO, Etat Libre? They definitely have fun ones that stand out 🙂

[eshoe]

You make an excellent (and interesting) point, @pocketvenus. POAL seems like an ‘editorial’ scent, which is absolutely necessary for artistic sake. For the same reason otherworldly looks are so striking on magazine pages, but need to be watered down in order to be translated into everyday purchases for everyday consumers. I say that because I am one of them; however I do think that with greater exposure to niche houses/brands, people would be more apt to find a more personalized scent. Which would be fun! It would be very cool of Sephora picked up a couple of small brands with some really different offerings😉

[pocketvenus]

@eshoe That's a great analogy. There are definitely "Zaras" in the perfume world that take more editorial scents and make them more accessible both in price and competition. These editorial fashions and scents can also shift people's perceptions. When Angel first came out, so many people haaaaated it, this combo of over the top sweetness paired with dirty patchouli, but now fruitchoulis are like a genre and it is no longer shocking 🙂 Like in the 90s, the McQueen bumster was really shocking to people but the low-rise jean quickly became common-place, nothing that raised eyebrows.