The Perfume Challenge

[txcatx]

Do you have a box full of perfume vials and/or a vanity covered in perfume bottles? Are you the Goldilocks of perfume, just looking for the perfect signature scent? Do you want an opportunity to post daily about how your perfume of the day smells oaky and smoky with hints of blackberry and currant, like a cigar in a whisky barrel rolling through a Mediterranean orchard on a breezy summer morning?

If you answered yes to any of the above, or you just want to hop on board for the ride, join us for a 31 days of perfume challenge starting January 1st! Some of us from the 25 days of lipstick challenge wanted to continue the fun and exploration, and since many of us have so many perfume samples, we thought this challenge would be perfect. If you don't have 31 perfumes or hate everything that doesn't smell like Meyer lemons and fresh goat cream, that's fine--we're just aiming to use the neglected perfumes we have laying around and incorporate them into our perfume rotations.

And if you want more perfume vials, there's no better time than now to take a peek at Sephora's samples section.

Edit: Anyone can join in at anytime! We're here to support, live vicariously through, and encourage everyone in their olfactory adventures!

[txcatx]

I'm sure I'll love it, @wheeeee! I already have and love a travel set of their citrus colognes, and I'd love to try out the rest of their colognes. The rose one you described yesterday sounds incredible, so I'm looking forward to that one. If all else fails, I can always get a full size of Pomelo!

[alexasteph]

I don't care for any of the Derek Lam fragrances either. It always bothers me a little bit when there is an entire collection I don't like, because if there is ever a diamond in the rough I may never discover it. 

[Libellules]

Agree @alexasteph I think there was one that I thought was OK, but it was just a poor man's version of TF Noir Pour Femme :P.

[heartsmyface]

I'm not soured- I was just momentarily horrified:)  With a name like Something Wild I expected something...earthy.  It washed off easily which helped:)

Into the trash can cause it just doesn't feel right passing it on.  I wouldn't want to be around anyone smelling like that.  

There are 9 more scents in the line to try that I'm excluding from this challenge cause I don't want to be living in fear of drawing them from my vial pouch.  

I ended up going for Tom Ford Café Rose.  Nice and safe.  

[Libellules]

@heartsmyface I tried so hard to submit an honest review of that whole set, and Sephora has kaiboshed that so - apologies :P.

Cafe Rose is a LOVELY choice! I only wish the cafe aspect was a bit stronger 😄

[heartsmyface]

@Libellules Oh I wish I had of seen it!  It sounds like it would've been a fun read! 😄 I'll take your implied word on it and pass on them.

And thank you, it was my first Tom Ford perfume.  I have a weakness for roses. 

[pocketvenus]

Day Three: Etat Libre d'Orange's Attaquer Le Soleil

Inspired by the Marquis de Sade. I like how this house didn't go for a stereotyped leather/animalistic scent. On the other hand, this cistus labdanum scent seems altogether too easy for such an iconoclastic figure. But once you put aside the expectation for something shocking or grotesque, you can appreciate this unique, smoky-resiny-sweet, slightly biting scent on its own terms. This is the literary Sade, whose violence was wrought with the pen and aimed toward the intellect. Not my favourite ELDO fragrance but worth a try.

[Libellules]

@pocketvenus You've reminded me that I ordered the discovery set last year and only tried FE - need to make my way through this set as well this month :x.

[pocketvenus]

The discovery set is a great one!  Unfortunately, Attaquer was released after the set so it's not included and I'm not sure Sephora will carry it... but looking forward to reading your thoughts on any others you may try 🙂

[harlequinginger]

 Day 3: Fat Electrican by Etat Libre d'Orange

My scarf actually still smells a little of coconut from yesterday, but that just makes the FE smoother and sweeter than usual. Otherwise it's just cozy, earthy vetiver all the way down.

Previous days:

Spoiler

Day 2: Coconut Milk by Sarah Horowitz
Day 1: Atelier Vanilla Incensee and Orange Sanguine

[pocketvenus]

FE might be my favourite fragrance by Etat Libre ❤️

[Libellules]

Oh man, so today was totally about trial and error :x. Before I got in the shower, I decided to test a Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanilla sample I had (cannot remember which one), and it smelled like strong tropical fruit...so it was a no go. Then, quickly tested Tom Ford Lavender Palm and decided that was a go. Well... I applied that fresh post shower, and after a couple of minutes quickly realized that it REALLY reminded me of the Voluspa French Cade & Lavender candle. That candle smells really great, but I then remembered that I had tossed it out because it was a dead ringer for whatever scent my ex wore :x.

So - if you like that candle, Tom Ford Lavender Palm is for you. I, instead, washed off my wrists and went for...

Day 2: Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens. I only have a generous decant of this that I received from a very kind BTer, and so have only worn it a few times. This scent challenges me on my best day, so I'm going to try my best to describe it, given that I'm congested today.

At the opening, I get a strong honeyed whiskey cocoa scent. It's really lovely, but then upon drydown...I can still detect the honey and cocoa, but really REALLY faded. What comes through is a slight chypre scent that reminds me of pencil shavings. I mean that in the best way possible, honestly. There is a candle called Tarot Deck by a store in NYC, Catbird...it has an incensy scent, as well as pencil shavings. Borneo 1834 reminds me of this.

BUT, Borneo 1834 has the gourmand note (while Tarot Deck has Turkish Rose :)), and it is honestly alot of fun to layer with L'Antichambre's Le Chocolat. I'd love to buy it, but I will likely have to wait a while as it is only available in the bell jar size in the U.S. 🙂

Spoiler

Keeping running tally so that I won't repeat!
Day 2: Maison Margiela Replica Dancing on the Moon
Day 1: Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford 

[TriesToBoClassy]

wow, thank you for the detailed review of Borneo 1834! I have a sample vial in my to-try stash 😄

[Libellules]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts @TriesToBoClassy! And if it manifests differently on your skin 😄

[jemly]

one of my all time favorites. 

[Libellules]

I can see why 🙂

[pocketvenus]

The SL sounds amazing ❤️ Maybe Borneo and Tarot Deck have cedarwood? It can sometimes smell like pencil shavings.

[Libellules]

@pocketvenus Interesting! The candle actually lists "waxen pencil shavings" - don't know if that is a note, or what lol.

Basenotes.net and Fragrantica don't list cedar for Borneo 1834. Could be combo of patchouli and French Labdanum? And/or Galbanum (that one is new to me)?

[pocketvenus]

Waxy shavings - so specific! I think you're right, it's probably a combination of notes, perhaps partly from the earthiness of patchouli?

[kelloua]

I'm late in posting....

Day 1: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon - This was interesting, but not for me.  I don't think it mixed with my skin chemistry very well because when I went back to smell it to see how it settled in I didn't get much of anything.

Day 2: Elizabeth and James Nirvana White - Decided to try again with another Elizabeth and James fragrance since I have so many samples between Sephora Play and orders.  Definitely liked this one better, but still not for me.

Day 3: Tocca Isabel - I love florals so this was much more my speed.  It's soft and pleasant, though I think I like the description of the notes in this fragrance more than how it actually smells.

[txcatx]

Day 3: Miu Miu. At first, it smelled like cleaning spray, like Windex or 409. Now it just smells like jasmine or honeysuckle or another one of those really fragrant flowering vines. Pretty sure I'm just smelling jasmine. 

Spoiler

31 Days of Perfume
1. Derek Lam 10 Crosby Ellipsis
2. Maison Margiela Replica, Lipstick On