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!

[howconnie]

Those notes sound great. I discovered lavender from the house of Guerlain and love both Neroli and almond. My favorite almond is the soliloquy note almond at L’Occitane, my second favorite is Velvet from Commodity- which is discontinued so I’d like another. I like Not a Perfume by JHAG

Juliette Has a Gun Not A Perfume 3.3 oz/ 100 mL

JULIETTE HAS A GUN - Gentlewoman

[Cyncynn]

I am wearing AERIN - Tangier Vanilletoday. I own this one and felt like I needed something comforting today.

Notes:
Madagascar Vanilla, Bergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Amber, Sandalwood, Musk

I don't tend to be a vanilla person, but this one is an exception. It's very creamy, spicy and mildly smokey. Some people can detect a Play-doh scent and I can see where they're coming from, but I enjoy it! 

Not the most memorable or exciting fragrance, but very wearable and comforting. 

[howconnie]

Wow, and the notes sounded pretty special, that’s why it’s best to try a fragrance 

[pocketvenus]

@CyncynnI find the Aerins are like this - not daring and exciting but solid, like wearing an easy fashion basic and sometimes that's just what you want!

[Cyncynn]

@pocketvenus Yes, I could not agree more. I haven't sampled the whole line (I want to!), but that was my impression too. 

[RoseCharlie]

@Cyncynn - i really like Tangier Vanille - the entire line really but I’ve been craving vanilla lately. If you like Tangier Vanille have you tried Vanilla Woods by 7virtues? The « woods » part is a bit misleading I think to me it’s a beautifully balanced marshmallow vanilla

[Cyncynn]

@RoseCharlie I have not tried anything from that brand, but I'll definitely look into it. Thank you SO SO much for the recommendation ❤️

[pocketvenus]

Today I'm testing Amouage's Beach Hut Woman. Because of the name, I expected some kind of coconutty thing along the lines of Soleil Blanc. The opening is not at all suntan lotion creamy. Instead I'm getting salty melon contrasting with beachy skin. There's some woody, smoky patchouli warmth. The notes clash at first but meld together more as the scent dries down. Unusual and suitable for the summer so I'm glad I tried it, but it's not really my thing.

[RoseCharlie]

@pocketvenus OH I will be sure to check out Jubiliation25 and Myths thank you! : ) you are totally right it’s hugely difficult to tell what the fragrance will be like based on the huge pyramids - I haven’t had the chance to try many of them but the ones that I have tried like Lyric and Journey and even Blossom Love to a smaller extent - they all seemed... Well it’s hard to describe but they all seemed so layered and complex in a way that I don’t usually experience elsewhere. Almost as if there was a « fullness » to the scent or a sort of tremendous complexity. I found lyric very beautiful but it wasn’t something I would normally choose just because my personal preference when it comes to perfume is for things that are unmistakably very feminine and to my nose lyric is a bit masculine but I did end up wearing my sample several times because even though it wasn’t « my thing » it was still so beautiful and well made that I wanted to give it a go! At the same time I hate to say masculine/feminine because I feel like it’s a bit of a silly distinction but what I mean by that is just that there are certain elements I associate with fragrances usually sold to men and I don’t like them as much as airier or sweeter elements usually associated with fragrances marketed as women’s perfumes.

[pocketvenus]

@RoseCharliesorry I missed this post earlier! I agree, there are so many notes, it's really tough to anticipate the smell. I try to read lots of reviews. I know what you mean about the complexity. They feel very glamorous, so extra! Like a full length red-carpet house! Interestingly, the Beach Hut didn't have this old world glam to it. I find some of the newer releases have tried to go in different directions.

[howconnie]

I’m interested in These new luxury brands but the price discourages me. This sounds like something I’d enjoy 

[pocketvenus]

@howconnieI feel you! Sometimes you can find pretty good deals online. I've seen discounts get it down to around $200. But yes, this house is quite pricey!

[RoseCharlie]

@pocketvenus thank you so much for this review! I was really wondering what Beach Hut was like and it’s funny I would have expected something like a sunscreen fragrance or soleil blanc too but I find amouage often doesn’t smell like I think it will. I ordered a few 3ml samples of Amouage and none of them really smelled like I imagined they would based on the notes or the packaging! : ) so far I haven’t found an amouage I would be willing to invest in full bottle wise but it’s weird even when they are not really my kind of thing I still enjoy test wearing them because they are so well made that even scents I don’t normally like feel kind of enjoyable to wear for a few hours.

[pocketvenus]

@RoseCharlieyou're very welcome! I have multiple Amouage samples and my favourites are Jubilation 25 Woman and Myths Woman. They do a kind of opulent modern vintage style very well and I agree, it's difficult to tell from the very long notes pyramids, what the fragrance will smell like! Beach Hut seems to be a major departure from their usual fare.

[howconnie]

I tried Jo Malone Bluebell. I was surprised to find the first note was watermelon. It was a very juicy fresh cooling natural watermelon. Actually the best watermelon note I’ve ever tried but it only lasted a half hour. Then the bluebell note comes through, it’s very vintage and smells like the inside of a Mrs Crabtree. I actually smell sweet peas not bluebells. It’s a bit cloying for summer, but it last for four hours.

JO MALONE LONDON - Wild Bluebell Cologne

[RoseCharlie]

Oooh i received a sample of blue bell but I think it had turned so I did wonder what it really smelled like! Thanks for posting this review! : )

[modernwarpaint]

@howconnie - I wore it last summer and the director walked past my office and said, “something smells like a trout slick.”  I didn’t know what it was at the time, but apparently it smells like watermelon.  😆 

[RoseCharlie]

Hahaha well watermelon sounds nice but I feel like a trout slick sounds a bit alarming until someone tells you it smells like watermelon

[howconnie]

Wow

[pocketvenus]

Skin-tested Goop's 02: Shiso today. 02 is stronger than 03: Incense and the name Shiso is misleading. To my nose, it pairs fresh, peppery and cool coniferous notes with warming spices and smoky-sweet birch and patchouli smoothed out with labdanum. Herbaceousness gives way to dark woods with a dash of cumin. Again, this really reminds me of the Aesops.

04: Orchard is not as good as the first three scents. It's a regrettable apricot that becomes increasingly muddled and musty on my skin in the dry down.

[pocketvenus]

Tried a few new fragrances today, all by Douglas Little of Heretic Perfumes, an all-naturals line.

I’m a fan of HP’s Dirty Ginger so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, none were as interesting.

Dirty Lemon is described as follows: cold-pressed lemon, Italian bergamot, lime and bitter citrus leaves are sullied with ylang-ylang, sexy patchouli, Australian sandalwood, juniper and feisty black pepper Sounds great but I took one sniff of the tester and immediately recoiled. I have no idea how an all-natural fragrance could end up smelling like industrial cleaner but there it is.

I sprayed Dirty Rose on paper. It’s a nice sweet rose, darker than Hiram Green’s dewy Lustre, but it’s not remotely dirty.

I tested Florgasm on my skin. It has a milky appearance but I’m afraid the fragrance doesn’t live up to its appearance and promise of tuberose milk. I get a wan jasmine that shifts between indolic to candied, and nothing at all suggesting milk or cream. Weak performance but this might also be because of the humidity I walked out into right after spraying it.

Finally, I tried Goop 03, which is a peppery, woody incense for which Little is the nose. I’m reminded of one of the Aesop fragrances, Hwyl. It has the same sort of vibe and weak lasting power, but again, maybe it would've done better if it wasn't so humid outside.