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!

[pocketvenus]

@jemly Great to see you back!

[Samtian]

@jemly That sounds really lovely. It's so good to see you again. Hope all has been well. 

[Titian06]

This scent sounds wonderful, @jemly ! 🥰  My mom has been to Bermuda as well as the Caribbean several times.  She found her favorite perfume in one of those locations, so I'm not surprised you did too.

[cianni]

Tried the Maison Margiela REPLICA' Matcha Meditation today, and was very let down. the longevity was not there, and while I knew it was an EDT, this was on the “disappeared in minutes and didn’t even stay on my clothing” level of lasting power. I also did not get any of the expected notes. It felt very one-note to me (pun intended). Very light white floral and then it was gone in a flash. I didn’t get any of the green tea, citrus or white chocolate base notes listed. Overall disappointed because the idea was interesting, and unlike any fragrance I’ve worn before.

as per fragrantica - Top notes are Green Tea, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Jasmine, Mate and Orange Blossom; base notes are White Chocolate, Moss and Cedar.

[Samtian]

@cianni That one always sounded interesting to me. Bummer it didn't work out. 

[Titian06]

How disappointing, @cianni !  I haven't heard of this one.  It sound so nice.  Think I'll give it a sniff test the next time I'm in store.

[cianni]

@Titian06 yes! hopefully it works out better for you!!

[SportyGirly125]

@cianni @Sorry you didn’t like it and it didn’t last long in you. I love this scent but not the new on a date. 

[cianni]

@SportyGirly125 i'm so happy it worked for you! the notes are so nice, i wish it worked for me! fragrance is so interesting in how it can be so different on different people! i quite liked Maison Margiela 'REPLICA' Under the Lemon Trees , but i dont usually have much luck with MM fragrances and longevity 😞

[tastelikewater]

Working my way through Kerosene's sample pack, and today is Summer of '84. Not exactly a weather-appropriate scent, being winter in Chicago, but I needed a break from the heavier gourmands. I'm getting a lot of grapefruit rind, which is *a touch* too sharp for my nose. Hoping it softens just a bit so I can get some of the melon and floral. Honestly, I'll probably put it away under it warms up here.

[jemly]

i used to work with kerosene ! curious what you think !! summer of '84 is a gloriously fresh albeit very literal grapefruit scent. 

[tastelikewater]

@jemly That's awesome! I'm pretty new to this whole scene, but so far their fragrances have been pretty unique to my nose. Summer of '84 did mellow out a bit, maintaining the grapefruit but softening the edges with melon. I will have to try this again in warmer weather. 

I'm also over the moon because I won their recent IG giveaway! An autographed bottle of Unknown Pleasures is on its way to me. I've never smelled anything like it, and I will treasure it. 

[Titian06]

Congratulations, @tastelikewater !  How exciting! 🥳

[Titian06]

@jemly - OMGosh, I am so thrilled to see you're still around!  You were always one of my favorites to talk to, but then you disappeared like a lot of others from BT.  I hope all is well! 😘

[jemly]

hi @Titian06 !! i hope you're well !! i have the  day off and was placing a sephora order for my mother and thought i'd wander over. was very thrilled to see this thread was still active, one of my favorites.

[Titian06]

@jemly - Oh, yes, this is very much an active thread.  Feel free to stop by anytime--I'll be here and many others! 🙂

[tastelikewater]

My latest ScentSplit order of decants arrived, including BDK Gris Charnel which I've not worn before. It's creamy and smooth, and I can't stop smelling myself. I love it! I figured Dear Polly would be my "tea" fragrance, but I think I need to make room for another. 

[Samtian]

@tastelikewater I'll have to add that to the list! Dear Polly is on my list to try sometime. 

[tastelikewater]

@Samtian I love Dear Polly - soft black tea, bright green apple, just a touch of smoke - but on me it's more of a "personal" scent. Not much in the way of sillage, and by the end of the work day it's just a whisper of a fragrance. I'll likely end up getting the 20 mL travel spray, which is fine by me because the bottle is simply divine! 

Out of curiosity - and being very new to the fragrance world - I clicked on the perfumer's name as I was scrolling Fragrantica. Now everything is coming together! Jerome Epinette has had a hand (or a nose? 😆) in some of my favorite fragrances: Room 1015 Cherry Punk, Byredo Bal d'Afrique, Floral Street Wonderland Peony, and Vilhelm's Dear Polly/Poets of Berlin/A Lilac a Day. So interesting how that happens. 

[Samtian]

@tastelikewater That sounds really nice, minus the smoke part haha. That is so awesome you discovered that!

[Titian06]

@tastelikewater - I looked up the notes on this one.  It sounds wonderful! 🤩