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]

Discovered a couple interesting new niche brands 🙂

Eris Parfums

Ma Bete - vintage in sensibility, this one opens very much like Bogue's MAAI, a big, dramatic, aldehydic floral over an animalic base. It goes in a different direction in the dry down though, becoming softer and lacking MAAI's diva rose. It's not for the faint of heart but it's certainly not as filthy as some reviews make it out to be. Maybe if you are only accustomed to smelling contemporary fragrances it may seem aggressive.

Belle de Jour - like a softer version of Secretions Magnifiques. The "blood" and "saliva" of Secretions here is described as "seaweed". All of these are fantasy notes of course. What you get is a soft floral with a kind of briney edge and a hit of spice. Linden flowers are not in the notes pyramid but the white florals and aquatic accord brings you there. It's not very approachable, a little strange and mysterious but not in a cliched, dark romantic way.

Jorum Studio

Phloem - wow, a very unusual and creative floral composition that walks up to the edge of wearable. There's hints of green, of earth and dirt from the sesame mixed up with light flowers and the tang of berries. It's not sweet at all. There's no cumin in the pyramid but I feel there is a subtle cumin vibe going on. It's weird and the notes sound like they shouldn't work together but they do.

Nectary - a sweet rose paired with berries and tart peaches. It's dense but not unpleasantly so. It's not as unusual as Phloem but it's still quite unique. A dark hit of oud and animalic notes begins to emerge in the dry down. If Dusita's Oudh Infini was just way too much in your face but you were kind of into it, I'd give Nectary a try.

[Margalee]

Revisiting Phlurs Missing Person. The first time I used this it seemed so lightweight after the initial spray that I oversprayed enough that it limited future use. One spray and done. Smells like clean clothing. Guess that's why it's Missing Person. You smell the clothes and not the human. Haha Lasts maybe five hours? With one spray I don't get the whole musk and white florals released to maximum and near intolerable efficiancy with the body heat. I get clean, cottony clothing and a little stronger puffs of it now and then. Much better.

[melanito]

Does anyone have suggestions for fragrances that smell like Fresh black tea skincare products?

[pocketvenus]

@melanito I haven't smelled those in a long time but maybe give the Bvlgari teas a try?

[Samtian]

My current perfume sample for work is the AERIN Rose De Grasse Eau de Parfum . If you know me you know I don't like rose scents at all. But I seem to be changing in my old age...:D I actually like the start of this one. 

Starts out like a nice fresh rose. Dries to a rose scent with a sharpness to it I can't describe. driẹs way way down after 2 minutes I can barely and I mean barely smell anything. 10 minutes later I smell a light typical rose scent. Lasts over 5 hours, but I have to press my nose to my skin to smell it. 

[Margalee]

I've tested a few perfumes in store . The employees probably hate my guts. Dolce and Gabbana smells licorice-y which I did not expect and with lemon and violet?. It definitely smells different on paper than on the skin. It smelled licorice and dusty on skin but near non- existant lemon while on paper it's much more lemony. I was really drawn to it but after a quick spray on I'm not so sure.     Dolce and Gabbana Violet I was really looking forward to trying and I nearly blind bought it. It is very pretty and frivolous smelling but does not have any lasting power so I guess it really is frivolous. Haha It smelked a touch fruity and small, delicate florals you find in the field.                                   Givenchy L'interdit was very intriguing. It opens with a grapeskin right off the vine smell. It turns to orange blossoms and white florals. Normally I avoid any perfume that's too "white" as they are nose tweakers for me but this seems to be a really quality perfume that keeps granny's fingers to herself. It is long lasting. Not much patchouli and vetiver to me, the base note stay in the background. No smoke shop here. This perfume is stronger but stops before it reaches classic church lady or old lady status.                             Juicy Couture Rosy Darling. The write up lists strawberry note first but no. This is all about Rosy girl and the bug spray used to protect her from pests. And it is stronger than expected. The drydown is lovely with golden notes of ambrette but it's a hours to get there.            Beautiful Magnolia L'eau. I have Beautiful Magnolia and love it. Not this. Maybe it takes on leaves and branches rather than the flowers? I'm really not sure what this smells like but I did not enjoy it in the least. Maybe I should have bothered to test it on skin but didn't bother after smelling on paper. 

[Titian06]

Thanks for your reviews, @Margalee !  I meant to test L'Interdict last time I went to Sephora, but forgot.  You can't remember everything. 🤷‍♀️  Seems to me I tried Violet, but must not have been impressed since I don't really remember. 😄

[Margalee]

Well, I was going to revisit Armani My Way today but there was that tiny bottle of Nest Madagascar Vanilla so I tried that instead. It's slightl floral and vanilla at first but intensifies with my body heat. Then it turns very yummy in a few hours like a nice warm pudding or cream puff that's freshly made. Really delicious. It returns to a softer beginning after a couple more hours. So far I like this as much as Balinese Coconut.

[Titian06]

@Margalee - Your description is so...delicious! 😄  Madagascar Vanilla sounds lovely!

[Samtian]

I couldn't resist the Jo Malone London Mallow on the Moor 1 oz / 30 mL cologne spray ooh am I glad I got it! It smelled exactly as it was described. An earthy powdery scent. I only sprayed one spray on my wrist and it lasted over 4 hours, and I could smell it constantly even with my arm dangling down. I wasn't sure how an earthy powdery scent would be but it worked. I can't speak on the notes because I am not familiar with the individual notes or how they smell. It smelled consistent though. 

[Margalee]

@Samtian  I've been noticing Mallow on the Moor and Scottish Heather style perfumes lately. I'm hoping a small sampler from one of the companies will come out. I think Jo Malone has a sampler but the samples are larger so I think it's over $100. I will eventually get to a store that carries them. 

[Titian06]

Great, @Samtian !  I'm so glad you found something you like! 💖💖💖

[Samtian]

@Titian06 Thank you, me too! Too bad it's LE.

[Margalee]

• I've decided to primarily stop buying perfume for now (hopefully no irresistable deals pop up) and start using what I have. I've gotten a few samplers and a couple blind buy travel sprays so I've tested quite a bit of perfume in the past few months. And I'm actually surprised to say I'm testing perfume too much! Haha I do enjoy trying out new perfumes but time to start enjoying those bottles.

[Titian06]

Shopping your stash is a great decision, @Margalee !   Let us know if you find any forgotten loves. 🙂

[pocketvenus]

I fell behind on posting reviews!!! I have tried a few new releases in recent weeks.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Fenty Eau de Parfum 2.5 oz / 75 mL eau de parfum spray 

Better than I expected! It's opulent and sweet without being harsh or saccharine. The dry down is decent, not choking full of cheap white musks. It has a bit of a Kilian vibe so if you like the house, I'd give this a try. Honestly, it's more interesting than some of the work Cavallier has done for LV. I've read some very conflicting reviews about this one though so I think it's best to try before buying. A lot of "fresh roses" wow. That is not at all what I got from this scent. It is quite rich to my nose. 

Diptyque L'Eau Papier

I was expecting something very soft from this scent. There's an interesting cooked rice accord, but it passes quickly. The dry down is powdery from the mimosa. I don't get much in the way of sesame. Clean, soft, abstract, not really my style but if you're looking for a kind of soft urban vibe, give it a try.

Diptyque Eau Rihla

This has a lot of notes I love, leather, iris, saffron. It smells like what you would expect from the notes pyramid. It's lovely but it's not particularly creative or exciting. I see this is being compared to Tuscan Leather which boggles my mind. I mean, they're both leathers and have raspberry in the notes pyramid but they are quite different in character. Tuscan is a tough butch of a leather whereas Rihla is soft and supple. This one is a fair bit more expensive than their usual offerings though.

Diptyque Eau Nabati

I found this quite aromatic and pleasing. It's inspired by the Mediterranean but it avoids a lot of the cliches. Figs, sea spray, that sort of thing. It's warm, a touch spicy and sweet. I don't know that I'd spring for it at the price point but worth sampling if you want something low key in the amber or "oriental" genre. Fabrice Pellegrin has done a decent job with these three releases.

Aesop Gloam

Best fragrance I've tried in awhile. Complex, a little dirty, earthy and beautiful. Not commercial at all. I'm shocked they let Barnabe Fillion make this. I hope the acquisition by L'Oreal doesn't kill the direction Aesop is moving in. If you love mimosa, give this a try.

Tagging @itsfi for Gloam review 🙂

[Samtian]

@pocketvenus Ooh thanks for the reviews! I have a sample of Papier I still need to try. Nabati sounds amazing, I'm going to need a sample of that one. 

[pocketvenus]

@Samtian Would love to hear your thoughts when you give them a try 🙂

[itsfi]

Thank you for the tag @pocketvenus! Gloam sounds like something I'd like to test out. I may have to stop by an Aesop store to see if they carry it. 

I don't pick up the sesame in the Le Papier either. On me, it's one of those fragrances that pairs well with other scents. I feel the same as you about the L'Oreal acquisition. Time will tell.

[pocketvenus]

@itsfi Would love to hear your thoughts on it if you do give it a try ❤️

[Margalee]

@pocketvenus Great reviews! I loved the Fenty descrip of "rich". Rilha and Nabati have been on my radar. Papier not so much. I think of printing and chemical smells but you make it sound like garden brunch, haha. Rilha comes in a hair perfume. For me Diptyque perfumes are a bit intense, not too much but I find the hair perfume not nearly intense and way better for my wallet. Like $50-65 an ounce? Considering the price of the full on perfume they are a nice way to try Diptyque. And the Diptyque hair mist lasts and lasts for me. Never heard of Aesop Gloam but I'd like to try it.