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!

[Samtian]

@Titian06 perfect! After my trip in about 10 days or so I'll send them your way!

[makeitup305]

Can I just rant about #PHLUR Missing Person Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.32 oz / 9.5 mL ? What's missing from this perfume is the scent. I can't tell you what it smells like because after I spray it (generously, might I add) I can no longer smell it at all. I should have listened to reviews but the FOMO got me after all the hype. I wanted a new MSBB (my skin but better) scent after using up CLEAN RESERVE Reserve - Skin but this is not it. I've never been able to smell it in store because the tester is always empty and now I regret the purchase. I'm seriously tempted to take it back. I might try layering it with something to see if I can make it work.

On the other hand, I picked up full size Juliette Has a Gun Not A Perfume (50% off at Costco, score!), a travel size of Dedcool's Xtra Milk, and another Clean Reserve Skin with a discount for BF so I'm set for now on clean scents. However, I've heard really good things about Lake & Skye 11:11 fragrance oil. Should I pick that one up, too?

[pocketvenus]

@makeitup305 The new owner of Phlur, Chriselle Lim, is an old hand at the influencing game and I assume she knows what's she's doing when it comes to online marketing. As for fragrance? I never saw her possess any special interest or skill in this regard. I also see zero continuity between Lim's Phlur and its previous scents which makes me think Lim just wanted to buy an empty revenue generating shell with the infrastructure already in place, such as Sephora's powerful distribution reach. This is of course, speculation but I did wonder why any trace of the "old Phlur" was completely wiped out save the name of one perfume, Ameline...

[makeitup305]

@pocketvenus I didn't even realize she owned it until I went on their website during BF. It surprised me and seemed kind of incongruent with her personal brand, as she is so overt about luxury whenever I've seen her post. I never tried anything from the old Phlur line, I remember they had bi-phase perfumes? I think she's trying to appeal to Gen Z with her revamp. I do like the scent and if you have any recommendations for something similar but more longwearing, I'm all ears. I was tempted to buy the lotion to maybe try and extend the fragrance on myself but don't want to buy a huge thing and have it suck. If it comes to Sephora, I might pick it up.

[pocketvenus]

@makeitup305 Yes, I had the same impression - she was always about luxury items.

I would describe old Phlurs as soft, easy going and friendly. I've not smelled MP but it's a concept that has been explored before. You might be interested in testing Juliette Has a Gun Not A Perfume , Glossier’s You or Malle’s Dans Tes Bras.

Maybe see how someone else reacts to MP or any of these other skin scents? Even though they're not supposed to be strong perfumes, they might still elicit a strong reaction. I quite enjoy Dans Tes Bras for example but it uses a ton of cashmeran which some people can't stand. I am personally not a huge fan of ambroxan and Not a Perfume is based on Cetalox which is a kind of ambroxan. If you like ISO-E Super, which is often used to blur out fragrances, I believe Essentric Molecules is just ISO-E Super and that's it! Very expensive for what it is but some people love this aromachemical. And some can't smell it at all! Just note that this one is more woody than skin. Good luck!

[makeitup305]

thanks so much for the recommendation @pocketvenus ! I think my bf couldn't smell the MP but I'll try again. I actually picked up Juliette's recently and quite like it. It's definitely up my alley with that clean skin smell. I haven't tried the Dans Tes Bras but I'm going to look for a sample. I've heard of the Molecule perfume but have never smelled it in person, I'll have to give it a whiff. I've liked both Paper and Gold from Commodity and they have Iso E Super so I might like it. I've never smelled Glossier You but since Glossier is coming to Sephora I might have a chance soon. Thanks!

[sister13]

Super ISO from Ellis Brooklyn was like this for me. Truly no scent whatsoever on me. Luckily, it was a freebie from the first SEPHORIA virtual event, but I was amazed as I had never experienced a no smell fragrance before! Sorry that didn’t work for you! @makeitup305 

[makeitup305]

Oh I haven't tried that one @sister13 , how interesting! I only bought a travel size so I'm not too upset about it. I want to find something like it with a little more oomph. though.

[CookieGirl1]

@makeitup305oh, I HATE it when a fragrance dissipates in no time flat!  I have a couple of perfumes like that--they're beautiful for the five minutes that they last on me 🙄.

[makeitup305]

@CookieGirl1 idk if I've ever experienced something as evanescent as this scent. Not even the memory of how it's supposed to smell remains lol

[thecatsmeow]

Like you mentioned, @txcatx, I have a dresser top full of perfumes! And I also have seven samplers. I'm definitely a fragrance addict. Today, I am wearing Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau de Toilette . It's a great perfume for Fall/Winter, and I've gotten many compliments on it. 

[sister13]

That’s a nice Fragrance @thecatsmeow ! 

[pocketvenus]

Have a backlog of notes I meant to post about scents I've tried. If I have more time I'll add more details

• I read a lot of bad reviews of Malle's Uncut Gem so my expectations were pretty low. A lot of hate for this scent. Honestly, it's not that bad but it's overpriced. It's also nowhere near the kind of brash, masculine scent it purports to be. I was expecting really rough edges and a super butch leather. Nope - it's kind of flinty but otherwise, totally inoffensive. Kind of safely within what you'd expect in an ambery scent for men, and actually, rather than raw, it feels more polished than Sauvage and others. It's not awful, but it's not great either? I wonder if it will sell well because I can Malle's older customers not being fans but perhaps they are trying to expand their market.
• Hadn't read anything about Serge Luten's Poivre Noire before trying it. It's a departure from the lusher Lutens of the past. As an aside, maybe we can say the same of the newer reformulations. They are quite weak and wan compared to the vintages. But Poivre feels more modern in style. Less complex than a vintage Luten, cleaner and easier wearing. The notes of pepper, nutmeg, cedar suggest something really bristling, but in fact, this one wears quite warm and soft while a gentle sizzle of pepper maintains its shape into the dry down. An easy going, versatile wear, not words I ever thought I'd use to describe a Lutens!!
• Byredo De Los Santos. OK. I have to be honest here. I did not like this. I think it's trying to do something smoky but mostly I'm getting scratchy synthetic woods, a hard pass. Really disappointing. Sometimes something creamier pops up but overall this smells kind of cheap to me, a hard pass.
• Byredo Reine de Nuit. You're going to get full on embalming with this one. This is not what I expected from the house. It is strong, dense and syrupy. Fruity and spicy keeps it from becoming a simple, candied rose but it is a wallop of a scent. It's too rich and sweet for me, almost suffocating, like there's no air or space in the composition. Like moving through jello.
• Byredo Casablanca Lily. This rich white floral is not as dense as RdN but it's still quite dense. Even though it has honey in its notes pyramid, it's less sweet than RdN. It's the more successful one in my estimation. If you're into white florals and you're looking for something heavy but not like, Fracas, give this one a try.
• HERMÈS H24 Eau de Toilette Alright. I was realllllllllllllllllly looking forward to this one, a modern fougere. The notes pyramid was just hitting all my checkboxes. Greens, herbs, florals, minerals. Unfortunately, what it is was totally different from what I expected. It smells more like clean, soapy linens than earthy herbs and that's when I re-read the copy: "While Mmes Nagel and Nichanian were visiting the tailoring shop they smelled the steamy chemical being used on the fabrics. Mme Nagel wanted to incorporate that into H24. She would settle on the synthetic molecule sclarene as her surrogate. If you’ve ever spent time at a dry cleaner or tailoring shop, there is that scent of metallic chemical humidity which hovers in the air. Sclarene is the scent of that." I am not a fan but at least now understand what Nagel was going for. Definitely very reminiscent of pressed and laundered clothes. It's not an easy scent at all and it's very high pitched and bright. If you want to smell very CLEEEEEEEEEAN, like scintillatingly, spotlessly clean, give this one a go. Also, for an EDT, it's intensely strong.

[sister13]

Thanks for the great notes! I was able to try the new Byredo fragrances a while back. I didn’t make detailed notes but I recall liking Casablanca Lily and Vanille Antique and Reine de Nuit ( but I like some heavy fragrances!) I loved Casablanca Lily but felt it was very similar to something I already own and I think it’s Lys 41 from Le Labo and also like Lys Mediterranee from Frederic Malle (I just have samples of this one). So, I agree it’s REALLY nice and worth a purchase but maybe not if you already own Lys 41 or Lys Mediteranee. I didn’t do a direct comparison, but that’s just from memory. 

I definitely liked Reine de Nuit the best but now I can’t wait to smell it again to see if I get embalming from it, lol. @pocketvenus 

 

[pocketvenus]

@sister13 I agree, CL does not do anything particularly new and different so if you already have lily scents you enjoy, CL would probably be redundant. Enjoy the retesting 🙂

[Margalee]

@pocketvenus I'm glad I read your Hermes24 review. I was considering a purchase but it definitely does not sound like something I'd like. I think I got it confused with Diptyque's 34, which sounds like something I might enjoy. 

[pocketvenus]

@Margalee Oh wow, those two are nothing alike!!! 34 is fun, especially if you're a fan of spicy woods 🙂

[itsfi]

Love, love, looove hearing your thoughts on fragrances @pocketvenus! Always. 

Oh, I'm so glad you mentioned that about the newer Serge Lutens fragrances. I thought it was just me, thinking the newer ones were/are less rich, less pronounced. 

Your description of those Byredo fragrances are awesome! I like Casablanca Lily; the notes came across more softly for me. I would have liked them to be heavier like they were for you. My experience with Reine de Nuit was similar to yours. It was a also too much for me. I also didn't care for De Los Santos; for me, it was all smokiness and a lot of it. A LOT of it. 

[pocketvenus]

@itsfi I'm so sorry I missed this last round of notifications :'( Thank you for the kind words! I definitely have smelled a difference not only in newer releases but newer versions from the original formulations. The old bottles with the serif font labels are the ones to get. They smell so much richer and deeper than the ones on the new bottles. The new ones are still nice but cannot compare!

[CookieGirl1]

You do the BEST perfume reviews, @pocketvenus!  You always manage to get me interested in fragrances that I've never even heard of before.

[pocketvenus]

@CookieGirl1 sorry I missed this notification!!! Your kind words are much appreciated <3<3<3