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!

[TriesToBoClassy]

eep, i hope you were able to wash them off. It is disappointing when a promising opening turns into a meh or worse drydown 😞

[Titian06]

@Beadshopgirl - I'm so sorry to hear that!  I love both of these scents.  One smells spicy and the other smells orange-ish on me.

[Beadshopgirl]

I'm just very unlucky to have fragrance-hating skin. Most things smell awful on me, so when I find something that doesn't, it's amazing! 

[AMHWKI]

Day 25 - Derek Lam, Something Wild

Notes:
Cedarwood, Vanilla Bean Madagascar. 

Yes.... this is good!

[JenniferOhJenny]

(I've been repeating a lot of scents I know I love so I haven't kept up with this challenge very well)

But anyway, Day 25 - Flowerbomb. My slightly amusing Flowerbomb story...I was walking down the hallway in my daughter's dorm and I could smell it everywhere. I said, "someone is wearing Flowerbomb" and she said, "that's an actual perfume? I thought it was a room spray that people used to cover up when they've been smoking"

[michelleshops]

Day 25: Pinrose Gilded Fox

My notes - The wipe on single use packet is f-ing weird. My fingers smell like perfume and I wasn't sure where or how I should apply it.  The perfume is also odd.  It smells like chocolate and what I think is vevtier.  (yay I was right!) Part of me wants to hate it, part of me thinks it's different and kind of neat.  The chocolate smells a little artificial but not terribly so. 

Real notes - Cocoa, Buttered Rum, Vetiver.

[alexasteph]

I really enjoy Gilded Fox. It's definitely unique, and that's why I like it. The single wipe packages are a little weird, I agree, but they are awesome for traveling if you like Pinrose and want something safe/easy to pack. I took the set of I think 20 (two of each) that was available last summer with me to Europe and it was perfect! I wasn't worried about a bottle breaking, and since they are single use wipes, I had more room on my suitcase on the way home than on the way there. It helped with my indecisiveness too... Since I can never just pick 1 or 2 scents to take with me when I travel. 

[Libellules]

Day 25: Fumerie Turque by Serge Lutens

Oh my - I love this. This is a solid perfume sample though, so I'm questioning how it translates to the actual fragrance - may have to order one from STC.

I smell a little bit of smoke, but I also smell savory spices, balanced by a honeyed rose. It is seriously lovely, and I feel like I'm in a Turkish market from another time. Completely transported.

Notes: Tobacco, Leather, Styrax, Patchouli, Rum, White Honey, Beeswax, Currant, Tonka bean, Vanilla, Jasmine petals and Turkish Rose

Spoiler

Keeping running tally so that I won't repeat!
Day 24: Vert Boheme by Tom Ford
Day 23: Sidi Bel-Abbes by Serge Lutens
Day 22: Black Orchid by Tom Ford
Day 21: Dangerous Complicity by Etat Libre d'Orange
Day 20: Plum Japonais by Tom Ford
Day 19: Rahat Loukoum by Serge Lutens
Day 18: Oud Wood by Tom Ford
Day 17: Rahat Loukoum by Serge Lutens
Day 16: Soul of the Forest by Maison Margiela
Day 15: Ombre Indigo by Olfactive Studio
Day 14: Eau de Sens by Diptyque
Day 13: Honey Oud by Floris
Day 12: Panorama by Olfactive Studio
Day 11: PHI Une Rose de Kandahar by Tauer
Day 10: Jasmin et Cigarette by Etat Libre d'Orange
Day 9: Chance EDP by Chanel
Day 8: Missed - "Eau de me" :x
Day 7: Ombre Leather by Tom Ford
Day 6: Straight to Heaven By Killian
Day 5: Bapteme du Feu by Serge Lutens
Day 4: Fir Balsam by L'Antichambre
Day 3: Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens
Day 2: Maison Margiela Replica Dancing on the Moon
Day 1: Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford   

[Titian06]

@Libellules - What an interesting combination!

[lyravega]

Ooo, intriguing!

[txcatx]

Day 25: Atelier Cologne Cédrat Enivrant. I smell like a juice bar, which isn't a terrible thing.

Notes:
Maroccan Cedrat, Lime, Bergamot, Chinese Mint, Egyptian Basilic, Juniper Berries, Tonka Bean, Vetiver, Elemi.

Edit: This thread has been inspiring me to Google things like cédrat and ylang ylang to figure out what they are exactly. 

[Titian06]

@txcatx - I've been doing that too!  😄

[txcatx]

Did you know what elemi is? That one was definitely new to me! 

If anyone else was wondering, it's resin from a tree native to the Philippines. 

[unfungirl]

 I missed the past few days because this week has been madness! Today I am wearing FRESH Brown Sugar.  Are you still wear this all the time, it's probably one of the only fragrances I've ever used up!  The citrus is the dominant note but the caramel and magnolia come through after you wear it for a little bit. I still really love this!

[JenniferOhJenny]

I love this, too, and I always forget I have it! It's such an easy scent to wear, for lack of a better word. I think I'll wear it tomorrow - thanks for the reminder!

[lyravega]

I've been wearing Atelier Cologne Clementine California today. Yet another AC one I really, really like... But, it doesn't last on me. Maaann, what da what?! Why can't they make them to last?! So not fair...

Notes:
Clementine, Mandarin, Juniper Berries, Star Anise, Sichuan Pepper, Basilica, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Cypress.
Style:
Fruity. Green. Sweet.

I can smell the cypress... It reminds me of summers at the seaside when I was a kid...

Green and fresh certainly, with a hint of fruity. Spicy and slightly masculine. I don't think it's sweet at all. But, maybe my definition of sweet is off... 😉 I think these notes work "in revers" on my skin  - the very first thing I detect is cypress ( which is the last one on the notes list )... mandarin and clementine I really have to try and "find" in all of that.

Anyway, I really like this one. I'd get it in a heart beat if it had better staying power.

[Titian06]

@lyravega - This one is on my Loves list!  Thanks for sharing your experience with this scent.

[TriesToBoClassy]

I have been MIA for quite some time. I have been busy testing, just too lazy to update. Here's a dump of one-liner comments.

Naomi Goodsir Iris Cendre: interesting dusty opening, 30ish minutes of excitement, then a rather simple drydown.
Naomi Goodsir Cuir Velours: the sweet kind of leather - like Cuir de Lancome or Chanel Cuir de Russie, but simpler and sweeter.
Naomi Goodsir Bois d'Ascese; Diptyque Feu de Bois in fragrance form.
Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles: a superb mix of pine and sweet spicy boozy holiday scents.
Serge Lutens Chene: it was weirdly repulsive. i am not sure why. probaby the 'humid hay' notion i couldn't shake off.
Serge Lutens La Myrrhe: insane blast of aldehydes at opening. interesting but too aloof for me.
Serge Lutens Boxeuse: surprisingly wearable and pretty leather + wood, a little sweet but not too much.
Serge Lutens Mandarine Mandarin: an interesting but odd mix of spice, orange pulp, and orange blossoms.
Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque: complex, animalic, sweet, superb leather.
Serge Lutens Borneo 1834: patchouli, cocoa, spicy incensy mix - sorta like a bolder Chanel Coromandel.

Parfumerie Generale Bois Blonds: surprisingly enjoyable green sultry hay. 
Amouage Lyric Woman: rich creamy spicy mix of incense, rose, jasmine and so much more. pretty amazing.
Amouage Jubilation 25: strong chypre opening giving way to labdanum/incense but maintaining an oakmoss bite. a complex beauty that's probably not for me.
Amouage Reflection Woman: aquatic white floral. mostly aquatic. meh.
Amouage Dia Woman: surprised that it's a JCE creation. a younger, simpler but edgier version of Gold.
Amouage Gold Woman: sumptous. spectacular. not for modern society but i want to bathe in it.
Frederic Malle Carnal Flower: (not a new scent - was sick and needed a break) opens with a menthol burst, then radiates its white floweriness for hours on end.
Serge Lutens De Profundis: gently pensive green floral.

[Beadshopgirl]

Day 24: Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance. I actually started out feeling pretty optimistic about this one; it smelled quite pretty at first. Alas, like most florals it turned sour on me within 10 minutes, and makes my head hurt. 

Notes: Peony, Rasberry, Vanilla, Ambrox.

[Mcakes]

Day 24: Royale Ambree Eau de Cologne by Legrain 

"Royale Ambree was introduced in 1943 by Legrain. It has become a classic spanish scent ever since. Royale Ambree is used in the Latin community by ever member of the household. It has a fresh clean lemon, lavender and rosemary notes."

This is a cologne not a perfume but it just love it and it brings back so many memories! My mom used to put this on me after I would take a bath. It smells incredible and it works very well with my skin chemistry. When my mom came to visit me she brought me a ginormous bottle of it and I am cherishing every last drop of it 🙂

Spoiler

Day 23: Aerin Amber Musk

Day 22: Maison Margiela Replica Flower Market

Day 21: Stella McCartney POP

Day 20: Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb

Day 19: Burberry My Burberry

Day 18: Christian Louboutin Tornade Blonde

Day 17: Carven Le Parfum (LOVE)

Day 16: Tory Burch

Day 15: Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline

Day 14: Angel by Thierry Mugler

Day 13: Tom Ford Velvet Orchid

Day 12: Atelier Cologne Collection Azur Sud Magnolia

Day 11: Marc Jacobs Daisy

Day 10: Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Noir

Day 9: Burberry Brit Sheer

Day 8: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black and White

Day 7: Stella by Stella McCartney

Day 6: Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming

Day 5: Flower by Kenzo

Day 4: Maison Margiela Replica Lipstick On

Day 3: Commodity Gold (LOVE)

Day 2: Moschino Fresh Couture

Day 1: YSL Black Opium

[Alicehoopz]

Day 24: Estee Lauder Modern Muse

I actually got the rollerball of this for Xmas and had completely forgotten about it, so glad this challenge reminded me to take it out. I do like it, it's a feminine scent that doesn't smell too juvenile nor too mature. It also has excellent staying power. I do think I like le rouge just a tad bit more but I still enjoy this one.