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]

@sister13 I love it so much. 

[Titian06]

Yea, @Samtian !  After all the nunpleasant ones you've gone through, I'm glad you found one you like! 🥳

[Samtian]

@Titian06 Thank you me too! 

[Samtian]

I recently bought the ABBOTT ABBOTT Sampler Set and I'm glad I did. I loved the notes of a few and they ended up being horrible on me.

Big Sky- 3/5 Starts off very very strong. Dries down to a masculine woody scent. Lasted a little over 4 hours on me.

Mojave- 1/5 Very very strong peppery scent at first spray. Dries down to a peppery tobacco smell. Very faint after 4 hours.

Montecito- 0/5 Very medical at first spray. Stays with a heave medical scent, hidden under that is a nice grapefruit. 5 hours.

Sequoia- 0/5 Extremely smokey smell. 6 hours. Only ever smelled smokey incense. Strong.

Crescent- 4/5. Very nice clean aquatic floral. After the first initial notes, it goes to a laundry scent. Final dry down a light aquatic floral. Over 6 hour wear time.

Cape- 4/5. Starts out with a soft mint ginger mix. Fresh and cool like the description says. Marine like with mint. 6+ hours wear time.

I also started sampling some I found that I had ordered in July...I had forgot about them lol.

Regime des Fleurs Tears. 3/5 Starts with an intoxicating lilac, orange, frankincense smell. Dries down to a sharp medicinal orange, very faint lilac. I was kind of confused on how to describe what I was smelling so I googled Olibanum and was like wow yep that is perfect, I could smell that really well. 4+ hour wear time.

[sister13]

I tried the Abbott sampler a while back and basically found them to be likable but not distinct or amazing enough to buy any of them. I like the concept, though! @Samtian 

[Samtian]

@sister13 Same, love the concept!

[Titian06]

Thanks for reviewing the Abbott Sampler, @Samtian !  It's on my Loves list.

[Samtian]

@Titian06 I am more than happy to send them to you. I tossed two of them in my sample box so I'd have to dig them out, if you want them. 

[Titian06]

@Samtian - I'm more than happy to take these off your hands! 🙂

[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 Skin Eau de Parfum with Musk and Vanilla 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 !