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The Perfume Challenge

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!

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Day Three: Etat Libre d'Orange's Attaquer Le Soleil

Inspired by the Marquis de Sade. I like how this house didn't go for a stereotyped leather/animalistic scent. On the other hand, this cistus labdanum scent seems altogether too easy for such an iconoclastic figure. But once you put aside the expectation for something shocking or grotesque, you can appreciate this unique, smoky-resiny-sweet, slightly biting scent on its own terms. This is the literary Sade, whose violence was wrought with the pen and aimed toward the intellect. Not my favourite ELDO fragrance but worth a try.

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

@pocketvenus You've reminded me that I ordered the discovery set last year and only tried FE - need to make my way through this set as well this month :x.

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

The discovery set is a great one!  Unfortunately, Attaquer was released after the set so it's not included and I'm not sure Sephora will carry it... but looking forward to reading your thoughts on any others you may try 🙂

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

 Day 3: Fat Electrican by Etat Libre d'Orange

 

My scarf actually still smells a little of coconut from yesterday, but that just makes the FE smoother and sweeter than usual. Otherwise it's just cozy, earthy vetiver all the way down.

 

Previous days:

Spoiler
Day 2: Coconut Milk by Sarah Horowitz
Day 1: Atelier Vanilla Incensee and Orange Sanguine

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

FE might be my favourite fragrance by Etat Libre ❤️

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Oh man, so today was totally about trial and error :x. Before I got in the shower, I decided to test a Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanilla sample I had (cannot remember which one), and it smelled like strong tropical fruit...so it was a no go. Then, quickly tested Tom Ford Lavender Palm and decided that was a go. Well... I applied that fresh post shower, and after a couple of minutes quickly realized that it REALLY reminded me of the Voluspa French Cade & Lavender candle. That candle smells really great, but I then remembered that I had tossed it out because it was a dead ringer for whatever scent my ex wore :x.

 

So - if you like that candle, Tom Ford Lavender Palm is for you. I, instead, washed off my wrists and went for...

 

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Day 2: Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens. I only have a generous decant of this that I received from a very kind BTer, and so have only worn it a few times. This scent challenges me on my best day, so I'm going to try my best to describe it, given that I'm congested today.

 

At the opening, I get a strong honeyed whiskey cocoa scent. It's really lovely, but then upon drydown...I can still detect the honey and cocoa, but really REALLY faded. What comes through is a slight chypre scent that reminds me of pencil shavings. I mean that in the best way possible, honestly. There is a candle called Tarot Deck by a store in NYC, Catbird...it has an incensy scent, as well as pencil shavings. Borneo 1834 reminds me of this.

 

BUT, Borneo 1834 has the gourmand note (while Tarot Deck has Turkish Rose :)), and it is honestly alot of fun to layer with L'Antichambre's Le Chocolat. I'd love to buy it, but I will likely have to wait a while as it is only available in the bell jar size in the U.S. 🙂

 

Spoiler
Keeping running tally so that I won't repeat!
Day 2: Maison Margiela Replica Dancing on the Moon
Day 1: Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford 

 

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

wow, thank you for the detailed review of Borneo 1834! I have a sample vial in my to-try stash 😄

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

I can't wait to hear your thoughts @TriesToBoClassy! And if it manifests differently on your skin 😄

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

one of my all time favorites. 

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

I can see why 🙂

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

The SL sounds amazing ❤️ Maybe Borneo and Tarot Deck have cedarwood? It can sometimes smell like pencil shavings.

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

@pocketvenus Interesting! The candle actually lists "waxen pencil shavings" - don't know if that is a note, or what lol.

 

Basenotes.net and Fragrantica don't list cedar for Borneo 1834. Could be combo of patchouli and French Labdanum? And/or Galbanum (that one is new to me)?

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Waxy shavings - so specific! I think you're right, it's probably a combination of notes, perhaps partly from the earthiness of patchouli?

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

I'm late in posting....

 

Day 1: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon - This was interesting, but not for me.  I don't think it mixed with my skin chemistry very well because when I went back to smell it to see how it settled in I didn't get much of anything.

 

Day 2: Elizabeth and James Nirvana White - Decided to try again with another Elizabeth and James fragrance since I have so many samples between Sephora Play and orders.  Definitely liked this one better, but still not for me.

 

Day 3: Tocca Isabel - I love florals so this was much more my speed.  It's soft and pleasant, though I think I like the description of the notes in this fragrance more than how it actually smells.

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Day 3: Miu Miu. At first, it smelled like cleaning spray, like Windex or 409. Now it just smells like jasmine or honeysuckle or another one of those really fragrant flowering vines. Pretty sure I'm just smelling jasmine. 

 

Spoiler
31 Days of Perfume
1. Derek Lam 10 Crosby Ellipsis
2. Maison Margiela Replica, Lipstick On

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Day 1 - ummm, Philosophy Pink Almond Candy body butter...not a perfume but fragrant enough (and I was feeling lazy enough) to count it as one, sort of 

 

Day 2 - YSL Mon Paris 

Day 3 - Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose

(both were Christmas presents)

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

I ordered Mon Paris with a gift card I got for Christmas and am patiently awaiting its arrival! At first I thought it was too similar to Lancome La Vie Est Belle (which I already have and love), but I spent a good amount of time comparing them in store and decided they were quite different. 

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

I hope it gets to you soon!

I also thought it was too similar to several perfumes I already have but after I wore it for a little bit I realized it was not. Sweet scents are my jam & I really like this one :).

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Day 3: atelier pomelo paradis!

 

 

I love citrus scents, especially in the winter. This one if light and fresh and a strong enough that I can barely smell it. I like the vetiver note too, it adds complexity.

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Day two: BVLGARI Jasmin Noir 

Day three: Atelier Cologne Santal Carmin

Re: 31 Days of Perfume Challenge

Day 2: Besame Cosmetics Decades of Fragrance 1910

 

From the website:

Art Nouveau, Belle Epoque, Klimt, 1910s Floriental

 

Top notes: lemon, orange-flower, ylang-ylang

Heart notes: tuberose, saffron, jasmine, peony

Base notes: nubuck, vanilla, civet, sandalwood

 

I brought a sample set of Besame's fragrances and figured this challenge was a good time to go through them. I didn't get any citrus with this at all, very loud old lady handkerchief like florals that dried down (thank the Lord) to vanilla and disappeared on me about halfway through the day. Not a fan.

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