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!

[RachFace2921]

I also really like Love Relentlessly @LCResz and @Titian06, and I don't usually wear such overtly floral scents.  I often describe it as a picnic in the park perfume. It's lighthearted and playful.

They do have a rollerball, which is very convenient if you need to reapply. I usually will do a midday refresher.  I agree that the other TBs don't have much longevity, and Absolu just smells like alcohol to me.

[Titian06]

@LCResz - Thanks for your review!  I've had this same problem with Tory Burch perfumes as well.  I think I'll give this one a try.

Sephora is having 3X points on fragrances April 30 - May 13.  Not a sale or great code, but thought I'd share anyway!

[LCResz]

Thanks for the reminder @Titian06, I totally forgot that there's usually a perfume event aroun Mother's Day! Once upon a time I would have gone crazy over a points multiplier, but I've been sitting on 5,000+ points for a while and I haven't been able to snag anything on the Bazaar, so more points isn't as exciting as it once was 🙄

[howconnie]

Finished off my sample of Jo Malone English pear.  It smells both sweet and refreshing on me. Both the juicy sweet of the pear and the musk of ripe fruit come through for hours. A great weekend scent or daytime event such as brunch. 

[Titian06]

Today I wore Aerin Hibiscus Palm.  There is a note in this scent that dominated everything else.  I've smelled it before, but I can't figure out which one it is (or maybe it's more than one).  Whatever it is, it began to give me a headache after only a minute or so.  Since washing off perfume is nearly impossible, I browsed my collection and sprayed Commodity Orris on top.  What a difference!  It totally dampened the dominating scent and my headache went away.  This is definitely on my "Nope" list!

Top Notes: Lotus, Hibiscus, Ylang-Ylang, Palm Leaf, Ginger
Middle Notes: Frangipani, White Flowers
Base Notes: Coconut Milk, Vanilla, Musk

[modernwarpaint]

When I tried this on a Nordstrom, I expected to like this one, but I didn't at all.  It's not a horrible fragrance, just too floral and not for me.

[howconnie]

The note seem very elegant sorry it didn't work out 

[Samtian]

@Titian06 Interesting, I hate when you know you know a note but can't place it. This has been on my to try list.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Titian06 I've been wanting to try that one!  I need to pick up a sample in-store - hopefully it doesn't give me a headache, too!

[howconnie]

Today I'm excited to try Hermes in jardin sir let nil firstly,  it smells similar to the very at the initial spray. But it's very boozy. I smell tequila and green. It feels so refreshing to spray on hot skin. Then I detect a hint of creaminess, like a creamy sweet fruit.  

It's refreshing and elegant. It intensified are my skin warmed. 

[pocketvenus]

I finally got around to trying CdG's Concrete! I think the whole packaging is misleading. It is not as industrial as some other CdGs and is actually quite sweet, even in the opening. It begins with a bit of sparkle and abstract fruit. Then an almost cool and milky quality takes shape. It's not like the lactic note of Luten's Dent de Lait (forgot the name), which I found really offputting and "infantile" for lack of a better word. Concrete's note is more gentle and creamy. It settles into a very cool, slightly creamy sandalwood. A very modern take on the note.

The dry down is linear. The lasting power on this is quite good, as is the projection. I sprayed my wrist once and kept smelling it hours later despite my wrist being quite far from my face.

I'm not a huge sandalwood fan this isn't to my taste but I'm glad I tried it!

[Titian06]

Today I wore Maison Margiela Replica Sailing Day.  I'm disappointed...another scent that I, for the most part, can't smell.  If I put my nose against my wrist, I can smell a bit of a scent, but that's it.  I really can't tell you what it smells like though; it seems rather generic.

Top Notes: Sea Notes, Aldehydes, Coriander, Red Pepper
Middle Notes: Iris, Juniper, Rose, Amyl Salicylate
Base Notes: Seaweed, Ambergris, Amberwood, Cedar

[RoseCharlie]

Hello everyone : ) don't know if this will interest anyone because it's not serious perfume but I had had the idea that i would like to throw a perfume blending/making party for some girlfriends and have cocktails, snacks, and stuff so that everyone could mix their own fragrance together.  I wanted to theme to be "scent memories from childhood" and I thought it might be fun for the girls to try and make a perfume that evoked some of their favourite childhood scents.   Since raw materials - both aromachemical and essential oils and absolutes, tinctures etc. are very pricy and require too much skill and knowledge to blend I had thought of using Demeter fragrances as the bases people could use.  I had read that they are meant to be layered, blended, customized etc.

For those of you who may no be familiar with Demeter Perfume Library - Demeter makes what are often referred to as "novelty" fragrances.  They focus on the scent of ONE thing and try to emulate that scent as best they can at a very inexpensive price point.  They have everything from "thunderstorm" to "beeswax" to "pizza" and even "sushi"!  To that end, I decided to make a test order of the Demeter fragrances to test quality what they are like blended etc.  

Some scents are better than others but my overall impression is that this isn't perfume perfume properly speaking like I wouldn't wear these as perfume.  I think they are fun though and some of them are really not bad - they're very inexpensive fragrances and I wasn't expecting them to be Serge Lutens so I wasn't disappointed though in retrospect I think I bought too many "desert" type scents and not enough scents to make proper "top note", "middle note" and "base note" blends that have balance.  I think they would make a great fun gift if you know someone who loves the scent of a particular thing or for a fun room or linen spray and of course I gave my nieces who are 8 and 13 some some of the perfumes and they absolutely loved them.  Sugar Cookie and Cupcakes were fan favourites.  But still... I wouldn't wear these as perfumes though I have worn a couple just around the house.

Demeter has some of the best customer service I've come across though - I had a problem with my initial order - they sent me 2 of the wrong minis and one sample spray was missing entirely - when I called Demeter to ask if they could ship me the missing items they apologized and reshipped my ENTIRE order to me within ONE hour of my call.  As you can see from the picture below this was quite a large order and it came from the US to Canada very quickly so the courier fees must have been high on their end.  But I couldn't believe it - they reshipped me the ENTIRE order! : O

Anyways - enough about that but I thought I would mention it in case anyone here is curious about Demeter.  When I was looking at placing the order I couldn't find many reviews on line from people who are seriously into perfume.

This was the order I ended up receiving all over again! : ) I've given loads away to my nieces but still up to my neck in Demeter minis lol.

[pocketvenus]

Wow, thanks for this great report @RoseCharlie! That is amazing they reshipped the whole order!!

[RoseCharlie]

Thank you so much @pocketvenus and @Titian06 I have had such a hard time signing in these past few months so I apologize for the late response! : )

[Titian06]

Thanks for sharing, @RoseCharlie!

[Titian06]

Today I wore YSL Mon Paris.  I could not smell this scent on me.  I sprayed three times from the sample vial, but no luck.

Notes:  Strawberry, Raspberry, Bergamot, Calone, Pear, Orange Flower, Jasmin Sambac, White Peony, Datura, Patchouli, White Musk, Ambrox, Cedarwood, Crystal Moss. 

[Samtian]

I had started my sample of Juliette Has A Guns Romantina, but due to an upgrade at work for a few weeks, I have to put it on hold. It's a pleasantly sweet floral. 

Notes: 
Jasmine, Tuberose, Musk, Orange Blossom

[Titian06]

Yesterday I wore Versace Dylan Blue Pour Femme.  I was really nervous to try this one because Dylan Blue Pour Homme is absolutely hideous!  I am happy to report that Pour Femme is a much more pleasant scent.  It's a fruity floral.  No particular note(s) stuck out--just a pleasant mix.  I won't be buying the full size, but I will finish the sample.

Top Notes: Black current, granny smith apple, clover, forget-me-not, shiso
Middle Notes: Rose hip, rose, jasmine, peach, petalia
Base Notes: Styrax, white woods, musk, patchouli

[howconnie]

Wow,  that sounds great.  

[Samtian]

@Titian06 That one sounds very nice.