(R2BF) My Black Friday Wishlist of Wants not Needs

Black Friday is usually just another day to me... I get through the rush of meetings, deadlines and keeping my body warm and fed during the day, only to remember (via email alerts) that sales were meant to be juicy and mouth-watering that day. And so I spend the evening hours surfing the web pages of my preferred online retailers, considering what I could possibly need or dare I say- want but not need. And then I waste even more precious hours debating with myself over my wants vs. needs in November, calculating how much unnecessary expenditure I could make without deviating from my monthly budget and then, I buy nothing. Well, things are forecasted to change this year! I finally have a pre-determined wish list of my own. And yes, they're wants not needs. Read on if you'd like to know which fragrances I've debated with myself over purchasing, and what I've decided to do about them, thanks to black Friday sales.

1. Orientica's Areej Oud Anaqa: The promise of orange blossom, tuberose and ylang ylang in any fragrance is enough to pique my interest. When combined with cedar, agarwood and vanilla... Well, do you really expect me to resist? One of Orientica's off the beaten track offerings, Anaqa in its contained 50ml bottle intrigues me. 

2. Sawalef's Romance: Neroli, papaya flower, cashmeran and musk? Dear Lord, you could almost picture the monochrome outfit in tan I'd be wearing while spritzing this all over myself. Well, if you can't, I certainly can imagine it! This has Tiziana Terenzi vibes in Middle Eastern luxor. I've been on the lookout for a signature scent, one that will bring my fragrance collecting to a crescendo, and Romance looks it might sing the right notes in a perfect pitch to my particular sensibilities.

3. Rasasi Naqaya: Rasasi's line of musk fragrances never truly caught my interest in years past. Yes, I wondered and pondered on if the combination of musk and other interesting notes would be just about as captivating as laundry detergent, or if I would find myself gobsmacked. Ultimately, I decided it wasn't worth the money to find out. And then 2024 came along, the year of musk loving, and my attitude towards these softer fragrances did a complete 180. Now, I think I'm ready to take that leap and find out if Naqaya will leave an impression.

4. Prada La Femme EDP: It was bound to happen. My interest in this fragrance has only increased as the years have gone by. The promise of honey, ylang ylang and musk to me has been like offering honey to a bear. This might be the year I take the plunge to add this famed beauty to my collection.

5. Swiss Arabian Wajd: My oh my... My my my... What can I tell you about Wajd? That I've sampled her several times and been impressed every time? Hawa and Wajd are my favourite fragrances from the Love collection, however Wajd I decided, is the safer buy.

6. Emporio Armani She: A cloud of softness and subtle powder - I have sampled She numerous times and although it has always delighted my senses, I never quite felt the need to purchase a full bottle. There's a pattern to my accumulation of Western fragrances- I sample them often, wait for at least 6 months, resample in a different season, and then in time, if I'm still curious, I make a decision concerning its full bottle worthiness. It's a detailed thought process, which is why I have few designer fragrances in my collection. If I'm going to possibly smell like the next person, then I need to be sure I'm willing to commit to a full bottle.

7. Afnan Mirsaal with Love: Putting this fragrance on my wish list might highlight to you how foolhardy I am at times. I sampled this fragrance in 2022, decided against purchasing it although I adored it and it was on offer at an unbeatable price. Subsequently purchased it in 2023, loved it but decided it was much too strong to be worn anywhere, with a bottle shape that took up too much space. Consequently, I returned the fragrance. And now, well, now in 2024, I haven't been able to stop thinking about this fragrance. I've sampled many designer fragrances this year, some niche too, yet it's the faecal oud + caramel + oakmoss that is Mirsaal with Love, which keeps me hooked.

8. Swiss Arabian Jasmine and Honey: 2024 is the year of Swiss Arabian in Middle Eastern perfumery. They've dominated the FragYoutube content space and rightly so, because they have introduced some powerhouse perfumes into the market. Although those ones don't interest me, it is the less well known Jasmine and Honey from their Harmony collection that has kept me intrigued for months.

9. Sunnamusk White Musk: Although golden dust is Sunnamusk's most popular offering, it is their white musk fragrance that has caught my attention. As a lover of carnation in perfumery, I am intrigued by how the combination of carnation and white musk will develop on my warm skin.

And there you have it, my personal fragrance wish list and my final article in the Road to Black Friday series. Which perfumes are you considering to purchase this Black Friday? I'd certainly like to know in the comments below.

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