Journal Entry: Into The Hobby of Fragrances (Part 4)

This is part 4 of my (28F) series of journal entries into this amazing hobby. You can find part 1 here, part 2 here and part 3 here! It's been a few months since I've written my part 3 and I wanted to wait awhile before going back in. It's now time to take a look at my ever-growing collection and reflect on things that have changed since then.

I won't be reviewing again those that were in my first entry. If they're still here, they still have a cozy place in my heart and nothing has really changed. Some are still travel sizes and will be upgraded to a full bottle once I finish the travel sizes. Here are the perfumes I have kept since then:

Thé Yulong from the Armani Privé line by Giorgio Armani
J'adore by Dior Eau de Parfum
J'adore by Dior Parfum d'Eau
Fenty by Fenty
Eden Juicy Apple | 01 by Kayali (became a 50ml full bottle)
Elixir | 11 by Kayali (remained a 10ml travel size)
Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper | 25 by Kayali (became a 50ml full bottle)
Vanilla | 28 by Kayali
Under The Lemon Trees by Maison Margiela Replica (became a 30ml full bottle)
Lady Million by Paco Rabanne
Fall Cashmere by Skylar
Peach Fields by Skylar (remained a 10ml travel size)
Sol Cheirosa '62 by Sol de Janeiro
Orange Blossom by The 7 Virtues (became a 50ml full bottle)

Here are my new additions with a few thoughts about them. You can read my complete in-depth reviews on various websites where I'm active (Parfumo, Reddit):

32 Venenum by L'Artisan Parfumeur: I already had Fall Cashemere as my go-to spicy chaï tea scent, but I was curious as to what a niche brand could offer in terms of interpretation. This is how I stumbled upon 32 Venenum which many stated was a lovely chaï scent. Tried it out at Etiket and brough back a full bottle. It's a warm masala chaï scent where the spices are all blended equally and thus none rises above the others on my skin. There's sandalwood that gives of a lovely creamy, almost milky accord. In time, sandalwood slowly becomes a bit more woody and less creamy. It's a lovely interpretation and a perfect fit for fall and winter coziness. I'll be keeping a full bottle in my collection and shifting between this one and Skylar's fragrance when I crave a chaï fragrance.

Vanille Abricot by Comptoir Sud Pacifique (10ml travel size): Currently not in the mood to try a summer / coconut fragrance, which is why the review for this one will have to wait. I woudn't be doing this fragrance a favor by reviewing it while I'm not in the mood.

Vanille Coco by Comptoir Sud Pacifique (10ml travel size): Currently not in the mood to try a summer / coconut fragrance, which is why the review for this one will have to wait. I woudn't be doing this fragrance a favor by reviewing it while I'm not in the mood.

Vanille Extrême by Comptoir Sud Pacifique (10ml travel size): Currently not in the mood to try a summer / coconut fragrance, which is why the review for this one will have to wait. I woudn't be doing this fragrance a favor by reviewing itwhile I'm not in the mood.

Sunflower Pop by Floral Street: I blind-bought this perfume because it was discounted at Sephora and I fell for the beautiful bottle adorned with art from Vincent Van Gogh (one of my favorite artist). Thankfully, I do love the scent. It's a lovely citrus, full of fizzes and sparkles, made with oranges into a Crush scented perfume. The drydown is this warm, ambery sweet fragrance that is a perfect skin scent. It's a lovely uplifting and innocent fragrance, perfect for many occasions. The only downside is that it doesn't last long (around 15 minutes of projection that morphs into a skin-scent right after) and this is the reason why I won't be keeping it in my collection once I finish it.

Aqua Allegoria's Bergamote Calabria by Guerlain: This Aqua Allegoria fills my need for a citrus / fruity perfume. This is the second bottle I got from this famous line (and perfume house): I couldn't have a perfume collection without the famed Guerlain house in it. Bergamote Calabria is like a lemon drop candy: sweet, citrusy, slightly fizzy with a faint hit of spices. It's very well-blended and delightful to wear. When I spray it on, I feel invigorated, energized and on the positive side to start my day. The only downside to it is the longevity. It becomes a skin scent after about an hour or two. Nonetheless, I really enjoy this perfume and will be keeping it in my collection until I get a stronger, longer-lasting perfume (if Guerlain ever decides to release a Forte / Harvest version).

Aqua Allegoria's Mandarine Basilic Forte by Guerlain: This is the first Aqua Allegoria that I have added to my collection. Interestingly enough, I never thought I'd love this scent profile (green / fresh / fruity). I tried the OG version and liked it, but found the longevity poor. I tried scouring for the Harvest version, but it had already sold out when I started getting interested in this perfume. I then turned towards the Forte version. The Forte version amps up the mandarine aspect a bit more while the green, herb-like accord is slightly toned down. The fragrance is well-blended, as every Guerlain perfume is, and I loved the fresh, zingy, juicy aspect of it all. It's a divine pick-me up when you want to smell like a citrus fruit surrounded by an herb garden. The longevity is better than the OG version, but it doesn't last as long as I would've liked. I do understand though that citrus fruits are more volatile and thus, tend to wane pretty quickly. Nonetheless, this one has better longevity than the OG, which is why I'm keeping it in my collection.

Lust For Sun by Juliette Has A Gun: This is one of the two coconut perfumes I have in my collection. Lust For Sun is a floral forward fragrance fit for summer vibes. It has a slight powdery aspect, but the creaminess and floral aspect of it mixed in with coconut is so lovely and enticing, I just had to add it to my collection for warmer weather.

The Wedding Silk Santal | 36 by Kayali (10ml travel size): I hesitated for a long time into going for a full 50ml bottle. This is a definite case of FOMO. I still managed to snag a 10ml before it sold out and I think I'm overall content with this size. It's a great perfume, quite feminine, lovely, where the praline shines the most, followed by a sparkling fruity and floral accord. I think it doesn't always fit who I am as a person, which is why it won't become a full bottle and also because I have updated my method of reviewing my perfumes and I'm only trying to keep the best ones in my limited stash (48 full bottles max). Nonetheless, it's a perfume that stands out as I haven't smelled anything like it recently and it's beloved by many. Definitely feminine-leaning and not just for a wedding day.

Escapade Gourmande by Maison Mataha: The myth. The legend. This right here was my first reason for going to Etiket and I do not regret going there for it: I brought back a full bottle. This perfume is the amber vanilla fragrance king, the one that rises above them all. So much so that I have phased out a vanilla fragrance (Burberry Goddess) that is currently in my collection because... who needs that when you have this one? It's a luxurious experience on its own right as it smells like an expensive decadent crème brulée. This fragrance embodies everything crème brulée: creamy vanilla, smoky charred burnt sugar sweetness and a divine deliciousness without being too heavy or cloying. It's a masterpiece and one of the few 10/10 I've given up until now. It definitely has its permanent place in my collection.

Citrine by NEST (10ml travel size): Citrine will never go beyond a 10ml travel size and I will not be buying another once it runs out. I bought it because there was a nostalgic feeling to it when I first smelled it, although I didn't understand what it was when I sniffed it at the store. It's only when I got back home that it finally hit me. It smells like the drugstore shampoo / conditioner my mom used to wash my hair with when I was a kid. Synthetic, but with a nice non-descript floral scent that's generic enough to be loved by everybody. I'll be enjoying my travel size, then letting it go.

Sunkissed Hibiscus by NEST: This is one of the two coconut perfume I have in my collection. This one is a voluptuous, sensuous scent full of creaminess and sweet florals. There's no powdery aspect to it which is probably why I first fell in love with it. Perfect for spring and summer, it's a non-expensive perfume.

Solar Power by Phlur (10ml travel size): Solar Power will not be going beyond a 10ml travel size. It's my first foray into salty perfumes and although this one is nice, it doesn't fit who I am as a person. It has a lovely salty accord mixed in with juicy and refreshing tangerine notes. A good addition for anyone looking for a salty kissed skin scent for summer beach vibes.

Dulce by / Rosie Jane: I've been waiting a long time to add this perfume to my collection. It was OoS on Sephora for awhile and when I got the notification it was in, boy I did not hesitate and went straight for the bottle. It's everything a gourmand lover wants: sweetness, creaminess, a scent reminiscent of a vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate. It's also a bit woody, making it a perfect fit for fall and winter cozy moments. I wear it sometimes during the day, but it's a warm fragrance perfect for winding down and wearing it to bed. The price is also not something to skip over. A 50ml fragrance for less than 100$? It's worth every penny.

Versace pour Femme Dylan Purple by Versace: An unexpected discovery since I had passed over the trio of Dylan perfumes until my boyfriend pointed them out and decided to try them. It's a nice, mass-pleasing fruity juicebox made of plums and pears, bordered by floral accords. It's like a nectar: sweet, yummy, pleasing and uplifting. There's a little bit of warmth throughout and a faint synthetic aspect that unexpectedly doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It's inoffensive and lovely to wear during daytime.

Dear Polly by Vilhelm Parfumerie: This one is the third bottle to have gone home with me following a visit to Etiket. I did try it on my skin back there and thought it was a fitting perfume to add to my collection. Now that I can test it out at home, sometimes I find myself on the fence about it. It's a dark, smoldering, smoky tea scent, a different interpretation from my Thé Yulong, but a beautiful one nonetheless. There's spices, fruitiness, black tea, and also sometimes a weird plasticky scent (only) when I bring my nose directly to my skin. I love the fruity, black tea accord, although I do find the spices sometimes a bit overwhelming. I have recently tried the perfume during a rainy day and found it fitting: it performed admirably well during the day and fit the mood perfectly. I'm keeping the 50ml full bottle in my collection for now, but might never upgrade it beyond that. I'll have to test it out again in the future.

I guess my passion came right back with a vengeance. I emptied out a second bookshelf to make way for more fragrances (my bookshelf can now hold 48 full bottles on acrylic stands) I upgraded my acrylic display cases. I also bought A LOT of perfumes (travel sizes and full bottles) which made me put the brakes on everything for awhile and reevaluate (more on that in the next paragraph). I'm at the point where I think I'm done with what Sephora and Shopper's Drug Market have to offer (except for new releases). Only thing that remains are the discovery sets I got from Sephora. When those are done, I'll have gone through and covered everything from both of those stores. It's been quite the journey. There are a few discoveries i've made and a few disapointments I've gotten, but nothing too major.

Since I have limited myself to two bookshelves of perfumes (a total of 48 bottles), I need to practice mindfulness. I've recently started my foray into niche perfumes with my visit to Etiket (my article about it can be found here) and I've discovered what a perfume should strive to be. I've thus decided to go back through all of my full bottles and clean out those that have lost their sparkle. With a new system for rating my perfumes (the article can be found here), I've given myself strict parameters for acquiring full bottles. I hope this will help limit the number of fragrances that enter my collection and help me keep only those that deserve a true place.

I've turned my eyes towards what Etiket has to offer and what other stores in Montreal have (ex. Holt Renfrew, Parfum Exquis, H Parfums). I've already acquired three full bottles from niche brands at Etiket, a sure sign that niche perfumes are digging a hole in my heart (and my wallet!). FOMO is such a real thing and it SUCKS. I'm an impulsive person and I like the thrill of buying stuff (it's not yet an addiction, but I have to watch myself) so I have to practive mindfulness. Thankfully, Christmas is coming up, so I might get help in the form of gifts, who knows! I think that about covers my thoughts right now about my collection. See you in part five!

*** Cover from Jess Bailey