Journal Entry: Into The Hobby of Fragrances (Part 5)
This is part 5 of my (28F) series of journal entries into this amazing hobby. You can find part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here and part 4 here! I decided to end the year with my part 5 journal entry so I could start 2024 with a fresh page. 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 past entries. Overall, there hasn't been a lot of additions made to my collection and I've been busy going through a decluttering phase in my collection. Reviews have been updated now that I have a better grasp on notes, accords and the scent of raw ingredients. Some perfumes have been removed from my collection since I have imposed myself a total limit of 48 full bottles (although I can extend my limit to 72 bottles if it ever gets to that). I can have 24 full bottles of designer / sold-by-Sephora fragrances and 24 full bottles of niche fragrances in my bookcase. Here are the perfumes I have kept since then:
Full Bottles:
- Dulce by / Rosie Jane
- J'adore by Dior Parfum d'Eau
- Fenty by Fenty
- Thé Yulong from the Armani Privé line by Giorgio Armani
- Aqua Allegoria's Bergamote Calabria by Guerlain
- Aqua Allegoria's Mandarine Basilic Forte by Guerlain
- Lust For Sun by Juliette Has A Gun
- Eden Juicy Apple | 01 by Kayali
- Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper | 25 by Kayali
- Vanilla | 28 by Kayali
- 32 Venenum by L'Artisan Parfumeur
- Under The Lemon Trees by Maison Margiela Replica
- Escapade Gourmande by Maison Mataha
- Sunkissed Hibiscus by NEST
- Fall Cashmere by Skylar
- Sol Cheirosa '62 by Sol de Janeiro
- Orange Blossom by The 7 Virtues
- Dear Polly by Vilhelm Parfumerie
Travel sizes:
- Vanille Abricot by Comptoir Sud Pacifique
- Vanille Coco by Comptoir Sud Pacifique
- Vanille Extrême by Comptoir Sud Pacifique
- Elixir | 11 by Kayali
- The Wedding Silk Santal | 36 by Kayali
- Solar Power by Phlur
- Peach Fields by Skylar
Fragrances awaiting a review:
Here are the fragrances that have made it into my collection when I released part 4 of my journal and that I haven't reviewed yet. These will be reviewed when warm weather comes around.
Vanille Abricot by Comptoir Sud Pacifique (10ml travel size)Vanille Coco by Comptoir Sud Pacifique (10ml travel size)Vanille Extrême by Comptoir Sud Pacifique (10ml travel size)
New additions:
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):
Mediterranean Honeysuckle: I've smelled this one a while back when I got it as a GWP with a Sephora purchase. I really loved it, but the price was a complete turn-off (180$CAN for a 50ml? Nope). I stumbled by pure luck on Estée Lauder's website where it was on a steep discount (132.50$ in a bundle) and my boyfriend ordered it for me. This is one of my fresh scent for summer and warm weather. The mix between florals and citruses is well-executed. This perfume reminds me a little bit of Dior Homme Cologne's grapefruit interpretation with a more feminine touch and added florals. I wish it lasted longer, but citruses tend to fade fast on my skin. Thankfully, the drydown is a sweet and fresh floral skin scent that remains behind and at the price that I got it, I'm overall satisfied with it.
No. 57 (10ml travel size)
Apple Love (10ml travel size becoming a full bottle): This fragrance was blended perfectly for the heart of fall with its crispy, sweet note of apples. It's sophisticated, mature, and well put-together. There's a sugary aspect to it that makes it gourmand and a delight for the senses. The floral notes are beautiful and perfectly fit the vibe of the perfume. The only thing I deplore is the longevity of the scent. It becomes a skin-scent quite rapidly (although I do have to admit the drydown is lovely) and I wish it lasted longer. Nonetheless, the scent is too good to pass and I will be adding a bottle to my collection.
Salt: Salt is now my favorite salty fragrance, perfect for beach and warm weather. It's also a soothing fragrance that makes you feel like you're at a luxury spa. The salty, almost mineral note pairs remarquably well with the florals that have been chosen for this scent and the longevity is one of the best from Ellis Brooklyn's house. Apart from the saltiness, you get creaminess, florals and tropical vibes that blend very well and fit the theme of this scent. I also love the simple, yet elegant bottle and the calming color that has been chosen for it.- " West | Ellis Brooklyn": If Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic from Guerlain and Orange Blossom by The 7 Virtues had a baby, this would be it. You get the juicy, fruity and tangy note of citruses with an underlying fresh and green note of basil that's reminiscent of Guerlain's fragrance. You then get the soapy, clean note of florals that reminds you of 7 Virtues' perfume. Underneath all of this, there's a slightly spicy, but fresh ginger that helps keep the citruses on your skin for awhile. One of the longer lasting citrus fragrances I've tried. Deserved a full bottle in my collection.
Tihota: This is my ultimate vanilla, the queen of them all. Beautiful, deep, complex, with a lot of depth. It's creamy, warm, sweet (without being cloying), gourmand, comforting, just name it. In this perfume, vanilla is clearly the star in all of its different heavenly facets. It's not too sweet, not too powdery, not too woody, it's done just right. It has enormous sillage and longevity on my skin. Expensive, yes, but also worth all of the money I spent on it.
Ginger Biscuit: This is a definite case of FOMO and my only full bottle blind-buy up until now. If I had smelled it in store before buying it, I might have never added a full bottle to my collection. Oh well, it's here now and I'll be enjoying it until I finish the bottle. My main gripe with Ginger Biscuit is the fact that it doesn't last long enough to justify the insane price. I know Jo Malone's fragrances have deplorable longevity (which is why I've been steering clear of the brand), but now that I have a scent to prove it... It is a nice ginger-forward perfume with a lovely creamy aspect, perfect for cold weather, but I do admit I was expecting a little bit more due to all the hype. Nonetheless, the bottle is beautiful and it's a perfume with notes I do not have in my collection so I'll still be enjoying it until I empty it and move on.
Eden Sparkling Lychee | 39 (10ml travel size becoming a full bottle): I've got to admit I'm always quite hyped whenever Kayali releases new perfume (have you heard about the most recent leak?). They're one of my favorite house (I owned three full bottles and two travel size before I added this one) and their perfumes vibe very well with my skin chemistry. Since I love Eden Juicy Apple | 01, I knew I was going to love this one. Sparkling Lychee has a fleeting, soft note of lychee (I do wish it would've lasted longer), but it's also a playful and feminine fragrance like a sweet, fruity mocktail. The florals are sugary, which is really enjoyable and the fruitiness is not too sickening. There's definitely a body mist aspect to consider here that might turn off certain people (it has been compared with BBW), but to me, there's something in it that I thoroughly enjoy. Enough to add it to my collection in the future as a full bottle.
Nemat's Vanilla Musk (10ml travel size): This is my second perfume oil experience and I gotta say I'm pleasantly surprised. It's a lovely musky vanilla, almost a cheap dupe for Tihota by Indult. It lacks the complexity and depth that Tihota has, but Vanilla Musk still holds its own by lasting a long time on my skin and being a warm, comforting, gourmand scent. I'd be curious to smell the perfume, but it's not available in Canada. I'll be enjoying my little perfume oil instead!"Soleil brûlant | Tom Ford" (10ml travel size): Will be reviewed closer to spring / summer.
Soleil Neige Eau de Parfum (10ml travel size)
Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum (10ml travel size)
Bee: This is more of an olfactive art perfume. I bought a full bottle and I absolutely cherish this divine scent, but like all Zoologist perfumes, it's not an everyday fragrance, nor a signature scent. It's something you wear ever so often to remind yourself that perfumes are more than luxury or beauty items. Bee is a honey-forward perfume, yes, but also a perfume with a deep animalic resinous accord. It smells like bees, like honeycomb, like their home. The theme is superbly well executed. The bottle, the packaging, everything is an experience and i'm absolutely glad I found a fragrance from this brand to add to my collection. It truly is an honor.
---
Yeah, I'm still going strong even though I said I was going to slow down. As the old year ends and new resolutions have to be made, I've decided to limit myself to a full bottle and / or 2 travel sizes or a discovery set with a maximum of 50$ spending budget for buying samples per month. I don't know if I'll be able to hold this resolution, but I'm at the point where I definitely have to slow down, I have more than a hundred samples to try out and discovery sets that haven't been explored yet. I've also re-evaluated the way I review perfumes now that I have a year of experience behind me. Only 9s or 10s can now make it into my collection. I'm hoping this'll help me curb my spending and limit the perfumes that are added to my collection.
Since designers are mostly over for me (I don't think any of my designer samples will make it into my collection), I'm now looking at niche perfumes or private collections from reknowned brands such as Armani, Guerlain, etc. As soon as I'm over with Etiket, I'll be moving on to other canadian stores offering niche brands that Etiket doesn't have. I'm pretty eager to see what 2024 will be offering in terms of fragrances. I wish you all Happy Holidays and plenty of festive moments with your loved ones. I'll be seeing you in 2024 with new articles!
Telekinec
