my fragrance wardrobe
Mar. 2nd, 2024 05:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arundelsI have been threatening to write a post about fragrances for ages now. I never knew quite knew how to tackle this - fragrances to me are a weird and wonderful hobby, but they straddle the line between something functional and something fun. Take "functional" with a huge pinch of salt, because it's functional in the way fashion is functional, i.e. it's still an expression of personality and that's inherently fun. But the idea of a fragrance "wardrobe" is more on the functional side of things for me.
There is a whole other aspect to the hobby which just involves the joy of experiencing new scents for the sake of it. I started out treating fragrances as something to "wear" but have gradually moved into treating it as something I like to learn more abut. I enjoy doing "deep dives" into particular fragrance houses or scent families or notes/accords, just to train my nose and learn about it.
Those two are quite different things though, and I think in trying to write about both aspects of the hobby I got myself all muddled up. So for the sake of brevity + clarity, I'm just going to focus on the former - fragrances as something you wear, as something that expresses personality, as something that serves a function in your life. That is to say, my fragrance wardrobe!
There is a whole other aspect to the hobby which just involves the joy of experiencing new scents for the sake of it. I started out treating fragrances as something to "wear" but have gradually moved into treating it as something I like to learn more abut. I enjoy doing "deep dives" into particular fragrance houses or scent families or notes/accords, just to train my nose and learn about it.
Those two are quite different things though, and I think in trying to write about both aspects of the hobby I got myself all muddled up. So for the sake of brevity + clarity, I'm just going to focus on the former - fragrances as something you wear, as something that expresses personality, as something that serves a function in your life. That is to say, my fragrance wardrobe!
FULL BOTTLES // everyday scents
My approach to buying full bottles is, well - I try not to. I enjoy variety and don't really subscribe to the idea of a "signature scent" anymore, much preferring to match scents to mood, occasion, season, vibes, etc. But also don't want to overconsume and hoard loads of full bottles that I don't actually have a realistic prospect of finishing. So I primarily buy sample/travel sizes, and if I love the scent so much that I smash through the mini, then I let myself buy a full bottle. It's been working great for me so far.
❊ byredo - bal d'afrique
She is everything to me. Byredo has a reputation for creating fragrances that do not last, and that's completely fair. BdA doesn't have the greatest lasting power, or projection, or sillage. But none of that matters to me when she smells this good. She's citrusy but in a candied lemon peel sort of way, a deep and thick citrus, mixed with a round rich blackcurrant. The african marigold gives this aromatic, faintly herbal floral scent that is unlike any floral I've ever smelled. And beneath all that a warm woody cedar. She smells like sunshine and she lifts my mood instantly. I wear her all the time in the summer, and in the winter when I really need a mood-lifter. Most Byredo scents I find underwhelming, but BdA is my ride or die.
❊ bdk parfums - gris charnel
I first tried GC when I was doing an exploration into tea scents. GC is not to me a tea scent, really - some people say chai latte, but I think that's just a way of describing her warm spicy milky scent. Very fig-forward, but not in the green way that Diptyque's Philosykos is - think ripe fig fruit instead of fig plant. Plus a strong hit of cardamom, which isn't for everyone but I love. It's very creamy, very autumnal, very cosy. Some part of me wanted to hate her because there was a period where it felt like a bunch of fragrance influencers kept talking about her, but sometimes popularity is well-earned. She's gorgeous. I smashed through my sample size so quickly that I immediately went and got a full bottle.
My approach to buying full bottles is, well - I try not to. I enjoy variety and don't really subscribe to the idea of a "signature scent" anymore, much preferring to match scents to mood, occasion, season, vibes, etc. But also don't want to overconsume and hoard loads of full bottles that I don't actually have a realistic prospect of finishing. So I primarily buy sample/travel sizes, and if I love the scent so much that I smash through the mini, then I let myself buy a full bottle. It's been working great for me so far.
❊ byredo - bal d'afrique
She is everything to me. Byredo has a reputation for creating fragrances that do not last, and that's completely fair. BdA doesn't have the greatest lasting power, or projection, or sillage. But none of that matters to me when she smells this good. She's citrusy but in a candied lemon peel sort of way, a deep and thick citrus, mixed with a round rich blackcurrant. The african marigold gives this aromatic, faintly herbal floral scent that is unlike any floral I've ever smelled. And beneath all that a warm woody cedar. She smells like sunshine and she lifts my mood instantly. I wear her all the time in the summer, and in the winter when I really need a mood-lifter. Most Byredo scents I find underwhelming, but BdA is my ride or die.
❊ bdk parfums - gris charnel
I first tried GC when I was doing an exploration into tea scents. GC is not to me a tea scent, really - some people say chai latte, but I think that's just a way of describing her warm spicy milky scent. Very fig-forward, but not in the green way that Diptyque's Philosykos is - think ripe fig fruit instead of fig plant. Plus a strong hit of cardamom, which isn't for everyone but I love. It's very creamy, very autumnal, very cosy. Some part of me wanted to hate her because there was a period where it felt like a bunch of fragrance influencers kept talking about her, but sometimes popularity is well-earned. She's gorgeous. I smashed through my sample size so quickly that I immediately went and got a full bottle.
FULL BOTTLES // cheapies + toppers
I like to wear fragrance all the time. I mean, all the time. Fresh out of the shower, going to bed, doing gardening or DIY etc. I don't always want to use my fancy perfume in those circumstances. I do believe in using the things you love rather than saving them for special occasions, and I do wear my everyday perfumes, well, every day. But I also like to give myself options for times when I don't need or want a perfume to last very long.
❊ glossier - you
I often use You as a topper with other perfumes, but also regularly on her own. She's meant to "react to your skin chemistry" and smell different on everyone, which is total marketing bollocks because to some extent that's true of all perfumes but also it's still going to smell like the notes that are in there. I love the pink pepper scent of You, which is spicy without being actually peppery, and soft without being sweet. She's peak "your skin but better" for me, and I use her when I want to be understated, or to give my other (often sweeter) scents a bit of a kick. She was reformulated a few years back and the new version is apparently worse - I haven't tested it myself though I suspect the reaction to the reformulation is overblown. Still, I've been rationing the last dregs of my bottle because I don't want to confront the reformulation in case I hate it.
I often use You as a topper with other perfumes, but also regularly on her own. She's meant to "react to your skin chemistry" and smell different on everyone, which is total marketing bollocks because to some extent that's true of all perfumes but also it's still going to smell like the notes that are in there. I love the pink pepper scent of You, which is spicy without being actually peppery, and soft without being sweet. She's peak "your skin but better" for me, and I use her when I want to be understated, or to give my other (often sweeter) scents a bit of a kick. She was reformulated a few years back and the new version is apparently worse - I haven't tested it myself though I suspect the reaction to the reformulation is overblown. Still, I've been rationing the last dregs of my bottle because I don't want to confront the reformulation in case I hate it.
❊ estee lauder - green tea
My mom used this scent when I was growing up. It brings back loads of memories for me, with the benefit that I also love how clean and fresh and bright this smells! I often use this fresh out of the shower. This scent does not last at all - it's gone in around an hour - but that kind of makes it perfect for those 'in between' times before going out, when I want to smell nice but don't want anything that will last ages and clash with whatever I'm wearing later. I also wear this to sleep sometimes, though it's more of a 'wake up' scent for me. P.S. This scent was created by Francis Kurkdjian way back in the day - yes, that Francis Kurkdjian.
My mom used this scent when I was growing up. It brings back loads of memories for me, with the benefit that I also love how clean and fresh and bright this smells! I often use this fresh out of the shower. This scent does not last at all - it's gone in around an hour - but that kind of makes it perfect for those 'in between' times before going out, when I want to smell nice but don't want anything that will last ages and clash with whatever I'm wearing later. I also wear this to sleep sometimes, though it's more of a 'wake up' scent for me. P.S. This scent was created by Francis Kurkdjian way back in the day - yes, that Francis Kurkdjian.
❊ zara - boldly seoul
Pro tip for anyone wanting to get into fragrances but not sure what scents they like / will actually wear - check out Zara fragrances. The lasting power is ass, but the scents are often really interesting and they work a lot with famous noses behind well-known fragrances. Boldly Seoul, from their cities collection a few years back, was created by Jo Malone. This scent smells like soft powdery violets, and feels so gentle and feminine. It's my favourite bedtime scent. I sometimes also wear it out on days when I'm feel particularly girlishly feminine. (I also have a candle from this series - Creatively Shanghai, which I loved so much and was so afraid they'd discontinue, that I bought three backups.)
Pro tip for anyone wanting to get into fragrances but not sure what scents they like / will actually wear - check out Zara fragrances. The lasting power is ass, but the scents are often really interesting and they work a lot with famous noses behind well-known fragrances. Boldly Seoul, from their cities collection a few years back, was created by Jo Malone. This scent smells like soft powdery violets, and feels so gentle and feminine. It's my favourite bedtime scent. I sometimes also wear it out on days when I'm feel particularly girlishly feminine. (I also have a candle from this series - Creatively Shanghai, which I loved so much and was so afraid they'd discontinue, that I bought three backups.)
SAMPLE + TRAVEL SIZES // for variety + appreciation
I buy a lot of samples. Like, a lot. I could probably have bought multiple full bottles with the amount of money I've spent on samples. Most of these samples are for the hobby aspect of fragrances - I try them out, test them on my skin, learn to identify the notes in them, and then get rid of them when I'm done (or give them away to friends). I usually have a rotating cast of around 30+ samples. But some samples/travel sizes are different and are an actual part of my actual fragrance wardrobe - I just use them in more specific situations and so can't justify a full bottle that I'll likely never finish.
I buy a lot of samples. Like, a lot. I could probably have bought multiple full bottles with the amount of money I've spent on samples. Most of these samples are for the hobby aspect of fragrances - I try them out, test them on my skin, learn to identify the notes in them, and then get rid of them when I'm done (or give them away to friends). I usually have a rotating cast of around 30+ samples. But some samples/travel sizes are different and are an actual part of my actual fragrance wardrobe - I just use them in more specific situations and so can't justify a full bottle that I'll likely never finish.
❊ frederic malle - l'eau d'hiver
If you asked me which fragrance I think is a masterpiece my answer would be this. LdH is one of those fragrances where looking at the notes tells you nothing about what it smells like. The notes are these powdery florals like heliotrope and iris, and maybe on paper that's what she smells like. But on skin - my skin, at least, and a lot of people's - she smells exactly like freshly fallen snow. Like cold, icy water. Like a winter's breeze. The first time I tried this then smelled my skin an hour later, I was moved to tears. This scent unlocked fragrance as art appreciation for me. Jean-Claude Ellena is a god to me. I always have a travel size of LdH around - sometimes I just spritz her on my skin to experience how she smells.
If you asked me which fragrance I think is a masterpiece my answer would be this. LdH is one of those fragrances where looking at the notes tells you nothing about what it smells like. The notes are these powdery florals like heliotrope and iris, and maybe on paper that's what she smells like. But on skin - my skin, at least, and a lot of people's - she smells exactly like freshly fallen snow. Like cold, icy water. Like a winter's breeze. The first time I tried this then smelled my skin an hour later, I was moved to tears. This scent unlocked fragrance as art appreciation for me. Jean-Claude Ellena is a god to me. I always have a travel size of LdH around - sometimes I just spritz her on my skin to experience how she smells.
❊ frederic malle - carnal flower
An incredible tuberose fragrance. This perfectly encapsulates what I love about white florals - they have a reputation for being too sweet (but only because of what they're typically paired with), or too indolic (this is a pro to me). But at their best white florals can have this really powerful, green, sharp scent. I keep CF around because she makes me feel Womanly in the best way - powerful, attractive, in charge, unbothered.
An incredible tuberose fragrance. This perfectly encapsulates what I love about white florals - they have a reputation for being too sweet (but only because of what they're typically paired with), or too indolic (this is a pro to me). But at their best white florals can have this really powerful, green, sharp scent. I keep CF around because she makes me feel Womanly in the best way - powerful, attractive, in charge, unbothered.
❊ frederic malle - lys mediterranee
A trend is emerging. I really love Frederic Malle as a fragrance house, but they are so expensive and their scents so hyperspecific / artistic that I find it hard to justify buying a full bottle ever. Lys Mediterranee is my favourite lily scent - lilies used to be one of my favourite notes but recently have started to smell 'off' to me - thankfully LM has not let me down. She smells like sunshine and the beach. I like to get a travel size to use when I go on a beach holiday.
A trend is emerging. I really love Frederic Malle as a fragrance house, but they are so expensive and their scents so hyperspecific / artistic that I find it hard to justify buying a full bottle ever. Lys Mediterranee is my favourite lily scent - lilies used to be one of my favourite notes but recently have started to smell 'off' to me - thankfully LM has not let me down. She smells like sunshine and the beach. I like to get a travel size to use when I go on a beach holiday.
❊ l'artisan parfumeur - tea for two
Photorealistic lapsang souchong tea. A perfect blend of tea and smokiness - not in a cigarette smoke way but in the smoky tea way. After a couple hours in fades into photorealistic honey. Like it just smells like I smeared honey on my skin. I am amazed by the artistry that went into this scent. I love wearing it and constantly smelling it to track the way it changes. Sadly the only place I can find sample sizes for this scent has really shitty atomiser bottles. I'm this close to buying a full bottle because I love this scent so much.
Photorealistic lapsang souchong tea. A perfect blend of tea and smokiness - not in a cigarette smoke way but in the smoky tea way. After a couple hours in fades into photorealistic honey. Like it just smells like I smeared honey on my skin. I am amazed by the artistry that went into this scent. I love wearing it and constantly smelling it to track the way it changes. Sadly the only place I can find sample sizes for this scent has really shitty atomiser bottles. I'm this close to buying a full bottle because I love this scent so much.
❊ bdk parfums - rouge smoking
The 'smoking' in the name refers to a smoking jacket, there's no smoke in here. This is a cherry scent but it's unlike most other cherries I've smelled. It isn't sweet, but it's not tart either. There's a sort of nuttiness to it, which I think comes from the almondy-vibes of heliotrope, and a roundness from the vanilla (even though I don't really smell vanilla directly). I find this a very sultry scent. It gives me 1920s speakeasy vibes. I wear this on date nights.
The 'smoking' in the name refers to a smoking jacket, there's no smoke in here. This is a cherry scent but it's unlike most other cherries I've smelled. It isn't sweet, but it's not tart either. There's a sort of nuttiness to it, which I think comes from the almondy-vibes of heliotrope, and a roundness from the vanilla (even though I don't really smell vanilla directly). I find this a very sultry scent. It gives me 1920s speakeasy vibes. I wear this on date nights.
❊ nishane - ani
Another date night scent! This is maybe the only vanilla scent that I like. A lot of vanillas are very sweet, so I recently did an exploration into the note to find a version of it that I do like. Ani is perfect for me. It leans spicy because of the cardamom, and I think the notes include ginger and pink pepper as well. This scent makes me feel so sexy. I am hugely tempted to get a full bottle of this but maybe I will settle for a 10ml.
Another date night scent! This is maybe the only vanilla scent that I like. A lot of vanillas are very sweet, so I recently did an exploration into the note to find a version of it that I do like. Ani is perfect for me. It leans spicy because of the cardamom, and I think the notes include ginger and pink pepper as well. This scent makes me feel so sexy. I am hugely tempted to get a full bottle of this but maybe I will settle for a 10ml.
❊ kilian - angel's share
Why are Kilian perfumes named like that? Thankfully Angel's Share has a name that doesn't make me cringe, and it also smells wonderful. Reminds me of apple pie, but with an oaky wood barrel sort of twist to it - a nod to the whisky reference in the name. This smells so yummy and delicious, without being sweet. I wear her when I want to feel fun and flirty but not in the sultry sexy way of Rouge Smoking or Ani.
Why are Kilian perfumes named like that? Thankfully Angel's Share has a name that doesn't make me cringe, and it also smells wonderful. Reminds me of apple pie, but with an oaky wood barrel sort of twist to it - a nod to the whisky reference in the name. This smells so yummy and delicious, without being sweet. I wear her when I want to feel fun and flirty but not in the sultry sexy way of Rouge Smoking or Ani.
❊ diptyque - l'eau papier edt
I gotta be real, for whatever reason Diptyque feels like primarily a candle company to me and I do not vibe with a lot of their fragrances (though I am having some thoughts about the 34 Blvd St Germain EDP). But so far L'eau Papier is the only photorealistic rice scent that I vibe with - even though the drydown smells of something that reminds me of my most hated perfume note, ISO E Super, which I hope dies in a fire. I keep her around for when I want to smell like rice, which is often. Once I do a rice deep dive and find something to replace her with, she's gone.
I gotta be real, for whatever reason Diptyque feels like primarily a candle company to me and I do not vibe with a lot of their fragrances (though I am having some thoughts about the 34 Blvd St Germain EDP). But so far L'eau Papier is the only photorealistic rice scent that I vibe with - even though the drydown smells of something that reminds me of my most hated perfume note, ISO E Super, which I hope dies in a fire. I keep her around for when I want to smell like rice, which is often. Once I do a rice deep dive and find something to replace her with, she's gone.
❊ parfums de marly - valaya
PdM is another house that I don't really vibe with. But Valaya I find really special, an aldehyde scent that doesn't smell soapy. It exemplifies the 'solar' accord for me. She reminds me of freshly laundered white sheets blowing in the wind on a sharp sunny day. I wear her on days when the sun feels a little too bright, too sharp, too crisp. I don't know how to explain it but she makes me feel like I'm in a short film. This probably has more to do with me than anything about Valaya, but it makes me not want to get rid of her.
PdM is another house that I don't really vibe with. But Valaya I find really special, an aldehyde scent that doesn't smell soapy. It exemplifies the 'solar' accord for me. She reminds me of freshly laundered white sheets blowing in the wind on a sharp sunny day. I wear her on days when the sun feels a little too bright, too sharp, too crisp. I don't know how to explain it but she makes me feel like I'm in a short film. This probably has more to do with me than anything about Valaya, but it makes me not want to get rid of her.
FULL BOTTLES // nostalgia etc.
Finally, I have a small number of bottles that I don't actually wear but that I still keep for whatever reason. Mostly nostalgia, though one of them is something that I just need to declutter - but I thought it would be interesting to include as a way to talk about as a way of discussing how your nose can change over time.
❊ zara - elegantly tokyo
Getting this out of the way, the only reason why I still have this is because I'm sad that she now smells bad to me. For a while she had been my go-to cheapie white floral, really indolic and narcotic in that way I like. Somewhere along the way she started making me feel nauseated. I should really give her away, but I remain hopeful that one day she will smell good to me again. Anyway this is just to say, your nose will change and your relationship with fragrances will change accordingly.
❊ zara - elegantly tokyo
Getting this out of the way, the only reason why I still have this is because I'm sad that she now smells bad to me. For a while she had been my go-to cheapie white floral, really indolic and narcotic in that way I like. Somewhere along the way she started making me feel nauseated. I should really give her away, but I remain hopeful that one day she will smell good to me again. Anyway this is just to say, your nose will change and your relationship with fragrances will change accordingly.
❊ versace - vanitas
My first ever perfume. I remember going to a Sephora with my best friends in high school, all of us on a mission to find our "signature scent". I've since long abandoned the idea that one scent can satisfy my endless curiosity, but I keep this bottle around for the memories. There is a tiny bit of juice left in the bottle, I sprayed it recently and it smelled like pure alcohol. For what it's worth, only me and one other girl bought a scent that day, I don't speak to her anymore but I still remember her scent was Versace's Bright Crystal.
My first ever perfume. I remember going to a Sephora with my best friends in high school, all of us on a mission to find our "signature scent". I've since long abandoned the idea that one scent can satisfy my endless curiosity, but I keep this bottle around for the memories. There is a tiny bit of juice left in the bottle, I sprayed it recently and it smelled like pure alcohol. For what it's worth, only me and one other girl bought a scent that day, I don't speak to her anymore but I still remember her scent was Versace's Bright Crystal.
❊ dior - j'adore
My "signature scent" when I started working! I bought this with my big girl money. The fragrance itself still smells so beautiful to me, and the juice in my actual bottle has held up remarkably well - it doesn't smell weird at all. This is very much in the same scent family as Vanitas - my love of white florals was solidified at a young age. It smells so decadent and womanly to me, very much exemplifying the concept of 'gold'. It brings back memories of who I was at that time, a young woman who was trying to mould myself into the idea of what I thought a woman was. I don't wear this anymore because it doesn't suit the person I've become, but I keep the bottle because she reminds me of me, from a younger time.
My "signature scent" when I started working! I bought this with my big girl money. The fragrance itself still smells so beautiful to me, and the juice in my actual bottle has held up remarkably well - it doesn't smell weird at all. This is very much in the same scent family as Vanitas - my love of white florals was solidified at a young age. It smells so decadent and womanly to me, very much exemplifying the concept of 'gold'. It brings back memories of who I was at that time, a young woman who was trying to mould myself into the idea of what I thought a woman was. I don't wear this anymore because it doesn't suit the person I've become, but I keep the bottle because she reminds me of me, from a younger time.
And that's it! My fragrance wardrobe at a glance - a rather long glance. Let me know what fragrances you like, wear, or want to try. And if you have any questions about any of these scents (or any that aren't on here... like where the hell is Le Labo...) feel free to ask them - in the comments or if you're shy, my retrospring is open. I really love talking about fragrances.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-03 08:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-03-05 09:19 pm (UTC)And yes I agree re aromatherapy! When I get a waft of my fragrance through the day it feels like a reminder to ground myself, as you say. Like me from the morning saying, "hey, you're worth taking care of and it's important that you remember to do that". And especially if scents are gifts or tied to a person or time in your life that makes you happy... ahhh, scent memories are so powerful.
I've never smelt Blossom Crush but Idole is lovely, from memory it was like a fruity rose-y floral? It's the one with the very thin bottle isn't it, I remember smelling it in an airport and being afraid I was gonna topple the bottle when I put it down haha. It sounds like you enjoy rose/florals with a bit of fruit in them - if you are looking to try other scents I think you may like some of Parfums de Marly actually! Delina (and her various flankers) has a yummy rhubarb note, and I believe Cassili or Oriana (can't rmb which but it's the one in the orange bottle) has a sort of peachy rose scent. I find them a little too sweet for me but they are beloveddd by a lot of floral/rose lovers. I wish I loved a PdM women's fragrance enough to buy a bottle because their bottles are soooooo pretty...
Anyway thank you for reading and for sharing the scents you use/love and for giving me the chance to talk about fragrances with you!
no subject
Date: 2024-03-06 03:02 am (UTC)Idole is indeed a thin bottle! Very pink/gold vibes which looks cute on my cabinet, an essential consideration for a full-sized bottle.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-06 04:41 pm (UTC)100% agree on bottles looking nice! While I won't buy a fragrance just for a nice bottle, it definitely will make me more interested... And I absolutely won't buy a bottle if I don't like the way it looks. The aesthetic is part of the experience hehe.