This is an open thread for participants in the Monday Mail articles to share their experiences, and hopefully let us know if they found what they were looking for (or went bankrupt trying). I've sent out emails requesting feedback from everyone who took part between September and December of 2011, so check back over the next few days to see what we can find out (or, check out this post about the subjects from May through August). We'll check on the early 2012 participants in a few months.
Here are links to the articles for each participant:
Karla, Micha, Shermeen, Alia, Alnysie, Michele, Jada, Dan, OJ, Isabelle, Tarra
Note: image "Letter box in a house-wall of San Giorgio in the community Resia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy" by Johann Jaritz, via Wikimedia.
I’ve had a great time discovering new scents. I was surprised that I went away from finding just one signature scent and now have a small wardrobe, almost all of them suggestions from the Monday Mail.
Some new favorites:
Quelque Fleurs
Tocade
Parfums di Nicolai Vanille Tonka
Baghari
Habanita(LOVE this one!)
Opus Oils Starlet
I’ve enjoyed learning about perfume in much the same way I did when I dabbled in cooking, except I think I have a better nose than kitchen skills. Perfume enjoyment is part chemistry and part artistic interpretation. I also like how I feel when I wear any scent, just more complete like I have an invisible accessory to match my look.
By the way, I left my lousy day job to pursue my passions, so I can smell however I please without worrying about my uptight co-workers! Looking forward to more samples and fun. Thanks everyone!
Congrats on the new career!
Same — congrats, and have fun!
Hi! I was featured in October but only started sampling suggestions in January. I compiled all (87!) suggestions and tried all but two of those that had at least two “votes” (it seems that Ralph Lauren Safari is hard to find!) OJ Woman was the most popular suggestion, with 11 mentions. It wasn’t a direct hit, it was much darker than what I expected, but I emptied my sample and now got a spray sample from a swap and it’s finally growing on me… Actually I reaaaaally like it. Thanks all for such a unanimous suggestion, I might otherwise not have pushed it further, but given its popularity I tried it and tried it again!
Given the four suggestions in its favor, I blind swapped for Cuir de Lancôme and really like it as well. Jacomo Silences (3 votes) was another hit, much softer than what I usually expect to like but I definitely think I’ll get a bottle of it (for less than $30!). Orris Noir (3) was peculiar but I need to try it more, while Bel Respiro (3) was too soft when dabbed, but I just ordered a spray sample because the faint scent I get is beautiful. Finally, given how much I like my bottle of Le Temps d’Une Fête, the biggest disappointment was to discover how the PdN suggestions, including Odalisque, were all too sweet for me. Am I weird to only smell Rockets (what Americans call Smarties) when I smell Odalisque and Vie de Château? Finally, the one(s) I still need to test are Le Labo Rose 31 (I ordered a sample yesterday) and Ralph Lauren Safari.
Other recent hits, although not suggested, were SSS Tabac Aurea, Chanel No. 5 (I really didn’t expect to like that one at all!) and Chanel Cuir de Russie.
To sum it briefly, I’m really happy with my participation and really appreciate everyone’s input. It helped orient my search and understand my tastes better, but it also pushed me to try again and again those scents that were strong suggestions, and I think I finally “got” Woman. Thanks to everyone! And thanks to Robin and NST for the opportunity!
I have quite a bit of RL Safari .Shoot me an email at live dot com and send me your address and I’ll send you a sample.
That’s really generous of you! I just emailed you.
I was going to make the same offer. Let me know if you need more!
Thanks eggabert! That’s really nice of you!
So glad it was fun!
Hi, Michele here. I am still slowly working through all the suggestions. I really adored the Bulgari Au The Vert, The Labo Rose 31 – was lovely but for me. The OJ Champaca sample arrived in the post this morning and although early days it smells very good indeed! At the top of my hit list now to smell is L’artisan, tea for two and the Frederic Malle – l’eau d’Hiver adn Angeliques ….and la perfume de therese (I just have to find out where to get samples) then work through the list thereafter….months of happy smellinig ahead! Thanks so much again to everybody who took time to post! Best wishes Michele
ps also especially thanks so much Robin!
Michele
Thank you for checking in Michele, and hope you find something in the end!