Our fourth annual best buy poll, originally suggested by reader Lucasai.
What was your best fragrance buy of 2014? Interpret that however you like — it can be your biggest bargain, your general favorite, something you'd been after for years and finally found, the fragrance that garnered the most compliments, whatever.
Note: top image is For the Christmas tree [cropped] by Susanne Nilsson at flickr; some rights reserved.
In terms of use my best buys were Jardins d’Armide and Milk of Flowers, in terms of price, getting a 75ml bottle of Kalimantan on Cyber Monday for under $60 was probably my best deal, though 60% off Sideris and Manguier Metisse during the summer also rank up there (Kalimantan had been on my list for years)
Hey, you got some excellent deals! 60% off would tempt me to buy Sideris, that’s for sure.
Jardins d’Armide sounds good. How strong is the almond note?
I think this year I’m the most happy about purchasing Le Galion Iris. I fell in love with it in March and revisited it in September during Pitti Fragranze. Bought a bottle shortly after my return.
Lucasi, have you smelled DSH’s Scent of Hope? How does that compare to this one, which I don’t know anything about?
SOTD is VCA’s Bois d’Iris. I sm on an Iris kick recently…
Hi meredifay. Unfortunatey I haven’t tried DSH Scent of Hope, I wish someone could send me just a tiny drop to test it.
If you need any more iris recommendation, I’m available to help 😉
I thought that one was very well done as well! I got a hint of soap with the smooth iris on my skin. Very elegant…
This was a good year for buying things I knew I liked but kept delaying. (Why oh why?)
I do regret a few decants purchases. Those will turn up at the next Swapmeet 🙂
Notable:
Parfumerie Generale Bois Naufrage. Paid full price: no regrets. It’s salty fig that smells different every time I wear it.
Prada Infusion d’Iris absolue. Purchased from an online discounter after using up a 10 ml decant. I’ve worn it so often that I can no longer smell it!
SOTD is Bois des Isles.
Happy New Year everyone!
I wish I’d waited to get the Prada at discount…
LL Benjoin 19. It was black market organ money, but I do not regret it at all.
Hahahahahahaha spot. on.!!
🙂
I feel ( and envy) you! My best purchase was a decant of the magic that is LL Benjoin 19. Next time LL lets it loose, I’m going to cash up fora full bottle.
According to my records, that 50 ml bottle of Tam Dao for £14 was purchased early this year so I’d probably go with that.
That said, all of my purchases this year were pretty good deals – over 40% off No 5 EDT, 30% off Séville à l’Aube, over 20% off Magnolia Nobile gift set (technically a gift from my mother, but I ordered it). I even got £10 off a Diptyque’s Epice Christmas candle!
Wow, you did well this year!
Quick query while I try to think what I got this year: my college-aged cousin is interested in letting me help pick out new fragrance for him (his mom and sister got new perfume from me for Christmas and I think it peaked his interest!) On the one hand, he said lots of his friends wear “Polo” (which one? who can know.) and he really liked that but he was also amenable to my suggestion that for social (read, romantic) reasons, you might not wish to smell EXACTLY like every other dude on campus. Anyone have a suggestion for something that’s very accessible (as in, legibly appealing to a person who likes the Polo line), but a shade more interesting?
Hmmm, how about Guerlain’s Vetiver?
Oh good reminder, I’ve been meaning to try that one!
I don’t know–my first real boyfriend wore something with a marine note (didn’t they all?!), and I still can find that to be a very exciting thing to encouter on an attractive man! 🙂
That said, maybe try something warmer/spicier and see what he thinks? Spicebomb, of course, is one I know well, and it really is nice and still accessible.
But what I really wonder about, is MJ Bang. It has some spice (black pepper!), but the heart is still pretty traditional, “clean” male. I think it’s pretty sexy for a traditional scent but doesn’t push any boundaries for a newbie. I’ve seen it at discounters, so it’s easy to come by inexpensively.
Haha, same here–I think mine wore Polo Sport actually. The context has changed so much that I figured now it would smell pretty cliched to me, what with a bazillion marine/sport/blue fragrances having come out since then… but in the name of science, I actually dropped into Sephora to smell the myriad Polo offerings again last night. Polo Sport was not there, but I have to admit that Polo Blue was my favorite! This would be sort of embarrassing except Victoria at Bois de Jasmin likes it too. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me!
Armani Code for men is nice. That might be a tad different than Polo.
Good old Grey Flannel might be nice … and I’m guessing he *won’t* smell like any of the competition.
Agree with GF, also think Halston Z-14 is a good option. Both can be found discounted (and both can probably still makes stomach do flips!)
Eau Sauvage, Terre d’Hermes, Bel-Ami, Eau d’Orange Verte and AG Vetiver. I haven’t tried it yet, but Luca Turin had very good things to say about EL Beyond Paradise Men. And then there leathers, such as Knize Ten and SL Daim Blond.
Oooh Terre could really be a winner. Distinctive but very contemporary.
Spicebomb, Gucci Guilty, maybe one of the Burberry scents?
My husband wore Burburry touch when we met, it’s a great scent. Spicebomb is good, as Voyage d’Hermes.
Also, if you haven’t already, do mention proper application techniques (the college-aged male tends to chronically overspray!)
Good point!
Hahahaha excellent point, thank you both.
Oh, Burberry does seem like a very good place to start! (And he’s VERY preppy!)
Agree with Guerlain Vetiver or in an opposite direction, l’homme by Dior. So smooth and addictive, he will blow his competition out of the water completely.
Hahaha, I’m screencapping to let him know! 🙂
I second that. Such a great scent!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently too! A friend of mine asked for help picking out a cologne (we’re both undergraduates) and here is the list I came up with for him:
Dior Homme, Iris Nazarena, BV pour Homme, Caligna, Cuir Mauresque, LIDGE, Guerlain Vetiver, Habit Rouge, CdG Incense, Timbuktu, Atelier
Oh, good list! Thank you!
I have not bought much this year, so my best buy was a bar of Snowcake soap from Lush. Somehow, I’d never heard of it until Jessica mentioned it in her review of Yog Nog a few months ago. It was a lovely cheap thrill that filled the room with a touch of fragrance.
Ludh has been one of my favorites this year too. For me it’s the Rose Jam and Ro’s Body Conditioner…both have that delicious rose/vanilla/lemony tart smell.
I see on Lush’s site today it’s buy one get one free and Rose Jam is still in stock. I got a large bottle of it for Christmas but thinking about doing the special as this will have to last until Christmas next year!
Thanks for the Lush buy one get one alert. I ordered two bottles of the Rose Jam. I wish they had carried the fragrance this year.
Totally agree with Rose Jam. After hearing about it here I sought it out in store. First sniff was disappointing, and i ended up buying So White, which is lovely. Another visit i retried Rose Jam, and bought a small bottle. After the first shower i got hooked!
Looking back, my main resistance was thinking I didn’t like rose. Proved me wrong pretty quickly!
I finally braved a Lush store for the first time last week, while I was in Vancouver, BC. (I figured the pre-Christmas craziness would keep the SAs too busy to bug me!) In any case, I sniffed everything I could reach for, and I wasn’t moved by anything. . . made me wonder if it’s just not my thing or if I was missing something. Admittedly, Mr. Spicebomb and I were both sort of put off by the “Sweet 16”-ish vibe.
It’s an overwhelmingly scented experience, indeed. Hard to actually experience the scent of each individual product. Wall of scent….
So I agree with nebbe that the wall of scent makes it hard to appreciate their more interesting scents; I’ve had better luck picking just one or two, spraying, and then running away to smell in the comfort of my own, relatively scent-neutral environment! On the other hand, it might not be worth the effort, as I can def see it just not being your thing. Even tho some of their scents are both strong and complex (Breath of God especially comes to mind as indisputably interesting perfume), the construction tends to feel pretty “contemporary” (…hard to find a word for it that has neither a positive or negative connotation!)–they really don’t do anything in the classical style of perfume, à la Guerlain, Tauer and so forth. So I doubt you’re going to find anything that’s really your style.
Hit the jackpot at Lush as well. Did not intend to hit the mall on boxing day, except that I had to go to the Apple store to have my laptop checked out. FYI, products not immune to gus etc!
Anyway, saw two of the medium sized bottles of Rose Jam on a pedestal and snatched them up before this lil’ old lady could.
By the way, strong affinity between Rose Jam and La Fille de Berlin, non?
I meant, Apple products not immune to ‘bugs’…
just like the real ones….
Ah, I’m going to go with my Lust solid. $11, wore it a ton, great fun. Looking forward to finishing it so I can buy another with the cute new packaging!
The new tins are much more fun than the old…really like the design for Lust.
I’ve bought a lot of stuff this year but slowed WAY down this 4th quarter… it didn’t help that I bought lots of unsniffed split decants. And I did get a backup bottle of Mary Greenwell Plum, which I love and which seems to be disappearing from US distributors (though it is still available in the UK).
Best buys of the year, though, included a big bottle of Soivohle Centennial for 50% off when Liz started to close out her old stock – apparently she will only be making a few of her older scents, and will concentrate on small-batch limited editions from now on, as in “when it’s gone, it’s really gone.”
And I discovered Ralph Lauren Safari this year, too. That may be the best sniff for the expense, as I bought a partial bottle on ebay for $19 and promptly fell in love with it. (I had tried the parfum from a sample before, but found it too sweet in the drydown. The EdP isn’t quite that sweet, and I love that it’s such a beautiful warm green.)
Plum really is fun! Sorry to hear that it seems to be wandering off.
I just saw a Plum on Barney’s website.
My best buys of the year were also from Soivohle/Liz Zorn. It was hard to limit myself to just 2, but I bought backups of Nightjar and Honeysuckle Bird, both exquisite scents that I will miss terribly once these run dry.
There are very few ‘green’ scents that work for me, but one is Safari. I share your enthusiasm!
My best finds this year were Byredo’s Flowerhead, Amouage’s Opus VIII, Malle’s Eau de Magnolia & Iris Poudre, Masque’s Russian Tea is another one I’ve been happy to discover this year.
I really wanted a bottle of Iris Poudre before Malle gets sold to Estee Lauder and they change things… guess I’d better get on that, hmm?
I know, I need to order En Passant for the same reason. Meant to grab when Aedes had free holiday shipping but missed the boat.
Probably the two miniature vintage bottles of Mitsuoko I just opened last night- about $20.
Also the full cologne sample set I got from Atelier. Decided to order it after I fell in love with Santal Carmin. Normally $25 I got it for $15.
Wow, great buy on the Mitsouko!
I bought a 3.4 oz. Casmir tester for $21.59. Considering how little you need to apply of this powerhouse, this is a real bargain!
Ha, yes — that qualifies as a vat of Casmir!
I enjoy finding a bargain or something rare on ebay, but I especially appreciate L’AP Séville à l’aube. It’s not only a wonderful perfume that never fails to boost my mood and confidence, but also the focus of a wonderful book, The Perfume Lover, by its co-creator, Denyse Beaulieu of Grain de Musc.
Love this one too – and the book.
I was thrilled to pick this one up in the recent Hautelook sale.
Congratulations!
I was VERY tempted by that Hautelook sale! But am trying so hard to only buy tiny bottles now.
You know, I’m really trying to do the same (and I’m trying to be very judicious about purchases, as I have limited funds and a burgeoning obsession), but when the big bottle costs the same as a little bottle… hehehe. 🙂
Only one? Tough call. I bought a lot. The most exciting would be Wode, AdP Colonia Oud, Wit and Mito Voile d’extrait because i just love wearing them, and i paid full price which i really try not to have to do… Mito was rather pricey and has been on my list for a while, so thats probably the most satisfying.
Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine – just gorgeous.
Also have drained a bottle of Cristalle Eau Verte.
Paid full price but nothing wasted.
Full price is actually a bargain if you wear something often enough! The cost-per-wear is lower than perfume we buy on sale but then rarely wear.
Such an essential insight!
So true! How many bottles do we have in our collective cupboards that will never be used up??
I agree, Orange Sanguine is a nice one!
I finally got two old lemmings, FM Iris Poudre and TF Violet Blonde, reasonably cheap from the interwebbs. I am also very happy for my totally unexpected find of Jean Patou Moment Supreme (Angela, I would be happy to send you a decant if you like).
Where did you get a deal on Violet Blonde? Been wanting that one but it’s always $$.
Yeah I know, had almost given up hope on that one, but then suddenly this particular bottle appeared on the Swedish Ebay site :).
I got mine for $65 at Fragrancenet earlier this year.. it isnt that cheap now but it may come up cheap again.
I guess my best fragrance buy for 2014 would be Wild Fig and Cassis by Jo Malone. I had been looking for a nice fig fragrance for a while now, and when I smelled it, it was love!
Honestly, all of my perfumes are great purchases, so this was a hard poll for me.
I think Wild Fig & Cassis is perhaps the most underrated of the JM line. It’s beautiful, and different from most fig scents.
No contest–my 4oz. bottle of Guet-Apens for $264 was my best purchase! I think this counts as both my best “deal” and a long-lusted after scent that I finally got a bottle of. I really never thought I own my very own FB of this beauty! (Still doing happy dances!)
Wooooooo!!!! Honestly it was a DEAL–have you seen this on STC?
http://surrendertochance.com/guerlain-guet-apens-edp-limited-edition-from-1999-including-box-4mls-remaining-in-perfect-blue-lantern-bottle/
Isn’t it the same bottle, selling just the bottle +4ml for $130?!?
Wow. Yup–that’s the one! (Hard to see with that weird mirror behind the bottle, though!) That really makes me feel like I practically stole it!
Although I note, I didn’t get the box. I suppose that matters to perfume bottle people. I tend to keep my boxes, but I don’t really know why. Some part of me thinks I’m being silly and taking up space. Do you see value in keeping boxes?
Oh, yes. Boxes add tremendously to the resale value of empty bottles. If possible to flatten, boxes can be stored that way to save space.
I keep my boxes too, and don’t know why either. I don’t keep the bottles IN the boxes (unless they’re backups), and don’t think I would ever sell my empty bottles … Maybe someday I’ll come to my senses and clear my closet of a dozen or so empty boxes. Probably when I need the space for another dozen or so bottles. 😉
Celestia, do you keep all the froo-fahlah that goes with the boxes? I’m thinking, for example, of all the strips of black tissue paper that go inside a OJ outer box, for example. I tend to stuff them back inside the larger box and store the whole dang thing.
SheriG–glad to hear I’m not the only one! I can’t really imagine selling my empties, either. Kinda morbid, but I *do* imagine someone going through my estate some day and being glad the boxes are there, though.
So I do keep my boxes, and I likewise feel odd about it. The ostensible reason is that I am paranoid about juice turning and so typically I let my bottles live in their original boxes, to protect from light, etc…but I might well be working against myself, as I’m sure I wear them less than if they were sitting out (as are my decants), and then I need them to keep even longer!
I will say though, there is something pleasing (as per the YouTube phenomenon, I guess!) about unboxing perfume to spray it 🙂
I keep the perfumes in their boxes in order to protect them from light, which is their greatest risk. Some of the Guerlains have outer boxes that I also keep, partly to keep track of the vintage.
Noz, I would need a much bigger perfume cupboard if I stored my scents in their boxes!
That’s only a matter of time, Marjorie Rose! 😉
I have a series of very shallow open shelves, rather than a closed cupboard. The bottles that came without boxes are in drawers.
That was a great deal,and a fanTAStic perfume!!Enjoy enjoy…ENJOY!!
Thank you! I wore it today in honor of this poll–I smell deLISHious!
I was wondering how much you paid for it Marjorie Rose. Considering it was $175 in 1999 when I bought it from NM, your $264 is quite the bargain. Can I ask where you found it ? If you don’t want to say, I understand.
The box is beautiful, but I remember it took me a h*ll of a long time to figure out how to open it and untie the gold ribbon thingie (that is a technical term, newbies). 😉
My best purchase this year was Opoponax by Les Nereides, a beautiful exploration of the eponymous ingredient.
Bear, it was an ebay find (noted and passed on to me by a my perfume fairy godmother)–they were an antique retailer mostly, it seems. I could look up the specific dealer, if it matters to you. I think I also lucked out in that the sale ended on Black Friday, so folks were probably not trolling ebay in quite the same numbers as they might otherwise.
Thanks for responding Marjorie Rose, ebay will suffice. Was just curious if it was an estate find or you happened upon it in an antique store. Enjoy!
I’m not a regular on the site–it seems to encourage binge-shopping. (Like a cupcake bakery! So many choices, and it’s easy to justify that those little ones won’t do too much damage!) That is to say, if a friend hadn’t pointed it out, it would have passed me by.
Chanel No. 19 was my best buy for this year. I didn’t get it on sale, but I’ve used it so much since that June day when I bought it. It is so wearable for me when I can’t decide what fragrance to choose.
It’s a tricky question Robin! I got a real bargain on Rozy EDP on ebay in France. I would probably not part with the cash for the full retail price so I was so excited when I saw it there. And I love it – definitely one of my favourite perfumes from this year although I haven’t tried the Voile. I constantly check now to see if any more of hers come up but alas no go. At the other end of the scale I received a solid of Lust for
Xmas and I’m really happy about that as well. I just loooove it. I know it’s totally over the top but it’s so gorgeous. Happy holidays everyone.
I got a bottle of Ellie D Nuit (a favorite of mine) that was discounted by $55 at an online retailer. Earlier in the year, I got a bottle of Mary Greenwell Lemon from the same shop, discounted as well, but I can’t remember by how much. I’m glad I bought it, though, as Mary Greenwell does seem to be disappearing from US markets, as another commenter noted.
I noticed Strawberrynet still has Mary Greenwell.
The best value-per-ml might have been the Hermes mini-coffret set; it was 1/3 off, but also getting a lot of enjoyment per sniff. The best score might have been the discontinued Kenzo Flower Oriental. Yay online discounters!
I think my BEST buy happened just yesterday. Went to LUSH with my 14 year old niece who had a GC to spend. She loaded up on bath fizzies and I snagged a giant bottle of both Hot Toddy and Rose Jam. All the holiday scents were “Buy One, Get One”, they didn’t have to be the same scent, just the same price point! I was thrilled!
Oh yay! I saw this deal online – it’s a good one.
My best buy this year has to be my first bottle of Cuir de Lancôme – I got it for $40! And I wear it often. After realizing how awesome it is, I bought a back up. Which, of course, was not as much a deal 😉 I also got a travel spray trio of Frederic Malle Iris Poudre for $85 (one was slightly used). Love that stuff!
I’m happy that I’ve finally bought Mandarine Basilic from the aqua allegoria line.
I got it for around 50 bucks in the Sao Paulo airport’s duty free market. A little under what Spehora asks for it nowadays.
I’ve always liked it, but here in Argentina they charge double what Sephora charges. So I was always either thinking it was too expensive, or when I had the money, I couldn’t find it anywhere! 🙂
Really happy times LOL!
My best buy from a $ perspective was Hermes l’Ambre des Merveilles, just recently during a holiday sale (and even more discounted because it was unboxed). From an “I love this so much I have to have it at any price” standpoint, however, I’d have to say Chanel 19 edp. Just gorgeous.
Hmm, just mentioned on yesterday’s post about going a little overboard on perfumes the last half of this year and the need to stymie that tendency (Thanks to all who responded to my comment and for your support!).
I sounded a bit whiney, which was not my intention at all, but never the less, I feel the need to kick myself. If only everyone had to worry about laying off perfume purchases rather than worrying about potable water, food, shelter and avoidance of world violence! When I look back at perfume I’ve accumulated, I have enough to last (and enjoy!) for a good long time to come and am rather embarrassed by my “excess.”
Below is a list of some of my favorite “deals”-
Hermes Hiris FB for good price
AG Ninfeo Mio FB for a great price
Eau de Missions les Couvent des Minemes FB (already relatively cheap but made even more so by using my Ulta points!)
Bvlgaria Omnia FB BB at a steal
Decants of Fate Woman, Felanilla, Corsica Fusiosa plus several from swaps which include Coromadel, 1990’s Opium, Cologne pour le Soir, VC&A Orchidee Vanille
But my favorite and the Pièce de résistance- a FB of Zelda!
So don’t cry for me Argentina! I have more than enough and I need to remember this whenever the little lemming pops up his greedy head!
Although I have to admit I’m dreaming of a FB of Onda VdE……;)
Happy New Year to all!
You should never feel guilty about things that bring you happiness and pleasure. Why does everybody always frown upon having things that serve no other purpose than that? People spend far more on paintings which hang on a wall in a room somewhere. At least the scent goes with you wherever you go. If you feel it’s time to stop buying and start enjoying the ones you have more that’s fine but never feel like having something that makes you happy is something you need to kick yourself for. Life is filled with enough misery and stress. If the bills are paid and there’s a roof over your head, a little spritz of Zelda seems more like a celebration of your good fortune rather than something to feel bad about.
I used to feel like you do once in a while but then I asked myself if I didn’t spend this, let’s say $100, on perfume, what would I have done with it? Would I have donated it to a charity? No, not likely. Did I work hard to earn the money? Yes. Then why on earth shouldn’t I enjoy it and reward myself once in a while? Sure there are people that are worse off than I am and while I do feel for them, my not buying a bottle of perfume will do nothing to change their situation. That being said, I am going to put myself on a freeze if only to really explore what I already have and use up some samples and perhaps find a new love in one of them. Life is short. Enjoy it.
Poodle, you are right of course- life is short! Thanks for the pep talk and good luck with your freeze. I am currently enjoying Omnia on my way to spin and then post shower will switch it up…decisions, decisions…but I definitely will enjoy my choice with my whole heart 🙂
Hear, hear!
You are wise.
I’ve only made 3 non-sample purchases since getting really into perfume in mid-October – Philosykos (rollerball), Seville a l’Aube, and San Francisco Rose. I think I’m happiest about the Seville, though I haven’t spritzed it yet!
I feel like this year I settled in with with fragrances that I really love more than years before. I continue to want to try scents I’ve yet to try and new ones that are out there as well, but I’ve a better understanding of what to spend my money on.
Best buy was probably during the fall split having become the new owner of 30mls of Sous le toit de Paris at an excellent price. I love it tons.
I do wonder what 2015 holds for me regards to scent.
I hear you, floragal. We’re in the same place.
Completely with you on the “settling in” with loved scents this year! Nearly all of my purchases were back-up bottles rather than new-to-me scents. I am really quite content with my options these days, and it is a nice way to feel. 🙂
Agreed, Marjorie Rose. I’m still curious about smelling new scents but I love my collection.
So do you find that you seek out new scents with the same frequency, or has that slowed down, too? I am finding that while I enjoy them, I don’t seek out the latest intrigues with the same urgency I once did.
I did calm down a bit with purchases this year as well.Trying to appreciate the ones I have more!I got a perfume fridge(actually a wine cooler,lol) “under” the Christmas tree this year,so now I can enjoy the most treasured ones more easily.I have overdone it on occasion,and I have to admit: the storage space has become a real issue too!
Storage *is* an issue. But I also sort of feel like it’s carrying a purse–the larger my purse, the more crap I carry around with me! I’m trying to convince myself that the natural limitations of my cupboard is a reasonable boundary, but I admit, I’ve been tempted by lovely bureaus I’ve seen in antique stores and woodworkers shops from time to time. . .
I hear you Marjorie Rose!Lol!My actual clothing cupboard has been completely taken over by perfume.I’m beyond “spillage” point already!The cooler helps,but I kept most of the boxes(CANNOT throw away an Amouage box!!),so they take up slightly less space now.DON’t let me start with trolling antique markets for drawers and cupboards…lol!Me and my family are huge Kiaat-wood(THINK it translates to teakwood) furniture collectors.I have found some lovely pieces for myself….and they’re stuffed with perfume!Haha!CRAZY.but I love this hobby.
Wish we could wander an antique store together! My Mr. Spicebomb loves to point out a nice, old piece and say something along the lines of “a girl could store a lot of perfume in THAT one!” and give me a mischievous grin! He’s such an enabler.
Me too – A few new things but lots of stocking up on longtime favorites.
It seems I am in very good company!
Apart from thrifted finds, which don’t help a thread out with their ir-repeatability, my regular price/40$ Aftelier Ancient Resins oil, which I bought maybe in October, and is already half gone? It’s pleasing on the days when I don’t want other scent, or a good under layer beneath other products, it’s so calming to skin…and you get to smell like Leonard Cohen, so.
That oil is wonderful – I like sleeping in it, too.
Do you use it as a hair oil? I am curious how it works in that respect and am very tempted to get a bottle for that purpose.
My hair is very curly so I only put the tiniest bit in, but I do like it on my temples, and nape; and at the hairline.
I think I have enjoyed my essential oils more than just about anything else of late. Layered with perfume, mixed with moisturizers, a little dab under the nose for a pick-me-up. Truth be told, they are a tad addictive! My best perfume buy was Olympic Orchids Dev 1, obtained in the old style bottle for around $50.00. A little goes a long way and I never tire of it.
Can you tell us your favourite eo’s?…
My pleasure! Lavender, patchouli, frankincense,Ylang-Ylang, vetiver are the ones I find myself reaching for most frequently but I also like lemongrass, eucalyptus, sandalwood and myrrh. Go for the good stuff. I like Eden Botanicals, I am not affiliated, just a happy customer. The nice thing about EOs is that many of them improve with age!
Best buy in the sense that I have wanted it for a L-O-N-G time: Vetiver Tonka.
Best impulse buy : Violet Blonde (loved the bottle and it was 30% off at Sephora.) on me it reads iris more than violet and I’m all about the iris.
Best cheap thrill; Imogen Rose purse spray, have worn it tons, the rose that roars then cartwheels into baby powder. Great fun.
Like several of you here, I have also ‘settled in’ with my collection and have purchased very little in 2014. Probably my ‘best buy’ of the year in terms of price, quality and (eventual) usage is the backup bottle of Hermes Eau des Merveilles from Walgreens that cost me under $20.00 with my Walgreens points earlier this year. One of my favorite scents ever, I don’t want to be w/o it (or have it reformulated, d/c, etc.)
Second ‘best buy’ would be the Hermes L’Ambre des Merveilles I recently purchased from Walgreens for only a couple of dollars more than the Eau, again with Walgreens points (I seem to accumulate them rapidly!) Haven’t worn this yet, but I know I will.
The pair of the full-size (1.6/1.7 oz. bottles in sealed boxes) combined cost under $50.00. And, oh, those beautiful Merveilles bottles!
Hmm. We have Walgreens in NYC now which makes me very curious about points and the fact that they carry Hermes!
I need to check this out.
I buy mine online, not in the store. They carry many frags online that are not available in the physical stores. Prices are higher than at online discounters, but because you can use up to $50 in points on a purchase, it brings the actual cost way down. Plus I wait for the periodic 25% discount and free shipping before I order. I buy many regular everyday products at Wags, so my points add up quickly and I can usually make a nice purchase several times a year.
Wags. 🙂
I really appreciate this info. I used to not be bothered with points like these because it seems like you get so few compared to what is spent, but they do accumulate quickly.
Now that I know I can find more stuff online, like fragrance, I’ll be more on top of this. About when in the year is the discount given?
At least once or twice a year, I can’t really say when, I bought the Eau des Merveilles in June and the L’Ambre in early December, so I’m sure I used the discount then (emails will tell you when). They often have 20% off but several times per year it’s 25% off all fragrances and that’s when I buy. I’m like you, I hate to be bothered with points and stuff but I find having their Balance Rewards card (tied into the AARP card, if you’re old like me [not affiliated in any way]) very worthwhile. Good luck!
I love those bottles too ( and the perfumes of course!) and was able to track down the limited edition blue Pegasus bottle about a year and a half ago on ebay- it was a tester and I got it for a great price which was the icing on the cake!
Oh, lucky you!
Oh my gosh! I never thought to use my Walgreens points!!! Brilliant! I got my husband Creed Green Irish Tweed from Walgreens on discount and it just blew me away that they had it online!
Amouage Sunshine!Definitely my best buy of the year!Wanted it sooo bad!Had the chance when a friend was in Dubai,to bring it back for me.Second would be a 75ml VC&A Bois d’Iris at a great discount from a local retailer.
DISCOVERY of the year:Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse.Affordable,fragrant and fantastic dry oil.Love!!
Love Nuxe oil. I use it to wipe off under eye make up fall out. A small bottle lasted me over a year.
Johanob, I noted your changed gravatar earlier this week! I wondered if it was a new and lovely bottle for your collection. What a wonderful thing that a friend could help you get it!
Hi Marjorie Rose!Thanks for noticing!Hehe!Yes,that’s the Amouage Sunshine bottle on my new gravatar!Love the perfume,and as always Amouage packaging is perfect.
The $20 I spent on Calvin Klein’s Obsession was my best buy not just in dollar terms but because it expanded my ideas about what suits me. I don’t wear orientals much and Obsession gets a lot of hate. But in the sprit of testing the boundaries, I tried it. Love it. I think it’s the herbal greenery of the opening, its overall lack of sweetness that gets me in. I’m a chypre lover from way back.
My best deals this year were two 100ml bottles of Eau des Missions at 10€ each, one for me and one for my daughter. I also got a 50 ml bottle of La Chasse aux Papillons Extrême for 40 €. It’s a back-up bottle which I really needed because this was my first niche perfume (although it may no longer be considered niche), and the one that aroused my interest in the whole fragrance world., so I feel I will always have to have a bottle in my collection.
Right now, I am really ecstatic because I got $125 in Amazon giftcards and debating between Avignon and Kyoto or my millionth bottle of Shalimar or the Ode a la Vanille. But my best deal was a barely used bottle of Mitsouko from the 80’s for $55 and a Deneuve 4ml bottle of parfum for $40.
Hello Dawn!
One million bottles of Shalimar sure sounds good to me!!! 😉
Got some good deals at Fragrancenet this year, namely Ubar and Arabie. Now I’m thinking about the men’s Interlude…
OMG Interlude Man is great. And strong. A bottle will last for years.
It’s rare to score really good bargains on new bottles in my tiny corner of Canada… but I did find a full 1 oz. bottle of vintage Balmain Jolie Madame parfum for $43 in a consignment shop. *dances*
Oh, lucky you, vintage Jolie Madame – I love her!
I had two best buys this year–Shalimar Ode a la Vanille from FragranceNet for $46 and Tiziana Terenzi White Fire from Luckyscent for $96 just this morning. LS sent me an email with specials and I had been wanting White Fire! A great way to close out the year.
I love hearing about everyone’s deals this year! I have to say all the cyber Monday and online discounter deals have brought out my little greedmonster.
My best deal has to be a big bottle of Lyric Woman that cost $150 but was technically free because I sold some perfume collectibles on eBay that I got for a little and sold for a lot to pay for the Lyric.
My happiest purchase/ gift/ freebie are three bottles of Tauer perfumes, one gotten in a swap with a super generous nst-er (reverie au Jardin), one a gift from dh (LDDM) and one bought at full price still using ebay sales money during the running of the bulls…I mean perfume hounds in November (PHI).
My most surprising like and instant cheapo online purchase was Bvlgari Au the vert. I received a tiny splash mini of it in a swap and couldn’t believe how beautiful it smelled. Citrus and floral with a little spice in perfect balance. Pure magic. So straight to the discounter and found a $30 or so bottle. That is going to be a go to summer frag for sure.
I’m so pleased with everything and feeling the need, as others have said, to sit back and savor my treasures.
Great topic, Robin!
My best bargain for the year was the vintage-ish (pre-reformulation) Diorissimo, appx 30 mls left in bottle for $20.
My best buy in terms of satisfying a lemming was the one I just bought yesterday–50 ml of Hermes Caleche. After using up several samples, and a mini I bought from etsy, then being without for almost a year, I decided that I really wanted it, and wanted it enough to spend full price and not care. I’ve been wearing a generous amour today, and it is glorious. I am a happy perfumista. 🙂
Can’t wait to see what 2015 holds…
I love the photo, Robin. The ornaments look like psychedelic beetroots. I suppose that my best fragrance purchases were probably the ones that I love and that I will wear most often; they are:
1. Milk of Flowers (I think that I bought it this year.)
2. Eau Aimable/Cologne of Love by Le Couvent des Minimes
3. From the health food store: A bottle of cocoa absolute and a bottle of fir needle essential oil (EO). To a 15 ml dropper bottle, I added 30 drops of cocoa absolute and 10 drops of fir needle oil and then filled the bottle with jojoba oil. The combination is wonderful (as any fan of OO’s Seattle Chocolate knows 🙂 ). I’m going to mix up a larger bottle, at a more dilute concentration, and use it as a body moisturizer.
I think that the cocoa absolute by itself (diluted in jojoba oil) would make an excellent bedtime fragrance. The warm and cozy embrace of a cloud of natural-smelling chocolate … ahhhh …
I don’t know what Milk of Flowers is, but the name is extremely intriguing! I really adore milky scents, so if it’s milky at all, I’ll have to look it up!
Milk of Flowers does have a milky quality, which is interesting paired with the spiciness of stock (the flower, not the soup base, hee, hee 🙂 )
Barr-Co’s original perfume features the following notes: milk, oatmeal, vanilla, and vetiver. It’s inexpensive and they sell it at Anthropologie.
I like the milk note in Jacomo 08.
I’ve never tried them, but DSH, Ava Luxe, and Lostmarch (Lann-Ael) have some milky scents.
Yeah, there was that limited edition Jo Malone–Milk and Honey–that was more interesting to me than some of the other scents in that line, too.
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll definitely have to look them up and see if I can try them at some point… if I ever make through my Christmas haul of samples 🙂
When I first saw it, I did think it was a bowl of some sort of food!
I think one of my best buys this year was from Fragrancenet: a bottle of Shalimar Ode a la Vanille and Rochas Femme for about $65 altogether.
Not a bargain, or even a lemming, but still my best of the year. Purchased last week a bottle of Hermes Eau de Mandarine Ambree. After almost a year of unemployment, I have a new job. So I can afford to buy non-essentials again. Mind you this is not the actual celebratory perfume I promised myself. Which will be either an Amouage or Chanel’s Cuir de Russe. But now that I think of it, I did drive solo from Tampa Bay to Anchorage, Alaska. I think I deserve both of my preferred scents for that epic expedition!
Oh, I would love to read an account of your drive! Congratulations being employed again!
That is an EPIC haul! I have dreamed of making that trip since I was a kid! I live in St Pete, just across the drink from Tampa, and pups love to that at my leisure sometime before I kick it. Kudos to you! Lab at was your time frame, start to finish?
Omg- auto correct is going to kill me! Don’t know where “pups love” or “lab” even came from…maybe a distant universe or separate reality… *sigh*
🙂 this made me giggle. i want some puppy love right now!
puppy love is the bestest! =)
Deva, I lived over in New Port Richey with my mom. When I fly in for a visit we’ll have to “do lunch”.
I should have allowed more time for the trip. It seemed like everyday I was racing the sun to get to a motel (one that accept cats). The Alcan shouldn’t be drive at night. It was beautiful, but for a flatlander there was quite a bit of white knuckles in the Canadian Rockies. Saw several small herds of bison, and a couple of moose. No bears yet.
And while my apartment is small, it has plenty of kitchen cabinets-which is where I store my perfume. And Anchorage has a Nordstroms and a Sephora for sniffing around in.
My best buy has to be L’Impacte de Pour un Homme by Caron. Not a bargain mind you, but I have been wearing it so much that it has been well worth it.
Hello Everyone,
I am de-lurking to dedicate this comment to my Dad who passed away two weeks ago. He made me who I am today, including a penchant for collecting (him – coins, coins and more coins), buying multiples of things (some to keep, some to give away), living a life of integrity and a generosity in spirit. He was never too proud to ask for help when needed and he is always willing to lend a hand (oh the “back in the day” stories he told).
Besides family, I found comfort in PERFUMES! My staples these past few weeks were Guerlain Cuir Beluga and Bvlgari Black, my safe perfumes almost virtually undetectable as “ewwww perfume” by perfume-phobic family members. For the perfume I got as a gift, a very generous NSTer, who herself suffered losses greater than mine, surprised me with a Penhaligon’s Ladies Mini Fragrance Collection which was on my NST Dear Santa Wish List. I have a decant of Iris Prima from a swap and wore that for the Community SOTD Friday. I gave my nieces the L’Artisan Sample Set and they were ecstatic — I can’t wait to find out what they think!
As for my best buy of 2014, I’ll cheat a little and say that my best buy only cost me $1 🙂 — I participated in Lucas’ 2nd Blog Birthday Photo Contest and won first prize! My $1 investment was for a birthday button / medal which I included in the picture and the rest were some of my favorite perfumes:
https://chemistinthebottle.wordpress.com/2014/07/19/winners-of-blog-2nd-birthday-photo-contest/
The prize was an Atelier Cologne Ecrin Absolue Set and I chose Santal Carmin. I was able to re-gift the 30 mL to a dear perfumista friend and had gifted / swapped small decants to a whole bunch of other people.
My end of year indulgence may be a blind buy of Scent of Hope – all in the interest of perfumescience and the fact that DSH is giving 30% back to the community. As for 2015…who knows? I’m already scheming to get my hands on a JAR perfume but will wait for a deal before taking the plunge. No perfume New Year’s Resolution as it will get broken faster than an eye blinks.
I’m back.
So sorry to hear about your loss!Hope you’re doing OK?And WELCOME BACK!Luckily you know you are amongst friends here.always!(we might be from different continents,but we all LOVE perfume-and their collectors!)xo
I am so terribly sorry Hajusuuri — sending you hugs.
Ugh. Such a hard, hard time to lose family. I hope your friends and ‘fumes continue to give you comfort and distraction as you heal. Sending you love and hugs!
What a fun contest Lucas has, though. Congrats on your win!
Oh, Hajusuuri, I am so terribly sorry for your loss. I noticed that you hadn’t been posting lately and hoped that you were just off on one of your wonderful trips.
My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
I too am touched by your words of love and respect for your father. You do him great honor by how you are so generous yourself (one of those Santal Carmens you gifted me with and I expect there are many others gifted by you over the years….)
Be well.
And, glad you are back!
Hajusuuri, I am so sorry about your father. It has been more than thirty years since I lost mine, but his memory and spirit remain strong and bring me great comfort. I am sure it will be the same for you. Sending all good thoughts to you and yours.
So sorry for your loss. Grieving is such a hard process to wade through but I am so happy you are back. Please know I am thinking of you and wishing you and your family well.
So sorry for your recent loss, Hajusuuri. Thinking of you and your family.
Hajusuuri,
I am so sorry for your loss. I hope your father had the opportunity to realize how much you embody his spirit of generosity. My thoughts are with you and your family.
My deepest condolences on the loss of your father, and my sympathy to your family as well. I am so sorry.
I am so sorry to hear about your dad. Mine died over the holidays last year and this was the first Christmas without him. It’s a tough time of year to deal with losing loved ones. I feel your pain. I’m glad you found some comfort in your perfumes and your perfume friends. Stay strong and know that you are in my thoughts.
My deepest condolences on the loss of your father, thank you for sharing the essence of his spirit with us. I’m glad you found comfort in family and your treasured fragrances. May warm memories continue to bring you comfort and peace.
So sorry to hear about your father. I will never stop missing mine but feel so blessed to have had a really great man to look up to. Sounds like you’ve had the same. Someone has certainly instilled in you great generosity, I really appreciate the samples you shared with me and I know you have been just as kind to many others. I will keep you in my thoughts.
I’m sorry to hear about your loss, Hajusuuri. What a great father to have. I hope your family is pulling together. And I’m glad to see you back. And I’m jealous; Scent of Hope is so lovely.
Hello hajusuuri,
May your many memories of your father help to sustain you at this most difficult time. I offer my deepest condolences, my father passed away in April 2014 and it is still difficult to accept. I am happy your perfumes provided you with some joy, and I am glad you are back.
Sympathy to you and yours and if you need a real life hug, let me know
I’m so sorry about your loss. Thank you for describing what you loved about your father. You are in my thoughts.
Thank you all for your words of comfort. We’re all adjusting to a new normal. He had enriched many lives and his legacy will live on. We will miss him greatly.
Hello Hajusuuri! I would like to extend my condolences as well. Thinking about you and wishing you all the best.
Echoing what others have said, I am sorry for your loss Hajusuuri. I’m glad you found comfort in family and fragrance. Wishing you further comfort and peace as you navigate the grief process.
Dear Hajusuuri, I am so touched by how lovingly you write of your Father. I lost mine too, long ago, and while that still makes me sad I try to focus on the good times and good memories and how my father would want me live my life. My thoughts, prayers and hugs to you and your family.
Thank you, stinker_kit.
I went a little nuts this year, so will dial way back in 2015 (although my “nuts” may be others’ “business as usual…”)
One of my favorites of the year was the Eau de Cloitre rose scent by Couvent Des Minimes. Wonderful for summer.
I finally used a gift certificate on Oeillet Bengale, which I love and wear more than I expected.
My best “deal” was taking advantage of the Ormonde Jayne sale. Along with a couple of travel spray sets, I ordered 50ml of Tolu. It seemed to take forever so I emailed them. Immediate response and shipping notice. The bottle of Tolu wasn’t included in the package, so I had to email again. They investigated and shipped next day. I got the Tolu and they sent a 120 ml bottle! I have to assume it was a decision on their part… I love it…my husband, though, isn’t too sure.
I took advantage of the OJ sale, too, and it took a while for my shipment to arrive (and I never recieved a “shipment on the way” notice). I interpreted that as that they must have been overwhelmed by the response. I’m pretty sure it’s the first sale I’ve had access to in a few years–guessing I’m not the only one who was holding out for an opportunity!
Yes, I figured they were overwhelmed so was very patient about it. I didn’t inquire for quite a long time.
I think also I was one of the first to order. I actually ordered Thanksgiving evening from the US right after I got their email announcing the sale.
Ooh what did you end up getting?
I bought the Tolu and travel sprays of Frangipani and Ormonde Woman and a Taif lotion.
So awesome, I love Frangipani particularly!
Pretty much everything in my collection i bought during 2014, mostly from ebay. I am super thrifty that way, ha ha.
Best buy… probably all the bottles of Shalimar edt. About 7? I lost count. Am set with Shalimar edt for life.
I bought/received Prada Infusion D’Iris, Narciso Rodriguez Narciso, Lolita Lempicka, and Bvlgari Jasmin Noir this year.
Lolita Lempicka is a perfume, I would go through samples of. I finally bought a full bottle, along with Jasmin Noir (which was a repurchase), from FragranceNet. Infusion D’Iris was a a birthday present from my father. While, the new Narciso was a Chanukah present to myself.
I’m late to the party, but am going to participate regardless! My best purchase had to be a bottle of SL Ambre Sultan (it’s my first Serge Lutens) for $90 cdn and free shipping. I’m really loving it. : )
Hey! As a fellow Canuck, can you give me a hint as to where you purchased your steal of a deal?
While no bargain ($88 for 5 ml), but worth every penny, my best buy of 2014 was the stunning DSH Scent of Hope, for reasons I’ve gushed about in several recent posts.
My best ‘bargains’, as I mentioned above, were Soivohle’s gorgeous Nightjar and Honeysuckle Bird EDPs at 50% off.
I just realized that both of my ‘best buys’ are from independent perfumers, which makes these purchases all the more pleasing.
I had some excellent EBay scores, including a pristine sealed bottle of Rochas Audace parfum for about 1/3 of the “going rate” for this juice. It is magnificent. I also jumped on the Amazon 1/2 price Serge Lutens bandwagon frenzy and got Fleurs d’Oranger and Bois de Violette, and split them both with a friend. Win/win! Best of all I found 3 bottles of one of my HG scents. the vintage original Scherrer, for a combined price of less than one bottle usually goes for, which is normally over $100 by now. for 2015 I am going to try to make it to some estate sales and spend less time and money on Evilbay, even though it’s so easy to do.
Oh, and I almost forgot – the pure pleasure I am getting from a 100 ml bottle of Raghba EDP is all the sweeter since it’s only $30. 😀