Sayonara, 2022. Donatella Versace, Our Lady of Scented Excess,1 wants to help you move into 2023 with a clean slate and a clean conscience. Do confess what you bought in the 4th quarter (October, November and December) of 2022; Donatella's mercy knows no bounds.
Note that if you have javascript disabled, you won't be able to vote in the poll, but you can still record your purchases in the comments.
My purchases...
Once again I saved myself from Donatella's complete and utter disdain by making a 4th quarter purchase. Actually, I got two: a 15 ml bottle of Hermès Violette Volynka in the splitmeet ($54) and a 5 ml mini of Tauer Golestan ($41). My total for the year is $95.
As always, report your purchases in the comments if you dare! And as always, we don't include samples or gifts, and you can count miniatures, decants and bottle-splits howsoever you like (I usually count them as half bottles). Samples don't generally count at all, even though some of us spend considerable sums obtaining them.
1. Why does Donatella host (against her will, mind you) the damage polls? There is no real reason other than the picture of her perfume collection, which shows that she indulges regularly at the perfume counter. The image, by the way, is originally from Allure magazine and appears here courtesy of Blogdorf Goodman.
I have gotten a travel set of Coco Mademoiselle Intense, a full bottle of Ralph Lauren Beyond Romance, Clinique Happy body wash and a travel spray of Bortnikoff Chypre du Nord. Almost forgot the travel spray of Beautiful Magnolia by Estee Lauder.
Does Chypre du Nord remind you of anything more common? I’ve thought about getting a sample.
I believe that I bought a bottle of Moshino, which was a cheap thrill. However, I did take advantage of all the decant house sales and bought several variously sized decants. I also bought the Winter Intimacies set of seasonal perfume oils from Alkemia.
Dear Donatella,
I’m baaaack! OK, not in a manner you’ll find acceptable, but I did buy SOMETHING this past quarter, which is an improvement over the not-to-be-mentioned-again previous quarter’s haul of nothingness.
This quarter I bought:
1. Chanel Sycomore parfum
2. Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Tonka
3. Byredo Vanille Antique
That’s it.
Well, also some samples, but who could notice those. Even if a few of them were 5-6 ml (Tauer Golestan, Apotheker Tepe travel sprays). Clearly beneath D’s perfumista radar.
That Sycomore parfum bottle is also tiny, it might be too small for D to notice. And, I had a birthday and Christmas this past quarter, so that cancels out #2 and #3. So, really, nothing this quarter either. So sorry!
Ha, clever way of zeroing out your total, nice!
Fabulous haul!
😀 I like the way you compute your purchases and arrive at ‘nothing’
That’s a heck of a haul! Nice!
Back in style!
Well, just when I think I might have had a relatively restrained quarter, I count up the purchases and discover 4 full bottles, plus one mini and one decant (which together count as another FB). Mojave Ghost, Memoirs of a Trespasser, Alba and Broken Theories are the FBs, the decant is Copper Skies, and the adorable mini, which I haven’t tried yet, is YSL L’Homme.
I thought my quarter was more laid back, too. Surprise!
Donatella knows I bought loads of stuff in the third quarter and so will forgive my restraint in the fourth. I bought:
5ml Tauer Golestan (good thing Robin mentioned it, I had forgotten it)
50ml Onda Voile de Extrait
100ml Meo Fusciuni Luce
5mls of anything doesn’t really count, does it? It’s practically a sample.
I split the Onda VdE so I ended up with less than a full bottle, so that doesn’t count as a bottle. I’ll call it a half. And the Meo Fusciuni Luce was purchased after meeting Calypso at Fumerie, and purchases made in the company of fellow perfumistas count as souvenirs of the experience, and souvenirs don’t count. So put me down for a half-bottle.
I love how you count the Fumerie outing bottle as a souvenir and not a purchase! I’ll do the same with mine from there–La Ravissante! What fun we had! I almost was giddy from excitement that day.
And
I got a bottle of Rozy voile from the splitmeet and 30 ml bottle of Ambree Bleu this quarter
After seeing Foxbins’ and Calypso’s comments about their outing, and testing their purchases, I also bought Meo Fusciuni Luce and MDCI La Ravissante. Copy cat!
Thanks for the hot tips. While I was at it, I also got Golestan, Vanilla in Bourbon and Sandalwood in Oak.
Oh how wonderful! Glad to be an enabler. Now, how are you liking La Ravissante? I hope it’s not too sweet for you. I realize it’s rather sweet, but it’s just so luscious, so voluptuous!
There’s no such thing as too sweet.
S I bought FM L’eau de Hiver, and it just came in! Was $200 CDN for 100 ml so that’s not bad. God I love my own perfume math. Hope everyone enjoys their purchases in the best of health for all of 2023.
Well shopped!
I acquired two new bottles, but am following Foxbin’s logic and counting La Ravissante as a souvenir and not a purchase! ha ha. The other one was my Christmas stocking stuffer for myself, YSL Paris. Plus maybe a split and a sample or two.
Love this!
Maybe I should count Phi also as a souvenir of sorts!😉🤣🤣
I think Donatella would understand “souvenirs!”
My only purchases were from the last splitmeet:
-SL La Couche du Diable, 10ml decant.
-CdG Zagorsk, 10 ml decant.
-Amouage Epic woman 5ml decant.
It is working for me not to make any “no buy” resolutions anymore. 2022 was a year where my perfume spending was limited and I didn’t plan for it. I just did not feel the need to make many purchases and I enjoyed my collection greatly. I am also grateful for all the freebies and swaps that gave me the possibility to try new to me scents and get some that I always wanted to have in my collection.
I hope 2023 goes the same way. We’ll see!
Sometimes I feel like “no buy” resolutions put unnecessary pressure/guilt on ourselves — I’m glad that being more relaxed about it worked out!
Ditto on NST swaps/splits, it’s so much more fun with perfume friends
I agree with you about the pressure/guilt. Every time that I “committed” to a no/low buy, instead I used to spend a lot of money in scents and then feel guilty. Now, I am pleased to be buying only whatever I feel I am going to appreciate and enjoy a lot. Fingers crossed, I keep it like that! 🤞
Agree! And I love my Zagorsk decant!
I also don’t want to be so damn strict with myself.Sure I have MORE than a lifetimes’ worth of perfume,do I need any more?Of course!
Looking at that bottle of Fenty I’m eyeing….
Get that Fenty without any pressure! Whenever you feel you really want it in your collection!
See my post below re: Fenty.
Oh, I “forgot” to add splits…😃
Please, do not disappoint Donatella! 😄
You did really well this past quarter! Kudos to you!
😊
Ahh yes, let me confess my scented sins! Pretty sure I bought more than these, but here are some notable purchases:
– Agar Aura Malayaku, which i love love love but am allergic to, I am still experimenting with ways of wear. It might be my favorite purchase of the year.
– Di Ser Mizu, which is a lovely citrus hinoki scent, but I can already tell I am not reaching for very often. I started looking into East and SE Asian perfume houses this quarter.
– Chanel Egoiste, which is sure to cause me more damage as it has sent me down a vintage Egoiste rabbit hole. I wouldn’t have paid it any attention if I hadn’t blind smelt it at the Chanel Atelier Beaute fragrance experience in Soho.
– Hermes Cuir d’Ange replacement bottle, which I let go years ago but missed terribly. I shall never be without it from now on. I wrote a whole blog post about it here: https://piratefsh.github.io/2022/10/14/discontinuations-scents-in-2022-pt-2.html
We are absolutely *not* counting the advent calendar, travel sizes and various sample sets… shhh.
What a lovely blog post. I try not to get rid of things nowadays unless I am quite sure that I will never use it again. Yes I have too much perfume, but regrets about letting go a beautiful perfume that I probably will never have again are too much of a risk to worry about tidiness. I’ll live with the excess.
Thank you for reading and for the kind words.
Agreed, I too have learned to live with a little excess — it makes for a delightful rediscovery that wouldn’t happen otherwise.
Also. you have perfume credits from your generous giveaways-we need to factor those into your perfume algorithm :))))
Yes indeed!
That’s a shame about a perfume allergy of something you love! 😢
Glad you got your Hermes replacement bottle – I totally get that. And LOL re: Advent Calendar: that falls under, umm, holiday celebration, not perfume purchase!
4th quarter:
10 ml Impression of Dior Addict from Oil Perfumery
50 ml bottle of OJ Woman, very slightly used
Very happy with these purchases. However, I went way over budget if you look at the entire year. And I’d love to say budget doesn’t matter, but it does in light of other things I want to be doing.
I’m still thinking about how best to handle that and looking at possibly selling some bottles, although I’ll be cautious (per Cazaubon’s wise words above) about letting go of something I’ll wish I still had.
Ooeeeee OJ Woman,nice expenditure!!👍🏻👍🏻
So happy to finally add this one!
I ended up rehoming quite a few bottles in the Autumn. They are now being loved and worn. It’s a good feeling!
I have two FBs to confess to Donatella this quarter, one cheap and one stupidly expensive, so maybe they average out.
I bought Scherrer by Scherrer unsniffed. It was cheap, so I took a punt after reading every review I could find, and I’m happy to report that I like it. That’s a second blind buy by a person who swore she’d never do that!
My other purchase was the ridiculously expensive limited edition from Fort and Manle, Under Which Rivers Flow. Apart from liking the perfume and the bottle, my excuse was supporting my local perfumery. I get a huge amount of pleasure from trying their perfumes, and I feel that I owe them an annual purchase. It makes sense (to me anyway) to pay for something expensive that isn’t likely to turn up at the discounters, rather than buy something from them that is a little less expensive and that I get online for half the price.
If you love it, it makes total sense to me!
Yes.
Oh, congrats on the Scherrer, it’s gorgeous.
As long as you love it, the purchase is more than worth it!
Exactly!
Yay for getting a perfume you love via a blind buy!
Congrats from a kindred Scherrer lover! I’m with you on supporting your local perfumery when they have something you truly love and won’t be able to get at a discount. I would support my local perfumery if there were one here. I might have to start one myself!
So a colleague of mine started her own make-up range,focusing on lippies/foundation/concealer….and some perfumes!
A total of 6 in the range,and the testers are these cute 10ml bottles.So I bought the tester set that makes it 60mls in total.
My gorgeous bottle of Phi Une Rose of course….
The Skins cosmetics holiday box was chocful of deluxe sized minis from Kilian,Kurkdjian,Maison Crivelli amongst others,which in mls probably also works out around 50mls in total.
I think that was it?
In the end I had fun,I explored new and fun perfumes and discovered/supported a colleague/friends’ new venture,which makes every scent spent totally worth it(esp my Phi!!)
Those are very fun purchases!!
Thank you!🤗🤗🌹
That holiday box sounds awesome!
Wow, you have a very talented colleague!
I honestly don’t remember how many bottles I bought. Might have been 2 or 3. I DO know I finally coughed up the cash for My Precious, which was quite spendy. The shipping was ridiculous but luckily foxbins managed to gather a bunch of orders and we were able to split the shipping. Go foxbins! Either way, I would have bought a bottle because it was my singular perfume regret because I was too cheap to get it when it was widely available. Self-flagellation ensued for YEARS until I laid my grasping greedy hands on a full bottle! So happy! I will often take her out of the box and just look at her, sniff the cap, and be whole heartedly delighted!
1) Onda VdE (My Precious!)
2) Shalimar Millésime Tonka
3) Killian Angel’s Share (travel spray)
I’m pretty sure the travel size doesn’t count, but I like to be transparent with my confessor, since she knows all anyway…😬
Glad you got The Precious!
I was so happy when you were able to get Onda!
I remember when you wondered about Angels’ Share, I think I relayed how much I’ve grown to love it, the best Kilian I think. Very happy for you that you got your wish with Onda.
$95, you say? I bought one thing in the last quarter, the Lush Garden (5 10-mL sprays), and it was $95. Canadian dollars, but still.
One of my New Year’s resolutions — I don’t know why I still make them every year, but I do — is to spend $0 on (among other things) scents, and to appreciate what I have. We’ll see how that goes.
LUSH Garden twins!
One of my happiest-ever perfume purchases, not just this fall, was a 100 ml bottle of Masque Milano’s L’Attesa for a not-crazy price. I also finally bought a full bottle of Montale Cafe Ristretto Intense and a back up bottle of my beloved Dusita Douceur de Siam.
L’Attesa! 😍
I think i bought way too much this semester.
Shalimar Tonka, Hermes Violet Volynka, Guerlain Musc Outreblanc, SL La fille de Berlin confit de parfum and Lise Watier Neiges nacre.
I will try not to get any other perfumes this year and enjoy what I have.
Your list is filled with beautiful perfumes.
2nd!
I want to try that confit de parfum, sounds delicious!
It was on sale when I bought it, maybe it still is at Holts.
Shalimar Tonka and a decant of Chanel No. 19 Poudre. An excellent quarter.
Most excellent!
Most excellent!
Is the No. 19 Poudre FBW?
I bought nothing for Black Friday but I acquired quite a few perfumes this quarter:
– Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 100ml £125
– Akro Dark 100ml £80
– Perris Monte-Carlo Mimosa Tanneron 100ml £100
– Rochas Mystère 100ml £75 So, it felt a bit strange spending that amount for a vintage bottle, prices are high for Mystère I find
– Mauboussin Histoire d’eau 75ml £6.56 back-up my best deal
– Vintage Dior Addict 70/100ml £36, a favorite but
– Le Couvent des Minimes Mimosa 100ml £41
– Vintage R&G Oeillet Mignardise 150ml £9.99 my favorite buy
– Germaine Monteil Galoré 60ml £29.99 quite rare and obscure this one, a lovely floral reminiscent somewhat of No 5
Did you get the current SL Borneo? I’ve been thinking either current Miel de Bois or B1834.
Yes it’s the current one in the all black bottle. I like it very much, a dusty, chocolatey patchouli, in fact Dark which I also got this quarter reminds me of it.
Thanks, Aurora!
You have some of the most incredible deals!
Oh, thank you Jalapeno, I’m so used to paying less than £50 on eBay.uk that when I purchase from the discounters I recoil a little but some perfumes never make it to eBay.
Is Akro Dark the chocolate one?
Yes, Lillyjo, it’s a powdery chocolate, complex and not too sweet, in fact I was telling Mossyberry Borneo 1834 and Dark have some similarities.
Wow, you got some vintage bargains! Enjoy!
Thank you Anne, the Dior Addict and Mystère I have waited for years to finally get, patience is the best way to get deals on eBay I find.
I will attempt to follow your example, not being a very patient person in general.
Way too much again this quarter! Ten bottles, but I sold two, so net eight (see what I did there)
Comme des Garcons Zagorsk
Ted Lapidus Rumba
Papillon Artisan Bengale Rouge
Hermes Equipage Geranium
Dior vintage Dune
Oscar de la Renta Coralina
SJP Stash
Parfumerie Generale Arabian Horse
Parfumerie Generale Harmatan Noir
Parfumerie Generale Suede Osmanthe
I don’t want to add it all up, but I didn’t pay full price for any of them, if that counts for anything.
Yay for Parfumerie Generale! I have always found PG’s stuff interesting.
Yes, one of my fave brands!
I love Carolina – good find! I find vintage Dune always holds up – a safe buy!
Don’t @ me, but I don’t like the Dune as much as I remembered. But it’s one of those to hang on to for reference!
Definitely have it on hand – it may reveal its beauty to you some time or another!
Wow, you bought Arabian Horse! I think I’ve seen that on your want list for a while, and it’s still on mine!
Yes, finally! I had a PayPal balance I was dying to use, and placed a big order with Bloom in London. With the exchange rate and free shipping, it really was a bargain!
I reported just one bottle, which is true, but it was the gigantic bottle of 28 La Pausa that pfsh was deaccessioning, so I kind of feel guilty that I didn’t say two bottles. I had not planned to buy anything last quarter, but given that this is possibly my favorite scent of all time, and is now discontinued, it was absolutely worth it! Pfsh, I think that the good deed of letting this bottle go buys you some additional perfume credit!
I think your purchase falls under “Perfume Unicorn” status! 🦄
Oh Donatella, I have much more to confess than usual. I’m now realizing I may have misvoted and it might be 5 bottles? But depends on how you want to count them:
FB of Lyric
30ml Jardin sur le Nil
30ml Lush Turmeric Latte
10ml Zagorsk from the splitmeet
5ml Golestan
And maybe that travel-sized White Cube? Or was that earlier this year? I bought a BUB since it was being discontinued.
We won’t count the samples — so, so many samples, especially with the 20-sample ELdO set I just picked up at Scentrique today (but which was purchased on Boxing Day).
I’ve basically decided going forward that I’m only buying 30 mls or less, unless it’s something I really must have. (Say, they put Bulgari Black on the market — I would buy a BUB in a heartbeat.) On the one hand, that does save a bit of space and money. On the other, it’s an enabler because the bottles aren’t *that* expensive…
Miscount twins, LOL!
I also didn’t count the bottle of S-E-X that hajusuuri sent…hmm.
Since you didn’t buy it, that one doesn’t count! 🤣🤣🤣
Forgive me Donatella,it’s been a VERY long time since my last confession! (but then my purchases have been fewer the last couple of years). Here goes:
Killian Angels share 50 ml
Lancome Iris dragee 100 ml- this was a blind buy but I’m very pleased
Oooh, I was thinking about a travel size of Angel’s Share…
I was also under threat of Donatella’s disdain but got a bottle of Dasein Winter in Q4. I thought Dasein was defunct, it’s certainly not in Canada anymore, and I’d had samples and decants over the years, so was sad. Found there was still a website, but we had terrible trouble with the delivery through FedEx, which meant my shipping charge was refunded. But the Dasein customer service stuck with me very determinedly and I eventually got my bottle after eight weeks. Total cost: $175. I’m loving owning it.
I’m glad your bottle finally arrived! That’s a long time to wait.
Shalimar Millesime Tonka 50ml bottle
Serge Lutens La Couche du Diable 5ml decant
Scent Trunk 5ml travel sizes of Stroopwaffel, Gurjan Balsam, and Cloak Musk
Memo Tiger’s Nest 10ml travel spray
DSH Perfumes MaccaBees 1 dram oil essence pulse roller, Route d’Iris 1 dram oil essence pulse roller, and Cordial 10ml EDP perfume pen pulse roller (these were just purchased last week and haven’t arrived yet – Cordial is the only blind buy of the three)
I’m feeling pretty good about these purchases especially since I only added one full bottle this quarter, and it’s one that I love and have worn multiple times. And I’ve patiently waited for a while to buy Tiger’s Nest and got it on discount during Black Friday sales. I also love the Scent Trunk Gurjun Balsam and heartily recommend it to foresty balsam and musk lovers.
One full bottle per quarter is a good concept for those of us who have limited shelf space!
No shopping on Black Friday for me, either. But I made up for it on other days in this quarter!
1. Etro Gomma EdT, 50mL — $69.95
2. LUSH Garden Perfume Gift set, 5 x 10mL travel sprays — $95
3. Perles de Lalique EdP, 50mL — $24.95
4. Agent Provocateur Aphrodisiaque EdP, 50mL — $17.99
5. Etro Royal Pavillion EdT, 50mL –$69.95
Total = $277.84. Not gonna add up my total for 2022. It’s scary, especially with the Smell Bent going out of business sale. And I made a mistake in the poll and undercounted my bottles for this quarter. 😳 Whoops!
Trying again for a Very Low Buy (1 – 3 bottles for the entire YEAR) for 2023.
Sounds like a very well-curated quarter to me! Those Etros, especially! Joining you in “moving on” from 2022 total. But still thinking about strategy for 2023!
Thanks! I’ve noticed the Etro are becoming scarce on the usual discount sites that I haunt…
What do you think of the AP Aphrodisiac?
I, um, haven’t tried it yet. Sometimes I can go for years before I open a perfume bottle.
I usually wait 1 -2 weeks in case I change my mind.
I agree with Mossyberry, it’s a lovely list, those Etro scents are gems, so unique.
Lady Donatella, you understand my vintage loving ways! And you know I still don’t subscribe to any streaming or cable channels…so:
Jean Patou Heritage Collection Adieu Sagesse new/sealed 100ml $68.29
Shalimar Millesime Tonka $267.49. This chump got a back-up at regular price from Guerlain. But FOMO.
KL Sun Moon Stars, vintage partial 50ml $3.25. Right?
OdlR Volupte parfum mini $3.25. Love it.
Oooooooooooh Very Nice getting your hands on the Heritage Collection Adieu Sagesse!
Sun Moon and Stars for $3.25!?!
Oh well partial it is; the lovely bottle with a few mls left that do smell great.
Yes on the Heritage Jean Patou, Jalapeno and I own several, and what a great bargain $3.25!
I’m fairly certain I bought 3 bottles.
1. 20 ml YSL Champagne
2. Travel spray of TF Velvet Orchid
3. Fenty edp.
I received 2 bottles as gifts that I picked out. YSL In Love Again and Tiffany Trueste.
J B … you should get the Fenty so I can feel less guilty! Lol
As much as I hate to admit it. It is a very good perfume.
The TF Velvet Orchid has such a pretty bottle.
I got a great deal on the travel spray. $20.00.
I couldn’t resist!
Fenty was a surprise LOVE for me,really interesting perfume!
Wow, you have a very talented colleague!
How did this end up here???
I remember when you got Champagne, enjoy it.
One bottle, a replacement of DSH Inner Sanctum, and 5ml Epic Woman from the split meet, and a sample of Cardinal. It feels like more since I’ve eagerly raised my hand for some delightful freebies, thanks for those!
I know I need a back up for an almost empty favorite, Memoirs of a Trespasser, sometime this year but that’s about it. I’m content and have no lemmings but I will need to sample Zoologist Harvest Mouse.
I just bought a backup of Memoirs of a Trespasser earlier this fall, a longtime favorite. Where will you get Harvest Mouse from? I emailed Ministry of Scent because I heard it was exclusive to them but they never replied.
I order my samples from Zoologist, they’re nice 2ml sprays.
I did some retail therapy this quarter with no regrets. In no particular order:
1) Sana Jardin Incense Water roll on
2) Glossier you solid
3) Apothia If travel spray
4) Apothia The California travel spray
5) January Scent Project Horla (30 ml)
6) 4160 Tuesdays Freeway (full bottle)
7) DSH Avocado Toast (10 ml)
8) DSH The Art of Letting Go (10 ml)
My fragrance resolutions for this year are:
1) Wear my January Scent Project perfumes at least once in January (5 bottles = 5 days).
2) Enjoy the heck out of my lovely collection.
3) Don’t order perfume online, buy in person.
I love Freeway! I’m focusing on wearing what I already own this year too. Interesting choice of number 3 – is this a strategy to reduce buying? That would certainly work for me as there is almost nothing available that I would want to buy in San Diego. Montreal is another story, I could easily overdo it there buying in person.
It is a strategy to reduce buying! I have enough perfume to last for more than a year. If I run out of something or really crave something, I’ll either buy it in person, find an acceptable substitute or wait until 2024 to order it.