Donatella, Our Lady of Perfumed Plenitude,1 had a busy summer as always (look for Versace to bring back joy in spring/summer 2025) but now it is October, and she is pausing to hear the confessions of her flock. She'd very much like to know what you bought in the 3rd quarter (July, August and September) of 2024.
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...
Donatella, forgive me, but I have bought nothing since early 2023.
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.
Forgive me for I have splurged!
1. Guerlain L’Homme Idéal Eau de Parfum (100 ml + 15 ml) – 30%
2. Hermès Elixir des Merveilles (100 ml) – 15%
3. J’Adore de Dior Eau de Parfum (100 ml + 12.5 ml)
4. Hermès Eau d’orange verte (200 ml) – 50%
5. Jour d’Hermès (30 ml) – 30%
6. Hermès H24 Eau de Toilette (30 ml + 125 ml) – 50%
In my defence, I got all of them at a discount (the percentage is indicated at the end), while I found the vintage J’Adore gift set at a charity shop for less than £10. And three of them (L’Homme Idéal, J’Adore, and H24) I gave as gifts.
So that comes down to 3 and a half bottles, including the 15 ml spray of L’Homme Idéal.
But I did also pick up the Eau des Merveilles body cream (50%), shower gel (50%) and deodorant spray (30%).
At any rate, I don’t see myself picking up any more fragrances soon. An exception may be made for Barénia though, if I get a good deal on it!
You got some great things and with a discount too!
Indeed!
Most of these I had been eyeing for a while but had abstained from purchasing. So seeing them heavily discounted (rare occurrence!), I couldn’t pass them up.
What’s more, during one of the shopping trips, the sales assistant offered to make me samples of any fragrances I wanted, so I got quite a few Hermès samples — including Jour d’Hermès, which I then went back for.
That’s great!
Hermès scents have been hit or miss with me, but you got my two favorites, Elixir de Merveilles and Jour d’Hermès. Elixir is what I wanted from so many other spicy, “Christmas” style perfumes that would end up being too much like a candle. Jour is the grapefruit, fresh style that really clicked with me. And both bottles are very attractive.
I tend to admire most Hermès fragrances, even though I may not necessarily want to wear them. And I’ve found that they must always be tried on skin.
I had tried Elixir des Merveilles on paper several times, and every time I would recoil from it because there was something camphorous to it to my nose. It is not until I decided to try it on skin that I fell in love with it.
Jour d’Hermès always felt wan on paper; it is only on skin that it reveals its beauty.
I’m glad I got them as these have been disappearing from shelves to make place for newer releases.
Extra glad you got them, then – I did not know they were disappearing over the horizon.
Dear Lady Donatella, may it please you to know I did some damage this quarter.
Amouage – Guidance 46 x 2
Dior – Oud Ispahan Esprit de Parfum
Guerlain – Shalimar Millesime Jasmin
Hermes – Oud Alezan
Lancome – La Vie est Belle L’Elixir
Parfums de Marly – Delina Exclusif
Tom Ford – Beau De Jour
Zoologist – Rabbit
I purchased the Shalimar one too. I really do like it, but I think it will be better for summer so will get out my Shalimar MI for the cooler months coming up.
I was thinking the same thing. Shalimar Jasmin feels more like a Spring perfume to me.
I agree as well! Definitely Spring.
No full bottles for me this quarter. The only things I bought was the travel spray of Chloe and a travel spray of Infusion Vanilla by Prada. I might have over $450 in Ulta rewards, but there is nothing that is catching my fancy in mainstream perfume from Ulta.
I bought four 5 ml decants and one 6 ml decant and counted all of this as one bottle, since the total volume (26 ml) is rather low.
Diptyque Eau Capitale 5 ml
Jean Patou 1000 5 ml
Berdoues 1902 Violette 5 ml
Caron Yatagan 5 ml
Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles 6 ml
About 30 euros spent, so I think I showed some restraint.
You definitely showed restraint🙂
Yes, but SheriG’s comments reminded me of my soap purchases. I spent more on soap actually.
Yatagan is marvelous! I wonder why I haven’t picked that one up yet.
I must get some Yatagan, too.
I thought I’d shown some restraint this quarter, but upon reviewing my “orders” folder I see that I actually acquired more than usual. Ugh. As if I need any more perfume! But Hermes Rocabar, Dior Eau Sauvage, three travel sprays in the Imaginary Authors family, Au Delà Narcisse, and Profumum Ambra Aurea all entered the collection. And some perfumed soaps! So much for restraint.
Maybe you didn’t restrain yourself, but you got some great items.
Sounds like you got some good stuff.
I actually spent more on soaps than on perfume, damn it.
You definitely grabbed some beauties this time.
Perfumer H Gold 5ml decant
Frederic Malle En Passant 10ml travel spray
St. Clair Eve 13ml bottle
Chanel Boy 75ml bottle
Hermes Un Jardin Apres la Mousson 100ml bottle
Hermes Terre d’Hermes 12ml travel spray
It could have been worse but also could have been much better. In my defense, Eve and Boy had been on my list for a while and I got both on discount. I also got an incredible deal on En Passant, and the Mousson is discontinued so it was now or never. I also bought too many samples and candles and splurged on Flying Fox shower gel. Thank goodness none of those count in Donatella’s eyes. 😉
Flying Fox twins!
Good choice on the En Passant travel spray!
I guess maybe I didn’t do quite as bad as I thought, but I still bought five bottles. One I swapped because it didn’t work for me and another may go too. Three of them I love though so that’s a good thing.
4160 Tuesdays Lush Lush
Guerlain Shalimar Millisime Jasimine
Pierre Guillaume Indochine
Zara Parfait d’Orchidee
Zara Romance d’Iris
Total $481.74
When I finished dilly-dallying and went to get Romance d’Iris, it was sold out. Just checked again today, it looks like it’s coming back so I signed up to be notified when it drops.
Oh, good. I think you will like this. When you told me it was out the last time, I looked the next day and it was back in.
Might be time for me to give Parfait d’Orchidee another sniff. Mornings are a little nippy now.
I have kept my sins to a minimum.
1. Dyptique Eau Duelle EDT 50ml
2. Three Day Fragrancesm La Tacita de Cafe EDP – 10ml
3. OJ Kashmir EDP – 10ml
AND
YSL Babycat – 2.5fl YEAH!
So glad you got your Babycat!
I have a decant that I am going to retry in the winter. It was too much for me in the heat.
Yes, I had a person come home and picked up a bottle for me in Italy. So the price was good and the desire was strong!
Whoo hoo on getting Babycat! I know you fell hard for it.
Guilty as charged…
I actually bought more this quarter than I have in a long time.
Beauty Pie Element 79- 50 ml- $39
Beauty Pie Le Smash Santal-50 ml-$39
Prada Un Chant d’Amour-100 ml-$60
Glossier You Doux-50 ml-$78 purchased today!
The Prada was a score that I was so happy about and the Beauty Pie perfumes are practically perfumemath free. I also sold 2 bottles and one travel spray on evilbay, so I’m just gonna call it even.😉
That’s a great deal on the Prada!
I really hope you like the Glossier You. Report back!
Right? That line is crazy expensive.
Thanks! Me too.🤞 I will report back.
I can finally (and virtuously) say I bought nary a one. That will surely change when there’s awesome Black Friday type sales.
I can’t wait for the Black Friday sales!
Waiting for the Black Friday Sale at Fzotic!
Lush Sticky Dates body spray, $42 (CAD)
Lush Yog Nog body spray, $46
and that’s it. $88 for the quarter, and I think for the entire year: I’ve been wearing stuff I already own and not feeling bad at all about not buying anything new. But these two are very nice for the upcoming cool/cold weather.
I so enjoy the quarterly damage poll, it’s great to see what has taken everyone’s fancy!
I bought just one bottle, Magenta Tanzanite from Armani Privé.
Love that perfume. I’m very tempted.
I didn’t buy anything this quarter, I haven’t bought anything since March. I am still waiting for TF Cherry Smoke to come out in a travel size and I think I will buy two Hiram Green fragrances on Black Friday.
Twinning with Foxbins and Tea Thyme. Zippity Zero Zilch. That may change this month so I’m hoping Donatella doesn’t give me the boot just yet…😬
Two purchases at the airport:
Hermes Barenia 60 ml
Kenzo Flower 15 ml
I’m really pleased with Barenia
Barénia is the only thing currently on my wishlist.
I’m intrigued by its seemingly chameleon-like quality where everyone perceives it differently and can relate it to wildly different fragrances.
For my part, I find it bears some resemblance to Galop, though it’s very much its own fragrance.
I wish more perfumes came in 15mLs!
Me too!
I bought more this quarter than I have in a long time. All very good deals.
Lalique Perles de Lalique
Vintage Chanel No. 5
Replaced Shalimar edc
Montale Cafe Intense Ristretto
Mini of vintage Coco parfum
These are pretty much all cool weather scents, except No.5 and Shalimar edc, so I’m looking forward to wearing everything. The Coco is wonderful, a little dab is plenty.
You got some great one’s!
Is the Montale really strong?
Not as strong as many Montales! I also got a decant of Intense Cafe which I like but it’s mainly rose on me. The Ristretto version has more coffee, which I was looking for.
I personally did not care for the Ristretto, but as much as I love to drink coffee, I don’t like wearing it. Just my preference.
You found some great things. I just received the Shalimar EDC during the swap. I like it, but see it more as a warm weather scent. May have to try in the cooler months.
I have several vintages and concentrations of Shalimar but the edc is my favorite, it’s good year round.
Perles de Lalique is gorgeous! And very much a cool/cold weather scent.
Good find on the Coco mini! I have some vintage sample vials and truly vintage Coco is a one-dab wonder.
I bought 4! That’s a lot for me.
Arquiste Flor y Canto
Hilde Soliani Orgasmo
Vintage Patou Sublime body mist
Le Labo Myrrhe 55
That Sublime must smell…..sublime.
You’ve been quite happily wearing the Myrrhe 55! No regrets there.
Flor y Canto is lovely, I have it too after waiting 12 years.
I didn’t buy anything this quarter. I wonder if I will buy anything in the last quarter of this year. We’ll see.
I also didn’t buy anything this quarter, but there is one perfume that is really tempting me this autumn – FM Heaven Can Wait. I am going to check if I can get the travel size as a birthday gift from my sister 😆
I am really wanting to smell this one. I went to the local fancy department store on Monday because I saw on their website that they carry the Frederic Malle line. Turns out they are in-store in Dublin only. (That’s three hours away.) sigh.
May have to order a sample when we are back in the US. I hope you get it and love it!
Lady Donatella would approve for I have misbehaved.
Details? (Please?)
Seconding this motion!
Did MUCH better this quarter than the previous! I still succumbed to the allure of new (to me) perfumes, though.
Many thanks to Aurora, who encouragingly said last quarter that I would do better this go-round. Two of the perfumes were purchased while I was on a trip, so maybe they don’t count?
The third perfume was a limited edition and I had $10 off at Sephora. That one snuck in at the very end of September.
1. YSL Black Opium Neon EdP, 50mL — $136.47
2. CK Obsession EdP, 50mL — $32.23
3. Jo Malone London Rose Amber Cologne, 50mL — $102
Total for the quarter = $270.70
That Jo Malone is excellent imo. Did you get the one with the big flower on the front?
Yep. I missed out on the original, so I decided I wasn’t going to miss out a second time.
Yay for your feeling good about this quarter. Very restrained indeed and Obsession is so good.
Thank you! Now it’s time for another reset.
Did you already have any other Black Opiums? If so, why Neon, aside from the cool bottle?
Nope, the Black Opium Neon is the only one I have. Got it at an airport Duty Free shop because I liked how the tester smelled.
I very much enjoy the style of Black Opium in its own right – it cannot be overstated that the name is so wrong to anyone who remembers 1970’s scent. And I do love window bottles. We will have to test our versions against other Black Opiums one of these days!
Technically I purchased 5 bottles and 1 mini. The first 4 are perfume math free so they don’t really count.
1. Phlur Ameline ( old bottle type)
2. Lanvin Oxygene
3. Chanel No5 edt mini
4. Coco Mademoiselle edt.
I purchased these for $5.00 each from my boss. He goes garage sale hunting and looks for perfume for me while he’s there.
I also purchased
5. Shalimar Millesime Jasmin ( I had a 10% coupon)
6. Lancome LVEB L’Extrait ($70.00)
Oh also
7. Gucci Accenti purchased with a gift card so doesn’t count.
I’m giving an official total of 2.
Someone’s been taking perfume accounting lessons! 😉
Ha! I finally figured it out. Lol.
So how do the rest of us sign up for bosses like yours? That’s so great!
We are always hiring!
So nice your boss hunted perfumes for you.
He loves the thrill of the hunt.
I love that boss story, and my first thought was I am glad he appreciates you because I often think of how you go that extra mile when there are problems at your job.
There are many of us that would look elsewhere for work if he left.
Half a bottle for me, I guess — 15 ml of Puente Iris Doux before he shut down his store for revamping. I shall pay more homage to Donatella when I’m in Italy and France this quarter. 🙂
I won’t repeat two purchases I already confessed when I bought them and this keeps conveniently my total to 5 bottles which is my limit:
SL Nuit de cellophane 100ml £61.95 not a bestseller but I’ve always found it fruity and impressively diffusive free postage
Elie Saab Essence no1 rose 100ml £55.54 it’s discontinued, a velvety, jammy rose, linear free postage
SL La fille de Berlin 100ml £61.95 I had wanted it forever free postage
Brécourt Farah 50ml £45 this is my favorite purchase, the date note is so delicious
Parfums d’empire Cuir Ottoman 50ml £56.30 I haven’t opened it yet, my first from this house, free postage
Great idea about the pre-confession! 🙂 Also, I really like La Fille, and I am not a rose person so good choice!
Confessing on the spot is the way to go😉 when one is trying hard to respect a low buy, I also had to admit to several little bpal oils, they were very affordable and take up almost no space and you know, oils don’t count as perfume. Lfdb is special, so happy you have it too.
The price on the Elie Saab line rose very quick once it was discontinued. Great deal!
Ah true, I have two now (the other one is essence gardenia, equally good, it’s a gardenia-jasmine, not tuberose as is often the case). Rose was at a British discounter I like, called Allbeauty, they sometimes have great deals on discontinued perfumes.
La Fille de Berlin is gorgeous. Excellent choice and equally excellent price!
Thank you, I waited fir a long time to fibd a good price, only regret is I don’t need 100ml of anything as my collection is so large.
*for *find
lovely scent
I was quite restrained until Shalimar MJ came along!
Elizabeth Taylor partial original Black Pearls 50ml $9.89
Caron Infini vintage parfum 15ml $42.25
Rochas mini Fleur d’Eau and Lancome Treasor mini $14.02
Lancome 5 carded samples Jasmins Marzipane $22.39
Guerlain Shalimar MJ 50ml x 2 total $280.00
I have not gotten around to testing the Infini, which is still corded and looks ok (the box was with it) but I will. I kinda-sorta wanted it for the bottle, but I like Infini edp so here’s hoping. Speaking of bottles, I also got a 9″ tall Nahema edt factice which, as Donatella probably knows, I greedily was hoping did contain perfume though it was not advertised that way. $199, and I would not have paid so much if I knew it was a factice. Oh well, I seldom buy tchotchkes, and it is fun to see it on my dresser with my mini collection.
Black Pearls never got the love it deserved imo.
I knew it would be in my bailiwick, and the bottle is very nice, too. I was glad to finally get to sample it.
Infini parfum, swooning, I have the parfum de toilette.
Vintage Black Pearl is so good, great deal.
Jasmins Marzipane is so pretty!
Nothing for me after buying more than I expected in the first half of the year. But I have a lot of samples in the running, either for 2025, if I show restraint, or 2024, if I crack.
Late to the party, and I didn’t even bring a gift. I bought nothing this past quarter. Even sold a bottle, so my total for the quarter is -1. Donatella may revoke my future party invitations.
found a nearly FB of Givenchy III dating from the early 90s at the flea market for just 20€, so practically a gift! i have the current version too, but the older one is soooo much better