Donatella, Our Lady of Fragranced Forgiveness,1 has officially delivered her final campaign as creative director at Versace, and we await news of what she is planning to do next. Meanwhile, she's ready to hear the confessions of her flock, so please report what you bought in the 2nd quarter (April, May and June) of 2025.
Note that we do not have a little voting poll this time to report how many bottles you bought. Sorry, I screwed something up and cannot fix it today! Report your purchases in the comments.
Me: I am pretty sure I bought nothing, or at least, nothing scented that Donatella cares about (I will have a few confessions for the "What's In Your Shower" poll, coming up in a few weeks).
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.
Dear Lady Donatella,
You may be pleased to hear that I opened my wallet this quarter.
Amouage Reasons
Amouage Epic 56
Dior Bois Talisman
Dusita Tonka Latte
LV eLVes
MFK Le Beau Parfum
What do you think of the Tonka Latte?
It’s delicious! A pure gourmand. It is milky almond vanilla and caramelised tonka bean. But it manages to be airy enough for a summer’s day.
A partial bottle of Gabrielle Essence and a mini of Beautiful.
Love both of those.
In what may be a first for me, I purchased nothing this quarter–not even a single sample. I do hope that in her new role, Our Lady continues to hear our confessions!
Twins!
Oh Donatella! I bought some decants to replace earlier empties. Largely inspired by the community projects.
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt 10 ml
Comme des Garcons Series 3 Incense: Avignon 5 ml
Montale Full Incense 5 ml
Jo Malone Orange Blossom 7 ml
That is less than one 50 ml bottle 🙂
Officially I bought nothing. However, I did receive a bottle of PdN Muguet and I bought a sample set of Spoturno scents, so it wasn’t an entirely unscented quarter.
Best way to get a new bottle, right?
I purchased more full bottles than usual.
1. Guerlain AA Orange Soleia
2. Clarins Eau Dynamisante
3. Nina Ricci Bella
4. Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur
I also purchased a good many 5ml decants to try a new fragrance, and a few 9 or 10 ml decants of scents I like, but can’t afford as a full bottle.
Still, not bad!
My number was 4 last quarter:
FB of Imaginary Authors’ A Little Secret (for Mr. G because I read him the ad copy for it and he immediately said, “I want that!”)
FB of IA Telegrama (for me, because it makes me feel pampered)
BUB of Eau d’Hadrien EDT (for me, because I worry about this formulation getting axed)
And finally, an 18 ml bottle of Profumum Roma Arso. If they made 50 ml bottles I would definitely have scooped one up, but 100 mls is just too much these days. Maybe I need another 18 mls … ? 😆
I loved that ad copy for IA A Little Secret also–especially as I grew up on a cherry orchard in eastern Washington. And I REALLY wanted that mug, but they sold out quickly. I didn’t buy a bottle, but I am enjoying my two samples.
Sadly, I inspired myself to order another travel size of Arso … and while I was at it I went and ordered travelers of Agar Ebene (a backup), Myrrh Eglantine, Vetiver Tonka and Cedre Sambac. Naughty.
Another quarter of buying zero perfume for me.
I did buy BBW Fresh Cut Lilacs, and Off the Vine body mists with matching body products. I spent about 22 dollars after using my coupons.
But now you have a voucher from your birthday😀
I’m quite proud of myself! I have one purchase, Elizabeth Taylor’s Diamonds and Sapphires, for $14.99.
It’s not quite as I remember the original, but it’s good, safe for work and the gym.
I don’t think I have ever smelled Diamonds and Sapphires but I have the pillar White Diamonds which I wear inside the house only because it’s so strong.
I bought two bottles and two travel sprays, in Paris France, which I am sure counts as some fort of bonus:
Bottles:
PdN Muguet
Fragonard Encens Fève Tonka
Travel size:
AV Mantes-la-Jolie
FM Eau de Magnolia
I am sure it does!
Dear Donatella, we don’t share the same style, but you have my admiration for your bravery in taking over after the terrible murder of your brother. i hope your new role is enjoyable!
This quarter I bought:
>Moschino Cheap & Chic I Love Love, 50 ml – greatly enjoying in the summer weather
>Burberry Goddess, 50 ml – I love this designer fragrance. Ginger, lavender and a gorgeous vanilla.
>Vacation Grand Cuvee body mist, 90 ml – this one jumped into my basket right at the end of June as I ordered some Vacation sunscreen and is currently on its way to me.
>The usual amount of sample ordering which is too many, but never as many as I want to try.
Report back on the Vacation please!
I set myself a budget for last quarter, and what do you know… budgeting works! 🙄
Ormonde Jayne Woman
vintages:
Ellen Tracy splash
Carven Intrigue splash
Vent Vert parfum!
Jolie Madame parfum!
Avon Cote d’Azur
Capucci de Capucci
Sabatini Cascaya
Pacoma Swann
Faberge Partage
Renato Balestra
Congrats on sticking to the budget! (If you did. I can’t tell from that face.)
Donatella,
I have only two to report:
Chloe Cedrus
SMN Incenso
Such restraint!
Not bad at all.
Maque Milano L’Attesa-gave away
Dior Dune-giving away
FM Lipstick Rose-I really like this
Hermes Hiris-very nice
I always think I will do better next quarter and not get anything, but my impulse control could use a little work🤣
Ooh, did I miss your report on L’Attesa? It’s not for you? I’m tempted to pick up a decant or travel spray.
I always love the quarterly damage polls and don’t feel too bad about mine this quarter. I spent almost half as much as I spent on perfume in quarter one and got a few great deals!
Bottles:
Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Jasmin 50ml: fantastic deal from FragranceNet
Fzotic Deixis 30ml bottle (I forgot to share my thoughts when I’ve worn it, but I love it! It’s a gorgeous veil of amber, incense, and vanilla.)
Travel sprays:
Fzotic Unsettled 9ml travel spray x2: bought one of these from him when he announced he was discounting it and had marked down what was left, and bought another at a good price on eBay
Annick Goutal Le Chevrefeuille and Tenue de Soirée 10ml travel sprays: Got an amazing deal on these on eBay. TdS was a blind buy and is gorgeous.
Decants from NST splits:
Perfumer H Smoke 5ml
Prada Heat Wave 5ml
Chloe Atelier des Fleurs Orchidée de Minuit 5ml
Nice buys!
you can never go wrong with Shalimar or buying on that website is usually cheap as chips
Congrats on the Chevrefeuille, love that one.
Thanks! I was a little nervous since I have a much older bottle and worried the more recent formulation would be disappointing, but it still retains the same character.
JP Amour Amour EDT 240ml £56, I plan to apply liberally
FM Iris Poudre 100ml £140.18 free shipping from the seller I like and trust, it was a blind buy but all is well as I love it, tested it but no full wear yet
I had every intention to keep it to one FM but couldn’t resist when Parfum de Thérèse got listed also 90/100ml £120, this wasn’t a blind buy, I got free shipping for these two bottles
White cube 90ml £47 it’s a new category which I call ‘Lillyjo made me buy it’😉, I received it only recently, only tested but do like it very much
Vintage Shalimar EDT 93ml 3/4 full £31.60, it’s a back up for a half empty 50ml bottle which was oldish but not vintage, so I count it as half a purchase only, my absolute favorite is still my vintage parfum de toilette
Vintage Coco extrait 15ml £54.48
You got some great things!
Thank you Kris, I had to wait a long time for Parfum de Thérese in particular.
Great buy on the vintage Coco, among others!
You know, I’ve always preferred the EDT of Coco versus the EDP, the extrait is sumptuous and 15ml is a perfect, reasonable amount imo. It came from Japan with free shipping and is the real deal with the seal and baudruchage.
That’s such a great find! I prefer the edt as well and have a couple of iterations, including a tiny bottle of vintage parfum. It’s so lovely.
Thank you ringthing, yes, there is something about the EDT, a sort of smooth spiciness, different from the EDP.
Yay for White Cube!
Great deals as usual!
I didn’t need to try it before buying because our tastes are so alike.
FM is so expensive! But so very worth it. Good job!
I only bought 2 bottles this quarter. I used Ulta points for a bottle of Coco Mademoiselle Intense and bought a body spray of Cheirosa 62 from Sephora. Still waiting on that Headspace bottle from the Perfume Posse contest. The Headspace bottle isn’t high on the priority list right now.
But a contest win, congrats!
I went to Paris and was prepared to buy anything that bowled me over but to my surprise, I came home with only five bottles. I think because I have so much there isn’t a lot that smells new or interesting to me. But I did sniff almost everything I had heard about and hadn’t sniffed before. The woman at ELDO let me sniff every bottle in the shop! Jovoy, too! Here’s what I came home with:
ELDO Remarkable People 100ml
SL Rahat Loukhoum 75ml
L’Artisan Bana Banana 100ml
Fragonard Fleur d’Oranger edt 100ml
Memo Moon Fever 75ml
I should mention that aside from the Lutens, everything I bought is available at discounters here in the US, so I could have saved money if I had sniffed there and bought later. But for me, the experience of buying perfume in Paris was worth paying extra.
Absolutely it’s worth the experience!!
Nice choices. Sounds like it was very enjoyable!
It’s the memories you’ve created with getting each bottle! How fantastic!
I’ve stayed a few things to confess, because I did some shopping in Europe in April, but I didn’t go quite as crazy as previous occasions. I came home with:
Guerlain Ambre Samar- it had just been released in the previous few days and was all over duty free in Dubai, a sweetish amber, but not too sweet.
Coreterno – a set of three 10ml travel sprays from the gift shop at the Borghese gallery, Night Idol, Mystic Sugar and Psychodelicious.
Stephen Cordina Osiris – an impulse buy from Malta, a souvenir from a local perfumer.
Arte Profumi Samharam – this was on my shopping list and I found it in Florence.
Molinard Habanita – a souvenir of Nice
Fragonard Fragonard – another souvenir of Nice.
After I got home, I finally got the bottle of SL’s Baptême du Feu that had been out of stock whrn I ordered it back in January. Then I bought Queen of the Night from The Merchant of Venice. I’m counting that last one as part of my holiday shopping. I’d tried it on my travels and thought I’d buy it if I ever found it at half price, and I was surprised to find exactly that just a few weeks later!
How fun to bring back fragrant souvenirs from all the various places you traveled.
Did you do one of the perfume making classes in nice? I wanted to do Molinard but ended up doing fragonard with my friends since it was cheaper and they aren’t into perfume as much as i am (or at all? Hehe) but they had a great time!
I got two small bottles, PdN Muguet and her Iris Medicis.
Plus two sample packs of the Masque Milano range.
I love the Nicolaïs, the MM’s not so much.
I probably should try the Iris Medicis.
Eau de Mervielles
Tensue de Soirée
Lune Feline
Eeek! That is a lot for me! 💰
All good purchases though!
None of this would have happened if I hadn’t been traveling in the UK and spent a week in London. As fate would have it, Donnatella was also in London, taking meetings regarding her new creative direction and, of course, doing some perfume shopping.
We locked eyes in the Perfumery Hall at Harrods and I knew that any restraint, any discipline I had had was no match for her fragrant resolve. A Svengali-like trance later, the damage was done:
MFK Absolu Le Soir
Exaltatum St. Paul’s
Tauer’s newest, Shadid
And it was such a powerful trance, I just realized that it had a pre-affect on me. Even before leaving the US, I went to my local perfume shop’s “garage sale”. Even though they closed a year and 1/2 ago, they are still selling testers and in some cases full bottles at a deep discount (e.g. no more than $20 per bottle and in some cases $5/bottle!). Though Donnatella told me in no uncertain terms that she wished I’d paid full price, she applauded the effort.
Sigli Anima Mundi
Yoshi Sombra Negra
Diptyque Eau Rose, Philosykos, Eau Lente, L’Eau du Trente-Quatre
SL La Vierge de Fer
Carner El Born
Parfums DelRae Bois de Paradis
Carthusia Essence of the Park
Andrea Maack Ceramic and Cornucopia
Mad and Len Graphite
10 nearly full bottles of SMN including Ambra, Caprifoglio, Colonia Russa, Patchouli, Potpourri and Rossa.
I’m absolutely green with envy over your discounted bottles/testers! How wonderful, and also hook a local perfumista pal up with how you’re so in the know on these deals from the beloved closed up shop?! I’m sure they’re pretty much sold out now, but dang. I’m ready to come browse from your collection. 😉
Also, that Exaltatum St. Paul’s sounds very intriguing and worth a sniff. Your vacation purchases are wonderful.
Hi Perfume Pal! They sprung this one on me last minute but I will keep you posted on any upcoming sales and you are more than welcome to visit the “perfume fort” as Mr. allo calls it, and/or I can send you decants of anything I snagged.
You’re too sweet! I do always enjoy swapping with you. 😉
I need to order some new decant bottles, but I may reach out soon to see about a fun summer swap.
I’m thrilled for you on that Bois de Paradis find! I was able to snag a bottle right before Luckyscent sold out so I’m always happy for others when they manage to find a deal on it.
Please do!😊☀️
I just love seeing a long confession! Awesome finds!
I haven’t had this long of a list in a long time (or one I was willing to confess😬). The perfumemathishness of this list helped😊
🙂
😊
Wow, what an opportunity!
I was thrilled!
Holy freaking smoke!! What an amazing haul!
I know! Some of these bottles will definitely make it into the next Swapmeet.
Epic, so happy for you about these great deals.
Thank you!
A pre-affect!! Love it.
😊
Donatella might turn her nose up at my confession. I went on a Demeter Fragrance bender towards the end of June, and came out with 13 different scents. Then again, I did also get a gorgeous limited edition bottle of a Cartier perfume. And a couple of ETRO perfumes. So I guess it all balances out?
Hope I didn’t forget anything!
1. ETRO Ambra, 100mL — $102.26
2. Cartier La Panthere Etincelante EdP, 75mL — $95.49
3. ETRO Dianthus, 100mL — $91.00
4. Demeter Thunderstorm, 30mL — $25.00
5. Demeter Holy Water, 30mL — $24.76
6 – 16. Demeter Myrrh purse spray, 15mL; Demeter Hyacinth purse spray, 15mL; Demeter Frankincense purse spray, 15mL; Demeter Gingerale purse spray, 15mL; Demeter Jasmine purse spray, 15mL; Demeter Rain purse spray, 15mL; Demeter White Sangria perfume oil roll-on, 10mL; Demeter Iris Purple purse spray, 15mL; Demeter Calypso purse spray, 15ml; Demeter Yo To Ran purse spray, 15mL; and Demeter Cattelya mini purse spray, 5mL: — $77.99
Total for the quarter = $416.50
Wow! Great haul!
Fun buys! You’ll have to let us know which Demeters are your favorite.
That’s a lovely list, you kindly gave me an enabler pin for Dianthus, I hope you are enjoying it, definitely one of my favorite carnations, and I’m in awe of all these Demeter travel sprays and it’s a great investment, so affordable and La Panthère flanker looks like a good deal too. How is Etro Ambra?
“Only” two purchases this quarter-a travel spray of kurky and 1 oz of soleil neige (managed to get it on a sephora popback!). I sold some other perfumes, so technically these were both free 😘
Yay, free bottles!
Only one full bottle purchase this quarter (and a few samples that don’t count). I got a discounted Amouge Imitation Woman.
I have to add I bought some samples from Perfumology and was so impressed by the speed in which I received them and the quality of the samples.
Hooray for a good discount!
250ml of L’Heure Bleue in a beautiful bee bottle.