It's April, so you know it's time for a visit from Donatella Versace, Our Lady of Creative Perfume Math.1 She's looking forward to the upcoming Gianni Versace Retrospective at the Musée Maillol in Paris, but meanwhile she has set aside a moment or two to hear the confessions of her flock. She'd very much like to know what you bought in the 1st quarter (January, February and March) of 2026.
My purchases...
I really tried! Or at least, I tried more than usual. I even went sniffing at Sephora and Ulta. But I bought nada.
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.
Got 3 perfumes the quarter.
1. Chanel no 19 edt
2. Rogue Perfumery Flos Mortis
3. Rogue Perfumery Champs Lumaires
Wasn’t quite so enthused with Champs Lumaires. The current version of no 19 edt wasn’t as leathery as the vintage and maybe the powdery iris didn’t quite fit but I still like it. Flos Mortis is still awesome.
God I love no. 19! I agree the current version is much thinner and way less buttery than before (emasculated, so to speak) but it’s still pretty good. Thankfully I’ve got a third of a vintage splash EdT left, so no need to spring for a new bottle yet.
I got a 80% full bottle of Chanel 19 – vintage – lovely, of course, but not for the faint hearted when I first spray it on.
Dear Lady Donatella, may it please you to know that I have grown my collection is past quarter.
Amouage Outlands
Balenciaga Le Dix Collection 10ml minis set
Chanel Comete
Christian Louboutin Oud Fétiche
Dior Dolce Vita
Juliette Has A Gun Banana Rush
LV Ambre Levant
Please tell me about Outlands and Banana Rush!
Yayyyy for the Comete!!
I bought just one bottle, in February. Despite telling myself I needed to go to Fumerie to smell some new things, somehow I never made it there. I bought 100 mls of Yves Rocher Voile d’Ocre edp unsniffed on a recommendation from a sandalwood lover. It’s nice, it was cheap, and I can spray with abandon. It’s light so I can wear it in summer when Box of Eels feels too heavy.
Where did you find Yves Rocher?
https://yvesrocherusa.com/
Thank you!
One bottle that arrives today.
Acqua de Parma Boungiorno that will be my summer fragrance.
As always, I’ve been enjoying trying samples.
Only purchase so far:
Penhaligon’s Changing Constance (key notes per Pen’s: cardamom, salted butter caramel, tobacco) 10 ml travel spray from Penhaligon’s USA.
It’s very quickly a skin scent but I’ll just spray more often and enjoy it while I have it.
Zip, Zero, Nada, Nuthin’, Poor me!
Oops, I forgot! I’m not so poor after all. I bought the new Zoologist Love Bird with the very pretty box and bottle designs. I’ve not worn it very much, however. It’s taking me time to adjust to as it’s so changeable.
Mainly, I have been buying sample sets of perfumes from companies positively reviewed by Luca Turin on his Substack. This is generally less expensive than bottles of perfume, and with so many excellent samples, I don’t really need bottles. Obviously, Donatella approves of having many choices!
Occasionally I do succumb to the urge for a full bottle, but my last purchase was before this quarter.
Yes, it’s surprising to me how many times a decent sample is really all I need. Even when I really like the fragrance.
It is! If you’ve been collecting for a while, there really isn’t time to wear a full bottle.
Me too, with the LT samples!
I’m so glad he’s back!
I bought much more than I thought I would, but I think I had pretty good reasons for most of them. 😉 (See reasons below the list.)
Regime des Fleurs Travel Size Trio: 10ml x 2 Blood Spider Orchids and 10ml x 1 Himitsu Violets
Paul & Joe Blanc 30ml 80% full
Scent Trunk Coriander Rose 100ml
Scent Trunk Marigold 30ml
Scent Trunk Jungle Patchouli 5ml travel spray
LVNEA Honeysuckle 15ml
LVNEA Opium Poppy 15ml
LVNEA Forêt aux Instruments Une Symphonie d’Odeurs coffret 5 x 4ml
Regime des Fleurs was offering buy 2 travel sprays get 1 free in January, so it was the perfect opportunity to buy a couple I wanted more of but didn’t want to splurge on a big bottle.
The Paul & Joe is long discontinued and I couldn’t believe it when I got an email notification of a bottle listed on eBay for a reasonable price. eBay saved searches for the win. My bottle came from Japan and included free shipping and a friendly seller! This also happened the week that the NST cp was to wear a favorite discontinued perfume. Felt like kismet.
Scent Trunk discontinued a bunch of perfumes and offered them at 50% off so I kinda had to go for it. If the 30ml size of Coriander Rose was still in stock, I would have bought that size. Alas, had to spring for the 100ml.
And finally I like to support my favorite indie perfume brands, and I couldn’t resist blind buying the limited releases of Honeysuckle and Opium Poppy. I’d been almost buying the musical instrument themed coffret for a couple months so went ahead and got that too. That set is the only thing I haven’t yet tried from this quarter’s purchases.
Good haul! 🙂
Thank you! They’re a fun group of perfumes. 😀
Looks like you got some good deals. How is the honeysuckle?
It’s really nice. It’s a natural perfume so it has that botanical smell, and it’s on the fruitier side for a honeysuckle perfume. I think it especially smells close to the real flower in the dry down.
I’m curious about the Blood Spider Orchids! Do tell about that one!
It’s very sultry and smells of spiced tea or cider, very cozy, yet it doesn’t wear heavy. I love it, especially for the colder months!
My only purchase this quarter was a Memo discovery set, which I bought it from a local beauty store. I know the owner and I’m keen to support her business, but not to the extent of buying FBs I don’t absolutely love, so the discovery set was ideal. None of them grab me so far, so money saved.
So I don’t have much to confess to Donatella this time, but she’ll be dying to hear my next confession – my trip to Europe is on, and my shopping and sniffing list is well-honed!
I’m looking forward to hearing about your next confession, also! ;D
Oh no. I don’t even really want to think about what I have bought this quarter…
I will list some:
2 x Chanel Eau Fraiche 1.2oz. Chanel website.
2 x Chanel #18 2.5oz
Chanel website.
Coco Mademoiselle Intense 1.2oz.
Chanel website.
Allure Sport blah blah 1.7oz for Dad.
Chanel website.
Various makeup items – Chanel website.
1932 2.5oz – 2nd hand website.
Chanel Beige 15ml pure parfum, sealed, Evilbay.
Chanel Cuir de Russie 15ml pure parfum. Evilbay.
Chanel 35ml pure parfum, half full, 2nd hand website.
Chanel #5 Premiere, 2007 150ml, almost full, 2nd hand website.
Gabrielle pure parfum 35ml, full, 2nd hand website.
Gabrielle Eau de Parfum 35ml, full, 2nd hand website.
Several minis of Gabrielle parfum, 10ml each, 2nd hand website.
One Gabrielle mini parfum 10ml turned out to be Gabrielle Essence by the seller’s accidental mistake, was supposed to be parfum. I wasn’t thrilled but accepted it and left a 5* review because I tried to be nice.
Chanel Jersey sample.
2x Chanel Eau Fraiche EdTs each 3.3oz, Sephora. Gifts for friends.
Chanel Coco 1.7oz, half full, crystal bottle from the 80s, EdP. 2nd hand website.
Chanel Coco pure parfum, 7ml, sealed, new. 2nd hand website.
Coco Mademoiselle 7.5ml pure parfum purse spray, new and sealed. 2nd hand website.
Coco Mademoiselle pure parfum, 7ml. Full and new, 2nd hand website.
Allure pure parfum, 7ml. Full and new, 2nd hand website.
Dior, Midnight Poison, sample. Evilbay.
Dior New Look, 10ml, new. 2nd hand website.
Kenzo Jungle, 1.7oz. New and sealed. Evilbay. Gift for friend.
Elizabeth Taylor, 3.3oz. New and sealed. Evilbay. Gift for friend.
Chanel fine jewelry x 5. I am horrible, I know. But I sold some of my old and broken jewelry I didn’t need anymore to afford this. Plus SO bought a brand new van, my little 2nd hand fine jewelry pieces although authentic Chanel were peanuts compared to the new van.
Chanel custom jewelry earrings, turned out to be authentic and I only paid just under $100 for them.
Fake of Chanel’s fake jewelry pair of earrings I paid $15 for and that are beautiful, comfortable and shiny (I never wore fake jewelry except for these two pairs of earrings I just mentioned, I love both pairs the fake of fake and the authentic ones.
Bought some clothing for me and my Daughter but nothing designer – we buy TJMaxx or Ross for clothes.
Should I list all the toys I got my Daughter? Lol. Don’t worry – I get perfume (and lately jewelry) She gets treated rightfully too!!
* Elizabeth Taylor Violet Eyes, 3.3oz. Yes, the Elizabeth Taylor was Violet Eyes. My friend and I went to our little local coffee shop for breakfast and since it’s a Cuban coffee shop, they had a little tiny grocer behind it that I was never even aware was there!! In that little Cuban grocery they had $6 perfume dupes. One of them was Violetta Ojos or something like that and my friend told me She used to have this original which was made by Elizabeth Taylor and that it used to be one of Her favorite perfumes back in the day but She can’t find it anymore. She is decades older than me, does not use the internet to buy things. She has had many phases of life, including perfume phases. She had a longer life than I is what I’m trying to say, so She shares many memories with me. So I googled the original Violet Eyes perfume, still inexpensive and bought it for my friend.
I just love Chanel too. I know Gabrielle isn’t everyone’s favorite release but I think it’s such a relaxing, classy wear.
I will always advocate for Gabrielle, I receive so many GOOD compliments. Every person that complimented me said I smelled so French and sophisticated. Noone said I smelled “nice”. Every person was like what is it? What are You wearing? It’s ok so beautiful!!!!!
* Chanel 35ml pure parfum, half full , 2nd hand website was meant to be of #5. I listed it right before Chanel #5 Premiere.
Have not had a vacation in over 10 years, just work and raise beloved child the best I can. Planning a beautiful birthday party for my Daughter in a couple of months and the first small vacation we will take to the Zoo and Aqua park + hotels.
* forgot to mention that I also bought a 4ml mini of Box of Eels, Evilbay.
I bought one, a bottle of A Drop d’Issey, a very pretty lilac scent. I found a set of a bottle and scented hand cream under $20. And that was it.
What I would like to share with everyone though, and with Donatella is that I will be good from now on. I sold broken and loose or not liked gold jewelry and bought 4 Chanel rings and one pair of earrings that I will cherish for life and pass unto my Daughter one day. I have some jewelry already put away for Her, that I won’t use, but She can – that includes one of the Chanel rings. I won’t use one of the rings so She can get it for some 15th birthday or when She is big enough not to loose it and to appreciate it. It’s a white gold Coco metalasse with a chocolate bar quilt, bought it 2nd hand but it’s in brand new, unscratched condition and of course, appraised and authentic.
Lately I have come across Christian Clive Strange Heavens Out of the Blue bottle with a Panda bear. I absolutely loved it so. I mean absolutely fell head over heals. I never owned or tried a Christan Clive perfume – but I absolutely adore the Panda bottle. Like almost clicked and bought. I have eyed Christian Clive for a long time now – I just do love luxury (to a certain extent in my mind) like my Mom calls me the queen of luxury of the family – because of my “thing” for luxury perfumes. I cannot tell You guys, and Donatella, how much I loved the cobalt blue with the crown cap and that Panda bear. It’s a 100% beautiful of an object to me. But I am going to remain faithful to Chanel. I believe I have plenty of treasures in my possession and there is absolutely zero need for me to give into that cobalt blue panda bottle for over $600. It’s got orange blossom and coffee notes and I prefer my beautiful aldehydes and Chanelesque accords over anything else, and I am going to appreciate and enjoy my beautiful Chanel collection instead!!
Sorry that it got posted under Your comment. I didn’t realize this when I typed.
Waving hello 👋
I’ve been thinking of you with all this crazy weather.
I love lilac perfume. Enjoy your bottle!
👋 ☔️
I was thinking of you and madtowngirl, those weather maps yesterday were crazy!
Four bottles:
100ml Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club
100ml Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte
50ml YSL Libre L’Absolu Platine
40ml Davidoff Cool Water as a virtual dupe for Creed Green Irish Tweed that I almost bought but 😬 at that price
And it must be said even if it isn’t counted, a most kind lovely and generous NSTer gifted me 100ml Guerlain Encens Mythique ! An embarrassment of olfactory riches!
I’m happy you got more Platine!
My nephew bought Green Irish Tweed. I didn’t have the heart to tell him about Cool Water.
The owner of the perfumery turned me on when I asked for the Creed Green Irish Tweed. I would have known otherwise.
It’s too bad that 30mL bottles are Hermes are scarce as hen’s teeth. Even the 50mLs are hard to find.
ARGH! Not “are Hermes”, “AT Hermes”!
Sooo true!
Nothing, nada, by Donatella standards. Only samples. There will be something eventually, coming out of the samples.
Maybe we need a separate confession booth for samples!
Zippity Do Da Nada over here in Devaland! 🙃
I bought a 30ml of Chloe Tangerine Rose ( or rose tangerine) I spotted it at Nordstrom Rack. It was marked $44.99. I did a price check and it scanned $19.99. Sold!
You should always double check a clearance price.
Great find at Nordstrom Rack! You’ve been looking for that for a while now, haven’t you?
I’ve wanted it since it came out. I just needed to wait for the right price.
Congratulations!
Thanks!
Well done to check the price, Chloe perfumes are lovely, I don’t know this one.
It’s definitely recognizable as a Chloe.
I still think the Luminous is the best.
What luck! Is it very tangerine-y? That’s one of my favorite scents!
I do get tangerine in the top notes. It does dry down to mostly rose though. I’m thinking of getting a tangerine or orange lotion to layer it.
Hello Everyone – it has been a few years since I’ve bought a new big bottle. However, I’m finally entering my big white flowers era and in search of a lily or lily of the valley (plus orange blossom, because why not) (and oops some Iris and Rose).
Hence, there is a list. 50/30mls where available, but that wasn’t too often:
Lancome Absolu Rose sample set
L’artisan Passage d’enfer
Tom Ford Lys Fume, Jasmin rouge, and Jonquil Nuit decants
Frederic Malle POAL Travel Spray
Frederic Malle En Passant Mini
Frederic Malle Eau de Magnolia Mini
Shalimar L’Essence
Diptyque Eau Des Sens Travel Spray and Full presentation (EDT)
Diptyque L’ombre dans l’eau (EDP)
Diptyque Eau de neroli (EDT) travel spray
Goutal Etolie D’une Nuit
PDM Athalia
Byredo Infloressence
Dusita Cavatina
Alien Goddess Super Flora (+2 travel sprays in the line)
Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds (better than I thought it would be!)
and a few dozen samples. The sites were happy to see me coming this quarter.
Alas, next quarter/year will not be so extravagant. But here’s to celebrating spring.
Ooooooooooh, how was the Lancome Absolu Rose set?!?
I am having a great time playing with it honestly. None have really jumped and said “buy me” yet, but I really enjoy rose so it’s been fun. If Rose from the Dark and Rose or Die showed up in my house, I would not be sad. Le Parfum was lighter and muskier than expected. Not all of them are rose forward, which I didn’t expect but has been nice.
Dear Donatella, here is my humble list:
Calvin Klein Obsession for men 4.2oz
Calvin Klein Eternity Flame 3.3oz
Escada Magnetism 2.5oz
Sun Moon Stars Karl Lagerfeld 3.3oz
Michael Malul Citizen Jack Absolute 3.3oz
Chanel Allure Sensuelle 3.3oz
Valentino Born in Roma Coral Fantasy 3.3oz
Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle edt vintage 3oz
D.S. & Durga Bowmakers
Hopefully these purchases please Our Lady Donatella
also bought Diptyque New York and Londres city candles for a friend, but these are for a birthday in May.
Three thumbs up for the Allure Sensuelle. People either love it or hate it. I happen to love it. It is considered spicy, “oriental” but I will say this: nothing, absolutely nothing smells like it or even compares to it. I love it wholeheartedly.
Allure Sensuelle is a subtle long lasting patch, it’s a winner for me.
The Born in Roma series is actually rather well done. Nice pick!
Since candles don’t count, no matter how wonderfully scented and beautifully packaged, this list will be short and sweet. Same goes for samples.
1. Imaginary Authors The Cobra and The Canary EdP, 14mL — $35.00
That’s all Folks!
There should probably be a candle confession day. Lol.
If there was one, I wouldn’t be commenting very often!
After some poking around thru old emails, I discovered I had forgotten something important. So the amended list is below.
1. Imaginary Authors The Cobra and The Canary EdP, 14mL — $35.00
2. Christian Dior vintage Hypnotic Poison EdT, 50mL — $106.73
Total for the quarter = $ 141.73.
Ooh, vintage HP, enjoy!
I have been, thanks!
I remember you really love HP.
I am quite surprised that I do. I did not care for Hypnotic Poison AT ALL when it first came out. But sometime in the past couple of years, I was able to smell a gorgeous jasmine note in HP.
I’d never noticed it before.
Glad you found a bottle of HP! I bet it smells amazing!
It’s not the original formulation, but it definitely has more oomph than the current EdT.
All I bought was a 15 ml bottle of Clinique Lily Of The Beach during their 21 Days Of Beauty Sale for half-price for $17.50. It is nice for summer and the price was right.
Well, the excess of BF was over this quarter. One big purchase and one small.
Guerlain Fève Gourmande 200ml £196
AG Eau de Camille 50ml 60% full £20.06
I adore bot, never thought I would find Camille, it still smells very pristine.
*both
Wow, good for you finding Camille and at that price!
It was very lucky as it was the last AG perfume I was pursuing without much hope.
Great finds Aurora!
I paid more for FG than my tester bottle of Rose Chérie last year but the seller sent me the full presentation box and Guerlain card, she had purchased it at the Guerlain boutique in London but regretted it immediately as FG is heavier on the rose compared to its predecessor Gourmand Coquin now discontinued but for me it’s a perfect fit.
Another Perfume Unicorn added to your collection!
I pursued it for many years and it lives up to expectations, beautifully herbal, will be perfect in summer.
Only a full bottle of Issey Miyake A Drop d’Issey.
I’ve seen this fragrance mentioned quite a bit. It sounds lovely!
It is very lovely and easy to wear. A nice scent for spring and summer.
I bought more than usual, but I’m a piker compared to some of the lists here. My purchases:
Fzotic Lampblack, FB
LVNEA Holy Oak, FB (BUB)
LVNEA Babylon Rose, FB
Marissa Zappas Petrichor, FB
CdGxMonocle Laurel, FB
Courreges Seconde Peau, FB
Frapin 1270, travel spray
Courreges Blanc, FB
Andromeda’s Curse, 3 10ml rollerballs: Tasseomancy (black tea, incense and amber), Earth (petrichor, sweet loam and cedar), and Sea of Trees (Hinoki, bamboo and black musk), all perfume oils
What do you think of the LVNEAs? They might actually be available to sniff at a locale here, possible one of the expensive-tshirt stores, so let me know if they’re worth the trip!
They’re very well made, and Holy Oak was the answer to my quest for the perfect forest scent. Babylon Rose and Ghost Pine are also beautiful, and I do like LVNEA’s ethics and esthetics — natural ingredients and respect for the earth. In fact, most everything I’ve tried of theirs is a bit earthy, so if that’s a draw for you (or at least if you don’t object to that vibe) I’d say definitely worth checking out.
Andromeda’s Curse is an awesome name for a perfume house!
Lots of samples, but also a few decants of 5 ml or more:
Essential Parfums The Musc 5 ml – because I enjoyed my small sample and decided this scent is worth having in my wardrobe.
Serge Lutens L’Eau Froide 7 ml – I ran out of it a couple of years ago and thought it was time to move on, but lately I’ve started missing it.
Obvious White Crush 5 ml – same as The Musc, I enjoyed the sample.
Profumum Roma Acqua Viva 10 ml – 12 ml, if you count the extra 2 ml I bought separately from the same seller in the same month. The 5 ml I bought from another seller last year turned out to be fake, but this one is the real deal.
I remember when you ran out of SL L’Eau Froide.
I am dodging you this quarter, Donatella.
Too many purchases, but all I’ll say is that most of them are vintage and obscure and partial bottles, and some minis I’ve long wanted to try, which has limited the damage somewhat.
I’ll mention just one: a vintage boxed set of 4711 with the landscape illustration that includes two soaps and a big bottle of the cologne, nestled inside a bed of teal-blue satin. I have just given this to my sister for Easter, as she loves 4711. Even if the soaps have lost their scent, (I told her they might) it is still a lovely presentation.
A very thoughtful gift for your sister!
Bought a 50ml bottle of Moon Moss (and oodles of samples as usual)