One bottle a day: no mercy!!!

[Andy the frenchy]

Today's verdict will sentence

Savile Row by Richard James
I hesitated a lot for that one. I initially listed it 6 months ago, then wore it again and put it back in my wardrobe, but initial doubts were justified: I'm not a fan of tuberose. That said, of all the masculine tuberose fragrances I've tried, this one is without a doubt the one I enjoyed the most, so it will be a hard separation nonetheless.

1001 Ouds by Annick Goutal
A nice, interesting rose/oud, with whom I never really managed to click. Oh well, I'm sure that Goutal's fans will appreciate since this one has been blended respectfully to the sheer and luxurious aesthetics of the house. No barnyard, here!

And finally I confirm that CDG 2 Man is on his way out. It had all to please me (vetiver, incense, creamy woods...) but unfortunately, even if it does everything well, it does nothing great and struggles to decide what it wants to be.
EDIT: I have to think more about CDG 2 Man, because the hay-ish vetiver note is very nice... That will only be the second time I hesitate...

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Alright... a difficult day today, because I did a comparison of a few lemon-centric fragrances I have, and a couple of pilars will go. These are

Boucheron pour Homme EDT
I can hear @PStoller shouting from here: 'disgrace!!!! disgrace!!!! I know. This one is a great one. It's just that I have others that do a similar job, and that I prefer: Eau de Rochas, Moustache EDC Concentree by Rochas, MPG Grain de Plaisir just to cite a few... And the resinous base is not my favourite. I prefer the base of my lemon scents to be dryer or skanky.

Eau de Guerlain
[PStoller has left the chat]
Yes... I know. But to be very honest, I was always perplexed by people stating that it smells very natural. I always found the lemon in that one to be quite synthetic. And same problem with the benzoin base. Oh well... this one is not yet discontinued, our paths might cross again at some point.

Let's now leave the eau-de-cologne department, to drop another couple of bottles:

B*Men by Mugler
Possibly the most unique of the A*Men line, but not one that impresses me more than that. Liquorice and anise are not my thing.
I also have A*Men Pure Havane, but that one is not at risk for now.

Centaure Cuir Casaque by Pierre Cardin
A house I love, but that sweet lavender opening is not really something I love. Reminded me strongly of 1927 Vintage Edition by Chopard, that I am not a fan of either.

A couple that saved their skins today: Colonia Intensa by AdP and Eau de Rochas.

 

[PStoller]

Boucheron pour Homme EDT
I can hear @PStoller shouting from here: 'disgrace!!!! disgrace!!!!

Oh, I gave up on you way up the thread.

Seriously, though, I understand your mission, and I can see why Boucheron pour Homme and Eau de Guerlain wouldn't be your personal "best in class" for the categories they represent. I don't know that they'd be mine, either; I'm just more willing to add a wing to my house to handle the overflow.

 

[DudeLebowski]

Good stuff. Keep'em coming Andy!

 

[LiveJazz]

Good stuff. Keep'em coming Andy!

Yeah, I’m really enjoying the reasoning behind the decisions.

Some of these are tempting to pick up, but then pondering the spirit of this thread is reminding me that I actually don’t need them!

 

[Andy the frenchy]

I'm late on my daily goals, and feel in great shape today, so let's keep going:

Graphite by Montana
A nice woody fragrance, very pencil shaving-styled. But also very linear. And very full of Iso-E, let's talk truth. In that category, I'd probably recommend Equus by Lalique over this one. Still, it was a great ride.


Ashes by Franck Boclet
A very nice fir/pine and incense fragrance. But I have many incense fragrances. And in that specific sub-category, nothing can compete with Encens Flamboyant by Goutal.

Edit Jan 26th: Ashes has been drafted.

They saved their skins: Odin 07 Tanoke, Just Jack Moroccan Green, Micallef Shanaan, and once again, CDG 2 Man.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Two big guys are leaving today....

Terre d'Hermes Eau Intense Vetiver by Hermes
No day is better than a 'Vetiver Wednesday' to get rid of a vetiver, right?
Well.... maybe not. But that one was an easy one for me. I never really loved the Terre d'Hermes scent profile. The stronger/darker vetiver in here (compared to the original) brings it unquestionably in the right direction, but the grapefruit did not manage to accomplish what I hoped for, that is: fully deleting the 'orange" effect (I hate orange in fragrances). My only purchase of this line, but this is not for me.

Platinum Egoiste by Chanel
Nice fresh aromatic fougere, that introduced its signature 'metallic' note, created by an overdose of geranium. But it has since been declined - and improved - by several houses, noticeably Penhaligon's release Sartorial, which I own and much prefer. I hesitated to let that one go, because it was a present. But I find PE's opeing borderline harsh, so it doesn't make sense to keep it.

At the opposite, two (synthetic-smelling) little guys, both by Dunhill, saved themselves... go figure. They are Icon and Icon Absolute.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Today has been a failure. Or maybe... a win, depends how one sees that.
Indeed, I tried several ones again (unfairly doing a mutliple wear of 6-8 at a time...) but despite that, I didn't feel like parting with any of these. And that tells a very worrying story: it simply means that I entered the 'phase 2' of my downsizing plan, that is: all the easy ones are now out, and the choices start to become really hard. So instead of listing which ones are leaving, today I'll do the opposite and tell which ones I assessed and why these are NOT leaving:

Opus 1870 by Penhaligon's - Hard to dislike. Non-aggressive black pepper opening, woods and juniper. Stands in between Escentric 02 and L'Humaniste. Easy wear, easy like, very versatile. I might part with Escentric 02, at this point, because this one does it better, imo.

Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme - Yes... the legend. I have many powerhouses already, and not a style I wear very often, let's tlak truth. I might not need so many then, and the current ebay prices make it tempting to sell it. But I'm not ready yet. It's dark, rosey, mossy. I still like it too much to say goodbye.

Sybaris by Puig - I'm not sure why I doubted of that one. A quick wearing confirmed that the spices, backed by creamy white florals, ending with that magnificient incense/moss/leather base is right up my alley. Sorry for having threatened you, Sybaris, I won;t don't it again, I swear.

Dark Aoud by Montale - screams synthetic... but scratches my itch for peppery/creamy woods, a bit like Dunhill Icon Absolute does also. Fills the spot that many would fill with other overpriced (but similarly built) fragrances, Oud Wood to cite just one... I will make a call to make side-by-side wearings of all the ones I own in that category, and possibly decide to get rid of one. Or not.

L'Essence de Cerruti - a synthetic smelling, suede-centric fragrance. Somewhat related to Tom of Finland by Etat Libre d'Orange. I probably don;t need both, and ELdO's is clearly the superior one. That said, I still love L'Essence, and really... how much could I get from a 30ml bottle? This one might very well become my travel dumb reach.

Meditteraneum by Proteo - not a top ranking fragrance, nor extremely well belnded, but it definitely has that 90's vibe and quality, with a beautiful combo of sandalwood, labdanum and incense. Smells like a 'simpler' take Monsieur by Lancetti, that I love. Even if the top notes seems to have faded out a bit, I might still keep that one. Or possibly get rid of my 2 back up bottle... but here again, at $10 for 50ml on ebay, is it worth the hassle?

Sunrise Vetiver by Franck Olivier - straightforward, light citrus/verbena fragrance, over a convincing salty vetiver base. No, this one definitely stays!

Tabac Vert by Rogue - Rogue often impressed me in the first couple of wearings of a good bunch of their fragrances, thanks to the 'wow' effect of a couple of accord that Cross succeded in blending. But after that, I found most to be... boring, or sometimes even annoying to wear. Tabac Vert, on the other way, really gives a great impression of green tobacco leaves, drying in the sun, that are on the verge of veering towards dry/brown. A very nice accomplishement, and my love for the tobacco note helped save this one. Not for all noses, though.


Here we are, with that 'no exit' list of the day. On the plus side, even if I'm not productive every day, it is great to walk again through my wardrobe and re discover stuff I didn;t wear since a long time.
And afterall, I have been quite productive in the past days, so I think I am quite on schedule for my '1 bottle a day' goal. Fair for me to take a day off today

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Another handful of days, without posting, but based on my census, I am on schedule, given the hecatomb of last week. Anyways, today the friend who will leave us is

Carnicure by Marlou
A very nice soft animalic/floral musk, with some gourmand-ish undertones that might not work perfectly for me. I like it, but after 2-3 wearings, I still think that other musk fragrances I own fit better my tastes. Still, it was a great ride!

 

[PStoller]

Carnicure by Marlou
A very nice soft animalic/floral musk, with some gourmand-ish undertones that might not work perfectly for me. I like it, but after 2-3 wearings, I still think that other musk fragrances I own fit better my tastes. Still, it was a great ride!

Yeah, it’s a good’un, but not for everyone, and not what I’d call versatile.

 

[DudeLebowski]

I'm late on my daily goals, and feel in great shape today, so let's keep going:

Graphite by Montana
A nice woody fragrance, very pencil shaving-styled. But also very linear. And very full of Iso-E, let's talk truth. In that category, I'd probably recommend Equus by Lalique over this one. Still, it was a great ride.
View attachment 318233

Ashes by Franck Boclet
A very nice fir/pine and incense fragrance. But I have many incense fragrances. And in that specific sub-category, nothing can compete with Encens Flamboyant by Goutal.
View attachment 318244

They saved their skins: Odin 07 Tanoke, Just Jack Moroccan Green, Micallef Shanaan, and once again, CDG 2 Man.

I bought Graphite several times and always seem to get rid of it. The geranium and benzoin combo seem to produce a sour dill accord I just can't stand. It's also very one dimensional , so I've settled with Autoportrait.

Ashes is solid, I like it a lot. Performance leaves much to be desired though! Doubt its even an extrait.

I regret selling my Tanoke. It's probably the only one worth owning from Odin. Its basically a denser thicker version of Oooh, by Miller et Bertaux.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

I bought Graphite several times and always seem to get rid of it. The geranium and benzoin combo seem to produce a sour dill accord I just can't stand. It's also very one dimensional , so I've settled with Autoportrait.

Ashes is solid, I like it a lot. Performance leaves much to be desired though! Doubt its even an extrait.

I regret selling my Tanoke. It's probably the only one worth owning from Odin. Its basically a denser thicker version of Oooh, by Miller et Bertaux.

Agreed for Graphite, very one-dimensional.
Ashes was a hard call. Not the best opening, but the bitter green accord of the drydown is heavenly.
Tanoke is great. Yes, it has definitely something of Oh Oh Oh!, but I see that one as the bad big brother of Journey Man, or possibly the lost sibling of TF NA....

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Today will be my final wearing of

Pimiento by Miller et Bertaux
I bought several M&B in a row, based on reviews, and my previous testing session in store. That said, that session happened a couple of years ago, and admittedly, I didn't remember each and every fragrance of this house perfectly.
This one is the only one of the 5 I bought that was just a like, not a love. And unfortunately, it stayed at that level.Yes the pimiento impression is great, yes the woods in the base are pleasing, but there's a hint of sweetness that is not my favourite part of the fragrance. Out of 40 bottles it would have probably been a keeper, but out of 400, I have others that scratch my itch for spicy woods better than that one.
Still, the house of Miller et Bertaux have a success rate of 80% with me, rare enough to be underligned. Hats-off!

A couple that got graced today: Azzaro Visit and EM Escentric 02 (for how long?)

 

[Andy the frenchy]

2 days without posting, that means that tonight, there will be 2 out! The losses of the day are

La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens
A very nice rose fragrance, but the clove and vanilla support makes it a bit too feminine for my tastes. I perceived it as unisex in store, but more wearings unfortunately did not confirm that first thought (at least, for me).

Bois d'Iris by Van Cleef and Arpels
Clearly inspired by Dior's Bois d'Argent, but a very nice take that I personally prefer on the latter. Unfortunately, that sweet/spicy driftwood note is not my thing. I'm sure it ill be cherished in its new house (still to be found haha)

 

[Clarissochka]

I am impressed by your progress. I can only brag that I used a couple of samples in place of dryer sheets. I gotta start making ruthless decisions and de-weed!!!

 

[Andy the frenchy]

And... another 2 who gets beheaded today, and I already know that some will cringe at hearing the news...

Fougere Royale by Houbigant
Yes. It's him. Well.... I have to be veeeeery honest: this one always felt flat for me. I first had a sample, that i finished without desiring a full bottle. Then....a couple of years later, I saw a deal too good to pass on, and got a full bottle, thinking that 'if everybody says'.... you know the hype train song....
Ok...I'm being harsh here, and yes, it's a very nice one. To be honest, I like a lot the drydown (even if a bit too tonka-ish, I think) but in order to arrive there, there're 3 hours of chamomille and 'green watery bubble' to go through, that I find just dull. reminded me of Cyber Garden by Costume National... no, not as ynthetic, but still, that same kind of green thing. Anyways, it was a good ride, FR!

Equipage Geranium by Hermes
That one was a difficult decision, because I love it. A decision by default, because I own other ones who do a similar cloves/nutmeg/leathery job (Etre Homme by Lancetti and Feuilles de Tabac by Miller Harris, to cite just two), a well as a small vintage bottle of the original.... But still: it's a final decision.
One question though: while I love it, I never really understood where was the geranium. I it that blast of freshness in the 5 seconds of the opening?

A couple who risked today.... but stayed:
- Genghis Khan by Marc de la Morandiere: I disliked the harshness, but apparently, my nose is getting used to it, and this time, the patchouli/woody goodness of the base showed-up quite quickly. I really liked it a lot today.
- Jacques Bogart (aka Singature) by Jacques Bogart: how could I doubt of that one??? on par with Antaeus by Chanel, for just $15, how is it possible?.... On par? Or superior to Chanel's? The jury's still out on that one. In any cases, sorry for having put you at rsik, my dear Jacques!

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Today, I'm going to say goodbye to

Bapteme du Feu by Serge Lutens
I like it, but it's really full of sweet spices, holidays in a bottle. A bit much for me, but I might very well regret it at some point.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Ashes is solid, I like it a lot. Performance leaves much to be desired though! Doubt its even an extrait.

Ashes was a hard call. Not the best opening, but the bitter green accord of the drydown is heavenly.

So... I made a "mistake" today: I wore Ashes again, thinking at your thoughts on that one.... well, I'm taking it out of my sales list. At least for now.
The top is lovely but a bit of a cedar/coriander/sweet, very well done but already smelt before. On the other hand, the smoky/green drydown is heavenly, can;t stop smelling my hand...

 

[Andy the frenchy]

After a small 'bump' today (that is: Franck Boclet Ashes has been taken off my sales list haha), I am sure of these two:

Moroccan Green by Just Jack
A lovely green/woody incense, (very) inspired by Tom Ford Bois Marocain. It's nice, and very close to the original, even the performance is questionable. A good one, but I have other incense fragrances that I prefer, and I have to make choices. It's a goodbye!

Casbah by Robert Piguet
A great ultra-dry/green incense, as well. But as I said, I have to make choices.

 

[PStoller]

Today, I'm going to say goodbye to

Bapteme du Feu by Serge Lutens
I like it, but it's really full of sweet spices, holidays in a bottle.

The whole stewed fruit thing at Lutens just doesn’t work for me, though I like some of the exceptions to that signature accord. The same thing is an issue I have with Pineward: not bad fragrances, but generally a mismatch for my preferences. (I still traded vintage RL Chaps for a bottle of Murkwood.)

 

[Andy the frenchy]

I'm a bit late on schedule I think, so today will see 3 bottles go out. These are

Higher by Dior
A nice freshie, pear-centric fragrance. I loved it because that one one of my first fragrances I got as present when I was in college. And one of the only for which I finished a bottle. And I got again later, still as a present. But objectively, it's very forgettable. At least for me. And it's also linked to memories I'd rather forget. And it's a partial anyways. So it's a triple go. That was a nice ride, higher!

L'Essence de Cerruti
As I said earlier, yes it's a nice lil' cheapie, that has some vibes of ELdO's Tom of Finland and Dunhill Icon Elite as well. But overall not so impressive. I wanted to keep my lil' 30ml bottle as an easy reach for travel, but life is too short not to wear stuff that excites me the most, all the time.

I'm Not Going To Disturb You (Homme) by Yohji Yamamoto
A very interesting unsweet amber, with some tobaco and moss undertones. A little gem, that unfortunately will not make the cut. This time. That said, the impression of tobacco flower is very well done, and reminds me a bit of Bouddica Wode. Very unique bottle design, though!

It got saved: Monsieur Rochas.
They got a second chance: Dunhill Century, La Curie Ossuary, Aramis Havana, Montana Parfum d'Homme (but there's only space for one the latter two... which one will survive? TBC....)

 

[LiveJazz]

Higher by Dior
A nice freshie, pear-centric fragrance. I loved it because that one one of my first fragrances I got as present when I was in college. And one of the only for which I finished a bottle. And I got again later, still as a present. But objectively, it's very forgettable. At least for me. And it's also linked to memories I'd rather forget. And it's a partial anyways. So it's a triple go. That was a nice ride, higher!

My history with Higher is very similar to yours. Part of me was curious to know what I'd think of it now, but you've pretty much talked me out of making the effort to find out!

YSL Live Jazz is my one "college nostalgia" scent that I still keep around, and luckily I still think it's pretty interesting and good.

 

[DudeLebowski]

So... I made a "mistake" today: I wore Ashes again, thinking at your thoughts on that one.... well, I'm taking it out of my sales list. At least for now.
The top is lovely but a bit of a cedar/coriander/sweet, very well done but already smelt before. On the other hand, the smoky/green drydown is heavenly, can;t stop smelling my hand...

No mistake there. It's a great scent.

Sure its Linear, but undoubtedly refined and elegant. I get a resemblance to crackling wood fire that is really well done. I love it.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

It's cold in Chicago tonight and I'm being productive today.... perfect weather to throw an oud party! Another 3 are going, with the house of Rasasi taking a hard hit... but the truth, is that I entered the "I love you but I leave you" zone, where it's getting harder and harder to say goodbye, because these 3 are objectively great:

Dhanal Oudh Nashwah by Rasasi
This one is the best rendition of fake oud I have ever encountered. Indeed, at under $1/ml, it's hardly believable that they used any oud oil in that one, but despite that, it's very hard for my nose to think they did not. Even a side-by-side wearing with the real oud fragrance Oud Assam by Rania J still maintains some ambiguity. But since the small bottle I own from the latter will last me a life, I don't really see when I would have an opportunity to wear that one - because yes: it's a stinker. Still, I'll keep recommending it.

Oudh Al Boruzz Asrar Indonesia by Rasasi
A very nice fresh (real) oud, with a hint of sweetness in the background that does not fully convince me. And it's not much more than a linear fresh great smelling oud, without a real story. In the same vein as AdP Oud, but the latter might be more interesting in terms of composition (even if the Rasasi smells definitely more refined)

Damask Oud by Hugo Boss
No, please don't laugh! This one is objectively the best thing that Boss ever made, in my opinion. This one is out of the long discontinued first 'The Collection' line now a unicorn, and I love it to be honest, even if a bit synthetic (but you know, we all some guilty pleasures...). That said, I also own Oud No,4 by Elie Saab, which shares strong similarities and that I slightly prefer, because of its stronger focus on woods than pepper. Still, I think a lot of good of it.
More recently, Boss release a second set of fragrances in their 2nd 'The Collection' line, of which one is called 'Confident Oud'. Slthough I love Damask Oud, I'm not very confident about nor especially looking forward to try the new one.

A few that got saved tonight: Rania J Oud Assam, Elie Saab Oud No.4, Zegna Indonesian Oud.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

The goodbye of the day is

Palo Santo by Cremo
A very nice fresh/watery/woody cheapie. Inspired by (and actually very close to) Santal 33 by Le Labo. It's just that I forgot that I'm no fan of S33...
Oh well, it was a nice ride. Ciao!

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Today, another couple will leave us. These are

La Yuqawam Tobacco Blaze by Rasasi
A very nice fruity suede with hints of tobacco in the drydown. To note also that its presentation is very curated. That said, there are other suede fragrances I slightly prefer, though. Still, a surprisingly good fragrance from an underrated fragrance house.

Grand Cuir by Jeffrey Dame
A spicy/musky floral, giving an impression of leather. Reminds me of Knize Ten in its structure. But I own Kinze Ten, and although I love Grand Cuir, I decided that there is no space for 2 of them in my wardrobe. A goodbye that I might regret at some point.

 

[waldganger]

Just sold my Musk Lave bottle... damn it hurts.
But when its time its time I guess...
Loved it but Im not wearing it so whats the point ?
Just smell the sprayer from time to time? Nope.
I feel like I just passed a milestone... sold my first Areej.

Should I cry?

 

[whoame]

Just sold my Musk Lave bottle... damn it hurts.
But when its time its time I guess...
Loved it but Im not wearing it so whats the point ?
Just smell the sprayer from time to time? Nope.
I feel like I just passed a milestone... sold my first Areej.

Should I cry?

Of joy maybe!

 

[waldganger]

Actually I was so overwhelmed that I decided to sell my Agar de Noir bottle!
Also gone are Cardinal from Heeley and Papyrus Oud from Parle Moi de Parfum.
That makes already 4 bottles just for this year.

Guess I had to made up for that Ambilux bottle I've just bought to someone.

Score is 4-1

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Actually I was so overwhelmed that I decided to sell my Agar de Noir bottle!
Also gone are Cardinal from Heeley and Papyrus Oud from Parle Moi de Parfum.
That makes already 4 bottles just for this year.

Guess I had to made up for that Ambilux bottle I've just bought to someone.

Score is 4-1

Cardinal is great, but not unique. And so is Papyrus Oud, imo. Good choices. Can't tell for the ALDs that i never tried, but I'm these were also good decisions.
Glad to see that I have a wingman for my quest! Please keep posting!!

I decided to get rid of Carnicure... let me know what you think of that Ambilux

 

[Andy the frenchy]

No, I'm not being lazy. It's just that I haven't been able to identify a fragrance I am ready to let go in the past days...
Today I tired really hard. I did two comparisons:

1. Havana by Aramis vs Parfum d'Homme by Montana:
There has been a thread HERE (by @Varanis Ridari ) about that battle, and as one can notice, it ended up on a perfect 50/50. And I'm afraid (or happy) to say that for me also. Still, I have my small back-up bottle of PdH that will go, but cannot make my mind for the large one.

2. The battle of the woody/spicy mainstream 'comfort' frags:
Stash by JSP was already out since a while - too ambery for me. A few In a nutshell, I put in competition:

Visit by Azzaro
Wonderwood by CDG
Wonderoud by CDG
Blue Santal by CDG
Tam Dao EDP by Diptyque
Jungle Homme by Kenzo
Oud Malaki by Chopard
Dark Aoud by Montale
Icon Absolute by Dunhill

I have to say that the first 6 all share noticeable similarities in one way or another. Some are more spicy and/or more creamy than others, but we're there. The latter 2 also, with their healthy load of pepper and saffron. And despite that, I cannot see a single one leaving (at least for now) because it is with guilt that I have to admit that I love this Gucci Rush-derived easy-to-like woody/spicy scent profile, that other expensive niche houses used, and overused (yes, I'm looking at you YSL 24 Rue, Givenchy MMW, Kilian Sacred Wood, Tom Ford Oud Wood...).
My favourite of the bunch is probably Wonderoud, and I consider the other ones to be back-ups for that one, and also rotating scents that will give a 'twist' to avoid being bored of it.
That said, if forced to choose, the closest to the exit door would probably be Dark Aoud or Oud Malaki.

All that to say that things are becoming tough and that means that after Phase I (getting rid of the one I disliked and only 'liked'), Phase II (getting rid of ones I loved but less than similar others), I just entered Phase III: I can't reasonably choose anymore, so the only way to downsize further is to wear and log scents in here daily, and come back to see the stats in a year and get rid of the ones that got the lowest amounts of wears... That said... do i want to downsize further? maybe not afterall hahah

That said, no regrets, because 1.5 months ago I stated:

So I decided to add one fragrance per day to my sales list, from now until the end of January (that's another ~40 fragrances), possibly until the end of February.

So, I can reasonably state that I reached the first objective (with 41 frags out since Dec 19th), and will now take it easy moving forward... but will keep occasionally posting in here any new bottle I will decide to get rid of later on.

 

[LiveJazz]

just entered Phase III: I can't reasonably choose anymore, so I the only way to downsize further is to wear and log scents in here daily, and come back to see the stats in a year and get rid of the ones that did not got the lowest amounts of wears... That said... do i want to downsize further? maybe not afterall hahah

Yep, I can relate exactly. Once you get through phases 1 and 2 and hit a point where you genuinely appreciate what's left...maybe downsizing isn't the goal anymore if you're just doing it to hit an arbitrary target. It's an interesting point of tension to be in.

I guess my next phase, if there is one, would be to prune the bottles I "like" for various artistic or historical reasons, and really do enjoy from time to time...but could probably be happy keeping 10ml and offloading the bottle. I've already removed a few like that, but think there are still a handful hanging on.

 

[LL Cool Spray]

Congrats on your accomplishment.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

[...] but could probably be happy keeping 10ml and offloading the bottle.[...]

I agree with that one, with one warning though: I did that for a couple of bottles, and can already tell that homemade decant sprays evaporate at light-speed. Ok for a year or so, but not for long-term storage.

 

[PStoller]

…homemade decant sprays evaporate at light-speed. Ok for a year or so, but not for long-term storage.

That might depend on the sprayers and other storage factors.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

That might depend on the sprayers and other storage factors.

All the sprayers I have (glass, plastic, made by myself or not) loose juice.
Until they are at 70% that’s ok, but under that they start seriously to go down. Try to make a mark with a pen on the juice level, and look in 6 months.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Shortly after I stated to slow down my purge, 3 customers enter the slaugtherhouse:

Sandalwood Cologne by Geo. F. Trumper
A delightful, creamy, old school sandalwood note, supported by a cinnamon and rose combo that I always struggled with. I'm no fan of Egoiste, so it's no surprise that this one is walking towards the exit. Still, for whom loke Egoiste, this will probably be a love.

Incense Oud by Nicolai
Cypriol, rose, incense and oud, for a very nice composition. That said, the cypriol and rose are a bit sharp for me, and possibly leaning a bit feminine. I only own a 15ml spray, so it's a drama-free departure.

Smoke Show by Vilhelm Parfumerie
Very nice woods, leather and rose-y saffron. Amateur of this style will love, but in my case, there are other ones that do it better for my tastes.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

Today's is a no-brainer: 4 bottles that will go out as soon as they're in, following an unsuccessful swap. I had low expectations for that swap, but a 4/4 fail, it's a first for me haha. So, we're talking about:

Alibi by V Canto
A bit disappointing coming from Terenzi, but I'm sure some will love it.

Dunhill Man by Dunhill
A lavender/tonka thing, in the same vein as D&G Pour Homme. I expected to receive Dunhil for Men, but I guess there has been some miscommunication.

Desire Black by Dunhill
Turns out to be a sour woody thing on my skin. Not a fan. Weird, because I tried it 4-5 years ago in store, and had a good memory of it. Haaaa.... the brain.....

Sander for Men by Jil Sander
Yup, it's that weirdo bottle! Surprisingly my favourite of the bunch. Definitely designer-ish, in the same ballpark as YSL L'Homme, but actually quite pleasant for what it does. Still, it doesn't make the cut, for me.

 

[Andy the frenchy]

It's incredible how tastes change with time. Or should I say": by smelling a lot. Most of MFK fragrances stunned me early on. Now that I'm revisiting them, I find them to be glorified designers (at most). Today I say goodbye to

Oud EDP by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
A very nice saffrony woody thing with a light fruity undertone (on my skin), but that I now find a bit dull.

Grand Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
A good amber, but does not especially stand out compared to many others I own. After LV Ambra and HdP Ambrarem, it's hard to keep the show going on...

These are both 11ml travel sprays (original), so not too hard to say goodbye afterall....

 

[slpfrsly]

Just sold my Musk Lave bottle... damn it hurts.
But when its time its time I guess...
Loved it but Im not wearing it so whats the point ?
Just smell the sprayer from time to time? Nope.

I really think that point is worth reiterating. The people who need to hear it most are those who gravitate to forums like this. Once you step back from the social media specifically, fragrance becomes a much more perfunctory interest. Owning an Areej gives you kudos and, dare I say, some sort of status within an online community. But without the virtual community? It's just another fragrance - an expensive one, with good resale value, that you don't wear at that.

That's a good A-B test to do, I think. "Does my appreciation of this fragrance change without frequent checking in to social media?"

I also think trying to lose 1 bottle a day in a 500+ collection is a difficult task for a collector to undergo. There are too many variables and fluctuations to consider, it requires a consistency over such a period of time that massively increases the likelihood of giving up, or adding new bottles to the collection even as you're getting rid of others. Fewer, but bigger, cuts to the collection would be more manageable.