I was going though my diminished collection yesterday and noticed that I am almost to the point of draining a few of my bottles. I know I’ve previously regaled you with my “draining” exploits, but the act of finishing a bottle has taken on a whole new meaning since my psychotic aunt swiped the majority of my collection.
As it stands right now, I’ve got a precious few drops left of Hermessence Rose Ikebana, about a 1/4 of a bell jar full of Rahat Loukhoum, maybe 6 spritzes of Philosophy’s Unconditional Love, Givenchy Ange ou Démon Le Secret and Antonia’s Flowers Sogni del Mare. These are all summer staples of mine that I am quickly sending to the graveyard of empty bottles. Will I replace them? I don’t know.
So, that leads me to my questions: Are there any fragrances in your collection that you are close to draining? Will you replace them? As usual, inquiring minds want to know. And, not to worry – I won’t attempt to hack your mobile!
Have a great weekend!
I used up two bottles of Bennetton Colors in my late teens, and a bottle of Dana Herbissimo that I just loved I was in high school. Since falling down the rabbit hole, the only bottle I’ve emptied is Hermes Eau des Merveilles.
Never. Well, not that I can recall since I started seriously collecting perfume.
It preys on my mind, my ever-growing collection which I know I’ll never use up. But why would I want to (I ask myself in my more logical moments)? If I use one up, I wouldn’t have it any more!
I never finish bottles, ever except for M7 – I have gone through three of those (and have 2 back ups right now)
No.5, but I now have a new, larger bottle thanks to my husband. Also, HM Butterfly (blue) but that has also been replaced. I keep finding new scents to wear – so most bottles more than 1/2 full. Certain ones are for me, and others I wear for my husband (but I like them too).
:(( Golconda, JARS in its lovely Baccarat bottle….Was told to purchase the bottle and it would be “refillable”….at a much lessor price….
I *love* having to decide in the morning! My collection is far too small right now. I have about ten bottles and some are truly cold weather scents, so I have very few to chose from. I think I *need* about thirty bottles or so.
Sometimes it is wonderful! When you are in a specific mood or going for a specific vibe, and you have the perfect scent to match that. But sometimes I’m not so decided and the collection is more daunting
You all are cool — I have never in my life finished a bottle, neither back when I was a normal person with a few bottles, nor now when I have (cough, cough) a lot (cough, cough). In the old days, I would get tired of them before they were used up and either give or throw them away. Now, well, we’ll see, but Swapmania has been great for me.
I had a similiar pattern when I had a signature scent… I would get so sick of it I would have to rid myself of the bottle. I do miss not having to decide in the morning, tho.
The only bottle of anything I have ever finished is Clinique’s Happy, and I replaced the bottle. (Happy is a slight addiction with me.)
Question for everyone: since becoming more of a perfume person, I have made a couple of full-bottle purchases, but I find that I want to dab, not spray. What’s the best way, in your experience, to move juice from a high-powered spritzer to a discreetly dabbable container of some sort, and where to get such a container?
The Perfumed Court sells decanting supplies, so you can choose the size bottles you want. It’s quite easy, even for a klutz like me, to spritz directly into a small bottle. Just put the spray opening right up to the mouth of the bottle so all the perfume goes in.
Great topic – actually, I don’t think I’ve ever finished a bottle!
When I was younger and only one or two bottles, I only wore perfume on special occasions. Later on, when I had the income for more, I was moving every few years and giving most of them away each time before I was anywhere close to finishing them. I have replaced many of those old favs, such as AG Heure Exquise, Hermes Hiris, Joop! Rococo and Tabac Blond. Going on ebay in order to find them was one of the roots of my collecting.
Now I have scores of bottles and back-up bottles, and also tend to spray lightly, so there is little risk of running out unless one evaporates on the sly. Yet, counterintuitively, I nonetheless worry about running out of something irreplaceable – hence the backup bottles of vintage favs. I may also get a backup of SSS Tabac Aurea – it’s such a small bottle; I do wear it often in the winter, and Laurie’s hiatus last year was a bit of a scare.
I have recently used more than half of a 10-ml travel spray of FM Le Parfum de Therese and am growing fonder every time I wear it, so seriously contemplating a bottle or travel set.
mkk, and I will replace it
You’d better…:d
There are quite a few that are below the half-way mark in my collection, but I’m not sure if I’ll try to replace them, or just move on to new things… I’ve got a vintage L’Heure Bleue EDT that I love, but when it does run out, I might just close that chapter: I’m concerned that if I try to find an exact replica, I’d be disappointed—and there are so many other things to enjoy, I don’t want to get hung-up!
I have been making a concerted effort to drain samples, and that’s been fun! There are some things that have gone onto my full-bottle list, and some things that have been definitively put onto the “I don’t need more of this” list. Which in itself is a fun and satisfying adventure! :)
I have finished 10 Corso Como and Costes 2. Come fall (or the next Beautyhabit sale), I will have to replace them. This summer I have almost drained AdP Colonia…3 more spritzes left and I am on the fence regarding a replacement.
Another Corso Como and Costes killer here. Except mine was original Costes. I had backup bottles of both. 🙁
Finished a bottle of CSP’s Bois de Filao, safe in the knowledge that I already had a backup bottle…
Last finished a 200 ml bottle of Orange Vert. Not sure if I’ll get another – this one was pre-EU regs and I expect the current one will not smell the same.
I recently finished my third bottle of Chergui and extrait tester bottles (1 oz each) of Mitsouko (pre-OAKMOSS IS KRYPTONITE ;-) ) and L’Heure Bleue. Would love to re$tock but it’ll be awhile…
I have finished a bottle of rose flaminca by rosine and have about 10cc left of serge’s mkk. i will replace both when i find a good price on evil bay.
I’m pretty sure the only FB I have EVER finished is a bottle of Gucci Rush in college, though I still suspect that the bottle leaked or evaporated somehow. Since the bottle is opaque, I was shocked the day I went to spray and nothing came out. I rebought.
The bottle I’m closest to finishing now is Egoiste, but it’s an old bottle I found after 15 years away from it, and I think it too suffered from leaking and/or evaporation. I’m savoring the last few ml. Will rebuy if Egoiste is still that good!
Great idea for a post Nava!
Elisa, I had the same problem with my Gucci Rush bottle; there is no way I had used up the whole thing, and then, one day, gone! I immediately replaced it! Definitely, rotating between scents has helped delay the draining of the bottles…:)
a bottle of Fred Hayman’s Touch, a great summery floriental.
Years ago I finished off a bottle of Moulinard de Moulinard perfume. I have about 3 ml of The Vert left. I hope it has not been reformulated.
I recently finished off my BIG bottle of Ines de la Fressange (1999) and I am currently on another with a backup in reserve, so I guess you could safely say that I love it. :-)
I also finished My Precioussss, my bottle of “vintage” Amouage Ubar but I have a decant now. Not sure what I will do when that’s gone other than sob quietly, it’s getting really hard to find.
Getting perilously close to finishing my Lelong pour Femme and Caron Parfum Sacre (original version) but yes, I have more of both. There are some things I just refuse to run out of!
I haven’t finished a bottle of anything since I used to just have 2 or 3 bottles at a time, maybe 10 years ago? I went through tons then, but now I have so many bottles,s decants and samples, combined with the fact that I am a light spritzer by nature and the hubby gets migraines means I won’t be finishing anything anytime soon!
I can honestly say the only perfume I have ever finished is a 10 mil decant of 28 La Pausa. No full bottles – ever!
Oh, yes! I’ve finished 4 or 5 decants of 28 la Pausa. What is wrong with me, that I won’t just shell out for a bottle? It’s gorgeous stuff.
Gorgeous scent! I just got one of the new smaller bottles of that – elegant, solid bottle with a cool magnetic cap, and a classic box, too. You SHOULD treat yourself!
Yes Karen G you should definitely treat yourself!
My rules on draining decants are:
1. Finish a 1ml decant? Then buy a bigger decant.
2. Finish the bigger decant? Then buy the FB !
The small bottles have not landed in Glasgow yet, but when they do I think some Coromondel and Sycomore will look lovely sitting either side of their big Sis La Pausa on my perfume shelf … but then OCD will kick in and I’ll need another 2 to even things up. Oh my!
Kirsten and nozknoz, they ARE beautiful looking bottles aren’t they? I hope to eventually have 28 LP, 31 RC and Sycomore all lined up on my shelf. You’re right, I’ve spent way too much on decants…time for FBs!
Kirsten, I ordered from the Chanel website which was rapid, and right now they have free shipping on orders over $100 – that’s in the US, so I’m not sure where else that might apply.
Thanks Nozknoz,
They won’t ship to the UK though :( We do have a chanel boutique that sells the LE’s in Glasgow, I don’t think they have the 70mls yet though. Wish I’d known they were coming out before I bought the big bottle – not that I regret it as its so beautiful, but, it would have been easier and cheaper to collect all the 70ml bottles, and I wouldn’t have to worry about my perfume shelf collapsing under the strain!
Chanel #5 cologne. Ive already got two bottles in reserve.
Like many, I have not finished a bottle in several years… since way back in the day when I had a signature scent. I think I finished a bottle of Gucci Rush for Men 7 years ago, and I bought another. I have ALMOST finished a bottle of L de Lolita, but I already bought a sale replacement.
I had a backup bottle of L de Lolita. 🙁
oh Nava, how awful! Atleast it can still be had cheaply at online discounters. There must be some awesome perfume karma coming your way…
I used to finish up bottles all the time, back when I was a “normal”, before this habit began. But in the last 6 years?, Nope, not even one bottle.
It’s possible I’ll finish my bottle of Eau des Merveilles this summer. I wear it a lot, but I think there may be an evaporation issue with the bottle. Anyone else had this problem with EdM?
I think there might be a reality story line in there: “normal” perfumistas vs. perfumistas who can’t finish what they start. :d
Oh, I wasn’t even a perfumista then. Just a normal person who had 2 or 3 perfumes in rotation, and would empty a bottle every year or so.
I think finishing a bottle now would give me a great sense of accomplishment. :)
Champagne de Bois and I will definitely replace it!
And a big thank you to Opera Fan for tiding me over! <3
Oh, not at all… Anything for a friend!
The last bottles I drained were Jasminas from Intelligent Nutrients, which is only an 11ml bottle so that’s not very hard and the 1.7 oz bottle of Coco Chanel parfum spray. I plan on replacing both…but I keep getting sidetracked by purchasing other scents. I sort of blame that on perfumeposse by the way. /:)
Happy to help! 😡
Interesting question– let’s see– in the spring, I drained dry a Temps d’une Fete; then finished off my old bottle of Nocturnes. Almost finished with Ines de la Fressange, the older version. Have made a serious dent in the Chanel Eau Premiere. Tabac Blond parfum is almost finished, but I think my son and husband have been helping with that. Finished a travel size of Parfum de Therese, cherishing the last travel size from the set I splurged on a year ago. Already replaced the Nocturnes and TdUF. Already replaced or have backup bottles for everything that is close to running out. For samples, have finished two samples of Amouage Opus II, and two samples of Jub XXV. Nava– I hope your perfume shelves are plentifully re-stocked soon.
I hope so, Mary. Thanks! 🙂
Lately it seems as if I rarely ever (if ever) finish a bottle of anything since I have so many bottles of so many things.
Not counting decants, samples and minis, it’s still been years since I actually finished anything – kind of sad.
So what I can remember finishing “in recent memory” – all 5+ yrs ago:
1. Apres L’Ondee – 50ml edt (replaced w/100ml cannister refill that I’m being miserly with)
2. Chamade – 100ml edt splash (replaced w/75ml pdt)
3. Joy – 25ml edp black spray bottle (came in a twin-bottle set so now using the backup)
There were others: AG 100ml Eau d’Hadrien, 30ml Folavril, 30 ml Rose Absolue edp… Hmmmm, maybe I’ve used up more than I thought after all!
:)
See? You never realize until you start a tally! :d
Well, I never – though I am getting close with a bottle of Bois de Paradis. I’ve stopped spraying it liberally, and now use short little spritzes, in some vain hope that it will last forever.
Two bottles of BdP have bitten the dust on me!
I finished off two bottles of Chanel Coco: one EDP and one EDT. I did replace them (Coco is my lifelong signature). Two wonderful Swapmania swappers indulged me with replacements!
I love finishing up a bottle. It’s so satisfying to me, somehow.
I am getting very close to killing a 30ml bottle of Le Temps d’une Fete – the first time I’ve drained one since oh, twenty years ago, and wore one bottle at a time… I’ve already got another one.
I used up the last spritz of Dzing! a few weeks ago. Will rebuy, but not now. Before that it was White Musk for men by the Body Shop. It’s cheap and an everyday staple so have allready bought another bottle. Muscs Koublaï Khan is gone and Chergui is almost there. Will rebuy MKK, not so sure about Chergui. I’ll hold on to the few drops I have left. A new bottle of Feminité du bois is long overdue, but I can’t decide if I should get Bois de Violettes instead. I probably need both. I need my woods. I need my violet. Until I can afford them I make my own.
Several months ago I finished a bottle of Shalimar EDP (I’ve got a backup). I’m just about to finish a large bottle of Rochas Femme EDT (and I have some EDP as a backup). Almost finished with Bellodgia, but I think I will swap that last bit away. (Or I may use Mabel’s technique, and spray it into potpourri!). I won’t replace that one. I’ve also gone through some sample vials, but didn’t keep track of which ones.
I’m planning to move my less than 1/2 full bottles to front and center so that I will be more likely to use them up. That way I can justify some new purchases!
I recently finished a 30ml Habit Rouge, and bought a 100ml to replace it. Weirdly, it doesn’t smell quite the same, with a plasticky top note that the first bottle didn’t have. It does go away after a few minutes, and then it’s just good old HR.
My wife recently finished off a bottle of Amarige d’Amour; I had already bought her another in preparation for that. Same for YSL Paris and Rose Chypree. I try to plan ahead…
What a wonderful husband you are!
Cristalle edt, Guerlain Vetiver, Eau de Coq, Eau d’Orange Vert, Un Jardin sur le Nil, Encre Noir, and Violet Empire have all been emptied and replaced in the last year. I drained a decant of PG Ilang Ivohibe, but have not replaced it, but I am thinking of a full bottle–it is a real comfort/bedtime scent for me. I am close to the end of a couple of discontinued Diptyques sadly.
Several of the “discontinued” Diptyque scents are available now from the Diptyque shops in New York and San Francisco. Call them!
I went through my bottle of Coco Mademoiselle. I have been trying to find a less expensive replacement for 6 months…that is actually how I even found this perfume blog…I googled and found perfume blogs…Yeah…I think, because now I am sampling way too many and want too many and of course the one I found that I really like is from an Italian perfumer that is way over my budget…Roma Imperiale…sooo pretty & so pricey! Oh well, maybe I’ll hit the lottery.
Montale Roses Musk. It is terrible of me to admit but wearing it on my skin was getting on my nerves so I sprayed the remaining 3-4 5ml in some potpourri just to finish it up and make room on my perfume shelf.
Fumy, I just got a sample of that and like it but dont want it on me either, Ill try the potpourri route.
Great post, Nava! Interesting to see which bottles are really the most “loved”.
Only three bottles even close to finished on my shelves–Lady Primrose Tryst which I go through every few years, and Bois d’Armenie and Secrets de Sophie, which were partial bottles to start. I will definitely replace the Tryst, possibly replace the Sophie if I can get a good price, but not BdA, if I even use the remainder. Tryst and Sophie definitely were “loved” bottles.
Christian Dior Pour Homme and Boucheron Jaipur for Men. Working on a bottle of Heritage by Guerlain right now.
Haven’t replaced them yet. Burned through samples of Pure Oud By Killian and Hinoke by CdG…Would like to replace the Killian but..ouch..it’s a bit pricey for me right now.
I finished a large decant to L’Artisan’s Aedes de Venusta. I would really like to replace it at some point.
The only true bottle I’ve finished is Bal a Versailles perfume, and yes. I’ve replaced it twice.
Hanae Mori’s Magical Moon, but no worries, I have two backups! And it’s my 3rd bottle….;-)
Also, used up my Shiseido original Zen (black bottle), and just bought a new one. It’s a perennial favorite and they haven’t reformulated. Used up a bottle of Zen 2 (Pearl), but it’s nowhere to be found, so sad!
About to finish my bottle of Une Jardin sur le Nil, but I tend never to actually finisha bottle — I always leave a bit just in case, like cats always leave a little bit of food in the bowl for later. I have trouble finishing decants, even samples, resulting in too many sample vials with one drop in them.
I do the same thing with bottles, Olfacta! Though I do finish samples.
I do the same thing (as does my cat)!
HA! My cats eat the bowls! :-D
That’s so funny! I also become more miserly with dispensing when the bottle gets low these days.
And my cats can go either way depending on which cat and the contents of the bowl…
a:8
I had no problem finishing my bottle of JSLN. I guess I’m more of a dog in that respect. :d
Onde Mystere by Armani
Nice! I “had” a bottle of that I was working on.
Apres l’ondee 3, Rive gauche 2, Ombre Rose 1, L’heure bleue 1 all replaced.
First, So Pretty, Eau de Guerlain, Eau de Fragonard are not replaced. EdGuerlain should be.
As for the rest I do hope to never ever use them up….
Did not follow the blog regularly – that happened? good heavens! I am so sorry.
Andrea
Long story, Andrea. http://perfumeposse.com/2010/11/04/in-memoriam/
Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte, about two years ago. I’ve gone through many bottles of this. I used to only get the 13.5 oz. size. I currently have the puny 100 ml, but I still have a lot left.
You’re like I used to be with AG Eau d’Hadrien!
‘Medea’ by BPAL. It’s a good starter niche line, and that scent especially is excellent. I was sad to see it go, but frankly, the hassle with their turn around time and absurdly high shipping discourages me from buying more.
And samples, of course :)
I once waited almost 3 months for a BPAL order. It was my first and only.
The oils themselves are pretty good for what they are, but the process irks, and frankly, some of the fandom is a little…intense.
The lady that makes them, likewise, doesn’t take critiscm well. It’s perfume, not bottled world peace–the whole thing just makes it not worth it.
But like I said, they made a good gateway to niche, and some of them really nice.
I once finished a whole original Messe de minuit and luckily am working on another. I’ve about 5 sprays left in Gaiac 10 and I’m going for it tomorrow. I was grateful for le Labo’s Tokyo Red Cross benefit and have one in wait. Does anyone know how to remove and replace those spray heads without hauling them to LA or NY?
They’re clamped on to the bottles when they’re filled. I witnessed it first-hand at the NY store. Maybe your should call to ask.
I finished a ten ml mini of Tea for Two that I got as a gift with purchase when I bought Iris Pallida. I knew I was about to finish it.
I already bought a 50ml bottle. It was on sale.
One of my favourite L’Artisans!