Hey Posse. Perfumed Ennui? Have you ever heard of such a thing?
ennui: noun
a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.
“he succumbed to ennui and despair”
synonyms: boredom, tedium, listlessness, lethargy
Perfumed Ennui? How To Overcome?
You see this is my current problem. I am filled with the emptiness of Perfumed Ennui. Almost nothing excites me this week. I try my old standards and they leave me cold, I have randomly grabbed samples from the overflowing box and nothing, even grabbed a couple of scents guaranteed to make me uncomfortable or queasy and still reaction less.
Have you ever had a moment when NOTHING perfumed excites you at all?
I have jumped across to Surrender To Chance and ordered a couple of long wanted decants. Fingers crossed that will help. The shopping itself was, as always, fun. I love to trawl the thousands and thousands of perfumes and especially the new stuff they have in.
Help me Perfume Posse, what do you all do when Perfumed Ennui sets in?
Portia xxx
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I’m weird, and also a writer, so I tend to get inspired by language. When my writing hits a block, I go read a few touchstone authors whose language I love. When I’m feeling stuck on perfume, I go read perfume writing that I love — pull out the pithy Turin and Sanchez, read the Kafkaesque blog, or randomly re-read some of the big posts from PP like the ones that do a comprehensive review of all perfumes by a house or that focus on a certain note. The writing often seduces and inspires me, and gives me ideas of perfumes I need to revisit or else get samples of.
WOW HeidiC,
Great advice. thanks.
Portia xx
Here’s my personal Ennui Cure: Treating my crazy crowd of full bottles, decants, samples, et al as if it were an overstuffed clothes closet, every 2-4 weeks I do a ruthless edit to get the scents down to an ever-changing but manageable “capsule collection.” There might be a seasonal favorite or two, a couple newer loves and a few things I’m testing, and all the rest is put away, out of sight.
Somehow having just a few things to choose from, with choices both familiar and new, piques my interest and keeps me from feeling glutted. It also makes sampling/testing feel more special. And the editing is a pleasurable way to play with my collection and also makes it very clear what is worth my attention, as many scents end up never making the cut.
Super advice Merry Rower,
I have been culling the last three weeks, 50+ bottles have been sent to new homes.
Portia xx
I either don’t wear much of anything for a couple days, buy a couple new decants or I try something new. I’m going through a period where I don’t want to wear perfume or buy something new. So it’s the trying something new.
What is it you are trying Eldarwen22?
Portia xx
If I found myself in this position I would have no problem going without. I think the last thing I would do is order samples cause with all that’s out there, I’d be too overwhelmed trying to come to any decisions on what to get. Perhaps I’d just go to Sephoras and sniff around. That would do it for me!
Good idea too. I was in town today and only sprayed one thing on myself. it was Guerlain’s new Ideal Homme Sport. I bet it sells well.
Portia xx
I agree with Cookie Queen, and also those who say just take a break until the craving comes back. No stress, no drama.
The felling will come back, it always does.
Thanks TaraC,
It pretty much has since I wrote this last week.
Not fully but murmurings of excitement.
Portia xx
I tend also to immerse in the noticing of smells while out in the world: bakery smells, coffee, florist, incense if in the city, or even better, going hiking and taking in all those smells, trying to i.d. what it is I like, etc. But if perfume must be had urgently, I’d see if I can make it to a retailer and sample something as improbable as possible. Good luck, Portia, and I love everyone’s posts!
Aren’t the comments fabulous today. I’m loving them too Rosemacaroon,
Portia xx
When I get fragrance bored, I go back in time to one of the perfumes I used to wear. A few days of memories and I am ‘sniff’y’ happy again! Recently had a strange thing happen. Ran out of one of my go to rejuvenation scents. Headed online to re-purchase. It was a perfume from L’occitane named Bois de Rose. (This spelling is straight from the empty bottle.) I purchased the perfume and associated products from L’occitane stores in Texas, New York, and Boston in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Now I can not find any reference to the scent anywhere on the internet. Not as a discountinued product, not on surrender, not in images, not in articles that I know I read years ago. What gives? I thought once on the net, always on the net!
Hey Sheri,
Those L’Occitane oldies got used and emptied. Unlike the DIOR & CHANEL which sat in the cupboard for a best that never came. L’Occitane is affordable luxury for day to day.
Portia xx
Distract yourself with something else you love for five minutes, a few hours, or a decadent day away. Take a long walk under tall trees or on the beach. Hop on the bus or train and see where you end up. Listen to new and old music. Visit a museum. Take dance lessons or voice lessons. Learn to play a musical instrument. Make art. Paint, draw, write.
HA! You’ve basically described my life Tiffanie.
Portia xx
Perfume ennui for me reflects a deeper sense of ennui, which is what I try to address. Sometimes it helps just to tidy something up – like that sample drawer… Returning to an old favorite I haven’t warn for a while or a classic (often the same thing) usually tides me over until I get excited again. That and sometimes a brisk walk…
GOOD IDEA Maggiecat,
A good tidy up around here could work wonders.
Portia xx
I have not ever had this. Instead I feel overwhelmed by Sample Overflow and then not wearing my FBs that I know I love. I have hundreds of samples, and loads of FBs and more often I feel a sense of frustration that if I lived to a few centuries I would never make it through or justify my perfume addiction.
HA! Maybe that’s part of my problem Shiva-woman.
Portia xx
I just go with it. My passions tend to become obsessions, some like perfume, jewelry collecting and music have been constant all my life while others like nail polish and makeup surface periodically. When perfume ennui sets in, I’ll paint my nails or dig out some earrings I haven’t worn in ages….or just go scent and makeup free for a while. The perfume craving always comes back.
Yeah, you’re right. I do have some new jewellery too from the India Adventure.
Portia xx
When I get perfume boredom and nothing excites me, I also order new samples for some excitement. Even better for me, I tend to go back to my vintage loves. They always made me happy. Actually just last week I ordered some vintage Chanel Coco EDT and Le Galion Sortilege which just thrills me!
I hope your ennui is short-lived!
Hi Kathleen,
Old faves and new faves usually work a treat.
Actually I have had a little flutter of excitement with Pierre Guillaume’s newest Suede Osmanthe today. It’s amazing.
Portia xx
Ooooh, another one to sniff, your suggestions never disappoint. Sounds amazing, aldehydes 🙂 osmanthus, apricot! I adore Pierre Guillaume’s Poudre de Riz, will be my scent today. See? Just a little nudge in a new/old direction to re-ignite perfume passion!
xoxo
He He he! Yes, you’ve nailed it 100% Kathleen,
Portia xx
Woke up this morning with the too much perfume blues. Looked over in the corner of the room, my poor old grandma had ’em too. [Apologies]
Like Tatiana, I take a break when this happens. Luckily, our weather has finally cooled off to a proper temp for October in New England, so I will haul out my Fall favorites soon.
Yeah,
It’s hard to take a complete break when you have a blog.
YUM! Enjoy your fall faves.
Portia xx
I take a nose break! Spend more time smelling nature and food!
Very nice idea Mmkinpa.
Portia xx
Three things. One. You have so much stuff, you can wear anything you want. Two. You can’t always expect a rush. Three. Ninety-seven percent of all new stuff is sh** so why would you be excited? ??
HA! Succinct Val, to the point.
I’m currently culling the hoard, nearly 50 bottles have gone already.
Portia xx
I just pack 3/4 of my range away for a month or longer. I keep my least favourite out. That way, I wear them…or nothing. Tends to make the adage ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ true.
OMG! But I have nowhere to put them all KAPTIONTHISBLOG.
Interesting way to handle it.
Portia xx
I just usually let it run it’s course. If nothing excites me then I don’t wear perfume for a while. I try to find other things to occupy my mind and my time. Usually in a short amount of time I’m craving something in my closet and I go back to wearing fragrance. It often hits me during a change of weather or season when I can’t figure out what will suit the day. Right now the air is thick with smoke and particulate matter, so I can’t even contemplate wearing scent.
Great advice Tatiana,
Portia xx