This ‘N That Part Deux

Well, summer has arrived and the temps have risen- then fallen again. I am not complaining mind you; I much prefer highs in the 70’s than the 90’s. I am sure my friends in Palm Springs are much happier as well. June is of course Fathers Day and this weekend has all sorts of “Dad-centric” car shows (not that you have to be a dad or even male to enjoy cars..) The Petersen Museum on Wilshire will be celebrating it’s 25th anniversary Saturday and the annual Concours on Rodeo is Sunday. I will definitely be attending the latter (as early as possible) and perhaps the former.

My bottle of Spiritus/ Land arrived few days ago and I am well pleased. It’s just as lovely as I remember it and I was very happy to get it at the price that I did. As pleased as I was to score a bottle of Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel, which I had sadly run out of and which for some reason fled US department stores years ago. A situation that should be corrected.

In the interest of finding the bottle of Miller Harris l’Air de Rien I got at Bloomingdale’s eons ago when the line was on it’s way out I delved into the closet where I keep my stash. I am sure I still have it somewhere tucked away; it’s such a bizarre little thing that I don’t think I could have chugged the whole bottle, but you never know. My love of skank has had me go through several bottles of MKK over the years and I even have (somewhere) a bottle of both Brent Leonesio’s Untitled #8 (described by him as “a bottom looking for a top”) and Mugler’s Human Existence, sent to me long ago by Marina as she didn’t want it in the house since it’s just too damned much. I can wear the former. The latter I would only pour into the air conditioner vent of someone I had truly large grudge against.

I try to keep my scents in their box in the hall closet between the bedroom and bathroom and have done so for decades. I find that this way they simply do not degrade over time the way they would if they were on a dressing table or in a bathroom where they would be exposed to temperature extremes or sunlight. I have bottles that are over 20 years old (at least) and they are still fresh- the downside is that they tend to get lost, and in searching for something else I am easily sidetracked.

Like this time.

In searching for my bottle of l’Air de Rien (which I know is there somewhere, dammit!) I came across a bottl (signed) of Tauer’s Hyacinth and a Mechanic which I had forgotten about. A ful, ealed bottle of Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio (ditto) a bottle of Caron Le 3ème Homme which I had not forgotten about but had not worn for a while and a whole giant tester of Guerlain Vetiver, which was the shiny keys that distracted me from my quest to find the Miller Harris. Vetiver was (and likely is) the signature scent of someone I knew and for a long time I couldn’t wear it- it was this person’s scent, not mine. Now it’s mine again.

So what have you been re-discovering in your scent stash? Or something new? Let us know in the comments.

Image: Internets

  • Cheri says:

    I found my bottle of Creed Fleurs de Bulgarie
    (Or something like that.) It’s a 2006 batch. I’ve never loved it – it’s dried roses, ambergris, musk, and perhaps patchouli. You’d think it would be great – I love roses – but for me, no. I felt I needed a bath after the first hour. Now I know why I stashed it away.

  • Portia says:

    Hey Tom,
    Yeah, finding stuff is hard and I always get distracted.
    Last year I had a couple of mates come catalogue my collection. When they put everything away I was at work. Now it can take an hour or more to find what I’m looking for. My new deal is that I get one go picking a box, if not there I must go to my favourites tray and use one of them. It’s also helping me learn what is where because I’m only looking at one box.
    Portia xx

  • Maya says:

    Great reminder! I have some vintage bottles put away safely in their boxes that I don’t use very often and tend to forget about. I checked them again and pulled three out so I can wear them. They are all really lovely. Rafael Replique, Jean Desprez Jardanel, and Dana Voodoo.

  • cbsutcliffe says:

    I had forgotten about Ninfeo Mio! I emptied a roller ball long ago, but remember liking it and wanting more when I reduced the number of similar things in the rotation. I may have to go evaluated and see if it is time…

    Speaking of rollerballs, in a recent spate of tidying, I found a rollerball of With Love by Hillary Duff. Not much left in it, but I’m enjoying finishing it.

  • Kathleen says:

    I have a very large armoire that sits in the cool and dark basement storage room for my perfumes. I haven’t kept many boxes and therefore, my perfume bottles are visible. Many are neglected because I have so many bottles and keep buying more! I rotate several out and keep in my bedroom closet for daily wear. I love revisiting an old perfume love!

  • Tara C says:

    I have two plastic storage bins filled with backup bottles in the basement. The contents of each are listed so I know where everything is. The rest is inside a dark walk-in closet for easy access. Of course stuff still gets neglected, because I have too many bottles, but I am trying to purposefully reach for things I haven’t worn in a while.

    • matty1649 says:

      At least you listed the contents,which is more than stupid me did !!!! I’ve still got bottles hanging about which need to be put in a box……listed !!!!

  • matty1649 says:

    I keep all my perfumes in their original boxes ( the ones that came in boxes) then they are packed and stored in fancy boxes. What I should have done,is write down which perfumes were in which boxes and put the note in the big boxes. I didn’t !!! Of course this is rather difficult when searching for a particular perfume e.g. I still can’t find my Guerlain Idyll. One day I plan to take perfumes out of big boxes…write down which perfumes are in the boxes. That would make things so much easier,of course I haven’t done it yet !!!! I hope all this makes sense. I know what I mean. Hope you do too !!!! XX