January New Idea 2023

Woo Hoo! Let’s see how my month went for January New Idea 2023. This year I’m aiming to thunk five samples/decants a week. More if possible, there is a tonne of them here to be dealt with. Every thunk is called a WIN, because let’s face it who doesn’t need a few extra wins? These are easy wins but hopefully will give us all a sense of accomplishment that will carry over into daily life.

January New Idea

A little recap for those who have forgotten.

How It Works

1. No matter what size the sample or decant it only counts as ONE win.
2. To count as a win the decant MUST be thunked. Yeah, I know but this is how I’m playing it. You can have your own rules if you like.
3. Multiples in a day are acceptable. So, if you empty something in the morning, another after work and another before bed that counts as THREE wins.
4. Manufacturer Travel Size is not a sample or decant.
5. At the end of each successfully completed month I am allowed to reward myself with a splurge from ONE perfume store. Yeah that’s right. Sure you can buy 20 things if it makes you happy but it has to be ONE etailer or retailer in ONE TRANSACTION.

I’m going to celebrate by giving away a US$50 Gift Voucher to Surrender To Chance for every successful month to one lucky random commenter. Cool eh?

So let’s see how January New Idea went…..

LS: LuckyScent, MS: Manufacturers Sample, PP: Posh Peasant, TPC: The Perfumed Court, STC: Surrender To Chance

January New Idea: The Thunked

1. Le Labo Tonka 25: STC 3ml: Sweet radiant white floral with vanilla/woods. Lovely but smells like a designer. Like
2. Morning: Francesca Bianchi The Dark Side: STC 1/2ml: OMG! I see what all the hype has been about. Thoroughly gorgeous feral amber with all the bells and whistles. Love
   Evening: Mancera Fig Extacy: MS: Opening is dry, raspy pepper spiced fig that quickly becomes mostly about the fruit and amber/woods. Love.
3. Morning: Miller Harris Violet Ida: STC 3ml: I wore it to bed last night and enjoyed Violet Ida thoroughly so this morning I wore the remnants. Iris/violet and stuff. Like a lot. Posse post
4. Morning: De Gabor Darling: MS: This is so much more salty than I remember, gorgeous and strange. Like a lot. Posse post
5. Day: Trudon II: MS: Green and bitter woods, lightly smoky and dry. Like
   Bed: CHANEL No 19: STC 2ml: There was about 1/2ml and it is STRONG and feisty. Love
6. Morning: Vintage Caron Nuit de Noel EdT: STC 3ml: Furriest Xmas vibe over amber. LOVE. Posse post
   Bed: Nuit de Megeve Eight & Bob: LS .7ml: I can taste the coffee in this. Perfectly blended with tobacco, clove and a lovely rich sweet tonka. Longevity not so great, bummer. Like a lot
7. Bed: Vintage Patou Joy EdT: TPC 3ml: There was only 1ml but it was thick and treacleish. Blew my head off. LOVE. Posse post
8. Day: Atelier des Ors Luna Feline: MS: A sweet and spicy amber that reminds me of Diptyque Eau Duelle (without being very much like it). A bit more showy and extravagant. Also Luna Feline lasts for eternity! I can still smell it at 15 hours. Love
9. Day: L’Orchestre Parfum Vétiver Overdrive 2022: MS: Metallic, petrochemical grasses over woody amber with a hint of citrus on open. There seems to be ginger and pepper but they are not named notes. Very wearable. Like
10. Day: Acqua di Parma Magnolia Infinita 2022: MS: Pithy citrus over a jasmine rich bouquet with a quietly vegetal musk. Reminds me of a Tocca scent, can’t remember which. Pleasant but didn’t grab me. Like
    Evening: Nanette Lepore Nanette: Dunno: A fruity floral with amber base. REALLY enjoyed smelling like this and got a compliment at work tonight. LOVE. WANT!
    Bed: Aftelier Forest Bathing: MS: A strange and beautiful fragrance to wear after something so mainstream as Nanette. Fruity, bright woods with something dark and alluring running underneath. Like a lot.
11. Day: Memo Kedu: MS: WOW! The sesame shines through the citrus, so interesting. I get the familiar dry back of throat feeling that tea gives me and I’m wondering if it’s the mate. Like
12. Nope
13. Bed: DIOR Homme Sport: MS: This is the modern version. Nice. Safe. Just a little funky. Yawn
14. Day: Vintage Coty Emeraude: STC 3ml: 1/2ml of dark brown juice left in the bottom. So rich, like fresh baked fruit cake. Spicy, sweet, resinous amber. All top notes gone. Still fabulous.
15. Morning: By Kilian Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi: MS: Although there are differences and it does smell slightly elevated in comparison, this really reminds me of Lalique EdP. A tropical fruity floral with creamy vanilla woods base. (Lalique is better)
    Evening: M Micallef Vanille Cuir: MS: I remember falling so hard for Vanille Marine from this collection that the others didn’t stand a chance. This is way better than I remember. A perfect stand off between sweet, herbal and dark savoury. LOVE
    BedL Le Galion L’Aime Perdue: MS: Salty citrus and tropical fruity floral over a honeyed vanilla/woods. Have a bottle from sniffing the first half of this sample. LOVE
16. Morning: Vintage Stella McCartney Stella EdP: PP 2ml: Maybe 1ml. Dewy roses over a light amber. Still so fresh. I remember how much love this got at the time. Like
    Evening: Byredo La Botte: MS: A white floral leather with some violet leafy greenness. If this was half the price I’d be raving about it but for this $$$$ I want more. It is good. Like
17. Day: Jul et Mad Bella Donna: MS: Beautiful white floral, dense and lightly tropical. the base burnt off very quickly in the muggy Sydney heat today. Like Posse post
    Bed: Aether Citrus Ester: STC 2ml: Pithy citrus and softly sweet greenery. LOVE
18. Day: Hermès L’Ambre des Merveilles: STC 2ml: Last 1/2ml very dark juice. Ahhhhhh, so rich and thick. Lightly salted amber with a very Serge Lutens smelling fruit mince note. Love
19. Day: Masque Milano Sleight of Fern: MS: GOSH! Not what I was expecting. A resinous, lemon scented, perfumery idea of fig. Lightly floral and a furry, dark, forest floor version of oakmoss and strange muskishness. LOVE
20. Nope
21. Day: Serge Lutens Daim Blond: 1ml sample unknown: Pretty, soft leather, lasts about 30 minutes and gone.
22. Bed: BDK Velvet Tonka: MS: SWEEEEEET! Used about 1.5ml and it’s the most divine cloud of nutty vanilla rich tonka/amber/tobacco.
23. Morning: Mancera Black Line: MS: Rose, Oudh, Patchouli. Not new. Very nice of its genre. Super wearable. Like
    Evening: Miller et Bertaux Oh, ooOoh …oh: MS: Wood and stuff. How is this house not ALL perfumistas favourite? LOVE
24. Morning: Paco Rabanne Invictus Intense: MS: The opening is booze sweet and slightly fish oily. I wished for more pepper. Don’t hate but also not what I want to smell like.
    Evening: Vintage Rochas Femme: STC 2ml: Last, very dark 1/2ml. Thick, rich, luscious and a little skanky. LOVE
    Bed: Modern Miss Dior EdP: MS: Well, it’s sweet and fruity and complete rubbish compared to the original. Loath
25. Day: Atelier des Ors Cuir Sacre: MS: Leather and incense done smooth and thoughtfully. Love
    Bed: Unknown: 2ml spray decant: Aldehydic musk, very freaking cool. Like
26. Morning: DIOR J’Adore Parfum l’Eau: MS. Cool fruity floral with a crisp Granny Smith apple opening. Like
    Evening: Miller et Bertaux Om : MS: Spicy incence over vanilla rich amber. Beautiful, low key and rich smelling. LOVE
27. Day: Detaille Par 4: MS: Woodsy aromatic. Very nice. Like
28. Bed: Unknown: 2ml spray decant: Very traditional masculine aromatic up top with a modern niche nutty/woody base. Funnily, it smells a little like lightly flavoured hard cheese, quite salty too. Very wearable. Damn, I wish this had a label. LOVE
29. Day: JHaG Miss Charming: MS: Very pretty fruity rose. Like
    Evening: Essential Parfums Nice Bergamote: MS: Citrus, pretty, yawn. Like, but not much.
    Bed: Elie Saab Le Parfum: MS: Radiant white floral. So gorgeous. Wish I had a bottle. LOVE.
30. Evening: Amouage Meander: MS: Creamy dry resins and sandalwood with a scratchy pepper overlay. SO GOOD! I already bought a bottle from my first train g of it. LOVE
31. Morning: Bulgari Black: PP 1ml: Smoky vanilla gorgeousness with hints of rubber. This sample is OLD, I can definitely smell the difference from my bottle. Love
    Evening: Keiko Mecheri Peau de Peche: PP 1ml: I feel like this is Keiko Mecheri’s very classy reply to Rochas Femme. A woodified homage, tricked up for the 21st century. Like

I guess you all want to know what my splurge was? LKNU were having a Maria Candida Gentile used Tester sale. I bought Barry Lyndon, Cinabre, Hanbury and Kitrea all with 70% or more juice for only a bit more than the regular price of one bottle. YAY! They are winging their way to us as I type.

Well, YAYYYY! SUCCESS! 46 Samples/Decants drained! That’s 46 wins for January.

SURRENDER TO CHANCE GIVEAWAY

So please leave a comment with something you thunked in January for January New Idea. I’ll pick a winner randomly. Winner announced in the February New Idea 2023 post,
Portia xx