Woo Hoo! Let’s see how my month went for May New Idea 2023. It’s amazing how many of these samples/decants became full bottles in the wardrobe. May was hard. I really couldn’t keep my focus and trying to empty some of the larger decants takes time. You’ll notice quite a few “Nope” days, these I’ve been wearing decants but not thunking. Some of the excitement has definitely worn off, even though I am still loving getting back to these and using them up.
April New Idea $50 Surrender To Chance Voucher Winner = NEVA
Email me: portia (underscore) turbo (at) yahoo (dot) com (dot) au
I’ll send your voucher out ASAP
May New Idea 2023
A little recap for those who have forgotten.
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.
How It Works
- No matter what size the sample or decant it only counts as ONE win.
- 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.
- 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.
- Manufacturer Travel Size is not a sample or decant.
- 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 April New Idea 2023 went…..
FiF: First in Fragrance, LS: LuckyScent, MPS: My Perfume Samples, MS: Manufacturers Sample, P1: Perfume 1, PG: Perfumista Gift, PP: Posh Peasant, RK: Ruth K, TPC: The Perfumed Court, STC: Surrender To Chance
- Morning: Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Nil: MPS: Very little left in decant. Pretty, fresh, lightly oily. Like Posse Post
Evening: Sarah Horowitz Parfums Origin Story: MS: One of the most beautiful patchouli fragrances ever. Sublime. Raw and yet comfortable. Becomes sweeter as the fragrance progresses. L O V E - Morning: Hermès Un Jardin Apres la Mousson: MPS: Oily water and fruit. Sounds awful but it’s gorgeous. Love Posse Post
Evening: CE: Unknown: Chocolate, maybe coffee, tobacco and stuff. It’s bloody good. DAMN! Wish I knew what it is. L O V E - Day: Christian Dior Cologne Royale: STC 2ml: Fresh green cologne. Bright citrus and herbaceousness. Like
Evening: Viktor&Rolf Dirty Trick: STC 2ml: Iris and amber done up in a sheer wrap of fairy floss. Like - Day: Sarah Horowitz Parfums Hereafter: MS: Vanilla rich sandalwood and amber with some bells and whistles. Beautifully crafted. L O V E Posse Post
- Nope
- Nope
- Nope
- Morning: Creed Wind Flowers: STC 3ml: Not terrible. Lalique does it bigger, better, bolder for less than 1/10th the price. Loads of people mentioned how gorgeous it was during work last night. Meh
Evening: Giorgio Beverly Hills: original MS: So many memories! This was Mum’s top up perfume in car and handbag. No wonder it was a sensation. LOVE
Bed: DIOR Couturier Vetiver: Dark, green, twiggy vetiver that has coffee shadows. Very cool. I really love it but it’s impossible to find now. (Looking back over the May New Idea 2023 this is the one I most regret not owning) - Day: Ineke After My Own Heart: STC 5ml: Less than a ml of thick syrup. Pale white floral that made me sneeze like crazy. So pretty. Like
Evening: Micallef Vanille Marine: MS: This sample spawned a full bottle. Salty vanilla and stuff. So bloody good. LOVE - Morning: Aftelier Curious: MS: Dark, smoky tobacco, humus and tea with deep sweet orange notes. Love
Evening: Guerlain Songe d’un Bois d’Ete: STC 2ml: There is a bottle of this in the collection. Why do I never wear it? I forgot how oudh-y it is. Gorgeous! LOVE - Nope: Wearing larger decants
- Day: Keiko Mecheri Tangeri: STC 2ml: Spicy suede and mossy floral. How do I not own this magnificent perfume. It’s bloody gorgeous. On the To Buy List. DAMNIT! Looks like it’s DCd, so sad. L O V E
- Nope
- Nope
- Morning: Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume: LS 2ml: I’m sure I smelled this before. Honestly, I’m not even sure what it smells of, maybe a milky amber wood?!? Amorphous. Perfect low key lovely. Like
- Day: DIOR Bois d’Argent: STC 2ml: oily dregs, smell amazing. SO THICK! This may be the whole 2ml in oils. Fortunately I have a mid term bottle and brand new Kurk. LOVE
- Morning: Guerlain Mitsouko EdP: STC 2ml: Oily dregs. So rich. Mitsouko x10. Leapt off my skin and remained gorgeous for hours, the whole day. Amazing.
Evening: Guerlain Oriental Brulant: RK 10ml: One of the most beautiful nutty vanilla’s, maybe THE MOST! I panic bought a couple of bottles when it was DCd. This decant though has had years to mature and smells heavenly. L O V E - Morning: Penhaligon’s Quercus: MS: Mildly amusingly every time I see this perfume name my mind says “Queer Cause I’m Lucky”. If the metal silver had a scent this would be it. Citrus, galbanum and some floral/herbal stuff going on. Though not noted I smell juniper berries. Very traditional male. Like
Evening: - Nope
- Nope
- Nope
- Morning: 4160 Tuesdays Truth Beauty Freedom Love: Unknown 5ml: I remembered loving this fruity tobacco powder bomb when it was launched. Don’t know why I never bought a bottle. The name, the scent. It’s bloody gorgeous. I wore it for IDAHOBIT Day (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia) and have worn it every moment since to the thunk. Love
Evening: Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine: MS: This had dried down to a dark brown oil. After about a minute it smelled slightly rancid. EW
Evening: Louis Vuitton On The Beach: STC 2ml: Over the OS I sprayed this and the rancid became a part of the clove-y greenery. It also added an extra depth to this pretty cologne style perfume that is just too expensive for what it is. Like
Bed: Bogue Noun: Unknown: Outrageously animal and forest-y. All the usual Bogue swampiness and dark trails. I love this shit. LOVE - Morning: Robert Piguet L’Insomnuit: STC 5ml: Already on the To Buy List, just jumped about 10 spots. Sweet face-powdered woods. Unlike anything that comes to mind. Gorgeous LOVE
Evening: Deneuve Parfum by Avon: Unknown: How I love this. One of the gold standard floral chypres. LOVE - Nope
- Nope
- Nope
- Nope
- Nope. Did finish a Perry Ellis 360 Green Shower Gel though. I bought a heap of them and the Shave Balm on deep sale.
- Morning: by Killian In The City of Sin: STC 2ml: Sweet fruity stuff, nicely done, I don’t really want to smell like this. Meh
Evening: Lalique Amethyst: MPS 3ml: I think it’s gone. There were only oily dregs and the fruit smells metallic and poopy. Washed it off.
Evening: Mary Greenwell Plum: P1: A perfect foil for the leftovers of the Lalique. Plum is gorgeous, softly fruity floral over amber. I never bought a bottle and regular kick myself for it. Still so gorgeous. LOVE - Morning: Cartier L’Heure Convoiteé II: Unknown: Maybe someone gave me or I made it to travel. Still smells perfect. I already have a bottle. LOVE
Evening: Guerlain Rose Nacree du Desert: STC 2ml: This was the very first release and it smells bloody amazing. Patchouli, rose, oud, saffron and resinous amber. WHY did they DC this beauty? LOVE - Nope. Finished Perry Ellis 360 Green Shave Balm.
Well, SUCCESS! So please leave a comment with something you thunked in May for May New Idea 2023. I’ll pick a winner randomly. Then announce in the next New Idea 2023 post,
What did I buy to celebrate May New Idea 2023? La Fumee Ottoman by Miller Harris. Winging its way to me as you read! WOO HOO!
Portia xx
You can read the whole story so far if you hit the links below.
New Idea, January, February, March, April
Thank you for sharing your experiences sampling and thunking! I’m sooo impressed by your determination. I’m an undersprayer and struggle to thunk any sample or decant. You’ve inspired me to wear my samples more and not hoard them like I used to do.
Hey there Sylvia,
This is exactly what I’m trying to do. Thin the herd.
Good luck,
Portia xx
Wow, that’s a respectable number of thunks still!
I didn’t do very well this month either because I got carried away with travel sizes and rediscovered my bottles of Eau Reglisse and Grass. On the other hand, maybe I’ll have some major thunks later in this year 🙂
Just 4 samples (Les Sœurs de Noé Jardin de Macarons, The Perfumery Taraq, Edeniste Néroli Sensuel and Lifeboost – Seduction) and two travel sizes/minis ( Hermes Vanille Galante, 4711 Acqua Colonia Lemon & Ginger) for me.
Taraq was my favourite, very very nice incense amber from one of the most amazing perfumeries (if you ever go to Barcelona check them out).
There may be an upgrade to a bottle of Vanille Galante later. I compensated my lousy thunk rate by supporting niche perfumery (Akro Bake, 1+1 Adorem, In the Arboretum, Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon).
Sadly there will be no upgrading Vanille Galante to full bottles anymore finance, they have DCd it. I’m trying to save the last few ml in my travel but will probably use it on our next holiday as a final farewell. So sad.
Portia x
Oh no! Thanks for the information though. I’ll fall in love with something else then.
Your samples and decants supply is OTT, good for you trying to make a dent in all that! I haven’t thunked anything but wanted to chime in on my love for Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, Guerlain Songe d’un Bois, Oriental Brûlant and Rose Nacrée as well as L’Insomnuit.
+1 for Oriental Brûlant and Rose Nacrée. Why, oh why they had to be discontinued! And why I didn’t buy a bottle when they were still available?
TaraC,
OTT is the perfect description.
Yeah, I’m sad that I don’t have bottles of some of these but I’m glad to use the samples up before they dry out.
Portia x
I am amazed at your dedication not only to thunking but to keeping and organising these.
Vintage Mitsouko- I was watching the original “The Women” and kvelling over the scene in the department store with “Summer Rain.” How I would love to go back in time and burgle the perfume counter at Bullock’s Wilshire. I’d need a van at least just for the Guerlains and the Patous.
I’ll drive the getaway van!
And I’ll chip in for a much bigger van!
VAN? I’ll bring a semitrailer Tom!
You know it was not conscious choices and they aren’t organised in anything but size. There are about 8 boxes still. CRAZY!!
Portia xx
Loved reading your May thanks, Portia! A few sounded very tempting to me. I managed to thunk a couple scented shower gels (Dove Micellar which smelled aldehydic like Chanel 22, and Mario Badescu Rose shower gel). I’m continuing to work away at samples. What do you do with samples that are a “meh” or a “yuck”? Pitch them in the trash, or give them to someone else who might like them better?
Thanks DinaC,
Some nice thunking going on over there too.
Anything on the list has been emptied.
If it’s a big decant and I just can’t it then gets moved on.
Portia xx
Finished OJ Woman decant and will get another as the weather cools down again. On a bit of an Iris spree at the moment. Am really liking the Acqua di Parma ones but the Prada Infusion d’iris is a definite no go!
Stay on the path Portia!
Did you try the Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris JenniferS? It’s a very nice one.
Portia xx
I haven’t heard of this one so I’ll give it a look.Thanks!
Welcome.
Oh hey, so samples count? Then I’m in! Travelled this past month and got to Montreal and the terrific Etiket. End up with 12 samples! Drained Reve en Cuir by Indult and went back the next day to by a bottle. L O V E
Oh yes AnnieA, They sure do.
OOOH! Reve en Cuir looks good.
Portia x
I enjoy reading about your sampling and thunking! Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences. I continue to sample and thunk as well. My favorite this month was Masque Romanza, gorgeous and the longevity best ever! Also sampled/thunked some LeLabo. Like but not love, and some Estée Lauder new releases. Also like not loved like their classics. xoxo
Aha! I think I did smell Romanza but now you’ve tweaked my interest. I want to try it again Kathleen.
Hope you’re well.
Portia xx
Whoop! There may have been some Nope days in May but holy moly Batman you’ve really made a huge dent thunking those that were immediately thunkable this year.
You still have 7 months to work on those that need a bit more “work” to finish.
I am in awe at your dedication! x
HA! Yeah, it’s starting to show Alityke.
I think it might need to go on for another year at this rate. I’ll probably not continue to boor you all with it by then though.
Thanks
Portia xx
I would like to know how the thunkathon goes in 2024 x
HA! Noted
Miller Harris seems to be a thing at the moment. I am very curious about Lyn Harris’ new line, Perfumer H. As far as I can tell, no sample programme. Might email them to ask. As ever, I am in awe of the number of samples/perfumes you own. Great fun to follow your thunking.
Hey Cinnamon,
Yeah, I think we have fallen into the Miller Harris vortex. It’s a pretty good brand to do so with.
OMG! If you could see the sheer quantity of samples and decants you’d be horrified. It’s stupid. That’s why I’m spending a year trying to winnow it down.
Portia xx