10 Things I have Learned on my Journey to Becoming a ‘Perfume Genius’*
‘Learning’ is a phrase that I never seem to be too far away from. I work in Human Resources but I have a lot of input, experience and training in ‘Learning and Development’. As part of my studies I am required to record my development within a ‘Learning Log’ and I do very much believe in the old idiom ‘you learn something new every day. So yes, it seems that I cannot escape the word learning, but I’m not complaining, I love to learn.
Obviously my favourite thing to learn about is perfume. and my scented journey through the world of perfume has so far been an excellent experience. I have learned so much about scent, but still feel that I’ve barely touched the surface, there really is so much to learn after all.
Here’s what I have learned so far…
1. Price Doesn’t Matter
Well, obviously price does matter a bit, I imagine that we all have a ‘price ceiling’ that we vow we would never/could never exceed when it comes to perfume purchasing, but on the whole price doesn’t count.
When I first started getting in to perfume I went through what I like to call my ‘Creed Phase’, which was essentially when I bought a lot of Creed perfumes because they were expensive and that meant they must be good, right? Wrong! Some of my favourite perfumes are as cheap as chips, and whilst I would be quite happy shelling out (once I have saved my pennies) for a £200 bottle of Amouage, I’m also perfectly happy picking up something from Gorilla Perfume for £20.
In essence – cheap doesn’t necessarily mean bad and expensive doesn’t necessarily mean AMAZING.
2. Florals are Awesome
Especially on me. Enough said.
3. Gender Schmender
Fragrance gendering is probably the most annoying thing about the industry (OK, maybe not the most, but it’s one of), I have spoken about it on a number of occasions (see my posts on Gender Bending and Perfumed Pet Hates) but I have learned to get over it.
The idea that a fragrance is either male or female has always been alien to me, a perfume doesn’t have a gender, yes it may have masculine or feminine facets, but it certainly cannot be exclusively male or female.
So rather than going into a rant, I will simply sum up what I have learned; wear what you like.
4. Fumeheads are the Loveliest People
Perfume lovers are the loveliest people on the planet. I have made so many wonderful connections with amazing people in different parts of the world. Fumeheads love to share, whether it’s their passion for perfume, or a particular scent, or even samples, they love to share their thoughts and support each other. Oh and they seem to love cats too!
Every perfume person on Twitter and on the blogs, I salute you!
5. Sample, Sample, Sample!
Sampling is key! Sample as much as you can and ALWAYS sample before you buy.
I have learned this lesson from extensive blind buying when I was a perfume newbie. I never blind buy now, simply because it generally ends in disaster and anyway half of the fun in this hobby comes from sampling anything and everything you can get your hands on.
6. You Can Never Have Too Much (or Can You?)
I go back and forth with this one. I often stand in front of my collection (over 100 bottles – I’m not boasting just being factual) and I will genuinely think I’m not in the mood to wear anything I own. Other times I look at my collection and think that it could do with some serious thinning out.
I see my collection as fluid, some things will disappear, others will be added, and they too may disappear, and there will be a small core of scents that always stand the test of time.
7. Perfume Can Still Surprise You
You can think that you’ve smelled everything and there is nothing new and exciting out there, only to uncork a vial or depress an atomiser and reveal something new, fascinating and beautiful.
8. The Classics are Classic For a Reason
You have to respect the classics, whether you enjoy them or not. Take Shalimar for example, before I became a perfume fanatic I would never have liked it, I would have thought it smelled like paint stripper, but it was one of the first classics I learned to appreciate, and now it’s one of my favourites.
These are perfumes that have been around for half a century, or even over a century, and they have survived this long for a reason – because they’re wonderful.
9. To Appreciate My Sense of Smell
Loving perfume truly has helped me hone my sense of smell and appreciate it. Smell, like the other senses, is something we don’t give much attention to in every day life, we take it for granted. Since I have started learning about perfume and olfaction I have found myself appreciating the smells around me, they add to my experiences of every day life and I’m overjoyed to be able to appreciate the richness they add.
10. I Love Writing
Without perfume I would never have learned of my love for writing and how much joy it brings. For that I am extremely grateful.
Join the Discussion!
What has your scented journey taught you?
Please leave your thoughts in the comments box below!
Disclaimer
* I use this term loosely of course
Image 1 alsmusicrant.blogspot.com
Image 2 guerlain.com
I have learned that blind buying can be fun but can end in disaster, thank goodness for eBay.
I have discovered a whole new fumeheads and you are right they are lovely people.
I am really sorry to say but I hate cats, I am allergic to them so I have good reason to be.
eBay and the Basenotes marketplace do provide a good remedy for blind buys!
We will let you off, just because you’re allergic
Oh, I understand no. 6 so well and kept quiet about it as I thought it would really sound awful.
But I’m pretty sure I did when it comes to decants.
I have so much and then nothing feels right in the morning.
And you made me feel much better, I haven’t reached 100 bottles! (yet!)
It’s a pain isn’t it? I do annoy myself when I get like that though, I should enjoy what I have.
You definitely beat me on the decants front.
… ‘Nuther cat-luvin fumehead here. ;o) (Meeeow !) ~ (And what’s actually more interesting is it seems “His Majesty” here seems to slowly be turning into a little fumehead too.)
)
) So I hunted down a cute bottle of “Oh my Cat !” (the kitty-perfume that Etienne of ELd’O fame released specially for pets) thinking now he might finally actually like it. ~ But no – zero interest in that one I’m afraid. It seems “kitty-specific” fume is now just far too bland and boring for Meowsieurs’ niche-luvin whiskers. (LOL)
At first he would sprint at the mere sign, sight, scent or even sound of a “spritz” … Then slowly he came round to the ignoring or “not bothered” tolerating phase … Then tentatively some scents started to actually pique his curiosity, then more and more … Now finally there are some scents that he clearly finds fascinating and enjoys. Some so much so that he can’t stop furiously sniffing, even to the point of attempting to “sand-paper” them right off my skin with vigorous tongue-lapping.
So, with such a radical 360º turn-around and progress, I finally thought it might be time to reward him with his very own little bottle.
That’s typical cat behaviour isn’t it! They show an interest in perfume, so you shell out on a perfume just for them and they turn their nose up at it!
What’s the “Oh My Cat!” like?
Yeah ain’t it just ! (LOL) …
Well the bottle is actually quite cute-ish, and the frag is, well, actually quite well done for a “non-fumehead” cat I suppose. ;o) … I’d say it’s actually perfect for a cat that’s not used to being around perfume much. It’s a very light, pleasant and inoffensive “cologne” would be the best description. … I’ve sprayed it on quite a few cats just to test it, and not one of them minded the smell on them, or tried to lick it off or such like. ~ So I’d say it’s definitely well researched and apropos at least. (Though perhaps a touch lost on us spoilt “maniacs”).
It sounds very interesting indeed, if not a tad superfluous.
Actually, interestingly enough, I gifted a bottle to a friends cat, who’s “mummy” is not into perfume much at all. And as it happened, she actually landed up wearing it herself more than her cat. Light to-the-point-of-almost-not-being-there, is apparently just what she was after. So she luvs it ~ go figure !
(Well, at least she’s certainly not gonna go broke on a fume habit, huh !? (LOL))
That is interesting. I wonder what she tells people she’s wearing if they ask? :S
… And “too much” you ask ? ~ What’s that ??? ;o)
No idea!
I really believe learning something new is good for the soul as well as the mind. It gives you a lift and expands your life in ways you never expected. 9 is such an interesting one. I really enjoy the on-set of autumn now because of all those new damp, smoky, mulchy smells. This is not something I would have been so conscious of – or enjoyed as much – before.
Off the top of my head, one extra thing I’ve learnt is to always wait for the drydown before parting with my cash. That gorgeous, potential Holy Grail fragrance could turn into an icky soapy musk scrubber come the basenotes!
Learning definitely is a tonic for the soul!
I agree that Autumn has wonderful smells (and sights, all of those colours!).
Waiting for the dry down is sage advice, it’s good to sample something many times before buying.
I think that it is so interesting that you only really discovered your interest in writing through perfume. CPB, I have been continuously impressed by your writing, and whether you continue perfume blogging or not, you need to keep writing!
Thank you Ari, it means a lot! I really enjoy your writing too!
Writing wasn’t something that I had really thought about before blogging. Writing for Fragrant Reviews really helped me build my confidence and spurred me to start TCPB.
I agree with all of these except 10, which I knew since an early age – do you want to hear my limerick about the Pope that I wrote from when I was 11? Oh and 6, which I go back and forth on, with days when I my collection of 70 plus bottles haunts me, and others when it feels really comforting.
The floral discovery and the gender schmender one were particular surprises – also the fact that it is still possible to BE surprised by new things.
You write really well – you definitely have the gift. I must confess though that the word “journey” will forever be associated in my mind with American Idol and the contestants’ “journeys”, to which they always devote themselves 110%. : – )
Oh, and re the learning point – must learn to proof what I write on this new iPhone!!!
I have learned never to attempt typing more than just a text message on iPhone, and even that can have disastrous consequences!
I would love to hear your limerick! Your love of writing really shows, I love following your blog!
Eugh, don’t they just overuse the word ‘journey’ on those shows?!
You did ask…
There was a young man from Devizes
Who harboured alarming surmises
When he claimed that the Pope
Ran a traffic in dope
He was dragged off to Wiltshire Assizes
Not sure that “traffic” has a singular, but never mind!
I love it! The subject matter of that poem is rather mature for an 11 year old!
We do love cats! What’s the deal with that, I wonder???
No idea. There must be some correlation between perfume loving and cat hugging possibly?
Great post! All of these points are really accurate. I learned to buy samples and, if I liked them, larger decants that spray. A few perfumes smell different in dabber samples and have disappointed me in spray. Weird, but true. I never blind-bought, thank goodness, but am struggling to slow down on sampling and appreciate some of the scents I already have.
Hi Jen!
It’s surprising the difference that spraying makes over dabbing isn’t it? I’m not a fan of dabbing (although I didn’t mind with the Vero Profumo’s), I like the diffusiveness of spraying.
Who would want to slow down on sampling?
These are all great lessons! But of course you know my opinion about “too much”.
Hehe, that I do!
I agree with everything (and I love cats!). I’d like to add:
– Tastes change. In both directions. A perfume through two bottles of which you went just a year ago duddenly seems too blah. And a former scrubber suddenly shines on your skin.
Yay, another cat lover!
Oh yes, tastes do change! You’re very right there. You also find yourself loving genres or notes that you LOATHED before.
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Objection! I’m a fumehead and I’m not a cat lover!
But I do agree that fumies are awesome!
We’ll let you off for not being a cat lover