The final installment of my peek into my perfume closet series comes to you by request of Vanessa, who wanted to see my so called Albatrosses as well.
And I thought that would not be a bad idea at all. Let’s take a look at those neglected bottles…
Here they are looking really good, I have to say, a photogenic bunch. But sadly they live out their lives unloved and unused in a cool and dark box. There is only so much perfume one person can wear. That is a sacrilege, if you ask me.
Guerlain Idylle, Guerlain AA Flora Nymphèa (sold), Tauer Incense Rosé (sold)
Guerlain Idylle, a lovely, modern floral chypre, too clean and happy for me in the end. Guerlain Flora Nymphéa, uplifting and pretty. Tauer Incense Rosé, I mourn this one, because I think it is awesome. Unfortunately I can’t wear it without getting a rash, I am allergic to some natural ingredient in there. 😦
Sensuous Noir, Youth Dew Amber Nude (sold), Aromatics Elixir (pending)
Estée Lauder Sensuous Noir: I love the original more, but this is a nice take on a feminine woody fragrance with some dark florals added. Estée Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude, it has an overly long name, an adorable bottle and was created under Tom Ford’s patronage. I never seem to find the right time to wear it though. Clinique Aromatics Elixir – I like it, but it is just too loud for me, a classic none the less.
Escale aux Marquises, Wedding Bouquet
Dior Escale aux Marquises, inoffensive white floral ideal for summer, tiaré flowers and musk. Floris Wedding Bouquet is really nice, but something’s got to give.
Illuminum White Gardenia Petals, Balmain Ambregris (sold)
Illuminum White Gardenia Petals: my most read review. 🙂 This is the version I vastly prefer to the current one. Balmain Ambregris, has everything going for it (apart from that ridiculous bottle cap that is), but it always gets overlooked in favor of something new. I am unfair and Ambregris really deserves better.
Veld’s Prends Moi Slimming Fragrance (reviewed on PST), a fruity floral that is actually well made, if slightly too cheery for me. Comptoir Sud Pacifique Matin Calin (100% full) is discontinued. This is a pristine backup bottle. (As if I would ever go through a full bottle…)
Tara's Bird's eye view
If you see something you would like, shoot me an email and I’ll make you a very good price. Every offer is considered. What is left will go on ebay over the next weeks. I need a clean dark box slate. 😉
Most bottles have been sprayed only a few times, apart from Youth Dew Amber Nude which has about 70% left. All, but the Guerlains come with their original boxes.
Please don’t negotiate the shipping costs with me, the Austrian Postal Office is an enigmatic entity beyond my powers of comprehension, but at least they have never lost any package I ever sent. One bottle will incur about 15€ for shipping, I charge only the actual shipping costs.
I look forward to hearing from you! Go get yourself a bargain and give my albatrosses a loving home.
What are your albatrosses? Do you have any? What do you do with them?
Olfactoria's Travels 
Aaah, that’s a Balmain with the discoball on the top ! 😉
I’ve always thought about it as a golfball, but disco ball is even better! 😉
It’s too bad about Incense Rose causing you a rash. What a shame.
I guess, it’s no surprise there’s a number of white florals in there. I hope you manage to shift your albatrosses. It feels so good when you can move them on and be happy with what’s left. I’ve been trying to sell some stuff on ebay this week. A half used bottle of Bellodgia has gone and a Mitsouko parfum is ending tomorrow. A partial bottle of Diorella didn’t sell but luckily I like it, just got a lot of it now my collection has grown.
Thanks once more for my patented Bird’s Eye View! I’ve loved this series so much, thanks for sharing your perfume closet with us.
Ebay is a good option in the end. I’ll see whether anyone finds love among my albatrosses, if not ebay awaits… 🙂
I sent you a mail via the contact form… maybe we can work something out.
My only albatross is Erich Zieberman’s Royal Adler. A complex, old-style blend of bergamot, grapefruit, orange, apple, peach; rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, clove; cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, amber and musk. It was one of my first niche buys and so far I’ve worn it roughly 10 times in 4 years. It is just not my thing, I wonder now why I bought it.
One albatross is manageable. That speaks of very thoughtful collecting.
I must confess I have never heard of this perfume…
The Zieberman line is very small, it’s a side-project of a costume jewellery house. The fragrances are quite nice, but rather rich and old-fashioned.
I not only try to avoid impulse buys or blind buys as much as possible, but I have an Excel spread sheet to keep track of and rate my lemmings. This fragrance category and rank based system works very well for me.
You should meet Undina and share insider tips! 😉
Will google the Zieberman line, sounds interesting.
I can bearly afford food let alone make you an offer for any of your albatrosses. Lol. Fortunately I am happy with my collection as it is at the moment. I only have a couple more that I want to add and I may stop collecting. (As if) even your albatross collection is very impressive.
I’m curious to see whether you will really stop collecting… 🙂
Not likely, I am bidding on another Armani. Then there is cuir de russie to buy one day and I would love a full bottle of gourmand coquin someday. After that I may stop. I would have made you an offer on the incense rose so I have an Andy Tauer in my collection but I have never smelt it and incense is usually on my avoid list.:-)
I find that there seems to be always “This one more” on the horizon… 🙂
The Tauer is gorgeous, I wish I could wear it. My guess is you’d like it.
Ok, I give in, how much do you want for it? has it been sold already? I know that we generally have similar tastes so I think I will probably like it (you have been right on so many for me) 🙂
Oh, so sorry! It is gone already. 😦 This was the most coveted item by far.
It was not meant to be, yay I have saved myself some money
Those are high calibre albatrosses, just as I imagined, hehe! A fine looking ensemble from any angle, but I quite understand that it is all about the juice on the inside, which for one reason or another, doesn’t work for you.
Thanks for indulging my curiosity about your aviary of unloved bottles – this is one of my favourite posts in the “sneak peek” series. : – )
I would swap my bottle of Sensuous original (with about 20ml remaining) for a decant of Sensuous Noir, which I think I may prefer if that would be of interest, but do see first if you get a good offer for the whole bottle, in which case don’t worry. I just toss it out there as an idea – we could effect a swap in May, all being well ie no rush on my side if the idea did appeal.
Thanks, Vanessa! I’m glad you like it. 🙂
I have a sizable decant of Sensuous, so I’m fine on that front, thanks for the offer.
I’ve kinda of missed my Aromatics Elixer. I got rid of it. Wonder if I’d wear it again I did like it on occasion
I like it too, if only it weren’t quite so strong… 😦
Hi, That was very interesting. I have a few of those neglected ones myself, especially Jardins sur Le Nil, at least I think that is the name since I haven’t really looked at it for a while. It just made no sense to me and did not mix with my skin. Caleche was one of my early favorites, so I thought that anything from Hermes would entrance me. Sadly, not so.
By the way, did you read last summer’s NST’s blog about “scrubbers”. It was so funny that I still laugh when I think about it.
Caleche is from another Hermes era…
Too bad Jardin sur le Nil doesn’t work for you.
I think I read that post, one person’d scrubber is another’s treasure, I think that was the gist of it. 😉
Birgit, even your Albatrosses are lovely! I hope they’ll find new loving homes soon.
I realized I haven’t been doing all that long enough when I couldn’t find a single bottle to offer for a swap. There are some perfumes I do not want to wear any more but those bottles are almost empty so I feel like they’ve earned their place in my collection. Well, there is one half bottle I do not think I will ever wear again (Rock ‘n Rose by Valentino) but I don’t know what to do with it.
Thanks, Undina! I hope so too!
It is testament to your diligence in selecting perfumes, that you are happy with what you have! That is great!
(I see how it might be hard to know what to do with Rock’n Rose! 😉 )
At last I did it. After having resisted for all the previous Sundays, I’ve gone through all your “sneak peek” posts (and even attempted counting your perfumes, before reading your prohibition to do that!) and made the sad comparison to my (too) small collection. OK, I come out with new resolutions: I will think (and read about them) less and buy MORE PERFUMES!
Anyway I too have some neglected fragrances: Bois Farine, who veers toward synthetic and nose irritating musks and sandal in the drydown; or the Histoire de Parfums Ambre (only 14 ml, fortunately), too long lasting and overpowering. Have a nice Sunday!
Excellent decision! And one I don’t hear often! Have fun acquiring more for your collection, iodine! 🙂 Have a good Sunday too!
Birgit,
As a male who loves your blog please give me a size and price on your Aromatics Elixir.
Frankly, my No.2 favorite behind Chanels Cuir de Russie.
I think my scent preferences appear quite “Bi-polor”, but we all have different moods.
As an American living in Italy, I promise not to fight over the shipping – HAHA!
Regards,
Charles
Hi Charles, I sent you an email just now.
Being bi-polar is great for a Perfumista, I think your favorites are wonderful! 🙂
At Perfume Posse, we just finished Swapmania, and so I traded my last albatrosses. I traded Tauer’s Vetiver Dance- I love it, but it’s just too heavy for the tropics. I finally traded my bottle of Nuit de Tubereuse- it’s a fascinating perfume, but I finally decided it was personally unwearable, it just gets more and more bitter on me as time goes by. In return I got some wonderful things, and a whole bunch of samples of things I’ve been dying to try, so I’m really having some fun at the moment. Totally in love with some Malles- En Passant in particular!
The Swapmania at the aposse is just too overwhelming for me, I can’t follow all those transactions. But it is a great that such a thing exists. The Malles are great! I did the quiz once more for fun last week, and was recommended Le Parfum de Therese, I’m impressed! 🙂
OK, I’m going to seek out a sample of LP de Therese, for certain! When I find one, I will blog….;-)
Oh yes, you should! I thought you knew it… I can send you some. Let me know!
Hi Birgit,
Great albatrosses… Am interested in the Tauer, will you please inbox me with your best quote.
Given the unreliable post service in SA, I will ask that you ship to Berlin, a friend will then send me the parcel to Johannesburg
Thanks and enjoy the rest of your Sunday
I sent you an email, Nana!
There’s seems to the same trend to many of your albatrosses as my own, I think? Perfume that were pretty and inoffensive when first smelled but in the long run tend to be a bit bland…
I have a few somewhat boring and synthetic (Gucci II and Petit Cherie, I’m looking at you) and some that are pretty and perfectly nice but never tend to get worn ( EL Jasime White Moss and Une Jardin apres la monsoon). I feel most guilty about my bottle of Tauer Carillion pour une ange, it deserves a better fate than languishing unused in my cupboard…
Yes, pretty but bland characterizes many offenders here. And others are not bland at all, but still never seem to fit any occasion. I can see why you never wear Carillon, it demands an attention most regular days can’t offer. (That is my theory at least. 😉 )
Carillon pour une ange, I loved it also, but could’t wear it….
I’m sort of intrigued by the Floris… just went back and read your review…
It is still there, Susan. 🙂 Email me if you are interested!
Birgit, the same day you posted this I had been at Neiman’s sampling Guerlains. I discovered and really like Flora Nymphéa. I’ll send you a note offline to see if it is still available. Thanks for a great post!
You are welcome, Amy! Just emailed you back.
Hi again, B –
You and I met on your blog two weeks ago, or so. I’m writing with a question, this time: I see that you think of Clinique’s Aromatics Elixir as “a classic,” albeit “too loud.” What does it say about my olfactory sense that I do not like it even a little? I would like to understand more about its characteristics, since I am so new to PerfumeLand. Also, do you have a favorite place for learning the science of perfume? Things like “green chypre” are a total mystery (in an exciting way). I am thinking of studying this science so that one day, when I am too old for my chosen career (video directing and editing), I can open up a lovely and elegant perfume shop and serve exquisite tea and scones every Sunday afternoon during lectures on perfume.
I still have not received my sample from 1000 Flowers, but they wrote today that it is being shipped from France (how romantic!). I thought that they were in Canada…
Thank you,
Penelope
By the way, I love Clinique’s Happy for Men, so I’m not anti-Clinique, on men who I know (not a boyfriend, though, so I only get little whiffs).
Hi Penelope,
what a lovely idea to own a perfume store/salon one day. I wish I could visit! 🙂
Your dislike of Aromatics Elixir is nothing to worry about at all. All it means is that you are only at the beginning of your journey. Believe me, I didn’t like it one bit either a few years ago. 😉
To get started in the world of perfume I suggest you start reading: Now Smell This has some great articles for beginners. Then there are books that are helpful, like Chandler Burr’s or Roja Dove’s. Mandy Aftel’s Essence and Alchemy is very interesting and helpful when it comes to natural ingredients.
Just take a look around at Amazon.
Have fun exploring!
If you need anything else, just let me know.
Thank you so much, B! I’ve had a lot of fun today looking at books on Amazon and also discovering The Candy Perfume Boy’s blog. Really enjoying this new adventure and all the happiness of Perfumeland.
That’s great, Penelope! You are very welcome! 🙂
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