I noticed that I have a tendency to collect things in series: books, movies, TV shows, costume jewelry, etc. It’s hard for me to stop at, for example, just one show season or a necklace if there are more. I will keep buying books from a favorite author even if the last couple weren’t that great. I will wait till the show is canceled or closed to buy a complete set. And I will keep browsing new offerings from a designer I like to see if there is a piece of jewelry in a new color/form/material that will fill some imaginary hole in my collection. Because of that I have some problems with testing perfumes: my impulse is to go through the complete line or at least a very representative subset of it; and you can imagine how hard it might be in case of niche or indie perfume houses. It usually results in a wide variety of samples for a single line (which I consider an upside of my OCD behavior).
Going through my samples collection I realized that for many perfume houses I have enough choices to use a new one for every day of the week. So I want to try doing once a month a weeklong one brand “test drive” (WTD). And since I’m not writing real reviews I offer just my random thoughts and observations for the perfumes tested.
This month my miniseries’ subject is Annick Goutal. Monday through Sunday I will be wearing one perfume from this perfume house and posting mini not-a-reviews.
My relationship with Annick Goutal’s line is a strange one. For a while I was completely intimidated by the line-up of the big 100 ml bottles looking the same with an occasional bow of a different color or matted glass of a different hue. They were too luxurious for me to even approach and try them at Nordstrom’s or Bloomingdale’s counters. I might be wrong but I have the impression that those recent years of online perfume discounters as well as thousands new fragrance releases per year made brick and mortar cosmetic counters more approachable. But maybe it’s just me who changed and acquired enough experience or grew enough skin not to be intimidated any more. Today I can try any number of perfumes at almost any counter. Unfortunately, selection of Annick Goutal’s perfumes at those counters decreased significantly. But I managed to get fresh (as far as store’s bottles freshness goes) spray samples for my little project and tested them on skin.
Image: my own
See all episodes:
WTD, Episode 1.1: Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.2: Grand Amor by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.3: Le Mimosa by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.4: Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.5: Neroli by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.6: Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal
WTD, Episode 1.7: Songes by Annick Goutal
Undina's Looking Glass 
I am a serial collector too. I love going through a whole line or collection of perfumes.
There are several gems among Annick Goutal’s line, I am looking forward to your upcoming “not-reviews”.
LikeLike
From what line/perfume house have you tested the most? (in absolute numbers, not relative to the size of the line)
LikeLike
I think that must be Frederic Malle then, but don’t quote me, that is just off the top of my head.
LikeLike
Funny, I do kind of the same with food ingredients — investigate it from different perspective in different recipes of world cuisines. It gives me an impression I understand it better, really feel its nature.
LikeLike
Is it the same ingredient in different cuisines’ recepes or the same type of the ingredient but with an ethnic twist?
LikeLike
I have a problem to give you a short answer :) It depends on the ingredient, could be these two and more variations. The most interesting is when it’s a completely different (for European cuisines) approach in using for culinary purposes.
LikeLike
Interesting project, Undina – I look forward to reading your results. I’m more of a magpie in what I read, wear, eat, sniff…a far less serious approach, I admit, but it has certain advantages too. At any rate, I have only a few Annick Goutals, so shall be reading to find out what you find most striking!
LikeLike
Luckily for me, at least I’m not a serial eater (if to borrow Olfactoria’s term)! I do not have to try absolutely everything – be it at the table, in a restaurant or in a store.
LikeLike
I agree, this sounds like an interesting project. And the idea of mini not-a-reviews is super fun. :)
LikeLike
Pingback: Weeklong Test Drives, Season 2: Yves Rocher « Undina's Looking Glass
Pingback: Weeklong Test Drives, Season 3: Jo Malone « Undina's Looking Glass
Pingback: Weeklong Test Drives, Season 4: Tom Ford « Undina's Looking Glass