November was unusually warm even for our area. But I decided it was time for my heavier perfumes. Ambers and vanillas keep me feeling warm but, as a small price for that, stay on my skin long enough not to allow the change of the scent or even proper testing of new fragrances.
Also I noticed an unusual for me pattern: there were five perfumes that I wore twice during the month. I’m not even close to Birgit’s (Olfactoria’s Travels) sudden perfume monogamy but it’s still rather unusual for me. It must be something in the air.
For the entertaining part of this post I chose to look at how many notes are listed for perfumes I wore or tested in November. Of course, it’s all based on just officially reported notes and each brand chooses how much to disclose.
Most of the perfumes I used this month (twenty-nine) had six to nine notes listed. Thirteen perfumes had eleven to fifteen notes; ten fell into the minimalistic basket with less than six notes listed; four were in the “the more, the merrier” camp with sixteen to twenty notes listed and one was almost off the chart (figuratively and literally) with twenty-two notes.
Quick November stats:
Numbers in parenthesis are comparison to the previous month’s numbers.
* Different perfumes worn1: 22 (-3) from 13 (-5) brands on 27 (-3) occasions;
* Different perfumes tested2: 41 (-12) from 29 (0) brands on 45 (-15) occasions;
* Perfumes I tried for the first time: 17 (-10);
* Perfume house I wore most often: Guerlain (I can’t believe: third month in a row!);
* Perfume house I tested the most: By Kilian;
* Most popular notes (only from perfumes I chose to wear): top – (not counting bergamot) pepper, cardamom, galbanum and sage; middle – (not counting rose) jasmine and iris root; base – musk, vanilla and sandalwood;
Can you guess (at least) the brand of the perfume with 22 notes?
1 For the testing I apply a perfume to one area on my arms easily available for the repetitive sniffing. But, most likely, I’m the only one who can smell it. I can test two, sometimes even more perfumes at the same time.
2 When I wear a perfume I apply it to at least three-four points and usually I plan to spend at least 4-8 hours with the same scent so I’m prepared to re-apply if the original application wears off.
Image: my own (well, I compiled it)
Undina's Looking Glass 
You amaze me! I need to take notes!
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All 22 of them? ;)
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I would say Amouage is the one that would put so much into their perfume.
If you remember my guest post at Olfactoria’s I mentioned about Qessence, the perfume created by Missala family in Poland. For this perfume they listed 26 essences for this perfume!
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And you’re absolutely correct! Amouage Beloved. But DSH Euphorisme d’Opium was the close second with 20 notes.
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Yaaay! Happy as a child that I was right
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No clue about the 22-noter – was about to ask you the same question!
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:) See above.
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Your record keeping is incredible.
As far as 22 notes, the first that came to mind was Amouage for me too.
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Yep, Amouage Beloved. Thank you for playing :)
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I’m guessing by Kilian for the one with so many notes. Amouage is always up there but, I think Kilian sometimes has them beat. Fun statistics, as usual!
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Only three of By Kilian’s perfumes have more than 10 notes listed (13 and 14). But at least several Amouage perfumes (especially those from the Library collection) have less than 10.
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Interesting … I have no clue which brand had the 22 notes. I’m thinking 22 sounds too long of a list for either Amouage or By Kilian, but hmmmm, don’t know. You have me in suspense. :)
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Amouage Interlude has even more official notes ;) But you were correct about By Kilian. The longest list consists of just 14 notes ;)
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You have really turned the page on the Guerlains this year! :)
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I did! And I had a lot of help from many of my blogo-friends.
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Too late for the game but I shouldn’t be surprised it was the wonderfully “more is more” Amouage.
Isn’t it nice to break out the warming perfumes? Do you have a favourite vanilla? I’m a bit obsessed about finding one for myself at the moment and am leaning towards SDV or maybe Mona’s Vanille.
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Even though I’m still a fan of florals, I love cold(er) weather perfumes and feel pleased every time thinking of that aspect of winter.
I don’t wear too many vanillas. Both you’ve mentioned are very nice (I’ve just tried SDV for the first time on my recently: very nice from a dab vial but I’m not sure if sprayed it would be too much). Two more that come to mind (and I wouldn’t mind wearing any of them) – Le Labo Vanille 44 (but price!!!) and Diptyque Eau Duelle (much more reasonably priced and a very nice vanilla, in my opinion).
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That’s so funny, I’ve been feeling exactly the same about the heavier perfumes; I want the cozy but I think “eh, do I want to smell only this for the next ten hours?”
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And I haven’t even worn my favorite Amouages yet! :) I noticed that now I spend more time choosing what to wear (and how lightly to apply whatever I choose).
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