There were no major developments in my life in 2013 and though there were some minor disappointments it was a good year for me overall. I got to smell linden in Kharkov, Vienna and Paris. I met Birgit (Olfactoria’s Travels), Sandra (guest writer at Olfactoria’s Travels), Vanessa (Bonkers About Perfume) and Natalie (Another Perfume Blog). I tried several new fruits during our Hawaiian vacation. And I had great winter holidays. So I’m thankful to 2013 but I’m ready for the new, hopefully rainier 2014.
Perfume-wise 2013 also wasn’t a bad year (numbers in parentheses are from 2012, for comparison).
Perfume Testing
Even though I haven’t tried many of the big new releases and out of those that I have tried I didn’t like many that made others’ “top 2013” lists but I did a lot of testing. I tested1 321 (356) perfumes from 107 (114) brands on 461 (572) occasions. Many of these perfumes weren’t new and of some I own a bottle or a decant but I might have done a parallel testing with some new perfume or for my Single Note Exploration posts. But there were 185 (245) perfumes that I’ve tried for the first time in 2013. The number of new perfumes2 I test declines every year but I think it happens not because of my diminished interest in testing new things but just because of time and skin RE limitations since I often re-visit those that I’ve previously tested.
Perfume Wearing
Once my collection (bottles and decants) got to the certain size I decided that I shouldn’t sacrifice my favorite perfumes for testing new ones – especially since I test mostly not for reviews. I wore3 perfumes from my collection almost every day: 142 (138) perfumes from 54 (50) brands on 355 (348) occasions.
Nine out of twelve brands I wore the most this year are the same as the last year. Guerlain got to the first place which is a little strange since I still don’t consider myself that brand’s fan.
I wear a different perfume every day and try to give all of my favorites at least some skin time so I do not use each perfume too often. In 2013 my top five (actually, seven since the last three got the equal attention) were: Keiko Mecheri Johana, Giorgio Armani La Femme Bleue, Neela Vermeire Creations Bombay Bling!, Guerlain Encens Mythique d’Orient, Ormonde Jayne Ta’if, Diptyque Volutes and Yves Rocher Nature.
Perfume Statistics
During 2013 I did statistics posts on the perfumes bought by the launch year, dependency of my enjoyment of perfumes and a type of the bottle it came in, quarter to quarter perfume usage comparison, frequency of the same perfumes usage, perfumes by country of origin, reaction to perfumes dependent on weather conditions, perfume application spots, favorite fruits in perfumes, giving perfumes as gifts and spontaneity in perfumes acquisition. Many of this posts were based on answers from my readers – thank you!
Will I find more angles of perfumes counting to keep up my Entertaining Statistics posts in 2014? I hope with your help I will.
Images: my own
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 “New perfumes” refers to perfumes that I haven’t tried before, not the current year’s releases.
3 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.
Undina's Looking Glass 
Hello sweet Undina!
First of all – A very Happy New Year to you my dear perfume twin!
Moving on to an actual comment to the post.
It seems like you’ve had a really good year. So did I! Maybe I didn’t meet any of these perfume bloggers and I didn’t travel as much as you did but I certainly had the most busy (positively) summer vacations in my life, thanks to my work at Quality Missala.
I love your “wheel of fortune” with the brands. And so much wears of Guerlain, Chanel or Amouage. If I were as collective with the data as you are it would probably turn out I wore Prada and Atelier Cologne most of the time.
I hope that you’ll have a fabulous year, filled with joy, good food, travel, cat fur and great perfumes (new and not-new)
And of course I’m looking forward to our swap that IS going to happen!
:*
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Thank you, Lucas! I’m positive: we’ll go through with the swap.
I look forward to the good year (though I could definitely do with slightly less cat fur – or at least would prefer it to stay on the cat ;) ).
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I’m totally looking forward to getting the list from you.
Yeah, Rusty, did you hear that? Keep your fur for yourself ;)
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Hey Undina,
Reads like a very good year, 2014 will be lovely too with a bit of good luck. Fingers crossed.
Portia xx
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It’s a little hard to type with my fingers crossed but if this is what it takes for a lovely year… ;)
<3
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Ha ha. NAUGHTY!
Portia xx
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Hallo Undina,
It’s the first time that I read one of your round-ups, and now I understand why they are famous amongst the perfume crowd…
I wish you a very happy 2014.
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Thank you, Sabine. Stick around and we’ll come up with more entertaining numbers.
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Happy 2014. Truly impressed by all your statistics!
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Thank you, Barbara. Happy 2014 to you too!
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Hi Undina,
Interesting to see that your new / first time testing ratio has plummeted, which echoes what a number of us are feeling at this stage in our perfume trajectory (says she, desperately trying not to use ‘journey’ on account of its X Factor overtones). I am also impressed at how you manage to wear scents from your collection as well as test things – and to rotate your bottles too in such a democratic manner. Which reminds me – it is 3pm and I have yet to apply any perfume…;)
Oh, and it goes without saying that meeting you was a definite highlight of my last year – so worth hopping the Channel for!
Have a great 2014!
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Hi Vanessa,
Even though I test less (new and not new perfumes), I wear more of my favorite perfumes, so it all evens out.
After I got to where I am not with my collection, I’d be fine just having a couple of new perfumes to test per month: testing itself isn’t a goal for me, I test mostly to find more perfumes to love and wear. But since I have a lot of those already and the ration of tested/liked is so low that I do not have an urge to keep doing it. Almost everything reminds me of something else I’ve already smelled.
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I have really enjoyed your posts (both statistic related and not) this year! It really inspires me to keep better track of what I wear and try (although I think I am already pretty obsessive about keeping track). Happy New Year!
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Thank you, Dubaiscents!
How do you track your usage/testing?
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As always, I am rocked by your stats. However, with Guerlain coming in at number one again, I think that you may have to reconsider that you just might be a fan! Happy New Year!
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Thank you, Steve.
There are five Guerlain perfumes that I love and wear so I’m still not sure if it can be classified as being a fan. I’ll keep tracking my relationships with Guerlain.
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Happy New Year Undina. As a relative newcomer to perfume blogs, I am blown away not only by your impressive knowledge of our mutual passion, but your statistics are mind boggling! What a different but informative way to keep track of one’s personal “trajectory” as Vanessa put it. ( I thought of The Batchelor/ette with the word “journey” but have only heard they use this, not from personal viewing experience you understand ;-))
And I agree with The Scented Hound – as No. 1 Guerlain Gal, I think you must ‘fess up to being a fan…
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I haven’t watched a single episode of either show so “trajectory”, “journey” or any other word will do :)
Let’s talk about Guerlain in a year, I’ll keep an eye on my usage pattern.
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Dearest U
If there were a Nobel Prize for Olfactory Statistics, it would be in your bag!
I’m intrigued and a little amused that you’ve worn Guerlain most, for I always got the impression, mainly from you that you weren’t keen!
Life plays tricks on us all I suppose.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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Thank you, dear Dandy.
I’m not really surprised about Guerlain: since I did a lot of testing of the brand I ended up with several perfumes that I actually loved. And once I get a bottle (or a decant) in my collection I wear that perfume.
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Oh my, Undina! You are so inspiring! Your stats look fabulous and shows that your perfumista-ness (ok, someone else should come up with a better word) is a labor of love. Since it is only January 4th, it may not be too late for me to start a SOTD-type diary. Let’s see how long I last :-)
As to your comment about being surprised that Guerlain ended up being your #1 most worn brand…perhaps we have a Guerlie-Girl in our midst!
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You can do it! In 6 months you’ll be curious to look back and see what you wore the most. Just choose the easiest place to do it – in a file, in notes on your phone or on Fragrantica – and do it.
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Undina, I’m so impressed that you manage to wear your favourites every day even though you’re testing rate is still high. That’s a great – though difficult – balance to strike.
I hope 2014 will be a good year for you and that you get more rain in your part of the world (less for mine though please!).
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As a rule, I wear perfumes from my collection to the office, weekend evenings and on vacations. Testing is done when I work from home, week night (unless we go out) and weekend mornings. This way sometimes I get to wear two perfumes during the day (office + going out or vacation morning + vacation evening) and I always test at least a couple of perfumes in parallel (sometimes even more if it’s for the specific note).
I’ll get all the rain you don’t want. Thank you:)
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How fantastic to meet those Olfactive Scribes. You testing went down from 303. So many. What a year, 2011, you Statistician, you. I think this will be my third time to wish you Happy Everthing for 2014 and Beyond. That’s 3 good wishes to ya!
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303 was a number of new perfumes tested. Since in the following years I was re-visiting some of those previously “new” perfumes, it’s the general number of tested samples that counts. Of course, that number also went down but mostly because I chose to wear my favorite perfumes instead of testing new ones.
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Wow, That is a comprehensive set of data!
I am inspired to start collating my own stats and see where my loyalties lie. I think random decant/sample would probably top the leader board. I am making a concerted effort to make use of my personal wardrobe this year and not let it fester in the drawer whilst I’m testing things to write about.
Happy New Year to you Undina. May it be a fragrant and fortunate one.
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Thank you, Odiferess.
A couple of years ago I started with the rule to use one of my favorite perfumes at least two times a week. But as my collection grew, I realized that if I wanted to enjoy that collection I had to shift the emphasis from testing to wearing. I think I feel much better now when I spend more time with those perfumes that I love.
It will be interesting to see your numbers at some point.
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Happy New Year! I see you had pretty interesting perfume life in 2013. My number of perfume tested in 2013 dropped by a large number.
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Happy New Year to you too.
Why do you think you test less? Is it because you’re less interested? Or because you’re doing a more thorough testing? Or, like me, spend more time with your current perfumes?
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I’ve got frustated from all perfumes I haven’t tried yet. So Ihave decided to take it slow and try to enjoy with what I have.
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