by

Entertaining Statistics: January 2014

 

I know how it sounds to the most of my readers but I have to say it: we had an unpleasantly warm January. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy the light jacket weather as much as the next freezing east coaster would but we really need at least some rain. And +22˚C (71˚F) isn’t a normal temperature for this month even in our region. So now I can’t even pretend that it’s winter and time to wear my winter perfumes.

For this month’s statistics post I asked you to name five niche brands that, in their opinion, are in the “need to know” category for anybody who’s interested in perfumes. I asked the same question in one of the perfume groups on Facebook.

29 people participated on FB and 19 in the blog. 49 brands were named, 26 of them more than once.

Since I know that some people participated both here and there I thought of splitting results by the source but it didn’t change the outcome: both groups, as well as the total, returned the same set of 5 brands, just in slightly different order (numbers in parenthesis – places FB/Blog):

Serge Lutens (1/1)

L’Artisan Parfumeur (4/2)

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle (2/3)

Amouage (3/4)

Parfumerie Générale (5/5)

Stats January 2014

The chart above shows actual number of votes for the top 10 recommended brands. From my original list only Ormonde Jayne didn’t make the cut and moved to the sixth place. I need to get more samples from Parfumerie Générale line and see why it made it to the fifth place.

Out of 52 perfumes I wore or tested in January 17 perfumes were from 5 out of these 10 brands. What was unusual: this month I tried only five perfumes for the first time. Did you come across anything interesting this year?

Rusty had nothing to do with any of the numbers but he has to requite all the compliments he got in the previous post – even without appearing in it! These are pictures of him with perfumes from the “need to know” list.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Images: my own

33 thoughts on “Entertaining Statistics: January 2014”

    • Premier Figuier I bought for that bottle (and, unlike their Mure et Musc Extreme blackberry bottle this one stillcan be found online).
      There were just 3 votes for Byredo – two here and one on FB – which is still more than for most other brands. It was No 12.

      Like

      Reply

  2. you had +22*C in January? That’s ridiculous! What is the “normal” temperature at your region this time of year?

    Here in Poland January was also warm but for almost two weeks temperatures dropped to -12*C during the day, some snow and freezing rain fell causing delays in public transportation etc.

    Few days ago a new mass of air entered our countries, it’s +4*C today and the snow is gone now.

    I thought that Parfum d’Empire would rank higher – it’s such a diverse brand, good perfumes at a good price.

    There were other brands mentioned that didn’t make it into the chart. What was right behind Pd’E?

    Like

    Reply

    • I think the “regular” weather for us would be ~ 10 degrees lower. Still warm but not that warm.

      The next 5 brands were: Vero Profumo (FB decided not to follow the rules), Byredo, Montale, NVC (again, against therules) and Aftelier.

      Like

      Reply

  4. Well its been raining pretty much non stop here in England since about mid-December. I’ll try to send some your way. The Ormonde Jayne brand is one I want to get more familiar with.

    Like

    Reply

    • OJ is your local brand, you should check it out. But, as somebody mentioned in that poll, their perfumes are somewhat similar so if you try 3-4 and don’t like them you can stop.

      Like

      Reply

  5. I think Parfums de Nicolaï should have been in the top ten.It’s a timeless, sort of basic niche house like Annick Goutal, Even if for example PG and Tauer have many fragrances in their lines, I think they are more contemporary “dated” and not as timeless as Parfums de Nicolaï. Cute Rusty pics as always.

    Like

    Reply

    • Surprisingly, not a single person mentioned PdN. For me this is an almost unfamiliar brand since there are no stores around that carry the line so all I tried was either a bought sample or a swap – so usually it’s either the most famous (to justify the purchase) or the least interesting (so people would pass them on ;) ).

      Like

      Reply

  6. Rusty oh Rusty…on the picture with the Frederic Malle, he blended in so nicely that the entire tableau looked like one big painting! Ah…and love the look on his face as he tried to get to the Premier Figuier and what’s going through his head (“How could my mama love THAT bottle..I must sweep it off the table so she can LOVE me instead”).

    OJ and Tauer, as much as I like them, almost always ends with their signature “OJ-ade” or “Tauer-ade” and I guess that probably was what knocked them off the Top 5. I could see Montale being in the top 5 even though it is one line that I haven’t really embraced – the bottles are so cold-looking and the only place I’ve seen them is MinNY and there are infinitely more interesting niche perfumes there than the Montales.

    I had actually considered Parfums de Nicolai as one of my top 5 but I have not see them in any stores around here although I know samples are available online (through LuckyScent the last time I checked).

    Like

    Reply

    • I’ve tried just four of PdN’s perfumes so I have no opinion about the brand.

      I think Rusty was more interested in the wrapping paper than in the bottle but I didn’t mind since it made a cute shot (and hedidn’t mind since he got a treat for that).

      Like

      Reply

  8. Dearest U
    Please don’t tell us about dry and 22 degrees in January: I’m sure there’s a UN Charter against such behaviour. *Winks*.
    Interesting list, had I been around more I would have popped in vote for Byredo and perhaps Ecrivains, Aftelier too.
    The one big surprise for me is – perhaps this is controversial – l’Artisan Parfumeur: no heft, no expansiveness, generally I find their perfumes (with a few exceptions) rather joyless, thin things.
    Oh well, I must try them again with an open nose.
    Thank you as ever for the numbers.
    Have you ever thought about becoming a member of our Royal Statistical Society?
    Yours ever
    The Perfumed Dandy

    Like

    Reply

    • The only statistics I’minterested in is an entertaining one (and even there I manage to get in trouble – believe it or not!)

      There are just two L’Artisan bottles in my collection so I’m not a huge fan but I still think it’s an important brand in any perfumista’s development :)

      Like

      Reply

  10. Lyubov beat me to it about the Amouage photo! Echoing The Perfumed Dandy’s comment about envying you your weather. I have just been away for the weekend and there was so much rain and wind I had to buy a new umbrella, as mine was turned inside out and the spokes completely trashed! ;)

    I also think that is a balanced list in the end – I would have liked OJ to have made the cut, but Amouage is a worthy finalist! Interesting how broadly similar the findings were across the two platforms.

    I am sure I have discovered new things this year – or was it December? My mind has gone a blank, but probably yes. ;)

    Like

    Reply

  12. I forgot to answer the question – Did you come across anything interesting this year? Welllllllllllllll, I finally caved in and ordered from Olympic Orchids (I kept going, this IS a Made in the U.S.A. niche brand, I must try it). One of the NST posters had mentioned Seattle Chocolate in various forums and I just had to have it! I received my package last week but have not tried them yet. And then there’s the whole line of La Via del Profumo…I wanted to order them last year when Kevin from NST reviewed one of the scents but I just got overwhelmed with the choices that I stopped salivating over the variety. With Kafka’s series, I decided to take the plunge and split several with dear Daisy. And then lastly,although I have heard of Molinard, I wasn’t expecting to see a Molinard boutique in Nice (I saw it on January 1st so it counts as this year) and any perfumista worth her salt must stop in an unexpected find. While the perfumes were underwhelming…although I bought one travel size (of the Habanita L’Esprit), I saw a workshop room where you can make your own perfume! Alas, I did not have enough time and did not make one…maybe next time when Laurie finally opens up her perfume lab (or so I thought I read that she was going to do that in the future), I’ll take a trip to CA :-)

    Like

    Reply

    • I tried some of Olympic Orchids: love the person but perfumes weren’t for me. If you like any of them – let’s do the post :)

      If Seattle Chocolate is an actual brand – I haven’t tried it (though I do have one favorite brand from Seattle – Theo Chocolate).

      As to La Via del Profumo… The word “natural”rather scares than attracts me. But I’d love to hear what you think ;)

      Like

      Reply

  13. I feel like the first four are really the consensus ones. I love PG, but have a hard time putting it in the same category as the others.

    The Rusty gallery is potentially the most brilliant thing ever for bad days. Bookmarking. :)

    Like

    Reply

    • Just in case you didn’t know: if you select “Four legs good” category you’ll get all the posts where Rusty appeared.

      I have no strong opinion about PG since I’m not too familiar with it (yet?). It would be interesting to have the same question asked in a couple of years. Maybe that time without any suggestions from my side.

      Like

      Reply

  14. Pingback: Entertaining Statistics: 2014 Year Round-up | Undina's Looking Glass

What's on your mind? (I encourage posting relating links to your posts)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.