Following great tradition started by two wonderful bloggers, Birgit (Olfactoria’s Travels) and Portia (Australian Perfume Junkies), once a week I or one of the guest writers will keep the lights on in this virtual leaving room, but I hope that you, my friends and readers, will engage in conversation not only with me or the other host, but also with each other.
Saturday Question #24:
Have You Ever Bought Perfume Just For Its Bottle?
We discussed it more than once, and most perfumistas agree: while a nice packaging matters (more or less for different people), perfume itself is much more important. But this question isn’t about it. Have you ever spent money on getting perfume that you hadn’t smelled before or didn’t like but just wanted to get a bottle?
My Answer
While I have in my collection several perfumes purchase of which was partially influenced by my liking bottles – otherwise, I would have probably gone for a decant, there is one bottle that I bought not intending to wear: Van Cleef & Arpels Feerie EdT. I got it five years ago for my Thinking outside the Box project. I’m still glad I bought it, I enjoy looking at it and regret not buying the EdP bottle of the same perfume when they were much more affordable.
But that’s not all. Recently I started thinking about getting a classic Shalimar bottle (not the newer spray bottles, but the original urn bottle with a stopper). It’s bizarre because after years of trying, I still do not like this perfume and doubt I’ll ever change my mind about it. But that bottle… It is so beautiful that I want to have it. Maybe I should buy an empty vintage bottle and pour something into it – just to put it on a display?
Have You Ever Bought Perfume Just For Its Bottle?
Undina's Looking Glass 
I would like to say no, but I did once, maybe not even for the bottle but the design and colours. The carven le parfum. Since I got it very cheap, I don’t regret it, although I don’t exactly need it either.
I suppose the Vol de nuit Propeller bottle falls somewhere in between. I did already own a couple of vintage VdN extracts so strictly speaking I did not need the propeller, but VdN is perhaps my favourite of all perfumes, and I love that bottle so I got it.
I have some empty vintage bottles for decoration, so if you fancy the shalimar I would say you should get it empty and fill it, if your sole purpose is for deco.
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I was thinking about that VdN bottle as well. But there it’s kind of harder for me: I like perfume itself, so I’ll be upset to get a vintage dud. I might still go for it one day.
Carven bottles (all flankers) look nice.
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I never buy perfumes influenced by the bottles, no matter how beautiful they are. My only interest is the scent itself.
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I hope I can reach that level of discipline one day! The bottles I end up buying aren’t fancy, either – rather, they are simplistic in design in ways I find clever. For example, Mauboussin Histoire d’Eau with its sphere of orange-hued perfume suspended inside a clear cylinder (moderately cheap blind buy, did not end up liking the smell, wish it were glass instead of plastic) and the nomenclature series with the refillable Erlenmeyer flasks (I smelled most of them and bought holy_wood because I liked the opening, but afterwards realized I don’t love it).
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I like the idea of Mauboussin Histoire d’Eau bottle, but plastic doesn’t do it for me.
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While I understand your position, the question meant to be slightly different. I didn’t mean buying perfume because of its bottle planning to wear, but rather buying a bottle as an object regardless of what is inside.
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Yes Undina. I have. I’m a TOTAL sucker for packaging and have bought more than one bottle just for the joy of owning the artistry, fun or gimmick. I will admit to reading the notes list as well and if it seems well out of my range I probably won’t get it.
Fortunately it’s worked out OK mostly.
I too bought Faerie by VC&A but the scent was such a disappointment at the time I moved it on.
My first bottle of Liberté by Cacharel was bought solely for that magnificent pillar of ombre orange. I still love its sizzling orange fruitchouliness and get a thrill from that mad bottle every time I spritz.
Elle L’Aime by Lolita Lempicka is another pillar bottle but this time with gold lettering around it. Love both the bottle and the tropical scent.
Elegance L’Animale by Lalique is another. I saw the bottle in a Sale Doc on FB and could not resist purchasing. Thankfully it has worked out OK too. Super sweet open over a slightly animal baseline.
There are more that I can’t think of right now.
Portia xx
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If I were more Freudian-inclined, I would have traced some symbolism in your bottles preferences ;)
I’m not sure I remember how Feerie smells: I tried it at some point, didn’t like, so I was buying a bottle not perfume. And as a bottle it doesn’t disappoint :)
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HA! Touché
Feerie is a sweet floral thing, quite forgettable but pretty. The bottle is far nicer.
Portia xx
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I’ve got the VC&A faerie but it was a gift. I would like a bottle of Vol de Nuit (preferably full!!!) I’ve looked on Evil Bay at empty bottles but haven’t bought any.
On my wish list I would like a complete set of Guerlain LPRN bottle because each bottle has a different dress on the front.I think they would look fab on display.
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For a while I was toying with the idea of Dali bottles… I would have probably got them if I could take a closer look at them: I don’t want them to be really cheap looking – then even $20-$30 per bottle would be a waste.
I like the VdN bottle as well. But since I like perfume as well, I don’t want to have just an empty bottle from it.
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I bought a Mariah Carey bottle just because of the butterfly cap. I also bought Marc Jacobs Dot and CdG Dot because I had a beloved dog named Dot. Don’t like any of the perfumes and will never wear them but I enjoy the bottles for sentimental reasons.
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I remember Dot. It’s a good reason to get those bottles.
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Good question. I bought the Dita Von Teese perfume unsniffed mostly for the vintage-style bottle. If you recall, it’s opaque black and lies on its side with a tassle. It wasn’t much money and I liked the scent well enough.
I would definitely save yourself some cash and buy the empty Shalimar bottle. It is gorgeous.
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I almost bought that Dita Von Teese bottle myself! I really liked the one that doesn’t stand. But back then I didn’t have a display tray and I didn’t like perfume itself.
I will buy Shalimar… I’m still thinking on what to buy: I want the Baccarat bottle – and they aren’t cheap even when empty.
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I bought the Annick Goutal Ma Parfum Cherie, par Camille, for its gorgeous deep red bottle and black satin ribbon. i knew i like the AG line, and hoped I’d enjoyed the scent ( I do!). And I keep thinking about the Chamade perfume bottle-like your Shalimar wish, I’d like to own one. And with Hermes Galop I paid for the beautiful stirrup bottle-I could have bought the refill, and decanted into some pretty bottles I already own, but chose to buy the elegant glass and silver stirrup bottle. It’s a great question :)
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I bought that Chamade bottle, but I love perfume, and I was fine with the current version.
I soooo wanted to like Mon Parfum Cherie: that bottle is just gorgeous! Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. I still want it though :)
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Yes, I can’t remember what. Feerie was one of them. I mean I wouldn’t buy it if I didn’t like the notes but usually I ended up hating the juice and loving the bottle. There are a few that were a win win.
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I don’t even count those win-win situations! :) But some of the bottles… They are just calling my name! :)
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I own LPRN Black Perfecto for the bottle – I already had a generous decant so I didn’t need it. But that black bottle! I also have several Lolita Lempicka Apple bottles and rarely wear any of them. Mostly bought at a discount… I don’t buy this way any more, but I definitely had an a acquisitive period where packaging really drew me in.
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I’ve got Black Perfecto.. Love the bottle
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There’s something extremely attractive in those black/red/navy bottles :) We’re lucky companies are cheap and do not do those limited editions more often ;)
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The answer is yes. I would occasionally buy vintage perfumes just for the bottle.I did have a low limit as to how much I would spend. It’s how I discovered Bal a Versailles. It’s also how I found my favorite bottle, Jean Desprez Jardanel. I like the perfume too. The bottle is not the long-necked one; it’s same style as the little round Bal a Versailles bottles. It also seems that there are very few of these around, so I got lucky.
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Since I don’t like vintage perfumes, I rarely pay attention to those on eBay or other places I shop. It’s only now when I got that idea of buying Shalimar bottle that I started looking into that part of the market.
I’m not sure I’ve ever smelled Bal a Versailles: from everything I know about it, I won’t like the scent.
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Heck yeah. Stupid though…I keep my ‘fumes in a cupboard, in their boxes.
I had to have a bottle of La Panthere! I never wear it but that cat face in relief! Also Shalimar, even in the modern urn bottle, lovely. I happen to love the Chanel Exclusif bottles, so striking with their wonderful magnetic caps…but these I bought for the juice but also happen to like the bottles too.
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I’m the same as you: perfumes that I love and wear I keep in boxes tucked away from the light. Probably that’s why I wanted some bottles that I do not use as perfume: those can stay on my dresser, and I don’t care for the sunlight and higher temperatures.
I considered that Panthere bottle. What usually happens: I like the bottle and think that I should wait until it goes to discounters… But then I wait for too long, it gets discontinued and bought out – and the price gets even higher then the initial one that I wasn’t prepared to pay.
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Yes! It wasn’t strictly perfume though — it was Vol de Nuit scented “shimmer powder” in a blue-green version of the classic Vol de Nuit propeller perfume bottle. It is so darn pretty!
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I’ve just had a look at a picture of it. It certainly is a bwautiful bottle, no wonder you had to have it
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I was tempted to get that one! But, as it often happens, I waited for too long – and it was gone.
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No, but a gorgeous bottle has given me a bit more incentive to buy something that I already wanted for the fragrance. Examples, Annick Goutal Nuit Etoilee’ EDP and Lolita Lempicka Minuit. On the other hand, an ugly bottle makes me think twice before buying something! Especially if I’m on the fence about a fragrance an ugly bottle makes me say “No, don’t need that!” We don’t do ugly in my house…LOL At least not what I consider ugly…
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I liked Annick Goutal Nuit Etoilee but didn’t love it – and still I bought it because of the bottle. Ironically, when I wore it recently, I was amazed how much I liked it now: 8 years of bad perfumes testing might do miracles to one’s perception ;)
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If I leave Nuit Etoilee’ for a while and then come back to it, I find it smells even better than I remember as well!
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I probably have but can’t think of which one 🤣. On the other hand, if I already like a perfume and new bottle type (even if it is just a different size) comes out, I usually end up getting the new bottle.
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Like that certain red bottle, right? :)
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Yes…and then I bought 2 sizes of the twist up travel spray and if Chanel comes out with another color, why yes, yes, it will join my collection.
There are several others I got due to a new bottle — Orange Sanguine, Eau des Merveilles Bleu and the Color C version of one of the Coach fragrances before Coach became super mainstream.
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And one more on the buying a second bottle because new bottle – FM Carnal Flower in the synesthesia bottle.
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Are you sure that’s all? Maybe you should think harder… ;)
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No, haha, though I understand anyone who has succumbed to the urge! I love the Cocteau-esque packaging on the 10th anniversary Atelier bottle of Orange Sanguine, and the paisley design of Etro Rajasthan? Don’t you have that one? Very tempting, both. I do know and like the scents though, so it isn’t strictly comparable. Oh, and the dear little Ajne bottles.
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Yes, Rajasthan was one of those bottles that influenced the purchase but weren’t the only factor. I need to wear it again! Because it didn’t come in a box (rare thing for me), I hid it behind other, better protected from a random ray of light, bottles in my closet – and forgot about it. Thank you for reminding me!
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Ooh, what about Tralala?
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Yep, that one too. And Annick Goutal Nuite Etoile. And probably a couple more. But with all these I did like perfume, so bottles were additional but not the only motivator.
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I’ve almost bought perfumes just for their bottles, but… then the contents were just not good enough.
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You have a better discipline than the most of us :)
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