My Perfume Collection

I thought I'd give you a little walk through my collection. It's probably more interesting for the sake of curiosity rather than for my excellent fragrance reviews! I'm the first to admit that, although I have a very sensitive nose, picking out and describing scents is not my forte.

The fragrances that I have, in no particular order are: D&G Feminine, Matthew Williamson Sheer, Amouage Ciel, Calvin Klein Obsession, Chanel no. 5 and a tiny bottle of Kenzo Flowers. The Chanel is sadly a fake or at least I'm pretty sure it is, though it reminds me that I would really like to get a genuine bottle. Kenzo Flowers was my signature scent for years but I find it too strong these days. These perfumes are a mix of everyday and occasional wear for me.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist

This is my absolute favourite perfume. I tested this a lot before I bought it but kept going back. It’s one of my more expensive perfumes but I think it suits me very well.

The fragrance is supposed to be 'like a Cashmere Sweater' and on that point, I couldn't possibly comment! It’s described as a sheer floral with elements of Moroccan Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Bergamot, Sandalwood, Amber and Musk. It is a delicate fragrance, I find it hard to describe in my own words but I love the blend. It feels very feminine and sexy in a quiet sort of way. I’m quite interested in the new version as well.

D&G Feminine

This is an everyday perfume for me. It’s a nice light, fresh floral smell and like quite a few others that I wear, it has a powderiness to it after the initial spray. It disappears quite quickly and I will often have to top it up later in the day. I bought this from Cheap Smells and I believe it is a discontinued perfume. It’s not my favourite but I do like it for those days when I just want a quick spritz before I go out.

Mattthew Williamson Sheer

I will admit that bought this after Lollipop26 mentioned that she liked the perfume and I spotted it at a bargain price on Cheap Smells. I have a feeling that it’s another discontinued line. It was quite a punt buying something that I’d never tested, it worked out ok though. I don’t wear it very often but it’s nice if I’m in the mood for something completely different. It’s a spicy (almost peppery), citrus fragrance, it’s quite masculine in feel. It doesn’t have particularly great staying power but as it was inexpensive I don’t mind a few extra spritzes.

Calvin Klein Obsession

I have had this a very long time, probably in the region of 10 years but as you can see it’s hardly dented. Fortunately the scent hasn’t changed at all from age. It’s described as a spicy oriental, the predominant smell is amber with notes of vanilla and mandarin. I find it quite a heavy fragrance which accounts for why I don’t wear it often. I do sometimes wear it in the day but I find it too much of a statement for everyday wear. It’s has a powdery edge after an hour of so which I really like. It also lasts like no other. If I spray this in the morning, it’ll still be there at bedtime.

Amouage Ciel

My Mum gave me this perfume. My parents lived in the Middle East on and off for years and she bought this when she lived in Muscat. You can buy Amouage perfumes in the UK but they are rather expensive. I have the purse spray and the bottle is amazing in it’s design.

I had previously thought this was quite a strong, pungent fragrance but on spraying it now, I realize I have misjudged it. This is where my lack of ‘nose’ lets me down as I can’t pick out any specific notes. It goes on quite acidic but has quite a light floral scent when the initial hit dies back. The base notes of musk, amber and incense give it an exotic edge but it’s only the merest hint and this is actually quite a light fragrance. It actually reminds me of an Yves Rocher perfume I had with years ago, I think it was called Nature (oh dear, probably showing my age there!). I'm pleased I have given this another try as it's wrongly been stuck at the back of my cupboard.

I haven't bought any new perfumes for a while. I do seem to be a bit fussy and quite a lot of popular fragrances just don't suit me. I would really like to try one of the Annick Goutal perfumes next, though which one I'm not sure of yet. What are you like with perfumes, do you like to have a variety or are you a dedicated signature scent type of person?