Perfume Obsession

It all started years ago.  I wrote about my lack of ability to commit to one perfume here, way back in 2009.

Since then, I sampled things here and there, occasionally smelled something in a department store, but I was just never that interested.  Then all of a sudden, about last November.....BOOM!  I basically woke up one morning obsessed.  This phenomenon happens to me occasionally, and has my entire life.  I have written several times about my collection Obsessions.  I get totally engrossed in something for awhile, TOTALLY I MEAN, and then it generally poops out.

(Gardening never has, although I still haven't done anything in my yard here.)  (Lack of commitment).

So yeah Novemberish.  Obsessed.  Read ALL the blogs about perfume.  Literally "finished the internet".  Read 3 books about perfume and this one guy who is like a super-smeller and can smell and identify like 8 quadrillion smells.

Yes, I'm including 2 guidebooks, because I'm a nerd like that.  I will refer to these two books one million times, but first I read them from cover to cover. 

Found so many awesome blogs/ groups/ sites that sell samples!  A favorites so far is http://perfumeposse.com/.  The reviews are great, but it isn't just perfume reviews.  It's also just good discussion about all sorts of perfume-related topics.  I found some sites are WAY above my head, but I can generally follow the threads discussed here.  I even found my very own Perfume Fairy!!!  I didn't even know that existed!  She and I started talking over one post, which resulted in her sending me this amazing box of goodies!  I felt like it was Christmas!

These are fancy, niche fragrance.  I immediately 1> noticed I had never smelled or even HEARD of most of these things, 2>  overwhelmed myself and couldn't smell anything for a week, and 3>  realized I needed a way better basic education before I could really appreciate some of these.  

A couple weeks later, the people over at http://surrendertochance.com/ had an 20% off sale.  This website is awesome - they sell individual samples as well as sets by maker, note, blog, awards...tons of different sets.  I opted for the "Perfume Posse Top 25".  Most of these happen to be top rated in the Perfume Guide as well, and I had only ever smelled about TWO of them (Shalimar, and Chanel No. 5).  I am so uneducated. 

I am LOVING trying one of these every day, loving some, curious about others, and downright frightened by a few.

It will take me a good long time to work my way through them, and I'm pretty happy about that right now.  Jason is less enthusiastic, although he will generally give his opinion.  They currently fluctuate between "nice, NO, and you smell like an old lady."