You guys, I am super excited ! I managed to grab a few luxury decants recently, for a great price: I paid only about $10.00 each! Honestly, for 10ml. 🤯 I'm dying to dive into these samples and see which ones are the real full-bottle contenders. Wish me luck! What's on the testing tray: • Roja Parfums - Oceania: Everyone says this is the ultimate luxe aquatic citrus—like a high-end spa day on the ocean. • Nishane - Wulong Cha: This is the one I hear about constantly. A citrusy, soothing, and sophisticated oolong tea scent. • Widian - New York: I'm expecting something complex and bold here. Thinking deep woods, spices, and that cool, urban atmosphere. @Paul Bartnicki keeps praising it. I look forward to finally trying it out.. • Royal Crown - Rain: I don’t know much about this one so I don’t know what to expect. Fingers crossed that I’m not disappointed. Have you smelled any of these before? Which one should be my very first spray? Let me know what you think.

During my reorganization of my fragrances this weekend I asked ChatGpt to help me with all of my fragrances, notes and ideal season and temperatures to wear. I created a spreadsheet with it with some filters and since we're having a high of 29 degrees today. I filtered any temp and this is the coldest temp scent I have (25-45 degrees). The others kick in at 35 degrees and above! 😜 So today I am wearing the Hermès Barenia Intense. New for 2025! It starts off really nice with strong projection but while woody you still get floral and even a little powder which I kind of like. We'll see how it lasts throughout the day! Hope you all have an outstanding Monday!! Here's what ChatGpt has to say with more detail. Barénia Intense – Hermès Fragrance Family: Leather / Woody / Earthy Gender: UnisexStyle: Warm, leathery, earthy, sensual, sophisticated Concentration: Eau de Parfum Perfumer: Christine Nagel Barénia Intense is a deeper, darker, more opulent interpretation of Hermès’ iconic Barénia leather — capturing a sense of luxury saddlery, warm hides, polished woods, and earthy patchouli. Compared to the original, Barénia Intense has more leather, more patchouli, more warmth, and more depth, with a quiet smoky undertone. ⭐ Scent Profile — Full Pyramid Hermès does not list official notes, but the scent profile is very well established: Top Notes - Clary sage – aromatic, slightly herbal - Pink pepper / warm spices – soft heat - Bright citrus dusting (not juicy citrus) Opening is aromatic and woody, with a whisper of warm spice. Heart Notes - Barénia leather – soft, supple, luxurious, saddle-like - Patchouli – earthy, rich, dense - Earthy florals (geranium, osmanthus-like nuance) - Warm spices – nutmeg/cardamom-like warmth This middle phase is the signature of Barénia Intense — dense, leathery, woody, earthy, and warm, beautifully blended. Base Notes - Woods (cedar + dry amberwood) - Vetiver – smoky, earthy - Balsamic resins – adds depth - Animalic undertone – extremely soft and refined - Smoky hints – elegant, never harsh