I have found that I love so many scents, that it’s crazy for me to buy big bottles of anything. No matter how much I love something, I’m very sure I will find something else, very soon, that I will also love. So I’m very much into buying 10ml travel sizes and even though I know it’s not the best value for money on a per ml basis, it’s the best way for me to keep control of the collection overall. This was such a great, thoughtful video. Thanks Claire!
Yes, larger bottles seem like great value but when you think of those bottles in terms of the money just sitting on a shelf and potentially never getting used before the fragrance expires, it makes less sense. It's taken me a while to bring myself to pay more per ml but I know overall it's better for my bank balance 😂 I hope you are having a good week! 🥰
I love how you’re always assessing your behavior, I need more of this! I’ve been lacking organization. There’s definitely a rush and, for me, it can feel like I NEED everything all at once! Buying sample sets works for me because I often satisfy my curiosity with those.
Yes sample sets are great and I'd recommend those to anyone looking to curtail blind buying or impulsive purchasing of full bottles. They give a similar rush with less risk. I felt like the moment to that made me reassess my buying habits was when in 2021 I bought so much fragrance in one day that I didn't even open one of the bottles and I immediately resold it because I felt so guilty. That made me realise how ridiculous it was and made me record my purchases and try to be more mindful. It's not for everyone for sure, but I think this process has definitely helped me! Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely weekend 🥰
I love the way your perfume-nerd mind works! You make me want to start keeping track, too. I'm curious to know if there are any on your (enormous!) list of fragrances you've used up this year (brava!), are there any you would repurchase? Why or why not? (I'm just so happy to read the comments below, Claire. This community loves what you (and only you!) do. I'm with them. I totally appreciate the time you take to present us with the data that makes us all think about our habits. One of a kind, my friend. Thank you for what you do.
Thanks Julija. ❤️ I think Glossier You was probably the closest to a repurchase but I think there are a few others on the market now that cover a similar note profile. I actually did repurchase La Nuit Trésor Musc Diamant, but yes, repurchases are rare! I usually just want to move on and try other things. I don't know, I do these videos for me really because at one point I was buying a ridiculous amount of fragrance (more so than now) and not being that focused so I think this helps me. But yes, if it helps other people too, then so be it. I think TH-cam presents people as being connoisseurs and extremely studied and selective sometimes and I don't think that is the reality of most people's channels. I'm keeping it real lol 😂 have a fab week, hopefully not too freezing 🥶
Finally a youtuber who buys partials!! I love partials. They are cheaper. You usually get less juice so it’s easier to empty the bottle and the juice is older so usually better! lol I bought 12 full bottles this year and it was suppose to be a “No Buy”. 🤦🏻♀️ I did really well until April. Only 4 were brand new full bottles (Musc Ravageur, Not a Perfume Superdose, Rose D’Amalfi, LDBS). I emptied 6 bottles this year. I did real quick math. Did not count samples and I spent around $700 this year. Musc Ravageur was my most expensive bottle. Even with a sale and a $50 gift card, it cost me $168, but to me it’s a piece of art I will enjoy for years to come so well worth it. Cheapest bottle was $18 - a partial of Dior Dune. :)
Wow that Dune was a deal! I have been looking for a partial of Dune recently but they seem to go for much more than that here. I absolutely love partials, I don't need a full bottle of anything now that I have such a large collection. It's cheaper and better for the environment too. Gosh I absolutely love musc ravageur! I hope you continue to enjoy it ☺️ thanks for watching 🥰
Awesome video…. Very helpful hints for us hobbyists. I’m 52, and have been a fan of fragrance since I was child in the 80s. I have some that are “strictly for memories” (inherited from special family members), pretty vintage bottles (in a glass case), and then my functional collection. I divided it up into warm weather vs cool weather. I also use Fragrantica to help me track my collection. When I see or hear of a different fragrance, I reference it online vs my collection to try to minimize buying duplicates (unless I’m starting to run out on a discontinued favorite). It’s helped a lot.
Yes! These are great tips! I think knowing what you have and how it all smells and makes you feel, including how it provokes memories is so useful. You know what you enjoy and what you use! I also have several fragrances that I keep as memories but rarely if ever wear. I used to think this was a problem but now I see it as something that gives me a bigger connection to my collection and as a positive. Thanks for always watching and have a fab weekend 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume You’re so welcome. I think everyone’s collections are their own special things. We all have our own preferences and reasons why we like what we like. As long as it’s not hurting anyone, it’s not my place to judge.
I bought, decluttered, I bought, I decluttered, I put expensive perfumes on my wishlist and santa was kind, so now I have 15 fragrances I really like and 2 that I am going to sell. One is currently on my wishlist ( adrett nomenclature - its like glossier you but even better in my opinion) for my birthday and I am pretty sure 2024 will continue like that. My collection changes constantly. Things come and go because my taste and life changes:) i like the size of my collection and will try to stick to this size in the future so if I buy something then the fragrance will ideally replace a fragrance i own. I feel like with 15 fragrances I have a fragrance for every occasion and mood:)
Oh I'd love to go back to 15 😂 I think I've realised that I am struggling to get round my collection nowadays. I hate that not all of them get worn on a semi-regular basis... I have been trying to reduce my collection or at least keep it steady this year, I've reduced my purchasing so far this year, which I'm happy about! I think a declutter is perhaps due soon though. Thanks for watching and good luck in keeping your small loved collection 🥰
Thank you! Yes! It's more than you think when you add it all up 🤣 I was surprised that I'd even forgotten some of my purchases this year, that's shocking isn't it?!
Im looking forward to hearing your thoughts on discovery sets and samples in general Claire. You are one of the few you tubers i trust to give your honest opinion 💖 Gosh I admire your bravery in calculating how much you spent on fragrance last year! Ive just emailed you my list of fragrances to see if you'd like any decants. I didnt include my travel sprays or decants and the amount of full size bottles I have shocked me. No way I'd want to estimate the cost. I comfort bought stuff, including fragrance, last year after my husband's terminal diagnosis and death. Having looked back at what i spent I'm on a no/very low buy this year. Fragrance sampling and buying is a lovely hobby but so addictive and expensive. I admire you for buying partials; so much better for your bank balance.
Hi Fiona! Thank you! I will get to this list tomorrow, I'm very sorry for the delay. I keep forgetting, but I have a list of stuff to send to quite a few people now so it needs to get done. I submitted my job application this week (took me 2 full days and a few evenings 🤣 I'm ridiculously slow) and it's now closed so I await an interview 🤞 I definitely see comfort buying in times of mild stress so I can't imagine what influence such huge stress could exert. I think you need to be kind to yourself at these times. I hope 2024 will be easier for you. 🥰
Thank you Claire, I'm trying not to be too hard on myself, whilst reining in the spending and taking pleasure in what I bought! Please don't apologise; I was concerned that Royal Mail had lost the package and didn't want you to think I was not bothering to thank you. Best of luck with your job application/interview :)@@dr.claire.perfume
Thank you for this video! In 2023, I’ve bought maybe 10 bottles. I’ve discovered my signature, Pure poison, and bought real loved perfume as Chanel no 5 EDP and Un jardin sur la lagune after testing them. I’ve learned to spend more wisely on what I adore. I test a lot, I buy on official website. My next purchase will be Chanel no 19 EDP.
Ooh Pure Poison is a great signature! And I absolutely love the Poudre version of no19. You sound like you have a good and loved collection. I hope 2024 is a fab year for you! 🥰
hi Claire! thank you for being transparent about your spending. over the past two years I have completely overindulged and spent more than I should have on fragrances. I am trying to reign myself in and cure myself of my compulsive spending issues. take care!
It's a long process I think, try not to be hard on yourself and to see the wins! It's not ever going to be perfect for me and I accept it. Good luck with your perfume adventures in 2024 ❤️ thanks for watching 🥰
The fragrance community need this channel!... Always doing something differently. Thank you for your efforts and contributions. Happy New Year Madam. 😊 Love from Nigeria! 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬
Love back from the UK 🇬🇧 Wow I am so impressed to know I have followers from so far away 😊 it's lovely! Thank you so much for supporting me and my channel! I really appreciate it! 🥰 Have a fab week ❤️
That concept of buying for the purchasing process rather than the fragrance described me perfectly a few years ago. I ended up with too many bottles that I didn’t love and sold many off. Last year I was much more intentional and I hope to get better this year. Like you, I’m trying to sample more. I have also started using Parfumo to keep better track of my fragrances, how much I pay for each, and what I’m actually wearing. I also have a monthly perfume budget that I try to stay within. Sometimes it works and sometimes I completely ignore it😅 We’re aiming for progress not perfection!
Yes exactly, progress, it's not about berating yourself if you don't stick to something all of the time, it's about finding what works for you and makes you feel that your purchases are worth it in the long term. The process of buying itself is for sure addictive and online buying eeks that process out with extra highs when you hunt, order, when you wait and when you receive. I think making a wishlist has been the biggest help for me this year, intentional purchases are the way forward for me ☺️ thanks for watching 🥰
The nerdy greatness of this & the way you’ve owned it & so beautifully presented it is so astonishingly inspirational. I’ve not yet updated my 2023 purchases into my Google Sheet. My Profile in Fragrantica is my go-to; but at the beginning of this year I began to transfer & update my usage from that platform to my spreadsheet (where I left off purchasing updates at 2022YE). Thanks for sharing this fabulously inspiring upload. You’re amazing!😊
Lol 🤓 nerd here 🙋♀️ thank you ❤️ happy that you enjoyed it 😊 good luck with your Google sheet revelations 😂 Fragrantica would be so much better with a decent perfume diary function, what is there right now is not great. I think that kind of thing would give it so many more site visits too! Thanks for always watching, the support means so much! Have a fab weekend 🥰
Well, I was very frivolous in 2023... I wanted to sample more, but really started to do so at the end of the year. I'm starting to calm down with time, because I've siffed and tried many fragrances and can see similarities between fragrances I have and others I try... Organizing my fragrances this Fall also made me realize just how many I have! So for 2024, I will continue sampling more and have a list of loves from that sampling (make sure I buy loved fragrances more). Sampling kinda does the same thing/high for me as "blindbuys", but at least I don't end up with a bunch of bottles of fragrances I somewhat like.
Yes! This is for sure what I've found too! Sampling really stops me buying 😂 which is totally not what you might expect. I'd say my hit rate is about 5-10% with sampling and I've noticed patterns depending upon the brand. I also reorganised my perfumes, instead of summer winter, I tried sorting them by note profiles and feelings. That seemed to make more sense to me and made me realise what I had a lot of. I think it sounds like you are definitely going into the wishlist stage and that should mean that you have more long term loves! Good luck with your perfume adventures in 2024 🥰
I have also been more mindful of my perfume selections and buying the last several months. My pattern was similar in that the initial excitement of this new passion led me to make some bad blind buys and now I've learned. It's so very tempting and I have to make a conscious effort to stop myself until I've actually worn the fragrance. I still struggle! So far I've ordered a beautiful, expensive niche perfume that my kids allowed me to buy from the gift cards they gave me to Luckyscent. It arrives Tuesday and I made myself order decants first. I also ordered Delina La Rosee which I love and I know will be a good spring/summer version to my Delina Exclusif. I think you're doing great with your mindful spending Claire. It's truly a love of mine too and it's definitely enhanced my life. xx, Kim
Hello Kim! Ooh that sounds like an extremely well considered and special purchase. I hope you really love it and so nice too that it's from your children! Thank you! I've massively improved through making these videos. I've learnt to try to stick to a wishlist as much as possible. I think that has made a.hige difference this last year. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely weekend 🥰
I was all over the place in 2023. This year I vowed to stick 20 fragrances or less. Having over 300+ was overwhelming. I sample now if I am interested, but can only bring in a new bottle if I am willing to replace one I have currently. I took this approach with clothes, shoes, and makeup years ago. It really has helped my wallet, and a reason why I can use those funds on other experiences.
That's a great strategy, that makes you think whether you want something enough to let go of something you already have which is very powerful. I have been on a clothing and makeup and other beauty products low buy for the last 4 years. Makeup is now mostly under control and I have started to run out of certain other beauty products. It's not for everyone for sure, but these kinds of things help me to regulate my spending and consumption of things that I don't necessarily need more of. I feel like the beauty low buy has really saved me a lot of money and helped me to get some space back in my house too! Thanks for watching ❤️ have a fab weekend 🥰
I appreciate the time you've taken to look at habits and choices. I love a bargain, and the result has been far too many bad blind buys and large bottles instead of small ones. It has been a struggle convincing myself that a 5 or 10ml is often plenty- particularly of more challenging fragrances that I'm not going to wear a lot. There is definitely an art to balancing the psychology, financial reality, and actual usability of fragrances. Great video- thanks!
Yes spot on! If it's an offbeat fragrance 5/10ml is perfect. I also love a bargain and I started off always wanting 50-100ml but I quickly realised just how much I'd accumulated 🤦♀️ this is part of the reason that I love partials. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a fab weekend 🥰
My changes in 2023 were to only blind buy from places that accept returns! And I returned lots of bottles. Also I started buying smaller sized bottles - samples and travel sizes too. This way i can decide once the sample is finished if I like it enough to spend the money on a full bottle.
Sounds all very positive! Being able to return fragrance is a wild fantasy concept to me 😂 I guess it's maybe pricier stores that allow this? Or maybe just larger companies? Sampling is fab for sure and yes, a travel can sometimes be more than enough for me. 😊 Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi, Claire. I have about 25 fragrantes now. My goal is to reduce this number this year, primarily by using it. I want finish first my twenty years old bottle of Touch, that I bought in the late 90’s. I learned in your video about the air content in the bottle and how it can ruin the perfume, and my bottle has about 0,5 cm of juice left in it.
That sounds like a nicely curated collection. That was me before TH-cam and blind buying 🙈 It's sad isn't it, because if it's something you love, you want to enjoy it, but also if there is a memory there or it's been discontinued or reformulated, you don't want to use it. 🙃 I completely understand how people have 20 year old bottles. I get very sentimental about fragrances sometimes. Thanks for watching 🥰
Watching your video last year got me pretty motivated to track my spending… but I gave up mid-year because, let’s face it, I was spending too much and I was quite ashamed of my behavior! 😅 I made a few failed blind buys and I fell for the hype too many times. Especially with middle eastern fragrances. My collection is over 200 and I should finish a few bottles because I practically never do. Well, I’m hoping to do better this year! 💪🏼🥴 I’ve bought 4-5 fragrances so far and my blind buys were a travel spray and a Sol de Janeiro body spray. Happy with both fortunately. 😉
Well it's baby steps and progress is the right direction I think is all I'm looking for. I guess you have to go with what works for you. For me, making a wishlist and trying to stick to it has been the biggest step forward. I totally get the falling for the hype with Middle Eastern fragrances, I only have one Lattafa and one Amouage in my collection now. That's it. The rest have gone. I'm hesitant to buy more from Lattafa as the hit rate for me has been very low. Which Sol de Janeiro did you go for? They have so many now! I've not tried the sprays, only the creams. Thanks for watching Julie 🥰
So revealing of our habits about perfume, thank you. I didn't break down everything the way you so logically did but I've been on a low buy for 6 months and I've been acquiring 4 to 5 bottles per quarter instead of 9 or 10, I found it was easy to do, like you I go for smaller size bottles and decants and partials. Blind buying appeals to the gambler in us and is less harmful than real gambling, I do a little bit of it but less overall.
Yes I think this is it isn't it? Finding something that works for you, but without berating yourself for not being perfect. I like blind buying sometimes, it's exciting, I'll continue to do it, but I was doing it nearly all of the time and ending up with stuff that I didn't love, so I needed to change. Changing that, using a wishlist and buying less, has really helped me to be more considered. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely Sunday 🥰
Thank you, Claire, for a robust overview of this hobby. I think you are right about the joy and comfort in fragrance. I would love to know your process in where you purchase your fragrance (whether that is online or in store), in particular, purchasing partially used perfumes. For me, 2023 has been the start of my collection. I loved fragrance, but never really gave much thought to making it a hobby. But with better understanding and love for niche fragrance that has now begun. I have now gone into sampling frenzy 😅
I have made a video all about purchasing from eBay. But really I just try to sample now and take my time. I have a wishlist... My love has really started to move towards indie though. Good luck with your collecting in 2024 ☺️
Hands down the best fragrance channel on TH-cam. You have a fresh and interesting approach. I vow to do more sampling and less blind buying. Thank you Claire!
I try to be more like you when it comes to my perfume journey LOL I set myself goals when it comes to spending and I think I did somewhat reach that ,I need to go through my stash of samples and decide what I like and don’t like ,use them up or declutter them I agree the blind buying gave me such a HIGH that I knew it wasn’t healthy 🤦♀️
Yes wow, my buying may be more under control these days but gosh my samples aren't 🤣 they are everywhere! I can't seem to organise them either! I can never find what I am looking for! 🤣 Blind buying is addictive, I still do it. 🙊
Love your analytical spirit and that you are so down to earth!❤ As for me, I'm lucky enough to be more addicted to sampling than to buying full bottles. My best discoveries of 2023 were Adjiumi -Dolce QB and Lorenzo Pazzaglia - Cherry Ink. Main goal was to stay under 40 bottles - checked! I have 39😃
Haha, I can't hide the scientist 🤣 sounds like you had a good year! Sampling is a magical world isn't it? You can find some gems and experience so much more by sampling ✨ thanks for watching, have a fab weekend 🥰
2023 was the year of middle eastern perfumes for me. My brain kept telling me it was more bang for my buck. The end of 2023 I felt a shift in my perspective. I want 2024 to be more intentional and less “Ooo what’s new?”
Yes I really went though an affordable Middle Eastern phase in 2021. I've decluttered all but one of them. I am really wary of the hype now. I did buy my first Amouage this year though so maybe that's an even more worrying Middle Eastern rabbit hole to go down 🤣 Sampling and trying to stick to a wishlist really helped me in 2023. I wish you the best in your perfume adventures in 2024. 🥰
Hi Claire! I started seriously buying fragrances in 2023. It’s definitely a pricey hobby! I confess that I went a little crazy. I’m buying very few in 2024. I want to enjoy what I already have. I have a well rounded collection that I’m very happy with. Most of my purchases were blind buys and, thankfully, only three were a fail. I’ve learned which notes I like. In the future, any fragrance I buy will be sampled first. 😊And thoughtfully considered. I didn’t add up what I spent in 2023. I don’t want to have a heart attack or stroke!😳 But I plan to track every penny in 2024. By the way, I saw your comment on one of Luke’s videos. I love his channel and I find him delightful! You gave me a lot of food for thought. A lot of my purchases were also secondhand partials. I learned this from one of your prior videos. Thank you 😊
Yes! Enjoying what you already have is a huge joy and one that gets overlooked on TH-cam where the focus is always on what's new. I guess because it's easy content and also affiliate links are lucrative. Sounds like you have a plan for 2024! I am happy that more people are embracing partials, it can be so much cheaper! Yes! I will actually tag Luke soon! I love the history content. Thanks for watching 🥰
Claire you are fantastic: this vid was thought-provoking! I don’t have the courage 😳 to track my spending frankly. I have sampled much more this year tho and I typically don’t blind buy unless the spend is less than $50USD. Like you, I am also a huge fan of partial bottles, decants and travel sizes and I find it works well for me. Especially when we’re talking about higher end stuff. My goal this year is to declutter maybe 10 bottles. My problem is I don’t know what to do with them 🤷🏼♀️ I don’t want to go through the trouble of selling online because they are of lower value. And I don’t have any friends who care about smelly water - believe it or not. It’s kind of a stupid problem. Anyway, loved this video as always. Have a wonderful weekend!
Hi Jill! Thank you ❤️ partials really make the expensive ones much more affordable and I love that 😊 Yes I understand completely. I have no one in my immediate vicinity who is bothered about fragrance either! I may actually start swapping with people I've met through TH-cam in order to declutter soon as it's now been discussed as an option in a group that I'm in, but I have also resold fragrances in the past and that's worked well for ones that are worth a little more money or that are fuller or rare, but yes the cheap ones you have to bundle up really in order to attract anyone. Room spray is another option I guess, that's how I finished my leaky Lattafa 😂 Thanks for watching, have a fab weekend 🥰
Hey Claire, I’ve been keeping a record of what I’ve purchased. It’s been really helpful in helping me keep track of my purchases and not just buying anything. I am also working on a wishlist as well
Always timely with the topics! I had a planned big purchase (long overdue phone/tablet replacement) and an unplanned big purchase (stupid brakes and tie-rods on the ride) within a short amount of time this season, giving me bank anxiety for the first time in a long time and I needed to know if it was the fragrances or not. The total spent since I started in September was ~$100 more than you did all year. Honestly that's not too bad given how inclined to obsession I am when it comes to new hobbies, among other factors. That also includes some very atypical purchases comprising about 1/3rdish of my total spend, namely a pricey 8 x 5ml decants of niche/high end designers (my very first frag buy heavily influenced by The Perfume Guy who has great taste), and like over 20 sample cards. I did make a few purchases with overtime/back pay/raise funds that substantially subsidized my total spend. Now that I think about it, it wholly subsidized my purchases. I generally do the equivalent of or literally buying a rack store bottle twice monthly, so I'm currently working with a $60-$80 budget per month right now. That's sustainable on its own, but more importantly, it's easily offset in other areas of life to get pretty close to a net zero effect overall. It's probably pretty obvious by all of my justifications and obsession with being responsible financially that I spent my entire adult life fairly poorly until about 18 months ago when my income more than doubled. I pledged to continue to live poorly and that makes even necessary purchases tough for me mentally as I aggressively save for a house. By limiting myself currently to rack stores finds that meet a threshold of rarity and pricing means I say No far more than YES and that's a relief. I believe this falls under the "posting through my feelings" category lol.
Saving for a house is really hard, here in the UK, house price inflation has massively outstripped increases in average earnings and the increased interest rate lately has also been prohibitive to a lot of people achieving their goal of getting on the property ladder. I also earnt very little for most of my working life to date until I completely my PhD in my 30s so same, I am used to living on a tight budget and have continued that for everything but fragrance. My mum always tells me, be sensible but have a little bit of "silly money" where you can spend it on what makes you happy. Fragrance is that for me! Good luck in 2024 with your saving and with finding some fragrances that you love too! Thanks for watching 🥰
Happy Saturday Dr Claire. Another thought provoking video. I don’t really think I’ve ever figured out what motivates me or why I buy. I do know I plan to be more mindful of what I purchase this year. I do have a few fragrances and discovery sets that I plan to declutter so I’ll start there and begin a spreadsheet of what I purchase this year.
Yes, I have seen it's when I'm feeling stressed that I tend to buy. I am more mindful of that now and I notice the signs. I find what I buy at those times are perhaps not the best decisions. I really need to sort through my samples too! I want to make some sampling videos too as I think those will help! Thanks for watching, happy Saturday 🥰
I definitely use up more perfumes because I’m permanently home and winter finds me using up a lot !! I don’t want to know how much I spent 🤦♀️ it would depress me and make me think of how I could have used that money to travel more LOL That goes for handbags 👜 as well It’s the struggles of an addict This video is very grounding and helps me a lot !! No one else does this and I appreciate you so much Love and hugs ❤
Yes, me too when I'm at home, it's a spritz of happiness 😊 Im just considering buying some expensive boots 🙈 I think shoes and boots are definitely my version of your handbags 🤣 I definitely have to keep an eye on what I spend because I have an addictive personality where I can really get into anything to the degree that I feel very sucked in. Doing these videos helps me to reassess! Big hugs back Frances, have a fab weekend 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume ohh expensive boots are also something I love to indulge in but I think expensive good foot wear is a good investment and for me lasts years and years ,I need to find a good cobbler where I live but they are a dying breed
@@HappinessSparkles you're right! I have some boots that I have had for 20 years 😂 I just reheel them. I am considering some faux fur lined Doc Martens... I am fed up of cold feet right now!
What I realized in 2023 was that I should stop buying Middle Eastern fragrances 😅 I have enough... + Most of them went to my family members anyways.. Lesson learned. Also, I opted for travel size bottles when possible & if not, I always went for the smallest 30 & 50ml bottles instead of 100ml.. Thank you for this wonderful video! Your 💭 provoking content is greatly appreciated 🙏❤
Yes I also reeled in my Middle Eastern fragrance buying in 2022/23. I bought a lot in 2021 and most have been decluttered. Travel size are perfect for me 😊 Have a lovely weekend and thanks for watching 🥰
Buying for the thrill of buying the bottle and adding to your collection vs buying to smell it often and wear it! That could be me!!!! I am more mindful this year. But I did buy some inspired ones (excuse: it is like sampling!). Being a conscious shopper and making lists, being patient with full bottles is key. Bottles will always be there:)
I agree that some inspired bys are try outs for the real thing sometimes! I guess my issue with my previous style of buying was that it was opportunistic and that sometimes meant that I bought some very random things. I agree that with having a wishlist it is much easier to focus 😊
@dr.claire.perfume Claire! We are twins! I have the wardrobe of an Italian Heiress filled with unique pieces that are a little too fashionable for the office! I am now adding more classic pieces but unwilling to release some of the old pieces because they are beautiful! My rule is: 1 comes in, and at least 1 other departs!
I wish I had seen this video before I got sucked down the fragrance rabbit hole. My goal for 2024is a no buy until August my bday month. Looking back on 2023 purchases I absolutely went overboard and they were all blind buys. This is truly helpful
Yes, I think blind buying is exciting and I will still do it where it is difficult to sample, for example with discontinued fragrances, but I hope that is a rarity. I want to sample and be mindful. Writing a wishlist really helped me too. Good luck on your no buy, 8 months is a long time, but it's a great opportunity to enjoy what you have! Thanks for watching 🥰
Wow! For the amount you spent, most fragrance TH-camrs would have gotten 2, maybe 3 bottles of perfume, (so many niche perfumes are in the hundreds for just one bottle!) ..and you got over 30! You are a true bargain queen! ❤ 🙌🏼
Yes I definitely stretch my budget 🤣 I can't justify spending £1000s a year on fragrance. My income level is not there and my outgoings are too high with a mortgage etc. Also I'm not in the PR realm mostly and I think too in the UK the deals are not as good as they are in the US. Prices have increased massively since Brexit too, on everything! Not just fragrance. I loved the EU 🇪🇺 😥 thanks for watching 🥰
You won me! I've been thinking of making the same exact topic. All my collection and the total amount invested 🤑......is just.....I'm such a coward, I'm scared of facing that reality 😅. I've been trying to keep my spending in perfumes under control and buying ONLY what I really want and it will add something new to my collection, no more spending in fragrances that are redundant even if I adore the scent profile. It's hard, tho. I may do it later in the year, but I need to prepare myself psychologically 😂. Cheers, Claire!
Haha 😂 yes I know exactly what you mean, it's confronting! I think the biggest shift this year has been me trying to be more intentional rather than random and opportunistic with my purchasing. Having a wishlist has been the most useful thing for me in this, so I can see that buying fragrances you only really love and that aren't redundant is truly the way to go! Thanks for watching, have a fab weekend 🥰
Yhhh I recently did. Declutter and I’M NOT TELLING Y’ALL ABOUT IT, well💁🏽♀️ just you!🤣😆🤣😆 Some of them I’ve raved about a lot and I’m just like Yh out they go. I want every single fragrance in my collection to make me excited and extremely impressed to wear every single time.
Tastes change over time but I also think blind buying can make me want to love something and try more with it, even when I know it's probably not for me long term. It's good to declutter occasionally.
I love your intentionality when it comes buying and reviewing ❤ Also... The spreadsheet data analysis warmed my heart a little bit 😆 I do the same with makeup ❤
Hi Laurel, thanks! I think my approach to fragrance content is heavily influenced by what I see from content creators in the makeup world. That's really how I started watching and loving TH-cam in the first place. And yes! I love a spreadsheet 🤓 thanks for watching 🥰
I'm subscribing👍I enjoyed the honestly and analytical aspect of video. My fragrance obsession started 4/2023. I have added 32 - full size bottles and 17 - 8-10ml size. I spent way too much money. But on a positive note, there's only 2 I need to declutter and they were very cheap. Also, I sampled a lot and made a wish list to stay on track. Thanks for sharing! My goal is to buy 1 perfume this year and receive 1 for my birthday & 1 for Christmas...🤞
That's definitely how it got me! It's great that you are sampling early on because I really wasn't 😂 I love it now though. I think your hit rate has been very good too! Good luck with your plan of purchases for this year, it is very strict! I know I couldn't manage that! 😂 Thanks for subscribing and welcome! 🥰
When I hear people say they’ve had bad experiences with blind buying I be like, not me! I OBSESSS wayyy too long about a fragrance and watch a million reviews before I touch a fragrance. Luckily I’ve been really happy so far. My problem with buying fragrances💁🏽♀️💁🏽♀️is I only buy fragrances I like, which the TH-cam gurus call👀👀👀Selfish content!🤷🏾♀️😫
I find my number of blind buys has increased since I have been exploring older fragrances. It’s very difficult to find samples of these so I will blind buy a partial for $20.
I think my problem is that people love stuff that I don't and they don't mention things that turn me off, like iso E super or grainy musk or heavy ambroxan. I guess some people don't smell it and it doesn't bother them but for me it can be an instant no. I can read and obsess all I like but there's absolutely no guarantee of anything for me. Especially with pricier niche, where you sometimes can't tell whether someone loved it and bought it or whether the brand just gifted it to them.
Hello Claire. My first year of addiction 😊 i have bought over 100 fragrances. It was 4 years ago. This past year, I have bought only 😂 32. This is not because I am “heeling” , it’s just because in the first year i wanted to introduce myself to all the “classics “ such as Opium , Eden , Amarige and others. Thank you for the video 💐💐💐
Yes the start is you wanting to try EVERYTHING and to work out what you love and to know what other people are talking about 😂 I remember thinking how little I'd tried when I first started and feeling like I had to catch up! I've definitely calmed down with my purchasing too thank goodness. Good luck in your perfume adventures in 2024 🥰
I realized that I only need about 15 perfumes but they are all very expensive... So I sold all other perfumes and with that money I bought the perfumes of my dreams! I really don't need more and each one I have now is very special. I enjoy my small collection so much more than when it was huge.
I think that's the direction I'm heading in too, I hate that I only wear a proportion of my collection and I've realised thst I really enjoy sampling so I've not been buying as much and have been finishing a few bottles over the last 4 months. I also have a few to declutter and sell. I at least want my collection to head back towards 100 this year. It's at about 115 right now. 15-20 fragrances sounds perfect! ☺️
@@dr.claire.perfume Yes! I also sample A LOT now and THAT is my new hobby. It is not cheap either 🙂 especially if you buy those original discovery sets and not decants but it's sooooooo worth it! I also realized that I gravitate towards particular fragrance houses (for example, Guerlain or Hermes) which was a shock to me because I spent 2 years diving head down into the world of "niche" perfumery only to return to the classics! How strange is that? 🤣 and I also realized that I'm a huge fan of master perfumes like JCE ❤ so I now seeking out those perfumes that THEY created. It's a totally different approach but in some way I feel liberated 😄
@@natashakharitonova Guerlain have got me too, their prices have gone up a lot though and sadly my local counter closed so I now only try them by buying samples which is a shame... Hermes are great, very different, perhaps because they are still independent and not part of a conglomerate? Not sure! I don't think I've narrowed it down to one particular perfumer, but I will now check to see if what I like was formulated by Jean Claude Ellena! I'm curious! 😂
@@dr.claire.perfume Oh you should try his Hermes line then! it's of course the "private line" again 😞 aka $$$$$$. His works are etherial watercolors, that's how I can describe it. I think you like leather accord, right? Sample Cuir D'Ange 😉in my opinion nothing compares to it for a leather perfume lover ❤ I also love Mgr.Wasser's work and especially his collaboration with Mme.Delphine Jelk, and a few more great noses. I didn't know that but when I researched who created my favorite ones I was surprised, they were all created by 3-4 perfumers. Hope you will enjoy going down this rabbit hole 🤣😁😁
Hi lovely Claire ❤ I love all your goals and I’m certain you will follow through and keep us posted! Numbers never lie I love how organized and detailed you are, I agree on decluttering and letting go it really makes no sense to hold on, being mindful of your purchases is key I don’t think it’s weird to share with us the amount and how many bottles you purchase I think this will help so many who feel overwhelmed ❤ I never go crazy because my strict budget won’t allow it 🤣😉
Hi Sunny! Yes I think doing this helps me to be more accountable. I want to head in the right direction by making myself aware of my behaviours, but I'm not harsh on myself if I go wrong. Thanks for watching and I wish you happy perfume adventures in 2024 🥰
After losing my sense of smell because of covid, and not regaining all of it, i have a ton of fragrances that i still cannot smell. I should declutter them, since they are just sitting there unused, but keep them in hope.
I don't know, maybe you should wait a little longer? Did you try any fragrance training? I've no idea whether this is something that can work, but I've seen a few people talk about it... I know itst not the same but I have lots of nosebleeds and have wondered about cauterisation to stop them, but I am scared I will lose my sense of smell so I haven't pursued it. I can't imagine not being able to enjoy my fragrances as I've been used to doing. I hope you regain more of your sense of smell. Thanks for watching 🥰
I did way better last year, but definitely ready to declutter and put up more on Mercari. I too would rather keep the number I have lower. It's great how you've tracked it all in a spread sheet! I love your hair, Claire. It's so gorgeous. ✨🖤
I think having fewer is better for me because I want to enjoy all of them as if I never wear something or can't even see it, then I miss out! Happy to hear that your 2023 was better. ❤️ Thanks! This is literally me just leaving my hair, it does what it wants 🤣
Great analysis. O owe 48 bottles and 18 miniatures at the moment. For a perfume lover it is not a big collection but I am starting to be affraid that some of my older scentes will be spoiling at some point. Goal for 2024 is minimalism. I will try to buy only 6 new bottles (+samples and discovery sets) and use up/ sell at least 4. We will see how it will go. Keeping fingers crossed for you and thank you for the contenct you are creating. I love to watch it!
Thank you ❤️ really lovely to know that someone enjoys it! It makes it worth it 😊 Those sound very reasonable goals! I wish you luck with them in 2024 🍀 thanks for watching 🥰
Claire, I love all of your videos and especially these, where you share statistics and patterns, whether yours or others. They are so fascinating and you’ve inspired me to keep some stats of my own. Really wonderful! ❤❤
Thank you ❤️ I just like being transparent. You see some channels buy and declutter so many fragrances that it's like a conveyor belt and I'm sure some people think it's entirely normal. I think for people wanting to start a TH-cam channel or who are starting to get interested in fragrances, it's notable just how much you can get sucked in and end up buying and spending on things you may not love. I hope it helps people to make better decisions. Thanks for watching and enjoy collecting your own stats! I love that! 🥰
Your graphs and spreadsheets are so impressive to me. After seeing your video last year, I was planning to keep track of the stats but I completely lost track lol 😅 ❤❤
It's hard, I do lose track but I've found that putting my fragrances on a surface in the order that I've worn them until I write the info in a spreadsheet helps me to make sure I can get back up to date with it! It's a habit now 🤣
A cracking vid Claire. Reflection is such an important part of evolution. Some great lessons here. The numbers don't lie! Love the graphs btw. 📊 I feel like if we lived near one another, we'd be firm friends. 😄 Definitely saw the pattern in the bottles emptied graph. I've always wondered whether it's the same mentality that prevents physical fitness progress at the start of every year. 😆 Many people set unrealistic goals, with the only true goal being to BEGIN or try. Once that's been achieved, they immediately and generously reward themselves and return to their habituated behaviours, feeling temporarily placated for heroically managing a slight discomfort. 🤭 Quite a few bottles won last year! I'm impressed!
Haha, well as someone who has always struggled to do anything more than exercise as part of lifestyle activities, I totally understand that 🤣 Yes I was super lucky last year, I did enter a lot of Instagram competitions though so it's probably a numbers thing 😂 I'm always happy to squeeze some graphs into a video 🤓 I find self analysis has helped me a lot over the years. Seeing and understanding why I make certain choices has really helped me to improve my decision making in lots of areas. Thanks for watching ❤️
❤ loved this ❤ I really appreciate your. honesty. I haven't added up the money yet, but I bought 5 bottles, 1 gifted; bought 4 travels, 2 gifted; and I bought 8 8mls via a subscription. I bought about the same amount of frags last year but that was 17 bottles and 6 travels. I don't want to buy any perfume til Spring and want to sample a couple of brands then if samples are made available. Other than that I haven't really got plans other than to keep it fairly minimal 😂
Thanks Em! Wow, you are so good, I know you sample lots and that's a big part of the joy for you too. I have been looking at subscriptions and was wondering whether to review them, but that would be a little UK centric so I'm not sure 🤔 I am interested in your experience with Pafory anyhow, did you think they were good? Did you always choose what you got? 😊
@@dr.claire.perfume Pafory always dispatched on time and came within a week from Germany. And yes you can always choose your perfume(s). Their catalogue is pretty good, but being that I am not so into the more hyped niche brands (pdms, initio, xerjoff types), I did feel like I had gotten everything I wanted. It's a good service and price if the brands and frags available meet one's own interest. Their only drawback is actual CS lead time when you email. Like 10 days to reply, but when they reply they are spot on, sorted out cancelling my sub immediately. So I would say all in all it is really good and I will subscribe again when their catalogue has something that tickles my fancy
That's pretty good, I think that's the issue I've had with a lot of the services, the choice is just not for me. Actually I had a look at try me first when I won those decants and their selection seemed pretty good! Also that company that gifted Jon the Night was it? 🤔 They seemed reasonable and like they had lots of things to choose from. I think it's going to be difficult for most of those services to survive unless they offer relatively mainstream fragrances unfortunately... I'm surprised Gabby loves perfume hasn't got a subscription service or maybe she has and I just don't know about it 🤣
@@dr.claire.perfume yeah for sure. I think Pafory has a good range to suit a lot of people and I have seen more brands added recently, but sometimes they only have a few from the brand, or they have sold out
@@ems_h.eartnotes yes stock levels must be quite difficult to manage. I bet it's unpredictable. All it takes is a TH-cam video to push something... And 💥
I'm happy that you enjoyed it! Yes I love some graphs 🤓 and blind buying for me is something that should be the exception rather than the norm, but everyone is different. 😊 Thanks for watching ❤️ have a fab Sunday 🥰
Hi Claire. Your videos always drop late Saturday night here, but I hold off until Sunday morning and watch you while having breakfast. Your topics are always interesting and enlightening. I’m trying to buy less this year, and started just getting 5 or 10ml of something I like after testing in store or with a 2ml sample. One of my favourite houses is Matiere Premiere, and I love that they do 6ml minis as well as 50 and 100ml if you absolutely love it. Your comment about the blind buy rush struck home. Guilty of that in 2022-2023. However, I saw a great deal on Rosendo Mateau no 6 which I had sampled, and also for no 3 which I couldn’t get a sample of, so bought it blind. Waiting for them both to arrive. Fingers crossed 😬🤞 😃🇦🇺
Ooh good luck with those RM fragrances. I didn't try either as yet. Matière première have some lovely ones, I love encens suave, but I didn't try many. Do you have a favourite? 5/10 ml is a fab amount if you have a lot of fragrance. Best of luck in your perfume adventures in 2024! Thank you so much for always watching, I really appreciate it! 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume One of the perfume retailers here, Libertine Parfumerie does online workshops, and the fee includes samples of the line the workshop is about. They also include a piccolo of bubbles as well. We had Aurelian Guichard talking to us from France and being interviewed by the host. Afterwards, you can get the workshop fee taken off the price of a full bottle, so I purchased French Flower and Neroli Oranger, then, later Parisian Musk. Since then I’ve added a 6ml of Radical Rose and 50ml Vanilla Powder. Yeah, last year was crazy😜
Haha I used to have a paper diary but it became hard to use to make videos from so I'm now electronic 🤓 yes me too, that bottle green is my favourite! Definitely my power colour! Thanks for watching and have a fab Sunday 🥰
It was mainly the bed time ones for the first half of the year and then the summery lighter ones over the second half, perhaps because of the sitting around with a broken ankle all summer 😂 spraying a bit of fragrance made it slightly more bearable!
Yes the financial situation for a lot of people has been very difficult of late. It's necessitated changes to a lot of people's non essential spending. 👍
I try to buy partials as much as possible. And if i cant find one i get the smallest size. Im also trying to downsize my collection. I need to take out my spring/summer fragrances and go through them. I'm seeing which ones of my fall/ winter that i never reached for.
Yes same! I have my list of untouched or rarely worn fragrances from my 2023 list. I have been trying to rewear them all and decide what I want to keep and what can go and then I have a list of fragrances that I have worn but that aren't for me for one reason or another. Partials are great for people with larger collections, they are so much better value too. Have a fab week 🥰
And to be honest I almost hit my 2023 perfume goals. There were some fragrances that I really wanted, there are some more like 10 more😆😆😆that I need to get!
It really does add up but I guess if it's not financially harmful to you, and is something that you enjoy then it can be a rewarding way to spend your spare cash. You just have to find the right balance. ☺️
Great video Claire , I have 70 bottles I think at last count I feel it’s too much , I am going to de clutter a lot and try and only keep the ones that I love and use up as much as I can this year .
Thank you ❤️ that sounds like a very big plan. I take ages to declutter anything 🤣 I am very indecisive and I have to be sure before anything leaves. I hope I finish a few bottles this year but I don't know if I will finish many. There are few that are almost gone though. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely week 🥰
Aah well it's buying partials I think, and also wearing fragrance to bed and reapplying sometimes at lunchtime and when I get home. If something doesn't it gets sprayed a lot.
Hi Claire!! ❤❤❤ What a great idea! I'd be terrified to see what I've spent on SAMPLES. My full bottle spending would be a lot more reasonable I believe. I'm not going to get out my calculator today though, I'll live vicariously through you 😅☺️
The blind buy high is addictive for sure but I’ve been burned so many times I have a ton of “cheapies” and most were blind buys and only a few were real hits. So I could have bought a few really intentional more expensive perfumes instead of all those cheapies that were not loves.
Yes, this is what really hits you. I felt like that about the Lattafa and Afnan fragrances that I blind bought, that could have been £60 towards a fragrance that I actually had sampled and know that I love. 🤦♀️
I was still overwhelmed last year but I think I improved a little. TH-cam makes you want to buy everything 😂 and having a channel gives an excuse to indulge. I want a smaller collection but I doubt I'll get back to 100 bottles this year. That's a crazy dream 😂
@@dr.claire.perfume having a TH-cam channel and watching perfume videos definitely doesn’t help me with my perfume buying, it makes it worse 😭 Hopefully you will get back to 100 bottles
May i copy your goals? :) The amout of bottles i have is bothering me so i will be buying less and plan on designating 1 fragrance per season to finish the bottle, hopefully this will help me speed up the downsizing too.
I’ve tried to sell my barely used unwanted fragrances but certain buy and sell apps won’t allow it. I really struggle to sell them on so there just sat in my cupboards 😱 where do you buy and sell in the uk?
I tend to use eBay but yes, the "new other" category seems to be quite flexible in meaning. I've also used Facebook marketplace if I don't want to send it. Royal mail also have confusing rules on sending fragrance. "Original packaging" could mean the original bottle, the original box, the cellophane 🤷♀️ it's not defined.
This video is like a red light for me. The ideas ar both true and...scary. I think I have to take care more of my budget and focuse more on ending some fragrances.
Well don't be too hard on yourself. What works for one person might not work for someone else. It's perfectly ok to have a big collection if that's good for you or a tiny collection. Or to buy loads or none at all, absolutely no judgement here 😂 it's really difficult to change behaviours in the long term. I'm still working on it! Thanks for watching 🥰
❀ ✿ 🐻 Have a nice week ✌ You are not alone, You are loved, You have the right to feel bad and good 💖🙏 May Spring always reign in your soul! Let there be good friends nearby, always ready to help. x
I think more than one a week is too much for me 🤣 I've realised that I'm happier with fewer. I'd rather have the collection I want rather than one for TH-cam.
I have found that I love so many scents, that it’s crazy for me to buy big bottles of anything. No matter how much I love something, I’m very sure I will find something else, very soon, that I will also love. So I’m very much into buying 10ml travel sizes and even though I know it’s not the best value for money on a per ml basis, it’s the best way for me to keep control of the collection overall. This was such a great, thoughtful video. Thanks Claire!
Yes, larger bottles seem like great value but when you think of those bottles in terms of the money just sitting on a shelf and potentially never getting used before the fragrance expires, it makes less sense. It's taken me a while to bring myself to pay more per ml but I know overall it's better for my bank balance 😂 I hope you are having a good week! 🥰
I love how you’re always assessing your behavior, I need more of this! I’ve been lacking organization.
There’s definitely a rush and, for me, it can feel like I NEED everything all at once!
Buying sample sets works for me because I often satisfy my curiosity with those.
Yes sample sets are great and I'd recommend those to anyone looking to curtail blind buying or impulsive purchasing of full bottles. They give a similar rush with less risk.
I felt like the moment to that made me reassess my buying habits was when in 2021 I bought so much fragrance in one day that I didn't even open one of the bottles and I immediately resold it because I felt so guilty. That made me realise how ridiculous it was and made me record my purchases and try to be more mindful. It's not for everyone for sure, but I think this process has definitely helped me! Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely weekend 🥰
I love how you're presenting a realistic view of perfume collecting and how costs can be mitigated and purchasing habits curbed to stay within reason.
Thank you ❤️ yes, it doesn't have to cost a fortune and assessing what you value from your collection is useful. Have a lovely week 🥰
I love the way your perfume-nerd mind works! You make me want to start keeping track, too. I'm curious to know if there are any on your (enormous!) list of fragrances you've used up this year (brava!), are there any you would repurchase? Why or why not? (I'm just so happy to read the comments below, Claire. This community loves what you (and only you!) do. I'm with them. I totally appreciate the time you take to present us with the data that makes us all think about our habits. One of a kind, my friend. Thank you for what you do.
Thanks Julija. ❤️ I think Glossier You was probably the closest to a repurchase but I think there are a few others on the market now that cover a similar note profile. I actually did repurchase La Nuit Trésor Musc Diamant, but yes, repurchases are rare! I usually just want to move on and try other things.
I don't know, I do these videos for me really because at one point I was buying a ridiculous amount of fragrance (more so than now) and not being that focused so I think this helps me. But yes, if it helps other people too, then so be it. I think TH-cam presents people as being connoisseurs and extremely studied and selective sometimes and I don't think that is the reality of most people's channels. I'm keeping it real lol 😂 have a fab week, hopefully not too freezing 🥶
Finally a youtuber who buys partials!!
I love partials. They are cheaper. You usually get less juice so it’s easier to empty the bottle and the juice is older so usually better! lol
I bought 12 full bottles this year and it was suppose to be a “No Buy”. 🤦🏻♀️ I did really well until April. Only 4 were brand new full bottles (Musc Ravageur, Not a Perfume Superdose, Rose D’Amalfi, LDBS).
I emptied 6 bottles this year.
I did real quick math. Did not count samples and I spent around $700 this year. Musc Ravageur was my most expensive bottle. Even with a sale and a $50 gift card, it cost me $168, but to me it’s a piece of art I will enjoy for years to come so well worth it. Cheapest bottle was $18 - a partial of Dior Dune. :)
Wow that Dune was a deal! I have been looking for a partial of Dune recently but they seem to go for much more than that here.
I absolutely love partials, I don't need a full bottle of anything now that I have such a large collection. It's cheaper and better for the environment too.
Gosh I absolutely love musc ravageur! I hope you continue to enjoy it ☺️ thanks for watching 🥰
it's a strangely addictive hobby 😊 I remember a few years before I never thought of fragrance haha
It is so weird isn't it? How it just sneaks up and can take over! 😂
I only had 1 parfum up to about 2015!!! Only 1!!!!!
Haha, I was probably at 4/5 I think, it wasn't many!
Awesome video…. Very helpful hints for us hobbyists.
I’m 52, and have been a fan of fragrance since I was child in the 80s. I have some that are “strictly for memories” (inherited from special family members), pretty vintage bottles (in a glass case), and then my functional collection. I divided it up into warm weather vs cool weather. I also use Fragrantica to help me track my collection. When I see or hear of a different fragrance, I reference it online vs my collection to try to minimize buying duplicates (unless I’m starting to run out on a discontinued favorite). It’s helped a lot.
Yes! These are great tips! I think knowing what you have and how it all smells and makes you feel, including how it provokes memories is so useful. You know what you enjoy and what you use! I also have several fragrances that I keep as memories but rarely if ever wear. I used to think this was a problem but now I see it as something that gives me a bigger connection to my collection and as a positive. Thanks for always watching and have a fab weekend 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume You’re so welcome. I think everyone’s collections are their own special things. We all have our own preferences and reasons why we like what we like. As long as it’s not hurting anyone, it’s not my place to judge.
Yes! Spot on 😊
I bought, decluttered, I bought, I decluttered, I put expensive perfumes on my wishlist and santa was kind, so now I have 15 fragrances I really like and 2 that I am going to sell. One is currently on my wishlist ( adrett nomenclature - its like glossier you but even better in my opinion) for my birthday and I am pretty sure 2024 will continue like that. My collection changes constantly. Things come and go because my taste and life changes:) i like the size of my collection and will try to stick to this size in the future so if I buy something then the fragrance will ideally replace a fragrance i own. I feel like with 15 fragrances I have a fragrance for every occasion and mood:)
Oh I'd love to go back to 15 😂 I think I've realised that I am struggling to get round my collection nowadays. I hate that not all of them get worn on a semi-regular basis... I have been trying to reduce my collection or at least keep it steady this year, I've reduced my purchasing so far this year, which I'm happy about! I think a declutter is perhaps due soon though. Thanks for watching and good luck in keeping your small loved collection 🥰
Thank you:) and good luck with your undertaking too:)
Thanks 🥰
Hello 👋
I love when you get candid and break things down.
I did the math once for 2022 and it was a wake up call! 😅
Thank you! Yes! It's more than you think when you add it all up 🤣 I was surprised that I'd even forgotten some of my purchases this year, that's shocking isn't it?!
Yhhh blind buying definitely gives me a HIGH! It’s the suspense and the excitement of trying something new and being pleasantly surprised.
Yes that's the addictive bit for sure! When it's good it's wow! ☺️
Im looking forward to hearing your thoughts on discovery sets and samples in general Claire. You are one of the few you tubers i trust to give your honest opinion 💖
Gosh I admire your bravery in calculating how much you spent on fragrance last year! Ive just emailed you my list of fragrances to see if you'd like any decants. I didnt include my travel sprays or decants and the amount of full size bottles I have shocked me. No way I'd want to estimate the cost. I comfort bought stuff, including fragrance, last year after my husband's terminal diagnosis and death. Having looked back at what i spent I'm on a no/very low buy this year. Fragrance sampling and buying is a lovely hobby but so addictive and expensive. I admire you for buying partials; so much better for your bank balance.
Hi Fiona! Thank you! I will get to this list tomorrow, I'm very sorry for the delay. I keep forgetting, but I have a list of stuff to send to quite a few people now so it needs to get done. I submitted my job application this week (took me 2 full days and a few evenings 🤣 I'm ridiculously slow) and it's now closed so I await an interview 🤞
I definitely see comfort buying in times of mild stress so I can't imagine what influence such huge stress could exert. I think you need to be kind to yourself at these times. I hope 2024 will be easier for you. 🥰
Thank you Claire, I'm trying not to be too hard on myself, whilst reining in the spending and taking pleasure in what I bought! Please don't apologise; I was concerned that Royal Mail had lost the package and didn't want you to think I was not bothering to thank you. Best of luck with your job application/interview :)@@dr.claire.perfume
Thank you! I will send the samples tomorrow 🤞 they are all packed 😊
Thank you for this video! In 2023, I’ve bought maybe 10 bottles. I’ve discovered my signature, Pure poison, and bought real loved perfume as Chanel no 5 EDP and Un jardin sur la lagune after testing them. I’ve learned to spend more wisely on what I adore. I test a lot, I buy on official website. My next purchase will be Chanel no 19 EDP.
Ooh Pure Poison is a great signature! And I absolutely love the Poudre version of no19. You sound like you have a good and loved collection. I hope 2024 is a fab year for you! 🥰
hi Claire! thank you for being transparent about your spending. over the past two years I have completely overindulged and spent more than I should have on fragrances. I am trying to reign myself in and cure myself of my compulsive spending issues. take care!
It's a long process I think, try not to be hard on yourself and to see the wins! It's not ever going to be perfect for me and I accept it. Good luck with your perfume adventures in 2024 ❤️ thanks for watching 🥰
The fragrance community need this channel!... Always doing something differently. Thank you for your efforts and contributions.
Happy New Year Madam. 😊
Love from Nigeria!
🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬
Love back from the UK 🇬🇧
Wow I am so impressed to know I have followers from so far away 😊 it's lovely! Thank you so much for supporting me and my channel! I really appreciate it! 🥰 Have a fab week ❤️
That concept of buying for the purchasing process rather than the fragrance described me perfectly a few years ago. I ended up with too many bottles that I didn’t love and sold many off. Last year I was much more intentional and I hope to get better this year. Like you, I’m trying to sample more. I have also started using Parfumo to keep better track of my fragrances, how much I pay for each, and what I’m actually wearing. I also have a monthly perfume budget that I try to stay within. Sometimes it works and sometimes I completely ignore it😅 We’re aiming for progress not perfection!
Yes exactly, progress, it's not about berating yourself if you don't stick to something all of the time, it's about finding what works for you and makes you feel that your purchases are worth it in the long term. The process of buying itself is for sure addictive and online buying eeks that process out with extra highs when you hunt, order, when you wait and when you receive. I think making a wishlist has been the biggest help for me this year, intentional purchases are the way forward for me ☺️ thanks for watching 🥰
The nerdy greatness of this & the way you’ve owned it & so beautifully presented it is so astonishingly inspirational. I’ve not yet updated my 2023 purchases into my Google Sheet. My Profile in Fragrantica is my go-to; but at the beginning of this year I began to transfer & update my usage from that platform to my spreadsheet (where I left off purchasing updates at 2022YE). Thanks for sharing this fabulously inspiring upload. You’re amazing!😊
Lol 🤓 nerd here 🙋♀️ thank you ❤️ happy that you enjoyed it 😊 good luck with your Google sheet revelations 😂
Fragrantica would be so much better with a decent perfume diary function, what is there right now is not great. I think that kind of thing would give it so many more site visits too! Thanks for always watching, the support means so much! Have a fab weekend 🥰
Well, I was very frivolous in 2023... I wanted to sample more, but really started to do so at the end of the year. I'm starting to calm down with time, because I've siffed and tried many fragrances and can see similarities between fragrances I have and others I try... Organizing my fragrances this Fall also made me realize just how many I have!
So for 2024, I will continue sampling more and have a list of loves from that sampling (make sure I buy loved fragrances more). Sampling kinda does the same thing/high for me as "blindbuys", but at least I don't end up with a bunch of bottles of fragrances I somewhat like.
Yes! This is for sure what I've found too! Sampling really stops me buying 😂 which is totally not what you might expect. I'd say my hit rate is about 5-10% with sampling and I've noticed patterns depending upon the brand.
I also reorganised my perfumes, instead of summer winter, I tried sorting them by note profiles and feelings. That seemed to make more sense to me and made me realise what I had a lot of.
I think it sounds like you are definitely going into the wishlist stage and that should mean that you have more long term loves! Good luck with your perfume adventures in 2024 🥰
Excellent video idea. It gave me a lot to think about with my own spending habits. Thank You!
Thank you ❤️ I just want to prompt debate about this because blind buying can really run away with people!
I have also been more mindful of my perfume selections and buying the last several months. My pattern was similar in that the initial excitement of this new passion led me to make some bad blind buys and now I've learned. It's so very tempting and I have to make a conscious effort to stop myself until I've actually worn the fragrance. I still struggle! So far I've ordered a beautiful, expensive niche perfume that my kids allowed me to buy from the gift cards they gave me to Luckyscent. It arrives Tuesday and I made myself order decants first. I also ordered Delina La Rosee which I love and I know will be a good spring/summer version to my Delina Exclusif. I think you're doing great with your mindful spending Claire. It's truly a love of mine too and it's definitely enhanced my life. xx, Kim
Hello Kim! Ooh that sounds like an extremely well considered and special purchase. I hope you really love it and so nice too that it's from your children!
Thank you! I've massively improved through making these videos. I've learnt to try to stick to a wishlist as much as possible. I think that has made a.hige difference this last year. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely weekend 🥰
I was all over the place in 2023. This year I vowed to stick 20 fragrances or less. Having over 300+ was overwhelming. I sample now if I am interested, but can only bring in a new bottle if I am willing to replace one I have currently. I took this approach with clothes, shoes, and makeup years ago. It really has helped my wallet, and a reason why I can use those funds on other experiences.
That's a great strategy, that makes you think whether you want something enough to let go of something you already have which is very powerful. I have been on a clothing and makeup and other beauty products low buy for the last 4 years. Makeup is now mostly under control and I have started to run out of certain other beauty products. It's not for everyone for sure, but these kinds of things help me to regulate my spending and consumption of things that I don't necessarily need more of. I feel like the beauty low buy has really saved me a lot of money and helped me to get some space back in my house too! Thanks for watching ❤️ have a fab weekend 🥰
@dr.claire.perfume I must say that I appreciate the time you take to respond. Very refreshing, and I couldn't agree more.
@@kendraharer5753 thank you 😊
I appreciate the time you've taken to look at habits and choices. I love a bargain, and the result has been far too many bad blind buys and large bottles instead of small ones. It has been a struggle convincing myself that a 5 or 10ml is often plenty- particularly of more challenging fragrances that I'm not going to wear a lot. There is definitely an art to balancing the psychology, financial reality, and actual usability of fragrances. Great video- thanks!
Yes spot on! If it's an offbeat fragrance 5/10ml is perfect. I also love a bargain and I started off always wanting 50-100ml but I quickly realised just how much I'd accumulated 🤦♀️ this is part of the reason that I love partials. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a fab weekend 🥰
You actually COUNTED‼️🚫🚫That would be wayyy too depressing!😂😂😂
Yes, I am a scientist and obsessive record keeper, I also think I have an unusually good memory which all help with making stuff like this! 🤣
My changes in 2023 were to only blind buy from places that accept returns! And I returned lots of bottles. Also I started buying smaller sized bottles - samples and travel sizes too. This way i can decide once the sample is finished if I like it enough to spend the money on a full bottle.
Sounds all very positive! Being able to return fragrance is a wild fantasy concept to me 😂 I guess it's maybe pricier stores that allow this? Or maybe just larger companies?
Sampling is fab for sure and yes, a travel can sometimes be more than enough for me. 😊 Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi, Claire. I have about 25 fragrantes now. My goal is to reduce this number this year, primarily by using it. I want finish first my twenty years old bottle of Touch, that I bought in the late 90’s. I learned in your video about the air content in the bottle and how it can ruin the perfume, and my bottle has about 0,5 cm of juice left in it.
That sounds like a nicely curated collection. That was me before TH-cam and blind buying 🙈
It's sad isn't it, because if it's something you love, you want to enjoy it, but also if there is a memory there or it's been discontinued or reformulated, you don't want to use it. 🙃 I completely understand how people have 20 year old bottles. I get very sentimental about fragrances sometimes. Thanks for watching 🥰
6:05 me too. I had started Try to finish off older fragrances, inspired by your decluttering videos.
Yes! No way I can finish this many again this year!
Watching your video last year got me pretty motivated to track my spending… but I gave up mid-year because, let’s face it, I was spending too much and I was quite ashamed of my behavior! 😅 I made a few failed blind buys and I fell for the hype too many times. Especially with middle eastern fragrances. My collection is over 200 and I should finish a few bottles because I practically never do. Well, I’m hoping to do better this year! 💪🏼🥴 I’ve bought 4-5 fragrances so far and my blind buys were a travel spray and a Sol de Janeiro body spray. Happy with both fortunately. 😉
Well it's baby steps and progress is the right direction I think is all I'm looking for. I guess you have to go with what works for you. For me, making a wishlist and trying to stick to it has been the biggest step forward.
I totally get the falling for the hype with Middle Eastern fragrances, I only have one Lattafa and one Amouage in my collection now. That's it. The rest have gone. I'm hesitant to buy more from Lattafa as the hit rate for me has been very low. Which Sol de Janeiro did you go for? They have so many now! I've not tried the sprays, only the creams. Thanks for watching Julie 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume I bought the new 59’. It’s nice but it’s not my favorite. 40’ and 68’ are better in my opinion. After Hours is also really nice.
Everyone seems to love '68! Do you think After hours smells like Flowerbomb?
@@dr.claire.perfume yes! I pair them together
@@julieg_quebec-julesselivre8641 👍
So revealing of our habits about perfume, thank you. I didn't break down everything the way you so logically did but I've been on a low buy for 6 months and I've been acquiring 4 to 5 bottles per quarter instead of 9 or 10, I found it was easy to do, like you I go for smaller size bottles and decants and partials. Blind buying appeals to the gambler in us and is less harmful than real gambling, I do a little bit of it but less overall.
Yes I think this is it isn't it? Finding something that works for you, but without berating yourself for not being perfect. I like blind buying sometimes, it's exciting, I'll continue to do it, but I was doing it nearly all of the time and ending up with stuff that I didn't love, so I needed to change. Changing that, using a wishlist and buying less, has really helped me to be more considered. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely Sunday 🥰
Thank you, Claire, for a robust overview of this hobby. I think you are right about the joy and comfort in fragrance. I would love to know your process in where you purchase your fragrance (whether that is online or in store), in particular, purchasing partially used perfumes.
For me, 2023 has been the start of my collection. I loved fragrance, but never really gave much thought to making it a hobby. But with better understanding and love for niche fragrance that has now begun. I have now gone into sampling frenzy 😅
I have made a video all about purchasing from eBay. But really I just try to sample now and take my time. I have a wishlist... My love has really started to move towards indie though. Good luck with your collecting in 2024 ☺️
I really like the idea of buying smaller bottles. When there’s a choice, I will get the smaller one most of the time
Yes it's the sensible choice when you have a larger collection. I love partial bottles too 😊
19:52 great chart
From an economist, I'll take that as a huge huge compliment ☺️
Hands down the best fragrance channel on TH-cam. You have a fresh and interesting approach. I vow to do more sampling and less blind buying. Thank you Claire!
Thank you ❤️ that's so lovely to read! Good luck with your perfume goals in 2024! I hope you succeed 👍 thanks for watching and have a fab week 🥰
Good morning darling ☕️ coffee and sub zeroooooo temperatures outside …… I’m not going anywhere today
Good for you Frances! Yes stay snuggled! 🥰
I try to be more like you when it comes to my perfume journey LOL
I set myself goals when it comes to spending and I think I did somewhat reach that ,I need to go through my stash of samples and decide what I like and don’t like ,use them up or declutter them
I agree the blind buying gave me such a HIGH that I knew it wasn’t healthy 🤦♀️
Yes wow, my buying may be more under control these days but gosh my samples aren't 🤣 they are everywhere! I can't seem to organise them either! I can never find what I am looking for! 🤣
Blind buying is addictive, I still do it. 🙊
Love your analytical spirit and that you are so down to earth!❤
As for me, I'm lucky enough to be more addicted to sampling than to buying full bottles. My best discoveries of 2023 were Adjiumi -Dolce QB and Lorenzo Pazzaglia - Cherry Ink. Main goal was to stay under 40 bottles - checked! I have 39😃
Haha, I can't hide the scientist 🤣 sounds like you had a good year! Sampling is a magical world isn't it? You can find some gems and experience so much more by sampling ✨ thanks for watching, have a fab weekend 🥰
2023 was the year of middle eastern perfumes for me. My brain kept telling me it was more bang for my buck. The end of 2023 I felt a shift in my perspective. I want 2024 to be more intentional and less “Ooo what’s new?”
Yes I really went though an affordable Middle Eastern phase in 2021. I've decluttered all but one of them. I am really wary of the hype now. I did buy my first Amouage this year though so maybe that's an even more worrying Middle Eastern rabbit hole to go down 🤣
Sampling and trying to stick to a wishlist really helped me in 2023. I wish you the best in your perfume adventures in 2024. 🥰
Hi Claire!
I started seriously buying fragrances in 2023. It’s definitely a pricey hobby! I confess that I went a little crazy.
I’m buying very few in 2024. I want to enjoy what I already have. I have a well rounded collection that I’m very happy with.
Most of my purchases were blind buys and, thankfully, only three were a fail. I’ve learned which notes I like.
In the future, any fragrance I buy will be sampled first. 😊And thoughtfully considered.
I didn’t add up what I spent in 2023. I don’t want to have a heart attack or stroke!😳
But I plan to track every penny in 2024.
By the way, I saw your comment on one of Luke’s videos. I love his channel and I find him delightful!
You gave me a lot of food for thought. A lot of my purchases were also secondhand partials. I learned this from one of your prior videos.
Thank you 😊
Yes! Enjoying what you already have is a huge joy and one that gets overlooked on TH-cam where the focus is always on what's new. I guess because it's easy content and also affiliate links are lucrative. Sounds like you have a plan for 2024! I am happy that more people are embracing partials, it can be so much cheaper!
Yes! I will actually tag Luke soon! I love the history content.
Thanks for watching 🥰
Claire you are fantastic: this vid was thought-provoking! I don’t have the courage 😳 to track my spending frankly. I have sampled much more this year tho and I typically don’t blind buy unless the spend is less than $50USD. Like you, I am also a huge fan of partial bottles, decants and travel sizes and I find it works well for me. Especially when we’re talking about higher end stuff. My goal this year is to declutter maybe 10 bottles. My problem is I don’t know what to do with them 🤷🏼♀️ I don’t want to go through the trouble of selling online because they are of lower value. And I don’t have any friends who care about smelly water - believe it or not. It’s kind of a stupid problem. Anyway, loved this video as always. Have a wonderful weekend!
Hi Jill! Thank you ❤️ partials really make the expensive ones much more affordable and I love that 😊
Yes I understand completely. I have no one in my immediate vicinity who is bothered about fragrance either! I may actually start swapping with people I've met through TH-cam in order to declutter soon as it's now been discussed as an option in a group that I'm in, but I have also resold fragrances in the past and that's worked well for ones that are worth a little more money or that are fuller or rare, but yes the cheap ones you have to bundle up really in order to attract anyone. Room spray is another option I guess, that's how I finished my leaky Lattafa 😂
Thanks for watching, have a fab weekend 🥰
Hey Claire, I’ve been keeping a record of what I’ve purchased. It’s been really helpful in helping me keep track of my purchases and not just buying anything. I am also working on a wishlist as well
Hi Liz! Oh a wishlist is so helpful! I think that's been the gamechanger for me! 🥰
Always timely with the topics! I had a planned big purchase (long overdue phone/tablet replacement) and an unplanned big purchase (stupid brakes and tie-rods on the ride) within a short amount of time this season, giving me bank anxiety for the first time in a long time and I needed to know if it was the fragrances or not.
The total spent since I started in September was ~$100 more than you did all year. Honestly that's not too bad given how inclined to obsession I am when it comes to new hobbies, among other factors. That also includes some very atypical purchases comprising about 1/3rdish of my total spend, namely a pricey 8 x 5ml decants of niche/high end designers (my very first frag buy heavily influenced by The Perfume Guy who has great taste), and like over 20 sample cards. I did make a few purchases with overtime/back pay/raise funds that substantially subsidized my total spend. Now that I think about it, it wholly subsidized my purchases.
I generally do the equivalent of or literally buying a rack store bottle twice monthly, so I'm currently working with a $60-$80 budget per month right now. That's sustainable on its own, but more importantly, it's easily offset in other areas of life to get pretty close to a net zero effect overall.
It's probably pretty obvious by all of my justifications and obsession with being responsible financially that I spent my entire adult life fairly poorly until about 18 months ago when my income more than doubled. I pledged to continue to live poorly and that makes even necessary purchases tough for me mentally as I aggressively save for a house. By limiting myself currently to rack stores finds that meet a threshold of rarity and pricing means I say No far more than YES and that's a relief. I believe this falls under the "posting through my feelings" category lol.
Saving for a house is really hard, here in the UK, house price inflation has massively outstripped increases in average earnings and the increased interest rate lately has also been prohibitive to a lot of people achieving their goal of getting on the property ladder.
I also earnt very little for most of my working life to date until I completely my PhD in my 30s so same, I am used to living on a tight budget and have continued that for everything but fragrance. My mum always tells me, be sensible but have a little bit of "silly money" where you can spend it on what makes you happy. Fragrance is that for me!
Good luck in 2024 with your saving and with finding some fragrances that you love too! Thanks for watching 🥰
Happy Saturday Dr Claire. Another thought provoking video. I don’t really think I’ve ever figured out what motivates me or why I buy. I do know I plan to be more mindful of what I purchase this year. I do have a few fragrances and discovery sets that I plan to declutter so I’ll start there and begin a spreadsheet of what I purchase this year.
Yes, I have seen it's when I'm feeling stressed that I tend to buy. I am more mindful of that now and I notice the signs. I find what I buy at those times are perhaps not the best decisions. I really need to sort through my samples too! I want to make some sampling videos too as I think those will help! Thanks for watching, happy Saturday 🥰
I definitely use up more perfumes because I’m permanently home and winter finds me using up a lot !! I don’t want to know how much I spent 🤦♀️ it would depress me and make me think of how I could have used that money to travel more LOL
That goes for handbags 👜 as well
It’s the struggles of an addict
This video is very grounding and helps me a lot !! No one else does this and I appreciate you so much
Love and hugs ❤
Yes, me too when I'm at home, it's a spritz of happiness 😊
Im just considering buying some expensive boots 🙈 I think shoes and boots are definitely my version of your handbags 🤣 I definitely have to keep an eye on what I spend because I have an addictive personality where I can really get into anything to the degree that I feel very sucked in. Doing these videos helps me to reassess!
Big hugs back Frances, have a fab weekend 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume ohh expensive boots are also something I love to indulge in but I think expensive good foot wear is a good investment and for me lasts years and years ,I need to find a good cobbler where I live but they are a dying breed
@@HappinessSparkles you're right! I have some boots that I have had for 20 years 😂 I just reheel them. I am considering some faux fur lined Doc Martens... I am fed up of cold feet right now!
Not surprised at your level of organization, Claire! 🎉
🙈 haha! 🤣
What I realized in 2023 was that I should stop buying Middle Eastern fragrances 😅 I have enough... + Most of them went to my family members anyways.. Lesson learned.
Also, I opted for travel size bottles when possible & if not, I always went for the smallest 30 & 50ml bottles instead of 100ml..
Thank you for this wonderful video! Your 💭 provoking content is greatly appreciated 🙏❤
Yes I also reeled in my Middle Eastern fragrance buying in 2022/23. I bought a lot in 2021 and most have been decluttered. Travel size are perfect for me 😊 Have a lovely weekend and thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume Likewise ❤️❤️
Thank you!
Buying for the thrill of buying the bottle and adding to your collection vs buying to smell it often and wear it! That could be me!!!! I am more mindful this year. But I did buy some inspired ones (excuse: it is like sampling!). Being a conscious shopper and making lists, being patient with full bottles is key. Bottles will always be there:)
I agree that some inspired bys are try outs for the real thing sometimes! I guess my issue with my previous style of buying was that it was opportunistic and that sometimes meant that I bought some very random things. I agree that with having a wishlist it is much easier to focus 😊
@@dr.claire.perfume even a Wish List for clothes. I really need a plan to say on focus mode!
That's where I struggle 🤣 I'm rubbish with planned purchasing with clothes. It's why my wardrobe lacks basics and is full of patterns.
@dr.claire.perfume Claire! We are twins! I have the wardrobe of an Italian Heiress filled with unique pieces that are a little too fashionable for the office! I am now adding more classic pieces but unwilling to release some of the old pieces because they are beautiful! My rule is: 1 comes in, and at least 1 other departs!
@@almatoledo1608 yes! Tell me about it! 🙈 So much vintage that rarely gets worn because it's all a bit dressy for the lab, but I can't part with it!
I wish I had seen this video before I got sucked down the fragrance rabbit hole. My goal for 2024is a no buy until August my bday month. Looking back on 2023 purchases I absolutely went overboard and they were all blind buys. This is truly helpful
Yes, I think blind buying is exciting and I will still do it where it is difficult to sample, for example with discontinued fragrances, but I hope that is a rarity. I want to sample and be mindful. Writing a wishlist really helped me too. Good luck on your no buy, 8 months is a long time, but it's a great opportunity to enjoy what you have! Thanks for watching 🥰
Wow! For the amount you spent, most fragrance TH-camrs would have gotten 2, maybe 3 bottles of perfume, (so many niche perfumes are in the hundreds for just one bottle!) ..and you got over 30! You are a true bargain queen! ❤ 🙌🏼
Yes I definitely stretch my budget 🤣 I can't justify spending £1000s a year on fragrance. My income level is not there and my outgoings are too high with a mortgage etc. Also I'm not in the PR realm mostly and I think too in the UK the deals are not as good as they are in the US. Prices have increased massively since Brexit too, on everything! Not just fragrance. I loved the EU 🇪🇺 😥 thanks for watching 🥰
Blind buying is definitely addictive. I keep trying not to but I’m weak! Definitely exhilarating but definitely risky.
I still do it 🙊 but nowhere near as much as before!
Thank you for your honesty and transparency!
No problem! Happy to share and I hope it helps people 😊 have a fab Sunday 🥰
You won me! I've been thinking of making the same exact topic. All my collection and the total amount invested 🤑......is just.....I'm such a coward, I'm scared of facing that reality 😅. I've been trying to keep my spending in perfumes under control and buying ONLY what I really want and it will add something new to my collection, no more spending in fragrances that are redundant even if I adore the scent profile. It's hard, tho. I may do it later in the year, but I need to prepare myself psychologically 😂.
Cheers, Claire!
Haha 😂 yes I know exactly what you mean, it's confronting! I think the biggest shift this year has been me trying to be more intentional rather than random and opportunistic with my purchasing. Having a wishlist has been the most useful thing for me in this, so I can see that buying fragrances you only really love and that aren't redundant is truly the way to go! Thanks for watching, have a fab weekend 🥰
Love this conversation- I appreciate your analytical lens!
Thank you ❤️ have a fab Sunday 🥰
Yhhh I recently did. Declutter and I’M NOT TELLING Y’ALL ABOUT IT, well💁🏽♀️ just you!🤣😆🤣😆 Some of them I’ve raved about a lot and I’m just like Yh out they go. I want every single fragrance in my collection to make me excited and extremely impressed to wear every single time.
Tastes change over time but I also think blind buying can make me want to love something and try more with it, even when I know it's probably not for me long term. It's good to declutter occasionally.
I love your intentionality when it comes buying and reviewing ❤
Also... The spreadsheet data analysis warmed my heart a little bit 😆 I do the same with makeup ❤
Hi Laurel, thanks! I think my approach to fragrance content is heavily influenced by what I see from content creators in the makeup world. That's really how I started watching and loving TH-cam in the first place. And yes! I love a spreadsheet 🤓 thanks for watching 🥰
Am so happy to bee apart of your TH-cam family am learning about things i sud know
Thanks for watching 🥰
I'm subscribing👍I enjoyed the honestly and analytical aspect of video. My fragrance obsession started 4/2023. I have added 32 - full size bottles and 17 - 8-10ml size. I spent way too much money. But on a positive note, there's only 2 I need to declutter and they were very cheap. Also, I sampled a lot and made a wish list to stay on track. Thanks for sharing! My goal is to buy 1 perfume this year and receive 1 for my birthday & 1 for Christmas...🤞
That's definitely how it got me! It's great that you are sampling early on because I really wasn't 😂 I love it now though. I think your hit rate has been very good too! Good luck with your plan of purchases for this year, it is very strict! I know I couldn't manage that! 😂 Thanks for subscribing and welcome! 🥰
When I hear people say they’ve had bad experiences with blind buying I be like, not me! I OBSESSS wayyy too long about a fragrance and watch a million reviews before I touch a fragrance. Luckily I’ve been really happy so far. My problem with buying fragrances💁🏽♀️💁🏽♀️is I only buy fragrances I like, which the TH-cam gurus call👀👀👀Selfish content!🤷🏾♀️😫
I find my number of blind buys has increased since I have been exploring older fragrances. It’s very difficult to find samples of these so I will blind buy a partial for $20.
I think my problem is that people love stuff that I don't and they don't mention things that turn me off, like iso E super or grainy musk or heavy ambroxan. I guess some people don't smell it and it doesn't bother them but for me it can be an instant no. I can read and obsess all I like but there's absolutely no guarantee of anything for me. Especially with pricier niche, where you sometimes can't tell whether someone loved it and bought it or whether the brand just gifted it to them.
Blind buying partials when they are not expensive and low risk makes complete sense to me!
Absolutely loved this and really appreciate your openness! xx
Thanks Maddie 🥰 happy that you enjoyed it! ❤️
Hello Claire. My first year of addiction 😊 i have bought over 100 fragrances. It was 4 years ago. This past year, I have bought only 😂 32. This is not because I am “heeling” , it’s just because in the first year i wanted to introduce myself to all the “classics “ such as Opium , Eden , Amarige and others. Thank you for the video 💐💐💐
Yes the start is you wanting to try EVERYTHING and to work out what you love and to know what other people are talking about 😂 I remember thinking how little I'd tried when I first started and feeling like I had to catch up! I've definitely calmed down with my purchasing too thank goodness. Good luck in your perfume adventures in 2024 🥰
I realized that I only need about 15 perfumes but they are all very expensive... So I sold all other perfumes and with that money I bought the perfumes of my dreams! I really don't need more and each one I have now is very special. I enjoy my small collection so much more than when it was huge.
I think that's the direction I'm heading in too, I hate that I only wear a proportion of my collection and I've realised thst I really enjoy sampling so I've not been buying as much and have been finishing a few bottles over the last 4 months. I also have a few to declutter and sell. I at least want my collection to head back towards 100 this year. It's at about 115 right now. 15-20 fragrances sounds perfect! ☺️
@@dr.claire.perfume Yes! I also sample A LOT now and THAT is my new hobby. It is not cheap either 🙂 especially if you buy those original discovery sets and not decants but it's sooooooo worth it! I also realized that I gravitate towards particular fragrance houses (for example, Guerlain or Hermes) which was a shock to me because I spent 2 years diving head down into the world of "niche" perfumery only to return to the classics! How strange is that? 🤣 and I also realized that I'm a huge fan of master perfumes like JCE ❤ so I now seeking out those perfumes that THEY created. It's a totally different approach but in some way I feel liberated 😄
@@natashakharitonova Guerlain have got me too, their prices have gone up a lot though and sadly my local counter closed so I now only try them by buying samples which is a shame... Hermes are great, very different, perhaps because they are still independent and not part of a conglomerate? Not sure! I don't think I've narrowed it down to one particular perfumer, but I will now check to see if what I like was formulated by Jean Claude Ellena! I'm curious! 😂
@@dr.claire.perfume Oh you should try his Hermes line then! it's of course the "private line" again 😞 aka $$$$$$. His works are etherial watercolors, that's how I can describe it. I think you like leather accord, right? Sample Cuir D'Ange 😉in my opinion nothing compares to it for a leather perfume lover ❤ I also love Mgr.Wasser's work and especially his collaboration with Mme.Delphine Jelk, and a few more great noses. I didn't know that but when I researched who created my favorite ones I was surprised, they were all created by 3-4 perfumers. Hope you will enjoy going down this rabbit hole 🤣😁😁
Oh of course, the pricey ones 🤣 I know what you mean about watercolours, the un jardin line gives me that feeling too actually. 🙂
Hi lovely Claire ❤ I love all your goals and I’m certain you will follow through and keep us posted! Numbers never lie I love how organized and detailed you are, I agree on decluttering and letting go it really makes no sense to hold on, being mindful of your purchases is key I don’t think it’s weird to share with us the amount and how many bottles you purchase I think this will help so many who feel overwhelmed ❤ I never go crazy because my strict budget won’t allow it 🤣😉
Hi Sunny! Yes I think doing this helps me to be more accountable. I want to head in the right direction by making myself aware of my behaviours, but I'm not harsh on myself if I go wrong. Thanks for watching and I wish you happy perfume adventures in 2024 🥰
I am afraid to add it all up. You are very brave! Haha!
🤣 🙈
Blind buying is a huge problem for me. Great video!
Thank you ❤️
After losing my sense of smell because of covid, and not regaining all of it, i have a ton of fragrances that i still cannot smell.
I should declutter them, since they are just sitting there unused, but keep them in hope.
Oh no, hope your 👃will be okay soon, so you can enjoy all your your fragrances again🍀
I don't know, maybe you should wait a little longer? Did you try any fragrance training? I've no idea whether this is something that can work, but I've seen a few people talk about it... I know itst not the same but I have lots of nosebleeds and have wondered about cauterisation to stop them, but I am scared I will lose my sense of smell so I haven't pursued it. I can't imagine not being able to enjoy my fragrances as I've been used to doing. I hope you regain more of your sense of smell. Thanks for watching 🥰
I did way better last year, but definitely ready to declutter and put up more on Mercari. I too would rather keep the number I have lower. It's great how you've tracked it all in a spread sheet! I love your hair, Claire. It's so gorgeous. ✨🖤
I think having fewer is better for me because I want to enjoy all of them as if I never wear something or can't even see it, then I miss out! Happy to hear that your 2023 was better. ❤️
Thanks! This is literally me just leaving my hair, it does what it wants 🤣
Great analysis. O owe 48 bottles and 18 miniatures at the moment. For a perfume lover it is not a big collection but I am starting to be affraid that some of my older scentes will be spoiling at some point. Goal for 2024 is minimalism. I will try to buy only 6 new bottles (+samples and discovery sets) and use up/ sell at least 4. We will see how it will go. Keeping fingers crossed for you and thank you for the contenct you are creating. I love to watch it!
Thank you ❤️ really lovely to know that someone enjoys it! It makes it worth it 😊
Those sound very reasonable goals! I wish you luck with them in 2024 🍀 thanks for watching 🥰
Here to see your goals!
Hi Maude 😊
Claire, I love all of your videos and especially these, where you share statistics and patterns, whether yours or others. They are so fascinating and you’ve inspired me to keep some stats of my own. Really wonderful! ❤❤
Thank you ❤️ I just like being transparent. You see some channels buy and declutter so many fragrances that it's like a conveyor belt and I'm sure some people think it's entirely normal.
I think for people wanting to start a TH-cam channel or who are starting to get interested in fragrances, it's notable just how much you can get sucked in and end up buying and spending on things you may not love. I hope it helps people to make better decisions. Thanks for watching and enjoy collecting your own stats! I love that! 🥰
Your graphs and spreadsheets are so impressive to me. After seeing your video last year, I was planning to keep track of the stats but I completely lost track lol 😅 ❤❤
It's hard, I do lose track but I've found that putting my fragrances on a surface in the order that I've worn them until I write the info in a spreadsheet helps me to make sure I can get back up to date with it! It's a habit now 🤣
A cracking vid Claire. Reflection is such an important part of evolution. Some great lessons here. The numbers don't lie! Love the graphs btw. 📊 I feel like if we lived near one another, we'd be firm friends. 😄 Definitely saw the pattern in the bottles emptied graph. I've always wondered whether it's the same mentality that prevents physical fitness progress at the start of every year. 😆 Many people set unrealistic goals, with the only true goal being to BEGIN or try. Once that's been achieved, they immediately and generously reward themselves and return to their habituated behaviours, feeling temporarily placated for heroically managing a slight discomfort. 🤭 Quite a few bottles won last year! I'm impressed!
Haha, well as someone who has always struggled to do anything more than exercise as part of lifestyle activities, I totally understand that 🤣
Yes I was super lucky last year, I did enter a lot of Instagram competitions though so it's probably a numbers thing 😂 I'm always happy to squeeze some graphs into a video 🤓 I find self analysis has helped me a lot over the years. Seeing and understanding why I make certain choices has really helped me to improve my decision making in lots of areas. Thanks for watching ❤️
❤ loved this ❤
I really appreciate your. honesty. I haven't added up the money yet, but I bought 5 bottles, 1 gifted; bought 4 travels, 2 gifted; and I bought 8 8mls via a subscription. I bought about the same amount of frags last year but that was 17 bottles and 6 travels.
I don't want to buy any perfume til Spring and want to sample a couple of brands then if samples are made available. Other than that I haven't really got plans other than to keep it fairly minimal 😂
Thanks Em! Wow, you are so good, I know you sample lots and that's a big part of the joy for you too.
I have been looking at subscriptions and was wondering whether to review them, but that would be a little UK centric so I'm not sure 🤔 I am interested in your experience with Pafory anyhow, did you think they were good? Did you always choose what you got? 😊
@@dr.claire.perfume Pafory always dispatched on time and came within a week from Germany. And yes you can always choose your perfume(s). Their catalogue is pretty good, but being that I am not so into the more hyped niche brands (pdms, initio, xerjoff types), I did feel like I had gotten everything I wanted. It's a good service and price if the brands and frags available meet one's own interest. Their only drawback is actual CS lead time when you email. Like 10 days to reply, but when they reply they are spot on, sorted out cancelling my sub immediately. So I would say all in all it is really good and I will subscribe again when their catalogue has something that tickles my fancy
That's pretty good, I think that's the issue I've had with a lot of the services, the choice is just not for me. Actually I had a look at try me first when I won those decants and their selection seemed pretty good! Also that company that gifted Jon the Night was it? 🤔 They seemed reasonable and like they had lots of things to choose from. I think it's going to be difficult for most of those services to survive unless they offer relatively mainstream fragrances unfortunately... I'm surprised Gabby loves perfume hasn't got a subscription service or maybe she has and I just don't know about it 🤣
@@dr.claire.perfume yeah for sure. I think Pafory has a good range to suit a lot of people and I have seen more brands added recently, but sometimes they only have a few from the brand, or they have sold out
@@ems_h.eartnotes yes stock levels must be quite difficult to manage. I bet it's unpredictable. All it takes is a TH-cam video to push something... And 💥
Hi Claire! Risky topic 😅😅😅 ok, let's watch 🍿🥰
Definitely 🤣
Thanks. I like sampling, too
No worries 🥰
My science mind loved this! Wow, and the moral of the story, don't blind buy!❤
I'm happy that you enjoyed it! Yes I love some graphs 🤓 and blind buying for me is something that should be the exception rather than the norm, but everyone is different. 😊
Thanks for watching ❤️ have a fab Sunday 🥰
Hi Claire. Your videos always drop late Saturday night here, but I hold off until Sunday morning and watch you while having breakfast.
Your topics are always interesting and enlightening. I’m trying to buy less this year, and started just getting 5 or 10ml of something I like after testing in store or with a 2ml sample. One of my favourite houses is Matiere Premiere, and I love that they do 6ml minis as well as 50 and 100ml if you absolutely love it.
Your comment about the blind buy rush struck home. Guilty of that in 2022-2023. However, I saw a great deal on Rosendo Mateau no 6 which I had sampled, and also for no 3 which I couldn’t get a sample of, so bought it blind. Waiting for them both to arrive. Fingers crossed 😬🤞 😃🇦🇺
Ooh good luck with those RM fragrances. I didn't try either as yet. Matière première have some lovely ones, I love encens suave, but I didn't try many. Do you have a favourite? 5/10 ml is a fab amount if you have a lot of fragrance.
Best of luck in your perfume adventures in 2024! Thank you so much for always watching, I really appreciate it! 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume One of the perfume retailers here, Libertine Parfumerie does online workshops, and the fee includes samples of the line the workshop is about. They also include a piccolo of bubbles as well. We had Aurelian Guichard talking to us from France and being interviewed by the host. Afterwards, you can get the workshop fee taken off the price of a full bottle, so I purchased French Flower and Neroli Oranger, then, later Parisian Musk. Since then I’ve added a 6ml of Radical Rose and 50ml Vanilla Powder. Yeah, last year was crazy😜
Oh I've tried French Flower, that one is gorgeous too! Yes I can see the obsession 😂
Wow Claire, ur so organised. My organisation consists of a perfume diary 🤣🤣If u de clutter that jumper send it my way. Its my fav colour. 😍
Haha I used to have a paper diary but it became hard to use to make videos from so I'm now electronic 🤓 yes me too, that bottle green is my favourite! Definitely my power colour! Thanks for watching and have a fab Sunday 🥰
Wow what a collection.
Thank you 😊
Wow 21 bottles! Go you! I have yet to finish one. 😅
It was mainly the bed time ones for the first half of the year and then the summery lighter ones over the second half, perhaps because of the sitting around with a broken ankle all summer 😂 spraying a bit of fragrance made it slightly more bearable!
Like many I’m working hard this year on being really intentional about my purchases and minimizing them dramatically.
Yes the financial situation for a lot of people has been very difficult of late. It's necessitated changes to a lot of people's non essential spending. 👍
21:32 true
Thanks for watching 🥰
I try to buy partials as much as possible. And if i cant find one i get the smallest size. Im also trying to downsize my collection. I need to take out my spring/summer fragrances and go through them. I'm seeing which ones of my fall/ winter that i never reached for.
Yes same! I have my list of untouched or rarely worn fragrances from my 2023 list. I have been trying to rewear them all and decide what I want to keep and what can go and then I have a list of fragrances that I have worn but that aren't for me for one reason or another. Partials are great for people with larger collections, they are so much better value too. Have a fab week 🥰
And to be honest I almost hit my 2023 perfume goals. There were some fragrances that I really wanted, there are some more like 10 more😆😆😆that I need to get!
Yes my wishlist really seemed to help keep my focus over 2023. My buying was more focused with a list. 👍
Yes blind buying and just getting a package in the mail is addictive
Yes all the stages give you a little high. The whole process is addictive. 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume I honestly didn’t know what I was getting myself into 🤦🏽♀️
I really didn't either 🤣
Hi claire You are amazing in every way, I love you.
Time doesn't pass without you, it doesn't live without you, my darling.
Thank you 🥰
I need to do this too 😊 like I counted the money past year I was shocked 😮
It really does add up but I guess if it's not financially harmful to you, and is something that you enjoy then it can be a rewarding way to spend your spare cash. You just have to find the right balance. ☺️
Claire Sm-izzle in the Hizzle 😎😎
Haha 😂
Great video Claire , I have 70 bottles I think at last count I feel it’s too much , I am going to de clutter a lot and try and only keep the ones that I love and use up as much as I can this year .
Thank you ❤️ that sounds like a very big plan. I take ages to declutter anything 🤣 I am very indecisive and I have to be sure before anything leaves. I hope I finish a few bottles this year but I don't know if I will finish many. There are few that are almost gone though. Thanks for watching ❤️ have a lovely week 🥰
I remember being blown away by your empties video, I've never had an empty yet! 😅
Aah well it's buying partials I think, and also wearing fragrance to bed and reapplying sometimes at lunchtime and when I get home. If something doesn't it gets sprayed a lot.
@@dr.claire.perfume I’ve purchased a few partials and it really is the way to go! So many positives to it! 🥰
Yes it's very rare to get a bad one, I've been impressed so far.
Hi Claire!! ❤❤❤ What a great idea! I'd be terrified to see what I've spent on SAMPLES. My full bottle spending would be a lot more reasonable I believe. I'm not going to get out my calculator today though, I'll live vicariously through you 😅☺️
Yes I really should note the sample spending too 🙈 I do get a lot of samples from friends though, which is lovely 😊
I’m so enjoying your videos ! Wondering if you’ll meet your goal of 100fragrances this time next year👀
Haha, well as long as it is lower than 132 I'll count that as a win. I doubt I will make it back to 100 in one year 😂 Thanks for watching 🥰
The blind buy high is addictive for sure but I’ve been burned so many times I have a ton of “cheapies” and most were blind buys and only a few were real hits. So I could have bought a few really intentional more expensive perfumes instead of all those cheapies that were not loves.
Yes, this is what really hits you. I felt like that about the Lattafa and Afnan fragrances that I blind bought, that could have been £60 towards a fragrance that I actually had sampled and know that I love. 🤦♀️
Thank you Claire
Thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume You're welcome. It was a pleasure
I purchased way too many fragrances last year. I really want to do better this year 😢
I was still overwhelmed last year but I think I improved a little. TH-cam makes you want to buy everything 😂 and having a channel gives an excuse to indulge. I want a smaller collection but I doubt I'll get back to 100 bottles this year. That's a crazy dream 😂
@@dr.claire.perfume having a TH-cam channel and watching perfume videos definitely doesn’t help me with my perfume buying, it makes it worse 😭
Hopefully you will get back to 100 bottles
We'll see 🙈
Those are the ones I empty the most also.
Yes, the ones for bed 👍
May i copy your goals? :) The amout of bottles i have is bothering me so i will be buying less and plan on designating 1 fragrance per season to finish the bottle, hopefully this will help me speed up the downsizing too.
Yes sure 😄 that seems a good strategy! Best of luck! Thanks for watching 🥰
I don't want to know 🙈. I know it's way too much. I really admire how scientifically you approached this.
Haha 😂 thank you 🥰
Here… 9hrs later! Been a busy day today, what can I say 😂😂 Better late than never
3:36 The dopamine rush is unparalleled 😅
No worries! I hope it was something good! 🥰
I’ve tried to sell my barely used unwanted fragrances but certain buy and sell apps won’t allow it. I really struggle to sell them on so there just sat in my cupboards 😱 where do you buy and sell in the uk?
I tend to use eBay but yes, the "new other" category seems to be quite flexible in meaning. I've also used Facebook marketplace if I don't want to send it. Royal mail also have confusing rules on sending fragrance. "Original packaging" could mean the original bottle, the original box, the cellophane 🤷♀️ it's not defined.
This video is like a red light for me. The ideas ar both true and...scary. I think I have to take care more of my budget and focuse more on ending some fragrances.
Well don't be too hard on yourself. What works for one person might not work for someone else. It's perfectly ok to have a big collection if that's good for you or a tiny collection. Or to buy loads or none at all, absolutely no judgement here 😂 it's really difficult to change behaviours in the long term. I'm still working on it! Thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume you are so kind. The truth is that they are too many and I don t enjoy them enough. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Well that sounds like a good plan to try to whittle them down then, good luck 🍀
❀ ✿ 🐻 Have a nice week ✌ You are not alone, You are loved, You have the right to feel bad and good 💖🙏 May Spring always reign in your soul! Let there be good friends nearby, always ready to help. x
Thank you 🥰
Happy new year
My goal is to sample more fragrances and limit my blind buys.
Happy new year! What fab goals! 🥰
I bought loads in 2021 😵💫 never again…
I think more than one a week is too much for me 🤣 I've realised that I'm happier with fewer. I'd rather have the collection I want rather than one for TH-cam.