Bottles you want but can't justify purchasing

I've been holding off on Amouage Arcus and Cirrus for quite a while now. I think the scents themselves are great, but I know some find them generic-smelling, as they are aquatic/ozonics. The fact that they are discontinued is the last nail in the coffin. I don't need to get addicted to any more unobtainable things! I'd also like a bottle of Reflection, but damn, that stuff is pretty expensive for a 50ml.

Creeds Acier Aluminium and Chevrefeuille Original are both very beautiful creations, and I may very well end up owning them down the line. But they are pretty exotic scents. I doubt they'd get worn very often. Then again, I keep my bottles of BdP, Royal Delight, Daim Blond, T42, and Chergui - and they don't get a whole lot of play either. Too specialized for my seemingly unfabulous lifestyle. I'll probably commit to a bottle of Virgin Island Water if I know I've got a tropical vacation coming.

A bottle of Fou d'Absinthe would be nice, to compliment my T42, but I need to test it a bit more extensively and compare it to some other absinthe scents before I go jumping on this scent because it's cool.

If I start going up to my lake property on a regular basis, I'll most likely invest in a bottle of Patchouli 24, but for now, my Cypres Musc pays the bills when it comes to outdoor action.

Montale Steam Aoud. Is this just another novelty exotic that I'm tricking myself into liking, because it reminds me of going to an old museum and looking at the gigantic steam engines? The eucalyptus steam room at my gym? Would I wear this? Why? Sure is a neat smell for someone to have concocted, though!

Montale Red Aoud. Its the only Montale from the Aoud series that I find interesting. But too "foody" for me to want to wear it too often.

At this point, there are two main offenders for me. They would be Castile which I think smells amazing, but I just don't know if I would wear it enough to justify the purchase. The other one being a whopper, which is Straight to Heaven. I would freaking love to own STH, but when I had the opportunity I talked myself off the cliff's edge. The price was the real deal breaker here. Hopefully when the travel sizes come out, I can make the purchase then.

Encre Noire EDP
Profumum Victrix

Well, my post sure as hell backfired!

I'm getting a few not-so-unwelcome solicitations via PM

I wonder if they could just deposit my financial aid check into my paypal account...

Here recently, Green Irish Tweed. I want it, I like it, but I just don't know if I would wear it that often. Acqua di Parma Colonia is another one, but longevity has me skeptical. Haven't been able to pull the trigger on a full bottle.

SL Chergui and Yuzu Fou by Parfum d'Empire. Both because of the price, and the former also because I already got two great gourmandy winter scents last december...

all the scents by...

Boss, Calvin Klien, Davidoff, Jill Sander, Kenzo, Dior, Versace + many more...

Well, bbBd, I hope you're freakin' happy - Silverbullet and I are splitting a bottle of Acier Aluminium!

BDP Creed.

I have a mini of Geir and think that is the most I feel I can justify.

Creed Baie de Geneivre (sp?) comes to to mind also. Only in a 1 oz bottle or less.

Several Montales come to mind, but I am sorting that out. No final conclusions there.

Something along the M.Micallef line.

I guess you're not interested in trading for my 95% full 2.5 oz bottle of AA then

CB I Hate Perfume's Cradle of Light. I can't even bring myself to shell out for a sample.

Oh, never mind. I can read, really...

Another popped into my mind. Sables. I could see myself wearing this maybe twice a year at most.

Any fragrance i want but can't justify getting a full bottle, I DECANT!!!

usually 5, 8, and 15 ml decants are more affordable alternatives.

I with I discovered decanting before I bought my full bottle of Diam Blond, absolutely LOVE the scent, but I don't find myself wearing it too often.

Guerlain's Derby.

1 liter Bee Bottle of Guerlain Mitsouko EDP.

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

I just don't know how often I would wear it and whether it's worth the large price tag.

I've been trying to find an appreciative owner for my bottle of Acier Aluminum for months.

Seems I keep missing by minutes

AA is definitely one that I would have mentioned as being a fragrance I can't justify purchasing, if I already didn't buy it blind a year ago. While I really appreciate it, I just can't wear it.

Simon - Sending PM. We haven't purchased anything yet!

For myself, at this moment, it is Mugler Cologne . I have a few samples and sniffing them is wonderful. Just a puts me in a pleasant and happy mood. To me, the opposite of Hermes Rocabar, which puts me in a sad mood ( but I do like the scent overall). I also like the look of the bottle and add the fact that you can buy refills and choose whether you want to spray or splash. Now that is old school and cool.

My only issue is that Mugler Cologne is short lived and fleeting. I can still smell its subtleness a couple of hours later, but I do not think that is good enough ( as a SotD). I do not think I would wear this because I like to enjoy getting wiffs and sniffing my arm during the day. And I don't want to over apply to get that effect as to bother other people around me ( and being labelled "the cologne guy").

Who knows though, I can always get this after I graduate and am more comfortable. For now, I will ponder it. Hey, my plans on what bottles I can possibly justify change every 2 weeks.

Indult Isvaraya. It's the only Indult I don't have, and I'd love to complete the collection, but I just can's see wearing it more than once or twice a year. Still..having a complete collection is so satisfying!
By Killian Liaisons Dangereuses...so expensive, and again, not something I'd wear often enough to justify, but what a glorious presentation. I lust for this.

I guess I misunderstand then. For me, when I want a scent, even though I know I won't use it too often, and I can't justify buying a full bottle, I buy a decant of the frag. instead (when available).

I guess the subject is when there's no decant available, even though you love the scent, you can't bring yourself to buy a bottle?

Musc Rav


Black Orchid

20 bottles of Dior Homme, bbBD it's your fault. truefully i was comteplating on ordering the 3.4 ounce because i only ordered the 1.7. man this stuff smell wonderfull.

Chanel Exclusifs Bois Des Iles.

I love this stuff. But the price is just too much for me to justify.

For me it's Hermèssence Ambre Narguilé. I think I like this amber even better than my Prive Ambre Soie but the prices for the Hermèssence line are just ridiculous.

Bel Respiro full bottle, (I currently have a decant). I have been waiting on this because of the price, but since the time I first smelled it I have bought other perfumes and at least one of them more expensive, so, I don't know what I am waiting for.

Straight to Heaven. I really like it, but the price is too much, and I bought Cruel Intentions last year (and I did not get any samples from the Saks Fifth Avenue sales people in South Coast Plaza!!!!!!!!)

Many Guerlains. I just can't justify having full bottles of lots of perfumes I like.

Yes, I actually considered purchasing one of those before. But that's still about 50 bucks for 1/2 ounce and I usually spray like a madman. I don't see me getting more than 2 wearings out of those travel bottles.

Vetiver Extraordinaire. Too damn expensive.

Enlevement au Serail...it's just TOO expensive.

...beautiful tho.

most of the l'Artisans because of the terrible longevity/sillage (except for the two i own, which are powerful)

Nostalgia - longevity/sillage. 3 hours tops on me.

Guerlain's Gourmand Coquin - i love the chocolatey scent, but i can't imagine wearing more than once in a blue moon because how often do i want to smell like a kitkat bar? i mean really.

Marquis De Sade is a great fragrance, and there was a great sale on it recently, but... I just don't like it as much as other immortelle fragrances like Fougere Bengale, Immortelle L'Amour or even Sables. It's lovely, but if I'm going to be spending that money I want what I really want.

Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia (the parfum) by Estee Lauder

Love, love, love the EdP and the parfum (I hear) is incredibly indolic and wonderful. But the price is outrageous ($300 / 30 ml ) for a blind buy.

Hmmm...I don't know, a few of the Bond #9 bottles. I just love those bottles cause they're crAAAzy but I just don't love the scents enough to warrant the price tag. I'm turning into a super picky pick. I sample and sample away but adore next to nothing. I find a few so interesting and I love to sniff them but can't justify doing more than a decant. I know I won't wear them much. But I do take a few out for an "at home spray" once in awhile so I can snarfle my wrist while typing on the computer. But I do love those Bond bottles, so different.

Red Aoud, which as already been mentioned. I just LOVE it, it's so unique and I can't stop sniffing myself when wearing it but I doubt I'd wear it often... The other prime example of something I love but just can't bring myself to buy is CdG Luxe Patchouli. I bought a 2.5 mL decant and thought I'd be out of it in no time and it turns out it's almost full... crazy perfume fanatics


You might want to contact the people at Kilian themselves. I bet they'd be happy to send you a some samples knowing you'd bought a bottle... Shame on those Saks people!

Bond # 9 for sure. pretty much the entire line. i like a few of their fragrances but then i'm like "i don't want a full bottle of this, especially not at that price"

At this point I should not even be allowed to think of perfumes, let alone think of purchasing any.

But truthfully, having purchased the huge 'carafe' of Angelique Encens, back in 2001 in Paris, along with the leather atomiseur, and having yet needed to refill it; have not even dented it, I realize what is at stake.

That being said, I adore some of the Chanel "Exclusifs" scents; Coromandel, Bel Respiro, 31 rue Cambon, but how much would I really use one? Another is La Reine Margot by MPG, but I have not even tried it, and would I even use enough of any to make it worthwhile. This is my hurdle, and I cannot get over it at the moment...maybe that is a good thing, for my hubby especially

Second that. It'd be lovely if someone could make a split purchase.

Also the fact is that there's no Chanel boutique in my country.

i agree with the Chanel "Exclusifs". how could i forget them. 200ml bottles? uh no thanks.

Invasion Barbare - MDCI

I cannot pull the trigger right now on this one. With the economy and my resolution to new purchases, it will have to wait in line.

Muscs Kublai Khan! Been struggling with it for almost a year. I'm sure it would be as great as I think but I have beaten that genre to death. For right now, I'll stick with what I have and wait in anticipation a little longer. When I run out of a couple of funky, spicy, orientals, I'll revisit the idea.

Frederic Malle French Lover/Bois D'Orage
Le Labo Patchouli 24
Escentric Molecules Escentric 020
Chanel Sycomore
MPG Parfum d'Habit and Santal Noble

These are *just* below the price/like line.

I have my gunsights pointed at a bottle of l'Artisan's Iris Pallida at the Plaza Hall's in Kansas City. I'm convinced that it'll never sell ($280, if memory serves), so it'd be like adopting it, right?


Others that I'm sitting on the fence for:

• Bois d'Iris. Love it but it's short lasting and I may not wear it out often.
• Rose 31. I'd love to have it as a collector's item, but it's awfully expensive to just keep in a vault. May buy Hammam Bouquet instead.
• Anything discontinued (Patou, Yohji, Dunhill, etc.) I'm too lazy to go through the trouble of searching the web, lining up payment, yada yada.

Good thread!

Dior Cologne Blanche: Bois d'Argent was a must have. This, on the other hand, is on the "this can wait" list.

Profumum Dulcis et Fundo: I like this a lot even though I initially dismissed it. Anyway, I have plenty of vanille in my wardrobe, and Chia is at the moment doing a nice job in the "sweeter than sweet" department of my wardrobe.

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille: I was close to doing a split of this earlier. At the moment, this seems to get pushed back again and again. This is a different beast from SDV, so there are no problems with having both in the wardrobe, but the thing that's pulling me back seems to be the price. (and the fact that I still have a decant of it left)

Guerlain Bois d'Armenie: I have been eyeing this for ages. It's one that jumps straight to "the best base notes ever" and just stays there on and on. Magical. I got a 10ml decant from a very generous Basenoter earlier, and looking at the frequency that I reach for, I don't think I'll need to be dishing out $200 any time soon...

Other Guerlain Exclusives: ...Because I'll wait for my trip to Paris next year.

Serge Lutens Borneo 1834: Not as long as Coromandel is around.... but if I ever see a bottle for a reasonable price on the sale/swap threads, expect to see it in my wardrobe.

Parfumerie Generale Cuir Venenum: The negative comments I get when I wear this is making me reluctant. (Because it's from people I stay around with on a daily basis) I have to repeatedly say that it isn't grape. It's also in the permanent line, so I'm in no hurry.

Parfumerie Generale Cadjmere & Iris Taizo: Overlaps with some other PGs I already own.

Parfumerie Generale Musc Maori: Do I really want to smell like a 'strangely kinky' bar of chocolate? Well, yes, but not THAT much.

Knize Ten: 'coz I really want that 1000ml bottle and I'm not quite sure how to ship it here.

Yohji Homme: Requires too much effort to reattain -- and I also already went through a bottle of this back in high school, so I'm not so keen on pulling the trigger. Plus, Aomassai does it so much better.

Hermes Brin de Reglisse: I don't want 100ml of this, but just 15ml. Anyone wanna buy a set of four and split?

L'artisan L'eau du Navigateur: A theme I'm missing from my wardrobe, but I don't think I'll be paying full-retail for any L'artisan, ever again... IMHO, it isn't exactly 'worth the price tag.' Eau des Iles is also a good alternative for this.

I forgot Amouage Gold. Pretty heavy duty stuff, though. I got myself a sample, and I have diamond and lyric on the way. How, oh how could you not love those bottles??? I'm trying to decide which to ask hubby for as a Mother's Day present. What do you all think? Which do you find to be the best of them for women? I'm taking popularity votes here to get a general impression of how they "sit" with people. Let me know!

My list falls into three categories:

1.) The bottles are too darn big-Chanel les Exclusifs, I love Bois des Iles, Coromandel, and Sycomore. There is no way I am buying a 200mL bottle of anything.
2.) I'm paying for the juice in the bottle not the crystal encasing it- Amouage--Lots to like from this line but it irks me to be paying for the fancy schmancy bottle. Exhibit A, Amouage relesed Jub XXV in a boring old glass square bottle for $50 and I'd buy it every time. But I'm not paying an addition $150 for the bottle.
3.) We make it so exclusive it makes the price more ridiculous- Le Labo city-exclusives--I've liked all of them and love most of them but it will be decant city because I will never pay the prices they want for these bottles not to mention the add-on of having to pay a shopper to pick it up and ship it to you.

Most of the non- familiar Creeds, not as well- known and loved as BDP or GIT, not just because of the cost, the history or the style, it's just that their notes are, in most cases, just because some of their fragrance notes are so formal and costly (yet in a good sense) that they won't be suitable to be worn everyday, even if one would wear haute couture, custom made attire, luxury goods, costly accessories etc. on daily base, something inside of them is too far beyond (and not in bad sense of the word, again, maybe to far above) this world.