Sampling Rituals

How do you do it?

This summer, I had developed a rather pleasant morning routine. Cup of tea, check the e-mail, pick the samples of the day. Apply samples, check blogs while experiencing the top notes. Fire up the Wii-Fit, perform balance/strength/cardio/yoga as appropriate. Check in on the dry-downs--frequently while in the midst of Wii-Fitting. By that time, others are up, breakfast is underway, and by the time shower time arrives, decisions can be made about first impressions.

The ever interesting and informative Nathan Branch recently explained why he tends to review a quad at a time; in a sort of humorous karmic moment, he makes jest of the very practice I found myself in: combining yoga and sampling. A practice which, I must say, allowed for sampling not just quartets, but sextets of scent. Yes, it's goofy, I know. And can tend to be a "splat it all on the wall and see what sticks" approach. But I had found myself with a LOT of samples, and knew that the easy days of summer were going to come to an end...

But that's not the only way I've done it.

Before that, I had been limiting myself to one fragrance at a time, fully committing myself to whatever the single choice was. And allowing it the whole day, just in case it was one of those rare beasts that introduced a whole new character more than two hours into it, or which magically reappeared after seeming to disappear. A much more intimate and relaxed way of making an acquaintance. And one to which I find I am returning as the hectic fall schedule gets into full swing. It's rather nice to have a laid-back pace to at least one thing in my day.

And then, there is not doing it at all.

For one of two reasons: either I am taking a total scent break, or I am in a period of wearing only that which I know well, and can predict how it will behave on a given day. Recently, there was a week of no scent, followed by one day/one scent. I was inclined to stick with one week/one scent, but ended up a little too curious...this is, after all, my first fall as an all-out fragrance fan. The cooler weather offers so many opportunities for getting to know things a little (or a lot) differently; I guess it's just not possible for me to have a Scent of the Season.

Thus, I am currently inclined toward loyalty, but actually practicing more of a SOTD kind of practice.

You?

Why had I not tried Chergui?

Good heavens, me who loves warm close-to-skin stuff, who can rhapsodize about Parfumerie Generale L'Ombre Fauve...this has been languishing in the samples drawer--for quite a while, based on its relative location.

Anyway, I've been happily huffing my wrist for over an hour now.  I don't quite get myself; not a fan of the gourmands, yet enjoying this clearly sweet thick warm vanilla spice.

Oh, wait...now I realize why the little rascal vial hid in plain sight...only now is fall coming.  I've found something I can enjoy during the day job, in the cooler weather--and I can enjoy it without challenging any other sensibilities with too large scent clouds, or the intensities of nether notes.  Hmm; I think this fall I'll cut through rainy days with incense (Black Cashmere, Nu), and deepen the warmth of that fall sun with Chergui. Or L'ombre Fauve or Organza Indecence, or my cheap thrills Eisenberg Jose.

And then there's Narcisse Noir...or...and...