Here’s how I work: I buy samples in sets/collections from houses that interest me, and put them in an organizer by scent family. I test them out one a day or so. Sometimes takes a couple days to test out a scent to see if I like it, and sometimes it takes .02 seconds to decide “omg this is amazing” (these usually end up being the ones I want bigger sizes of). The process lasts a long ass time because I also take breaks between testing samples, whether intentional or not (like if I forget). Either way, I look forward to what scent I’m gonna discover every morning while I get ready.
Sometimes it’s an immediately unpleasant one, so I just wash my hands/wrists afterward. Sometimes I have to figure out that the once great note of smoky woods just turns cigarette-y after a couple hours. Sometimes they’re just so unmemorable I don’t find it good or bad. And sometimes that’s the worst a scent can be- for me it was Skylar’s “Vanilla Sky”. Boring.
So, I keep the ones I like. And for the ones I don’t like: I give them to friends and family who I know like them, or want to try them. (I sell the rest for about what I paid for.)
Like I said, I keep the samples in this cabinet sorted by notes/scent families. I used to have a drawer for ‘green herbal’ and got rid of it because it was always empty. I found out I hate super green scents- like fresh dirt and grass clippings, that type of green. I really like their real life counterparts, but in perfume form it makes me gag! My all time least favorite fragrance I had the displeasure of smelling was Solstice Scents’ “Wilcox’s Potting Shed” with its notes of stone, basil, earth, and mushroom.
Only when I know I absolutely love a scent, “can’t live without it I need to smell like this forever” kind of thing, I look into getting a 10ml and in absolutely rare cases I look for a full bottle. I only have two full size bottles, and I’m saving up for a third.
Without further ado- here’s my favorites! I’ll just be copy-pasting from the brands’ websites and a small blurb on why I like them.
Large Bottles
Prada – Luna Rossa Black
Prada Black starts with vivacious notes of Bergamot and Angelica, arriving at the sweetness of Amber Wood passing through the intensity of Coumarin and Patchouli.
I got this fragrance in 2022 when I was working at Meow Wolf. It reminds me of walking around in their Denver exhibit as an actor in the space — specifically in Numina, a living forest.
I wore it a lot while I was there, because I thought it gave alien forest-y vibes! It’s such a good earthy-powdery-musky smell and it’s probably my number one favorite fragrance of all time, my signature scent if you will.
Solstice Scents – Snowshoe Pass
A chilly white blend of an ethereal snow blanket and cold winter winds, Snowshoe Pass combines pale white amber, delicate and smooth white musk, a sweet touch of vanilla and a faint whisper of creamy cold peppermint. The result is a unique take on a winter scent inspired by heavy snows and desolate rural regions.
The peppermint note adds a fun twist to the musky vanilla of it all. This is a recent favorite, I found it in summer 2025, when I was sampling a bunch of Solstice’s fragrances. A lot of the scents really blended together to me, but when I smelled this one for the first time, it was completely different! I couldn’t stop borderline huffing the smell, I couldn’t get enough and still can’t. It’s a perfect winter scent. I just purchased a 60ml bottle because… wow.
Medium Sprayers
Lush – Yog Nog
Indulgent, biscuity and full of warmth. Creamy butterscotch and cinder toffee scents stick to the senses while spiced clove bud and ylang ylang tantalize with a sweet edge. Spritz the scent of Christmas and enjoy the festivities!
I LOVE Yog Nog. I have way too many versions of it, because it’s amazing. It’s so unique, I haven’t smelled another fragrance like it. It really is the scent of Christmas, as this scent comes out around the holiday time every year, and I remember getting it for the first time as a body milk in 2019ish. My grandma got me it when we went to a mall in Highlands Ranch, Colorado and it reminds me of her in a way.
Maison Margiela Replica – Music Festival
The strong, addictive sweetness of patchouli delivers a woody fragrance, combining with the scent of weed accord, an exclusive conception by the perfumer, to create the intoxicating aroma of cannabis.
Lose yourself in the additive haze of the contagious music, and the scent of leather guitar straps that convey deep ambery and musky elements. Music Festival bursts with energy, stirring fond memories of self-expression, freedom and the beat of the music. An earthy and addictive fragrance to lift your mood and take you to a place where only the music matters.
Apparently there’s a huge weed note, and I think it’s barely hemp at best; but regardless, it’s such a good scent. This fragrance is super energetic and fun. I got this travel sprayer on Mercari because it’s officially discontinued by MM. I’m hoarding mine like a dragon lol.
Maison Margiela Replica – By The Fireplace
Recall memories of chestnuts grilling in the chimney and a crackling wood fire with Replica By the Fireplace EDT. This warm and cozy Eau de Toilette fuses the smoky scent of burning notes of guaiac wood, cashmeran and clove oil. The scent of roasted chestnuts is recreated by a blend of chestnut notes and red berries oil. The sweet notes of vanilla reinforce the warm and cozy sensation that this unisex perfume exudes with a subtle sweetness.
As for MM’s fragrances that are still available, Bu The Fireplace is a great one. This is a smoky musk bomb. I don’t wear it much because it’s so strong, but I do on fun occasions where I’ll be outdoors, like the Denver Zoo Lights.
R. Rebellion – Midnight
Lush wild blackberry and pomegranate awaken the senses, their rich sweetness wrapped in the soft floral embrace of jasmine and western peony—as untamed and captivating as a moonlit prairie. A warm, sensual base of vanilla musk lingers on the skin, leaving a trail as unforgettable as a midnight ride beneath an endless sky.
I fell in love with this scent on the road, driving from Denver to Seattle. I found myself in an apothecary shop in Boise, Idaho, and on first smell I knew I had to have it. It evokes the memory of being on the open road, driving into thunderstorms. It has a luxurious bubble bath vibe too.
Mini Sprayers (that I want bigger versions of)
Imaginary Authors – Saint Julep
Sweet mint, tangerine, southern magnolia, bourbon, grisalva, sugarcube. A day at the races, getting dressed up on a sweltering Sunday and enjoying a cold drink on the patio, laying in the shade on a blanket at the park with a book of poetry.
This is a very light scent, I have to spray it a ton to get a good throw, nevertheless it’s an enchanting smell. It reminds me of Fresh’s Sugar Lime Mint lip balm. A fresh citrus juice, topped with green mint leaves. Something stirs beneath the surface to make the fragrance more complex, I think it’s the grisalva— Google says it’s “a powerful synthetic molecule used in perfumery to create a soft, ambery, and animalic scent profile, often described as being similar to ambergris.” It’s awesome whatever it is.
Maison Margiela Replica – Whispers in the Library
A day surrounded by books. The slowing down of time surrounded by squeaky waxed wood, the mutter of turning pages and discreet whispers. A woody fragrance to stir memories of the distinctive smells of old books and the comforting atmosphere of a traditional library. An unlimited quantity of books in a soft halo of light.
Ugh, another discontinued scent that I’m dying to get more of. This one is so good I don’t have much to say. It really smells like an old book store, with warm musk.
Ellis Brooklyn – Bee
Dripping with honey, warmed with dark rum, and loaded with the addictive notes of vanilla bean, sandalwood and cocoa absolute, BEE eau de parfum is the magical journey of finding and falling in love with yourself.
I love Bee!! It’s super honeyed and so cozy. I wear this on in the spring.
Pineward – Apple Tabac
Fresh red apple, tobacco, fir balsam, rum resin, dried fruits. A bite of crisp red fall-harvest apples and burley cavendish, a golden-brown cider brew.
I remember loving Yankee Candle’s Macintosh Apple candle as a kid. I would ask my mom to get the car jar of it so that I could smell it more often, but she wasn’t big on it. This perfume fills me with nostalgia, but with a present day twist.
Imaginary Authors – Slow Explosions
Saffron, rose absolute, leather, apple, benzoin, cashmeran, arpora night market. A day weaving through a spice market, sparking up a conversation with a captivating stranger, metaphorical fireworks.
This is an explosive fragrance for sure! It really slaps you in the face, but it’s so good and spicy. It’s captivating and fun.
Pineward – Ponderosa
Ponderosa resin, ponderosa needles, cedar, vanilla, strawberry, cinnamon, butterscotch, beeswax, raisin cookies. The distinctive aroma of the bark of the majestic ponderosa pine tree. Built upon a base of wildcrafted ponderosa pine needle and resin absolutes with all of their natural vanillic, butterscotch and strawberry facets bolstered.
This is the best green tree smell ever. Coniferous excellence! Such a great scent to wear when you want to remember being in the Olympic Peninsula…
That’s all for a while, I probably won’t get any more new scents for a long time, because I have a lot currently. I want to work through my collection a bit.
Thanks for reading, whether you just read for entertainment or for recommendations.
mossyfawnron 
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