Beautiful Smells in the Mail

As a child, I was fascinated with perfume.  I loved when my Mom would give me a squirt of perfume whenever she was putting it on before going out.  My creative side lead me to concoct my own scented creations, usually involving various household products such as Comet, which I particularly loved as it made my "perfume" a lovely aqua color!

As a young adult I started having trouble wearing perfume.  It seemed they would often give me headaches or even mild temporary breathing issues.  So I didn't wear perfume for probably close to 20 years.  Even things such as scented candles or lotions seemed problematic.  This made me very sad.

However, in recent years, I've re-discovered the joy of perfume and all things scented.  I have to be a little careful, but I have learned that spray perfumes give me the most problem, and concentrated perfume oils that lack much alcohol content seem to be tolerated pretty well by my head and lungs.

I have realized during the last two years that a huge world of perfume exists out there, far beyond the cosmetics counters of department stores.  A number of companies decant small amounts (1 mL, for example) of many different perfumes, and you can sample (and wear many times from the sample vial) rare and unusual perfumes for a fraction of the cost of a bottle.  Some of the perfumes that I love most are niche perfumes sold by tiny companies or individuals.  Their perfumes are many and varied, and can often convey impressions of the most amazing specificity.  Some of the perfumes I love mostdon't even smell particularly "good" but evoke a certain mood or environment incredibly well.  There can be true artistry in perfume.

Over the last few years I have amassed an amazing collection of these perfumes, mostly in the form of decants or samples.  And still I want more!  I am constantly discovering new ones I feel absolutely compelled to try.  I love the whole process of reading about the perfumes, imagining how they would smell, then ordering them.  Even the waiting for them to arrive by mail is pleasurable.  Even when they don't work for me, I know I have something that someone else will likely want.

I have also learned that I am not alone, and that many people (not just women) are similarly addicted to perfume and related products such as bath products or candles.  There are large internet communities that discuss, share, sell, and swap their perfumes by mail.   I have met very kind and generous souls in these groups who have sent me free samples of rare and valuable perfumes just because they knew I was interested in trying them.  I have really enjoyed participating in these communities.  It is not just about the perfume, I realize, but also about connecting, and sharing, and giving, and learning about people in other states, other countries, other continents, as a result of a common interest.  I'm sure there are other common interests that have similarly brought people together from around the world (for example, as my husband can attest: antique tractors).

All of this makes me very glad that I decided to give perfume another chance.  And not just because of the considerable pleasure I derive from the product!  I'm not ready to say that perfume can change the world, but I think it can make it a little bit better place for some of us.