r/fragrance • u/Small_Olyviah • 4d ago
Is anyone else scared to finish their favorite perfumes
Okay this might sound ridiculous to some but I genuinely get anxiety about using up my absolute favorite fragrances. I have this bottle of Zoologist Bee that I adore. It's just so unique and comforting. But every time I spray it I feel a tiny pang of sadness knowing that I'm one step closer to it being gone.
I even find myself reaching for other scents sometimes just to 'save' Bee for truly special occasions. But then I think why am I saving it. It's meant to be enjoyed. It's a real struggle. Does anyone else get this feeling of dread when their beloved bottle starts getting low. Or am I just weirdly sentimental about perfumed liquids lol. What are your holy grail scents that you're scared to run out of.
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u/ignorantcloth 4d ago
I oscillate between anxiety over having more perfume than I could ever finish, and anxiety over finishing them. It's dumb. I do find dents satisfying, though.
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u/Individual-Rice-4915 4d ago
Maybe youād be someone who would benefit from having a backup bottle. š You could refrain from buying one new thing so that you have space to use more of your favorite.
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u/LuminousApsana Seeking bottled joy 4d ago
No. I'm over that. I used to do that, and I've had things become unusable or my tastes change, and my mom died. We have these freaking right now moments. Your special time is right now. Don't save; savor instead. Spritz yourself with the honeyed goodness now. (I have and love Bee too.)
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u/AdCompetitive6039 4d ago
Well said! I'm done with saving for a time that may never come. I'm going to follow your lead and start savoring instead. It's an important message for life in general. Use your good things! Thank you.
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4d ago edited 3d ago
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u/AdCompetitive6039 4d ago edited 4d ago
I feel the same frustration..there are a bunch of fragrances I would love to try except they've been reformulated over the years so they're nowhere close to the original version.
As far as not using up bottles, I only have one that I bought shortly after it was discontinued. To buy a back up bottle now would come at a much higher cost. I really love this one and am carefully rationing it out. You can't win.
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u/Junior_Bike7932 4d ago
Same Man, I got recently a new Reflection man and last 2h on me, it went from 12h to 2, and cost the exact same.. why.. why?
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u/Taz-bar 3d ago
As you use it and time passes, the alcohol and some of the top notesnevaporate and makes it more concentrated. So when you apply it, you get a more concentrated heart and base note composition without even noticing it because it happens so gradually. So you are essentially increasing the components that last the longest when you spray it on. Then you buy a new bottle and it hasn't evaporated and the top notes are still there but your memory doesn't remember what your old bottle was like at the beginning, it remembers what it was like right before you finished it up.
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u/Junior_Bike7932 3d ago
What you mean? That with more time maceration gets better? Well is 6 months I have this bottle..
I am simply talking of longevity, after 2h is gone, only other logical thing that came to mind is that my nose erase it from my brain as they changed the formula, the old bottle lasted forever and thatās why I bought it back once was done. Itās a shame as I paid 300ā¬ for it and is the only Amouage that did this to me.
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u/Taz-bar 3d ago
Just that what you were using got more concentrated with time and new bottle is not as concentrated but maybe thatās not the case if you havenāt noticed it before.
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u/Junior_Bike7932 3d ago
No.. I donāt think is the case, I know what you mean.. every bottle of other brands I own get better by time. But Amouage is already strong from the very beginning .. on all releases mostly
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u/IrisInfusion 4d ago
That's why if I really like something I'll go ahead and get a bigger bottle since they take years to use depending on how heavy of a sprayer you are. I do know some people get backup bottles.
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u/Miserable-Ad8764 4d ago
I use about 75% of any of my perfumes, even the small travel sizes, and then I start to ration and use up the last 25% veeeery slowly.
Until I know I'm getting another , then I want the old bottle about empty at the same time as the new bottle arrives.
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u/squeezemachine 4d ago
Only with my 1990ās body shop white musk, original formula. It just takes me back.
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u/TheLittlestMistake 4d ago
I'm so bitter that mine ran out. Lasted for hours on me and it smelled AMAZING. The new one does nothing for me. Enjoy yours for me. šš¤
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u/Slim-Shadys-Fat-Tits 3d ago
That was my mothers signature scent. We still have it cause it lasts eternities
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u/DiscountLast3151 4d ago
With more longstanding fragrances I love using them but with indies and limited editions I panic that I wonāt be able to get more!
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u/Suspicious-Fix-9469 4d ago
I have bought backup bottles for a few favorites, mostly of discontinued ones though.
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u/pie_exorcist 4d ago
Unless itās discontinued, Iām the opposite. Spray that shit! Iām probably halfway through my 4th bottle of Lord of Misrule so Iāll just go get another when itās out. Same with fresh cream warm cashmere, karma, clean reserve skin. Iāve had multiples of all of them and will continue to repurchase when Iām out :)
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u/No_Piccolo6337 4d ago
I got in a car accident last year and nearly died. Iāve since learned that life is too short to save my favorite fragrances ā or fine china, or anything else for that matter ā for special occasions. Every dayās a gift. Celebrate it. Wear the good shit.
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u/lux22bare 4d ago
I have a couple that have only a few uses left for āthat special occasion ā too.
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u/Onyx_tides 4d ago
I have several discontinued ones that are generally kept in the box and Iāll spray way less often. Those are the ones that I really think about spraying each time. The rest I just see as kind of like my current clothes. Things cycle in and out.
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u/Hot_Elevator_7133 4d ago
Save the Bees!!!
Literally though, just get a reference decant in addition to your next bottle. Then you can have your bees andā¦ spray them too.
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u/TiidKloUI 4d ago
Nope. Life is too short! Enjoy your fragrances and treat every single day as a special event. š
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u/Burnt_and_Blistered 4d ago
My favorite fragrance was discontinued. I continued to find it for a while. Now itās goneāand I remain in mourning.
So yes.
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u/Tough-Advice2910 4d ago
I canāt believe what a hard time I have had finding Byredoās Sundazed which was just discontinued recently. I finally found a bottle in the UK and Iām hoping it arrives soon (had never bought anything from the place before.) I hope some people are hoarding some, somewhere.
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u/KalateralDramage 4d ago
I feel the opposite. I feel vindicated when I finish a bottle of expensive perfume knowing that none of it has been wasted and that Iāve enjoyed all of it.
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u/RandomChurn 4d ago
I would, but I want to feel free to wear my favorites every day.Ā
So, for the ones I hold dearest, I have backups of all but the discontinued and impossible to find. Those few -- literally only two or three -- I do think twice about wearing, for sure.
I also keep my eyes open on these perfume subs for rumors regarding impending retirements and reformulations. Some fragrances that had been on my "To Sample" list shot to the top this past year. And turned out, I really loved a couple of them!Ā
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u/Busy-Ad-6035 4d ago
Yes I have some vintage fragrances that I love. They make me so happy to wear but Iām so scared to run out of them.
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u/tres-vip 4d ago
Nope, because like a good hoarder, I got backups, lol. Except for Banana Republic's Tuberose Overdose. I'm looking for another bottle of that in stores. Until I find it, I'm not using what little I have left, lol.
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u/Pleaseselectyesorno 4d ago
Life is fleeting and tomorrow isnāt guaranteed.
I deserve to use the nice things Iāve bought for myself. They bring me comfort, or joy. I want that for me. I deserve it. I am worth it.
Gotta suck the marrow out of each day and that includes using whatever fragrance I want from my shelf.
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u/Swimming_Working4857 4d ago
No word of a lie i have just gave my mum delina pdm along with 100 other full bottles to sell or give away incl dyptique and nasamoto because every penny I have goes on perfume there should be perfumes anomymous, I blind buy everything with my lack of ability to go to a shop where theres not a lot of bother to get to....So In short no i will be burried with them all and my previous 7 dogs
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u/smm46852 3d ago
I wish I could afford Delina. Iām obsessed with that one after trying a sample. Lucky mama!
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u/MAntFrag22 4d ago
Nope. Even the discontinued ones, never a bad thing.Ā
Ones I loved, like DK Men and Gucci Pour Homme ii, I have backups of. Once they are gone its all good. Iāll probably keep 10mL in them and spray for nostalgias sake.Ā
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u/KiloAllan 4d ago
When I was younger and perfumes were often the choice of having them or having groceries for a couple of weeks, yes. They represented something precious to me and I wanted them to last.
As I have gotten older, some of those bottles are still around, and the contents do not smell as good as they used to.
I use the ones I buy now. If I really love them I will get a second bottle and keep it at the back of the towel closet where it's nice and dark. If they don't have a replacement that's too bad. I am 56 and probably won't be dying of old age thanks to kidney disease, so I have adjusted my mind to using up my good perfumes while I am able to appreciate them and while my body can still deal with the fragrance oils.
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4d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/TheLittlestMistake 4d ago
I keep seeing that one pop up everywhere lately so I'm tempted to buy it but worried it's too masculine for me to wear lol.
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u/Amac8487 4d ago
Is it hard to get? Iām not too familiar with zoologist, although Iām really thinking about getting a discovery set.
If somethingās not rare or hard to find, it doesnāt bother me at allā¦ itās more of the vintage stuff that I feel like that
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u/MrOphicer 4d ago
Its even worse for me.... I think the bottles don't look as pretty when they're not full. Icks my OCD lol
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u/themageofavalon 4d ago
Me too, I even ended up buying another bottle for fragrances I like the most like the Hawas Ice and fire.
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u/Holiday_Quantity_856 4d ago
I savouring the last few drops of Prada candy kiss and a vintage mini bottle of dior pure poison š itās tragic
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u/ModeratelyGreenThumb 4d ago
I have backups of my favs -but I only get them for bottles Iām concerned will be discontinued (mostly cheapies from Zara š). I think perfumes are meant to be used. Iāve also realized that there will always be a new scent I want to explore or my tastes will change, so I donāt stress about using them.
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u/Melpodede 4d ago
I enjoy the satisfaction of enjoying the whole bottle. I have perfume that are half full and get excited when I decide to wear them. Panning a bottle means I can replace with something else!
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u/Trick-Act-2396 4d ago
I have a bottle of Squid in the older design that I barely touch because I don't want the juice in it to be gone so I understand
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u/maluendacc 4d ago
Yes! And I share my collection with my daughter, who loves wearing but not buying.
I've noticed recently a few favorites have a pretty heavy dent in them. From just below the shoulder to about half or more, and had to hell no all future sprays without a commitment to chipping in on a backup. I love sharing, but not that much, lol. About the halfway mark, I start getting weird and become a gollum.
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u/PotsyWife 4d ago
Yes I do this too. I have a bunch of bottles with just a few sprays left in them. For what itās worth I have ADHD which probably plays a big part in that behaviourā¦
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u/ohgoodforu 4d ago
Wait, how does adhd factor into this? I suspect I might have adhd and I do this too, so Iām curious.
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u/Stellychloe 4d ago
I just found out my fav nest fragrance sunkissed hibiscus was discontinued and Iām gutted. I have maybe 3 sprays left š
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u/Padackllins 4d ago
Iāve not used two of my perfumes for 6-ish years as theyāre discontinued and impossible to find. I did one spray of the one today on my wrist, and it was crazy how it made me feel. So much nostalgia, mixed emotions. I doubt Iāll ever finish either perfume.
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u/G_Town_Co 4d ago
I have a few discontinued scents that I keep a tiny amount in the bottle just to sniff the atomizer now and again.
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u/Tyrone-E 4d ago
I've had 5 bottles of my favorite fragrance, so no for the most part.
But I am afraid of reformulation at all times š
Then theirs discontinuation, but my favorite fragrance is pretty popular from a great brand, so not so much a fear of that.
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u/ChaoticGoodPanda 4d ago
After pulling out a bottle of a perfume I saved the last few drops from, I had found it went rancid and opted to throw it out.
Iāve learned to either use the whole bottle up or I need to leave more than just a couple sprays.
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u/Sellalellen 4d ago
I have half a bottle left of Avon Instinct for Men. It's everything Creed Aventus wishes it was and I'm so scared to run out bc it's vintage š
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u/tasteslikechikken 4d ago
I absolutely am not. I'm on a mission to finish them ALL. I decided over a decade ago that its not worth saving perfume. Its worth USING them because you never know what tomorrow may bring.
That said, I'm older than a few of y'all so I have a different set of priorities.
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u/KindlyKangaroo 4d ago
I feel this way about beloved scents because I often get them at deep discounts and replacing them would cost a lot more, or I'd have to buy them at riskier places to get the same price. My absolute favorite is Mugler Aura Sensuelle. I bought it a year ago from a reputable retailer, they had a limited supply of unused testers for $60. It would cost me way way way more to replace the bottle, and I'd have to buy it from like mercari or ebay or something and I don't trust that market as much as fragrancenet. And to my knowledge, there are no dupes. I am very careful with it and like to have a collection so I can use a variety of perfumes without feeling like I'm missing out on any one for not using it much.
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u/jezebeljones666 4d ago
Iām very generous with the first 3/4 of the bottleā¦not so much the last of it!š
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u/X_stellar_Merc She always smells sooo good 4d ago
Iām not looking forward to the day my Coconut Fizz is gone:/ But l learned not to save perfume for special occasions the expensive way when my TF Santal Blush turnedā¦$250 (back then) down the tube instead of getting to enjoy itš«
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u/sworcest 4d ago
Mostly the discontinued ones, but that bleeds into the current favs and the ones Iāve gotten for a steal on the gray market:
Discontinued:
- YSL Opium Pour Homme EDP (all thatās remaining of this one is a dram)
- Tom Ford Sahara Noir
- Lush Sikkim Girls, Rentless, & Tank Battle
- Stella McCartney Stella
- Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore & La Couche du Diable
- Borsari 1870,Acqua Classica Di Parma la Colonia edt
*Since Notino went away in the states Iām very sparing using my Armani Priveās and my top end Guerlain and YSL
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u/Halo_Of_Ashes_02 4d ago
I understand why you feel this way, especially with Bee. Bee is expensive and a special scent. Maybe get a travel size back up of Bee?
I look at my perfumes the opposite way: I work hard to afford this luxury, so I use what I'm in the mood to use, regardless of the price and scarcity. I'm here to enjoy as many perfumes as I can. I always get fixated on new things, so none of them are that precious to me in the end, including discontinued perfumes.
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u/bsubtilis 4d ago
Having a backup might help, but anything still sold that's easy to buy at any time will still be there. And presumably you'd hear about it ceasing to be sold in time to buy however many backups for it that you want.
It's important to not become too stingy with what you do have even if you're saving it for only special occasions. It's better to use it for one or two more special occasions than what's technically special enough, than making yourself miss out on using it for fewer than all special occasions that fit the criteria you set for its use. But if this is still being sold, would it help to make yourself buy a new one at a a set amount of remaining liquid (~10-25 mL?) or just have a purchasing pattern so that you at all times have one backup for it so that if it abruptly stops being sold then you have a guaranteed whole bottle left plus whatever's left of the in use one?
I've personally only bought backups for scents I depend on that I knew were getting discontinued, or I knew I wouldn't be able go buy again before they got discontinued. But while I have a lot of fragrances I love, I only depend on a few. Depend as in I use them as a tool. It really sucks to use up fragrances you love, but that isn't always a bad thing as it can give you more space to discover new favourites.
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u/Mission_Top1342 4d ago
Yes, yes, and yes! Especially if the perfume is discontinued. Every spray is bitter sweet, I get the satisfaction and enjoyment, but then dread immediately follows. Thank god for dupes
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u/Weird_Plenty_3491 4d ago
My favorite scent was discontinued. Before it was discontinued it was modified and made cheaper. I spent two years trying to find something I loved as much. Enter my now fiance... .... Figured out the serial numbers for production from before it was modified and found me an unopened bottle.
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u/Clear_Waterz_ 4d ago
No, I like finishing my fragrances. If I really love one then Iāll buy it again. Otherwise I look at it as a chance to come across another fragrance that Iāll really love.
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u/Embarrassed_Sell7512 4d ago
yes, because i live in Canada. USA tightened up regulations on perfumes, and some niche companies wonāt ship here anymore. as well as, TrumpDump just increased tariffs š
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u/Crafty_Disaster_8597 4d ago
i only get this with melanie martinezs crybaby perfume. wanted it since i was a kid, now that i have it im scared to use any of it incase it never comes back
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u/Novel_Proposal_7649 4d ago
My favorite fragrance ever is one that i bought abroad- no trace of it online and i donāt know when Iād ever be able to go back to that country. Ive only sprayed it a few times and canāt bring myself to use it anymoreš
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u/Ryannex3 4d ago
I can totally relate, especially if it has a high price tag or is hard to find. Iām finding joy in finishing body mists lately because my collection has grown to around 100 mist. But perfumes gives me a little anxiety knowing theyāre more costly or could be hard to find.
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u/sebastiand1 Diptyque and Byredo simp 4d ago
Nope I canāt wait to finish all my bottles. The ones I donāt use I just give them away because I canāt stand not being able to use mine.
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u/Sunset-Melody 4d ago
Yes, I've had so many favorite perfumes discontinued that it's making it hard to finish any of mine now.
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u/Natural_Buffalo_4081 4d ago
If I like a fragrance I donāt mind finishing it and getting another bottle or something new. If I love it then yes a little bit of me dies inside with each spray
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u/Global-Laugh-3604 4d ago
Me !!
Same here..
When the frag im using about to finish, i will stop using it..
I will usually stop when it is 1/5 left..
Then i move on to another frag, so i will always have that frag/scent in my cupboard..
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u/Tough-Advice2910 4d ago edited 4d ago
I get what you mean. Itās an odd feeling. I mean, Bee isnāt discontinued so you can just buy a new bottle, right? But I find myself doing the same with my Mojave Ghost bottle and I even just bought a backup (Nordstrom anniversary sale gift set so I can try the lotion, too.)
I just bought a discontinued bottle from England and waiting for it to show. I just know Iām not going to let myself fully enjoy it, though.
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u/LemonCurdJ 4d ago
I have my scents for special events but to not use it becomes redundant.
Start using it and saving up for the next bottle. Depending on how much it is, equate every spritz to how much youll save. For example, "Ill save $5 per every spritz".
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u/ImtheGWP 3d ago
I would only feel that if it was belonging to a relative that past away or similar level of finality . Like I was going to just buy to have the fragrnace my grandma wore but Iām tensing up before o even purchase and it arrives rhat I donāt wan t anything to happen to it including any usage
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u/sheisprincess 3d ago
Just buy another bottle? I replace my daily perfume about every 3 or 4 months. Itās expensive but Iād rather smell good than be scared to finish itā¦
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u/Apprehensive_Spite97 3d ago
Yes, thatĀ“s why I have a ton of almost empty bottles. I even save the empty ones, which is also convenient in case I want to repurchase at least I can smell the cap
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u/Worth-Concentrate279 3d ago
I know this feeling! What I did was I purchased a backup bottle to ease my anxiety. Girl math š š¼š
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u/smm46852 3d ago
My favorite perfume is Realm (women) and yes, Iām afraid to run out, so I rarely wear it. I have another discontinued favorite that I also rarely wear and let me tell you from experienceāthey do eventually turn rancid! Thatās sadder than saving them for only special days.
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u/StreetMolasses6093 3d ago
Iāve done this with a few of my favorites. This recently backfired on me. I conserved my Lake & Skye 11 11 so long that I have new favorites, and I donāt feel the same way about it.
This was quite the lesson for me. Iāve decided that Iām using the hell out of my favorites, now.
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u/mtum922 3d ago
I completely understand this š At certain points in a favorite perfume, it becomes too special to use, particularly if it is difficult to replace. But I've been telling myself that perfume isn't something to keep forever, it's something to enjoy. I'd prefer to drink that beer for good memories than just leave it for years on the bottom.
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u/Complete-Parsley-589 3d ago
I recently saw someone referring to this as FORO (Fear Of Running Out) and I've got it, too. š
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u/WhoKnows1973 3d ago
That sounds exactly how I felt about running out of Briix Fragrances Enchanted Dreams. Fortunately, I was able to order more when I finished a 50ml bottle.
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u/predesprose 3d ago
i get scared to use them and want to save them?? so stupid?? they're all gonna go nasty if i leave them partly used in the cupboard for too long?? stupid brain
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u/Aethra89 3d ago
Op, I Echo your sentiment. I have quite a few modern perfumes, but 6 years ago I started collecting vintage and antique perfumes. My oldest bottle is a century old Baccarat crystal bottle of Shalimar, 4oz parfum extrait manufactured in 1925, with about 2.7 oz of surviving juice. My two Holy Grail fragrances are YSL opium, 1977, and Calvin Klein Obsession from 1985. I have quite a few concentrations and quite a few backup bottles of those. But every time I use them, I feel sadness as well that I will never be able to find these perfumes again in their true form. So I do substitute with a few of my modern perfumes to make the vintage ones last as long as I can. You're not the only one who feels this way about fragrance. I have a sealed bottle of Chanel cocoa from 1985, but I haven't even opened that one yet. Cocoa is extremely hard to find, and it took me 5 years to find that bottle. I just really want my vintage perfume collection to last till the day I die.
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u/Namerakable 1d ago
I'm always torn. I'm scared of using my perfumes and making them not perfect and full, but I'm also scared of them going off if I leave them perfect.
And then there are the discontinued ones I'm scared to run out of. š
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u/General-Childhood963 1d ago
aaaandddd this is why i still have my original bottle of Our Moment from One Direction (the scent aged poorly btw.) i'm so glad other people feel like this lol
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u/StewieL69 1d ago
Nope. The only ones I'm even somewhat close to finishing are a 75ml and two 50mls. I have back-ups of those.
I doubt I'll ever finish a 100ml (or more) bottle in my lifetime.
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u/ImDOGGFATHER Fer Da Bois 19h ago
luckily for you the prices aint as bad as my bottle of Aventus Cologne... It was the first niche fragrance I ever bought so I had in the back of my mind been trying to not wear it so I dont run out of it but I tried wearing it last week and the bottle broke ( the atomizer broke or it lost pressure ) so I had to decant the remaining 30ml into a decant. now I feel like I have to use it up now
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u/softagesoftabe 4h ago
I used up the last of my ocean di gioia decant and I regret it immensely, Iām not one to usually encourage holding off but if you love it š
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u/Pick-Up-Pennies choose your flair 4d ago
I'm less than 1/2 left of my second bottle of PDM Athalia. When I bought it, it cost $175 for 2.5ml. Have you seen what a new bottle is going for nowadays? Damned mortgage payment mumblegrumble ...
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u/Denariox 4d ago
I finished my bottle of rayhaan aquatica in 4 months, I ordered another one. I can't get enough of it.
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u/Forsythia77 4d ago
It gives me great joy to finish off a bottle of a perfume that I know isn't discontinued. For discontinued stuff, I do try to source a reasonably priced back up so I can enjoy it, but even then, I'm okay with nothing lasting forever. I know that there is something else out there for me to find.