Just started loading more of my 2 ml samples and discovery kits into the storage space I use for them, and I still have three more of these filled up. For me, samples are much more than something I spray once and throw in a drawer. I actually keep a fragrance library. I use these to test fragrances on skin, on cotton rounds, and sometimes go back to them weeks or even months later. I also keep a journal with my thoughts—what I smelled, how it developed, performance, projection, season, whether something reminded me of another fragrance, and most importantly whether my opinion changed after spending more time with it. That last part is important. I don’t believe every fragrance can be judged properly off one spray in a store or the first 10 minutes on a test strip. Some fragrances completely change on skin. Others need a couple of wearings before you really understand what the perfumer was trying to do. There have been fragrances I wasn’t impressed with initially that I appreciated much more later, and others that smelled fantastic at first but didn’t hold my interest after a full wearing. Keeping the samples also gives me a reference point when I’m doing reviews. If somebody mentions a fragrance six months from now, chances are I can go back into the library, pull the sample, smell it again and refresh my memory instead of relying on what I think I remember. It also helps tremendously with comparisons. When someone says, “This smells like this,” or asks me how two fragrances compare, I would much rather have both of them sitting in front of me than start guessing from memory. That’s why I almost never leave a fragrance store without asking for samples, and when I order online I always request whatever samples are available. Discovery kits are even better because they give you a chance to understand an entire house instead of judging the brand from one bottle. And with the amount of fragrances being released today, sampling saves money too. Not everything needs to become a full bottle. Sometimes 2 ml is enough to tell me I don’t need it. Other times that little sample ends up costing me $300 because now I have to have the bottle. 😂

Today I felt like dressing casual-elegant to go to the church and to wear some luxurious leather scent. So, (from the 6 Tom Ford Ombré Leather alternatives I have…😬) today I chose Heritage Legacy. It was one of the first, if not the first I got with this DNA, and it’s extraordinary. Milestone Perfumes is a less known and underestimated brand that has wonderful affordable and good quality alternatives to a very expensive, high end, private collections, and niche fragrances. They are normally found at all rack stores, but since they are found without its boxes, you will not always be labeled as Milestone, rather the bottles sometimes only show their name. Heritage Legacy does a great job duping Ombré Leather, with great quality, projection, and longevity for the price.