The Exclusive World of Niche: My First Full-Bottle Purchase

Despite the fact that my fragrance journey began many years ago, and despite my obsession with the hard-to-find, I was up until fairly recently quite uninterested in 'niche' scents.  I understood that niche meant for the most part, superior ingredients, expert blending, and scents that were markedly different from mainstream offerings. However, I managed to dismiss this whole category simply because of the perceived snobbery that was associated with it. I had read online musings from other perfume connoisseurs, proclaiming their exclusive love of the genre. Being of the philosophy that 'If it smells good, I'll wear it' (regardless of cost, distribution, or association), I decided to rebel.

A couple of years ago, I realized how wrong it was to avoid this beautiful world of scent. Someone included a Hermes decant in one of my swap packages and the rest, as they say, was history. It was another one of these swap samples that made me want my own full bottle, purchased on my own, not hustled via swap. This year on my birthday, puzzled at the prospect of what to give me, my sisters were gently nudged in the direction of a gift card for an online retailer that had a great selection of niche offerings.

What was this first feverish, pulse-racing purchase, you may ask?

None other than Jardins de Kerylos by Parfumerie Generale:




(Pic taken from the official Parfumerie Generale website
http://www.parfumerie-generale.com).

One sniff of this, and I'm instantly transported to Crete. Figs, salt air, and a hint of honeyed greenery. It simply makes me swoon. My first full bottle niche purchase, it made me feel more absolute in terms of my perfume love. I felt like I had officially arrived. This scent, wearing extremely close to the skin and evoking a quiet strength, makes me feel as if I can take on whatever might be thrown my way.

What was your first niche purchase? Do you feel it was worth it? Is your collection mainly niche now, or happily included within a mainstream collection?

Fellow perfumistas, I'd love to hear your first niche stories!