The Long Haul of Accountability 2023 Part 3: Final Haul & Thoughts

[@ildriaresvik6468]

I really love your channel! I am so sick and tired of hearing of all the gourmands that are given to the perfume influencers from brands,and everyone just looooves everything and can not recommend it enough. This just makes me sick and so annoyed. So your channel and a few others are great, because it is about your love for fragrances, and not what you are payed to recommend to us. I mean, how can anyone trust someone who recommends a fragrance they did not want to spend their own money on? So,a big thank you from me!

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Thank you. I'm so much more acutely aware of people gushing and selling to me. It's so disingenuous. And you put it really well if you don't want to spend your money on it you're obligated to say nice things how much do you really love it???

[@Byfaith8]

Wendi I just found your channel and have enjoyed your chats so much! You are adorable; I appreciate your candor and bright personality ! Subscribed.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Aww I thank you so much:) I appreciate it😊

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Thank you and I appreciate your encouragement, I really do. I would love to start pacing more. I think it'll make it more meaningful too.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I agree I would like to get to the point where I can make maybe a planned, conscientious quarterly purchase or something.

[@girlonsoapbox]

I am awaiting the full review videos. I saw Houbigant's Iris on a grey market site. I have a perfume wishlist however I will have to continue to enjoy the few I do have and be grateful I have them because I have more pressing needs. I do have a fragrance envelope and put money in there towards a must have perfume purchase. I have also trained myself to go to the stores and get a sniff of fragrances that interest me and allow my curiousty to be satisfied that way. If the scent leaves a lasting impression and 2 months later its still on my mind I add it to my wishlist. I will be exploring 10mls or decants. Also I purchased samples last year and they are pricey but its another way of experiencing fragrances without committing to full bottles. The fragrance journey is a beautiful, satisgying and enjoyable hobby and I am pleased you are sharing yours with us.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

You are so nice to say that thank you. I like the sampling idea: letting it stew and see if it sits in your mind for a bit. And I'll be working on regular reviews soon❤😊😊😊

[@girlonsoapbox]

@@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 You are welcome.

[@DD-nu8jt]

Hey, Wendi! I love how varied your taste is. It’s cool that you got a Caron. No one talks about this company anymore (I have not even had the chance to try any).

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I am all over the place! Caron just released a bunch of new scents but they are buku bucks. I am staying away otherwise for now!

[@brattyberatty]

"Low-Ruy" lolol, love that! My scent of the day is a layered combo: I started with Santa Maria Novella Potpouri (it's become a bit of a ritual for my morning dog walking amongst the old growth pine trees in BC, Canada), and then progressed to Que Sais Je by Jean Patou (LOVE the vintage honeyed peach). PS, We support you in whatever you decide, Wendi! I think it's great that you have an awareness around potential over-shopping and collecting. I'm sure so many others (including myself) are constantly trying to balance the love of this hobby/ passion with our family budget and boundaries around consumerism, etc. I hope that you can find some joy in "shopping your stash" during your low-ruy! It could become quite fun to revisit old faves and to discover new loves in what you have! xo

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Leah thank you for your note❤ I've never heard of that Jean Patou I have a few from that house and they are gorgeous! You are so lucky you get to walk in the forests of BC. Truthfully it's hard to shift my focus into what I have. But I'm trying to take the time. Whew! It's just perfume why is this so hard lol.

[@fragranceenthusiast5790]

This was a fabulous video. I really loved hearing about what you picked up and why. I always think the idea of a self-imposed 'No Buy' (I understand that is not quite what you are doing) is immediately doomed to failure. Perhaps one technique is to allow yourself one new purchase per month/quarter/whatever timeframe you want. Sometimes a lot of enjoyment is in the research, education and browsing for a fragrance, so in order not to lose that you could list some fragrances you particularly like during a month and then at the end of a month, rank them using whatever criteria you want and pick the top one one. Then the following month, do the same thing and add to the list, making sure you keep a track what was month one and what was month two. At the end of month two, rank them again and pick the top one. If it is a month two purchase and not a month one purchase, determine why you wanted that one over the others, and so on and so on for the whole year. I'm sure you do something similar this anyway, but this is for only new fragrances, let alone all of the ones you have yet to try! I really enjoy videos and I hope you do more frequent ones in 2024. :0)

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Thank you! I hoping, while scaling back, that I'll be about to focus on single reviews a lot more. No buys seem kind of futile but I really want to try this year:)

[@StelmaDesigns]

Yaaa Wendi, you are over 500 subscribers! My SOTD is Lalique Le parfum. I think what you are going through is in the air, so to speak. Some of the women I watch that are perfume lovers are also being more aware of spending and size of their collections. Kicki (the Honest Perfume Reviewer) is very good about keeping her collection to a reasonable for her, size. I have a large collection and mostly vintage which I have collected over many years so it's going nowhere. That said, I am not longer willy nilly blind buying, not that I am not tempted a lot, but I try to sample instead first. That can get costly fast, however. I do sell some on Mercari but I find it hard to just get rid of my perfumes even if I don't wear them as much because I love so many, and that's just fine with me. oxJulia

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Julia If you mostly have vintages that you love gosh they are never coming back. I'd hold onto them for dear life! I am past having a manageable amount but I need to reassess and slow down. I think I'll feel better that way.

[@StelmaDesigns]

I agree with you! I also have too many perfumes overall and it has made me way more careful with my buying, which is good. I am not going to stop buying, but now I no longer blind buy. I got myself into a mess doing that because I had many fails and they are just sitting on my Mercari page, what a waste of money I could have used for something I really loved. oxJulia

[@keysbmc94]

I really enjoyed your video. I, too, have too many perfumes and am conscious of over-consumption. I am with you on the need to cool it, so to speak 😊

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I know when it's blaringly obvious it's so time to knock it off😂

[@moniqueking5]

I decided to check out a little local perfume store in the town I live by and to my great surprise they had some truly amazing stock . I managed to grab a bottle of Hermés rouge and a perfume I have not seen for such a long time… Fidji …. I am so in love with them and excited to have found them . I shall just be enjoying them for the immediate future. Thank you for putting out great content ! It’s always a pleasure to watch

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Thank you so much Monique! And wow Hermès Rouge is a find not to be passed up I LOVE that one!

[@DD-nu8jt]

Over 500 subscribers! 🎉

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I know I only took 3 years😂

[@petunia23d98]

I also own Iris des Champs by Houbigant. It’s so close to being the most perfect iris scent except for one note that kind of ruins it for me. It smells chemical, almost like an artificial sweetener. I’ve heard that the extrait doesn’t have that note but the price! I ‘ve slowed down buying as well. I keep a list of wants but I try to keep it to one a quarter and allow myself some samples and decants every now and then. The struggle is real. Love your videos Wendy!

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Gosh that one is beautiful. I even love all the extra white florals that it has going on ... but the iris is of the "good kind" so it works even better. And 1 a quarter is actually the pinnacle of restraint!

[@robinscott1951]

See.. now I want some Poeme..lol. I used to wear it long ago. But instead of actually buying it... I'm going to go and look at all the perfume I have, pick one and call it a day. (even though I've already sprayed 2 today ) one way I stop myself... go look at what I have and use one. Yay, over 500.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I know I caved to FOMO due to the perfume industry's constant termination of the classics! I'm sure there is a word in German that refers to sadness and grief over a products discontinuation! I'm excited to try it I didn't wear that one in the 90s. But you have the right idea, shop the shelf! And I did go over 500😊

[@ankemilia7474]

I could listen to you for hours ❤... I adore your videos and I will tell you over and over... Love also the fact that we do have similar tastes ❤

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Thank you Ank! Always nice to see you😊

[@ankemilia7474]

@@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 girl I am in the background even if some times my phone collapses and I cannot post any comments 😂😁

[@shirleycantoni3152]

My absolute favorite Miller Harris is Violet Ida. It’s more of an Iris perfume than Violet. It’s so beautiful. The best one of that house imho

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Shirley I have heard a ton about that one! It seems very loved. I love MH, I think I'll need to sample at least.

[@mamoni7703]

Hi Wendi! You sure do have quite a few gems, especially the Houbigant Iris de Champs ❤. Really want that one 😍. It’s brave of you to confront the consumption habit. We all need to do this at some point. Thank you for sharing your need to get a grip on the situation because you’re not alone. This is likely quite common in the fraghead community, it’s just most people sweep it under the rug. You have such a stunning collection, I do hope this pause to reflect helps you to reconnect and enjoy your treasures you already own. I am jonesing to buy perfumes every day, trust me, especially on days like today when I’m heartbroken and feeling quite down. So, what you’re doing here is inspiring to see so that I also don’t go heavy on the retail therapy 😂. Thank you!

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Mamoni I'm sorry you are feeling down. I have been there too and perfume always is there for me and cheers me up for better or for worse. So I understand how you feel. The Iris des Champs is so pretty. One of its own you know? I always see spray samples of that one too that is an option.

[@mamoni7703]

@@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 the other thing I see is that in the US you guys have so many amazing discount sites and also coupon deals from regular retailers that it’s definitely much easier to gain such an enormous collection of perfumes. In Canada, our retail variety/options are super limited and with fewer reputable grey market retailers, they have the monopoly on pricing. Our Canadian customs fees/taxes are so astronomical that it can end up costing us 30 to 40 percent more than what we originally paid for a product from anywhere outside the country. Pays to be American! 😊❤️

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

@@mamoni7703 I've noticed that things are so much more expensive in Canada... fragrance too except for Fragrancebuy.ca! I'm sure it's annoying if only because we're so close by.

[@mamoni7703]

@@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 it’s definitely annoying 🥲😂

[@boogiepimp78]

The Givenchy Gentleman Reserve Prive is so, so good! I recently got it as well.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

It really is so comforting and amazing to wear. I really love it!

[@boogiepimp78]

Feve delicieuse is gorgeous and it's now discontinued in North America. I was lucky to buy myself a big bottle last year. I relate so much to the so many perfumes that you don't give them love. I'm out of space and this year I'm trying to use up quite a few.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I know I feel lucky that I got the Feve as it's already gone, but why am I surprised? And frankly space is my problem I'm out of room I'm with you there. Quite literally. I need to organize so my stuff is accessible and rotatable.

[@parfecto7716]

You must smell Poème, it's something else 😍😍😍

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I know I can't wait. It seems so beloved!

[@pinki3dt]

Oh Wendy….now I want more perfume. I’m very interested in the Gentleman parfum. 😊

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

If you can test it out ... it's a smooth comforting iris scent with a kick of pepper on the top! So nice.

[@kellylyons7611]

I could definitely feel your shame as you were talking about all of your bottles. Wear that A proudly for all to see! ….. Where I stand? I just made a rebuttal video -its title tells the story: ‘the internet is my confessor. I fell off the wagon already’.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Omg Kelly I'll have to watch when I get off work😊

[@christie847]

I really want to see you unbox Montri 😊

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Lol imma making a list of scents to review one by one!

[@programeditor1119]

I bought a purse-size sprayer of Poème, in its current formulation, and found it unpleasant in the extreme. I'll give it another chance, but I was glad I hadn't bought more than 0.27 ounce.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Oh dear. Well it'll be a surprise for sure then😢

[@ankemilia7474]

By the way, Lancome discontinued Poeme like 3 years ago... But similar is Rare Gold from Avon done by Oliver Cresp is a bit more on white florals and Pascal Morabito Sultan Or, more on the vitange version of Poeme ❤

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Ah so it really is gone. People seem so sad about that!

[@ankemilia7474]

@@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 I love the fragrance and was different from what we find now in the market but 've got to be accustomed with discontinuing fragrances that in a way I don't want to collect backups... I have done the same with Chanel Cristalle.... Was removed from the market for 2 years and they have brought it back in a new square bottle as Chanel no. 5

[@mamoni7703]

Oh, and my husband wants to help out by subscribing ❤. He is so cute 😂.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Tell him thank you!

[@christie847]

SOTN: Just got in my bed with a spray of vintage Ysatis which I love but perhaps I should have sprayed it on my back😂🤧

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

Ooooo vintage Ysatis is probably divine!

[@trupial44]

That Weinstrasse sounds so interesting! His site calls it a fougere and reviews seem to think it’s its own thing … do you find it to be more of a chypre? I love oakmoss. Also, would love to hear your review on Montri or any Dusitas you liked. 😀 Wishing you much luck sticking to your goals! When I start thinking I need to buy a bottle, I ask, will this cheapen the special nature of the rest of my little collection of bottles? Or should I just enjoy a decant 😄 This doesn’t always work, but I have to find SOME way to mentally block the fomo 😂

[@trupial44]

Also also … keep meaning to try that TF Beau de Jour. Happy to hear you think it’s a good one

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I find that it has an earthy oakmoss base. Weinstrausse as soon as I smelled it my brain went Chypre! And I appreciate your advice. I think to think more instead of being compulsive. I have a lot of Dustita samples as well as 2 full bottles. Once I get organized I'll do reviews on them😊

[@trupial44]

@@wendisparadeofperfumes5034 I’ll have to order a sample of that one! (after my no-buy 😜)

[@parfecto7716]

Please open the Caron bottle ❤️❤️❤️

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I know it's going to be beautiful.

[@parfecto7716]

Do you actually wear all of them? ☺️ I have around 100 bottles and I keep thinking how on earth am I going to use everything? 🤦‍♀️

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I don't wear all of them admittedly. But I will spray several scents a day, and test them and change my scent after work. I'll also layer throughout the day. But you aren't wrong with this amount of bottles they don't all get regularly worn want sometimes I won't wear things for a year or more.

[@alwilkerson77]

I'm enjoying your shame...🫣😅 I've never seen so.eone have such a large Rose collection. I would love to hear more about them and how they compare, and when one would wear them. A woody or leathery or boozy rose sounds so pretty, but it just seems like the rose itself would be overbearing. Idk, but thanks for sharing! You have a lot of stuff I've never seen or heard of and I appreciate that as well.

[@wendisparadeofperfumes5034]

I'm glad you are okay with my eclectic shelf lol. I love roses in all accords and I could probably do a year of them. Thank you for your note! And I will bear the shame for all😅