I Sniff Before I Sleep’s First Birthday

A year ago today, I started I Sniff Before I Sleep – Reflections of a Scent Collector, my personal fragrance blog. I launched it during the utmost chaotic, uncertain, and unsettling time, but having a space to write about the perfumes I love lifted my spirits, brightened my days, and kept me excited during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am a writer and editor in the fields of science and medicine, but writing about perfumes triggers and keeps alive my most creative side along with helping me become a better writer.

As I sniffed, read, and reflected about fragrances over the past year, I reminisced about old memories, took interesting olfactory journeys, and connected my scent experiences and thoughts to the other senses and different art forms.

My friend, Sarah, has edited all of my content. Our relationship started with me being her editor when we worked together in academia, but flipping the roles has been a fun experience and has motivated me to tell better stories. Her support has been key for this adventure from the beginning, as she pushed me to get this going.

I may also have become a slightly better photographer thanks to her help. We spent many hours taking pictures of the fragrances I have featured in my posts and articles – she’s better at it than I am and has taken most of the pictures, but her advice has been invaluable.

Another priceless part of this process was interacting with other bloggers, fragrances lovers, and brands I trust and respect. Becoming part of the fragrance community in different social media settings has allowed me to feel connected at a time when we’re all forced to be isolated. Through these interactions I discovered many new and exciting perfumes and lines, along with the stories behind them, and I learned about what drives people to create fragrances and content every day. Many of these people have read my reviews and provided kind and encouraging words that have meant and continue to mean a lot.

In my first blog post, I talked about Blocki Saharet, a wonderful spicy and sweet fragrance that reminded my friend of “oil paint on canvas” as we saw a Van Gogh exhibition (read the full story and review here). Other fragrances that have connected me with art are Masque Milano Romanza, a decadent interpretation of the narcissus note with retro nuances (read review here), and Perris Monte Carlo Rose de Mai, an impressionistic rendition of the Grasse May rose (read review here).

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Some of my most read posts were about some of my most treasured and cherished fragrances, Zoologist Nightingale, Exaltatum Ruby Wood, Frassai Blondine, Francesca Bianchi Under My Skin, Nobile Malìa, and Jul et Mad Stilettos on Lex. I greatly admire the creative directors and noses behind these lines, and I appreciated their heartening comments about the reviews and pictures.

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An enthusiastic discovery in the past year was Maya Njie Les Fleurs, the only fig-centered perfume I love. I enjoy fig as a fresh fruit, but I usually don’t like it in perfumes, especially when its milky accents are highlighted. Maya’s Les Fleurs is sparkling, invigorating, and just beautiful. Her entire line’s inspiration and color palettes are very personal and moving, which very much resonated with me and what drove me to start my blog (see my review of her line here). A few months ago, I also found Perris Monte Carlo Mimosa Tanneron to be the most realistic mimosa fragrance I’ve tried – it reminded me of the lovely yellow trees I saw growing up (read the full review here).

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As a hunter and lover of classic, rare, and vintage fragrances, I enjoyed writing about a few of my favorites over the last months (Caron Bellodgia, Trussardi, Balmain Jolie Madame). Describing such staples is not an easy task, but Barbara Herman’s book on vintage perfumes, Scent and Subversion, was a great guide and resource for researching the timeless and rebellious beauty of these creations. Barbara signed my copy of her book in 2019, when I met her at the launch of her line Eris Parfums at The Scent Room in Dallas. That afternoon I was very fortunate to also try Mxxx., a genderless and enticing fragrance I now own a full bottle of (read the full review here).

Connecting with perfumers from other independent women-owned businesses and trying their creations has been a wonderful experience. I am grateful to Kaitlyn ni Donovan of Vireo Perfumes for her generosity in sharing her passion and knowledge during many conversations, and for letting me try many of her fragrances (read my article here). I am grateful to Olivia Larson of La Fleur By Livvy for her time and kindness when I reached out about her collections – I was very lucky to try A Walk in Giverny, her latest creation with the perfumer Andreji Babicky (see my review here). I am also grateful to Anjali Vandemark of Anjali Perfumes for being so graceful and open with me when I had many questions about her newly launched line (read my full article and interview with her here). I look forward to more conversations, so stay tuned for more stories, reviews, and interviews.

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This isn’t in any way meant to be a comprehensive list because every review and article I have written is about a fragrance or journey that is special to me in its own unique way. But, I’ve enjoyed this opportunity to reminisce about some of the past year’s fragrant discoveries and explorations.

I have written every piece in this blog with dedication and passion, but I’d love to hear from all of you too. What kind of posts and articles would you like to see moving forward?

Thank you for your continued support!

Pictures by Sarah and my own.