Sunday is usually when I indulge in my bag (and random fashion) lust but its been one dratted hectic week and tomorrow is a start of another, so I’d like to tell you instead about something I discovered quite accidentally. For fellow bag lovers who also enjoy fragrances, I think you’re going to like this one 🙂
You know those useless itty bitty perfume tester strips they give out at perfume counters? I never know what to do with them except sniff at them and then toss.
One day, while I was at the Chanel counter, the SA spritzed me some of the new Chanel Chance perfume. On my skin, it did not seem to suit me, but the smell was quite lovely on its own. I had my hands full, so I tossed the paper strip into my bag.
The whole of the following week, I kept smelling Chanel Chance everywhere I went. I thought it odd that the scent would follow me everywhere I go. Was it a sign I should get the fragrance anyway?!
And then, I emptied out my bag to switch to another, and out fell the paper strip from Chanel with its faint hint of Chance perfume. A lightbulb went off in my head. Its no wonder I was smelling the perfume everywhere I went, it was perfuming my bag! And it was awesome!
These days, when I come across a scent I like, I pick up a tester strip and toss it into my handbag du jour. Scent du jour is Lancome Tresor in Love which has not only taken away all hints of leather smell from my beautiful new satchel, its given the bag a delicious romantic scent that makes reaching into it a joy.
Caveat: Make sure you use a scent you like 😛
Depending on the perfume, the smell can last for weeks (or until you remove the strip from your bag). If you want to switch, just air your bag out for a day or two and then find another perfume strip.
Try it and see for yourself! 😀
Paris B
~Reena~ says
July 18, 2010 at 9:06 amHaha. I always do this! 😀
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:12 pmGuess I’m late to the party! 🙂
florence says
July 18, 2010 at 10:19 amI have been doing this for years…..when ever the scent no more, I just spray on the paper strip again & put it inside the bag.
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:13 pmI like using testers cos then I get scents I might not already own for some variety 🙂 but its a great idea to spray your own
AnT says
July 18, 2010 at 12:57 pmLOL I do this quite often too!
So everytime when I need to change bag, I have lots of strips to discard 😛
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:14 pmHaha yeah I’m experiencing that now
monstro says
July 18, 2010 at 1:30 pmI do that too–it’s fun and easy plus it’s FREE.
Haha!
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:14 pmLOL yes yes! Free is good 😉
chellie says
July 18, 2010 at 2:17 pmaww, i wish i had known this earlier… i had a tester strip of a cherry blossom scent, kept it under my pillow though. i’ll keep this in mind next time
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:15 pmI keep lavender scents near my pillow to help me sleep 🙂 you can try this next time 🙂
gio says
July 18, 2010 at 3:52 pmI never even thought of doing this before. I always considered those sample strips were useless but now I know what to do with them. Thanks for the great tip.
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:15 pmYou’re welcome Gio! I’m glad you found this useful 🙂
Jiayi says
July 18, 2010 at 5:02 pmI did this too!!!
there’s at least 1 sample strip in every bag of mine…xD
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:16 pmLol! I’m seriously late to the party! 😛
fish fish says
July 18, 2010 at 5:17 pmI do that sometimes when I come across some new fragrances I like.
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:16 pmSame – I like using a new fragrance provided I like the scent – it adds variety
Sugar says
July 18, 2010 at 5:57 pmlol, me n my bestie Tracy have been donig this for years too! every bag of mine smells different!
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:17 pmGlad I finally caught onto a good thing 😉 I’m glad the scent dissipates after a while so I can have variety
rinnah says
July 18, 2010 at 6:23 pmI used to do this all the time! But it only works for me if it’s a scent that I really like and don’t mind smelling. Time to start doing it again… 🙂
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:19 pmYep! No point using a scent we don’t like. Sometimes the scent smells nice but not on me so my bag is the next best thing 😉
Astrocyte says
July 18, 2010 at 7:17 pmHi… I’ve been a silent reader up till now and I must say that I really enjoy your posts. What really prompted me to finally comment is that I spy a red satchel in the background!!! I’ve been totally yearning to get one ever since your first post on it but am still undecided about the size– 14 or 15” (I want to use it to carry a laptop but the 15” in the photos look so clunky!!), red or vintage brown (red is so attractive but I doubt that it’ll age as well as the brown, I buy my bags to last…). Did you get yours from the Cambridge satchel or Tom Brown? Any regrets or comments the size or colour that you got?
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:21 pmHaha! That’s being eagle eyed! Yes its a satchel from Cambridge Satchel Co. I’ll be writing about it soon – didn’t have time to take pictures. I got it red because I like the colour and I have absolutely no regrets because I love it!! 🙂
yw says
July 18, 2010 at 7:32 pmi put the strips inside my clothes drawers too… nice smell when you open your cupboards but faint enough that it doesn’t cling to the clothes n clash with whatever perfume you spritz on 🙂
ParisB says
July 18, 2010 at 8:21 pmThat’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Shay says
July 18, 2010 at 9:43 pmAwesome tip! I didn’t know everybody does this. 😀
I’m gonna do this too!
yuki says
July 18, 2010 at 11:01 pmI do this all the time!! My bag smells amazing after that… My wallet and handphone too!! Here’s another tip from me, u know those small bottles of samples of perfume they give out, use it for travelling! It’s so convenient! I just carry it with me in my bag!
Nail Galore says
July 18, 2010 at 11:53 pmHahaha..
I do this all the time Paris. At times ill go hunting for it just to do tht..
However sometimes i put too many in it and puff!! it gives me headache:-)
yumiko says
October 11, 2010 at 3:09 pmcool~!i guess it’s not too late to try now for me =P
Sofia says
April 6, 2012 at 6:52 amWonderful tip! I was actually trying perfumes today, should have done that. I’ll definitely do so next time 🙂