My husband and I are on our 1-year anniversary vacation, and are coming to the end of a week long trip to Newport, Oregon.

For the trip, I packed 28 perfumes to choose from (not full-bottles!). I’ve worn three, but only one consistently: Safran Troublant.

I have some trouble with Olivia Giacobetti’s fragrances, and it’s the same trouble with each one (Dzing!, Vamp A NY, and ST, so far)… they’re stunningly beautiful, transparent, unusual, and overall excellent, but they don’t have that punchy edge I tend to like in my personal fragrances.

Having tried Safran Troublant many times before this trip, I wasn’t anticipating changing my mind about it; I brought it along because I have to have a few dozen to choose from—just one of my newish neurosis. One day I was wearing it, and fell asleep during mid-day after an adventurous morning. I was dreaming about a wonderful smell, creamy and delicious. In the dream I was following after it, trying to get to the source. I woke up, and my wrist was planted next to my nose: it was Safran Troublant! After that dreamy experience, I’ve been wearing it every day, applying two or three times a day. Dream-like is a good way to think about this particular work, or really, probably any of OG’s work.

I love the blast of saffron and spices in the early stages, the persistent delicate rose all the way through, and the creamy velvet dry-down that smells like my skin, only better.

When I started seriously collecting perfumes, I was very much in the “This works for me”/”This doesn’t work for me” camp. I’m excited to find that I’m not only learning to appreciate fragrances that “don’t work for me,” but I’m learning to love a new way of wearing perfume.

I like the way Chandler Burr put it (to grossly paraphrase): There’s the classic French style, where you wear the perfume like you wear clothing; you put it on and it’s beautiful (this is where I started). Then there’s the modern style, where you put on a perfume, and you smell good. The scent becomes a part of you, a better smelling you.

A total hack job (sorry Chandler) but it illustrates what I’m experiencing. I think I’ll probably always favor the powerhouse classics, but I’m growing. As my wallet shrinks. ST will likely be my purchase during the next visit to Perfume House later this month.