As the amount of free space in my perfume cabinet decreases, each additional perfume I contemplate buying goes through a more rigorous vetting than the last.

My last full-bottle purchase was Safran Troublant… back in September, I think? I wore it for a week straight while on vacation in August, then snapped up a bottle using a discount code at Beautyhabit. I haven’t regretted the purchase, but I also haven’t bought a full bottle of anything since. For reference, I bought ten or twelve bottles in the six months prior to that splurge.

Part of this new show of restraint has to do with space limitations; part is that I’m exploring more carefully–spending a longer time with samples and decants than I did in the past; and part of it is keeping a cautious eye on my budget (last quarter’s totals nearly killed me!).

At the moment, I’m trying to decide just what my next purchase will be. The perfumes that I’m trying to decide between aren’t alike, and all belong in my collection—eventually. But I’ve promised myself that I won’t buy another cabinet (or upgrade to a bigger one) until we buy a house. Which we’re still a few years away from doing.

Sure, I could box up “summer” scents in winter, and rotate my perfumes (I keep all the boxes, so this is feasible), but I don’t want to. You know the adage, “out of sight, out of mind.” This practice could lead to inappropriate indulgence. So, with that in mind, I’ve decided to add just one more full bottle to my collection in 2010. What should it be?

Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche
Chanel Bois des Iles
L’Artisan Traversee du Bosphore
Ormonde Jayne Woman
Parfumerie Generale L’Ombre Fauve
Cinq Mondes Eau Egyptienne
Sonoma Scent Studio Rose Musc

Painting by Waterhouse, The Sorceress