This poll was inspired by the very real trauma of having a pre-reformulation Miss Dior Cherie mini leak in my carry-on bag yesterday. (I’m in southern California, visiting my grandparents. Hi, Grandma! Just kidding, Grandma. You don’t know how to turn computers on.) Everything smelled like strawberries. It was far from my worst perfume leak, though; the Great Thierry Mugler Angel Leak of 2011 was truly wretched. What’s the worst perfume leak you’ve experienced or can imagine?
Perfume Leaks Poll
SCENTS OF SELF 
Fortunately I’ve never experienced a perfume leak. However, try as I might, I can’t think of anything worse than an Angel spill! (Well, maybe Secretions Magnifiques would be worse).
I haven’t leaked much. Most of my leaks have actually been fairly pleasant: Sweet Anthem Lucille, oil all over my legs and carpet (it smells great, it was nice to have in the carpet for a few days) and then recently LUSH B Scent all over my lunchbag…
The worst leak I had was when I ordered a 5ml tester of the Perfume & Skin Care Co.’s gardenia perfume from Australia. It took forever to get it, because they either got my address wrong or the postal service is stupid, and the package got sent back to the company. So I had them ship it to my office instead, and when I opened the mailbox, I was whacked in the face with a very powerful gardenia scent. I opened the package, and the tester had leaked almost completely. I only got like one piddly spray out of it. It was a little travel spray thing, and when I opened it to see the glass vial inside, I could see why. The thing was a piece of crap with no seal on it whatsoever. It was very disappointing. It was a pretty nice gardenia, though, just not leaked all over the place.
Commiserations, Ari, and I hope you’re getting better despite the perfume trouble.
Only one perfume leak, thankfully, but it was my precious bottle of “Climat” that leaked into my holdall as I travelled from home to university one weekend. It was a painful loss but, looking on the bright side, that holdall smelled great for a long time!
cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh
Hi Anna!
Have you seen the newest re-issue of Lancome Climet EdT? Selfriges has it and I heard reports of its sightings from other parts of Europe. I’ve just bought it here on eBay and haven’t had a chance to test on skin yet (it arrived a couple of hours ago and I’m wearing another perfume) but on paper it smells not bad. It’s not the original parfum, of course, but it’s not as harsh as older fake EdTs smelled.
I’m still very sad because 4.5 ml out of 5 ml bottle of Under den Linden leaked out on its way to me but since it was a gift I couldn’t request a replacement. I was really upset since it was a very expensive leakage (and a very nice perfume!)
Other than that, I must say that Tom Ford’s Tuscan Leather (even in the smallest decant) isn’t a perfume you want to leak in your cosmetics bag on your flight to New York… 😉
I can’t recall having any horrible leaks. I’ve had a few minor leaks with some samples but thankfully none were anything very strong or nasty. The only thing I can think of which wasn’t a leak but did give me a big splotch of perfume on my blouse was when my bottle of John Varvatos Artisan started spitting at me like a camel instead of spraying.
Hey Arielle,
I had the same problem with a FB of Perfume & Skincare Company Gardenia from LA home. It was perfect on the way across but got home to about 5mls and my case smelled incredible. The box still smells gorgeous.
I had 2 tragic events with Neela Vermeire’s Bombay Bling FB arriving smashed. I keep those boxes in the kitchen and can still smell them as I walk through, that was last year they came.
Also a FB of Montale Sandflowers went through my case on the way back from Korea. The case now smells of a VERY fragrant mixture of Sandflowers and Gardenia. Not a bad combination at all.
Portia xx
Hi, Ari!
Not exactly a leakage, but many years ago, my cats broke an Angel bottle. My apartment reeked of sugared patchouli for weeks.
I also had a decant of Ormonde Woman leak in my handbag, but it was not as traumatic as the Angel experience.
Cheers,
Caro
Having recently begun ordering samples, and having some neuropathy in my hands, I have dropped several and managed to spill their entire contents. (If I’m honest, I was a klutz before the neuropathy.) So far, none have been unbearable, although the bathroom has been very fragrant, and one spill, that went mostly on me, has somewhat put me off fig scents. My mother gave me a small travel atomizer years ago that has so far been completely leak-free; of course it has no brand markings on it anywhere.
Only two leaks that I can remember. My Chanel 31 Rue Cambon sample broke on a flight to Houston. Sad because I lost one of my favorite scents. Luckily, I was following TSA rules and that sample vial was in my one quart, clear, zip top, plastic bag. Everything else in that bag smelled lovely for the rest of the trip. I did however, need to buy a new tube of toothpaste. My only other leak happened when I picked up my box of the 40th Anniversary edition of Clinique Aromatics Elixir. I wasn’t paying attention and the lift off top of the box went one way, the stopper went another way and the bottle itself fell behind my dresser. When I finally was able to get behind the dresser to rescue the bottle I decided it was an opportunity to see if baking soda really does absorb all odors.
A whole decant of Piguet Calypso (c5ml) leaked in a sock drawer and stained the wood! Happily Undina has since restocked me and I can enjoy it again. I did also smash my wand of Kate Walsh Boyfriend shortly after I bought it from you, if that counts as ‘leak’. 😉
Oh gosh, there have been many. Perhaps most traumatic was Stephanie, which I quite liked until the leak.
Very interesting, good work, congratulations.