Mitsouko is not my favourite perfume. It is not even my favourite Guerlain.
But there is a I4ml vintage parfum by my bed, like the bottle in this picture, and I keep finding that I unstopper that stopper, budged though it is in that bottle, and, recently, keep wearing it while I sleep.
It is a doctored edition, I will confess (and I know that that is outrageous.)
There are several different vintage parfums in there: a touch of parfum de toilette, one drop of ylang ylang oil cause you know I do that, and a significant amount of added bergamot.
But last night I got it to exactly how I want it.
Remixed her up a treat, to the proportions that I think I remember.
Yes, she can be witchy, damp and sour-tempered; yes she can be musty.
But when you get that golden ray effect, that Chinese empress pillow of velvet, the rueful, gustatory glow of the citrus and the mosses, then I suppose it makes sense why this is currently my night-time companion.
Duncan is always asleep. The cat is in the other room at the moment.
This glides me quite nicely to the next zone.