I love a good bargain, but you wouldn't know it from this site — it has been ages since we've managed to include anything in the budget perfume category around here. In general, I am buying less and less all the time, regardless of price. My perfume collection already overfloweth, and the bigger it gets, the harder it is for me to convince myself that something new is full-bottle-worthy. But sometimes you just feel the need to spend, even if your wallet is somewhat less than full, and hence my latest acquisition: Encens Mystic.

Encens Mystic is one of the solid perfumes from the Crazylibellule & The Poppies Shanghaijava Collection. These are nifty little 5 gram twist-ups in bright paper packaging, bigger than a lipstick but still small enough to throw in your purse. Encens Mystic has notes of clove, cedar, incense, myrrh, benzoin, musk, patchouli and vanilla. The aroma is church incense (a la Comme des Garçons Avignon) blended with a bit of of holiday candle (vanilla and clove). It isn't wildly complicated, but it smells awfully good. If you find the scent of incense comforting, as I do, it might be just the thing you need this winter for emergency aromatherapy.

Encens Mystic is mildly sweet at most, and could easily be worn by either sex.

All of the Crazylibellule & The Poppies solids leave a bit of a waxy residue on skin. It didn't bother me in the least, but if you think it will bother you, consider yourself warned.

The price? An even $16. For buying information, see the listing for Crazylibellule & The Poppies under Perfume Houses.

Side note: total damage for the year so far, in addition to the Encens Mystic, is 4 full bottles of perfume, 1 half bottle (I split a purchase with a friend) and 1 bottle of scented lotion. It is easily the best I've done since this monkey first climbed on my back. If you'd care to play true confessions yourself, do comment!