Several people have asked for a post on perfume layering. I am undoubtedly not the best person to write such a post, so am counting on reader assistance here — please share advice or favorite layering combinations in the comments!
What is perfume layering
A quick Google search will show you that many consumers and perfume companies define layering as using more than one form of the same scent, that is, using the perfume over the matching body lotion or dusting powder, or what have you. What your typical perfumista means by the term is quite different, and involves applying more than one perfume at the same time to create an entirely new fragrance.
A few brands that encourage layering
Jo Malone has long espoused the idea of layering (they call it "fragrance combining"), and there are a number of suggested combinations on the brand's website. I can vouch for Vintage Gardenia + Pomegranate Noir.
Creative Scentualization has a line called Perfumer's Palette that includes 33 accords meant to be used as top, middle and base notes — a layering playground.
Susanne Lang's Layers collection is sold separately or in layering sets, but the range of fragrances is not so extensive as it once was. Lang's cheaper line, Sula (see image above), includes six fragrances that can be layered or worn alone.
Donna Karan's Essence collection comprises four basic fragrances, lavender, wenge, labdanum and jasmine, meant to be worn alone or layered. They are sold separately in oil or Eau de Toilette form, or in a set of all four oils for $185.
How to layer
I've been asked how one ought to layer, that is, are there rules about which fragrance you ought to apply first, etc? If there are rules, I don't know what they are, and gosh, there are enough rules in life, aren't there? I say just experiment and see what works.
I do find that if you are layering two fragrances of radically different strength, like say, the big bully Yves Saint Laurent M7 over the lightweight L'Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons (not recommending that, by the way, although for all I know it is lovely), it works best if you decant the stronger scent so that you can apply just the teensiest little dab. If you're too lazy to decant, spray onto a fingertip and wipe off the excess before applying.
My own favorite layering combinations
In the summer, I layer almost anything over Hermès Jardin Sur Le Nil body lotion. It adds the sheerest little backdrop of citrusy incense, and works well with so many other scents I couldn't possibly name them all. Bains du Marais Eau de Soin in Fleurs d'Oranger is another perfect summer canvas: it adds a bit of floral sweetness to anything that needs it.
A basic vanilla lotion will sweeten your favorite dry woody fragrances, and I dream of finding a really rich cardamom lotion (suggestions? does such a thing exist?) for days when Fendi Theorema isn't spicy enough.
Sheer floral scents can be given added depth and complexity with a light spritz of Diptyque Tam Dao, Comme des Garçons Avignon or Terre d'Hermès (which, by the way, also goes beautifully with Kelly Caleche). If you want to keep the sheerness but add a little buzz of incense, try L'Artisan Passage d'Enfer. Another great incense layering agent (and a bargain to boot) is Crazylibellule & The Poppies Encens Mystic.
When I want something to be greener than it is (and I often do), I add a dab of the (tragically discontinued) Gobin Daude Sous Le Buis. When my stash of Sous Le Buis runs out, I'm planning to kill myself.
CB I Hate Perfume Burning Leaves + Gathering Apples makes a lovely fall combination, and it might be the only apple scent I can tolerate. Over at Perfume Posse, they are very fond of using Burning Leaves or CB Musk as layering agents.
Many people like to layer other fragrances over basic musks. I do this sometimes with Body Time Egyptian Musk, and as that one is such a thick oil, it has the added bonus of extending the lasting power of whatever I layer on top of it.
A final note: not everything smells good together. If need be, consult How to remove fragrance from skin.
Update: see also, More ideas for fragrance layering: vanilla scented lotions
Oh please, someone tell us that cardamom lotion exists! Most of my layering these days are attempts to make things spicier — lots of attempts with Black Cashmere as the base. Had a successful run the other night but can't…quite…remember…
Layering Tip: Write down successful combos. You think you'll remember, but after the drunken drydown, who knows?
Another Tip: Get someone else to tell you what you smell like before venturing out, if you care about that sort of thing. 1+1 can be 1,000 in perfume math. I've been mightily pleased inside the eye of some sillage tornadoes that nearly knocked my usually tolerant sweetie over as he crossed the front door threshold.
Seriously, writing it down is great advice. Most of my best layering combos have been by accident (I forget I already have something on, or I'm decanting a bunch of stuff) and then I forget them.
Nobody in my household likes anything I wear, so there is little point in my asking, LOL…
Oh I have to laugh, logging on and seeing this, as I don't know what fit came over me this morning….first I spritzed YSL Paris, and then felt like having some winter warmth instead of Parisian spring and so spritzed Guerlains Double Vanille—it was more of a lazy gesture than a considered pairing, but the two have not stopped arguing all morning and I have a headache!
LOL — that is the 1+1=1000 mentioned above, I think!
Oh, you guys, I've got a million ideas — xcept I don't remember any of them!!! Actually, I do have some of the most successful combos written down and stuck in my basket of fragrances in my fridge, but I'm at work. Awww. I can say that, in the same way that something vanilla-y and sweet, as Robin said, can help certain scents warm up, I find that something like L'Occitane Orange Leaves — verrrrry green but not harsh — can tone down some of the frags I've acquired that, on their own, are just a little sweeter than I'm in the mood for. I love layering! It's creative, hands-on, and it really expands my fragrance wardrobe without costing an extra cent! When I first smelled Midnight Poison last week, I wanted it, but didn't want to spend the bucks, so I spritzed from a sample on one hand, and concocted a “phoney” on the other with Essents patchoili, amber, Chance and. . .oh, what did I use for the rose?. . .Anyway, it was delicious! Not exactly a knock-off, but in the ballpark. I use SL Santal Blanc to woody-up things, SL Un Bois Vanille to sweeten and warm. . .very successful, in particular, with anything orange-y.
I don't know why I never use SLs to layer — I know they encourage it at the SL counters, but for some reason I don't ever think of it. Un Bois Vanille w/ something orange sounds great. And kudos for making your own Midnight Poison!
Oh I love this article…but dinner first..:))
I find most Lutens so overwhelming in terms of the amount of attention they require from me that it's difficult to think about adding to them — enough is enough, or something like that. I tend to think of layering scents as simpler (and cheaper). But I bet they're great –Victoria P. recommends several combos and I bow to her wisdom.
That might be my issue too — they aren't simple to begin with.
Before I will eat: I once layered Un Jardin Sur Le nil with Kelly Caleche. Did that on purpose not because it seemed like a good idea but because both fragrances last too short to my taste.
Anyway, my hand smelled overwhelmingly sahweet sweet, and it lasted more than the 'usual' four hours. Wouldn't do it again.
Ah, haven't tried that combo. I can see how it might be too much!
One of my favorite combos is McQueen's Kingdom and SL Santal de Mysore. Kingdom is perfect as is…but if I want to butch it up, I add the Santal de Mysore. I think that combining works best when the primary notes are the same or at least similar. I often find that combining with other scents from the same house seem to be a safe bet…like Eau du Sud and Eau d'Hadrien or L'eau de L'Artisan and Primier Figuier. I find that L'eau de L'Artisan blends well with a lot of things….
Well, R., who knows if my mock-Midnight would have Poisoned anyone in the vicinity, tee-hee! Perhaps it was horrible. (My fledgling experimentation is safest done in solitude!) But for me, it was very satisfying. I think, as someone who's newer to fragrance than so many who contribute to your site, layering — disasters and all — is a good way to get to understand fragrances better, by having to really think about what they are individually. Great idea for a topic, Robin, and interested to pick up some truly inspired ideas from others today.
Kingdom + Santal Mysore must be BOLD — I can only imagine!
Adore L'Eau de L'Artisan but never layered it, I think when I want it jazzed up I just wear Navegar. Will have to experiment.
Never thought about layering that way — as a way to understand fragrances better — but I'm sure you're right.
Was going to add as well — MP ought to be at discount before too many more months, if that helps 🙂
Yes, and SLs can be quirky, too. I mean, what would possibly get along with Louve, all odd cherry/bitter almond creaminess? Even alone, it's. . .not exactly easy. (But I happen to adore it — wearing it right now, and it lack for NOTHING. My current comfort scent.)
LOL — I simply cannot resist saying that Louve lacks the other stuff in Rahat Loukoum — j/k though, glad you love it 🙂
Robin, I need to re-visit Navegar. I haven't smelled it since it came out and I have heard it mentioned several times recently. Hmmm, I wonder if it is destiny and I am supposed to own it?
I have also had some tragic experiments that were scrubbers…in fact, most are scrubbers. I think that is why I am convinced that I should leave perfumery to the experts!
Have yet to smell Rahat Loukoum. I don't believe it's here in Vancouver. I know how you've said Louve doesn't hold a candle to it, and it's frustrating I had to buy the runner-up. By the way, I love your phrase about being in the eye of your self-made fragrance tornedo!!!
Hey, lots of people prefer Louve. I wouldn't lose any sleep over Rahat 🙂
That is ahtx's phrase, see the comment above!
Navegar seems to be built on L'Eau de L'Artisan's base — take out some of the citrus & grassy notes, add some peppery spices and you have Navegar. Can't remember now if Navegar is one of the ones that got discontinued though? Or maybe only in the small size.
Yep, all my best layering combos have been accidents! I admit I end up “layering” more often because I'm anxious to try yet another scent than as a deliberate effort to combine the two.
I have discovered that spraying, say, one arm with “A” and the other arm with “B” is my favorite effect. I can smell both frags together in the air, but can sniff them separately on my skin if I want to. As you note, I'm enjoying Burning Leaves with vanilla.
I have tried to layer Mitsouko a number of times and have (barely) lived to regret it. Mitsouko does not appreciate being layered. 🙂
I was once craving an incensy carnation scent, so I layered Comme des Garcons Avignon with Bellodgia.
It wasn't half bad!
I have not tried the CB Musk layered yet, but Burning Leaves really is perfect for layering.
And Mitsouko has the power to fight back, LOL…
Would never have thought of it, but hey, that does sound good!
I looooooove layering! It's the budget perfumista's way to play. Today, I wanted to smell like soap-with-a-kick, so I layered Rive Gauche Intense with Jo Malone Honeysuckle Jasmine, and it's perfect.
Some other favorites:
Narciso Rodriguez / CdG Avignon
CS Perfect Veil / Demeter Tangerine
JM Vintage Gardenia / C&tP Encens Mystic
Chanel No. 5 / EL Pleasures Delight
10 CC / almost anything, but it was great with Encens Mystic, too
Jardin sur le Nil / amber scents work surprisingly well
Those are really great recs, thanks! Might have to try Vintage Gardenia + Encens Mystic later today. Chanel no. 5 + Pleasures Delight I can't even imagine, so might have to throw that on too!
http://www.healthgoods.com/Shopping/Personal_Care_Products/Organic_Hand_Body_Lotions.asp
I found this cardamom lotion, but it's also lavender.
I LOVE layering scents too, and I think any perfumista has tried it at least a few times. I prefer to layer the strongest scent as the base, especially spiced or oriental, white florals. I let it set for a few minutes while getting dressed and add the next. Usually a vanilla based CSP or a gourmand. Sometimes I just leave it alone, but half way through the day I have to mix in another scent.
I was at L'Occitane the other day and tried for a second time their honey lemon edt, sprayed it on, but decided that I already knew the scent, so gently rubbed a tiny bit of their Ultra Rich Body Cream (the one without any particular smell) hoping that the HL-smell would somehow vanish. The contrary happened and the Honey Lemon EdT came out stronger than before, lasted longer and was stronger than the Cherry Blossom EdT..
So I will just try the same thing with another of my fragrances again to see what happens..?
By the way, I bought the cream instead of an EdT 😉
Have two more scents that I want to layer but have not yet decided in which sequel: Eau de Campagne Sisley with Purplelight by Salvador Dali. Something very green with the sweetness of purple lilacs.
I love the vanilla/wood thing. Another great combination with woody/spicy fragrances is JPGaultier2, I use the massage oil, it is fantastic. Particularly with Timbuktu. I also layer orange blossom with tuberose (lotion/oil/scents of various brands) and they work great together. Rahat Loukhoum or Louve I layer over Almond lotion by Garden Botanika or the Cherry Almond lotion by Kiehls.
Like everyone else, I love to layer, too. I do tend to use cheaper, simpler scents as layering agents. Coty Wild Woods is a favorite woodier-upper, but it's very cedar-y, which doesn't always work. I'm very fond of rose and used to use Perfumer's Workshop Tea Rose a lot, until I discovered Yves Rocher Rose Absolue. Now I layer w/ the YR when I want a bit of sweetness or the body that rose provides, and I use the Tea Rose most often as a linen spray. I also like the scented lotion idea. I have a few roll on oils and roll them on my palm, then add some unscented lotion and mix it together before applying. Amber oil is a favorite. YSL Nu edp, dabbed from a vial, is a good incense-intensifier that's less expensive than, say, Messe de Minuit. Very fun post, thanks as always!
L'Occitane Honey Lemon layered with their Orange Leaves smells like the most beautiful soap — though not at all soapy — in the world. HL also has rescued the bottle of Poison Eau Fraiche I was given: On its own the Eau Fraiche was sour and strange on me, but the sunny sweetness of the Honey Lemon brought out all its dusky, floral beauty. That can be a big bonus of layering: redeeming otherwise unwearable bottles. Also, the whole-is-
greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts factor!!
Like your ideas, Rosarita. The Gap's White Amber is a very versatile and inexpensive layering agent if you haven't tried it. Nice on its own, too.
So many great ideas from everybody..:-) !! and I am so intrigued by the layering of Chanel with Estee Lauder….
Chanel is so powerful that is takes courage to layer another great scent over it.
I think Terre d'Hermes is great for layering and Eau des Merveilles too. Both need something extra to give them more dept or sweetnes. Brin de reglisse with Eau des Merveilles should work.
Unfortunately I don't have these scents at home.
Eau de The Vert by Bulgari is so light, I'm going to think about a combination something with jasmin could do it or something with orange or some scent with licoriceroot if there is a scent with it apart from BdReglisse.
Gaultier2 w/ Timbuktu is very intriguing. Have never layered anything w/ Timbuktu, but now I'm tempted!
Perfumesecrets — the lavender will nix it for me, but hope that will work for someone else!
I have in my files two very long lists of combinations (some suggested by J-C Ellena) that were published a while ago in French ELLE. (I've posted them a few times on MUA.) I've not tried any of them because I don't have any of the perfumes involved, but I like the 'idea' of a lot of them.
I don't tamper with Tubéreuse Criminelle, but I've been known to layer Fleurs d'Oranger with a tiny drop of Cuir Mauresque. They both have orange blossom and go very well together.
Rosarita, all great ideas, thanks! And don't know why I'm not using Tea Rose as a linen spray, I should.
Love Eau de Campagne, haven't smelled the Purplelight.
I've read the list on MUA, not that I remember any of it! I can't imagine layering TC or Iris Silver Mist, they are too perfect on their own. FdO + CM sounds lovely, though.
Love it, “ahtx”!
They're very long and elaborate. (If you want to post them here, I can let you have them (lost your email address, though, in the big July PC crash).
It is: it makes FdO a bit more multidimensional and it softens CM's rough edges.
Eau d'Hadrien and Songes is beautiful. EdH is also great with…drum roll please–Skin Musk. It becomes a cozy woody citrus. EdH is also pretty with Jo Malone Wild Fig & Cassis, very green and cool for summer.
I also like the Jo Malone combo you mention Robin…Pom Noir is also pretty with Orange Blossom. I bought a bunch of decants and played with them once…I wish I could remember which other combos worked best.
That's about the limit of my layering experiment, but I picked up some good ideas here. 🙂
J, thanks so much for the offer but I'll pass — it is more copyrighted material than I'd usually quote. Found your post at MUA, and am very interested to try Kenzo Flower + YSL M7 — that could be interesting. Or deadly. One or the other.
Never would have thought of Songes + Hadrien, but that does sound lovely! Great ideas, thanks.
Hi! I've never posted before, but I've been reading here for some time. . . Anyway, I would love to have suggestions for two layering dilemmas:
First, I'm trying to find a body lotion that will work well with my L'heure Bleue without shelling out $70 for the actual L'heure Bleue lotion on ebay.
Also, I have Chanel Gardenia, which I used to love, but now I only like. It's a little clean (bland? I don't know the word really. . . ) for my current mood. How can I dirty it up a bit?
You're right, of course, R: I've had those clippings for so long that I forgot they didn't belong to me. LOL!
You must report on the result of your experiment. 🙂
I'm going to be no help on L'Heure Bleue, but on the Chanel, if it were me I'd layer it over a very plain dark wood or incense. CdG Avignon might work nicely. For anything more daring, you'll have to hope somebody else comes along — as I said, I'm not the best person to be writing about layering!
If I live through it 😉
L'Occitane's Honey and Lemon (which I find a bit cloying), over L'Origin's Ginger body souffle. Adds a bit of kick and cuts the sweetness.
Jo Malone's Lime, Basil and Mandarine Body Cream sprtized with the new Jasmine and Mint. Makes the Jasmine and Mint last longer and gets a fresh hay kick in the mid-notes–probably the basil/jasmine mix, but still great, better than either one alone.
SL's Louve over Sage's Amber lotion–the amber gives the almond real depth.
Miller Harris's Figue Amere over Origin's Ginger body souffle. Amazing mix that blends completely and comes up with a rich, round fragrance with a kick of spice.
Miller Harri's Figue Amere over Aveda #6 pure-fume body lotion. Rich spice heaven.
SL's Arabie with –no kidding–Heely's spirit of the Tiger. Tiger alone has non-foody cardamom and clove, and is quite dry. With the rich, deep dates and sweet candied fruits of Arabie, you get a much drier, cooler spice mixture.
Just a word of mix-warning–don't try mixing on your way to work in the morning. Try it when you get home, or before bed. Keep mixes off your clothing. If you mix up a scrubber, you won't be shunned in the office.
Scrubber removal: coat offending area with Chapstick. Let sit for about 3 minutes. Remove with make-up remover. Wash with warm water and soap or shower gel. Dry. Apply no-scent or generic hand cream.
–Q
Great recs, thanks! I really need to get some Origins Ginger Body Souffle, don't I?
p.s. going to have a nightmare about Arabie+Spirit of the Tiger tonight, I just know it.
Big believer in layering with low risk/low lasting power overlays. Have had some luck recently with adding Demeter Gingerale to things or a squirt of Essence of John Galliano room spray.
Yes you will! The first 30 seconds i thought my arm would just drop off, and then. . .oddly. . .it worked!
Robin, of course Terre d'Hermes with Kelly Caleche…how could I have missed the idea ! 😉
I am not such a person for very sweet fragrances and vanilla is not my favorite ingredient – unless used moderately and amber can make a fragrance pretty sweet as well. L'Instant de Guerlain is as far as it goes for me together with Byzance de Rochas.
Feminite du Bois needs something drier to my taste.. Un Jardin Mediteranee is too much like cigar smoke to me – both contain precious cedar (one sweet/the other smokey) so this means experimenting a lot in the stores. 🙂
FdB is deeply appreciated and UJM has my admiration by this 'obsedee par parfums' but each one alone doesn't do it for me so one needs to be inventive.. Maybe the bodylotion of FdB with UJM edt is something to consider.
Have been playing with those ideas for weeks but felt kind of uncertain.
Now with these explosions of creativity by everyone I am ready to go and LAYER.
Luckily there are a few stores nearby…sigh
I love lavender, and Amazon.com carries the Pangea line, so this is definitely going on my wish list. Thanks for finding it for us.
My contribution is layering Estee Lauder Youth Dew creme with Jolie Madame, or Ivoire de Balmain. Very dry, very urbane.
The Chanel No. 5/EL Pleasures Delight combo sounds wierdly appealing to me. Let us know if you try it.
Oooh, John Galliano room spray would fix lots of things, wouldn't it? And the Gingerale would brighten things, I must try it.
Wearing it now. Have only a vial sample of ELPD, and a spray of no. 5, so perhaps did not get the proportions right — it is annoying me because it smells like adulterated no. 5 instead of like its “own thing”, if you know what I mean. Like no. 5 w/ cake & fizzy fruit. Still, it is way more pleasant than I would've thought. Need to try later w/ more EL and less Chanel.
Navegar, after my initial indifference to it, has become my staple. It is wonderfully chameleonesque; my experience of it changes with the seasons and throughout the dry-down. Subtle and discreet, it weaves between dry, peppery top notes and a more expansive, sensual base that warms throughout the day.
I really encourage you to try it.
The only downside is that it, like most L'Artisan, has a short life on the skin.
Good luck!
While we're on the subject, two questions for fellow Navegaristas:
1. any tips for making it last looooooooonger on the skin?
2. any suggestions for similar scents I might like?
Thank you!
You've tried L'Eau de L'Artisan? They aren't the same, but they are quite similar. And not smell-alikes, but in feel it reminds me of some other Olivia Giacobetti scents — esp. Andree Putman & Cinq Mondes Eau Egyptienne. Those don't last either though — longevity is not OG's strong point.
Best recommendation I have for making it last is to wear it over a rich unscented body cream, and spray it on your clothes as well.
Timbuktu by itself was too dry on me, so I wanted to sweeten it up. For some reason the sweetness and particular smell of JPG2 just works incredibly well with Timbuktu.
Have you tried cardamom lotion from Kiehl's? I have the shower gel, and it is amazing. Might be worth a try…
You know, I'm thinking it's actually coriander from Kiehl's, not cardamom. But it's lovely…
Try layering by applying the scents next to each other rather than on top of one another. I always have more success when the scent can kind of “mix itself” in the air.
For example, the commenter below inspired me to try Gaultier2 with 10CC, and it's wonderful! I sprayed 10CC liberally on my arms and neck and then just dabbed a bit of the Gautlier2 oil on my pulse points. Smells like burnt pralines.
Burnt pralines is tempting – will have to try that. Keep meaning to buy the 10CC lotion, this might be a good excuse.
I've tried the lotion — and think it is coriander but now I can't remember. I do know I liked it, but have in mind something way spicier, probably so spicy that nobody else would buy it 🙂
Thank you for a great topic.
I didn't know where to start, I layer so often, that I almost gave up. Still, I have some combinations that wouldn't stay quiet. So here, for my own peace of mind, are two of them:
For my own mediterranean orange orchard, the one of my childhood in the 60's, i layer Privat Collection TG and Grey Flannel; the trees are there, heavy with fruit and blossom and shiny, newly washed, dark green leaves, the wet dirt, the fine grass, they're all there, pinching my heart with their poetic, aching beauty.
And Hiris gets to dress up on my arms with some rose, these days it's Bulgari Rose Essentielle (which was a gift and would never get any use if it weren't for layering), for a very chic, sophisticated, night-at-the-opera feel. also, it brings me back some Paloma, which was my wedding day treat.
There, I feel better now.
PCTG + Grey Flannel sounds wonderful — I really need to get some Grey Flannel. And Hiris sounds nice w/ some rose too, thanks!
R, have you tried BURN's Balinese Wood body lotion for a cardamom kick? I don't think it's straight cardamom, but it's what comes out most for me when I use it.
No ideas on layering at the moment, sorry!
You know, I've never really looked at their lotions — and wow, I want all of them. Wish they had a set of mini travel sizes or something. Balinese Woods looks awesome, I'll see if I can find a tester, thanks!
salvation! I have found a site that caters to my addiction. Ya'll are much more sophisticated then I am…really.But I do have a beginner's question on layering. I am enchanted with Estee Lauder's Beautiful Love. But it doesn't last and seems to have no um, guts. I would like to layer an oilier more sensual base to it, but what? I don't care much for patchouli. I would appreciate any suggestions you lovely people have. Oh, I don't want to lose the essence of the fragrance, just enhance it. Thank you so much-Rebecca
Hi Rebecca, and welcome!
Since you don't, in this case, want to change the scent, wonder if you've tried using the Beautiful Love Body Lotion underneath the EdP? Or perhaps even trying the Perfumed Body Creme for the original EL Beautiful, which might be a tad heavier (and gutsier)?
I've been reading this site for some time now and subscribed today. A wonderful site for an enthustiastic (Took a 4 hour trip to the town today just to spray on some perfume to test and drove back ) beginner from Finland. And a very interesting article on layering. I'm such a novise that until now I thought combining different scents was almost a crime. Glad to learn it's possible to get nice results by layering. Am enjoying enormously all your articles and comments, have learned more in a week than during the past year by just testing. Which is no surprise.
Since Coco Mlle is probably not highly respected here, you might not be interested in elaborating around this. But Iets see. I bring it up 'cause so far it's the first sweet/orientalish fragrance that mixes well with my skin. All other have ended up muddy or muddled, too musky, too disgusting. I don't like Mlle:s aggressive top notes, but the middle notes and base notes are soft and nice. I'm trying to stick with this, get the best out of it and explore it, including what can be DONE TO IT. Do you have ideas on what to layer with Coco Mlle to give it some character? Or is it a hopeless mainstream scent?
Dear Now smell this. I guess I am actually wrong. I would like to change EL's Beautiful Love a bit, not merely enhance it. It is lovable to me because of the green and creamy, luminous flower notes, but it seems to lack any sensual base notes. I'd like to sexy it up a bit. Maybe some type amber, musk or woody base. I'm not sure how to do it. I think with B.L., you wear it for your wedding and that's it. Unless you plan other short romantic occasions…sleeping with a bad lover perhaps? At least you might add a more sensual vibe to it. Shame on me.
Hi and welcome! Coco Mlle isn't my own favorite, so might not be ABLE to elaborate, LOL, but can you give me some better idea of what you'd like to end up with? Something drier, deeper, sweeter, woodier — ??
But wouldn't worry about “not highly respected” — I'm sure I wear plenty of such things.
Thank You! This is one of the most interesting blogs I've read. Hope to catch on english perfume terms + terminology + knowledge so commenting gets possible…
As for Coco Mlle I'd imagine layering it with something very natural. Would like to keep the sweetness since it's the first time anything sweet and/or deep smells good on me, and I'm really enjoying that in the cold winter.
Favourite perfumes/scents are: Diorissimo, Chanel 5, tea rose, turkish Lemon Cologne, Armani Attitude (on a “sea watered” sailor…so delicious. Not “old clothes” at all). Other: lemon, fresh flowers, clean air, sunburned heather and “burned” rose.
Dislikes: Angel, all the Poisons, all YSLs, all Lancômes. Other: scented candles (except tea rose), room and car refresheners, candy lip gloss.
I tried layering with Body Shops tea rose oil, not a good combination…
I wonder how it would work with a touch of Yves Rocher Voile d'Ambre or something similar? Or The Body Shop Woody Sandalwood Oil, or seriously, a good spray of EL BL over the TEENSIEST little dab of EL Youth Dew.
Coco Mlle has rose, so would have thought that might play up the heart notes nicely — too bad it didn't work!
I know many people layer Coco Mlle over vanilla lotion. You could make it darker by layering over something with patchouli (although I'd go lightly on the patch), and I also have read that it goes very nicely over the original Chanel Coco.
Thanks, I'll try vanilla lotion. And maby some more testing with rosy scents and the amount of it (might have put on too much Tea Rose earlier…) Also patchouli is worth trying. So, thank you!
Hi…. Red Flower makes an incredible body oil called Cardamom Amber Oil. It's crazy good! I always use this to layer with other perfumes. Good luck finding one you like. I always seem to want things that are unusual or less popular too.
I'll keep an eye out for it, thanks! Would you say it's heavier on the amber or the cardamom?
Recently (the weather here has been bitterly cold) I've been exploring vanilla-amber-orange comfort scents and have discovered that layering SL Un Bois Vanille with -no joke- The Body Shop Satsuma perfume oil is mouth-wateringly comforting. I'm sure it is sacrilege though. Although I do think certain of the SL frags (the simpler ones like Clair de Musc/Sa Majeste La Rose) are well-suited to layering.
That Body Shop Satsuma oil is a real cheap thrill. Lovely zingy uncomplicated orange. The orangiest orange. 🙂
I know the SL line recommends layering, but you're probably right that they didn't mean TBS, LOL — that sounds lovely though, and they don't ever have to find out!
Absolutely not! it's like drawing a Groucho Marx tache and specs on the Mona Lisa. Well ok, that might be a slight overstatement. It is surprisingly good, though. The rich woody vanilla is lovely with a dab of juicy orange on top.
Sometimes the reverential aura surrounding SL annoys me – and I'm not even English. That said, one of my friends is in France atm and I have given her a mission to seek out Iris Silver Mist and Tubereuse Criminelle and Chergui in an SL boutique for me. Very excited at the thought of finally getting my paws on a bottle of one of these. 🙂
PBI: 'in an SL boutique'. There is only *one* SL boutique: the Salons du Palais Royal in Paris. Unless your friend can order Iris Silver Mist and Tubéreuse Criminelle online or over the phone and have the bottles delivered to an address in France (or elsewhere in Europe), she won't find them anywhere else.
Chergui is an Export (as well as an Exclusive) so can probably be found in French parfumeries if they still have some in stock, since it was a LE.
What is it with Serge Lutens and his fragrances?
The other day I phoned SdPR in Paris and at first they were not willing at all to send me anything – the reason being me living in Prague. When I asked them why, I got the answer that they worry about things being stolen in the mail.
Now I appreciate it when companies are carefull, but those things happen sometimes.
After some talking back and forth now something is on it's way to Prague.
That will be my first opportunity to try anything by Serge Lutens. Frederic Malle and Montale don't have any problems to send stuff. Montale samples were here within two or three days.
If the staff of Salons du Palais Royal in Paris would use Fedex, then they could deliver anywhere in the world without any danger or problems.
Exclusivity is nice but no need to exaggerate.
Elinoraddict, it annoys me too, but yes, you need all 3 of those scents, LOL…
All I can say is that many brands don't make any samples available at all, much less FedEx them to anybody anywhere…so I feel for you, but this is common.
I stand mortifiedly corrected 🙂
What I am in fact thinking of is Frederic Malle's boutiques – evidently my SL lemmings are getting the better of me. I live in Europe so should 'theoretically' be able to order SL exclusives on line and have them sent. Not that my credit card will thank me for this.
No, I have never sniffed PdT or Carnal Flower or L'Eau d'Hiver and am strongly tempted to ask my friend to buy them for me unsniffed. Someone stop me!!!
LOL! It can be very confusing.
😀 I don't mean that samples should be sent by Fedex.. LOL.. but the bottles, those exclusive unavailable Serge Lutens to the US and anywhere else outside Western Europe.
Those ideas about Prague and things being stolen in the mail, are a little bit outdated.
Oh, so sorry! I thought you meant *you* thought they should FedEx you some samples — my mistake 🙂
Today something so nice happened…in my mailbox I found an enveloppe from Les Salons Du Palais Royal Shiseido….. and the enveloppe contained a nice little card from them and a lovely booklet and nineteen samples of the exclusive line by Serge Lutens…
That just felt as if someone gives you the most beautiful gift, when you least expected it….:-)
This is so nice and now I feel so sorry that I was so cranky yesterday…
Good, lucky you! Hope you'll enjoy trying them.
Isn't it a lovely thing? You are now on their mailing list and they'll probably send you a little wax sample of any new Exclusive scent that is released in the future.
Since you seem to want to know more about the line, I'm going to point you to my SL web page: http://sergelutens.blogspot.com. It's a simple précis of information. 🙂
Thank you so much Bela. Will go and visit that webpage.
Borneo 1834 and Bois de Violette have my noses' first attention…:)
Robin and Bela, I have smelled quite a lot of fragrances from mainstream to luxurious and wondered if anything could still surprise me…well yeah… it now feels as if I am just beginning.
Isn't that wonderful :D..
Not that they really need layering, but Dzongkha and Vetiver Tonka are really lovely together. Just thought you might wanna try it. =D
Oh, and about equal parts is what I think is best.
What's wenge?
Thanks, will add that to my (long) “to try” list!
Wenge is a darkish wood note.
I'm surprised that you get to wear anything for pleasure with all the testing and sampling you do!
And thank you.
I don't get to wear for pleasure nearly as much as I used to — but maybe that makes me appreciate it more when I do? Who knows.
I really like the idea of layering. I’ve been layering Terre d’Hermes with fcuk’s polished sugar scrub. The talc/rose/musks in the oils left behind by the scrub (it is a delicious scrub btw) give the woodsy flintiness of Terre Hermes a more feminine feel. I just bought Terre d’Hermes after being indecisive about getting it for ages as I’ve never worn a “men’s” fragrance before, perhaps also why I’m mixing it up as I may be a bit wimpy about smelling masculine…. What sold me on Terre d’Hermes was when I’s spritzed some on myself in a pharmacy and my ancient old great- aunt told me I smelt more like “me” than ever. SOLD! Anyone else have any good ideas on what to layer Terre d’Hermes with?
It makes a nice base for almost any light floral — I like it with Hermes Kelly Caleche.
My mother in law, who hates female scents on her skin, was mixing up for years the givency gentleman with Atkinson;s english lavender. Very nice result. Unfortunately, the Atkinnsons cologne is not sold anymore in Europe.
Ah, I wonder if she could find another lavender that would work? Here are some good recommendations:
http://www.nzzfolio.ch/www/d80bd71b-b264-4db4-afd0-277884b93470/showarticle/9750946d-458b-47be-8558-4beb0f626cb3.aspx