While riding to work or scrubbing out the bathtub or working in the yard, sometimes I play a game to pass the time. It goes like this: if you could only wear perfume from one house for the rest of your life, which one would it be? Sometimes I include discontinued and vintage fragrances, and sometimes I tell myself I have to stick with whatever the house has on the market now or might introduce later. Sometimes I change the game so I have to pick just one perfumer.
Besides being a fun way to pass the time, thinking about what perfume house's work you'd wear if you could choose only one house is a way to think about who you are, too. Someone resolutely elegant would do well with Chanel or Divine, for instance, while someone who loves a good joke might choose Etat Libre d'Orange. Someone with easy access to the mall and no huge need for the avant garde could do a lot worse than Estée Lauder. Someone infatuated with aoud would have to choose Montale.
For me, Guerlain and Caron come to mind right away. Each house has a fat enough list of product that I'd have plenty to choose from, and each house has perfume with history and a retro feel that I like. Guerlain could be perfect — it has a huge catalog and is releasing new and old work all the time — but it could be a full-time job tracking down anything except Insolence and L'Heure Bleue. (Of course, it would a really enjoyable full-time job.) Caron has Tabac Blond, which I adore, but they're handicapped by the reformulation of many of their classics, and the house doesn't have anything truly fresh and modern.
Serge Lutens is a tempting choice, but I'm not sure there's enough variety in the line. Serge doesn't have an Eau de Cologne, for example. But then again, it's hard to imagine giving up Chêne and Iris Silver Mist. Hermès, with delicious Calèche, Bel Ami, and all its Hermessences, could see me through decades, I'm sure. I'm just not certain that I'm really, at heart, an Hermès girl. Bond No. 9, despite its hearty stocklist, doesn't excite me much, either.
Ormonde Jayne would be a cinch if the line were a little bigger. I do love Ormonde Woman and Champaca so much. It would be hard to lose with Annick Goutal, too, especially with Les Orientalistes in the collection to balance all the dreamy florals. Someone prettier than I am would do well with Goutal. Le Labo might be a good choice, especially for someone interested in racking up frequent flyer miles as he or she jetted around the world to pick up the Le Labo city exclusives. It would be hard to lose with L'Artisan Parfumeur. Although they don't seem as cutting edge as they used to be, the line really does have something for every situation and it has gallons of Bertrand Duchaufour and Olivia Giacobetti's work, a real recommendation. Let's not forget Amouage, either.
I think Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums might be my choice. Just thinking about the fragrances that the line will launch in the future, whatever they might be, is enough to give this line the edge. Carnal Flower, Musc Ravageur, Une Fleur de Cassie, Iris Poudre, L'eau d'Hiver — the list of knockout perfumes goes on and on. Dior is one of my true loves, too, but only if vintage and discontinued fragrances are included. There's no way I'm getting stuck with Miss Dior Chérie in my dotage.
I'm know I'm missing lots of great perfume lines. Parfumerie Générale and Maître Parfumeur et Gantier are two, for instance, that I wish I knew better. Which perfume line would you choose?
The comments for this article were not properly imported when we moved domains in 3/2009. I’ve copied them below in several large chunks. There were originally 232 comments.
Chunk #1:
On February 16, 2009 VanillaGirl said:
What a miserable thought! I think I’d have to go with Parfumerie Generale, if only for the rate at which they release new scents – I’d never be bored. On the other hand, I wouldn’t say no to a life supply of Kilians, and l’Artisan is one house I don’t think I could live without. But then, that would leave out the Guerlains, help! And le Labo and Hermes, double help!! No, can’t be done…
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Exactly how my brain works! It’s a Sophie’s Choice, if Sophie had dozens rather than two daughters.
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On February 16, 2009 occhineri said:
I think I would choose Hermes, if only to have Osmanthe Yunnan & Ambre Narguile.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Hermes has a lot going for it as a choice. Some of its offerings feel classic and established, others are fun and modern, and still others feel like real art.
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On February 18, 2009 Sarah said:
Have you tried the new Hermessence Vanille Galante yet? They don’t have samples yet but I tried it on a card and was enchanted. I usually don’t like vanilla but I thought, if it’s JC Ellena, it’s gonna be a trip. Now my vein is itching and I’m gonna have to go back for a fix.
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On February 16, 2009 Regina said:
Stay back! You’ll never make me choose!
I think I am with you on Frederic Malle, if only because it would feel like retaining a bit of the variety I love – there is your great musk, your iris, your vivid rose, your comforting winter scent, your carnal flower.
But my runner-up is Bvlgari, actually, partly because I could never give up Omnia, and partly because even though it’s not terribly varied, it does feel like the most “me” house, especially now that a miracle has occurred and I can suddenly smell Black.
But you’ll never make me choose, because even though I couldn’t pick Chanel the thought of never smelling Bois des Iles again makes me want to curl up and die. So stay back!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I forgot about Bulgari! That’s such a good one, too. But I know, the thought of choosing is torture.
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On February 16, 2009 HDS1963 said:
What I think is unusual about Bulgari is that they are such a female focussed house. Their female fragrances are wonderful, but their male fragrances do absolutely nothing for me at all. Out of the many many scents I have, I list not one Bulgari amongst them.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Now that you mention it, I can’t picture a masculine Bulgari at all, although I know they must be out there.
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On February 16, 2009 Regina said:
I actually really like Aqva Marine, which is unusual because it is def. one of those men’s fresh marine things that I don’t usually like
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I’ll have to look for it, thanks!
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On February 16, 2009 joe805 said:
The top notes of Blv for men are okay, but I don’t care for it or Bvlgari Homme Soir very much. I haven’t tried either Aqva or Aqva Marine. Everything I’ve heard about Black makes it sound quite masculine, or at least “unisex” in the manner of Dzing!, no?
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Black reminds me a lot of Dzing!–firmly unisex. Funny how I always forget that Black is by Bulgari! I guess it’s so different than the other Bulgaris I’m familiar with.
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On February 16, 2009 HDS1963 said:
I know – Bois Des Iles is extraordinary
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
It really would be hard to live without it, or Cuir de Russie.
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On February 16, 2009 HDS1963 said:
I would be torn between Penhaligon’s and Guerlain. They are my two favourite houses by a long way.
I could never not wear Heritage or Vetiver or Habit Rouge again.
Similarly not being able to wear Hammam Bouquet or Castile or Opus 1870 would be too much of a wrench.
Having said that I also love L’Occitane… I have several of their’s that I love too.
Damn, what a tough choice that would be!
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On February 16, 2009 Robin said:
Uncanny, Angela. My thought process was note-for-note the same as yours. Seriously! We are SO friendly-fragrance-twins!!! Your knowledge of the huge and complex world of scent has NEVER been more beautifully showcased than in this splendid piece of writing.
My short list: Guerlain, Malle, Parfumerie Generale. And if it came down to it. . .NO, some deep instinct just WON’T let me go there.
Isn’t it nice that this can be a fabulous exercise — great for hours of contemplation — and yet we won’t ever have to make that choice in Real Life? Perish the thought. . .
Thanks, Angela, for a gently provocative topic. I’ll be very interested to see the results.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I know! The fun part of this game, though, is that you can always change your mind the next time you play. Really, though, I think it might be easier to get to choose, say, a dozen perfumes from any mix of lines to live with for the rest of your life (although that wouldn’t be easy, either!).
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On February 16, 2009 Robin said:
Neat!! Yeah, Ange, it’s neat to think of the fun to be had in choosing the line, then spending delicious hours of mental exploration — “Hmmm, PG. Let’s see now. I’ve got that gorgeous fig in Un Jardin de Kerylos, and that yummy rose in BdR, and that wild sexy thang in L’Ombre Fauve. . .”
Oh, and please, let’s have a whole new story from you on the Top Twelve Desert Island scents!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
It sounds like the perfect subject for a poll, really!
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On February 16, 2009 Zazie33 said:
Robin, was it you who suggested me to try Paestum rose some time ago (rrazzel on MUA was robin- your ID)?
I wanted to say:
THANK YOU!!
Really, you have a talent my dear: I am so surprised, so happy and so grateful!
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On February 16, 2009 Robin said:
Dear Zazie,
Yes, that’s me. I’m so glad you found a new love and I helped steer you in the right direction. Heaven knows it can be VERY hit and miss!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Guerlain is a serious contender in my mind, too. I mean, L’Heure Bleue, Chamade, Vol de Nuit? Plus, just imagine the dresser covered with beautiful Guerlain bottles, compared to the kind of plain Malle bottles. But I do love the variety with Malle.
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
Right there with you on Chamade and VdN…
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
They’re just so good!
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
Chamade is the only frag so far that has made me jump off the cliff to extrait….It was so worth it! If it weren’t so $$ I’d just dump it over my head! I love the edt too, but I was like: I MUST have this extrait, this bottle, etc etc.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Isn’t it beautiful?
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On February 16, 2009 Robin said:
Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! You guys make me so jealous!!! I can’t bear Chamade’s aldehydes. This damn nose of mine – I need a nostril transplant!!!!!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Oh, too bad! it’s so nice.
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
Robin, everyone at this point probably thinks I’m a broken record…but, if Chamade can’t work for you b/c of aldehydes, I recommend that you try AG Heure Exquise. It is definitely in the same ball park with the lovely green notes like galbanum, but it is much more muted. I love them both for different reasons, but they both have a lushness, even though Chamade is much “richer”. Heure Exquise opens with a wonderful powdery galbanum floral rose that isn’t as intense as Chamade’s aldehydes.
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On February 17, 2009 Robin said:
Oh, Ann, that’s a wonderful suggestion. Thank you very much. You may think you sound like a broken record, but I don’t think I’ve heard one that before, and it’s very helpful to me. I sense utter greatness underneath the screamin’ aldehydes in Chamade, which is just SO maddening!! I wish there was a volume knob in my nose and I could turn down the Aldehyde channel. . .
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On February 18, 2009 Sarah said:
I’m so with you Robin. There’s not a single Guerlain that I don’t have a negative reaction too. I admire them without wanting to wear them – ever. The mystery of noses…
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
Not a single one? Oh well, as you say, the mystery of noses.
On February 18, 2009 OperaFan said:
I, too have a love for both Chamade and Heure Exquise, but funny I don’t find the similarities except the mentioning of “Turkish Rose” that drew me to both!
HE 4oz EDP refill was my first $100+ acquisition, back in the ’90s.
I have baby bottles of Chamade perfume, but I’m hoping to buy a full-bottle someday….
Along that same line of opulent, sparkly aldehyde florals I recall a love for the 1987 Nina….
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
Nice!
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On February 16, 2009 Existentialist said:
Ouch! This is way too painful a choice for a Monday. If you insist… it would have to be Guerlain. I did hesitate at forswearing Estee Lauder, because I would miss Youth Dew in all its incarnations, but Guerlain has enough variety, and enough scents that I love, that I think I would be all right. I also considered a life with only CB I hate Perfume, which would certainly be interesting, although I am not sure I am hip enough to pull that off.
Oh, and this lifelong vow of fealty comes with a free, lifetime supply, right?
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Guerlain would be a solid choice, I think, and there’s enough kinship between Mitsouko and Youth Dew that just maybe they could (kind of) substitute. Plus, there are so many Guerlains, especially when you include the Art et Matiere line.
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On February 16, 2009 ggperfume said:
What a surprising link you make,between Mitsouko and Youth Dew. I don’t feel their kinship– Mitsouko is so melancholy, in a specifically Japanese way, to me, while the Youth Dew personality reminds me of Jane Russell in “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” . Pretty much opposites! I always think of YD, one of my mother’s favorites, as the “va-va-voom” perfume.
Back to the main topic: I could be restricted to Chanel. With Divine and Patou on the side, and maybe Amouage and some others I haven’t even met yet. . .
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
It’s true–they’re not substitutes. I think of them the same color, though, a dark peachy-brown.
You sound like a classy dame! I imagine lots of polished calf pumps in your closet (and great perfume, too).
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On February 17, 2009 ggperfume said:
Ha! Lots of shoes, anyway. My clothes personality ranges through bohemian to black-and-white houndstooth as I dress according to mood; as it turns out, I own more boots than pumps. Fragrances must do just two things for me– smell good, and make me feel wrapped in luxury– so I wear “charmeuse gown” scents even with jeans and t-shirts. But I do tend to understated rather than over-the-top voluptuous in scents and clothing alike, so Chanel might win out if I had to pick a “one and only” house. (But I’ll still wear EL’s Aliage when the temperature blasts past 95– couldn’t bear anything else then).
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
Hey, black and white houndstooth is the classic Dior print–got to love that. And I also love the “charmeuse gown scent” philosophy.
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On February 17, 2009 ggperfume said:
I really need to try the classic Dior scents– I already love their houndstooth-trimmed packaging! I also love the Bond Brooklyn bottle, so apparently my taste in perfume bottles is all over the map, like my taste in clothes. When it comes to fragrance my style is rather more coherent. All right, if I had to choose just two scents forever– no, that would be wrong.
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
Oh, two scents—wow, the thought is paralyzing!
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On February 17, 2009 ggperfume said:
PS: the “desert island” poll sounds great.
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On February 16, 2009 SFLizbeth said:
Egads…… what a difficult choice! My knee-jerk reaction is Chanel and Hermes, I’ve loved and worn so many throughout the years, it’s like a chronicle of my life.
If I had copious amounts of disposable cash, it’d be the Amouage line, all the scents I’ve smelled/worn are heartbreaking beauties.
But, in the end, it’d probably be Fendi…….. Their original fragrance is my true love, I can wear any of their scents, men’s line included.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Fendi does (or I guess I should say “did”) have some great ones, but not enough to give me the variety I’d want. I’d need at least ten fragrances, you know? Same for Amouage, although I am head over heels for Lyric and Jubilation 25.
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
Gosh – for me initially I thought Chanel. Coco is one of my longtime favorite frags that I don’t think I could ever give up, but I don’t really wear any other aside from the No 5 eau Premier and No 19…
Then I thought Annick Goutal, but again I am only really in-love with two of that house (even though I have 4)…
For pure love, I’d have to pick Sonoma Scent Studio b/c I have 4 that I adore from that line (one of them an HG)….
I think my final choice by default would have to be Guerlain b/c I have 6 (2 of them are HGs) and am working on 7….but my favorites from Guerlain that I really love are some of the hard to get ones, hmmm.
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On February 16, 2009 vanessa said:
Okay, horrible question, but now that Chanel includes Les Exclusifs, I think I will go with them.
But if you told me it had to be Guerlain, or FM, or PG on the niche front, I could happily live with that enforced choice! Also, Les Rosines are pretty damn consistent, if I could overlook the rose-centric premise… Then on the designer front, like Regina, I find Bvlgari suits me very well.
Hell, it would actually be no bad thing if someone did come in and prune my options back savagely!
The converse question is also interesting to consider: perfume houses with a broad range that wouldn’t do at all….For me that would be Dior (don’t get this line at all), Serge Lutens (too left field) and Miller Harris (scary powder note), maybe also Annick Goutal and Jo Malone, though there are a few from each that I love.
I play this game too on a weekly basis….not sure what I think is going to happen to my collection!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I love the old Diors–Miss Dior, Dioressence, Diorling, Diorella–and I’d hate to give them up, but the new ones don’t inspire me too much. The Rosines are great, but, as you say, so much rose. Need more variety.
Why DO we play this game? I guess it’s one way to figure out what we really value about perfume and why.
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On February 16, 2009 vanessa said:
Ah, well for me, on account of my civet and indoles issues, the older Diors hold no charms, though I have no experience of Diorling, admittedly. Diorella is simply a bit too “manly herbal” for my taste.
Now I think of it, YSL is another major range I couldn’t be doing with on its own.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
YSL Y would be one I’d always want…
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On February 16, 2009 vanessa said:
…eek, civet-fest!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
You are GOOD at smelling civet! I wouldn’t have even guessed it was in there.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Ann, you can see how I can clean out a whole vegetable garden just pondering the pros and cons!
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
Indeed! I play plenty of frag games myself – keeps the mind active! When I really want to challenge myself, I grab a piece of paper and try to write down all the FB I have, and try to see if I can remember each one! Thank god I have only about 50, but I always miss a few, poor souls. Now samples/decants, forget it!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I’d be afraid to do that–afraid to see just how many there are.
Chunk #2:
On February 16, 2009 honeybushchild said:
Oh dear! This is much too close to home. I’m headed off to Africa for several years and I’ve already started narrowing down my selections of what I’m going to take. But keeping it to just one house is too cruel. I think I’d have to stick with either L’Artisan or Frederic Malle. I also have to play the game, “which of my favorite perfumes will withstand the constant dry heat?”
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
Oh – I can only imagine what kind of wonderful aromas, scents, etc you will experience while you are in Africa! I think it would be hard to pick travel friendly frags….but the opportunity to find and experience new whatevers is so exciting!! Imagine when you return that you will be sad to leave behind scents/essences that you may not be able to find here…
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Hey, I just remembered Kenzo Le Tigre and L’Elephant! They’d be good ones.
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On February 16, 2009 honeybushchild said:
ooh – I haven’t tried either. Are they more on the transparent side? I don’t mind a good oriental in hot weather as long as I don’t overapply.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
No, not transparent a bit, but powerfully evocative. Le Tigre is sweet vetiver, and L’Elephant is a dry, spicy oriental. I haven’t smelled anything like either of them, and they come in fabulous bottles, too.
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On February 16, 2009 honeybushchild said:
Are these available in department stores or where would be the best place to start searching?
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Probably online. Le Tigre is really hard to find, but I’ve seen L’Elephant online at a good price. It might be good to sample them first, though, since they’re so particular.
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On February 18, 2009 honeybushchild said:
I went off all lemming and found a mini of Le Tigre (bonus points for the bottle, right?) for dirt cheap. L’Elephant, though, was out of my price range on the bay.
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
Wow! That’s a tough one to find. I’ve seen L’Elephant (which I like a little better) at parfum1 for a good price, and I bet it’s around elsewhere, too, but I’ve never seen Le Tigre.
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On February 16, 2009 honeybushchild said:
I felt tempted to write down, “opportunity to smell new scents,” as a motivation for applying to the job. One of my aspirations is to smell the origins of L’Artisan’s Timbuktu. If I do, I’ll make sure to report back!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I hope you do!
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On February 16, 2009 AnnS said:
People would think you were wacko, or be totally enchanted, lol. Maybe perfumistas need to develop a secret hand shake so we can ID each other for cherry job opportunities! What part of Africa will you be? One of the women I work with just went on a 50th wedding trip with her husband for a photo safari trip. Hmm…I’d take Montale’s Aoud Damascus, Chanel No 19 or AG Heure Exquise, and AG eau d’Hadrien….
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Wow, Africa! Yes, that would call for a whole different class of perfume–hold up on the heavy orientals and hello vetiver and citrus. It’s so hard to think about paring down a perfume collection, though.
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On February 16, 2009 pyramus said:
That’s a horrible question, but if I absolutely had to choose one house forever as it currently stands, it would be L’Artisan. I can’t live without MPG’s Ambre Precieux, but L’Artisan’s Ambre Extreme is pretty close to it (the same perfumer, I believe), so I could pretend. Plus I’d get to have Vanilia, L’eau du Navigateur, Safran Troublant, Dzing!, and a bunch of others that I haven’t even smelled yet (but would, obviously).
Although Hermes would be pretty tempting, because I have only just become completely infatuated with Ambre Narguile, which is starting to seem FBW and the sort of thing I can’t live without, and I would try all the other Hermessences. If I could go back in time (or force them to reformulate to old standards) I would be able to have Parfum D’Hermes, the far superior and quite astonishing progenitor to Rouge Hermes, and also Bel Ami the way it used to be.
But if I could force a house to recount all of its history, then I suppose I would have to choose Dior, wouldn’t I? The world would thank me for resurrecting Dior-Dior and Cuir Fraicheur and Eau Sauvage Extreme and the real, proper, original Miss Dior.
Or Caron….
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
If you can get Dior Dior back on the market, I’ll send you a fresh pie every week for the rest of your life!
Parfum d’Hermes is really wonderful, and it doesn’t get a lot of attention, it seems. Thanks for bringing it up.
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On February 16, 2009 Erin T said:
Ugh, it’s like the Sophie’s Choice of parlour games! When I saw the Annick Goutal ads – beautiful, by the way – I was shocked, because that house just didn’t seem like “you” to me (even though I’m sure you’re plenty pretty enough for the line! Heavens!)
Of the lines you list, despite my noted lack of resolute elegance, Chanel would be the hardest for me to give up: some definite all-time faves there and lots of range, even just in the Exclusif/boutique line. (You’d have to be a sadist to restrict us to just the Chanel department store fare.) L’Artisan seems designed for this exact exercise: Timbuktu, Drole de Rose, Dzing!, The pour un Ete… such variety and quality! Comme des Garcons also has breadth and would suit my personality, I think. On the “niche” side, though, the winner for me would have to be Parfums de Nicolai. If discontinued or in-jeopardy fragrances are considered, I would spare some thoughts for my fave underrated houses like Kenzo, Patou and Rochas. Basically… I can’t do it. The exercise is too tough 🙂
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On February 16, 2009 Erin T said:
Hey, while I was typing my comment, you mentioned Sophie’s Choice in one of your responses. How dramatic we both are today!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I guess it kind of is over the top….but still.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I forgot about CdG and PdN! Both are great possibilities, and both have perfumes I’d really hate to give up. Hmm, it just gets harder.
L’Artisan really would be good. It would be fun to have one of each and line them up to choose from every morning (dream dream dream).
Yeah, I like lots of the Goutals, and I don’t think I’m bad looking, but no one would hire me to model for Goutal, that’s for sure.
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On February 19, 2009 AussieBec said:
Wow, you are the first to pick my house if I had only one to choose from, Commes Des Garcons. I love their offbeat range and they have so many that it would be hard to get bored. There are florals, orientals, incenses, citrus and wierd synthetic concoctions. Still…… I really wouldn’t want to give up Guerlain or Lutens. IT JUST CAN’T BE DONE!!!
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
I think you’re right!
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On February 16, 2009 Filomena said:
This is definitely one of the toughest questions you’ve posed! I guess I would have to go along with some of the others.
It would be between (1) Frederic Malle and (2) Chanel.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
It would be hard to go wrong with either one!
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On February 16, 2009 Zazie33 said:
I recently discovered parfums d’empire; their selection is relativly small, but I fell desperatly in love. It might be the one perfume house for me.
I could also be happy with l’AP or dyptique only: no HG in there, but I find their selection wearable and enjoyable.
And, hey, they make great candles too!!
Being an obsessive reader, I love the concept behind “histoires de parfums”. I could live well with their unisex/masculine offerings…
I never tried the exclusive line of Chanel, the urne Carons, the Paris only Guerlains… But from what I smelled so far, I could happily live without the power houses (yes, I would miss from time to time Guerlain’s Jicky, or a spring dive in Herba fresca, but hey, it’s only a game!!!).
Well, have to go now!
[runs away to hide beloved vintage Opium, Coco mademoiselle, the fav SL samples, the TF decants, stocks some Penhaligon’s and Rosines behind old medicines, and saves the entire line from Eau d’Italie under fake book covers…]
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I forgot about the candles! Very good point.
Definitely hide some away–I would, too! My mattress would crunch with hidden bottles.
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On February 16, 2009 krokodilgena said:
probably CdG
because of Zagorsk, Ouarzazate and then the CdG perfume
and then there are lots more that I haven’t tried but I’m pretty sure I’d like
Ambre Russe and Cuir Ottoman are two of my favorites so maybe Parfum D’Empire
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
The great thing about CdG, too, is that you just know that lots of new, interesting fragrances will come, too. Stephen Jones, for instance.
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On February 16, 2009 Kelly Red said:
Ooooo, I hate to say it would be easy for me but it is: Guerlain without a doubt. I love other things too but my skin is wonky and Guerlain is the only house I can count on time after time to smell great on me. I wish I could wear Chanel, I sometimes have good luck a particular Serge Luten, but dear old Guerlain is consistant. Shalimar, VdN, Jicky, Angelique Noir, they all get worn often and are deeply loved. It may not be trendy, it may not be culty, but there you go, no apologies. 🙂
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
No apologies are necessary! Guerlain may not be very trendy, but I think it has quite a cult following, especially for some of the limited releases.
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On February 16, 2009 karin said:
Great post, Angela. I’d have to say Guerlain. They have so many gorgeous scents, and the bottles are to die for.
Parfums de Nicolai is a close second, though I’ve been trying and trying to find love for Maharanih, and I just can’t do it. I want to like it, but the spices keep turning me away. So disappointing. Sacrebleu is one of my all-time favorite scents, though! And I love most everything else I’ve tried.
L’Artisan is a close third. Love, love, love Vanilia and Premier Figuier. Haven’t caught on to the Dzing craze, though!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Maharanih is a big fragrance and could easily out-spice the bravest of us (that said, I sure like it). I love PdN, too, and L’Artisan is great–but, really, no Dzing love?
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On February 16, 2009 marchlion said:
Woman, the way you torture us! I keep trying to decide if I want the line with most of my hardcore loves (Guerlain) or the house that offers me the broadest spectrum of experiences to tide me over for the rest of my life (L’Artisan.)
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
That’s definitely part of the equation–breadth v. depth. Both houses will probably put out lots of good stuff in the future, too, although you’re right–L’Artisan might have the most variety.
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On February 16, 2009 Zoe said:
Oh dear. No fun. I get very possessive of my babies, and as my current top 10 all are from different houses, that would mean splitting the dream team up!
But *theoretically*, contenders might be Hermès, L’Artisan, Diptyque and Profumum (I mean, the cruel tyrant decreeing this will at least sponsor my forced buys, right? So cost won’t be an issue): they all have a wide range for all occasions, and hardly any duds. Don’t ask me to choose between those four houses, though! I’ll have nightmares.
But then what about Jil Sander Sun, Ambre Russe, Ava Luxe Moroccan Mint Tea or my beloved Dark Amber & Ginger Lily?
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On February 16, 2009 krokodilgena said:
Ava Luxe Moroccan Mint Tea is my “when I don’t feel like actually picking out a perfume” perfume. I’ve been wearing it almost everyday lately
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Perfect!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Z, now you’re making me wonder how many different houses show up in my (for the moment) top ten? A wide variety, I’m sure.
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On February 16, 2009 jtc said:
I think it would have to be Hermes for me (so long as JCE stays as the in-house perfumer for the foreseeable future). Vanille Galante, Vetiver Tonka, and Osmanthus Yunnan are among my very favourites, and I also quite like Poivre Samarcande and Brin de Reglisse (among the Hermessences).
I’m also fond of Eau des Merveilles and Hiris. And among the older fragrances, Equipage and Bel Ami.
But the real treat would be delving into the past glories of the house: the fantastic Eau d’Hermes by Roudnitska, vintage Caleche (Guy Robert), and the fabulous Doblis.
If it couldn’t be Hermes, then I would consider Frederic Malle (for L’Eau d’Hiver, Une Fleur de Cassie, Vetiver Extraordinaire, Angeliques Sous La Pluie, En Passant, Une Rose, Iris Poudre, Dans Tes Bras), or Serge Lutens (for MKK, Sarrasins, Fleurs D’Oranger, Iris Silver Mist, Tubereuse Criminelle).
And finally, I would also consider Parfums de Nicolai (for Cologne Sologne, Vie de Chateau, Odalisque, Vetyver, New York, and her fantastic parfums d’ambiance, including Vetyver de Java, Au Coin du Feu, and Havane).
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Now you’re making me reconsider. Maybe I’d choose Hermes after all…
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On February 16, 2009 air ocean said:
Based on what I’ve actually smelled – definitely Hermès. It has scents that I love already, and scents that I’m pretty sure I will learn to wear as I get older.
Based on what I suppose and what I’ve read – L’Artisan Parfumeur. I’ve not tried enough of their scents to say for sure, but based on reviews and the few scents I’ve tried – a very good chance. And their variety is a point in their favor:)As is Dzing!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Two fabulous choices! (And another Dzing lover!)
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On February 16, 2009 rosarita said:
My first thought is Chanel, and that’s probably what I would stick to, because I’ve worn both 19 and Coco since they came out and can’t imagine life without either. The second line to come to mind is CdG, because of the wonderful variety. Another one is Etro, which has some of my favorite scents. At the end of the day, what I own the most full bottles of is Bulgari. So I guess I’m saying what we all are, that I can’t choose! (I do wish that Guerlain worked better on my skin. Shalimar is a long time love, but nothing else stands out, and I’d like to smell what y’all smell.)
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Bulgari is turning out to be a sort of surprise favorite.
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On February 16, 2009 delfina said:
Bad evening to discard Lutens (I’m wearing Bois de violette, this makes me very grateful…), bad evening to discard Chanel (do I really have to think how to live through next spring and summer without Coromandel and 31 rue Cambon?), but I will have to go for Malle. Too much love for me in those plain bottles: I can’t imagine to run out of Thérèse and Cassie, nor to stay for too long without Lipstick rose, Musc ravageur and L’eau d’hiver.
Plus, I’m growing fond of Lys méditerranée too.
Plus, when I feel tired, I can play again and beg Serge’s forgiveness, right?
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Bois de Violette is truly wonderful, and so is Therese. Maybe the game should be, if you had to choose just *two* houses…
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On February 16, 2009 p. putnam said:
From a male perspective, I can’t imagine a setting that Frederic Malle wouldn’t have covered in spades, and i’ve yet to grow tired of anything from that line.
CdG would be an interesting choice, just because it would force me to be provocative whenever I got tired of 8 88 and Hinoki. L’Artisan would give me an excuse to wear Piment Brulant and if I ever got tired (hah) of their selection I could start mixing things.
If I was getting extra points for creativity and minimalism then I could probably get by with just the John Varvatos line, assuming the March release measures up with JV and JV Vintage.
Chanel would get old, fast. Something about Serge Lutens’ house note rubs me the wrong way. Creed is too hit or miss, and half the line ends up powdery on me, although Himalaya alone is awfully versatile.
I could probably make do with Bond No. 9 if I had to, but for a line that size, there simply isn’t anything playful or offbeat that’s still appealing (insert Fire Island/Grandma Wearing Sunscreen joke). I love Silver Factory and Bleecker Street, and their power fragrances work well, but I agree that it lacks anything that really grabs me in a way that I’d want for an exercise like this.
I could wear Terre d’Hermes every day if I had to, but I don’t think the house would make a great choice for men. Still, TdH is one of the two fragrances I reach for (along with 8 88) if I only have room to pack a single bottle.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Choosing just one scent might be an easier game, in some way. Terre d’Hermes is fabulous. I agree with you completely about Creed and Bond.
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On February 16, 2009 p. putnam said:
For me, the decision-making process ends up something like this:
– Does this line have enough versatility that it can cover my day-to-day, warm weather, special evenings, and general outings? Some of these can overlap very easily, of course.
– Does this line have enough that stands out as unique and fresh (in the creative sense, not the olefactory sense) that I wouldn’t get tired of it too quickly?
These two questions alone are enough to narrow down the list considerably. From there I think it becomes a matter of favorites, liking where the line is going (or has been, or both), and having a large enough selection that you can keep things fresh.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Very good questions for sorting!
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On February 16, 2009 mybeautyblog said:
I guess I am a Hermès girl… and definitely most of the Guerlains, but I love all of the L’Artisan Parfumeurs scents, beacuse they have every kind of scent.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
L’Artisan definitely gives the most flexibility, but Hermes and Guerlain are pretty great.
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On February 16, 2009 Tama said:
Well, I haven’t smelled everything I’d like to from these lines, but right now I am aiming at Guerlain and Commme des Garcons. I adore Andy Tauer but he doesn’t have enough in the line yet. CB I Hate Perfume would be a good one, too, for sheer variety, but I’m not sure I could find things as “pretty” as I like to occasionally have. CdG has so much variety, you could get by for quite a while. I also do very well with Givenchy, but those are almost too uniformly “pretty”. I need a little modernism in there, too.
Ultimately I think it would have to be Guerlain. Or CdG. Argh.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Andy Tauer is another terrific line I forgot! In a few years he’ll have enough in the line to last a person a lifetime, but not quite yet.
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On February 16, 2009 vanessa said:
I have his whole set, and just as Les Rosines is all about the rose, there is a strong incense theme with Tauer – and they are quite strong incense at that. So I think I would just take L’Air du Desert Marocain and run….! (Like the poster earlier, I would have to stuff it behind my bottle of 31 rue Cambon that I don’t own, but arguably would if I was a born again enforced Chanel-loyalist!)
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I ended up swapping away my L’Air because as beautiful as it was it overwhelmed me. But it definitely would fit neatly behind the gigantic Les Exclusif bottles.
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On February 18, 2009 vanessa said:
LOL!!
I should have said I have Tauer’s whole sample set, not FBs. I know what you mean about LADDM – I need to leave it to blow off for an hour or two before venturing out in it, but the far reaches of its drydown are superb!
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On February 16, 2009 Tama said:
Andy is starting to dabble in more than incense. He’s working on some new crisper rose-themed herbal scents and hinting at a dark patchouli. He is a bit of a tease, though.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Now we’re talking! I can’t wait to see what he comes up with.
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On February 16, 2009 Haunani said:
I agree! Angela, L’Air is one I liked at first, but then I too realized that it overwhelmed me.
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On February 16, 2009 Tama said:
You guys! Decant and dab! Just a wee bit wafting around is great.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
That must be the secret. I do love the smell so much, but I always felt like it wore me rather than the other way around.
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On February 16, 2009 divinemama said:
Wearing my beloved Chanel 22 edt…Chanel, for sure!…or maybe Annick Goutal?…yes, Annick Goutal, absolutely!…Hmmm, then again there’s Hermes…Hermes has it all!, Hermes!…oh wait, I need my Guerlains!…Guerlain is my choice!…but goodness, there are so many niche perfumers that I love, Laurie Erickson at Sonoma Scent Studio, DSH, Linda Pilkington at Ormonde Jayne…oh FORGET IT!!!…can’t do it…sorry…’~)
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I hear and understand completely!
Chunk #3:
On February 16, 2009 lovethescents said:
Another fun poll. I would have to say Chanel, hands down. It has enough variety to keep me satiated. Then on another day, and change position of hands, etc, I would say Bvlgari and/or Kenzo, then yet another, Comme des Garcons. Freddie Malle is so wonderful too…oh, this is endless 🙂
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
It truly can be endless! so hard to choose.
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On February 16, 2009 vanessa said:
Okay, so you go with Chanel, I’ll go with Bvlgari, and we’ll send each other decants. Sorted!
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On February 16, 2009 lovethescents said:
Now here’s a smart thinker!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Yes!
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On February 16, 2009 sarahn said:
*sigh*
This question always makes my head spin. My first thought was Chanel. Sycomore alone would be worth it, and Coco Mlle has been a long-time favorite. I love 19, too.
But what then of my beloved Different Company? I could be perfectly happy with Bois d’Iris for winter, Bergamote for summer and Jasmin de Nuit for special occasions.
And Parfumerie Generale should get some consideration, just because his scents are so unusual and interesting. Coze is my most recent purchase, and I just adore it.
I guess I’d have to say Different Company. Can’t live without Bois d’ris!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
The Different Company has a nice, wide range, true. I wish I knew PG better–the few I’ve tried I’ve liked, and I adore Corps et Ames.
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On February 16, 2009 vanessa said:
Which reminds me so much of Y! Another scent that packs a big civetty punch. Though I wanted to love both, and can admire them from afar, with the top on.
The PG line seems to take a lot of risks in terms of unusual scents – and while some are downright weird, enough of them stick to the wall to make me consider them as a house I could be restricted to!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I wouldn’t have noticed the civet in that one, either–lots of geranium and moss, sure, but not civet so much. You really do have a nose for it!
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On February 17, 2009 vanessa said:
It is my curse…I am “luminol” for civet, as I may have said before.
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On February 16, 2009 Daisy said:
ooh! You are just MEAN! A question like this is just going to stress me out for the rest of the day……Then I realized what I had to do…pick a house ( Hermes) and then ……develop a bunch of ALIAS names and then select more houses…yeah, that could work…..
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I know! Cheating is really the only way to make it work.
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On February 16, 2009 TwoPeasInAPod said:
I get sweaty palms at questions like this. ..
Okay, everyone else will probably laugh, but I’m going to go with Lancôme. Magie Noire and O de Lancôme are two of the very few perfumes I’ve ever bought again & again.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I like Cuir de Lancome a lot, too, and Sikkim. Mille et Une Roses fits the rose slot–Lancome has it covered.
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On February 16, 2009 Daisy said:
I was just thinking about Lancome Mille et une Roses today ! I have read before that it is one of the most beautiful rose perfumes ever—I put a bottle in a cart but haven’t pulled the trigger yet—nervous: there’s so many roses
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I admit that I’d probably choose Malle Une Rose or Guerlain Nahema first, but Mille et Une Roses is really pretty, I think.
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On February 16, 2009 Daisy said:
I have not tried the Guerlain Nahema before, but I’m writing that down right now……
I was wearing Une Rose yesterday and while I really liked the rose notes that held on for HOURS…. there was this underlying note that sat close to my skin—winey but alcohol, maybe acetone? not sure, but up close it was annoying. This morning I could still smell it –one drop’ll do ya!
any other rose suggestions? I’ve got a pile of rose samples in my cart at TPC….I’ll wait to buy that bottle of mille et une roses until I’ve sampled a few more.
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On February 16, 2009 Daisy said:
oh, I did try a couple of L’Artisan roses—and surprisingly the Drole de Rose smelled super! It’s not my usual sort of juice! I may have to splurge on a bottle.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
There are so many fabulous roses out there! Drole de Rose is nice, and so are Malle Lipstick Rose, so many of the Rosines (I like Poussiere de Rose and Folie de Rose), Paris, Goutal Ce Soir ou Jamais, Lutens Rose de Nuit…gosh, the list goes on and on. Have fun exploring them!
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On February 17, 2009 Daisy said:
cool, thanks…I tried Lipstick Rose (nice) and I’ve got some Lutens samples already in the cart—I definitely need to try the Rosines.
I’d never really sought out a rose scent before…then a few weeks ago I suddenly thought “I don’t have a single rose note perfume? egad!” and the search was on…..of course along the way I’ve found a bunch of other great stuff. Naturally. : )
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
Sometimes the search is almost more fun than the find.
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On February 20, 2009 Robin said:
Dear Daisy,
In your hunt, be sure and include Yves Rocher Rose Absolute. I’m a bit of a rose NUT, and this one is hands-down the absolute rose bargain of the century. It’s very rich and lovely.
Have fun!
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On February 20, 2009 Daisy said:
cool, thanks….I’m gonna go look around for that now…I’ve also heard so much about Lancome Mille et une Roses…I have a sample on the way….I’ve been so tempted to buy it unsniffed but that could be an expensive mistake. So I just need to hold out another 3 or 4 days! Come on TPC, mail that envelope!!!
On February 20, 2009 Daisy said:
yeah, the search is fun….and expensive!
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On February 16, 2009 SueGail said:
I was the Marketing Director on Magie Noire when I worked at Lancome, and also introduced O de Lancome……both are very different and very distinctive…They used to call me Miss Magie because I was forever singing the praises of that Fragrance despite but it was sometimes hard going, as the focus of the company was on Cosmetics and Treatment and NOT fragrance at that time…..I also was on the marketing team that initiatlly started to develop plans for the NEXT big Lacome Fragrance – which ultimately became TRESOR….By the time that launched, I was at Tiffany as VIce President of Fragrance…..
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Good work! Now, if you please, move over to Dior and get them to re-release Dior Dior and shape up the nasty reformulations they’ve been putting out. But seriously, how fascinating to be on the ground floor of Tresor and O and then to be in on Tiffany’s scents, too.
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On February 17, 2009 vanessa said:
Wow! Can you confirm whether Magie Noire has changed its formulation since the 80’s, especially in respect to the animalic notes? If I wore perfume at all back then, that was the one, but it smells different to my nose now.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
I’ve heard other people say the same thing.
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On February 17, 2009 TwoPeasInAPod said:
Sue, I am soooo jealous! (I would love to be called Miss Magie!)
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On February 20, 2009 kaos.geo said:
This is very interesting!
I believe Tiffany has now discontinued their frags?
THe women’s was nice, the men’s too classic for me, but Classy nontheless 😉
I infer that those releases when during your “era” at tiffanys?
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On February 16, 2009 joe805 said:
Wow, all these comments already. You’ve hit a nerve, Angela!
Before you mentioned Frédéric Malle, I was sure my choice would come down to just Hermès and L’Artisan. I don’t know a wide range of Malle scents, but the four or five I do know are *perfection.*
As much as I would miss my beloved Terre and the Jardins, I think would ultimately pick L’Artisan because of the diversity of the line and because so many of them make me happy. Only a few are what I would consider truly sublime — including Timbuktu, Dzongkha, & Dzing! — but those few and the rest of the range could be enough for a lifetime.
I am, however, glad that this is a decision I will never have to make. Have a good week!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I guess that’s the bottomline, really: none of us has to make this decision!
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On February 16, 2009 SueGail said:
Please can someone help me…I love getting the articles that are posted, but I get all the comments as well on my blackberry phone, how do I JUST get the articles??? and then if I want to go and read the comments I can do that – but how do I edit what I want to receive…I get maybe 500 Now Smell This comments on my cell phone and computer every day…and not sure how to edit what I receive…thanks
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On February 16, 2009 Hollyc said:
Maybe my speedreading has let me down, but did no one, NO ONE mention Diorissimo, the absence of which would be like a world without springtime? I’m luxuriating in clouds of it as I type and thumbing my nose (pausing briefly from typing) at the grey wintery day here. So the house of Dior goes on my list also for Miss Dior, Diorella and Dioressence as does Chanel for 19 and Cristalle and Coco and because they aren’t cavalier about axing their great achievements (even if they are sometimes stingey in distribution. And lastly Montale, for the sheer number of offerings and how beautifully they are done. Yes, constant access to all of the above could keep me quite happy for quite some time . . . . Well, for at least a year, then we’ll talk. . ..
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Yes! Diorissimo!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
SueGail, that’s way too many comments to deal with on a blackberry! I’m sorry about that. I’ll make sure that Robin, the editor, gets your comment, and she may be able to help you–I’m not very good at this sort of thing.
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On February 16, 2009 SueGail said:
Thanks Angela,,,,,I love the comments but there really are too many – and not sure how I just sign up for the articles and then if I WANT to read the comments I can go into the articles and read them…..thanks for getting back to me… I shall await your response!
Best
SueG
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On February 16, 2009 NowSmellThis said:
SueGail, my response is just below!
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On February 16, 2009 Daisy said:
Hey Sue, I’m kind of new at all this but it didn’t look like your question has been answered yet (of course I’ve only read a ways down…) anyhow…to get the articles sign up for the NST feed (it is on the left hand side of the page) at least that is how I get the articles on my desktop. Next when you comment and you click on the box to receive notification–and then you get everybody’s comments (fun but so numerous!) —to stop comments go back to the article body, look for the box and disable the comments.
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On February 16, 2009 SueGail said:
Thanks Daisy
Very nice of you to respond to me….shall take a note of your instructions and see if they work!
Take care
Scentfully
SUEG
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On February 16, 2009 NowSmellThis said:
Hi SueGail,
Go to the blog itself. Sign in on the right hand column. Now, go to this page:
http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/cmd=preferences
And uncheck ALL the boxes to get notifications.
Now, to get email notifications, go to the left hand column and find the box that says “Subscribe to NST”. Enter your email address in the box, and press return, then follow the instructions.
Sorry it’s so confusing!!
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On February 16, 2009 SueGail said:
Wow, thanks so much for your help!! I shall print out your instructions and then try and follow them!
Best to you
SUE
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On February 16, 2009 mbanderson61 said:
Awww, c’mon. Can’t I have two? One for summer and one for winter? Let’s see. Hermes in the summer for those marvelous minimalist JCE fragrances and Guerlain in the winter, when I need a little bit of richness to soothe my cold self. Oh wait. Maybe the Malles could be a nice compromise. They could span the seasons. But then I would have to give up Mitsouko (whine). And this doesn’t account for my addiction to No 5, Cuir de Russie and No 22. Gah! I’m twisting myself in knots!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
I know! it hurts.
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On February 16, 2009 memechoses said:
hermes and ormonde jayne
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Choosing them together would be perfect, too, since they don’t overlap much.
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On February 16, 2009 dissed said:
Ormonde Jayne, easy. Second choice: Malle. There.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
No waffling for you–got to admire that.
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On February 16, 2009 Hollyc said:
No penny pinching either, got to ENVY that!!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
For sure!
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On February 16, 2009 Arwen said:
Tough choice.
The choices would be Guerlain and Chanel, but I don’t know in which order.
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Definitely a tough choice.
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On February 16, 2009 lilydale said:
Small though it is, the only line of which ALL the fragrances smell good on my hard-to-please skin is Tauer! I don’t love Vetiver Dance, but not because it doesn’t smell good; it’s just not my thing. Plus he’s young enough and has terrific enough taste that more good stuff is sure to come. L’Artisan and CdG are close runners-up, however, and possibly Guerlain too, although I haven’t smelled their classics in 20 years and need to revisit them. Being stuck with only Serge Lutens would be hell for me: virtually everything I’ve tried either smells vile on my skin or just isn’t my taste.
I love these types of games — I’m always wondering what one food I’d eat for the rest of my life (not to mention what my last meal would contain), which ex-boyfriend/husband I’d choose if I absolutely had to, etc. etc.!
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Yes, the game does apply to all sorts of things! I like the ex-husband/boyfriend angle.
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On February 16, 2009 Jill said:
Oh dear, what a diabolical question! I find it practically impossible to narrow down to one … like others have said, it’s hard to imagine life without L’Artisan. But then, there is also Goutal and Malle. And although I don’t much care for anything else they do, Bond No. 9 does have Chinatown, which I adore! Very difficult question, but what a fun thread — thanks!
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On February 16, 2009 Kayliana said:
It would have to be Parfumerie Generale. I find that house to be wonderfully accesible. They really all do smell good! I would use Ilang Ivohibe for spring, Tubereuse Couture for summer, Cadjmere for fall and Un Crime Exotique for winter. Brulure de Rose for Valentine’s Day and Musc Maori for any other day I want him to rip my clothes off;-)
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On February 16, 2009 Daisy said:
wah-hooo! Musc Maori ,hmmm? taking notes…..
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
K, I really will have to spend some time getting to know them better–you make them all sound so good!
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On February 18, 2009 wristwaft said:
Could anyone live with Avon?I’m wondering if I was stuck on a deserted island (ala LOST) and an Avon lady’s case of samples washed up on shore , if maybe I couldn’t fall in love with some of their signature fragrances? I’ve sort of lost touch with Avon’s selection of fragrances but I do know that there are ALOT of different ones, for men, women, and children! I used to love Sweet Honesty and Timeless.
I think, however, that I would have to go with Chanel. I love #19.
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
Well, if we were counting clever bottles, Avon would definitely be a contender. But I can’t say I know much about their fragrances. I remember Sweet Honesty, too, and Birds of Paradise and Timeless (?) but I don’t even know if they’re still made. It could be a good future post, though…
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
“Diabolical” is such a great word! It sure is hard to choose.
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On February 16, 2009 bklyn fragrance lover said:
I am just going to have to say, that I’ve been reading all of the posts and pondering what my final answer would be. Could not make a final decision. Too many lines that I love…Montale, Tom Ford Private Blend, Malle, Serge, L’Artisan, Amouge. PG. How could I ever?!?
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On February 16, 2009 AngelaS said:
Tom Ford–that one surprisingly hasn’t come up yet! Yes, it is just way too hard.
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On February 16, 2009 Haunani said:
It’s funny – I was playing this game in my head just recently. I gave serious thought to Malle and The Different Company (I LOVE those houses) and some fleeting thought to Miller Harris, Parfumerie Generale, Hermes, and Ormonde Jayne.
But really, for me it boils down to a fairly easy choice. I prefer modern, creative fragrances and I could spend the rest of my life enjoying the likes of Dzonghka, Fleur de Liane, Voleur de Roses, Ambre Extreme, Safran Troublant, Timbuktu, and Premier Figuier. Heck, there are even two lovely summer colognes in L’Eau de Jatamansi and L’Eau d’Artisan.
Part of me even likes the simplicity of such a choice. But the other part of me hates it, LOL!
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
It really is hard to go wrong with L’Artisan if we’re talking quantity and variety. I mean, who else has both Bois Farine and Chasse aux Papillons?
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
It really is hard to go wrong with L’Artisan if we’re talking quantity and variety. I mean, who else has both Bois Farine and Chasse aux Papillons?
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On February 18, 2009 Robin said:
“. . .who else has both Bois Farine and Chasse aux Papillons?” Angela, you simply MUST explore more of the Parfumerie Generale line. The gorgeous PIerre Guillaume, imo, has equal variety, near-equal quantity, and superior quality overall. Not that I don’t like l’Artisan and admire the noses behind the line, but I do sometimes question things like staying power, depth and complexity. Their best are among the best, but they’re not all of that caliber. . .
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
I agree with you completely. I’ve only popped my head into PG here and there, and I need to give them an in-depth exploration.
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On February 18, 2009 Haunani said:
I do, too (need to fully explore PG). I’ve already fallen in love with (and bought) L’Oiseau de Nuit and Aomassai. They are definitely sigh-worthy. And Iris Taizo is very special and on my probably-need-a-bottle list.
Back to my choice in this game, I have found only two, Drole de Rose and L’Eau d’Ambre, that I DON”T like so far. Jour de Fete did leave me less than excited, and I haven’t tried La Chasse Aux Papillon yet (should I?).
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
You should definitely try La Chasse aux Papillons if you like the other L’Artisans. Not that you’ll definitely like it, but I know it has a legion of fans.
I’m definitely planning to devote some time to PG!
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On February 16, 2009 Nam said:
I had only read the title when I came up with Frederic Malle and Hermes. I’m super excited, btw, about those Hermes colognes.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
Fabulous choices, of course! I’d like to smell the new colognes, too. Summer is just around the corner.
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On February 17, 2009 nadia said:
I love the ‘if you could one choose one *** for the rest of your life” questions! Sometimes I even make myself choose a single food! (and i think i could live on lox for the rest of my life if forced 😉
Anyway! For perfume house, I am such an earthy girl, I would choose CDG, all the incenses especially.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
Once I was at a friend’s house for dinner, and we played the game, “what if you could only have three cheeses for the rest of your life?” It sounds stupid, but it was fun.
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On February 18, 2009 vanessa said:
That is fun, for sure. I used to work in a cheese shop where I played this game with the other SAs, only it was even harder, as we were confronted daily by 200 varieties! I think I went for Bleu des Causses, Brie, and a nutty Emmental. But what about a nice goat’s cheese? And vintage Cheddar? And Parmesan? It is just as cruel as the perfume house conundrum…
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
It truly is a difficult choice. After all, you need a melter (gruyere or cheddar maybe) and a grater (parm or romano maybe) and that only really leaves one spare cheese. I really love a raw milk morbier, and I can’t imagine living without a fresh goat’s milk cheese.
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On February 18, 2009 Daisy said:
what? no Kraft singles? (snort, snicker, snicker)
sorry, too many cups of coffee for me today…all that caffeine has reduced me to picking on pre-sliced, pre-wrapped cheese!
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
Oh, I’ve unwrapped many a Kraft single in my day….
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On February 18, 2009 Daisy said:
shhhhh….
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On February 18, 2009 Robin said:
You Americans! 😀
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On February 19, 2009 AussieBec said:
There is nothing better than a baked bean and kraft cheese toastie when you can’t be bothered cooking anything else! Low brow…..maybe but you know you want it!
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On February 19, 2009 Daisy said:
it’s the cold whether that does it to me—wind chills hit zero and all I want is a kraft grilled cheese and a nice steaming bowl of tomato soup! When my daughter was about 6 years old, she would clearly have starved were it not for kraft cheese sandwiches! Thank God she out grew that stage—for the next year the smell of grilled cheese made me swimmy headed!
Yup sometimes you gotta have what you gotta have!
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
Tomato soup and grilled cheese are a classic for sure!
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
Sounds good, but not very familiar to me. It must be an Australian specialty. Cheese and bologna–I know that one.
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On February 17, 2009 DianaWR said:
I think I’d have to go with L’Artisan, though this is a really hard decision. On another day, I think I might have said CB I Hate, if only because it has amazing variety. But L’Artisan makes so many weird, complicated, beautiful scents I think that would have to be my choice.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
L’Artisan does have so much variety and different styles of scents, too.
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On February 17, 2009 elinoraddict said:
I would have a hard time choosing between Chanel, Guerlain and Frederic Malle. The thought of never wearing Mitsouko or Chamade again is heartbreaking, so I think I would have to plump for Guerlain.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
I can definitely understand that!
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On February 17, 2009 kizzers said:
Another vote for Guerlain from me. I think the range would see me through all the changes in perfume tastes I will shift through in my lifetime.
From the Jicky I admire (though I’m not quite sophisticated enough to wear yet!), and the Apres l’ondee I love now – right down to the new Allegorias and Insolence Eau Glacee I can’t wait to try!
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On February 17, 2009 vanessa said:
Spin off game from this might be: “If you had to stick to one fragrance family for evermore”, what would it be?
For me that would be easy enough – oriental floral – but if I was consigned to wear only floral woody musks or chypres for the rest of my days, that wouldn’t be such a hardship!
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
I’d pick chypres. There’s so much variety and so much glamour.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
Guerlain must be the frontrunner. There’s so much to choose from!
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On February 17, 2009 Nile Goddess said:
Dior. No contest. Can’t be without my Poisons.
There are many other fragrances I love so I can only hope this is a game. 🙂
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
Definitely only a game!
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On February 17, 2009 Patty said:
On the high end, Guerlain. On the practical side, Estee Lauder. Both have quality and variety in common, so I don’t think I could go wrong with either. But then I’d have to give up Diorissimo…WAAAHHHH!
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
There really is no good substitute for Diorissimo!
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On February 17, 2009 thrpschr said:
CdG, probably – there is so much to love, I feel like I would happily wear almost two thirds of the entire line – but Etro is another contender with good variety and a couple of solid favourites, and of the more easily available lines I like Donna Karan.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
CdG is a great choice, and I think only one other person mentioned Etro, but they have some good ones, too.
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On February 17, 2009 perfumelaydee said:
Very hard to choose just one house.
Love both Hermes and Frederic Malle, but if I have to choose, it would be Hermes. So beautifully done, Un Jardin Sur Le Nil and Un Jardin Apres La Mousson.
Not to mention FM Noir Epices.is absolutely gorgeous on.
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On February 17, 2009 AngelaS said:
One of my biggest regrets is swapping away a bottle of Noir Epices….Hermes and Malle are both great choices, I think.
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On February 18, 2009 platinum15 said:
Hummm…
After reading this entry I decided to be very carthesian about this and I took a sensus of all of my bottles.
Word documented, alphabetical order, per house and… I find that I never have no more than 3 frags per house. Funny that…
Choosing one would just not be possible.
Thank God I don’t actually have to!
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
Interesting! And I agree, I’m glad it’s just a game.
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On February 18, 2009 january13 said:
The old Jean Patou line where the company would re-release retired scents once a year at Bloomingdales. Each scent had it’s own greatness; I could only afford two: Vacance and I think it was called “L’heure d’Attendre”- the former sort of green and the latter, a deep floral. Beautiful scents….
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On February 18, 2009 AngelaS said:
I have both of those, and they’re wonderful! I wish they were easier to find now.
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On February 19, 2009 Flora said:
You read my mind! If not for the vintage Patous, I would choose Caron since their classics are still around. But if I could have the Patous back again, most especially Vacances, that would be my one perfume house.
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
You are inspiring me to wear Patou today!
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On February 19, 2009 Blimunda said:
I am a relatively new perfumista, so there are ranges i havn’t fully sampled yet, and the one’s i’ve sampled so far havn’t won me over with such passion.
I tend to focus on the ranges whose majority of output sounds appealing to me, and I am trying one range at a time to fully experience its offerings (with a few irresistable strayings here and there!!!). I tried Bond No9 and found, even though I liked a lot of their scents, they didn’t suit my skin chemistry. Tom Ford PB’s are great – oud wood and tuscan leather are gorgeous. Annick Goutal is a little too pretty for me, although Eau du Sud is on my “summer purchase” list! Ormonde Jayne’s sample box was perfect and I loved the majority of scents. Right now, I am gradually moving through some Serge Lutens – so far, the only temptation has been Douce Amere, although I admire a few others very much. The houses i am debating about trying next are:
Montale ( I love oud)
CB I Hate Perfume (they sound so intriguing)
People of the Labyrinths
Guerlain
It seems Guerlain is a popular range, judging from this poll. I may make this my next scent adventure! I LOVE L’Heure Bleue and Shalimar. Those are the only two i have tried! So i have some fun ahead of me……
Angela – if you have any other major perfume houses to suggest I add to my list, i’d love to have your advice.
So I guess, out of the ranges I’ve sampled so far, Ormonde Jayne would be the one I would pick. I like the greatest majority of their output.
Sorry – it took me a while to get there!!
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On February 19, 2009 AngelaS said:
Ormonde Jayne is wonderful, in my opinion, and I love love love Ormonde Woman. Guerlain is a must-try.It will be hard to talk with other perfumistas if you don’t know Mitsouko from Shalimar, and, besides, their fragrances are so interesting (I’m wearing old Shalimar EdC right now!) Don’t forget Caron and L’Artisan, either!
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On February 20, 2009 Blimunda said:
OK – that seals it. Guerlain is my next olfactory exploration!
Caron – yes, I only know Tabac Blond (which I love and own.) I’ll add that to the list.
Thanks!
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On February 20, 2009 kaos.geo said:
Definitely Dior for me.
I thought the same about Miss Dior Cherie, and I ended up loving it.
The same happened many many years ago when the “Dunes” where released, I hated them then I loved them.
I personally wear eau sauvage in all its versions, and if I had to wear one frag till I die, I’d go for Eau Savuage Extreme.
Still , as this is quite the extremist proposition, I bend the rules and go with the 2 follow-ups: Montana and Comme des Garcons.
Voilá, there you have it! 🙂
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On February 20, 2009 AngelaS said:
Now I know I’ll have to try Miss Dior Cherie again. And Montana–that’s a surprise choice!
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On February 21, 2009 kaos.geo said:
The original montana for women (which I believe is now either reformulated or discontinued) was a fragrance with a very distinct personality. A neighbour used to wear it and I loved it.
The men’s frags were, IMHO, all above average. I believe it’s a matter of taste, and whomever has the final call for approving the male frags (and I innocently assume it’s Montana himself) and I have the same. 🙂
I have yet to try the 2004 trio Comore (incorrecly listed as CONOR in basenotes) MALAITA and SAMAR.
Regards! P.
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On February 21, 2009 AngelaS said:
You’re lucky to have found a perfume house with an style that matches your taste–especially a careful, out of the mainstream taste.