Today's subject is Becca (a different Becca than the Becca who appeared here in January). This Becca is in her early 30s and recently married. She comments here as Bethy40. Here are a few other personal details:
Becca finished her Masters degree in Literature and Theology and is working as a bookseller in Glasgow, Scotland while she looks for her first "grown up real job".
Becca loves books, cooking, theatre and art.
Her current job requires that she spend most of her days in t-shirts and jeans.
She rarely wears makeup but she loves shoes.
She is "just starting to really get into perfumes" although she wore scent casually for years.
Becca has a small perfume wardrobe, but she feels like something is missing. Her bottles at the moment include Guerlain Jicky (her stand-by, adored, go-to everyday perfume), Caldey Island Lavender (for when she wants something simple), Bond no. 9 Chinatown (for when she wants something a little sweet) and L'Artisan Thé Pour Une Eté (when she wants something fresh and clean). She'd like to find another perfume that makes her smile when she reaches for it, and is wondering what else she might be missing. She has good access to department stores, and since she is still paying back student loans, she'd like to find something for $100 or less.
Becca loves lavender, woods, teas, herbs, dry rather than sweet, and often men's scents over women's. She likes citrus but not straight citrus scents, and she tends to prefer the dry down over the top notes. She likes both cool and warm perfumes. Other than the scents she already owns, she likes Serge Lutens Chergui and Parfums de Nicolaï Maharanih (and she likes the Nicolaï line in general). She recently ordered a sample set from Ormonde Jayne and is enjoying Tolu and Ta'if, but it is too soon to say if they will turn out to be perfect for her. Ormonde Man is too woody for her taste.
Becca has difficulty with white flowers, and she doesn't like heavy powder or aldehydes (Patou Joy and Estee Lauder White Linen are out). She also doesn't like fig notes or heavy green notes. She liked both Lolita Lempicka and Fuel for Life better in the men's versions than in the women's, but still found both scents overpowering. A few "almost there" perfumes: Nicolaï pour Homme (doesn't last long enough), Parfum d'Empire Fougere Bengale ("the almost burnt note prevented total love"), Serge Lutens Cedre (she likes the dry down, but not the top notes)
What say you?
Note: image is ei, seu carteiro! by .mands. at flickr; some rights reserved.
My first thought is Chanel Egoiste. Not Egoiste Platinum, but just plain Egoiste. I do not know if it is still in stores. I have heard Nordstrom still has it. It is available online. I bought mine on fragrance.net. I do not know how much shipping would be but the price is way below the $100 mark.
Here is a link to Kevin's review…
https://nstperfume.com/blog/_archives/2009/1/8/4050185.html
I love it! It is a smooth blend of woods, spices and just enough floral to balance out the woods and spices. A touch of nice citric in the opening but for me it is all about the basenotes. Good longevity and silliage.
Marina on Perfume-Smellen' Things also has a great review. I am sure there are others worth reading on other blogs too. Good luck Becca!
Oh, Egoiste is a men's fragrance that many women also enjoy.
Okay, my perfume-knowledge/repertoire is miniscule compared to 99% of NST regulars….but when I read this the first thing that came to mind was Hermes d'Orange Verte (the concentrate) which is a steal from Beauty encounter for c. $35 so that would be well within the price range–funny that one of the last posts shows a picture of the very thing! It's for men but I like it too!
The other thing that came to mind is a little pricier but is Montale Soleil de Capri –which is citrusy and woodsy and spicy all at the same time with only a touch of sweetness (at least on me) . anyhow from the perfumeshoppe it runs $80/50ml and $120/100ml with $15 shipping Canadian…which converts to about $75/50ml & $106/100ml (including ship) —although I've been told that ordering directly from Montale will get you a slightly better price.
So there's my picks & shopping advice —see? I CAN MULTI-TASK so nehhh
I think an incense-based fragrance might fill the bill! The three that make me smile the “biggest” are L'Artisan DZONGKHA and TIMBUKTU and Comme des Garcons KYOTO. There are days when nothing else will do! DZONGKHA is so beautiful that it distracts me; the other two are also beautiful but have the additional quality of helping me focus at work. That's always a plus. 😉 Good luck, Becca!
Well, since I made a typo above for Marina's blog, here is a link to her review…
http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/2006/06/perfume-review-chanel-egoiste.html
Pass more coffee please '~)
Focus at work?? what is this of which you speak?
(snickering)
Becca – Some frags that always make me smile when I reach for them are:
Miller Harris Terre d'Iris, which is a very warm bergamot “iris” that is both classy and fun. It smells very “sunny”. It also could be unisex.
Annick Goutal Mandragore, which is a great pick me up – to me it smells like wonderful black tea, pepper, bergamot or light citrus, and just a wee bit of floral (violet apparently) that is really easy to wear, and again, could be unisex.
Jo Malone French Lime Blossom is very fresh linden blossoms and flowers that dries down to a nice soft, light fragrance – almost a skin scent – and is very cheery and natural. Although it apparently has some “white flowers” in it, it is not formal or indolic – I am also white flowers challenged and this one is not what I would consider hard to wear.
Also, Chanel No 19 is a wonderful fresh green floral that makes me think of the outdoors and a nice garden – very easy to wear, again, almost unisex, with a soft iris opening, and light vetiver-chypre dry down.
Good luck!
Hi, Becca,
I wonder if you'd like some of the Chanels that are a little more unisex–31 rue Cambon, an oakmoss-free chypre, very elegant but restrained; Bel Respiro, spicy, mossy, herbal, with a light green note (not the heavy green that you dislike); or Sous le Vent. These are at the top of the price scale, though. Granato by Omnia is a nice herbal, some ambery sweetness, and a drydown that smells somewhat like unsmoked tobacco. L'Artisan parfumeur has a nice, if somewhat peculiar, scent based on spikenard, Jatamansi, that is both warm and herbal. You may have already tried New York by Nicolai, but if not, it's a good spicy cologne. A green tea scent without much citrus is Te Verde by Borsari; it has the advantage of being very cheap. And, of course, there's always Bulgari Omnia and Tam Dao for lovely woods. Cheers!
as you like tea and woods, you might want to try bvlgari eau parfumé de thé vert, or also thé blanc (i think there is also a thé rouge, but i never tried that one). in case you like the green tea one, but find the lasting power a bit lacking, you might want to try the extreme version, which smells basically the same but has much better lasting power. i love this one myself, so i heartily recommend it. it also happens to be very affordable.
Caron Le Troisemme Homme which is a lovely fougere (like the Dielsel and Parfums d”Empire) that works perfectly for men and women and can be found at US discounters for thirty bucks or so. Guerlain AA Herba Fresca, a refreshing tea-lime floral. YSL Body Kouros is licorice and rum with a fougere base and is available for cheap at discounters.
In my semi-distracted state, I go immediately to the Caron men… Pour Homme, and 3rd Man, and L'Anarchiste…all offer lavender, and strike me as good for daytime wear.
Working as a bookseller…hmmm…how about DZING!
In L'Artisan, as Haunani mentions above, Dzongkha and Timbuktu sound like possibilities in the dry woods theme. Both are really arresting, and more on the “cool” than warm side.
absolutely second Dzing! and maybe the whole Bulgari tea series (even the less loved one thé rouge, which really is rooibos-like – the unflavoured original)
I think we have very similar taste. Although always a perfume lover, I'm a relative newbie to perfume obsession. The only suggestion I have would be Tauer's L'air du Desert Morrocain, a great incense for your collection. And it would smell great with all those books!
Well my knee-jerk reaction to recommend was Jicky but I saw that's her daily go-to scent.
My next rec is a men's scent Monsieur De Givenchy, with bergamot, lemon, lavendar, verbena, hinoki wood and oakmoss. It wears well and is on the dry-woodsey side. And it's reasonably priced too. I get many compliments on it.
For a warm scent, I'm going out on a limb and recommending Balmain's Ambre Gris. It's just amazing, and different. Have fun!
What about a classic unisex citrus cologne like Guerlain Imperiale, Goutal's Eau de Hadrien, 4711 or as Daisy suggested Eau de Orange Vert. Except for Hadrien, they can all be found for cheap at the major discounters. Chanel's Cologne is a nice alternative for folks who are hemorraging money, and Mugler's Cologne is good for fans of the future.
Andy Tauer Jardin au Reverie might be a good pick & Lili by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz is really lovely
One DOES wonder. I like to pretend sometimes. 😉
Hello,
Just popping in to suggest Dolce and Gabbana The One For Men.
Notes:
Grapefruit, Coriander, Basil, Cardamom, Ginger, Orange Blossom, Cedar, Tobacco, Ambergris
Have fun with all these great suggestions when you get a chance to sample / sniff.
~Daw
Wow, Becca you are going to have some shopping list to take to TPC !
Although, I bet that a number of the fragrances mentioned may be available for sampling at a major department store, that would save some $$ .
I heartily second the recommendation of Tauer Perfumes Reverie au Jardin. It never fails to put a smile on my lips! First off, it reminds me of the lovely, gentle, funny Andy Tauer himself, and then I get a rush of a gorgeous Swiss garden bursting with lavender and the scent of a nearby forest. It's so clean and fresh, but it's got oodles of presence and is definitely NOT a light, girly, fleeting scent. If you almost, almost loved Fougere Bengale, this is right on the money, Becca, honey.
You are right Robin , its like having the kindest and sweetest man in the 'land of fragrance' right at your side. It was also his “most difficult fragrance' to create, He really wrestled with it. On me its like stepping into one of Monet painting 's of Giverny. Its underrated IMHO.
These might blow your budget to hell in a handbasket, but, um… decants, maybe?
*Serge Lutens Gris Clair: honeyed lavender
*Patou Vacances: lovely fresh green, discontinued but find-able
*MPG Eau pour le Jeune Homme: dry orange/neroli
Also, seconding the L'Air du Desert Marocain suggestion above — AugAmbre is right, it would smell divine with all those books!
For a tea scent you might want too try Stephanie St. Aigner-Au The du Sahara. It is at luckyscent.
For a scent to make you smile, maybe Hermes Un Jardin Sur le Nil. I do agree with previous suggestions of Andy Tauer L'Air du Desert Marocain.
Then for a dry not sweet fragrance is L'Artisian Passage D'Enfer-it has great longevity on me.
Happy sniffing!
A Monet exactly!! Oh, yes, memechose, you have it. And yes, it's underrated. Glad to know Andy has many loyal fans. He's just a dear.
One of my favorites for dry spicy-woody semi-unisex scents is Aurora by Farmacia ss. Annunziata (Luckyscent). I have samples of that whole line, almost all of which is interesting and tending toward gourmand rather than floral, and this is my favorite. On the drydown, it has an almost sandalwood quality on my skin, although some get pine and cedar. The listed notes are ginger, coriander, cinnamon, pepper, patchouli & nutmeg.
How about Cartier Declaration Bois Bleue? Bright juicy tangerines atop cool mellow woods. Although listed as a “masculine”, very lovely for either sex. Not a sillage monster, but great lasting power when sprayed on clothes rather than skin (no staining either). A must try (trust me)!
uh-oh, now you've done it! I'm a huge Monet fan so now I'm probably going to have to buy yet another bottle of perfume based solely on THIS blog….oh, the suffering I endure…
I might suggest Bulgari Black for a soothing tea fragrance, it's called unisex, but I like it and I'm a woody-floral girl.
Also Organza Indecence, spicy, no clear cut florals and yet not overwhelming for an oriental.
These are just off the cuff. I'll try to find some more.
-Joy and luck,
Becca
Thanks everyone!
I really appreciate it and it's very exciting. I have my to try list from before and my Excel spreadsheet to track it all but all of your suggestions give me renewed focus and enthusiasm in the search plus some ideas I would not have noticed.
Cheers all, Becca
PS. Has anyone read Sophie Dahl's article in the April Vogue (UK) as their new scent critic? Seems the idea is spreading…
Am I too late?!!
Escentric Molecules 01 is unisex, woodsy, very cool and fun to wear. I know it's available at Harvey Nicks in Edinburgh – it must be somewhere in Glasgow too.
I am loving my leathery/tobacco scents right now – Tabac Blond (Caron) and Cuir Mauresque (Serge Lutens) in particular. They are perfect for the daytime, and I wear jeans and jumpers in my office too!
I thought the same thing when I looked at the April cover online. The issue hasn't arrived in CA yet, but I did make a mental note to buy it once I see it in the store. Have you read it? Is it interesting/thought-provoking?
Yeah, one of the great things about working in a bookshop is all the magazines I can scan and read quickly.
It was a pretty good piece. For her first article she talked about her memories re: scent, her perfume history. And then mentioned 3 perfumes that have 'history' to them but I can't remember them offhand. Looking forward to the next ones.