Actress Demi Moore was at the Frédéric Malle counter at Barney's. According to a sales associate (a great story teller and wearer of Bois d'Orage), he started to introduce Demi to the line by grabbing the bottle of Musc Ravageur. "Oh no," Demi said. "I don't like musk." The sales associate then led Demi through the Malle range, from the lush Carnal Flower to the spicy-rose Noir Epices to the Lolita-esque Lys Méditerranée, but Demi wasn't completely convinced that any of them were right for her. In desperation he sprayed Musc Ravageur for her to smell. "What's this?" she asked. "You saved the best for last!"
Another story: A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a presentation where perfumer Mandy Aftel discussed, among other things, how she makes a custom fragrance. She explained that she doesn't ask a client what perfumes she likes, and she doesn't have her fill out a questionnaire. Instead, she sits with the client at her perfume organ and lets her smell different raw materials. She said that time after time she finds that people have a firm idea about what they like — or especially what they don't like — but when a slip of paper dunked in the essence is tucked blind under their noses, they change their minds. She said, "A lot of people don't think they like patchouli. Until they smell good patchouli."
We've probably all encountered people with definite opinions about what they like in a perfume and what they deplore. "I can't stand aldehydes!" one person says, or "I just can't get into rose fragrances." Patchouli, musk, vanilla, powder, and fruit all get the thumbs down from a lot of people. Some people will even look you straight in the face and say, "I think perfume stinks."
I'm definitely guilty of waving off whole families of perfume. A few years ago I thought, Powder? Why would I want to smell like a baby's hind end? Then a sniff of Lorenzo Villoresi Alumut sparked a powder bender that lasted the good part of a summer. I thought I didn't like patchouli, but Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon taught me otherwise. I was so-so about roses, but Guerlain Nahéma, Amouage Lyric, and Parfum d'Empire Eau Suave have shown me aspects of the rose that I love. Erin's post last week about cologne targets another branch of perfume it took me a while to warm up to. Now I can't imagine a July without a bottle of cologne in the refrigerator.
The struggle between prejudice and fresh appreciation isn't limited to perfume, either. I hear lots of "I don't like Chardonnay" or the truly horrifying "I only drink red" among self-professed wine snobs, but I bet if I uncorked a bottle of Meursault they'd suck it in like the air they breathed. On principle, some people refuse to open up to figurative painting or pop music. (And what is the Mona Lisa? Or Revolver?) Other people's prejudices center on literature. If it is part of Oprah's book club they can't like it, who cares that they haven't read it.
For all my preachiness, my prejudices still run deep, and I know it. I can't smell something named after a country western singer without sniggering, for example, and I have a profound bias against flankers. Still, I'm coming to learn that although a keen sense of smell is important to appreciating fragrance, maybe the most essential asset is an open mind. That mini of McGraw by Tim McGraw beckons.
Note: image is Violet by HAMED MASOUMI at flickr; some rights reserved.
You articulated well how utterly ignorant and yes, pretentious, we often are. Since most people only have a perception of things through associations and not of the things themselves it’s not hard to see how it happens, but it’s always spectacular in its unfolding.
For instance Demi doesn’t like Musk fragrances in the drugstore (I bet) and technically MR is more of a spicy oriental than a regular musk fragrance, so it makes sense. (see how often the NAME deters us?) And patchouli: most people in the US or of a certain age think of hippies. Yet, the material has no such associations by itself.
Another loud example which as a non-US has always impressed me: Calvin Klein fragrances. I have NEVER read an American being very appreciative of them (and I don’t mean qualitatively, as quality varies greatly within the line) eaxctly because they’re by CK. Yet outside the US, CK frags are quite respected, at least on the same plane as -say- YSL or Gucci. It’s all cultural and nothing to do with the frags themselves.
As to art being revered just for being revered, that’s a whole can of worms and it needs opening at some point (I should do it), but suffice to say that some things are “sacred cows” and whoever gets around in critiquing them gets critiqued himself/herself. It’s the madame Sousou effect (a heroine of Tsiforos), I always say.
Only we don’t admit it, darn it!!
Yay! A CK supporter! I have 2 bottles of CK Eternity in my fridge…have loved it for years…my 17 yr old wears it now as well.
Well, I wouldn’t go that far as labelling myself as a supporter, but I do find that some in the line merit a better reception than the one they get (I quite like Obsession and Eternity for women for a casual day from time to time, for instance)
I’ve always loved Truth. And I love how pretentious it sounds to say it!
That’s funny!
Hi Daisy,
I am curious about the kind of fridge you use for storing your perfumes. I have been thinking about purchasing a mini fridge for my perfumes but most reviews i read about mini fridges state they do not last for a long time, which makes my other choice the table top fridges. Thanks
Hi Jovi, right now my fume-stash is taking over our regular kitchen refrigerator….I’m getting hassled about the amount of space dedicated to my ever growing bottle population. I’m looking into getting a small unit from Home Depot. Maybe a bit bigger than a “dorm” style fridge. Other from that I don’t know what to tell you. Except that when I was in college I had a small fridge that was second hand when my brother got it and then it got passed on to me and then on to my sister in laws little sister….it wasn’t anything great but I know it lasted at least 12 years!
Hi Daisy,
Thank you very much for the reply. I must say you have quite a stash there. Ciao
perfumeshrine, so true. I’ve often dismissed scents just b/c of a particular note, for example cumin. And when I try it, like SL’s Musc KK, it works. So I try not to read notes and just experience it a few times to see if it grows on me.
Once upon a time when it was revealed that SL scents listed cumin among the notes, there was a fervent ourcry along the lines of “it smells so sweaty on me!!” on perfume boards. It was quite fun to watch in a way.
Funny!
I think there are the seeds of another full post buried in these comments.
Consider the following conundrum-
When you put the notes in the descriptor of a fragrance, you can scare people off and ruin their perception of that fragrance. Cumin for example.
Or you can leave out the notes list (Les Nez). Without this fragrance descriptor, this can become frustrating (read robin’s review of unicorn spell). It’s comforting to have a “YOU ARE HERE” roadmap as you go through trying to pick apart the fragrance with your brain. Picture the joy of smelling a frag for the first time after being told what to expect from reading a review or list of fragrance notes.
“oh, there’s the vetiver” sniff sniff ” that’s what they meant by lemon cheese cake”.
To list or not to list? Is there a third option?
JAR is another company that refuses to list notes for its fragrances. I don’t know, though. We’re a language-driven people, and we like to have the anchors of descriptors. As for the third option, I’m stumped! Maybe just vague descriptions, like “fresh” and “cool”?
I’ve become a big fan of the sort of “personal” feeling cumin lends a fragrance. Jubilation 25 and Bois 1920 Come La Luna are two of my favorites, for example.
I would love to read your thoughts on art revered for the sake of reverence. It reminds me of Virginia Woolf’s famous thoughts on the “middlebrow”. I’ll be looking for the essay…
How interesting about Calvin Klein, and how true, at least for me. I admit to turning up a nose at them based on sheer prejudice.
And thank for the reference to Madame Sousou, too. I’m going to look her up right away and come away smarter.
An eassy should be coming up next then and thanks for the Wolf reminder!
There are some funny clips of madame Sousou from a TV series on youtube, but they’re in (hilarious!) Greek ….(stilll, the airs are VERY obvious)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNDf0S-63EM
PS. Cumin is very nice, I like many frags with it and you said it so well, it lends intimacy. And I absolutely LOVE Jubiltion 25, what a glorious fragrance!!
Good Lord, my fingers have a mind of their own. Sorry for the typos…
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a Greek sit com, so I’ll have to watch these for sure.
Greek sitcoms! This is great! And another great post, Angela. But don’t forget the Abby Hoffman effect: “Sacred cows make the best burger”!
I love that quote!
I think this is a very interesting phenomenon. People who live in Europe want things that are from N. A. (like jeans); people who live in N. A. want things from Europe (like perfume). The grass is always greener…I have always wondered how American fragrances play out in Europe because they are so apples and oranges in comparison to the mighty French houses, for example. Estee Lauder has some good perfumes but they have that “je ne sais quois” that is distinctly not European.
I guess it’s the “grass is always greener” phenomenon…
Well, in Brazil Calvin Klein is seen more as basic fragrances, instead of more daring mass market fragrances like Gucci and YSL. I don’t like neither dislike its fragrances. I think they could do much better, but then it would go against its minimalist focus, don”t?
Good point. Calvin Klein does have the image of being minimalist.
Isn’t that interesting how that happens, Angela? I, too, swore I hated patchouli, but my perfume purchases over the past couple of years have proven me wrong.
I may be swayed by the fact that a favorite note is listed in a perfume, but in the end, I just need a fragrance to smell good on me.
Hugs!
V, how about some suggestions for Those who Fear the Patchouli?
Either my skin or my nose seems to magnify it, and it bothers me. Some fragrances I do like although the patchouli seems very obvious to me: Hanae Mori, Organza Indecence, SSS Velvet Rose, Tocade. (Hm. Rose and vanilla.)
If you like rose and aren’t afraid of an unabashedly feminine scent, how about Divine L’Inspiratrice?
Thanks. I am a rose ho… wearing the delightfully naughty Citizen Queen this afternoon.
Great! Lady Vengeance has a touch of discernable patch, too, as I recall.
So true! I’ve been convinced to buy something unsniffed (not a good policy, I know) by a list of notes, and then been disappointed. On the other hand, I’ve been surprised by loving some scents I thought for sure I would detest!
As I read, I patted myself firmly on the shoulder for my willingness to sniff anything, to not rule out entire families of perfumes based on anti-patch or cumin bias, to not condemn pre-sniff….and then I read “mini of McGraw by Tim McGraw” and a snorty type of snicker slipped right out! Oh, I’m ashamed.
I have to admit that I still haven’t smelled it. I’ve taken the cap off and sniffed at it, but it hasn’t yet touched skin….
Part of the problem, I think, is misleading labeling. If you dislike a perfume that claims to have gardenia in it, you may conclude you don’t like gardenia. But all to often, it seems to me, those claims are just lies.
Just this weekend, I had an argument with a SA when I claimed something smelled like strawberries. She said “but there’s no strawberries in it,” and read out the official list of notes. It’s like I’m supposed to believe the promo and not what my nose smells.
I’d love to be able to smell the actual essences to learn their smells…. Maybe I should consider visiting this person who makes bespoke perfume? But it’s probably expensive even to have the consultation.
Fernando if I may (and got your mail btw, thanks!),
one doesn’t have to book a private consultation necessarily (although it’s fun!) in order to learn some of the materials at least. One can start with the kitchen cupboard, the garden, the hothouse, everyday products (laundry detergents, sunscreens etc) and progress from there… Very often those smells are replicated in fine fragrance.
And there are so many online sources on everything too that it’s quite interesting to sniff and learn. More economical too
Thank you, E! Great suggestions.
F, I’ve had my own share of tussles with SAs who insist I can’t possibly be smelling what I think I smell, so I sympathize! A few different companies sell sets of essences that you can smell to become familiar with the components of fragrance, and I’ve thought about ordering a set. I know it would help me a lot.
I really love this post, Angela (almost as much as I love Musc Rav… Ha!).
It’s true, we all have biases and I have many, but (affected as this may sound), I feel I’ve never been as parochial as some people I’ve met, and I’m at least open-minded about “trying” things even if I presume they’re not to my taste. I think life ends up being a **whole lot** more enjoyable that way (I feel most sorry for the picky eaters of the world, frankly). Being an outright “snob” about anything though perhaps belies a fear or insecurity that needs to be masked by pretension.
I say that a hot dog can be savored as well as duck confit, “two-buck Chuck” can bring as much (or more) pleasure as a Mouton Rothschild, “Something About Mary” has a place alongside “The Seventh Seal”… and, as we know, drugstore cheapies can be enjoyed by the same person who appreciates MDCI.
Right there with you, buddy – and nicely expressed, by the way! Thanks for the article, Angela; it’s thought- and smile-provoking as usual.
You may count me among the patchouli-averse. I don’t have any personal headshop references, but I really struggle with that note. Although I find that some of my favorites have a whisper of it, a whisper is about all I can tolerate. For example, I did try the generally well received Shaal Nur, and it is gorgeous but too much patch for me. Hey, at least I TRIED it. Progress, eh?
Hey, you tried it and that’s great! You don’t have to like it. (I sure like Shaal Nur, though. I had forgotten all about it.)
Joe, I’m with you all the way. In fact, I think my own prejudices are less against the niche and the drugstore, and more against the department store lines. I tend to turn up my nose–without any good reason!–at Williams Sonoma kitchen gadgets, Nordstrom clothing, and nicely-appointed Saabs. Isn’t that stupid?
Well, I don’t know if it’s stupid.
We all have different tastes. There’s no rule saying one **must** be able to appreciate or like Hummer vehicles, Pink Sugar, or St. Johns Knits.
You’ve got it! Give me the fabulous mint condition 1972 cream Mercedes convertible or the junk-heap-ready pick up truck, but nothing in between. Snob snob snob.
I think that’s called “reverse snobbery”.
I feel that way about BMWs. And I have to say, it’s a big struggle for people to convince me to read anything from Oprah’s book club, not because I think there’s anything wrong with the book, but because I resent the implication that Oprah is the be-all, end-all opinion of what (book, clothing, skin care product, diet, small appliance, etc. ad nauseum) I should buy.
Hey Boojum – I admit that I’m there with you on the Oprah thing – and there is just no way that a woman as busy as her has time to read all those books – Faulkner? All of them? Give me a break. I like to find my own way with reading.
I bet you were a reader to start with (love that!). A lot of Oprah’s audience might not have ventured too far beyond romances (not that there’s anything wrong with that) without her nudging them along.
Hey, I love Oprah! At least, I do on principle, because I haven’t ever seen one of her shows. But I’ve read her magazine. And I’ve lusted after her fortune.
I used to like her, earlier on. But somewhere along the way, she got too big for her britches (and I don’t mean the repeated battles with her weight, either). I’m sure it’s hard not to when you’re that successful, but that doesn’t mean I have to like or endorse it.
Very true (and funny about the “britches” comment).
Joe great comment! You are totally right-on. I know that I have problems with some notes – tuberose, cumin, musks- but I’ve learned to never say never after I realized some of my long time favorites had some notes I was anxious about. Because of that I’ve found a deep love for aldehydes, galbanum (thank god!), and even vanillas that I used to think were too boring, among other notes. If we were all doing blind testing our noses would take us to great places where otherwise our minds get in the way. It *is*just like food….
And now that you mention picky eaters: my husband is always bemoaning the fact that our toddler drives him nuts with not wanting to eat different foods. Well, that apple doesn’t fall far from that tree! I *just* sent my husband up the flag pole for not eating a perfectly good lunch. I’ll pretty much eat about anything and am pretty easy going in the food department….I love that I’m not picky with eating or people or music or fragrance. Bring it on – as long as I’m not forced to buy a full bottle, I’ll try anything at least once! And then I notice too that on third or even fourth tries, and fragrance can finally makes sense!
You are so right about trying something more than once. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put a sample away, thinking I don’t like it, and then fallen in love with it months later.
And let’s hear it for good eaters!
So much can affect my response to a sample – expectations being the worst, then weather, mood, competition with others in an order….sometimes a fragrance just needs a little space for it’s voice to be heard right, even if it doesn’t get to be FBW. Sometimes you just can’t expect fragrance X to hold up when a new package of samples arrive and in it is some other masterpiece that will blow it away, and of course our noses and tastes always evolve.
True true true!
I’m the pickiest eater ever.
If I go to Germany for an exchange program, I will feel so sorry for the family I stay with. Especially since I do not eat meat. or German food really.
When they ask me what I usually eat I’m going to be like “Samosas and mango lassis ^_____^”
and then I’m going to buy all the Tokio Hotel and Jimi Blue cds/dvds I can and they’ll probably cry and be like “warruuuumm?”
Hey, at least the beer is good!
My (picky-eater) husband spent two weeks in Germany as a college student, and LOST weight.
Of our three kids, one is sort of picky, and the youngest is unbelievably picky. You can’t tell me it’s not at least partly genetic.
I’ve been trying to figure out where my 4 yr old got her picky eating habits…but I think it probably is the single trait she inherited from me. I’m not terribly picky now, but I certainly was as a child. So there is still hope.
My older child was reverse picky (refused spaghetti, mac and cheese, pb&j, but loved kung pao chicken and such). Now, she eats pretty much everything.
yeah I’ll probably lose toooonnns of weight.
You very well might, Krok. All those sausages… The CEO (this is what I call my husband, sort of in jest) was with a college group that got fed various types of sausages morning, noon, and night, and he got sick of them. And no beer for the underage college kids, either. That’s not to say that German food is bad, mind you – just that his group had very limited choices, none of which he liked.
Sort of the way many of us feel about mainstream department store perfume offerings, nein? Ah, but we were discussing that!
Boojum, my oldest kid eats pretty much anything, and is more adventurous in her taste. For her birthday dinner, she frequently requests Italian pasta-and-bean soup and spinach. She’ll knock you down for Chinese, too (unusual in our rural Southern area). My boys take after their dad in pickiness, and I don’t think that’s differences in parenting…
Don’t worry, there’s lots to eat in Germany, even if you don’t like “German food”, which doesn’t exist, as everything is regional, like everywhere else. You do find a lot of cold meats and meat dishes, that’s true… but you’ll have loads of other things to choose from (i.e. lots of international cuisine, too). And German bread is reaaally good.
I love bread.
btw, I’ll be in Münster. Or if I’m lucky Heidelburg (Münster is just for a few weeks, Heidelburg is a full semester)
I know I might be able to find samosas in Germany, but I don’t think I can expect my host family to make them for me. Even though my mom doesn’t make mine… there’s a little Indian takeout place right by my school so I went there almost everyday. That was about $6.00 to eat lunch everyday for a week. My samosa diet saved my mom so much grocery $$$$.
Humm, I’ve never visited either of those cities, I’ve been told they’re both quite lovely and Heidelberg is famous for its uni…
But I think you’ll definitely find some nice samosa places wherever you go
And if you like pastry food you should check out Turkish Börek type things (sigara boregi etc.) which is filo pastry filled with spinach or potatoes or cheese or combinations thereof, sluuurp. In Portuguese restos you also find samosa inspired snacks, they’re called chamuças.
Hope you’ll enjoy your time in Germany! It’s wicked you’re going!
I am definitely with you, Joe.
I have a personal rule regarding “trying new things”.
With rare exception, I must give something at least three tries before ruling it out. Whether it is food, beverage, perfume, etc. I try to get everyone I know to adopt the same rule. It’s for the best, i feel. I’ve come to like a great many things on the 3rd or 4th go round.
The only exception to this rule so far has been Uni (sea urchin sashimi), which is perhaps the most godawful foul thing I have ever put in my mouth, and you would have to pay me several times over the price of the dish to make me try it a 2nd time.
There is also a cheese my friend smuggled into the US from France (unpasteurized) that was horrendous smelling, and we made matching sour faces when we tried it (we’ve rarely laughed harder). It may have gone overripe en route, but we’re not remotely sure. The best part, or worst part, is that we’ve lost the name of said cheese, so adventure awaits us yet again.
As to the hot dog:duck confit, 2buckchuck:rothschild contentions…I mostly agree. I may really love Brillat-Savarin, Reblochon, Langres, and Saint-Felicien, etc, etc, but i also like cheese in a can. I may be madly in love with Teuscher, but I also really enjoy a Hershey bar (I do shun Godiva, however, ew).
Cheers to the “try-ers” of the world.
I’m with you all the way, too. Also wouldn’t spend money on Godiva.
Ha! Daves, it took me a long time to try uni because I had heard such horrible things about it. Then there are those who think it’s the Sea-God’s most precious gift to man. I finally tried it and had texture issues, but it wasn’t horrific. I’ve had it a again a few times since and I think it’s fairly good, but not one of my faves (I also happen to live in a city that harvest huge amounts of sea urchin, so freshness is usually superior). My faves still include salmon roe and fresh-water eel, which I suppose might make some people uneasy!
the restaurant where i had uni is among the best here (vegas…so its saying something), and always has fresh stuff. probably not as fresh as a place that harvests tons of it, but i trust this restaurant pretty completely. they have fresh stuff daily, and its always perfect.
my friend goes into hysterics just thinking about the faces i made trying it.
i am definitely down with any kind of fish eggs, and any kind of eel…good stuff.
that said…if i was in a place known for their uni…i would probably grin and bear it…and try it again
yay! someone else who thinks Godiva is ‘ew’
lol
I think it’s possible to hate certain things.
even though my friend thinks anything with patchouli must be bad and everything with vanilla must be good, and that really annoys me.
Vanilla and patchouli are pretty ~*versatile*~ and can smell different each perfume they’re in anyway.
That is such a good point. You just never know until you’ve tried it.
speaking of ~*prejudices*~
do all the Montales with rose have the same kind of rose?
because the rose in Black Aoud reminds me of rose flavored orange juice (don’t ask) and I think the rose in A.Maze kind of smells the same.
and now I’m kind of scared of rose in general. It’s ~*hurt me*~ too many times.
and that’s sad because my middle name is Rose.
Can’t speak to the Montale, but that A.Maze is almost a fermented rose. I didn’t care for it either. You should try the Amouage Lyric; it’s absolutely gorgeous. The SL “Sa Majeste” is a very nice rose too, for a non-rose-lover (and much cheaper than the Amouage).
I second you on Lyric. Especially if you can manage to stick up a bank first.
There are a jillion takes on rose out there. The two roses you mentioned have a dash of saffron thrown in. I wonder if that’s what turns you off?
Hey – I’m a totally rose lover, and I do have troubles with the Montales, with the exception of the rose used in Roses Petals. But I didn’t like the rest of the formula so all the Montale roses are a pass for me. Try the Cartier So Pretty which has a rich, yet fresh and dewey rose, paired with a dry blackberry and other odds and ends that make is more a classic floral-chypre. Gorgeous! Or if you want a rose in the Montale style, try the Agent Provocateur which has a very nice smooth rose with a saffron note that gives it an exotic feel.
Great suggestions, thanks!
Something about you makes me think you might like the SSS Vintage Rose. It’s lovely and kind of dark. Also Andy T’s Une Rose Chypree will, I think, change a few minds about roses. My stepmother despises rose perfumes and thought that one was gorgeous. I am not a fan of what I call “hippie” rose, that really cloying stuff that all the “rose” essential oils smell like. Blurgh. But that dislike sent me on a rose-quest that has been really fun, and there are some beauties.
Nice suggestions!
Not really related but…..I was just at the FM counter at Barneys with my 3 yr old son, and the SA – maybe the same one? – took an interest in my son and his “Wolverine” toy. He told my son that Wolverine himself (Hugh Jackman) stopped by whenever he was in town to purcahse several bottles of his signature scent – “Outrageous” by FM and gave my son a bunch of samples. Now every morning my son sprays himself and asks me “Do I smell like Wolverine???”
That is an awesome story! I just saw the Wolverine movie and boy, that Hugh Jackman is something else! It’s fun that the SA has such a good sense of humor and figured a way to involve your son in fragrances! Can you imagine all his friends in school wanting it too?
I like the thought of a bunch of pre-schoolers smelling of Outrageous.
Me too – better than soggy pull-ups! Also, I just like knowing what Hugh Jackman smells like. A girl can dream, right??!
I know you’ve inspired me to cuddle up with an Outrageous-spritzed hankie…
That’s got to be him! Such a nice guy. I bet he really moves the product, too.
That is so cute!
Yes!
Oh, now I’m disappointed that *I* don’t smell like Wolverine every time I wear Timbuktu, his previously-reported signature scent. ;)Maybe he traded up to Malle. Or maybe all reports of celebrity fragrance preferences are just lies! lies! LIES!
Or maybe he’s like us, and has a fully-loaded perfume cupboard.
hmmmm…..Hugh Jackman and a fully stocked perfume cabinet….sounds heavenly to me!
No kidding!
After selling fragrances for 14 years, I have learned that ultimately “the nose knows”. Companies have all sorts of games that they get the beauty advisors to play with customers to help them find the right fragrance for themselves, but in the end, the customer will pick what appeals to his/her nose, not necessarily what category his/her likes have fallen in.
I don’t like vanilla but Aqua Allegoria Ylang & Vanille is so tastefully done that I can appreciate it. Similarly, I don’t like gardenia (unless it’s on a tree!) but Chanel’s Gardenia is lovely. My European parents always used to deride patchouli as being terribly cheap and low class. So I grew up with a prejudice but when I smelled pure patchouli in a Paris art gallery on someone, I followed her till I could ask her what the divine scent was.
We cannot judge a fragrance by it’s name. The name, the bottle and the packaging don’t sell it, the scent does!
I have to admit that I’m a sucker for a gorgeous bottle, but ultimately I like to smell good!
i rarely say never when it comes to frags lol. i used to hate stuffy “old men” frags, but surprise surprise, Kouros grew on me, i use the Aramis aftershave and Polo Green doesn’t cause me feeling sick anymore!
I know just how that is!
Excellent post, relevant topic!
I guess the quality and thus the actual scent of materials varies so much… and in addition often it’s not what is says on the box, e.g. there are so many ‘vetivers’ which—i assume—don’t contain real vetiver, and don’t really smell like it. So if I decide on the ground of smelling a lab-synthesised vetiver that I don’t like it, I will most certainly have a revealing experience smelling that by Etro, for instance.
Then there are the usual ‘cultural-historic’ association we have, patchouli and ‘a certain youth culture’ in western societies some 4 decades ago, the oh so ‘old-fashioned’ rose of victorian handkerciefs, a.s.o.
It’s probably those phases—I don’t remember who wrote about it—everyone interested in perfume goes through. At some point we reach the state of mind that allows us to let go of all prejudices and enjoy the actual vibrations in our Bulbus olfactorius.
The next problem then is though the reaction of those around us. I’m sure my partner will cringe if I enter in a cloud of rose fragrance, telling him: ‘I recently discovered my love of rose fragrance’.
Last time at the perfume counter I was looking for VdN and the funky and slightly out-of-place looking grungy sales woman let me smell Nahema, after telling her I’m openminded towards women’s perfumes. Now that is a rose! And I didn’t even recognise it as such.
I agree, cultural connotations do a lot to color how a person perceives fragrance, and smelling a sour rendition of something is a good way to turn a person off it for good.
Isn’t Nahema marvelous?
Almost knocked me off my feet…death by flower bomb. Couldn’t wear it, don’t like rose (only joking). Impressive, but too flowery for me
Oh, no! I liked my icon thing, now it changed when i chaned my profile… btw, you don’t do comment notifications since the redesign?
Let me look into the comment thing and get back to you. These sorts of technical bits aren’t my forte.
It is, definitely, All About Flowers!
Vol de Nuit and Nahema are two of my fav Guerlains, along with Chamade. Talk about never say never – the leather accord in VdN is just right for me…when I thought I’d never like a leather…and of course learning to love galbanum sent me right into the arms of Chamade! Nahema was an easy sell for me, lol.
All of the Guerlains you mention are so marvelous.
I love VdN, it sooo lovely.
A top ten for me, for sure.
Thanks for a great post! You are so right — in different ways, I equally enjoy my Frederic Malles, my Lolita Lempicka, and my Jean Nate.
Yes! It is almost Jean Nate season for me.
I still need to try that one. They had a flanker back in the 80s that I just loved (Fresh Musk)…and it had a similar feel to Heure Exquise.
Or maybe not a flanker, come to think of it…suspect the notes were far too different and it was a separate scent altogether.
Wow! That would definitely be worth hunting for.
Ha! well….keep in mind my notoriously poor memory, and throw in the romanticized thoughts we all have of things from our youths…I wouldn’t search *too* hard.
Yes, this year I am getting a bottle of that! Although here in SF it is May and I am still taking my hot water bottle into the bed at night and wearing fleece. We had two hot days for me to play with colognes and now it is back to amber and patch – lol.
The weather is schizophrenic here, too. Today Chateau de Vie, tomorrow some dark oriental scent, probably.
Definitely. Still too cold here … but soon! My bottle of Jean Nate is giant … should last me till I’m 80.
the sudden mental image of you trying to wrestle a drum sized bottle of Jean Nate off the dresser top…..lol sorry, funny…in my head the bottle was like one of those huge water containers that gets delivered to offices….lololol still enjoying the image
That is too funny, I’m laughing at that image too!
Well, it’s not drum-sized, but it’s close! And it only cost about $12 at CVS, LOL.
My bottle is big, too. Somehow that seems appropriate with Jean Nate.
Hi Daisy!
The eye is back- only this time I wore mascara. What do you think, still creepy?
I am not very intellectual about perfume. And I usually don’t care for fragrances that are. It’s all emotion with me..How does it make me feel?
Joy,
Becca
The EYE!! ah, yes….well I wouldn’t have my eye on display without mascara either—it’s one of life’s essentials! lol now you’re just having fun changing your gravatar around.
B, I love it that’s it’s all emotion for you!
I’ll come right out and admit it.
I hate roses.
I am willing to try fragrances that include rose, but I’ve rarely come to like one. The exception is Le Labo Rose 31…which is, according to most people, not *really* a rose fragrance anyway. lol
I claim genetics…my mother hates roses too.
O.K., o.k. But don’t be surprised if one day you take a sudden hankering to Malle Une Rose…
Une Rose! My personal favorite of all the roses I know. It is magnificent! Angela, I really really liked this article. We do miss out on a lot when we think we won’t like something. I do admit, though, that I think that opening that mini of Tim McGraw is a mark of supreme courage. (Who IS Tim McGraw, anyway? LOL!).
He sings country western, apparently. I fear his scent won’t exactly be Une Rose (sigh).
i very much enjoy a good deal of the frederic malle line. i’ll keep a nose out for une rose the next time i wander over to barney’s.
(for me, musc ravageur and leau d’hiver are favorites. they smell fantastic on me, if nothing else). shame about the prices in comparison with my fragrance budget. haha.
i don’t suspect it’ll be to my liking. but, as i said somewhere else, i have a 3-try minimum rule. lol
i hope someday to at least be able to “appreciate” rose, if not enjoy it.
Supposedly Une Rose is a big favorite of Saudi princes, so you never know…
or like I said above, Une Rose Chypree…
I haven’t tried this one yet, but it sure sounds good.
Ditto here. Want to try it!!!
I used to feel the same way until I tried Voleur de Roses … of course I think of it as more of a “wet earth” scent than a rose scent …
…and patchouli. Majorly.
Definitely. I was trying to explain to my Finnish MIL what patchouli was, and was getting stuck… then said “Wait!” and rushed off to grab my VdR sample. LOL!
Yes, it is definitely a patchouli scent as well!
Yes–a great example!
Yummy! Count me among the folks who thought they didn’t like patchouli, until I tried VdR and a few others. Darn those hippies, anyway, for giving it a bad name.
Yes! Poor, beleaguered patchouli.
thanks for the suggestion, Jill. when i’m next at Barney’s (sniffing the Malle Une Rose as suggested above), i’ll check out the L’artisan counter as well. wet earth sounds intriguing at the very least (i’ve only had brief encounters with it while traveling, i’m a native desert dweller :P). and i’m not offended by patchouli.
The note I am having trouble with is Iris/Orris, when it is the predominant note. I can appreciate it, just not sure if I want to have it on me. But, like bleu cheese and anchovies, I will keep trying it. I have never liked bleu cheese (but I WILL eat a bit of gorgonzola, so I’m getting there), but I finally learned to like anchovies.
Otherwise, bring it on!! I will try anything. SA’s get annoyed with me when they ask what I like and I tell them “everything”. But then, I will go for a skinny blond guy or a big Samoan one equally, so obviously I must not have “types”. lol
Joe, your post is right-on. I fight with myself a lot with both forward and reverse snobbery. However, I think my perfume cabinet will attest to the idea that maybe I am winning the battle, because I have Vanilla Fields and Avon right there with Maroc Pour Elle and CdG.
Giggling at your man comment. I married the skinny blond guy, but I think The Rock is gorgeous too. No TYPES, just interesting men.
Tama, you like a lot of great stuff. Vanilla Fields never grabbed me, but I have a bottle of Stetson Rich Suede! It’s osmanthus-y. And I can’t wait for my Lyric and my Le Temps d’une Fete.
I have only tried Stetson and Lady Stetson and didn’t like either one – esp, Lady, which just turned to soap. Not averse to trying the Rich Suede! Osmanthus is one of those notes, like galbanum, that I don’t know what it smells like.
I liked men’s Stetson best of the two. Osmanthus is lovely, suede apricot, and galbanum is sharp green. Two good ones.
Men’s Stetson is a gorgeous fragrance, my hubby has several scents but Stetson is my favorite….and also the least expensive and I wear it sometimes too….ahh for once the perfume gods have smiled upon me.
Okay, I’m trying it again….
better this time.
Hi Tama – galbanum is a prominent note in Miller Harris Fleurs du Matin, as well as in the opening of Chamade, and is a big part of the green trio in Chanel No 19 along with iris and vetiver.
YAY galbanum! That’s a note that gets a lot of “ew, old lady” and “bitter, icky” comments on the big boards, but I love it. Aldehydes, too.
Fig leaf. Now, that’s a note I’m finding that I don’t care for – but I’m finding that out through testing, not prejudice. Up to four fig fragrances now, and I haven’t liked it in any of them.
Oh, and I thought I didn’t care for animalic notes, but turns out that I am digging the beautiful-and-very-naughty Citizen Queen, as well as Bal a Versailles and Rumba.
Animalic notes are that wonderful, slightly dangerous touch that make something otherwise banal so intriguing.
Yes to the “interesting” ones, whatever package they come in.
I love fragrances to be interesting! I’m just the opposite of alotofscents. Fragrances that pique my curiosity and make me *think* are the ones that most excite me. Maybe it’s my loss, but scent doesn’t often provoke emotions in me. For example, I don’t “get” that Apres l’Ondee is a “sad” fragrance.
That’s interesting. Is there a fragrance that just plain makes you happy?
Actually, there is! When I first tried Timbuktu, I just couldn’t stop smiling! I’m not sure if it was an emotional or an intellectual reaction. I wonder?
Sounds emotional to me!
Could be! So maybe there’s hope for me after all. Maybe I’m just immune to the sad and melancholy associations, and that’s OK with me!
T, iris can be a real chameleon: warm and earthy, rooty, or snooty and dry. Keep looking! You’re bound to find an iris you like.
I don’t want this to sound as corny as it is going to sound, but the smell of the dry, powdery iris (like in AG Heure Exquise) smells a lot like the top of my baby toddler’s head. I thought I was crazy, but I’ve read on another blog about the same thing.
Sounds so sweet.
What a great smell! I must try Heure Exquise. Someone commented that it’s similar in some ways to Chanel No. 19, a dear love of mine, so it’s gone on the test list.
It’s such a pretty fragrance. Maybe not as spicy as vintage No. 19, or as powdery as new No. 19, but wonderful.
C – I have a bigger bottle than I need. Remind me to send a sample along w/your Lyric split.
Heure Exquise is one of my HG fragrances – just absolutely beautiful! It has some nice galbanum and rose too.
Certainly familiar–I thought I didn’t like musk, when it’s actually patchouli that makes me run screaming in the other direction. I don’t know how I picked up that mistaken notion, probably a combination of two associations that other folks commented on, the “hippie wearing patchouli to cover up the pot smell” with “cheap drugstore musk”.
Cheap patchouli and cheap musk seem to go hand in hand, don’t they?
hand in hand, hand over nose…with fingers desperately pinching nostrils closed….
Ouch,
I do wear a blend of Patch, vanilla, clove, & musk. Applied sparingly, it’s nice & soft.
Sounds lovely! Not cheap smelling at all.
I think the key to the comment above was “cheap”….there’s just such an enormous difference between cheap musk or patch. and the quality stuff.
No kidding. Clair de Musc is worlds away from Coty Wild Musk (although I’ve come around to the Coty!)
I think I might actually be allergic to some of these musks, to be honest.
Coco Mademoiselle makes my eyes itch but I don’t know why. hmmmmmm
I like many patchouli scents (the Santa Maria Novella is one of my favorite patchoulis), so I don’t think that’s it.
Maybe there’s something in it. I hope you find out what it is!
Interesting. My daughter’s piano teacher is allergic to most “real” floral elements in perfume—makes her eyes itch! (and then she starts getting blotchy—not a pretty sight) So I never wear perfume on Piano afternoons. (Daughter recently gave up lessons—thank goodness, bring on the perfume) Anyhoo—maybe it’s one particular floral component.
Here’s an idea, Krok—whenever you try something that causes a reaction (anything even vaguely “allergic” ) make a note of what fragrance and what particular reaction. Bet it won’t take too long to narrow the culprit down.
Sounds like a good plan!
I wonder if I have a similar sensitivity. There is some note that really bothers me–once in awhile it’s present in “white floral”-type perfumes, but not in all white florals. Smells like a very polleny spring flower, very sharp and aggressive, and gives me a headache. I’ve ruled out jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, rose, lily of the valley, violet, lavender, iris, honeysuckle, carnation, or any of the tropical flowers; all those are fine. Maybe hyacinth? Madonna lily? These perfumes (for example, some of the Patous) hit me like the flower display room at the Conservatory–obviously floral, but comprised of flowers that are intended to be seen, not smelled.
Oh boy, that sounds tricky. Maybe it’s some synthetic note that you’re sensitive to, or something like that. Good luck figuring it out.
I’d love to read allot more of you like this. Very good article.
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I don’t know if I have a note that I hate it tottaly, but at this moment I can say that I can’t stand the smell of a lot of flowers, in special lily of the valley. This floral pungent smell nauseates me a lot. I bought to my mom in mom’s day a bottle of donna karan gold edp, that is pure lilies (shame on me, i didn’t pay attention on this detail). Result: she hated it, and I even more.
there are a few flowers that nauseate me.
the beginning Manoumalia gives me a really horrible headache.
I’ll keep my opinions of Fracas and A La Nuit to myself.
If I wear something with prominent floral notes, they have to be saved by something, like lots of cumin
Krokodilgena, I can’t stand A La Nuit too. I’ve tested on skin, it’s a big NO to me.
Creed Jasmal is another one that when I put on skin I wan’t desperately to wash it off, because the smell annoys me a lot.
Yep, the white ones.
This seconds my suspicion it’s the big white flowers: jasmine, tuberose, gardenia, lily, that might bother you.
R, maybe it’s mostly pungent white flowers?
I think it’s, in general, white flowers really. You’ve remembered another one that I don’t like it: gardenia. And guess? Secret Obsession turn on my skin almost a gardenia soliflore. Chinatown I love it, but it’s gardenia opening is a fase that i’d like to speed it on that fragrance.
Tuberose I don’t know if I like or dislike, since I like Fragile edp, that has a lot of tuberose. I, for some reason, associate the smell of tuberose in fragrance with soft drinks O.o
Soft drinks! Now, that’s interesting.
I have a lot of trouble with white flowers too – specifically lily of the valley and tuberose- so I always test those with caution. Beyond Paradise may as well be pepper spray to me! Sometimes if I want to wear a white flowers that I appreicate, like Diorissimo or EL PC Tuberose Gardenia, I need to put on a tiny bit on my wrists and well away from my face which helps. I can do jasmine though, so I consider that a good thing. I have a persistent love hate relationship with AG Songes.
Those fragrances can be such powerhouses. I’m glad jasmine works for you, though.
I can do a lot of white flowers but I have to be reallllllly careful with Lily of the Valley – it can give me a splitting headache. It’s okay in some of the Diors, and in small doses, but something like the old Muguet du Bois or a LotV fragrance oil, ack.
I don’t like the kind of Tuberose that is in Fracas, but there are some tuberoses that are okay. It is one of those “keep trying” scents for me, maybe because I so love actual tuberose.
Yes, I’ve been tempted by the Bois de Jasmin post of growing tuberose to try it myself.
Ha, that’s funny! I also got DK Gold for my mum ‘s birthday, and she didn’t like it, too. She likes lilly of the valley but sadly it was too gourmand for her. Diorissimo would probably have suited her much better, but DK was only about the third of the price and I’m poor…
DK Gold is such a nice gift, though. Too bad it didn’t work on her.
I’m open to most scents- as long as they don’t smell like strawberry syrup or green tea lol not a very picky eater either… anyone for liverwurst and pickled beets on rye?
Stella went so sour on me I was afraid of trying another rose but Nahema is awesome and it was also nice to have a vanilla note that doesn’t go can-o’-frosting on me.
Bunny,
Is that with spicy mustard, or horseradish sauce??? Add onions too, please….
it sounds like your skin really sweetens things up! I’m glad Nahema worked out for you, though.
It’s not just the sweetness, there’s also that weird salty, strange feeling that canned vanilla frosting seems to have. I can feel it in the back of my throat! weirdness!
Sounds awful!
I am scared of certain notes galbanum, cardamon, curry, basil, hay, as a matter of fact, why am I even here? I will try things with those ingredients, but some things smell strange. I received a sample of Black Orchid from The Perfumed Court and thought, wow, this is more mellow that I thought. So I ordered a larger decant and eeew, this is weird stuff. I don’t know what they gave me the first time. But this smells like rotten wine. I can’t believe I don’t like like it. I like White Patchouli though. I’m going to get kicked off now right?
If Kevin didn’t kick me off for admitting to Organza, I think you are safe.
So many good notes! But it’s o.k. to be discerning, and I know lots of people who like White Patchouli better than Black Orchid!
Black Orchid smells “off” to me too – along those lines I have trouble with L’Artisan Voleur de Roses.
Too bad!
That IS too bad! It’s just the opposite for me (like VdR, but not Black Orchid).
You know, I’m starting to think that maybe writing off whole categories of fragrance isn’t such a bad thing. My open mind and equally open pocketbook and I are a bit overwhelmed! Hmmm…I’ll bet I’m not alone here…
Too many words in one of those sentences, but you get my drift.
So true that there are so many fragrances, so little time and cash, comparatively.
True, but I don’t really want to miss anything that I might love!
Haven’t met an orange fragrance I’ve liked but I still hope! =P
Caron Alpona, Fendi Theorama, and Bois 1920 Sutra Ylang are three of my favorite oranges.
My favorite orange blossoms are Laura Mercier Neroli (light OB floral), Lorenzo Villoresi Dilmun (a rich gourmand), Caron Nocturnes (a light soapy floral OB), and Sonoma Scent Studio Femme Jolie (a light spices OB). I also include No 5 eau Premier in the orange category b/c it has lovely orange notes, though not exactly an orange blossom fragrance.
Such lovely choices! For me, orange blossom smells so much different than the fruit itself.
I always try to smell a new perfume (on my skin) before reading about it and finding out about it’s ingredients. It could contain skunk spray for all I care. If I like it and it smell good on me then it’s the one for me.
However, I do have an unsurmountable bias against “niche” lines. There is some great stuff to be bought out-there and it does not have to cost $300/once.
I know what you mean about expensive fragrances! My frugal side has a really hard time with it. I did, though, buy Amouage Lyric and don’t regret it. But I took a long time deciding.
lol at skunk spray – just drove through some on my way home tonight!
I haven’t smelled skunk in years. I wonder if any perfumers have played with skunk in their compositions?
One more little confession to bias. I dig my heels in when a fragrance has an ugly/negative/silly name or a garish bottle. I know this is idiotic of me. Just think of the wonders I’m probably missing!
Oh, I know what you mean. There are so many tantalizing fragrances out there, that if one has an ugly bottle, it is so tempting just to say, “forget it” and move on to the next one.
I am so with you on this one. I realize that it’s not fair to be this way. Not just the bottle, but the NAME of the fragrance. Like, the “Rock n'” series may be the greatest thing ever, but I’ll never even consider buying one. Same with any celebrity fragrance. This is pure snobbishness but that’s why perfume is so fascinating — it has all these aesthetic and artistic elements that go into it, other than sheer scent.
Such an insightful comment, and I think the “Rock’n” series is a perfect example. I can’t go there, either.
Thanks for your post, Angela! You’re completely right. I thought, I would never be able to wear classic Chanels, but then I tried my mother’s #5 and was amased, how gentle and elegant it smells on me!
I really think No. 5 is like a skin scent once the buzzy top burns out. I’m glad you liked it!
I always thought I hated aldehyes. That being said until I smelled CdG 2, which totally blew my mind away. It’s a modern aldehyde fragrance, but still, I fell in love with it badly! I I thought I hated white florals, until I fell in love with Creed Love in White, Trish McEvoy’s Snowdrop & Crystal flowers. I absolutely hated lily scents, until I tried Penhaligon’s Lily & Spice… and I love it dearly!
I have the same experience lots of times! Plenty of opportunity to eat my words.
One more thing, I always, ALWATS hated strawberry-scented anyting. Whether it was fresh, tart strawberries, or the sweet-dessert like berries. That being said until I tried Fresh’s strawberry flowers. OMG even as I perfumista, I just LOVE this stuff for summer! It’s so fresh, yummi, light, breezy and sweet enough. Perfect!
Maybe I should snag some for my daughter – she keeps asking for a fragrance that smells like real, juicy, fresh strawberries. She’s 14, so that makes sense for her… but I don’t want to smell primarily of fruit.
Sounds like a good bet.
L’Interdit has a hint of strawberries in it that’s nice, but I know what you mean–who would want to wear something that smells like strawberries? And then you do.
I read this post this morning, and the comments, and have been thinking about it all day. Your posts are often thought provoking Angela, thank you! Then it came to me this afternoon. After having spent a fair old time saying I didn’t like this, I didn’t like that (melon and ylang ylang and heliotrope as examples) I have been confronted with scents containing those notes which I have gone on to at least enjoy if not love. So I reckon that some notes need to be present subtley for me others can get away with being big and loud, I don’t care I love them (chypre notes I’m looking at you, leather and an astonishing amount of fruit). It’s a question of degree and the combination with other notes. And so prompted by your article I now declare my nose and mind open
That sure makes sense to me. Craftsmanship must play a large role. For instance, I like brown velvet. Does that mean I’d wear it head to toe? No way! A brown velvet shrug over a blue silk dress, on the other hand? Bring it on!