The usual: tell us anything you like — what perfume you're wearing today, the last perfume you bought, the next perfume you're planning to buy, whatever. Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer.
Note: image is Minature Lilac by Caro's Lines at flickr; some rights reserved.
I smelled PdN’s Eau de Ete for the first time this week, and something sort of clicked… I now feel like I understand the other perfumes in this line more and can’t wait to try more. So far, I’ve tried Odalisque, Mahadarah (this one seems too masculine on me) and Just un Reve. All of them have something familiar and comforting within them. I can’t wait to try more! Other than Hermes/JCE, this is the first time I’ve fallein love with a house or designer. I feel sooo lucky to have discovered her!
Wait til Fall when the frost first bites, then try Sacrebleu (my fav from her line). I also love her vanilla one, which on me is more about the incense than it is about the vanilla.
Will do! I can see myself buying ALL of her frags (in samples) and then ordering fb from there. Unlike other houses, reading the notes doesn’t give me a good idea if I would like the actual juice. So I think I’m going to have to try them all 😉
I am a big PdN fan myself.
Sacrebleu is one of my absolute favorite scents of all time. Love, love, LOVE it! But yes, fall/winter is a much better season for it.
Vanille Tonka!!! That one makes me all giddy with delight. But definitely not a summer scent.
Funny you should mention PdN’s Eau d’ete, that’s what I’m wearing today. It’s a great summer scent, have you tried Sacre Bleu? I am a fan, her line is wonderful!
Haven’t tried Sacrebleu— I can’t wait!
Another good PdN for summer: Fig Tea.
So many winners in the PdN line!
You’ll need to try Vanille Tonka– it is the most glorious incense with a dash of frisky lime…great stuff. If you are in the US drop me a line at Daisyloo82 at gmail dot com and I’ll send you samples of the Vanille Tonka and Cedrat Intense.
Yay lilacs! I was waiting for the next open thread to mention those.
My neighbour has two huge lilac bushes with dark grapey-purple flowers. It smells lovely and I want to smell just like it .LOL So tell me some lilac perfumes pretty please *bats eyelashes* 😉
On the Cheap: Yves Rocher Lilas – – I use it as a bathroom spray most of the time, but I do occasionally spritz myself as well.
Also Pacifica’s French Lilac ~ “The essence of fresh lilacs is blended with magnolia leaves, heliotrope, and the subtle notes of the nectarine. Perfumed in a traditional French style, this is the absolute best lilac you will ever find.”
thanks! I’m gonna write these down. 🙂
I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about YR lately…
Hehehe…
<> It’s funny, because since you recommended it, I now seem to see it popping up EVERYWHERE. 🙂
I love lilac scents. Actually planted an “old-fashioned” lilac a few weeks back but sadly will have to wait til next year to enjoy the flowers!
I second the En Passant recommendation. It’s one of my favorites. But on the cheap end of the spectrum, is Demeter’s Lilac any good? Although some of their scents are pretty cloying, I do like their Tomato and Honeysuckle.
I’ve never tried the Lilac. Anyone else?
En Passant is on the list, thanks Robin & Keri!
I don’t know where Daisy is… I thought she’d be screaming, ‘I Profumo di Firenze Lilla!” at the top of her voice by now. She’s a big lilac lover too, as am I.
I have a sample of it; haven’t tested yet (hangs head). Something about the recent weather just hasn’t seemed right for it.
Know what you mean… I had a few lilac scents on my sample list for spring, but as soon as it stopped being too cold… it was too hot. Nearly 100* out the last 2 days. :O Straight from comfort scents to colognes!
on the list!
I hope Daisy hasn’t been crushed by a perfume avalanche, or got into a death match with her credit card. lol
It’s been pretty moderate temperature-wise here, with today being the hottest day so far at 29°C (84°F)
my, my, my….spend the day running errands and now you all have my lying dead under a deluge of perfume? hmmmm, not a bad way to go!
i Profumi di Firenze’s Lilla !!!!!!! ohmigosh! It’s just the verra verra verra best Lilac in the world!!!!! it also happens to be my last FB purchase and I’m wearing it (snnniiifffffff, ahhhhh) as we speak!
that would be “me”, not “my” lying dead under a deluge of perfume… got excited, can’t type when squealing….anyhoodle… the Pacifia French Lilac is nice too…couldn’t hurt to sample both. The iPdF is a bit pricey and often difficult to get (in stock, not in stock, ack!) Don’t know about the Pacifica –I’ve got a small decant only. To be honest (on me) the Pacifica gets a little air-freshener-y…but I love lilac air freshener too! So I may end up with a bottle of Pacifica at some point as well…sigh…caged death match with credit card coming up…
Caged death match with the credit cards!
I’ve been *better* this quarter… but not exactly *good*.
I’ll probably have to go decant on both, the i profumi isn’t available many places and the places that do have it likely ship UPS or FedEx and their disgusting cross-border brokerage fees are something I can’t afford. *grumbles*
C- you now have 2 samples of Lilla !! I just sent one to you today! It’s a good thing to have 2 of.
Frederic Malle En Passant.
Waiting for me at the post office 🙂
Lucky you! I just have a decant. But that is temporary!
Oh my god, have you layered it with Musc Ravaguer? Heaven!!! PS. I got the travel bottles on Ebay. There was a killer deal on a 200 ml though….
Kacy, I can’t imagine layering En Passant with Musc Ravageur! But then I’m not a MR fan… I do admire your creativity, however!
Frederic Malle’s En Passant is a wonderful lilac. I think the perfumer is Olivia Giacobetti. It is mixed with bread dough and cucumber. Very gentle and spring-like.
ah – i missed Robin’s post! It has already been suggested!
You simply must try Ineke’s After My Own Heart…to me this is one of the most true to lilac scents I have ever come across.
I like Les Nereides Imperial Opoponax, but it is tooo sweet. What should I layer it with?
I hope someone else will chime in, as I’ve no idea!
I like that scent – maybe something with patch or amber?
Okay, as an experiment, I put some Histoires de Pafum Noir Patchouli on one arm and their Ambre 114 on the other and dabbed the Opoponax on top. The patch dirties up the opoponax rather nicely, and the amber doesn’t so much make it less sweet as it makes it more warm. That particular patch is pretty gnarly and a bit soapy – if you had a nice smooth one I think it could work.
Oh, and I thought of other roses for you to try- the Juliet Has A Gun line is, I think, pretty rose-based. I like Lady Vengeance and have heard good things about Citizen Queen.
hmm I’ll try the Santa Maria Novella Patchouly with Imperial Opoponax.
The patchouli is pretty strong but it certainly helps… I think I like this combination.
Thank you for the rose suggestions. NowSmellThis members are so helpful to their fellow members.
I LOVE Citizen Queen! It’s a very sensual, almost dirty rose…worth trying, that’s for sure.
Whaddya mean “almost” dirty?
That one is Rose in fishnets and 4″ stilettos, prowling bars late at night.
heheheheheh
Try it with Histoire de Parfums 1740 (Marquis de Sade) or maybe Kama or Rasa from Ava Luxe.
I don’t have a sample, but the 1740 and Patchouli Histoires de Parfums are on list of samples to get.
Whenever I get a sample, I’ll be sure to try it. Thanks.
Oh, yeah, the Marquis de Sade could be great with that! Krok, you might like that, anyway – it is nice and dark and dirty but still really wearable. Miomia has a great sale on the old packaging right now, and she has a sample deal that is pretty good. She carries some of the Juliets, too.
If it’s too sweet, how about adding some darkness for depth? Like Bvlgari Black or Donna Karan Black Cashmere?
I so love lilacs! There’s a house down the street that has an old stone wall about 50 feet long, and behind the wall is a hedge of lilac TREES, they are at least 20 feet high, and they are all in bloom right now – the purple kind that smell like heaven. I’ve used a Caswell-Massey Lilac EDT in the past, but I tend to blur the smell of lilac and lily of the valley in my mind since they are 2 of my favorite smells. I always associate Diorissimo with this time of year … maybe because our bed of LOTV are now in bloom, except I have to get down on my hands and knees to smell them, and then my creaky knees object . Are Yves Rocher frags sold in any department stores? I’ve not seen their products in my local ones, so is the best place to buy online?
Yves Rocher, so far as I know, can only be bought in boutiques or online…at least, I’ve never seen them elsewhere in the US.
Try Yves Rocher’s website … seems like they are always having great deals, I don’t think I’ve ever paid full price for anything there.
SOTD: Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand (my first OJ, a decant — nice but sort of fleeting on me – burns down to nice vetiver in no time flat).
Most recent purchase: AdP Mandorlo di Sicilia (from Blu Mediterraneo line), unsniffed! But it was super cheap and I’ve been hankering after it for over a year. (shoplondons.com is having a great sale on AdP, hope that plug is ok).
Most smitten with lately: Profumum Victrix, of which I bought a large decant last week. Amazingly herbaceous laurel/pepper fragrance. Love it so much.
Score of the week: finally got a sample of vintage L’Heure Bleue extrait thanks to a very generous soul.
Absolutely the plug is ok! And did you end up loving the AdP Mandorlo??
I haven’t received it yet (just ordered late Saturday night), but I’ll let you know. That whole Blu Mediterraneo series appeals to me, to tell the truth — the orange, the cypress, the myrtle. Talk about nice summery colognes… and the cobalt blue glass doesn’t hurt either. I love my bottle of fig; it doesn’t touch Philosykos, but another fig in the wardrobe is always welcome.
They’re great bottles. Don’t know why there aren’t more blue bottles in the world…
Hope you’ll love it!
Oh, and see… I vastly prefer Fico to Philosykos. The P on me turns all coconutty sweet. A good couple of hours in, though, and then it’s lovely…but I can’t tolerate a couple hours of sickly sweet to get there.
The orange one sounds great to me.
I’m sooo hitting you up for a sample of that!!! pleeezzzzze…
Ok, so the Mandorlo is… interesting… HA! I can see now why some get a root beer vibe. There’s nutty almond in the top, but there’s also wintergreen, which makes it highly unusual. Not bad, but not “love”. Maybe it’ll grow on me (I guess it had better!), but then again, it was only $40/60ml, which as we all know by now, is pretty much “free.” Very short lived: two hours max.
The PV sounds great. I noticed they keep ramping up that AdP sale… it started out at 20% off and now (last I checked) is up to 40% off. Even at that, I haven’t hit the “buy” button yet…only one I’ve tried is Fico, and while I really liked it, I didn’t find it so drastically different from a few other scents that can be had for cheaper yet.
Jealous on the l’Heure Bleu Extrait!
I’m going to buy samples from the Perfumed Court, but I need to save up my money for something else, so I can only get a few.
I am definitely buying Bandit.
Which 3 of these should I get?
Kenzo Elephant
Kenzo Tigre
Cumming
Tabac Blond
L’heure Bleue
Lancome’s Magie Noire
I know Tabac Blond and L’Heure Bleue are ~*classics*~ that I basically need to try, but I don’t really care that much honestly.
I like weirdo scents, if that helps.
Definitely the Cumming.
Tabac Blond, in the parfum. Slightly weird but wonderful and deep.
Also seconding Cumming.
Kenzo Elephant is supposed to be a quirky one as well.
Hey, Krok – I have samples of LHB and L’Elephant I’d be happy to send you, if you’d like. I think L’E would suit your taste. I haven’t sampled the current version of Magie Noire, but the vintage is a-maaaazin’. Totally out of character for me, if you know my usual picks (green florals and florientals), but wild and mysterious yet feminine.
I’m mals86 (duh) on MUA, if you want to PM me there.
I’m sending you a message but I haven’t really used that site before so I’m not sure what to say D:
k I just sent it
You should be able to find the Kenzo’s at Sephora, so I wouldn’t bother ordering samples from PC for those. Also, they’re so cheap in minis online that by the time you figure in shipping it doesn’t really pay.
If TPC has a vintage sample, I’d say Magie Noire. It’s not a “wierd/edgy” type of scent, but not everyone wears it, and it has civet and dry woods notes which develop beautifully.
If you like DK Black Cashmere and Bvlgari Black, this scent might appeal to you.
I am wearing CDG X Stephen Jones (a sample from Lucky Scent) today and am in love (although it took a while for it to grow on me) . It’s odd yet adictting, but way to expensive! Is there any way to get it at a discount? I am off to see what’s available on ebay. It’s beautiful here, sunny and seventy!
Robin the lilac pictures are gorgeous.
Isn’t that a great shot? Flickr is so wonderful.
And have never seen the CDG + SJ at a discount…ebay is probably your best bet (and if you find 2 such bargains, count me in!)
I’m wearing SL Clair de Musc today and I waiting for a bottle of TDC Sublime Balkiss. Robin, I love the lilacs.
Ah, lucky you on the SB!
Robin, I’ve really liked Sublime Ballkiss from the first time I sampled it, but didn’t want to spend the money as I’ve already gone way over budget this year. But I’m really looking forward to receiving it. I think that all of TDC fragrances are really well made.
They really are, and the packaging is great to boot.
Oh, soooo jealous!! I am waiting on a bottle of SL Clair du Musc….it’s taking forever thanks to the Canadian postal service that switched box labels…long story short: I received a bottle of perfume not what I ordered…found out that my SL Clair du Musc went to some woman named Dana in Mass….so I shipped the bottle out to her but she won’t send my SL to me! The store owner can’t convince her to send it either! She’s just KEEPING both bottles of perfume! Evil Perfume Thief!!! Thank goodness for the store owner: she is sending me a new bottle. But I wish I had it a month ago….when I first ordered it!! sigh, I’m suffering so for my Serge Lutens….
Tara,
I love the CdG X Stephen Jones. It is so beautiful. Enjoy!
Hi everyone! I have a question, if anyone has any suggestions… I am now in Africa as I write this, on a medical mission trip with very limited internet access. However, in a couple of weeks, I have the luxury of spending a week in the very developed city of Amsterdam, and I hope to buy (or at least browse for) some perfume while I’m there, especially ones that are difficult to find in U.S. department stores. Can anyone offer me any direction about where to look and/or what to look for? Thanks!! XOXO
Hi, I am from the Netherlands. I have never shopped for perfume in Amsterdam but can give you two recommendations:
De Bijenkorf; big department store that also sells Serge Lutens, it’s on the Dam. they also sell the usual department store stuff.
Skins Cosmetics/ Runstraat 9/Amsterdam. They sell a lot of niche perfumes, including Malle.
I honestly don’t know whether they sell things that are hard to get in the USA.
I hope this helps.
Apart from the perfume, do explore the city, it is very beautiful.
Are People of the Labyrinths based in Amsterdam? Do they have a store there?
They are based in Arnhem, about a 100 km to the southeast of Amsterdam. They do have a big shop in A’dam, it’s on the Van Baerlestraat. If you google POTL you will find it. (Which is what I have just done, as I had no idea whether they had an Amsterdam shop)
I visited Amsterdam for the first time last weekend and can really vouch for it as a wonderful city with lots of cultural experiences and great food! And perfume shopping is excellent (especially if you come from Stockholm, which is very very underdeveloped in that aspect). Parfumerie Douglas on P C Hofstraat and Skin Cosmetics on Runstraat were like two aspects of perfumista heaven to me – Parfumeri Douglas has all the classic brands (like a full range of Guerlain for example) and Skin Cosmetics has Serge Lutens, Le Labo, Frédéric Malle and some other niche brands. Also Leidsestraat has lots of good perfumerelated shopping – I bought a Jil Sander Stylessence gift set with body lotion for only 37 euros and hubby bought a Burberry London set for about the same.
PdN Just Un Reve reminds me of something from my trip to Paris 10 years ago… could it be Givenchy Amarige? Or some flanker of Amarige that was out in the late 90s? Just Un Reve is a nicer, creamier version of it, whatever it was. Any thoughts?
Ack, no idea! It certainly didn’t call up Amarige for me, but that doesn’t mean much. Hope someone else will chime in…
It’s the identical copy of Loulou by Cacherel.
Thank you for the help!! 🙂
Do you prefer one over the other.
Wearing body odor.. (free day today.. so, forgive me..) but I just bought myself a Guerlain L’instant and an Etat Libre D’orange Rien is on it’s way.. aswell as a few samples.
Congrats on your new bottles!
SOTD is eau premiere which I love more and more each time I wear. 🙂
I was just thinking today how my senses are changing…growing…I had sampled almost all of the SL line,only fell in love with two…and the ones that I didn’t care for,now I am craving…Daim blond has been haunting me!! do I need it or do I want it? *lol*
Sometimes I give a away a sample, miss it, get another and then remember why I gave it away, LOL…but sometimes, yes, it’s the sign that you really do love something.
oh I can relate to that,Robin! *lol* re-sampling is always good advice.
It is! I had totally written off Stetson and had even put it in my bag of stuff to get rid of, then Daisy mentioned how she loved it, so I pulled it out. I don’t know if it mellowed out or I have changed that much but I love it now. Especially for bedtime.
yeah, always listen to the Daisy-miester!
well, actually it’s probably best to totally ignore about 90% of what I say…
I wore Stetson last summer and loved it, but my husband finally told me he hated it so I swapped it away. Now I’m missing it. It’s good in hot weather, like a cold Coke or sweet tea. It’s got a blast of cardamom right on top that’s really great. LOVE cardamom, it’s weirdly both warm (sweet and spicy) and cool (minty) at the same time.
I did this with Muscs Koublai Kahn! Tried, was almost repulsed, then a few months later i dug it out of its hiding place and wore it straight for three days. It’s apparently going to be released into the Export range this christmas………
EP is so versatile, isn’t it?
I recently got a sample of the Eau Premiere and fell for it instantly. I have been avoiding No 5 because I wore it as a teenager. But this negates that nostalgia quite well while still having a 5 vibe. Good stuff.
Hey Tama! – I wore some eau Premier yesterday b/c I had a boring business seminar all day and needed something that would cheer me up and last! It’s one of my fav go to frags….And I also have a FB of Stetson with your name all over it…..I just can’t get over that Pepsi note – causes me troubles elsewhere too!
I tried out a sample of Dzing! this morning. More a smell than a perfume, perhaps… But my wife hated it, so it’s out. Switched to Fracas EdC later in the day after the Dzing! had died down.
And a question: should I buy Fracas in more concentrated form? Is it very different from the EdC?
The Fracas in extrait is deeper, less sparkling than the EdP. I like both, but probably wear the EdP more. Never tried an EdC, don’t think they still make that (?)
“Dzing! this morning. More a smell than a perfume, perhaps…” — perfect description. I couldn’t agree more. I feel the same way about Mr. Hullots Holiday.
…and in that same order was a decant of MHH. I knew I needed to keep an eye on your comments, lol! Most of the CBs are more a smell than a perfume…but they’re such great smells, they’re worth a small decant. 🙂
I know what you mean and couldn’t agree more about the CBs. I was telling someone (who isn’t that into perfumes, who smelled MHH) that CB to perfumes is like Beckett to Plays, or something like that.
Is this the men’s Fracas? the EdC?
If so, how does it compare to the women’s?
Yes, it bills itself as Fracas Eau de Cologne for Men. I get the feeling it is a lot like the Fracas EdP… at least the description as a lactonic tuberose seems right. I should try the EdP and extrait.
It’s in the 70s today after 2 days well into the 90s. I love when the weather changes it up like that. SOTD: the sample of JPG Ma Dame that came gratis with a recent order from somewhere. Can’t decide if I like it or not. It’s sweet in (to me) a Hanae Mori sort of way. Definitely not my norm; think it falls in the “I’d wear it if it fell from the sky” category for me. Just ordered a few samples, including some PdNs, along with a bunch of empty bottles, gearing up for the impending Lyric split.
Reminds me that I’ve been meaning to seek out the newer Eau Fraiche version of Ma Dame, might be fun for summer.
Which PdNs did you order? 🙂 Maybe we can trade notes!
Just 2… the Odalisque and the Fig Tea. Was going to add Eclipse, but thought I’d limit myself to 2 until I see how I like the line. Should have done better in that regard when it came to SL. I can see why other ppl like his line, but it just doesn’t work on me (too sweet).
Absolutely love both! The Fig tea is interesting, maybe not the figgiest, but excellent; I bought a fb some time ago. You’ll love Odalisque, too, classic in a modern way, if that makes any sense.
At first sniff…Odalisque is lovely, not sure if it’s “me”, but definitely one I would hope to grow into. Surprisingly, though, I find the Fig Tea plain awful. That said, the cottonwoods are out full force, so my nose is under attack. I’ll try it again later on to see if I feel differently, esp since both the husband and the 4 yr old like it.
Fig Tea is on my must-try list. I think it’s in the same sub-category of PdN frags as Eau d Ete. And I know what you mean about trying a few from a line to see if you like the house, because I should have done it with L’Artisan. Just don’t get those.
Oh, and there you’ve lost me. l’Artisan has been really great for me, along w/AG.
I just picked up some Temps d’un Fete and Just en Reves samples…very nice. (And here come the internet tomatoes): I like Temps better than No 19……..And Just is about the prettiest fruity floral I’ve ever tested- so fresh!
!!!lyric split!!!! 😀
I went on a PdN bender about 3-4 weeks ago, too. Found 2 I love (already had Vanille Tonka), 3 I liked very much, and a couple that struck me as too masculine for my generally candy-box tastes. I’m probably going to pick up a small decant of Just un Reve for summer use, but I just bought a 30ml bottle of Le Temps d’une Fete (HOW many times have I typed that name on this blog in the last 3 weeks???) and am ANXIOUSLY AWAITING FedEx tomorrow. Squee!!!
While I’m on the subject of PdN’s – anybody test Maharanih and get something very weird in the drydown? I had enjoyed it for about three hours when I suddenly began smelling, um, sweaty male drawers. (That’s a very PG description, by the way.) So is that my freaky nose?
Hi mals. Yeah, I couldn’t deal with Maharanih. I tried it over and over again, wanting to like it, hoping it would grow on me, but it never did. Sad. It definitely has a cumin vibe to it that I just can’t deal with. Cumin isn’t listed in the ingredients list on the PdN website, though, so I have no idea what that note might be…civet?
I tried Maharanih. and got a weird , dark spicy orange that made me sick after a while.
(i’m hoping this posts under Karin’s post way up top!.. that’s what I am responding to. 🙂
I can’t wait to try the Fete one. You are so lucky!! Can you give me your take on it? Which other PdNs did you like vs love vs not-like?
‘Kay, let me check my notes… (Accountant Girl Becomes Perfumista-in-Training: I have an Excel file that keeps getting BIGGER.)
My PdN loves:
Vanille Tonka (rum-soaked carnations giggling in a vanilla-cinnamon forest)
Just Un Reve (tropical flowers, and a breeze whispering coconut)
Le Temps d’une Fete (a green flowering meadow in spring, a lover waiting for you in the grasses)
My Likes:
Fig Tea (Iced tea, with flowers and fruits on the table)
Odalisque (elegant, yet friendly iris-y chypre – it reminded me a bit of 31 Rue Cambon, but without RC’s big amber drydown)
Balkis (berry-rose jam, fading into a cool vanilla-iris base)
Maharanih (delicious orange-carnation like floral sangria, but gradually turns into Eau de Cojones)
Sacrebleu (more complex version of Vanille Tonka, with a deeper, more patchouli-rich base – I don’t know why it doesn’t thrill me like VT does)
Number One (a classic floral chypre on an ambery base, with the flowers peeking out from the oakmoss, galbanum)
Nice but not me (generally speaking, I found them too masculine for my admittedly-girly taste):
Eau Turquoise
Cococabana
Cedrat Intense
Wow, what a long post. You were in for it, though, asking me about PdNs!
Wow! That’s a very helpful set of notes! II am trying to figure out how to organize my notes (and bottles) too. I think excel is a great way to go.
From your notes, I think I have to try VT, Fete and probably Fig Tea (tho I’m not sure about tea scents in general).
You are the best!
No tea scents? that’s it, nail in the coffin, lol. Not a scent twin for me after all, gville. 🙂
LOLOL —“sweaty male drawers” oh, oh, sorry that’s just so funny! I’d make some snarky comments but I”m not entirely sure they’d be PG (definitely not PC) so I’ll just sit here (under my perfume avalanche) and snicker quietly to myself….
Hey – LYRIC SPLIT indeed!!! My tongue is wagging!
I also just fell for Temps too – so nice to have that 30 ml option! I like the Just en Reves as well.
Hey, what’s a good place to purchase empty bottles for decants?
I like pilotvials, but there are lots of others
I also like Pilotvials. I emailed them a question about their eurodroppers and they phoned me less than one minute after I hit the send button. They were great to deal with.
Great! I’ll check them out.
Depends on how many you’re going to need. Best bottles has really good prices, but also a $40 order minimum; I wound up just grabbing a bunch from TPC since I wanted to order some samples anyway.
I just started buying decant supplies and I really like http://www.accessoriesforfragrances.com
Check out lotioncrafters. I like their 2ml glass vials the best.
Today is hot and balmy here, and perfect for Osmanthe Yunnan.
Does anyone know what happened to the Bond No. 9 bottle design contest? My husband submitted a design, was told they’d announce the winner in April, and now we’re almost to June. Haven’t heard a blessed word… I suspect they just did not get a design they care to use.
On a lighter note, my LotV are in full bloom and scenting the house and gardens! Maybe I’ll wear Morgane le Fay tomorrow…
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
I was wondering the same thing! I’ll send an email and see what I can find out.
Thanks, Robin! DH never got a reply, but I suspect they won’t dare to leave you hanging!
LOL…wouldnt’ be too sure about that!
Ok, they say they’re announcing the winner on June 1st!
Wow, that was snappy! Here we’ve been, waiting and waiting…
Thank you so much for getting the low-down. I really appreciate it!
(Bows reverently)
I’m wearing Kelly Caleche today. I’ve never worn it in such warm weather before (it’s in the 80s here today) and after a few hours there’s this really lovely grapefruity smell wafting up. In cooler weather, it was the leather that seemed to linger.
Nice! I’ve got to try layering it with Pamplemousse Rose.
I’ve been stuck on Yves Rocher Rose Absolue lately. Maybe my holy grail of roses? But then there’s also Black Aoud, Dark Rose. . . . O.K., it’s my HG of slightly gourmandish rose.
Any suggestions for easy-to-wear sheer florals of good quality for the summer? Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint fits the bill, but I’d like to get another one or two fragrances in this category. My favorite so far is AG Matin d’Orage, but it has a note which sometimes turns funky on me.
I like Diptyque Do Son, and Annick Goutal Chevrefeuille. Many others but those are what sprang to mind…
Hi BlackCat. I just discovered Rose Absolue, too. Yves Rocher prices are incredibly reasonable. I bought small purse-sized bottles of RA and Neonatura Cocoon unsniffed for like $5 each. Can’t say I like NC too much, but Rose Absolu is wonderful!
Re: other florals, all of the scents by Saffron James are wonderful.
Oops – used “wonderful” twice in such a short message. Oh well! 🙂
Heh heh… If I started subdividing all my rose frags by description, I’d have a “best of show” in each of about seven different categories.
Sheer florals… I like Guerlain’s Terracotta Voile d’Ete – it’s sort of a sheer carnation/hint-of-suntan-oil skin scent. And PdN Just un Reve, another tropical-floral/slightly coconutty scent. Neither are overwhelmingly beachy; both are more floral than Bronze Goddess. Kenzo’s older Parfum d’Ete (still available at some discounters or ebay) is a nice light floral. The newer version is greener and less overtly floral, but it’s very nice too. And their L’eau de Fleur series is light and pleasant.
Penhaligon’s Violetta is very refreshing and floral, and not overly powdery (powdery violet is DEATH to my nose). In my violently girly moods, I like the springtime limited editions of YSL Paris, or PdRosine Rose d’Ete. AG Petite Cherie (pear+rose) is a favorite of mine, and very light. Jardin sur le Nil is actually quite cool and floral on me, after its juicy mango opening and before its dry woods stage.
Le Temps d’une Fete (you knew it was coming, didn’t you?) is Green Floral Heaven.
I cannot believe I just said “violently girly.” Isn’t that one of those oxymoron things, like “jumbo shrimp” or “military intelligence”?
LOL, but I know exactly what you mean!
Love it! I pictured two schoolgirls pulling each others’ hair.
There are definitely days I feel violently girly!!
hey Mals….do you think maybe you should get some of that Le Temps d’une Fete ??? (lol)
It’s time for the Tursday afternoon SQUEEEEE!
Clearly it’s been a very long day….THursday …although sometimes I think tursday works too.
for really hot weather I go for rose pivoine (PdN) or Lys mediterranée (FM)…
Back in the rose corner, you could try Paul Smith Rose; it is a non-cloying, fresh rose, not obviously fruity, either. They have a Rose Summer flanker, but I haven’t tried that; it isn’t out at the discounters yet.
Thanks, ladies. There are some excellent suggestions on there that I can’t wait to try.
Hi BlackCat! I second Robin’s recommendation of Do Son. It’s a lovely sheer seaside tuberose. I never get tired of it in the hot weather. I also love Lotus Blossom & Water Lily (light floral/incense), En Passant, and Vanille Galante. I also have a feeling that you’d like Clear and Spirit of Water by Neil Morris.
Today I’m testing the very sheer Belle en Rykiel. Have you tried it? On my skin, it’s light floral incense. Almost like a girly version of Timbuktu, to my nose. Nice!
Ha, if you saw my cellophane comment yesterday, BeR was the subject. 😀
I didn’t see it, Boojum. But I’m going to go look! I’ve really enjoyed BeR today, but had to reapply several times as it kept disappearing…
Found your comment. Bad Boojum! But what did you think of the fragrance? 🙂
It wasn’t half bad…but I didn’t need a bottle of it. It was an impulse cheap buy, I’d never smelled it before (and have never seen a place where I could!)…and I decided I’d rather save the $15 for more samples that could uncover a new HG. 😀
I was fortunate enough to get to visit Scentbar in LA last week – what a delightful experience! (It’s not easy being a perfumista in the mountains of NW Pennsylvania). The salesperson (Angela? I should have written her name down) was superb. She grinned to see my Excel worksheet “sniff list”. 😉 I got to sit & relax and she brought all of the bottles to me, and we had a lovely time testing & sniffing. And the bottle I left with wasn’t on my list at all – Keiko Mecheri Oliban. It’s gorgeous and exactly what I’ve been looking for.
Best part of my trip to LA by far – go, go, GO if you get the chance!!
Ah, and in all fairness, I should report on my opposite experience with Memoire Liquide at Fred Segal. I was ignored and actually pushed aside so the salespeople could help another person (who was completely self-centered and oblivious to the fact I was already there & working on my own scent). After they finished, I went back to the scent organ and created something nice. THEN I was told you can only combine 3 of their scents! Well, I stripped it way down and decided to just go with the smallest bottle. They grudgingly mixed it for me. It’s merely okay, but not what I’d hoped for at all. But I did find if I layer it with a bit of Red Aoud it works fairly well again. But be warned of snooty salespeople who don’t know crap about perfume and won’t help you if you don’t look hip/rich/cool enough.
Lucky you — I’ve never been to Scent Bar & would love to go. Congrats on your new Oliban!
But wow, what a dreadful experience w/ Memoire Liquide, that’s terrible. I’ve heard the people at Bendels are nice, but actually don’t even know if ML is still there.
The last time I was at Bendel’s the salespeople totally ignored me, even when I tried to wave them down. No problem. I just pulled my sample vials out of my pocket and did a little “collecting in the wild” as I call it…
That’s hilarious! I don’t know if I’d actually have the…. “guts”… to collect my own samples in a shop.
I try to be upfront about it and just ask if I can spritz twice into the vial instead of on my wrist, but when you insist on ignoring so that I CAN’T ask…well…
I did that one time at a Macy’s b/c I just knew the SA’s would say something lame like they don’t have any sample vials. So gee, look, I have my own. It was just for the new Miss Dior eau….I don’t think I’d do it regularly though.
I’ve done that! These days you have to wonder who’s watching you on camera though, LOL…
true, but it seems to me that the SA is responsible for monitoring her station, so if anyone was going to be in hot water–it’d be the SA.
If they do catch it on camera, they should be more concerned with their incompetent employees than the slighted customer who’s jacked their perfume. 🙂
the testers are there for testing ! so she’ll do the wearing of the test at home.
LOL! I don’t blame you one bit.
Brilliant!
You rock!!!
LOL!! Thank you for your support of my slightly criminal activities!
OK, I’m wearing something really strange today. Found a Korres Vanilla Cinnamon body lotion and Chocolovers EDT at TJ Maxx for less than $5 each. I’m wearing both today, and it’s a sweltering 90 degrees outside. I’m sitting in my top floor, west facing office with no air conditioning. It is HOT! And that vanilla/chocolate/cinnamon thing ain’t really working in this heat!!! Wish I had chosen something light and citrusy instead!
LOL ouch! Bet it would smell great on a cold day though. Likewise, I’m awfully glad I didn’t blindly test Ma Dame yesterday instead of today… I’d have been miserable.
That made me laugh! Hard to resist new stuff, but I think you need to put those aside until autumn!
Agree those would be better in fall/winter … but what a great deal!
Ack!!! Karin, that made me laugh too — I’ve been there!
oh, so sorry! Cool shower as soon as you get home, eh? By quitting time you’re going to feel like a sweaty, melted dessert.
Hello my lazies 😉 I am wearing Diorella today (it is a gorgeous not too warm spring day here in San Antonio)- and I tested some Le Labo Vetiver for the first time- very nice and decant-worthy…
I happened upon a place selling some CB IHATE PERFUMES last week (1/2 price)- and picked up bottles of Wild Hunt and At the Beach 1966- these have become my new office-mates (forest in the morning and beach in the afternoon)- which prompted me to order 5ml of Black March (love)/Memory of Kindness/Russian Caravan Tea…
Ooh, how very lucky! I love Russian Caravan. I always think of it as a good fall fragrance. I don’t know how he does it, but the drydown really does smell like aged (not musty) paper to me.
I should try Memory of Kindness this summer.
I think you are right about Russian Caravan being great for fall 😉
It was a lucky day (and also funny to admit my buyer’s mentality- I wouldn’t have bought one bottle at full price- but for 1/2 price I will take two!)
Oh, I’d be right there with you. Really wish he’d do smaller bottles of the water perfumes like he did w/the absolutes. Wild Hunt is absolutely brilliant, isn’t it?
Wild Hunt is glorious!
Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be? Now you have twice as much! lol
Lucky, lucky you!!! Great picks.
Just dropping by to declare my love for L de Lolita Lempicka! I am in absolute love with everything about this fragrance, from the box it comes in to the whimsical little bottle… I think it’s fabulous! And the salty sweet juice inside makes me smell my wrists and say Mmmmm;-) everytime. The ad campaign was great for this too, with the mermaid and ocean being her inspiration. Have you seen this chick’s website yet? Tres cool! I’ve almost learned french trying to read all of it!
Anywho! I thought I would stop complaining about all the celebrity scents and overuse of pink pepper and iris in current perfumery and declare my love for a fragrance for a change!!
Hey, I’m glad you like it. I like citrus vanillas (Diet Shalimar is da bomb, and so is Organza Indecence), but L was not for me. It felt kind of… heavy… to me, like OI swallowed a bowling ball. But that may be because salty just doesn’t entice me.
The bottle is adorable, though.
I wanted to love it, because I absolutely adore the bottle…but it didn’t work for me at all. Might still buy a mini some day though… is that terrible? LOL!
I love L too! Yes, the sweet/salty quality is great. I get a bit of incense from it too.
Oh, and by the way I am wearing PGs Felanilla… I really like it. I have a thing for medical notes in perfume… Any tips on perfumes with slightly medical notes? Not to brisk tough…
tubéreuse criminelle! (SL)
Almost anything w/ agar/oudh wood will usually be at least slightly medicinal.
To me, L’Heure Bleu has a camphorous quality on top. Noxema-ish.
I think Tea for Two starts out medicinal.
OK, I have a couple of Perfume 101 questions:
– when a perfume lists “white flowers” among the notes, what white flowers do they mean? Are they always the same white flowers?
– what does “soapy” mean to you as a descriptor? If I used soapy to describe a fragrance, it would have a negative connotation. However, it appears that reviewers don’t always feel that way – they seem to use it the way that I use “fresh” to describe the fragrance.
Re: white flowers – somewhere on here is an article, or maybe more than one, on notes in perfumes. I think it’s in the “New to Perfume?” section over to the left… Robin, a little help?
I know what you mean about the description “soapy.” Sometimes I think “soap” and I mean clean white soap, in a pleasant way. And sometimes I think “soapy” and I mean bitter soapy residue left on my drinking glass, where I don’t want it. So in my own notes, I’ve started saying either “clean soap” or “soapy ick” to differentiate them. Don’t know if that helps with other people’s descriptions, but that’s my take.
Mals that is exactly how I think of the “soapy” aspects of perfumes!
It’s not possible to know exactly what they mean by white flowers:
https://nstperfume.com/2008/03/14/perfumista-tip-on-lists-of-fragrance-notes-why-they-matter-why-they-dont/
On the “soapy” issue, when I say it I mean quite literally that it smells like soap…not just that it smells fresh or clean. Whether it’s positive or negative depends on whether or not you like the smell of soap, I guess !
I have varying types of “soapy”, too. When I say , ugh, too soapy, I usually mean that it smells like Zest or some generic bar soap. When I say it smells like a fine soap, then I mean it is like one of those beautifully creamy perfumed triple-milled French soaps. I generally don’t like to wear either one, but can appreciate the fine one more. For me, when a perfume is “clean”, it usually means it has calone in it and I head for the hills. “Fresh” can be light flowery citrussy springtime.
it’s strange… sometimes incense notes smell really soapy to me. like CDG kyoto and Etro’s messe de minuit… has a harsh soapiness to them. kind of like ashes and soap.
as opposed to the strident clean musk soapiness of some lily or white flower scents. which i don’t like either.
the only time i like white flowers is when they are cut with some green- like carnal flower. but only in small doses.
I like white-flowers soapy – it smells clean and pleasant. But I keep coming across harsh-bitter-soapy in carnation scents, which totally sucks eggs because I adore carnations. It might be my skin – I even get a hint of bitterness in CdG Red: Carnation, which was otherwise just perfect. Ava Luxe Oeillet Rouge, CK Eternity, and vintage Patou Normandie (all have carnation notes) have the same notation in my files: “Soapy Ick, Kill Me Now.”
Delicious carnations, by the way: DSH Perfumes Spicy Carnation and Oeillets Rouges. Saving up for a fall purchase, probably of the SC, which is an Essense Oil and a lot cheaper than the OR.
Funny, I’ve been on a “soapy” binge lately after finding myself mysteriously revived by White Linen (one of the soapiest of the soapy) when our air conditioner went on the fritz a couple of weeks ago. There is a certain dryness at the core of soapy fragrances (which I distinguish from what I call “dryer sheety” fragrances) that is almost smoky to my nose, and there is almost always rose. There is a sharpness that, besides being unfashionable, some people find unpleasant.
Today I was greatly disappointed in a swap for a bottle of Ivoire, which I felt I was sure to love. But it conjured up some sort of disturbing memory from my childhood involving Dial soap. Very weird, huh?
Dagmar, I don’t like White Linen! My testing notes for that one (I know it’s been around forever, but I set out to test it with as clean a slate as I could manage) say: “White Linen? Only if I left it in the washing machine for three days to mildew.” That one is Clean Soap Gone Bad.
I wasn’t sure about Ivoire at first, either. I love green florals, and the opening of it is really nice, a fresh wind through the leaves and flowers. In the middle, though, I get Clean Soap + Moss. I’m not a big moss fan, so I suffer through about 2 hours’ worth of soapy moss (mossy soap?) to get to the far drydown, which is really gorgeous – deep and honeyed and warm. I bought a tester bottle unsniffed, and was calling it a mistake until last week, when it finally dawned on me that the delightful next-morning scent on my wrist was Ivoire. I still don’t like the heart-to-drydown stage, but it’s mostly the moss that bothers me.
Dagmar, I don’t know what it is, but I don’t “get” Ivoire, even though so many seem to just love it. Not sure abot Dial, but it’s definitely soapy somehow. I’m holding on to the sample and I’ll try, try again every few months…
I’m afraid that for me, all soapy scents are “soapy ick”. I do associate that smell with that harsh, bitter edge that Ivory and Dial bar soaps can have. Even Chamade didn’t work for me, because as it developed, it seemed like someone had opened a box of very expensive scented soaps right under my nose. (Sorry, I know there are a lot of Chamade lovers here – I can appreciate that it is a well-constructed fragrance, but the perfumed soap effect was too much for me).
In response to Dagmar’s comment about Ivoire, I know just what you mean. I had to toss out a half-full bottle of Ivoire that I bought in my early perfumista days, remembering that I had liked it at the time it launched. My memory may be bad or maybe it was reformulated, but now I find it a screechingly harsh fragrance on all levels. It smelled like I sprayed myself with Glade air freshener, or that insecticide I use to ward off ticks when I walk the dogs. And, just like all fragrances that we can’t stand, it was impossible to scrub off!
Great nose, mals86! Today I tried White Linen again and, although still rather liking it, totally got the mildew you mention. Undoubtably there is a mildew note — brilliant! I love the people on this site!
At about 4am this morning (did I mention that I’m due with my second baby in 3 weeks?) I decided to give Ivoire another try. Thinking, hey — I’ve been in therapy, I can get over this Dial soap thing — why let it ruin a good perfume? So I put in on and slept on it. Result: fail. Cannot stand.
I have decided since mint has overtaken my yard i will buy Isos by Farmacia SS. I hope to ‘blend’ with my yard while watching my French tarragon grow. I love Isos. I borrowed a friend’s bottle while on a trip recently. I admit it was odd smelling the exactly the same way as someone else in close proximity,however the minty uniqueness and underlying peppery citrus scent partially relieved my self-consciousness for the day. This is the first mint and citrus scent that I have used that doesnt smell medicinal or like mouthwash…and leaves me fresh and summery on a bright hot blue skied day.
I’ve never tried that one, but I like minty scents!
You guys. Iris Silver Mist. Tested it a few times during the winter and admired it, but found myself unable to imagine wanting to smell like it. Helloooo warm weather. I’ve fallen hard. Drained my sample this week and am desperately trying to make do with Hiris.
I sniffed TDC’s Bois D’Iris once — the top, at least, was a dead ringer for ISM. Can anyone comment on the rest? I’d love to transfer my affections to a more widely available frag.
And Hiris, of course, is all wrong. It keeps trying to cuddle.
“trying to cuddle” – LOL! Like a toddler clutching you around the legs and chanting, “Mommymommymommymommy…pick me UP!”
Hmmm. I hope someone will chime in if they disagree, but I don’t think you can replace Iris Silver Mist. I really like the TDC, but to me it is not the same thing at all, ditto on the Hiris.
No, Robin.. you are right. Iris Silver Mist has a very full, complex iris personality all the way through the long dry down. It’s almost like it has a lot of bass and the other two are more treble.
Hiris and Bois d’Iris have great top notes but don’t stay in the race… they thin out very differently… and definitely not as iris-y in the long term
Of the three, Bois d’Iris is my favorite. It is the “warmest” iris of the three. On me, Hiris is cold and thin. ISM is cool and glorious, but almost too “big” for me to wear. I guess this is sort of a Goldilocks story: BdI is “just right”! 🙂
And not to complicate things or anything (tee hee), but have you tried Iris Taizo or Dzongkha? They are two very different takes on iris, and I adore them both!
Yeah, H, we’re definitely fragrance twins: BdI and Dzongkha are two of the best irises out there.
I have a long way to go before having sampled all the iris fragrances mentioned, but my immediate iris loves so far have been Infusion d’Iris and Dzongkha. I can wake up in the morning craving for the latter. Also got the chance to test Frédéric Malle’s Iris Poudre in Amsterdam and found it to be one of the most luxurious things I have had on my skin.
I am wondering about, why fragrances are more expensive in europe, than in the US. For example: A 3.4 OZ bottle of N°5 by Chanel costs 115$ (82€) in the U.S. Here in europe the 3.4 OZ bottle costs 150$ (105€). Another example? A 100 ml bottle of Chinatown by Bond No. 9 costs 198$ (140€) in the U.S. Here in europe it costs 300$ (215€). Is it our currency?
Well, part of the difference might be currency conversion, but also generally true that you’re going to pay more for a fragrance that has been imported from somewhere else.
Also, you have that crazy Value Added Tax of something like what, 15%? That’s huge.
Also, not sure if it’s true across all Europe, but my MIL is here from Finland and was puzzled by the fact that our taxes get added on *after* the price, while the prices in Finland already include the tax. So at the end of the day, it may not be as much of a difference as you think.
Thanks for the Scentbar review upthread. I am going to LA in a couple of weeks and intend to drop in.
I am wearing Anne Pliska today.
Lucky you!
I’m wearing AG Eau de Sud today, but my question is about a fragrance for my hubby.
What is your recommendation for a uniqye, fresh, sexy, can’t stop burying your head in his chest fragrance?
I’ve convinced him to try Dzing! and it’s great on him. He also tried and liked Ayala Moriel’s ArbitRary. The jury’s still out on Artisan Fou d’Absinthe – I swear everytime he tries it on it is completely different.
He’d like something unique and interesting, but not too loud. More than anything he wants something that will make me rip his shirt off.
Suggestions?
Sorry, that isn’t enough background info for me. Maybe he should do the Monday Mail!
Sure! What’s involved?
Click on “The Monday Mail” on the bottom menu!
Get a sample of YSL’s M7 Fresh. Love that one on my H.
Will do. Thank you.
I swear by the masculine Divines for that rare combo of elegance and rip-your-shirt-off. L’Homme Sage is the one that makes me go weak in the knees–if you are up for the leather/amber of Dzing I’m betting you’ll like it. L’Homme de Couer is a gorgeous iris–much cooler and more refined, but still great.
Totally worth trying, at any rate, and sometimes they’ll send you samples if you write to them direct!
I haven’t tried the Divines before but after looking up your suggestions, I will. They sound intriguing. Thanks for the introduction.
This is my first post here! I am new to perfume and have found this website to be so helpful. I’m glad that someone else mentioned an Excel spreadsheet for their “to be sampled” scents because I’ve done the same thing. I have a seperate sheet for those that I have sampled and my thoughts on them as well! My husband thinks I’ve lost it but whatever. He does the same thing with sports statistics.
Today I’m wearing PG’s Cadjmere. It doesn’t really match the sunny weather here but I had to do some unpleasant things today and needed to be comforted.
Hello, Sharviss! No, you haven’t lost it. You’re obviously in the right place. 🙂
Hi and welcome, and hey, it’s your hubby that is wasting his time 😉
🙂
Welcome, S, and props to you and your Excel sheet!
Ahh thanks 🙂 Glad to be among friends!
methinks you will fit in quite well here! And your gravatar kitty is adorable , what a sweet face!
I agree! I love the kitty!
On behalf of Mrs. Potts, thanks!. She’s our super-snooty, chair-stealing, wannabe escape artist cat. Lucky for her she’s cute 😉
lol I know a lot of cats who are gettin by on their “cute factor” —at least you didn’t mention dead rodents left on the step on an appallingly regular basis…..at least we won’t have a mole problem by midsummer…
If anyone remembers my Bandit post from the last open thread, I have an update… I returned the eBay bottle that was missing all the top and middle notes (the lady was super-nice and even refunded the shipping), and bought a bottle from Fragrancenet. Package arrived, I ripped it open, spritzed, and SAME DARN THING! Missing everything that makes Bandit smell like Bandit, but they were also super-nice about returning it. Then last weekend I happened to be in NYC for a very short time and stopped by Barneys, and their Bandit tester smelled just right — and they swear it hasn’t been reformulated. Of course they were out of stock (grrr), but they say they’ll call when it gets in; I hate to pay Barney’s prices, but I want my Bandit, dammit!
On a side note, I’ve had nice perfume SAs at Barneys and detestable ones, and last Saturday the latter were in full force. Refused to give me samples of anything, brushed off my questions, treated my son like a speck of phlegm… ugh. Anyone know where I can buy a FRESH bottle of Bandit that’s not Barneys?
Just want to point out that it might well turn out that a “fresh” bottle is exactly what you don’t want…time will tell. You might try Bendels or Bergdorfs though. (and I’ve never managed to be in Barneys when the nice people were there)
This brings up something I’ve been wondering about. I bought a bottle of Vivienne Westwood Libertine on Fragrancenet, and it must’ve been rancid. I can’t find this fragrance anywhere but the online discount stores, and am afraid they are all going to be like this. Would I be a fool to keep trying?
Really, there’s just no way to know, so I guess it depends on how bad you want it.
According to the snooty SAs, Barneys sends back any stock that’s over a year old, and the distributor sells the Barneys rejects to the discounters. The look they gave me when I told them I’d bought a bottle at Fragrancenet was priceless, however — you’d have thought I’d gotten it out of a dumpster!
Those Barneys people really sound like “something else,” as my grandmother would say…
How is it from Absolutely Fablulous: You can lose the attitude, you only work in a shop.
When I used to work in retail a long time ago, my boss used to say about customers who never bought anything: all cryin’ and no buyin’. But you know, people do tend to buy more from happy and helpful SAs….I buy a lot from Fragrancenet and other discounters when I can. Hey, when you are a collector, every opportunity is fair game. Have you tried some stand alone shops? Parfumerie Nasreen in Seattle usually is very helpful and has a lot of stock. http://www.parfumerienasreen.com/
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Ab Fab quote! 🙂 Sums it all up.
Stand alone shops: Portland, OR has The Perfume House. Really great collection, very nice owner.
Hey, Natalie! EXACTLY the same thing happened to me too. I wonder if we bought from the same Ebay lady? I ordered Bandit Edp, 50ml for a very reasonable price. It arrived, and I noticed a label on it saying “vintage” or “original formulation”. And the lid wasn’t the same as the ones i’d seen in Harrods…….oe spray, and I almost barfed in disgust. Like with you, she was very upstanding and fully refunded me. In a way, I am quite grateful – as i have decided to invest in the 7ml pure parfum instead. Have you tried the parfum?
Will you please describe the extrait? I have the EDP and just LOVE it…
Hi Guerlain Girl.
I kind of agree with Natalie actually – the EdP has a harsher element to it, which is a main part of Bandit’s appeal. I found the Parfum to be smoother and richer, going straight to the depth of the leather and green without the ‘ice-pick to the nose stage’ (so well put!) I doubt there is too much difference, and the EdP dries down so well, it probably makes more sense to go for the bigger bottle of EdP at a smaller price. I’m re-thinking getting the Parfum now……….also, the Parfum comes in a splash bottle, so would need decanting into an atomiser if you wanted it sprayed (which is always my personal preference.) Anyway, I hope you find a department store that lets you sample the Parfum! It’s worth a try!
Yes, I like the harshness too! thanks so much!
Hmm, interesting! My eBay seller said she worked or had worked for the distributor. The fact that the Fragrancenet bottle smelled the same as hers leads me to believe that they were authentic, but old.
I’ve never smelled the extrait but would love to; it’s supposed to be smoother than the EDP, right? I kind of love the icepick-to-the-nostrils harshness of the EDP…
Oh, and the label about it being the original formula seems to be correct — this post from Perfumeshrine is really helpful about Bandit authenticity:
http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/2008/01/outlaws-and-brigands-bandit-by-piguet.html
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for that. Yes, so I was sent an older bottle that had obviously gone bad. Shame! I would have been interested to smell the difference from the version I tried in Harrods! I still havn’t bought me a bottle yet! I’m now re-thinking the 7ml Parfum……..I could get a 50ml of EdP for about £15 less…….conundrum!
I was perplexed about what scent to wear today and finally decided on the Eau Premiere. Perfect choice! It is cool and overcast here and I am about to run a few errands.
I swear, during this unemployment period my wish list for FB’s has gotten unmanageable. SO glad to have found people to swap with and am having lots of fun with that. Of, course, that just adds to my FB list, but whatever. It has also quashed a few lemmings (I do NOT like Malle Noir Epices, thank God).
Tama, check out my FB list at MUA (daisylu) …I would be happy to swap with you if there’s anything that interests you. 🙂
Tama – I always like when I dodge an expensive fragrance bullet too.
I know I’m late in the day’s activities (darn this working for a living!). I’m looking for a great citrus shower gel. Tangerine or grapefruit or lime? Something that makes me sing in the shower… but isn’t too simple. I bought -unsniffed- a bottle of Guerlain’s AA Pamplelune, thinking it must be paradise, but it absolutely isn’t working for me. Anyone? Thanks!!
I like Shi-Kai brand Yuzu gel (grapefruity) and EO Grapefruit-Mint and Rose Geranium-Citrus. Both brands are really affordable; I find them in drugstores where I am.
Maybe too simple, but an old-time fave of mine and a steal… The Body Shop’s Satsuma. Just picked some up for my daughter’s 13th birthday, and grabbed some of the hand soap while I was at it. Yum.
I have the satsuma candle. I think it smells like Pez lol
That was to be my suggestion, too. I love that stuff.
Hello!
The yellow bodywash by Biotherm. Really nice, I find, and fresh and citrusy. It’s made me sing and jig. But perhaps it wn’t be complex enough for you.
I also really like Demon in the Dark soap by LUSH; this may not be quite what you’re looking for, as it has a lot of mint and apple along with citrus notes (and some people have told me they find it smells of toothpaste :/), but I think it’s sooo lovely, especially if one has muscle aches, mmmh.
Thanks for these great suggestions — I’m especially interested in the rose geranium citrus — sounds dreamy!
Rose geranium citrus does sound nice, doesn’t it?
I am a total sucker for Bath and Body Works’ Aromatherapy Orange Ginger. I love it, and it rarely interferes with perfume applications.
thanks!! I’ll sample them all with delight!
Ack, can’t believe I forgot about Burt’s Bees Citrus/Ginger Root. You know…the one in my bathroom. :O I think my chaotic life has me just a LITTLE too scattered lately!
Robin, BTW I just swung by Hermes to try out the Gentiane. It smelled like medicine that’s supposed to be good for you but tastes horrible. And the Pamplemousse is too grapefruity. I guess I should root for JC Ellena to strike out, anyway, it saves me lots of money! I dream of the day I can afford a FB of SL’s Bois de Violette.
LOL…so true, it’s a good thing when they don’t work since they’re not cheap.
Hi 😀
Today I am wearing Insolence and Dior Addict 2 I like mixing certain perfumes
Interesting mix, I can’t even imagine it!
So… the Insolence doesn’t eat everything within a 2-mile radius?
Just kidding! Glad you like it. Insolence is clearly put together well and made of good stuff, but to me, wearing it was like frantically looking for one’s car in a parking lot full of identical vehicles, all of their car alarms shrieking at once. Ack.
😀 yes it does! but I like it …
I discovered that this mixture worked while I was trying to lower the Insolence effect!
Has anyone tried Jivago 24K? It was recommended to me by a friend, who couldn’t tell me anything more about it other than “it’s pretty”…
Sorry, I haven’t.
Thanks, anyway. It’s too expensive to buy unsniffed, and I’m looking around for who sells it, so I could try to get a sample. It’s not new, so I’m not sure I could even get a sample from a SA.
Oh, I do hope you see this… you can get a mini at Beauty Encounter for not so much $, and unless the info is wrong, the “mini” is nearly 1/2 oz.
Hello, good morning self. 1/2 oz is only 15 ml…I was thinking 30. Still, it’s a reasonable way to test it. 😀
Thank you. I will definitely check it out!
Lately I have been loving Secret Obsession. It’s a bit heavy for the balmy weather we have been having but nonetheless. Does anyone know if it is being discontinued? I work for this brand and I don’t even know anything. However, I have noticed it has been removed from the Sephora website. Also, Prada IdI is lovely for the weather here in West Michigan.
Hello fellow Michigander! Try layering the Prada IdI with Hermes Hiris sometime, it’s spectacular! (I mix them in an atomizer so it’s always handy!)
Hi to the other Michiganders! I’m a Yooper!! But, living below the bridge for a bit these days (hubby’s job)
well, hello to you too! here we are in Michigan corner…..
That’s the newish one, right? If so, I’ve definitely seen it at TJ Maxx.
Oooh! I’ll have to check it out.
Just treated myself to some Jean Nate – they had a 30 oz bottle for $10. It’s such a blast from the past! Who was looking for medicinal? JN has a nice medicinal tang to it, like splashing it on is good for you! Now I just wish it would get warm enough to wear it and my 4711 that has been patiently waiting.
I really should buy some of that!
And I just came home to my brand spanking new bottle of 4711. 🙂 I think it must be my ultimate cheap thrill.
I couldn’t stand it—after hearing so many glowing comments about 4711 the other day I dashed off and ordered a big ole vat of it for myself! Had to have some.
Also I won a mini of Rochas Eau de Rochas at the evilbay…came today ….reminds me of lemons and bactine….interesting, but not amazing. Of course tomorrow I could feel completely different about it.
Lemons and Bactine!
Warning: Slightly Off Topic! Speaking of medicinal, is anyone familiar with Porter’s Liniment Salve? I just tested L’Heure Bleue this week, and it did Not Work on me. Evil Medicine Cabinet on my skin, although it smelled really nice in the vial. Anyway, it made me think of the Porter’s, which comes in a round metal tin and contains camphor, cajeput (tea tree) oil, clove oil, myrrh, and sassafras, as well as beeswax and lanolin. Pungent stuff, but I think it smells really wonderful.
Ha, I was going to put that as the recco up above for medicinal, but figured it was obvious. I have to say… I sort of liked that weird note, but only at home. Fortunately, later on, it softens considerably into something I could wear out in public. 🙂
I love l’Heure Bleu and have a giant bottle of the edp, but I know that linimenty smell it has. I find it is less noticeable in cooler weather. I don’t mind it, but I can see how some wouldn’t like it.
Eau de Rochas smells like lemon Froot Loops to me… and I can’t begin to tell you why it was so hard for me to type froot instead of fruit.
yeah, I can smell the froot-loopines too…lemons, froot-loops and bactine….cool: I can be fresh, not hungry, and disinfected all at once!
oh, btw, ‘froot ‘ instead of ‘fruit’ ….was easy… bad spelling comes quite naturally to me!
I’ll just stick with being awful at punctuation! 😀 Wait! That needs more exclamation marks!!!!
Agreed! I love exclamation marks almost as much as I love ellipses… 🙂
4711 is superior to Jean Nate, which also smells kind of like Bactine, which I like the smell of, fortunately. Basically the 4711 is for my top half, and the Jean Nate is for my legs.
Tama, did you really say THIRTY ounce? Isn’t that like…. a quart? HA! Oh boy. They really do mean it when they say “after-bath SPLASH” don’t they?
And Daisy, once again you crack me up… this time with the 4711. 😀
Yep – it’s a special dealio – 100% more for same price. It was in the special deal section of the cosmetics dept or I’d have missed it. It is a splash! Although if you really coated yourself with it, it might be a little much.
Ha, and I was laughing at my 10 oz of 4711.
hmmm, ok, your bottle is bigger….the Most Enormous Vat Award goes to Tama.
what? why buy a bottle when you can have a vat?
Careful —talk like that gets some showing up in your mailbox whether you want it or not!
It’s autumn where I live and the light is burnished with autumn leaves. So it”s a Mitsouko day. Perfection. Not sure if I should try the new blue Mtisouko. How can you improve on perfection?
You can’t! I’m skipping Fleur de Lotus.
Today I wore Missoni Aqua. The only fragrance I have that has lilac is one of the Tommy Girl Summer fragrances. I am going this weekend to purchase something new to add to my fragrance collection. I usually wear a different fragrance each day or according to my mood. (Perfume junkie)
being a card carrying perfume junkie is a good thing here and “intervention” is a naughty word. 🙂
Hi Daisy. My family wants to stage an intervention. I have bottles everywhere. And every time I buy a new one, they frown and ask how much it costs.And…I lie. I’m like a crack addict or something. Cosmetic’s need to my next intervention. I have 4 regular size drawers with tools, shadows, stick..lord. I need to toss some, I am a very bad girl.
Today I am wearing JM Lotus and Water Lilly with a smidgen of JM Dark Amber and Ginger Lilly
shhh…don’t say “intervention” it makes me nervous! You need to sort out the make up–discard anything very old, it’s not worth an eye infection….wittle it down to one large tub (get a nice big snap lid thingy that is close to clear so you can still sorta see the make up containers…that will help discourage more purchases. AND STOP buying make up you don’t need….save those dollars for PERFUME, which of course, you DO need. 😉
I have a bit of a grabbies thing going on too….thru ebay. Scored two L’Artisan (L’eau de L’A and The pour un Ete) and Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil. AND a new tester of Come La Luna for less than half retail!!! My husband thinks I’m crazy bu they…Alotofscents: Just tell your family it’s cheaper than going to the local biker bar and buying drinks all around whenever you feel the urge to spend. SOTD: Ava Luxe Cafe Noir
I want a rose scent. FdTRB is too girlie. Patch- and amber-heavy rose scents are too, I don’t know, something.
I think I want to smell damask rose complete with leaves and maybe some soil.
Have you tried the Demeter “Vintage Naturals” Rosebush? That might be what you’re looking for. Their Bulgarian Rose is also pretty straightforward. HTH.
You could layer it over Demeter “Dirt”, lol 🙂
Frederic Malle Une Rose?
Une Rose is the ultimate for me. Sigh…
I’m with you…I keep trying other rose scents, layering scents, but I always reach for Une Rose if I want to smell all rosy and warm.
Hi Robin. I love to participate, and get other’s perceptions, and knowledge.
I was wondering about *sampling* vials and home. I can’t tell after putting them all own – About 5 samplers on my wrist, top of hands, crook of r]
Huh? My comment dissapeared before I was done. So The point meaning
???? wow, whats going on with ‘computer? Why is there a side barr
at the bottom. Anyway They are all flowers or woody florals , and they start gettig mottled. What’s the best way to sample my 25 new classic and well done popular scents
I try not to wear more than 6 things at once, and even then, that’s just for a first trial run. For a second try, it’s really best only to wear 1 or 2 things at a time so you can pay attention and not have your nose overwhelmed. Alternatively, if you really want to pace through 25 new scents quickly, use labeled paper strips.
you could make a note of where you put which frag. I cheat when I’m just going to be at home and write a couple letters on my body part to cue my memory….like a little “cdg” next to one or “AG” next to another etc.
Testing Guerlain Insolence this evening- Drydown smells of pixie stix and taking a circular saw to wood… probably poplar. I sure seem to have interesting descriptions for what I smell. LOL
LOL, yes, that is an interesting description!
Today I wore Green Water.
Last perfume I bought was Téneré (bought blind), which has already become one of my favorite spring scents.
Next purchase? Who the hell knows. Candidates include (but are not limited to) Heritage, Jicky EDP, L’Homme Sage, Lonestar Memories, Bandit, Equipage, and Bel Ami.
All good candidates!
I’m very excited – I ordered samples of Luctor et Emergo and Tuberose Criminelle yesterday! The POTL becoz I keep reading about what a cult classic it is. The T.Crim becoz I’m looking for a proper floral to buy. So far, Champaca and Fracas are top of my list. Champaca is winning out by being more versatile…….tuberose is for the nighttime!
Hope you’ll like them! Both spendy though…
In my book, all tuberose is criminal. Ewwwwsh. 😀 Like the LetE though, and the body cream even more. Except that my lovely pre-K daughter keeps stealing it…..
Boo–L et E is a good step up from “overwhelming rose” —maybe next year you’ll get some PotL for Mother’s day?
LOL Daisy…she picked the soap for the pretty pattern and the box, rather than the scent. Her daddy does a fine job of picking “real” presents…it was just so sweet of her to think all on her own to buy me something, that I got an extra gift this year. And she already made me buy a decant of the LetE. 😀
hi, I’ve been lurking for a while and this is my first comment.
I became interested in perfume thanks to my mother, and a couple of years ago I found this website by chance, it really helped to learn a lot, unfortunately where I live I only have access to mainstream perfumes, so I’d like to incursion into online shopping, so I can sample some niche fragances, but I don’t know where to begin, please help!
Hi, Ecliptika! Not sure if you are in the US? Three online places to buy niche samples are Luckyscent, The Posh Peasant, and The Perfumed Court. I’ve had excellent experiences with all three!
thank you, sorry I wasn’t clear about where I live, I’m from Argentina, not a very good country to be a perfumeaholic…
I’ll visit those web sites you recommended, hope they ship abroad.
Hi Ecliptika, and welcome! This might help:
https://nstperfume.com/2007/04/09/perfumista-tip-how-to-get-fragrance-samples-free-or-otherwise/
thank you!!
For a balmy warm spring day, today I’m wearing the Badgley Mischka Fleurs de Nuit. But everyone’s comments above are making me crave so many different fragrances! I just sent out for a large decant of Chanel eau de Cologne, eau de Guerlain, eau d’Imperial, and the new Cristalle eau Verte – a good solution for not being able to make up my mind!
Eau de Guerlain — yum! I might put some on now.
A question-
The larger fragrance companies that have designed most of the major releases were not always doing this. Givaudan, IFF, Firmenich were at one time in the not too distant past (as long as you consider matlock a contemporary) just supply houses.
Places where you could go to get all of your supplies. Like what hobby lobby is for crafters, but for perfumers. They have been designing fragrances for quite some time. But with their hands being tied by their accountants, they have been losing their innovational edge and seem to be pumping out an army of clones. The majority of the innovation comes from the niche brands. Not just the $250 for 25 ml set, but the CB’s and the more affordable group as well.
It seems that the reviewers are gaining more clout, this site for example. TS and LT. And it seems that innovation and daring attitude make up a large number of the points given out. Therefore, although I don’t have any hard and fast figures, it appears that small innovative lines would start to rise again.
When you couple these trends, does anyone out there feel that the balance may be shifting back towards the major fragrance companies becoming ingredient supply houses? Take pamplemousse rose, it was practically screamed that it contains rhubofix. Yes it was designed by a house perfumer, not firmenich. To me it seems, that actual fragrance chemicals have usually only been known to a select few. It seems that by introducing actual ingredients into the press release Firmenich is saying “Hey indie perfumers! Check out rhubofix! After all, JCE did and he’s a god.” Maybe hermes got a discount on the rhubofix.
Seems to me, that not only is this trend happening, but the big guys seem to be taking notice. It this is true, I hope that it will result in a more informed and less sport scented public.
Agree? Disagree?
Well, just to clarify 2 points that I’m sure you’re aware of but that others reading this might not be — first, yes, perfumers have their hands tied by accountants, but not by the accountants at the big fragrance & flavor companies where they work so much as by whomever is ordering the fragrance. So if Calvin Klein will only spend so much on the juice, that’s that, and from everything I read, most of the brand name companies that sell perfume have severely tightened their budgets for the juice itself.
Second, the vast majority of niche brands use the same perfumers at the same few fragrance & flavor companies.
And yes, the number of niche lines has certainly skyrocketed. I don’t know that I’m as optimistic about that as you are. There are certainly some new brands that are doing fun stuff, but there are an awful lot of very expensive niche lines that aren’t doing anything more interesting or innovative than the mainstream brands.
On the rhubofix thing, I don’t know. Every so often a company includes a chemical name in a list of notes, but not sure I’ve seen any more lately than I ever have (although of course I’ve only been paying attention for about 5 years). Anyone else? Are you seeing more of this lately?
I just had to share this with a group that may appreciate it. I work in a scent-free environment, which is my worst nightmare. (I like to joke that I wouldn’t have taken the job, had I known this up front.) So I usually have to wait until I get home, and then spritz away. This morning while I was getting ready I went to move my bottle of Mitsouko, the cap slipped, and I spilled it all over myself. I mean EVERYWHERE. I tried to wash it off, but, well it’s MITSOUKO. It does not want to leave. So I’ve spent the day feeling smug in the knowledge that I am wearing perfume without breaking the rules. I mean, I DID try to wash it off! It’s not my fault it’s so tenacious! (And really, you have to cram your face to my skin to smell it. I surely can’t be breaking the rules too much.)
Miss Kitty V – well, I suppose that is a nice coincidence…I am fortunate that it’s not a problem where I work. It would be hard for me to work somewhere that I couldn’t wear any fragrance at all.
I’m afraid that I would start “spilling” perfume on a regular basis….they’d start to get suspicious. (and I wouldn’t be trying to wash it off either!)
I’ve tried to sneak body lotion past them, but even that got nixed. It’s horrible! I was joking with a friend that maybe I could get a letter from my doctor, saying that perfume is aromatherapy for my depression, and it’s a disability accommodation.
You know, that actually might work. 😀 And if they can’t accommodate, perhaps they need to let you work from home. 😉
Sounds like an excellent plan! feeling a little sad? hmmm? a little down? maybe starting to tear up a bit? hmmm? …..heheheh
Wow, they are really sticklers! Even something with almost zero sillage won’t pass? sheesh, I couldn’t take it! Seriously, there were a couple of instances in the past where I left home and then realized that I hadn’t applied fragrance—I was practically panicking….made my first stop a place where I could “sample” a perfume —-I felt soooo naked ! Now I keep a small atomizer in my car and one in my purse (emergency perfume) .
But with everything fragranced nowadays, where do they draw the line? Are you supposed to use unscented laundry detergent, deodorant, and shampoo? Yikes!
Yes! I read a job posting where they were not only scent-free, they would give you a list of acceptable body products!!!!
Needless to say, as bad as things are, I did NOT apply.
Wow, I don’t blame you… Next they’ll be banning anything but plain rice for lunch — certainly no garlic!
But how dreadful to waste even a drop of beloved Mitsouko. I’m glad you can see the wry side. I once dropped a jar of Chanel No 5 body creme over the bath. Time slowed down as, horrified, I watched its descent. Amazingly, the impact chipped a big hole in the enamel of the bath, but the jar itself did not break. I was stunned. It must the sort of damage-proof glass they make pope mobiles with. Unfortunately though, the lid had been off the jar, so I spent ages removing shards of enamel from the precious, beautiful creme.
I did admittedly get a little choked up when I dropped it. 🙁 My first reaction was certainly “Oh, no, that’s almost the whole bottle!” rather than, “Oh, no! I’m covered in perfume and have to go to work!”
Ok, here’s what the worst about where I work: the person that has issue with people who wear perfume has an air freshener in her office. And not just any air freshener, but one of those watermelon-scented Little Tree air fresheners made for cars. On a particularly snarky day, I couldn’t hold my tongue and said, “Wow, THAT doesn’t bother you??”
I can’t work from home, since I’m a mental health counselor, but it DOES motivate me to start my own practice!!
Sorry if this has been asked before, but does anyone know of a decant supplies site in Europe. I order my bottles from Pilotvials and Accessories for Fragrance and the shipping is eye wateringly expensive. Also, I have a horrible feeling my latest purchase may be stuck in customs having further charges slapped on it. There has to be somewhere in Europe – where do the Parisians go, for goodness’ sake! : – )
I was just looking at the “how to decant” article the other day, and noticed that Zoe had posted a European supplier. Here’s the link (hope it works!): http://www.plaza33.com/shop/
Random question: What is the bottle of fragrance Miss Holy Golightly of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is brandishing and spritzing about as her friend “Fred” is carrying her up the stairs to her apartment?
Isn’t it L’Interdit? Ack, can’t remember.
Very well could be as that fragrance was Audry’s and quite honestly was my first guess. However, I adore that sappy movie and had to get my facts straight. Thanks!
I have an ability to see what i want to see.
I would just like for their to be a diversity in perfume like there is in music or the visual arts. Granted, I’m sure that the majority of the subscribers of this blog would argue that the field is diverse. But really? How is it that people can say that the majority of perfume smells like “perfume”?
I love what is out there even if I end up wrecking my bank account and straining social ties by it being my main topic of discussion. Or when I get every loved one a fragrance for every holiday even if they didn’t want it just because I wanted to smell it on them. Selfish I know, but they end up thanking me in the end.
Sure there is an incredible variety, but the possibilities.
It seems that the vast majority of perfumes out there all go for a similar aesthetic, to make you smell nice, to make you smell good, to make you more attractive. Perhaps that is all that consumers would be willing to by. But what about what someone smells like when they come inside after being out in the snow? Or what it smells like when you walk through an old forest fire in spring. Or something else that we haven’t smelled before.
I hope that perfume will reach a point when we are able to have more people making perfumes that have not been trained by the big guys (Yes I know CB exists). That the fragrance world gets what the music world got when when they were able hear music made by someone other than the Mozarts and the Juliard students of the world.
I see this on the horizon, but then again, I see what I want to.
I have to say that your post got me to thinking…
One: people would have to see the art of creating a perfume as an Art again and not merely to a ploy in nabbing the nose of the mob. While there are those who avidly announce that fragrance and its many births already is, others exist with body shop tainted blinders. Not to say their kaleidoscope of scents is bad but perhaps mainstream, safe, comfortable and trite. I don’t want to be pampered with mediocrity… well not always anyway.
Two: Money comes to mind as well as the “Happy Police.” I unfortunately don’t have the budget of Brittney Sp*** and the mediocre best sometimes is a delight to the economic downward spiraling me. With “Oh you can’t wear this at the office, nobody wants to wear a bonfire, and Susie-Q could be permanently blinded in the next decade if you wore that fragrance for the next millenium” legal crack down of the sensuous molecules, resins, elixirs in fragrance every fragrant birth is a difficult one.
Riding the world of the lushness of oakmoss and that nose spike jasmine is akin to substituting alizarin crimson for a Parrish sky. It simply isn’t done without tragic effects. Case in point being our Chanel No 5. I cannot imagine a world without her… I am sure John Lennon would have written a song suitable for our plight…
Well, I ramble… so i hope this made some sense in or for the plight of the creative cry.