A repeat of a poll from last year, inspired by the holiday gift articles. Here's the three-part poll:
What is the fragrance-related gift you'd most like to receive this year?
Let's say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
My answers:
Last year, I said Diorissimo in extrait. This year I'll say Diorissimo in extrait, vintage.
Probably L'Artisan Parfumeur Al Oudh.
Not a one! But I might buy myself a swanky new candle, and will happily take recommendations.
Note: image is Flames [cropped] by laogooli at flickr; some rights reserved.
Hm. I never ask for perfume, because I can’t trust anyone to know what I like.
Unsniffed: Amouage – Lyric for Women.
I was thinking of getting my mom a bottle of Mythique by Parfums DelRae. I think it’s glorious, and she loves florals. Other than my mom, no one else I know cares much for scented products.
I am SO alone.
Oh. I want a bottle of Lann-Ael. Badly.
Good luck on that Lyric! And… if for some reason you get it unsiffed and don’t like it, you won’t have trouble splitting it off to some of the rest of us!
Andrea, I’ve got several samples of Lyric–they all came in at once. I’d be happy to pass one on to you. Message me at MUA.
Thanks, Kitty. I actually just ordered samples this morning, after writing about how badly I wanted them.
Andrea, I think your mom would love Mythique. I love it, and I’m a mom of a 20 yr old.
Jill
I actually adore Mythique. I’ve been wearing my sample all week, and I can’t decide if I want it for myself, or want to give it to Mom, or both. Maybe I could split it, but I don’t know if she would appreciate the concept of “half a bottle of perfume”, as a gift? Tacky, right?
Le sigh.
Hahaha… I thought of being “tacky” and giving a ‘split’ bottle of Borneo 1834 to my mom as a gift too, but decided a decant looks a little better as long as I put it with several other decants/minis. (No, I’m not getting a bottle myself… I’m making do with a decant also.)
Joe if you were interested I’ve got a bottle of Borneo that’s 80% – 90% full I’d be willing to trade. I reckon if I don’t palm it off now it’s going to sit there unused for the next 8 months as the weather will be too warm during that time to get much use out of it. I’m on the google groups thing if you’re interested and need my email details.
I think I’d like a bottle of JM Vanilla & Anise, although I leave it to myself to buy the perfumes. Unsniffed? Hilde Soliani Fragola Salata. I think I’m going to buy my MIL lots of lavender scented bath stuff, and my mother asked for rose scented Decleor and Weleda products.
I leave it to myself to buy perfume too…
I’d love to receive a bottle of Fille en Aiguilles (for now, I’m waiting for a decant to soothe my comfy-holiday-cravings)
As far as unsniffed, I think Scent Two: Laurel by Monocle x CdG is something I’d love to see underneath my Xmas tree.
I rarely give fragrance gifts at Xmas to others (usually reserving fragrance gifts for throughout the year instead).
Oh, I would have possibly picked the CdG if I’d remembered (wow, short memory, eh?)
You can be my roommate in the memory-care facility. My husband was just teasing me mercilessly last night because I didn’t remember a joke I sent him a couple of years ago. I guess that sets the stage for forgetting his birthday…
Well… two years… what was I saying? Lately I’ve been a little bit anxious and keep forgetting, no not forgetting ERASING from my mind anything, sometimes in a couple of minutes. What was I searching on the internet? Where was I going? Did I just tell you so? I guess for me memory facility is the euphemism of the year… lol (or maybe I should say col? cry out loud?)
YEARS ago?? I forgot things I said 2 days ago. Ack.
I know! I don’t know why he thought it was so funny that I forgot something from years ago, when he could just as easily find something I forgot from an hour earlier. :O I *do* tend to remember when people are mean, though…this won’t be forgotten for *decades*!
recently I’ve had the unpleasant experience of thinking about something and half way through thinking it I forget what I started thinking about. True. Horrible!
My most wanted fragrance gift this year vacillates dramatically between wanting another bottle of Chanel No 5 parfum or another pre-2007 bottle of Mitsouko edp. Does that make me too staid?
My most wanted unsiffed purchase would be the Annick Goutal Mandragore Pourpre.
And this year I am not planning on giving any fragrance gifts as I gave everyone fragrance gifts last year and my family may see that as redundant. Except for my dad- he recently discovered he likes the Sean Jean I am King, and I’m going to see if there are any good bargains on some more for him. And I am giving my mom some Mistral smelly soap she really likes. Does smelly soap count?
Sure, smelly soaps count!
And you’re “classic”, not “staid”
Ann, you define Classic… Forget “frazzled,” it doesn’t exist!
I have to agree, based on what I know of your tastes…classy classic.
Chanel No. 5 is my favorite! I agree with classic!
Hi, Ann. I have a small bottle of Chanel 5 pure parfum. If you want to message me on MUA, maybe we could work out a trade?
I’m “anyothername” on MUA.
Oh, yes indeed! I’ll contact you very soon!
Hello, this is my first post at nst – first of all: thanks for this blog! It’s a fabulous read for a fragrance-holic like me.
Vintage Diorissimo perfume must be heavenly…
To answer your question:
1 wish: Jicky in pure perfume (won’t come true *sigh*)
2 unsniffed: vintage L’Interdit
3 I won’t give any fragrance items as a present this year. Last year I bought Hilfiger dreaming for a cousin (a girl of 16 years), and she really liked it. But usually I find it too risky to give scents as a present.
Hi and welcome! I’ve love some Jicky parfum too, although I’ve only smelled a very old version.
“Only” smelled a very old version? I’d call that pretty darn fortunate.
My dear R, what the heckers is stopping you from getting that vintage Diorissimo? I can’t snoop around on eBay without stumbling across a whole whack of ’em. Go on, you deserve a perfect ounce in one of those tall, curvy crystal bottles, box and all — and preferably for (relative) peanuts.
Meanwhile, I’d settle for same of vintage Diorama. I see one for $295. A bit rich for my budget.
Unsniffed? Amouage Tribute, in a heartbeat.
No smelly gifts this year. I gave a wonderful candle from l’Occitane called le Rameau d’Or to a friend last Christmas (Kevin had recommended it, and it’s as fab as he’d said) and my friend promptly asked if he could exchange it for something unscented. (Unscented?? What is the point of an unscented candle, fercryin’outloud??) My balloon of optimism vis-a-vis giving unsolicited scented gifts to anybody but hard-core perfumistas remains deflated.
Just meant that for all I know, the new stuff isn’t any good!
And I have a very hard time buying vintage. I do spend $ on perfume, but it’s a luxury for me to do so. If I spent even $100 on a vintage bottle and it wasn’t any good, I’d be quite pissed. So not worth it! I want to be as lucky as Angie, and run across these things at garage sales…but it never happens.
Some perfumistas have all the luck.
I wouldn’t say no to either a bottle of Amouage Dia or Chanel Cuir De Russie.
I’m desperate to try Guerlain’s Vetiver Pour Elle and Attrape Coeur so I’d pick either for unsniffed bottles.
No plans to give any fragrance related gifts so far but that could still change.
Robin, have you tried the Diptyque holiday candles? They are lovely. Benzoin is worth getting for the jar alone and I really liked the roasted chestnuts one too.
Abyss: I have some Attape-Couer I could send you as sample (if you’re in the US, I hope!). Emai me at MUA if you’d like it.
Wow, that’s so kind. I’m in UK, unfortunately, but thanks for the offer
I haven’t (cheap about candles usually) but Kevin & Pia both bought the Benzoin, and I think they both liked it. Kevin’s going to review it soon.
Duh…you were making a recommendation, not asking me a question, right? I took it the wrong way. I am thinking about Diptyque, although maybe one of the florals, have you tried any of those?
I was doing both, really. Out of Diptyque’s florals I used to have Tuberose and those are pretty potent. My favourite was Amber but I think that was a special edition for last year’s holidays. I was given it as a gift and never saw them since.
Thanks, I will think about the Tuberose! I bought a Skeem Jasmine Tea candle and am quite mad that it smells like neither tea nor lavender, so thinking I need to lay out more money and be sure I’m getting something good.
Robin, the only “fancy” candle I have right now is the Diptyque Tubereuse. The smell is exquisite. Even unlit!
Thanks Haunani!
I’d love to have a full bottle of Creed Virgin Island Water. Just can’t plunk down that much at one time on something for myself yet I crave this when I’m in hot weather.
Unsniffed? Perhaps L’Artisan’s Vanilia. Have been on a big vanilla kick lately. Shunned it for a while but it seems to be beckoning me these days.
As for gifts, will only be buying my mother her annual bottle of Youth Dew. That’s all she wears and no one else loves perfume like I do. (However, Youth Dew is NOT on my love, or even like, list.)
I think Vanilia is getting discontinued, so get it soon! (or verify, because I’m not sure)
I’d love to get confirmation either way on the Vanilia. It’s not a big enough “fave” for me to want to stock up, but it’s always sad to face the possibility of something going away forever, and I like having it on hand.
I have been told by the Italian distributor that it’s officially out of production
The problem w/ L’Artisan is they’ve done that sort of thing before, then started producing the scent again later. I am always dubious now.
Vanilia is also still available on the L’Artisan website, so really, who knows. People have been questioning for a couple years whether L’Eau de Navigateur is discontinued, but it still keeps showing up here and there.
I would love someone to buy me a bottle of Le Labo Poivre. Please. Feel free.
Hmmm….unsniffed bottle…….Black Cashmere. (Debenhams tantalisingly had bottles for sale, but no unopened tester to try.)
I have no money this xmas, so no scent purchases for people. However, i may order some samples from Andy Tauer – my Mum loves Reverie au Jardin.
I love samples as stocking stuffers and the Tauer samples are nice and big. I also recommend the Histoires de Parfums sample set. They’re 5 euros plus 5 euros shipping for 12 generously sized samples in a cute little box. For those in the US, don’t follow their instructions to order from Beautycafe; you won’t get the full set.
Samples as a stocking stuffer is a great idea! Have to drop my Santa a hint about that.
thanks for the tip on the histoires de parfumes samples …what a great little pre chrissy prezzie for me lol. Santa (also known as my SO) has 2 instuctions: 31 Rue Cambon & Cuir de Russie. My unsniffed purchase(s) of choice would be Havana Vanille and Carven Le Vetiver.
oops forgot that santa (SO) gets l’anarchiste, xeryus rouge (his alltime fave), tuscany per uomo and l’instant pour homme.
Have you tried Carven Le Vetiver? I haven’t yet.
no i haven’t Robin been searching for it but no luck so far
Thanks…hoping eventually someone who has smelled it will comment about it!
Fragrance gift for myself: a time machine so I could buy all the vintage extraits I want.
Unsniffed choice: Amouage Lyric– would Santa bring me that, you think?
Gifts for others: I found KL parfum on eb*y for a friend who mentioned how much she’d loved it years ago. If it still thrills her, I’ll go back to the *bay for a suite of KL gifts for her birthday in the spring.
If you get that time machine, you have to take us all with you. (Or at least take requests and bring stuff back.)
She might need help carrying things back-I’d happily volunteer!
Me too!
Don’t worry, I’ll take orders!
Me too .. volunteer
1. Gift: That big ol’ bottle of Chanel 31, Rue Cambon.
2. Unsniffed? Hermes Caleche. Or Commes des Garcon Odeur 71 (that’s two, I know.)
3. Nobody really would like a perfumed gift….unfortunately!
Re: #3, I force things on people. I don’t care if they want it or not. They will learn to love perfume.
Haha! You’ll wear perfume…..and you’ll LIKE IT.
Miss K. – Thanks for the chuckle on a Fri. afternoon.
If it makes you feel better, you could add me to your gift list. I’d happily take something fragranced!
If I really believe in Xmas miracles, maybe Santa will bring me a bottle of Agua de Naranjos by Agua de Sevilla. I bought this 10+ years ago while honeymooning in Spain and have missed it ever since. It’s the most beautiful orange blossom and jasmine scent.
Since Agua de Seville requires Santa to take the sleigh to Spain, another good alternative would be Feminite de Bois which I tried recently and now understand what all the fuss is about. Simply breathtaking. I will cry when my small sample ends.
Unsniffed wish? Probably OJ Tiare.
No fragrance gifts planned yet – I haven’t even started my list yet. Oh dear!
Hi, ScentRed,
Thanks for the Theorema tip!!! That Spain frag sounds wonderful.
I’ll order it today. I hope you get your wish.
Jill
We can always dream, right?
Can’t wait to try the OJ Tiare!
I’d love a bottle of Theorema. Anyone know where to get a fresh bottle?
Unsniffed-I’d love to try Tiare by Ormonde Jayne.
I’m giving my daughter a decant of Tihota. She asked me to find her perfect signature scent. We limited it down from gourmandes and vanilla scents. It was fun doing all the sampling and knowing she inherited my love for expensive perfumes.
Hi Jill – We must be scent-sisters
See note above yours.
I recently purchased Theorema from Beauty Encounter. They have a 1.7 oz EDP for $45 and a 3.4 oz tester for $55. I got the smaller size and it arrived promptly, in perfect condition and smells divine.
And giving credit where it is due…Daisy tipped me off to the Beauty Encounter deal a few weeks ago.
Daisy, is this enabling once removed?
yup, but still puts you squarely in the enablers camp! Don’t worry, it’s a good club, we only meet once a week and we have COOKIES!
Well I’m in then
Yes, Daisy tipped me to that Beauty encounter Theorema too… and the big tester bottle smells just fine……
Yes, Daisy tipped me to that Beauty encounter Theorema too… and the big tester bottle smells just fine…… Now I only wish I could find a bottle of Asja!
I recently saw Asja on Ebay – just sayin…
Ann i have a spare bottle of Asja, if you’re interested, email me on cmeis2000@hotmail.com
I don’t think they have any left. I bought my first bottle from BE then decided I needed backups just like Daisy. I ordered again, they charged me, sent me a confirmation, then I got an email three days later that they are out of stock. Boo. I did find some on ebay and purchased two – one for my and one for my friend.
I recently ordered a bottle of the Fendi Theorema from Beauty Encounter. Just got a letter from Canadian customs saying that they have seized it and it will be destroyed (whaaahhhhh). Beauty Encounter have said they wont refund the money, so beware if you are getting it shipped out of the US.
Oh, what a terrible shame. So sorry!
1. I gave my partner my “gimme gimme gimme!” list, and it’s not short: CdG Avignon, ELd’O Putain des Palaces, L’A Passage d’Enfer, or PG Bois Blond. (And no, I don’t expect to get all of them. Or any of them. We’ll see.)
2. Unsniffed: Robin, I’ll second that Al Oudh, or Juliette’s Midnight Oud.
3. I am getting my honey a bottle of L’Air du Desert Marocain. I have apparently been promising this for two years now–I think I’ve held off because I know I’m going to use it myself, and feel guilty giving it as a gift. But I did promise.
Dang, I forgot to include my dumb joke to go with No. 2: I’m in the mood for oud!
GRRrroooann!
I’ve said worse, believe me.
and yet…somehow….we believe you……**snickering**
L’Air = L’Ove
And so you snag a spritz here and there…that just means it’s a gift you will *both* appreciate!! *g*
I wonder if I am the only person in the world to prefer Tauer’s Lonestar Memories to his L’Air du Desert Marocain?!
Probably not. I prefer Reverie to L’Air, myself.
I haven’t smelled Reverie yet, but you remind me I’d love to! (I’m wearing SL Gris Clair right now — is there any comparison.) Does it have a bit of that resinous/smoky accord among the lavender? I just love all the Tauer perfumes I’ve sampled so far.
Thinking about Lonestar just makes me realize how much I love its intense smokiness, such that the paler (in my mind) L’Air du Desert strikes me as too close, and falling short.
The lavender in Reverie is much less pronounced than in Gris Clair. It’s been a long time since I smelled it, but I don’t remember anything smoky about it.
Hi Tsetse – if you like that birch tar smokey thing, you should sample some of the Sonoma Scent Studio fragrances. Ambre Noir, Fireside Intense and Fireside, and Winter Woods all have a well done smoke (birch tar) and woods accord.
I love Jardin–it does have the Tauer smoke in it, just not as pronounced. If you like Gris Clair you may also like Jardin. I love them both!!
Nope. Lonestar Memories is my favorite of his, though I also love Incense Rose and La Maroc Pour Elle
Fragrance related gift would have to be a plane ticket to Paris…To shop for my favorite frags by myself (no risk of going wrong there) But I could make do with anything M7 related
Unsniffed: Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris! (but what are my chances of Santa reading this???)
To give? Mom has been giving not-so-subtle hints about her bottle of Neige Perfumed Body Veil being almost empty…
LOL…good choice, I’d take the plane trip to Paris too!
If you’re going to wish…. wish BIG!
well if Santa isn’t listening then you better hurry up and call Bergdorf Goodman in NYC —talk to Jason (he manages the Guerlain counter but he’ll fix you up) get hold of that $25 off purchases over $100 , I think it’s a friends and family gift card? Anyhow….then you can get that bottle of VC&A Bois d’Iris for $25 off regular price. Gift card starts Dec. 3rd but they’re taking preorders right now!
my enabling is done for the day….gonna go get a cuppa tea.
Daisy you are my new BFF
I’ll try to find my red suit with the white faux-fur trim and play my own personal Santa….. this year again!
First, I’ll just have to melt that big chuck of ice that has my credit card trapped inside…
you mean you haven’t memorized all the numbers yet??? lol goodness knows I have!!
1. Gift: Ormonde Jayne Frangipani. It’s so delicate on me that it practically disappears, but I’ll be darned if I don’t want it anyway
2. Unsniffed — Amouage Epic Woman. But I would only ask for that from someone who had recently won the lottery (it’s like, I don’t even think I can afford a *sample* of anything Amouage!).
3. Nope, I don’t have any perfumistas on my list! And I’ve made a lot of mutual “no exchange of gifts” deals with family/friends in order to simplify the holidays, so I don’t have much of a list, anyway.
Maybe we’ll all get lucky and they’ll do travel sizes of Epic and then they’ll end up at discounters…still can’t believe I didn’t buy a $50 bottle of Jubilation back when Beautyencounter had them. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Robin, I just checked — they still have it! I hear the distant sound of sleigh bells in the snow…
Yeah, but they have the women’s & I want the men’s!
I’ve already asked my mom for L’occitane Honey and Lemon EDT. I have the hand cream and I can’t stop smelling it.
Unsniffed: I’ve never smelled any of the Hermes garden perfumes on the skin. I’d happily take any of those, though. I’d also take Guerlian Insolence. I recently scored a bottle of My Insolence at Marshalls for 15 bucks and I really like it, so I’m curious to try the original.
For Christmas I’m giving perfume to everyone! Well, just my mom, sister, and bf. I’ve already gotten Infusion D’Iris for my mom. For my sister I am still deciding between Gucci by Gucci or Stella (we recently had a conversation about rose scents and she said the smell reminds her of when our mom wore Tea Rose when we were kids, but she doesn’t know if she would actually wear a strong rose scent . . . so I thought something subtle?). Stella Nude is actually really nice. My boyfriend I’m still not sure about because I haven’t spent enough time at the cologne counter. Open to suggestions (he’s in his mid-thirties, loves Santos de Cartier and YSL).
My dad doesn’t wear fragrance so I’m getting him a nice scotch as always
Oh, and how old do you all think a kid should be to buy fragrance for. My 12 year old nephew and his friends are obsessed with things like “Axe” spray so I thought I might introduce him to something nicer.
You’re never too young to start developing good taste.
2nd this wholeheartedly! Of course, I have a 5 yr old partner in crime, but I only let her it at home. But at 12… if he’s already wearing *something* anyway, it might as well be something nice!
Well, I was just thinking ck 1 cause that’s what my sister and I slathered all over ourselves at that age.
Oops, reckless editing…I only let her *wear* it at home.
Dang, if I’d known you liked My Insolence I would have given it to you for free!
Bought a bottle and regreted it?
Got it free, actually. Like it, don’t love it.
I know it’s not the most complex fragrance, but I like the sweet-powedery almondish smell it has. Plus, I work with kids so I don’t like to wear anything heavy around them.
1. Cartier XIIIeme Heure, pretty please. Failing that, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a bottle of Tauer’s Incense Rose.
2. Unsniffed: CdG Daphne or the aforementioned LAP Al Oudh.
3. Sorry, everybody — I’m too darn poor to give gifts to anyone but kids. Although come to think of it, my son would probably like a bottle of Bigarade Concentree, which smells absolutely stunning on him!
We mostly do just the kids too….and they don’t tend to get Frederic Malle products
My ideal fragrance related gift would be; all the bottles from the De Nicolaï collection that I don’t already own. Or a small bottle of Péché Cardinal from MCDI ( I had the ” misfortune” of smelling it a couple of months ago) Or a bottle of vintage Mitsouko or Shalimar.
I would buy unsniffed: VCA Bois d’Iris ( love Iris; recently got me some ISM, and own FB’s of L’Homme de Coeur and Hiris.
I am going to give my mother a mini of the 1987 Nina by Nina Ricci. She loves aldehydic florals and used to wear L’ Air du Temps a lot.
Totally unrelated: I received a letter from Divine today with a scented paper sample of their Eau Divine; utterly gorgeous!
Oh, yes, isn’t Eau Divine great?! I scored a sample of it this summer and loved every drop! One of my co-workers thought it was fabulous and I *almost* had her convinced to split a bottle…but she forgot (as the non-scent-obsessed will) and I didn’t want to hound her like an addict in need of a fix.
Remind her. She’ll thank you for it.
Oh, the 1987 Nina! I became reacquainted with Nina this year after nearly 20 yrs absence from my fragrance wardrobe. So perfect!
Isn’t it just? I have both the EDT and some extrait. Have always loved it, such a gentle and ladylike perfume. My mum is quite a lady and I think real vavavoom does not suit her. And I hate the new Nina.
1. Gift – I’m out of Gucci by Gucci so I want the EDP. And vintage Magie Noir.
2. Unsniffed – can’t think of anything.
3. My husband – he always gets a few bottles from myself and the kiddos. His wish list this year? I’ll have to check it but Guerlain Pour Homme is at the top.
Oh, lucky husband! I never get a few bottles.
Hi all,
I’d LOVE to receive Hermes Parfum des Merveilles-that fragrance is heavenly! It just may be my new Holy Grail fragrance.
My one unsniffed fragrance this year would be Caron’s Parfum Sacre. I’ve heard so many lovely things about it.
I am giving tons of fragrance items for gifts this year.
Mom-Ghost Serenity
Mother in law-Chanel’s Chance (smells amazing on her)
Aunt Mary-Bvlgari’s Eau Blanc
BFF-Bond’s Eau de NY or Satellite A la Figue
Aunt Ruth Ann-Balmain’s Jolie Madame
Parfum Sacre is so wonderful. Get the vintage edp in the squat bottle if you can find it…although the newer stuff in the tall bottle is great too, just a little lighter.
Thanks Gilty-I’ll be on the lookout for it!
I’ve been sampling the Eau de Merveilles this week and love it! After reading the reviews here, I’d love to try the Parfum and Elixir, but after looking all over on ebay and discounters, I could only find the Eau and Elixir. Let me know if you find the Parfum anywhere!
I sure will. To my nose-the Elixir is more gourmand but the drydown is very similar to the Eau de Merveilles. The parfume is lovely….
1. Out-there, impossible wish: JAR Golconda. Just slightly less out-there, and equally unlikely wishes: S-perfumes S-ex, full-size Nicolai Pour Homme,
Hey, I must have timed out! Enough with the wish list, then
2. Penhaglion Amaranthine.
3. No. We are having a “homemade” Christmas, where we must make all the presents for my family by hand. I do not trust myself to make a perfumed product for my mother.
So you haven’t tried Amaranthine, then? It smelled like dirty knickers on me. Eek.
Dirty knickers — yikes! I tried Amaranthine this week and loved the opening, but the drydown was a little too “banana”. Or something.
Banana! I was right in the middle of a banana craving last week, but then my BNTBTBB LadyBoy decant came in the mail and I’m faily set for that note currently. The Amarathine seems to be garnering a wide variety of reponses, here…
Miss Kitty – dirty knickers? Get your dirty knickers away from my pastry! It must be a musk anosmia on my part …. Amaranthine smells to me exactly like super milky-rice pudding lovely french pastry. No kidding. I get a tiny whiff of the smelly socks musk that is in the Kenzo Winter Flowers but it disappears quickly. Amaranthine to my nose is close cousins to YSL Cinema, Montale Powder Flowers, the original Kenzo Flower without the green sap/galbanum accord….. But I do get some nice indolic jasmine that makes me think of AG Songes…
LOL. Is all that IAGW (In a Good Way)? Do you like it? I have to confess I get less pastry-pudding and more dirty knickers (after a green floral opening). I do like it though.
Have you smelled that Le Labo Oud 27? Eek, indeed.
Thanks for the warning! I never know with the Le Labo’s anyway. I feel like there’s some inside joke that I’m not getting–like whoever labels the bottles is cackling away as they slap on a label that has nothing to do with the scent in the bottle.
Miss Kitty – the Le Labo will be on it’s way soon so you can check out the oud!
I like that Oud! It is weird, though, and not for everyone.
1-Santa, baby, I’d luuuuvvvv some by Killian’s Back to Black. I’ve gone through 2 samples and a decant. It’s time.
2-I’d take a bottle of L’A’s Havana Vanilla (which for some unknown reason makes we want to sing it’s name to the old Chiquita Banana song….”I’m Chiquita Banana and I’m here to say….”). I haven’t been thrilled by a vanilla scent in a long, long time and this one just may be THE one.
3-I want to buy my mid-20s son something new this year. He’s been wearing Nautica for ages and I’d like to expand his horizons. Suggestions very gratefully welcomed.
Guerlain Vetiver for the son. It’s nice, but easy to wear.
I know I’d certainly enjoy sniffing it on him. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
Suggestion for #3: I also think you can’t fail with Terre d’Hermes.
That’s not a scent I personally know, but I do know where I can get a sample. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
you should get him something else by Nautica, like the new ‘Oceans’, or at least something else in the same sporty vein. Maybe Ralph Lauren Polo Blue, or Zegna Z, or Tommy Bahama Very Cool, etc.
Good suggestions, all. I do happen to know he didn’t care for the Polo Blue, but I don’t think he’s tried the others. I had been thinking of the Tommy Bahama myself as a kind of ‘one small step’ out of his comfort zone. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Thanks so much!
“Bananas are the best for you in every way!” I’ll be laughing and thinking of that the rest of the day.
The name “Havana Vanille” unfailingly turns into “Hava Nagila” in my head — I’d much rather get the Chiquita Banana song!
1) Fragrance related gift–Amouage Lyric. I have two sample sprays that I’m rationing and I swear this stuff is driving me to distraction. NEED IT.
2) Unsniffed–Cartier XIII or Kurkdjian Lumiere Noire pour Femme or By Kilian Pure Oud (or Tiare or Homage Attar or Tribute Attar…)
3) Gifts–Possibly AG Encens Flamboyant or Duel or Mandragore Pourpre for some of my male friends/relatives. Or the Diptyque holiday candles, or the John Galliano candle. I find it easier somehow to select frags as gifts for men than for women…
Lyric for Man or Woman? I’m trying to decide where the money needs to go.
I’m jonesing for the Lyric Woman (and Epic Woman for that matter) but I haven’t tried the Lyric Man, which also sounds gorgeous…
Lyric man has a lot more to do with ROSE than Lyric woman, my daughter wants me to split up a bottle sometime in the next couple of months. Let me know if you’re interested in splits.
Definitely!
Do we need to call Child Services for enabling your own daughter?!?
Too late, Rapple, as technically she’s an adult.
hahaha! so you all think it’s MY fault she has a spendy nose??? oh wait, it probably IS my fault…..drat!
Boy, this is a tough one. I’d have to say the fragrance related gift I’d like to receive this year would be some vintage Halston, circa 1982 or Corso Como 10. Unsniffed, I’d have to say Sinafonia di Note Fleur de Santal and for gift giving, I’m trying out Amouge Dia Man on the husband.
They’ve redone 10 Corso Como too, so take that vintage 2005.
Excuse me folks, that’s Amouage.
1. I decided to take matters into my own hands and order the perfume gift I wanted: the Ormonde Jayne sampler. I’ve never tried any of their scents, and I think it will be fun to test-drive the whole range.
2. Hard to say, since unsniffed buys are such a gamble, but perhaps Chanel Sycomore (hey, someone else is buying in this scenario!).
3. Not sure if I’ll give any fragrance gifts; I’ve been sampling men’s scents with my husband in mind, but I don’t think he is terribly enthused. Pacifica sprays might be fun in a gift basket for a friend, though — at that cost, it’s not a disaster if she doesn’t like the scent. I could see a chocolate-themed basket with a little bottle of Pacifica Mexican Cocoa.
I have not seen that one. All the Pacifica scents I’ve seen were fruity. Haven’t actually smelled any of them. I’ve bought their candles as gifts for people before.
The Whole Foods near me has a fair amount of the Pacifica sprays, so I’ll often give something a spritz if I’m in there. Some of the scents don’t appeal to me, but all that I’ve tried have had a nice lasting power and radiance. Mexican Cocoa says “spices” to me more than “chocolate,” but it’s the best of the ones I’ve tried–cozy and comforting.
I think the Pacifica scents, mostly, surprisingly make the transition from candle scent to personal fragrance scent really well. The only one that really didn’t work for me was the pikake, and I just use that as a room spray. For the price, they really are just good fun.
1) I’d love a bottle of Chinatown.
2) Laura Mercier Minuit Enchante or CdG Daphne.
3) Possibly something for my sister, but our fragrance tastes are very different so I’m never quite sure about buying her perfume.
I want one of those Bond tokens in Chinatown…so cute!
Fragrance-related gift for me? ELDO’s Fat Electrician! Unsniffed? I wish I hadn’t smelled Fille en Aiguilles so I could say that , but instead I’ll be adventurous and say Muscs Koublai Khan. I will be getting a scent (or two?) for my girlfriend for Christmas, but I don’t want to say which, just in case she’s reading
I also really like Fat Electrician. Have you tried Je Suis Un Homme? I enjoy that one too. Both are on my ‘to buy’ list.
I liked Fat Electrician too.
Me three.
Gift me, please: Heh–I already dropped the big hint on a bottle of No.19 in parfum I saw available, and do believe the trigger has been pulled. Which means, of course, that we can move another item into that slot…perhaps vintage Tabac Blond? L’Heure Bleu in extrait? (Right now, there are a LOT of vintage/endangered formulas on my list…) OTOH, in the seasonal spirit, I would be thrilled to find a bottle of L’Eau d’Hiver under the tree. Though I’d give up any of those for an Attrape-Coeur…
Unsniffed, but I’ll graciously accept: Ooh, usually I’d be scared for unsniffed, but this year if it is vintage, and it is Guerlain, especially if it is edp or extrait, YES.
Gifting: Ah, tricky, as folks have noted. I do believe I may do this year what I meant to do last, and create a few sample “flights” for a couple of friends who are curiously eyeballing my little obsession. Just to let them play and have fun–and no obligation to full bottle.
Hey, S, did you get my msg about L’HB parfum? Please check – it might not cost you anything!!
Yes I did! In fact, both virtual and tangible mail have been VERY nice this week!!
Ve shall talk, dahlink…
I’m with you on receiving any of the classic Guerlains. Would LOVE that 2 oz. bottle of vintage L’HB on eBay.
Oh, THAT one. Not that I was bidding early on, or anything…
…which, btw, is to say it got too rich for my blood, the bidding. If you’re still angling, good luck!!
No, just watching….sigh….. But I would love to have it!
Gift I’d like to receive most?: Maybe one of those Diptyque holiday candles since I’m unlikely to buy one myself at that price. Or a bottle of Borneo 1834. Or hell, you didn’t say I had to be realistic: how about Amouage Homage Attar? I don’t really ask for frag gifts though.
Unsniffed gift: SL Santal de Mysore. WANT! (But the Al-Oudh is a close runner-up, along with VCA Bois d’Iris, which hopefully won’t be unsniffed for much longer.)
Giving?: I’m going to give my mom a few patch frag decants/minis. I often give a few scented candles also.
It will not be unsniffed for much longer, really! Or did you give up on me and go elsewhere?
Haha… no I didn’t give up on you. Between you and Daisy, I’m covered one way or the other, but thanks for remembering! I need to drop your CdG/H&M in the mail too.
uh, I guess this means that I forgot to put a sample in your box? You know that means someone else somewhere is enjoying your sample…..well, that’s what happens when I try to do too many things at once. You’ll be happy to know I’ve taped a huge note to the side of the monitor with a list of things to send you….maybe that will help my miniscule memory…
Ask for: Le Labo Aldehydes 44 or by Kilian Back to Black
Unsniffed: Does Havana Vanille count if I’ve already bought the decant unsniffed? Either that, or Ormande Jayne Woman
Gift: Nothing – nobody else would wear anything.
I have no unsniffed rules! But OJ Woman would be another good choice.
I’ll take 1 of each please: By Kilian Pure Oud, VC & A Bois d’Iris, Bond No 9 Success is a Job and Signature, Amouage Homage, Serge Santal de Mysore and Iris Silver Mist, CdG Hinoki, 888, and 2 in the purp glitter bottle, Montale Boise Vanille and Patchouli Leaves. Where’s a sugar daddy when you need one? HA!
Wow, nice list. If it makes it any easier for Santa, I’ll have one of each of those too, please…including the sugar daddy who loves splashing out for perfume…
LOL…good luck with that sugar daddy!
Carlos, did you change your picture in hopes of attracting your sugar daddy?
Ha! Good one Miss Kitty.
Very impressive (and expensive) list! Santa is shaking in his shiny black boots!
1. Gift for me: Lutens Bois de Violette.
2. Gift unsniffed: Iris Silver Mist. (Yes, I am on both a Lutens and a violet/iris kick. I blame all of you at NST. And yes, I know Santa would have to bring me the bottle from France. He’s going to be there anyway, right?)
3. Gift for someone else: Don’t tar and feather me…Philosophy “The Winter Escape” gift set. I guess it’s sort of scent-related. I haven’t smelled it, although it’s already purchased, and I am absolutely sure the recipient will love it, which is the whole point.
BTW, thanks again for all the advice about fragrance shopping in Boston. I had close to zero free time, so the best I could do was an hour at the perfume counter at Barney’s. SO much fun.
Of course Santa has to go by France anyway, good thinking! And glad you at least made it to Barneys. Smell anything fantastic?
I just realized that is SUCH a cool photo, and I had to stare for about 5 seconds before I realized what it was. My Christmas cacti are blooming right now and I love those purple pistils.
I thought it was fab, too. My own Christmas cactus blooms white, with pale pink accents, but my mother’s bloom that gorgeous red-orange.
Aren’t Christmas cacti great? Mine are blooming now too and are almost the exact color of the picture.
Mine started right after Halloween. I am calling it the “Hallowgiving” cactus, though maybe Samhain would be better. LOVE it; it’s actually one of a few I have, but the first to bloom in a couple of years.
Isn’t that a great shot? There are so many talented people at flickr.
wish I could have a christmas cactus….or ANY plant for that matter…unfortunately my big ole Maxie cat thinks plants are chew toys regardless of their potential for poisoning (she goes for Poinsettias like they’re catnip!) sigh….
want: both the Ineke and Ormonde Jayne sample sets are on my wishlist, but of course I will only get them if I buy them as my BF does not support my perfume habit due to often getting headaches from fragrance.
unsniffed: lots! Lubin Idole, Natori (need to get to Saks so it won’t be unsniffed!) L’Artisan Tea for 2 (same for Neimans- I just hate the mall that these stores are at), Black Cashmere and Elizabeth W Sweet Tea
gifts: generally, I think fragrance is tough to gift as tastes and chemistry and everything make it so personal. but my BF won’t wear anything unless I buy it, so I just bought him GAP the Original, mainly because it was $7 on sale!
I don’t have anyone supporting my perfume habit either, LOL…
i desperately wanted the ineke sample set & attempted to order them through beautyhabit. Unfortunately, they informed me that they could not ship to australia due to our laws re perfumes containing alcohol and had been fined in the past. I haven’t had problems ordering from luckyscent, fragrance net, beauty encounter etc. Does anyone know of any other site/supplier i could buy the ineke’s from?
the ineke’s are available direct from their website, but it looks like they don’t ship to australia : ( their products are in a few stores in australia according to the site, so you may be able to find a shop and sample them there – http://www.ineke.com/
good luck!
thanks so much odonata have found a shop in melbourne that i can order from
I have given the BF a detailed wish list. So far I am getting Profumum Vanitas, Le Labo Gaiac 10, and haven’t decided yet on #3 (I was allowed to pick 3). Might be Amouage Tribute, sample is on its way. But I also want Guerlain Oriental Brulant, KM Cuir Cordoba, Kenzo UFO, Tubereuse Criminelle and Iris Silver Mist. I’m not buying perfume for anyone, I just give my old unwanted bottles to my mom, she likes everything.
Three!?! Lucky you!!
Ditto!
Goodness! Okay, (draws a big breath) here I go….
1. The one gift I’d most like to receive would have to be Mythique. It’s really in a dead heat with Lyric Woman, but I think Mythique would get more everyday wear.
2. The one I’d buy unsniffed would be PdN’s Jardin Secret ( although I just disqualified it with a sample request from BH). It has the 3 notes I want most in my “imagined” dream perfume (Rose, Jasmin, & Ylang-Ylang) because the essential oils blend together so exquisitely. The other one(s) being Serge Lutin’s Rose de Nuit or Iris Silver Mist, or OJ’s Tulu.
3. I am gifting my husband with a bottle of Timbuktu – it’s his favorite (along w/Andy Tauer’s L’Air) of all the samples I gave him. Also gifting myself with Montale’s Taif Rose.
Forgot to mention – I also like to buy fragrance related products – L’Occitane’s Soaps and lotions/hand creams as gifts for my toddler’s pre-school teachers. I buy sets and break them up in smaller ‘denominations’ and give them as little stocking stuffers. This year I may also buy some SSS’s scented body products to give.
There are a whole bunch of you today jonesing for Lyric Woman… they have it at beautyhabit and there is that great 20% off coupon that I think is still working…. code: instyle You all should band together for a super happy holiday!
Pretty sure that code is good through the end of the month.
That is so tempting… Is the instyle code for beautyhabit or beautyencounter?
Found it, the instyle coupon is for beautyhabit but alas no Amouage…although there are lots of other goodies!
Hi Ann! Isn’t that such an amazing coincidence? I think Amouage really scored big to have so many of us yearning for Lyric!
Based on what I know, a singer himself, Christopher Chong is a huge opera fan. Both Lyric and Jubilation are inspired by operatic themes. I’ll be going to see Puccini’s Turandot tomorrow in NYC, so I may wear my sample of Lyric or Guerlain’s Liu, which was named after a character in the opera.
Am so envious of your trip to see Turnandot! LOVE that opera and have never seen it performed. Enjoy!!
Hi D!
The MET production is a must see. I think it’s one of Zeffirelli’s most spectacular productions ever even if this one dates back to 1987. One (no-two) of the MET’s greatest assets are its orchestra and chorus – both are world-class and the chorus sings A LOT in this opera. So when you add that to the mix, it guarantees a great show even if the cast is so-so. This, however, was a very satisfying performance all around. So enough about opera…. this is a perfume blog! (Just wanted to put in my 2 cents as I’m a huge advocate.
a:8
I’m not surprised you like or will like ? Lyric so much as you are a fan of SSS Vintage Rose. I think they could be cousins for sure. Have fun at the opera! Jealous!
Hi Ann- Yes, I do love Lyric, and plan to wear it when I go see Tosca in the spring. Since Lyric is supposed to reflect the quality of a spinto soprano, Tosca is in my mind the ultimate spinto role!
I suspect that Turnandot has inspired more classic fragrances than any other musical endeavor in the history of perfume (and musical endeavors)
Unsniffed: Sa Majeste La Rose!
You wouldn’t regret it ever! I have two all time favourite roses, this and Nahema, oops make that three and Une Rose Chypree. All completely different takes on the rose, SMLR is the greenest.
OMG I adore SMLR! Just received it as a gift from my sweet daughter! It truly is the best and most memorable rose fragrance ever! It’s one I was waiting too long for.. so My Gift Requests for the Holidays are:
1. Vintage Diorling
2. Tom Ford’s (I’m terrible with recalling proper names) Velvet Gardenia (?)
3. Gifts for my daughters: Must de Cartier and Flowerbomb
I would never buy anything unsniffed, hence i would never ask anyone else to waste their money on anything unsniffed. I also dont ask for gifts that are very expensive.
This year ive asked for Marc Jacobs for Men, Tom Ford Grey Vetiver, and Jack Black Silver Mark
Ive bought Jasmine Noir to give to somebody, and also plan to buy Natori to give.
They’re just meant to be fun poll questions, not necessarily what you’re really going to ask for
More like the chance to post what you’d NEVER really ask for! lol!
Please, Santa, all I want for Christmas is Amouage Jubilation XXV – or OJ Ta’if.
Unsniffed: vintage Diorissimo or Amouage Tribute – of course I would never DREAM of asking for this since it is so outrageously expensive. I wish I weren’t Amouage obsessed.
Haven’t started with my Christmas shopping yet, but most of my family and friends are non-perfume wearers…
I would take any of your picks! Need a bottle of Ta’if, actually.
Me too. Been on my wish list for far too long!
1) Timbuktu, by L’Artisan Parfumeur. (I used to be able to put it on my Amazon wish list; not that last year anyone bit.)
2) Ordinarily I don’t buy anything unsniffed, but would break that rule for a bottle of pre-reformulation Mitsouko.
3) No one–my mother and sister aren’t particularly into fragrance. An aunt of mine is into Youth Dew, but lately I just give money to the WWF in her name.
We do charity donations for adults in my family too…presents are only for kids. So this post is doubly fun for me since I won’t be getting any perfume for gifts!
want – Cuir de Russie (can’t get enough of the decant that arrived last week)
unsniffed – Guerlain Iris Ganache or Piguet Futur or anything with rose in from Sonoma Scent Studio.
gift – i’m going to give my best friend a bottle of Gres Cabaret. She always takes a polite interest in smelling whatever the SOTD is, but whenever I wear Cabaret she positively starts salivating. I haven’t told her it’s probably the cheapest bottle of anything I’ve ever bought LOL. Wonderful stuff though (and we probably both prefer it to Lyric).
Anything SSS is a winner, in my book.
And I love Cabaret – it smells way better than cheap, doesn’t it? – but I think Lyric knocks its socks off.
Oh yes, SSS has some amazing scents! I adore my Winter Woods. Champagne de Bois is next for me.
Winter Woods is my SOTD, loves it!
Champagne de Bois is AMAZING….I keep a spare and live in fear of it ever being discontinued!!
Gift for me: The CEO is getting me a big bottle of custom SSS Tabac Aurea. Guess I’d better tell him the plan, huh? I’d love that bottle of Alahine parfum too, though… sigh.
Unsniffed: I just bought unsniffed decants of Lumiere Noire (winner!), Amaranthine (winner!), and Havana Vanille (will sniff soon); maybe they’d better wind up in my stocking or something.
Gift: This past summer, I bought my mom a 1/4 oz bottle of No. 5 parfum, a little age on it but still sealed in cellophane. So of course, I had to open it to make sure it was legit, and it is. I’ll put the cellophane back on it before wrapping it up. (Or is that cheating? Of course I’ll tell her the whole story, including how much it cost, since she worries about things like that. You know: “oh, you shouldn’t have spent so much on meeee!” Fortunately, it only set me back $26, so she can’t fuss too much.)
What a great buy for a No 5 perfume!
Mals, you said “custom”. What is she doing differently for you?
Mals is battling me for the title of biggest patch hater…
Hehehehehehee…. and Laurie told me she had also done a drier version – probably MORE patch, which I love!
Wish I could figure out what the odd note is that I get in both CdB and this one; I *almost* love both, but for that difficult note.
Hard to tell, but it might be an ionone – I find depending on which one(s) used, it can do weird things. Did Laurie have any ideas?
Oh, I wouldn’t ask her! And even if I would, I can’t describe what I’m smelling sufficiently to tell her anyway.
Could be the clove…
You know, I think I’ve decided that I don’t *hate* patch – I’m sensitive to it, so what’s a “normal” dose to everyone else is a triple helping to me.
She did a no-patch, a different-patch, and a half-patch for me to sniff. 50% patch is winning, believe it or not – I really really like the grassiness of the original, it’s just so BIG it eats my head.
Oh, I believe it…that’s really more the case with me, too. I haven’t found any notes that are categorical Nos, really… just several that can only be there in trace amounts, or in certain combinations. Lavender has to be a minor player, for example.
too funny—I get hardly any of the patch at all in Tabac….just lots and lots of smoky tobacco leaves. It is one of those “a dab’ll do ya” fragrances though…one spritz lasts all day long. Laurie should share that secret for lasting power with TDC so they could make things that last more than 15 minutes….
A few pricing tips wouldn’t be misplaced (or unappreciated), either.
No patch here either. I get something sweet that is very close to oatmeal cookies. It was actually too sweet for me! Laurie couldn’t believe it as I guess many folks find it dry.
*envious* Lucky you! I have the same problem: most of the time I just can’t stand patch on my skin. But I absolutely adore Tabac Aurea, without the patch it would be the perfect tabacco scent for me. Is it really possible to have it customized? The problem is, I live at the other end of the world, I can’t just walk up to her to get it done and sniff the different versions. How should I do this? Can I just ask for a patch-less version via email? Oh, I’m absolutely dying for a bottle of that altered Tabac Aurea!
I’m not sure what her shipping policy is for international…but Laurie is really nice and very helpful. Send her an email and ask, what could it hurt?
Hi mals i have a 50ml edp of alahine unfortuantely it’s a bit meh on me….maybe we can talk business if yr interested email me on cmeis2000@hotmail.com
This is off topic. Question – I just won a vintage bottle of Raphael Replique perfume on Ebay. Fell in love with the bottle – don’t know the fragrance. Does anyone here know it? I’ll be back later to check and comment on the poll too.
Oh my, I last smelled Replique about 30 years ago! At the time I thought of it as a “grown-up’s perfume” (who knows what that meant: aldehydic? non-floral?) I also thought it smelled like Christmas. That hardly helps, I’m sure. Please give us your review when you get the stuff.
Thanks for the feedback ladies. Hmmm – I’m a little apprehensive now. LOL “Grown-up” and “Christmas” excited me – “Most old ladyish” freaked me out. haha I’ll read the review @ PP. At least the bottle is really cool looking. Also, it’s inside a sealed package still – that’s always a good thing.
I just read those too– March enjoyed the vintage and newer original versions as well as the Irma Shorell duplicate. Angela, was it an original or the Irma Shorell that struck you as “old-ladyish”?
March did a review of it on Perfume Posse, I’m pretty sure. I have a bottle of the new stuff. It’s possible the most old-ladyish perfume I’ve ever smelled, both delightful and hard to wear at the same time.
Well, I read March’s review – like “Bal a Versailles meets Tabu” !! And she said for some people that would be the perfume equivalent to Godzilla mating with King Kong. Isn’t that hilarious?! Sounds delightful to me – now I’m excited again.
Sounds good to me!
all I have to say is : Moth-err-raaaaa…..
As for unsniffed, I can’t decide betweed Odori Tabacco, I Profumi di Firenze Tabacco and Santa Maria Novella Tabacco Toscano. Any tobacco experts here to help me with this theoretical dilemma?
I’m certainly no expect on tobacco frags but I recently got a bunch of I Profumi di Firenze samples from a Barneys SA and the Tabacco is very “cold pipe” in a good way…very distinctive.
Mmmm… *cold pipe* sound just right! Thanks!
that’s “sounds” of course – got too excited about the word pipe to mind my spelling…
I’m not a big tobacco fan…but this would be a good question for the next open thread!
Like: to have a bottle of Prada L’eau ambree (a small bottle). Maybe I am lucky, Christmas and my birtday are very close together.
Unsniffed: maybe Bond no. 9 So New York or Cooney Island, but only as a vial sample, or a vial sample of Profumo di Pantelleria Jailia.
Gift: there is no perfumista here.
Have a nice weekend all of you.
Of course I meant “birthday”……
I would like to have a bottle of the Prada too! Hope you’ll get yours.
My unsniffed perfume would be Amouage Tribute. However, the only person to buy me perfume is ME! And I can’t afford Amouage. I have several perfumes on my want-to-buy list, and hopefully I will buy at least two of them for myself–a Christmas gift from me to me! I’ve bought lots of people perfume, but most of them know better than to buy me any kind of fragrance. Most of my friends never even heard of the perfumes that I love.
I’m the only person that buys me perfume too
And I can’t afford Amouage either, LOL…
My husband would buy me perfume…but as it would come out of my salary, we might just as well say, me three!
The only time someone else buys fragrance for me (and that would be my excellent husband or sisters) is when tell them exactly what I want.. or a gift certificate! It works MUCH better that way!!! It is not really ever a good idea to surprise someone with perfume… unless you are generously surprising and sharing unwanted samples with perfume buddies!
new here! my new fav blog!
I’d love my own bottle of MDCI Le Rivage des Syrtes or would love to find something like it that has more staying power!
I’d love a Keiko sampler! or a Maitre…
and would love someone (poor hubby) to get me my own bottle of Unicorn Spell (les nez)…
I’m an orange blossom freak lately…and violet too!
Hi Elise, and welcome! Hope your poor hubby will get you one of those…it’s a nice list!
1. 31 Rue Cambon, but doubt anyone will buy it for me…everyone I know already thinks I have WAY too many perfumes!
2. Havana Vanille?
3. Stopped buying perfume as gifts cause friends and family just don’t appreciate it as much as I do…and they’re OD’ing enough already as it it from my gift giving in the past.
Ditto…anyone who sees the inside of my perfume cupboard faints dead away.
Robin, I so much wish to know how many perf. bottles you have. at least approximately
I am not kidding when I say I have no idea, and no desire to count them, sorry! Fewer than 150 bottles, that’s all I know.
Robin, may I count them? : )
Ha!
Yeah, it’s my birthday today. Any perfume gifts? NO! Not ONE! Ha. I’ll need to get the message out – “one can never have too many perfumes!” To which they’ll all roll their eyes…
Happy birthday!
Oh, hope it was a wonderful birthday!
Comme des Garcons epd
Something unsniffed…Le Labo Rose 31?
maybe samples from the Six Scents series can be stuffed in my stocking.
I probably won’t give anyone any kind of fragrance gift but I have no idea what I’m getting anyone.
Good choice on the Le Labo!
1. Santa is bringing me Musc Ravageur. He’s so happy not to have to come up with ideas on his own!
2. Unsniffed? Le Labo Vanille 44 (I want to say Lyric Woman like everyone else, but I have actually sniffed, and loved, it, and want it, so so that would be cheating).
3. Gifts? I am giving my best friend Ormonde Jayne Woman and she is giving me Ormonde Jayne Woman. How’s that for a scam!
Works for me.
That is AWESOME — I need a friend like that! And OJ Woman is so wonderful. It was my first FB purchase after taking up fragrances as a hobby (obsession? whatever ;))…and you know how you pick out what scent you’re in the mood to wear on a given day and maybe sometimes you wish you had picked something else? Well, I never regret it when I wear OJ Woman.
Great description of scent that manages to always be “in your wheelhouse.” Glad you hit on one so early!
Dear Santa: I’d love a bottle of vintage Vol de Nuit parfum. If you can’t find that, see the hint above about L’Heure Bleue.
Unsniffed: By Kilian’s Pure Oudh, Le Labo Poivre 23, the Soivohle reviewed yesterday
I’m buying a dear friend, whom I never thought was interested in perfume, a bottle of SSS Champagne de Bois. I wore it with her to the U. K. basketball game last night, and she went crazy over it. She’s the one generously taking me to some games and to give you an idea – even selling a kidney wouldn’t get you season tickets!
Yes, doesn’t that Soivohle sound lovely?!
After Christmas, I plan to order samples from Soivohle and DSH. Review after review sound wonderful for both perfumers.
Yes! I haven’t taken the plunge with DSH yet and plan to remedy that soon! Her stuff sounds so good.
Making a note to pass on some unloved Soivohle samples…
Thanks!
I’ll be curious about your reaction, since they were more “near misses” than anything…
Yeah another SSS fan!
I’ve only tested a few of the DSH fragrances. They are so lovely though. My fav of the ones I tested is the Giardini Segreti which is about the prettiest, softest floral tuberose I’ve ever smelled. And then my next fav is the Mille Fleurs Bouquet. It opens really old fashioned, but after a few minutes and well into the drydown is a gorgeous soft powdery patchouli. My favorite use of patchouli I’ve ever smelled! Joe has samples a bit of her fragrances too. Maybe he can chime in.
Wow, Ann, that patch sounds exactly like what I’ve been looking for – a “pretty” patchouli! Thanks for the rec.
I like the Reminiscence (Paris) Patchouli too. It is more of a traditional amber-patch combo, but I think it is soft and powdery patch. You’ll have to let me know what you think about the Mille Fleurs Bouquet if you test it!
I will. And the divine Miss Daisy just sent me a sample of the Reminiscence patch so I’ll be able to test that as well. A great amber/patch combo that I recently tested was the Nobile 1942. Unfortunately, not available in U. S.
that sounds perfect!! She’ll love it!
Oh, I have a couple Soivohle samples as well….I’ll have to check with Boo to make sure we dont’ send you repeats.
1. Bond no.9 Bryant Park!
2. It would be Ricci Ricci cause I’m so freaking curious to smell it. And if I ended up not liking it, the bottle’s still cute.
3. I don’t think so… I was going to earlier cause I had this earl grey tea fragrance that didn’t end up suiting well with me but I was able to return it to the store.
I want to smell Ricci Ricci too…wish it would get to the US already.
Yawn. Just another earth-shatteringly original (!) fruity floral, Rob. Wouldn’t hold your breath.
Seriously, there aren’t ANY perfumes I hold my breath for! But figures.
Favourite fragrance from Santa: Vanille galante. I have already used up four of their giant samples. I think I’m ready for the splurge now… before they raise their prices again (nice excuse, isn’t it?)
Favourite unsniffed fragrance from Santa: maybe Lumière noire pour femme by FK.
No fragrance-related presents from me this year: not very much money, I think I’ll go for hand-knitted neck-warmers (yes, I still haven’t graduated to scarves) for nearly everyone, at least for every adult
Oh, please don’t let them raise prices again! My Osmanthe Yunnan is almost empty.
I looooooove this poll! Makes me feel so festive
What I’d like most is a bottle of Ajne Fleur Blanche, or Iris Ganache, or Quand Vient la Pluie, or Floris Madonna of the Almonds.
Something unsniffed would be……Sali Oguri Persephone.
I’m giving my very good friend a few bottles and decants…..won’t say what since she reads this blog! haha
Hey, I have a question for you…if you see this, will you send me an email? robin at nstperfume dot com
email sent!
Most like to receive: Bal a Versailles in extrait, or Tabac Aurea
Unsniffed fragrance: Vol de Nuit (well, technically I sniffed it once, but I don’t know if we’re compatible yet!)
Nope, not giving any fragrance.
Hope you’ll find out if you’re compatible…nice way of putting it!
I just got a bottle of Bal a Versailles from my sister for my birthday. I love the stuff. I also love love love Tabac Aurea – that’s a tough choice. Between BaV, TA, and then Mitsouko, I can’t decide which one of those gorgeous spicy beauties I want to wear more!!! Thank god I don’t have to wear the same fragrance every day!!
Ooh!
Gift, gift, gift…. Oh! Indult Tihota. It’s just one of about two dozen Readily Available I Really Wants, but it is, um, the most expensive.
Unsniffed: Chanel Cuir de Russie.
I might give my mother the little Jo Malone gift set. Though it’s more realistic to give her perfumed hand cream – she uses that every day, while I can’t get her over the “too good to use” barrier with perfume. (Somewhere in her bedroom is a “too good to use” bottle of Chanel No. 5 from somewhere in the 1950’s, still in the box. I’ve told her that that would be worth searching for.)
In my continuing quest to create local perfume freaks, I’ll also be inflicting perfume samples one everyone I know. At Halloween, I called them trick or treat, at Christmas I’ll call them stocking stuffers. At Thanksgiving, maybe I can do something turkey themed…
Would your mother like to give ME that bottle of no5 for Christmas? I’d give it a good home. . .
I would, too, but Mom keeps everything. I don’t think it’s going anywhere, even if she can find it.
Oh, you might call those Thanksgiving gifts “turkey stuffers”. Or giblets. . .
…or “appetizers”…
Ooh! I like both of those. And appetizers, too.
Perfume-related gift: I want a perfume cabinet – oh heck, walk-in closet – for my collection – it has outgrown the assortment of pretty boxes I have and is ready for industrial strength organizing.
Unsniffed wanna: Where do I start? New would be Amouage Homage, vintage would be Coty La Rose Jacqueminot – I lost a Fleabay bidding war on a pristine bottle of it , and I call it the ultimate “unicorn scent” – sightings are extremely rare. The seller did not seem to have any idea what they had so it started very low!
Gifts to others: Yes, a cool vintage find to my best friend , some decanted sample sets to others to spread the vintage love. Maybe more depending on the state of my bank account. For myself I would buy either the new version of Amouage Ubar or Lelong pour Femme in the Parfum. Or I would galdly accept either – or both – from someone else, but nobody likes me THAT much.
I like that perfume related gift!
With you on the perfume cabinet. I’ve actually run out of room with what I have, and have been knocking things over. (Haven’t broken a bottle yet, knock on wood.) It’s just so hard to meet anything that meets my specifications: must have lots of shelves, but not too deep, so I can see everything, and then have nice doors that shut (no glass windows) so that I can keep the light out.
Can anyone tell I’ve been procrastinating at work? I’ve been compulsively posting here all day long.
I thought that’s what the Random Friday Polls were for?? To help us procrastinate until quitting time on Friday! LOL! JK…. sort of….
Oh good for you Miss Kitty – dontcha love days like that? I had one of those days last week – fun!
I guess posting here was probably more productive than spending 45 minutes applying white-out to a document.
(And yes, that’s really what I did. 45 minutes.)
My entire WEEK was like that…I wanted to scream. I think I had legitimate work to do approximately 1 minute out of every hour. It’s amazing I have any hair left.
Miss Kitty – I have a dresser with deep & tall drawers that I use to store my fragrances. They are all just sitting right there and it is easy to see them when I open the drawer. It is almost stuffed to the gills though – but they all manage to hold each other up!! Any *normal* unsuspecting person would walk into my bedroom and not even imagine I am nuts and have scores of fragrance bottles hiding away in the dark!
Flora, I just discovered these listings–what gives? Do you think they are too good to be true? http://tinyurl.com/yeabrtg (Weird how the Coty La Rose…is titled.)
Well, I am a very lucky girl this year. A friend just purchased Shalimar and L’Heure Bleue extraits for my Thanksgiving gifts. I am very thankful indeed. They are to go with my Jicky and Mitsouko extraits, and will soon be encased in a custom made cabinet along with the Vol de Nuit that is coming for Chanukah. I don’t think I can ask for anything more! I just got quite a bit of vintage Shalimar (a beautiful gift to me from my very generous dog) so I think I am set.
I am giving my perfumista friend a large bottle of Theorema for Christmas.
Wow. To everything you just said.
Thanksgiving gifts?! What a good excuse for more perfume shopping — along with Groundhog Day, Flag Day, Canadian Thanksgiving…
Your dog has excellent taste! Good for you and your lovely Guerlain collection!
Ditto that! I need to mobilize my dog and three kitties!
My cats have excellent taste as well.
Hiya, my list for santa got longer and longer while reading your wishes:)
Have finally boiled it down to Bois des Isles in pure perfume. If I understood the sales assistant in the Chanel boutique correctly, it’s cheaper than the 200ml bottle. Hence nearly an economic choice:) Although it’s more than 1 month to go to Xmas, I have already given the other half instructions how to get to the boutique and what samples to ask for while being there. Oh well, patient waiting is clearly not yet my strength when it comes to perfume; hoping that this will change if I ever get to the connoisseur stage….
Unsniffed: Amouage’s Homage; not only is it in the updated Guide’s top 10 for women, it is also a limited edition. At GBP 175, life is cruel and temptation still strong. Half of me wishes Luca had missed that one…
Gift to others: Chanel NO 5 Eau Premiere; will be perfect for my lovely aunt who a) likes Chanel and b) likes friendly smells that she can easily wear at work as a primary school teacher
Is it really cheaper? That’s amazing, and I never thought to check.
Hi Robin, it’s GBP109 for the pure perfume whereas the 200ml bottles are more expensive if I remember correctly. Compared to Amouage etc. , that seems pretty reasonable:)
Wow, thanks.
I don’t think I’d ask for anything else…I seem to have reached a plateau. The pendulum is swinging in the other direction now, and I’m even thinking about weeding out some things. But if I were to get one thing unsniffed this year, it would be JAR’s Ferme tes Yeux. Go big or go home, right? As for giving any perfume, there may be a bottle of PdN’s Patchouli in the works, but I spilled a sample of it and got it on something I touch daily, so the stuff will not leave me alone. I think it’s on my glasses or hair product. I don’t need to be smelling that anymore!
I look forward to reaching a plateau. I’m always coveting something. It’s quite an annoyance.
I keep thinking I’m finally reaching a plateau. But then … no!
Late as usual!! arrggg!
I’ve been whispering in Santa’s ear for months….and just to make sure I did some ordering too…my Christmas perfumes are Amouage Dia, and Guerlain SDV….apparently Santa’s workshop is located in …..my basement. (who knew?)
Most desired unsniffed bottle? oh that’s dangerous territory for sure…but I’ve heard so many people wax poetic over Amouage Homage that if it fell in my lap ….well, I’d pass out …but when I came to….I’d probably pass out again! …but THEN I’d do a vigorous dance of joy! However, then I’d have to slap Santa REALLY hard for spending so much on an unsniffed bottle (hey, reindeer feed ain’t cheap!)
Perfumed gifts—some Ineke Field Notes and Stetson (of course) for the CEO, SSS Egyptian Musk and Ineke After My Own Heart for the teenager….other from that I would be scared to make selections!
I thought you might have used up all your Xmas gifts through 2039 at this point. Heehee.
I think you’re close to right Joe. And – unless I’m mistaken, I think she’s forgotten something in Santa’s workshop. Unless it became a Halloween, or Veteran’s Day or Thanksgiving gift.
East Timorese Independence Day Gift.
Or Sweetest Day?
That’s the one Boo!
Hey, I can appreciate the holidays of MANY cultures…in fact I really really appreciate them when it nets me another bottle of perfume…. and I would never try to restrict Santa to one day per year….giving (me perfumes) should be joyous and spontaneous….at least that’s the program I’m trying to sell….
Daisy – I feel like it’s Christmas today – there was a little padded envelope in the mailbox!
I just love those little padded envelopes!!!
Goody!! I hope it contains things you’ll love! (it fills my enabling soul with joy!)
For me – Chanel No 5 parfum. Need another £20 on my Boots store points ….a UK thing. Takes a while for those darn points to accrue, but I’ll get there.
Unsniffed – Tiare by Ormonde Jayne
For others – My significant other will not wear fragrance! And no perfumista buddies here in Edinburgh I have observed that my non-perfume loving friends all seem to genuinely adore the Verbena range by L’Occitane.
You mean eventually if you spend enough at Boots, you’ll get a free Chanel no. 5?
1.The perfume I’m dying for is Nasomatto Narcotic Venus.
2. Unsniffed I’d love to have JAR Bolt of Lightening (or Doblis).
3. I’m giving my dad a bottle of Terres d’Hermes.
Hey, I’d take Bolt of Lightning too!
1) Viktor & Rolf – Flowerbomb
I’ve been admiring it all year.
2) L’Artisan – Tea For Two
I’ve just decided I’d like it, but can’t find any stores that stock L’Artisan.
3) Aquolina – Pnk Sugar solid compact
My Nan loves it, so I’ll find a Sephora when I go to Orlando next month.
Not sure where you are now, but if you’re going to be in Orlando soon, there is a Neiman Marcus there (just checked the site!) and the one here has almost all the L’Artisans.
Thanks; I’ll check Google maps
[I’m in the UK]
Such a great poll!
Let’s see – I’m requesting something simple in the oerfume category from Santa – Magie Noir. Preferably vintage, but I’ve only smelled the new one and I’ll gladly accept that.
Unsniffed – Ormonde Jayne Woman. I’ve been coveting that one for a couple of years now.
Gifts – EL PC Jasmine White Moss for my mom and either Lola or Elle for my daughter. I want to get another fragrance for my husband too, but I don’t know which one yet.
Hmm, maybe in a couple of months we can twist Miss Kitty’s and Cynthia’s arms and do a split of the OJ Woman travel sprays….
I’m down with that Boojum!
No arm-twisting necessary – I’m in.
Duly noted (on the rapidly expanding list/spreadsheet).
1. I want to buy myself Gucci EDP I, Etro Anice & SL Chergui. Sure, all are readily available, but ever since discovering the vibrant community for swapping and selling of used bottles, I’m SO much less up for paying retail. I want a deal, dammit!
2. Unsniffed? Sovoihle Oud Lacquer, for the name. Good thing I don’t do unsniffed. A safer bet would probably be Mauboussin.
3. My dad’s going to get some Laura Biagotti Roma Uomo this year. Usually I don’t risk fragrant gifts, but he asked for one (!) – that is, he mentioned casually he was out of aftershave. Leave it to me to jump on that comment.
Yeah Mauboussin! It is so very pretty. I bought that unsiffed and it is just lovely.
Is $52 for 100 ml of Etro Anice a good enough deal? Rei Rien… (my 5 yr old loves it, and I like it too, so I’ve been debating snagging a bottle).
It would be if not for the international shipping costs… I really don’t understand why all the good gray market & discounters have to be located across the pond. Shipping kills almost any deal I could have had for me. :/
Meant to add: your 5 year old has great taste!
I love knowing I’m in good company when it comes to wearing a nie scent.
Oh, what a shame…I hoped that was going to be helpful.
Just a warning to those of you thinking — even in a pie-in-the-sky way — about the VC&A Iris: It was absolutely beautiful on me for about 3 seconds, then *poof!* it disappeared into the great void of perfume anosmia. I think I’ve read about others being anosmic to it too, so definitely sample first.
oh no! so sorry it disappeared on you like that! It lasts for hours and hours on me. next time you sample it….have someone sniff your wrist when you think it’s gone….of course if it is but YOU can’t smell it then it’s clearly not worth buying. It’s like TDC Bois d’Iris….on me 15 minutes…but Joe says it lasts a long time on him…so unfair!
Yeah, I’m not selfless enough to wear it solely for the pleasure of others!
I agree! I wear perfume for ME! If I can’t smell it then forget it!
(especially at that price point!)
Aw, what a shame!
I’ve been waiting very patiently for Mandragore Pourpre and hoping Santa appreciates my patience. I do know I’m getting a bottle of Fleurs de Sel and that’s something I waited very, very patiently for. Unsniffed wants? So many — the above mentioned Mandraore Pourpre, Havana Vanille, Natori, Amouage Epic, Tabac Aurea, Amaranthine. I don’t think I’ll be buying any fragrances as gifts this year, but I did get my husband Diptyque’s Sauvage Fenouil candle.
Please report back on that candle after you’ve burned it — I’d love to know!
I would love to receive a bottle of Bandit or Fracas.
Unsniffed- maybe Chanel Cuir de Russie, CdG Red Carnation or SL Iris Silver Mist(must order samples soon)
My 80yo mother has requested YSL Parissiene for Christmas or her birthday 20th Dec and I always buy my co-workers smelly soaps and handcreams.
How cool that your mom wants Parisienne!!
Dear All,
Sorry for off-topic, but I need help identifying these bottles. The seller on ebay does not know what they are, and neither do I. But I was hoping someone could assist me.
please and thank you
ups images did not work
here is the link
http://img688.imageshack.us/g/picture1hqv.png/
thank you a lot
No clue, but the bottles are pretty. They may have been personal bottles that someone put their own perfume in.
I agree with that. They sure don’t look familiar to me either. sorry.
Thank you, I hope the smell inside them will give it away.
1. I’d love to receive a bottle of either Chanel Exclusifs Eau de Cologne or Bel Respiro both of which I LOVE at the moment. My friends and family have a gifts should be handmade or $15 or less rule so I’m not holding my breath…
2. Maybe one of the Cartier Les Heures du Parfums or L’Artisan Havana Vanille
3. No, see the above rule. I am trying to make all my gifts this year!!
Hi Lillybeth…
I am completely head over heels for the Cartier XIII La Treizieme Heure.
Here are the notes:
#13: narcissus, mate, leather
Have you sniffed any of the line yet? If so, any favorite?
~D
Hello Dawnkana,
I haven’t sniffed any of the Les Heures yet. I have fallen horribly behind on my ‘to smell’ list. They just sound so darn interesting!! The notes for XIII do sound great. Would you recommend any of the others?
Hi Lillybeth,
I have sniffed all 5 that have been released. XIII is my favorite. Hands down it is one of the best tea,leather,floral perfumes that I have ever smelt. To my nose and my skin, it’s brilliant.
XII is my second favorite. If you are a patchouli fan, you may like this one. It’s extremely well blended and quite enticing. I would love to add it to my collection in the near future. The only negative is that my husband does NOT care for it at all. He reacted pretty strongly to this one.
# 1 and XI were my least favorites. # 1 is a nice iris/woody scent but too light for me. XI is a citrus/cumin blend and did not do well on my skin. The cumin was very prominent and dominant. That killed it for me.
Here’s the notes for all of them thanks to my fellow perfumista friend (Cazaubon) who introduced me to this line a week ago.
#1 L’Heure Promise, #6 L’Heure Brillante, #12 L’Heure Mysterieuse, and #13 La Treizieme Heure.
Here are the notes:
#1: petitgrain, iris, sandalwood
#6: lemon, gin and aldehydes
#10 young blackcurrant, redcurrant and blueberry (This one is only available at Saks flagship stores – I think they have a one year exclusive on this one)
#12: incense, jasmine, patchouli
#13: narcissus, mate, leather
Have a great weekend Lillybeth!
~Dawn
I have smelled four of the five, too (I, VI, XII, and XIII) and fully expected to like XIII the most, but XII is a more consistent “like,” while XIII can be challenging but oh so rewarding. What a whomp of birch tar opening…but my “whoa” ended up deciding it was happy.
There’s a lot to think about in those Cartier Hours. I’ll be going back a few times before I have a fairly secure grip on what I think about them. And they are worth letting develop, XIII especially. VI, btw, was Gin Fizz-y (and something else on the tip of my tongue that I can’t quite retrieve).
Hi Dawn,
Thankyou!! You and your wealth of knowledge have inspired me!! I must sample these. Hope you have a good weekend too.
I love that rule! Over here, there’s originally no gift-giving tradition associated with Christmas, but rather with December 5th (Sinterklaas, for those curious) – and in my family, the unwritten rule has also always been small, fun gifts. So I can relate
#1: My unending wish-list could provide an answer, but the one im hankering for the most is probably opium in parfum or A*men…do you know if the opium reformulation rumors are true?
#2: Vintage No.5, again reformulation plagues me. Maybe Joy too, but vintage not as important.
I already gave my sister her early Christmas gift of Ambre Sultan (smells great on her, maybe a little bready), and I will probably end up buying her coromandel w/o telling her, a great surprise
I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard the same rumors. They’re repackaging Opium in January, that I do know.
1. Santa should know that I want: No 18, CdG 2, some assorted BK’s and everything else in my tracking spreadsheet – for your convenience please refer to column C. Oh, and the Lyric travel set – it comes with a 30ml Jubilation bonus bottle right now at Luckyscent. See, I am being reasonable looking for the bargains….
2. Unsniffed: Feuille de Reglisse, SL Douce Amere, CdG Kyoto and Jaisalmer, the OJ sample set and the HdP set
3. Gift to me: Bois des Iles, Gris Clair, Havana Vanille splits!
others will receive – Encens et Lavande (husband), Tokyomilk candles and soaps (death sexy and gin/rosewater), SSS purse sprays! (opal and rose musk), Tocca candles. And it’s not even December yet…
This may be the first time *ever* that I’ve seen someone mention Feuille de Reglisse…love that one!
SSS Rose Musc is one of my HG fragrances. You have good taste!
I think that Santa should appreciate that you are clearly trying to be reasonable and reducing his work load by making it so easy to shop for you!
My list is ridiculously long since I’m at the beginning of the acquisition phase. I guess I’d ask Santa for MPG Bois de Turquie, even though there are others I want more, since I was hoping to buy a bottle but can’t find it anywhere.
Unsniffed: is a dangerous thing, as often things I’m sure I’ll love turn out to be meh or plain awful… but I’m going to go w/AG Mandragore Pourpre for that one. And gifts: I was going to say probably not, then realized I (I mean, Santa) already bought some little Hello Kitty body sprays for a stocking stuffer. The teen will probably get something as well, to keep her out of my stash.
The AG is getting lots of mentions…mostly surprised more people haven’t smelled it yet!
Gift? Coromandel, even if it comes in the giant economy size.
Unsniffed? Wazamba. It sounds intriguing and I love saying the name.
Giving? I’ll probably throw a couple of Pacifica solids into my niece’s stocking.
Oh, thanks for the knock upside the head…the Pacifica solids! That’s what I was planning for the teen. I had her sniff the box set I got last year to figure out what she liked. I really don’t use solids, so may as well pass them on, esp the ones I like least…which happily seem to be her favorites.
I’d like to receive Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere.
I’d go for anything from Ormonde Jayne unsniffed.
I’m giving my aunties and girl cousins samples of Lieu de Reves, Velvet Rose and Femme Jolie from Sonoma Scent Studio.
What a great gift idea!
Yeah, samples are great as they offer a sniff of something they might like, without me going to the expense of buying something for all 12 of them that they might all hate!
I would love to receive CDG Red Series Carnation, Montale Aoud Red Flowers, Penhaligon’s Elixir, Frapin 1270 and about seventeen others
My one unsniffed request would be Cartier La Treizieme Heure. Or really anything from this series.
For giving, I’m getting my husband a decant of Chanel Sycamore. He really liked my sample and wasn’t pleased when he found out he’d have to buy an Exclusif bucket if he wanted it. He’s not up on the whole decant thing though so I think he’ll be happily surprised.
I’ll also buy some fragranced soaps for stocking stuffers.
Hope your husband loves his decant!
Santa surely wants to bring me, Diorissimo, DSH Giardina Segreti, Nocturnes by Caron, Profumum Amber, La Perla J’Aime Les Fleurs, Le Eau de Temps, a more water scent than L’air de temps, a set of different notes, and Montale Paris in the body spray.
Unsniffed? That would be Chanel 22; I can’t figure out anything I wouldn’t love about it.
I ought to love 22 but don’t…hope you will!
Whew, that was a lot of reading – late to the party as usual.
Not sure what to ask for – there have been some frags on my wish list for a year, like CdG Red: Carnation and Farmacia ss Annunziata Aurora. I may buy myself the Back to Black travel set. In a perfect world I would ask for Apres l’Ondee.
Unsniffed I’m with Joe – the Lutens Santal de Mysore. Although I am hesitant about unsniffed – I would have bought Havana Vanille unsniffed but am glad I didn’t. It’s okay, but jury is out.
I don’t think anyone will get perfume – did that last year. Maybe a candle or two.
It is a long thread! And glad you didn’t get the HV unsniffed only to be disappointed.
I’m getting L’Encre Noir Pour Elle. Would let my husband buy it for me, but he would have no clue where to find it (it’s not in Sephora
So I just ordered it myself.
Good for you! I haven’t even smelled it yet.
Oh, I’d love to find under the Xmas tree any of the following:
l’amoureuse
Fracas pure perfume
Mouchoir de Monsieur
Jicky extrait
bois d’iris (vca or tdc, both are ok!!)
the diptyque mini candles holiday gift set
Or the following sample sets:
FM (carnal flower, vetiver extraordinaire, 1 surprise)
Les nez
del Rae
my unsniffed lemmings:
guerlain SDV or BDA
Bois de violette
el attarine
cuir mauresque
homage amouage(yes, I know…)
Kai, monyette
cire trudon candles
And the biggest lemming of all: tubereusd criminelle!
I’d love to give to my husband
let me play the lion or cuir de russie… We’ll see….
P.S. I bet you will not be lemming Al Oudh, upon testing ;)!
I tried it yesterday, and, well, it is not Montale but if you are not a huge fan of those… It is pretty much an oud leather assault!!!
I’ll prably stick with some fragrant candles for my friends…
Re TC; Believe me it’s worth getting, really wonderful tuberose!
Thank you!
I suspected it…
But I am also a bit scared: I like a lot of the SL export line, but haven’t found a true love in there yet…
The closest were Chene, Fleurs d’oranger, Fumerie turque and chergui… and FDB of course. Oh, and I also like gris clair a lot!
Oud leather assault, oh dear! Might not be my cup of tea then.
Yes that is what I thought!!
I wasn’t expecting it. But I should also point out that I tested AO only on paper… Maybe on skin it is way better?
Let’s hope!
I’m a bit late to the party but might as well contribute because I missed the last poll and regretted it!
1. Wouldn’t mind a bottle of Divine Eau Divine, if a generous family member (don’t have any of those unfortunately) was buying.
2. Would be happy to get unsniffed the Ineke Field Notes From Paris (is that what it’s called?) or the Heeley Sel Marin and Figuer sound interesting too and I’m sure they wouldn’t disappoint. Then again, I say that about most samples I get and quite a few don’t end up working on me.
3. Probably buy Anna Sui Dreams or Versace White Jeans for my wife whose perfumes tastes are slowly evolving (she loved the Back to Black sample I got her) but I know any of these two would still be sentimental favourites. Maybe another bottle of something for my 5 year old – I got her a bottle of Clarins Par Amour Toujours last year and she’s almost used it up. Any suggestions for her for this year?
L’Occitane has a simple frag meant for kids, as do several other lines. Otherwise, for fun, Target is carrying a set of 5 small Hello Kitty body sprays (scents like vanilla or gingerbread), or you could check the discounters (TJ Maxx, Marshalls) to see what they have. I found a simple little wisteria fragrance for $5 that my 5 yr old thinks is pretty. She *likes* the good stuff, but I don’t think she’s old enough to own it… though I’m debating giving her a small decant of Etro Anice, which she loves. And Scentiments has a kids’ section you could look at (though it looks like mostly character-inspired stuff).
Etro Anice would be a great scent for a kid — it’s got that Good ‘n’ Plenty vibe!
Yep, and being a good little Finn, she looooves black licorice/salmiak/Good N Plenty. Oh, and licorice tea.
Thanks for the rec’s boojum I’ll have to check these out when I’m around town, but I still think I’d like to get her a proper bottle of something. Would the kiddy type ones contain less harmful chemicals than ‘adult’ fragrances I wonder? If not, I know she’d appreciate a ‘big girl’s’ scent and she’d get plenty of wear out of it.
You know, I rather doubt it. In that case, a good contender might be one of the Jo Malone 30 ml bottles (easy for a small one to handle) in something like orange blossom. Most of her scents are light and fairly simple, but still good quality, and a 30 ml bottle runs somewhere around $55. You could also go back through the recent Monday mail articles…someone was looking for a fragrance for 5 yr old flower girls not so long ago.
What about the Petit Guerlain, it’s made specifically for little ones. I’ve seen it at the discounters for a reasonable amount too.
Hey Rappleyea, I just looked up the Petit Guerlain on Basenotes and it sounds intruiging. Might have to investigate it further I think!
I got a scented paper sample of the Eau Divine. It is lovely and very Divine, if you know what I mean. I am very curious to find out what it will be like when properly tried on skin.
Yes, I got that scented paper in the mail too. I thought, “well THAT’S pretty stingy why didn’t they include a little sample vial as well?!” I guess now everyone on their mailing list got a letter so it would have ended up being a bit expensive. And you’re right it is very ‘divine’ – it shares the same French feel and sensibility of the other divines I’ve tried. It’s a great line all round, I reckon.
RossM,
Pd Nicolai has Petit Ange, for kids and those who like very subtle fragrances. My personal favourite if I were a five-year-old again would be L’Artisan’s Mimosa pour moi.
my six year old loves all my perfumes, I only let her use some (tender ones) on special occasions, but is free to sniff them any time
Thanks Ami, I looked up both those suggestions and they both seem to be likely contenders – maybe the Mimosa more than the Petit Ange. I think it’s sample time again!
1: I would say none, but if I happen to find a perfume under the tree it would probably be equistrius by perfum d empire or bois d argent by dior.
2: Unsniffed I would ask for Amouage jubilation the mens version or Guerlain bois d armenie.
3: Giveaways this christmas will be scented diptyque candles, in pomander, opoponax and john galliano. An anything L occitane.
Nice presents you’re buying! I would love a Galliano candle.
1. My husband is going to buy me L’Air de Rien from Miller Harris. I have been lemming for a bottle of this for a year, since it taught me how to love oakmoss.
2. Unsniffed? Lord, I really don’t go there these days if I can help it. At a real push, maybe that new Cartier everyone is raving about? The 13th hour, I think it is. Alternatively, I love everything I have smelled so far from MiIler Harris and Parfums d’Empire, so Fleurs de Sel or Wazamba would be great, as would anything from their lines. And I am quite curious about Pacifica’s offerings – I’d be jolly pleased with some of their little solid perfumes. Oh and on the same subject, the new Crazy Libellule solids have a couple I am itching to try but can’t find a stockist for. (Any tips for UK/Swiss stockists gratefully recieved on that score.)
3. I am sending a dear friend in Oz who is vegan and super-health-conscious a 10ml decant of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s L’Eau de Jatamansi because it’s fresh and organic and I think she’ll like it.
hqhair.com sell Crazylibellule in UK and I think they offer international shipping too.
The Jatamansi is an incredible fragrance. What a great gift for a vegan OR an un-vegan!
1. I would like a bottle of vintage POISON-My signature scent from last year.
2.FRACAS In extrait-Cannot wait to try this masterpiece.
3.I never Gift any perfume,but if I gifted a perfume that would be GIVENCY-GENTLEMAN to my bf. It’s so manly!!!
Fracas extrait is just gorgeous…do get some!
1. I think this is the year I’m going to get my Caron Poivre (for combined Christmas and 25th anniversary — the anniversary is New Year’s Eve)
2. Unsniffed? I’ll go with the Amouage Homage fantasy suggested by several others.
3. I think I’m going to buy hubby a bottle of Aramis Havana, unsniffed.
ooooh, Poivre.
Happy anniversary in advance!
Thanks!
What is the fragrance-related gift you’d most like to receive this year?
Creed Sélection Verte. I love this ‘fume, and everytime I try to buy it, my common sense gets the better of me and I don’t plonk down the NM card for it. Sigh. Or maybe Chanel Eau de Colonge. Or a bottle of Jicky extrait.
Let’s say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
Cedre Blanc, Menthe Fraiche, Verveine, or Cardinal from HEELY
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
Probably not. I have no man to buy for, and I’m not sure if my mother would enjoy a more unique frag or not, since she gravitates to the big heavy florals.
Oh, hope you’ll buy it for yourself one day!
I’d like to receive Dzing! or Memory of Kindness as a gift. Also Vetiver Tonka.
Unsniffed gifts would be any of the Amouage scents.
I’m giving my mom Fracas (her second bottle) and the L’Artisan fragrance set that was 30% off at Neimans the other day for Christmas. Probably a couple of other things, too. I’ve given her splits for birthday’s before,BTW. She doesn’t mind because I’ve gifted her with so much perfume since I fell love a couple of years ago. She’s just happy I’m sharing the wealth.
Lastly, I have a bottle of Femme and a bottle of Bandit to give or trade away this week. They aren’t me, they’re taking up space on my desk, they were cheap, and I can send them or trade them to whomever wants them ASAP. Email me at melainebales@gmail.com if you’re interested.
You have a lucky mom! Hope she loves the L’Artisan set.
1. I really, really, really want a bottle of Mythique. Hope all the hinting worked…
2. Unsniffed, I would jump at the chance for Ava Luxe No. 23.
3. Fragrance gifts I’m giving: Guerlain Acqua Allegoria Winter Delices mini for one daughter, and AG Songes or Ava Luxe Frangipani for another daughter. Maybe some Tinkerbell perfume or something for daughter number 3 (who is 3), and JLo’s new baby perfume for (baby) daughter number 4. Maybe a bottle of Burberry London Special Edition (unsniffed) for my husband
wow 4 daughters, that must be great
I guess you must lock your perfume gardrobe and then the door as well 
however, I never understood the baby perfume concept. NOTHING in the world smells as good as one’s own baby
What is the fragrance-related gift you’d most like to receive this year?
Something with fig. Or Chanel No5 EP.
Let’s say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
The Kelly Caleche Extrait (which comes 115 Euro!)
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
I would, but I am broke. If I could I would give my mom the Chanel No5 Oilbath. Think my dad would love it too!
The most strange thing is that I do not have a fragrance related lemming at all – Idylle disapponted me, Mitsouko ist still not working and LHB must be tested again. I found myself pretty content over my neraly Kelly Caleche Edt and will rebuy it in the big bottle. Un Jardin sur le Nil also.
Oh, I would take that Kelly Caleche extrait too!
What is the fragrance-related gift you’d most like to receive this year?
My 1.7 of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle ran out in record time today ): so i would want more of that.
Let’s say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
I don’t really crave anything which is funny because I usually due–but umm I guess something with magnolia or gardenia in it–maybe Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia? Can’t justify buying any more perfume though when I already own five bottles.
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
Yup. I already gave Light Blue, Red Door, and Curious (don’t shoot me!).
My mum sent me a cheque for Christmas and I now have TF’s Tuscan Leather.
A friend is getting a decant of MJ’s Cucumber in her Christmas stocking, although it’s doubtless more of a summer gift…