Joane has been wearing Prescriptives Calyx for 20 years, and she still loves it but she'd like to find something new. Ideally, she'd like to find two new scents: one casual day fragrance, and another for evening. She will shop online if necessary, but prefers brick 'n mortar stores, and she does not have a price limit.
Here is what we know about Joane:
She's in her mid-40s and lives in Toronto.
She works in an office, and at night likes to go out to restaurants with friends, and to go see bands every so often (she was in a band herself when she was younger).
She has blond hair and brown eyes.
Joane doesn't really know what notes she likes or dislikes. She likes Calyx for its fresh scent and also for the earthy/woody dry down. She also likes smell of Aveda products, but she wouldn't call their liquid smells "perfume". She does like the slightly masculine, woody smell of the products. She also likes the smell of Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce, and she would love to find a more feminine version.
Joane tried a few perfumes, and here are her comments:
Chanel Chance Eau de Toilette: it was just ok.
Chanel Chance Eau Fraîche: it quickly became powdery/musky.
Chanel in general: she tried some others and they didn't suit her. The line might be too floral for her taste.
Sisley Eau de Campagne: She would probably buy it if she worked in a kitchen.
Sisley Eau de Sisley 1: Maybe she would buy it if she worked in a high-end kitchen.
What say you?
Note: top image is Letterbox [cropped] by Roby Ferrari at flickr; some rights reserved.
I think that Joane should try Chanel Sycomore if she can. This is the one Chanel that’s very much unisex with that great woody/earthy vetiver.
For an evening fragrance, how about Vol De Nuit?
Hermes Hiris is what came to mind-feminine yet earthy.
Hermes Kelly Caleche-feminine with a wee bit of leather
Hermes Terre d’Hermes-classified as a “male scent” but the woods in this are fantastic. Definitely worthy of a sniff.
Guerlain Apres L’Ondee-just a soft and beautiful floral
Guerlain Shalimar or Samsara would be great evening scents!
Hermes Eau des Merveilles has a fruity freshness plus not feminine drydown that could work. Parfums de Nicolai Eau Turquoise is another fruity fresh with earthy woody drydown that might work, too. Another good daytime fragrance is Clarins Par Amour Toujour. For evening you might try something like Serge Lutens Datura Noir or Annick Goutal Heure Exquise.
Chanel too floral? and am I the first comment ? aw, thought there would be loads.
sorry
I haven’t smelled Calyx or Aveda products so I can’t link them to any other scents
Miss Dior Chérie, tried it today in Boots. I guess you could call it a floral scent, which doesn’t help I know, but it smells completley of creamy roses, it’s very much like what Soap & Glory bath and body line smells like.
so Joane if you like roses then try out Miss Dior Chérie (eau de parfum). haven’t smelled eau de toilette or L’eau.
oh I guess I’m not lol. there were none wen I started writing.
FRESH SCENTS:
umm, how about trying the Calvin Klein and Kenzo lines.
CK one is unisex, so you definitley won’t find it too floral
you can get big bottles of it and it’s farily cheap. daytime.
and from Kenzo- flower or amour.
though amour is a bit heady and strong, it would be great for the evening. my mum loves amour.
Kenzo has the same or similar pricing to Chanel, depending where you go for it.
Clinique happy for daytime if you want a bit more expensive than CK.
it’s fresh and citrus-y
ooh and another one came into my head.
Issey Miyake a scent (eau de toilette) the eau de parfum is the same but with roses and lasts longer.
it reminds me of grass so is very simple.
WOODY SCENTS:
erm, this might sound a bit daft, but Gucci by Gucci (eau de parfum) for evening, or Flora by Gucci for day or evening.
Carolina Herrera- 212sexy.
it’s not woody but it’s simple and understated.
CH is more woody.
if you wanted to go total wood, then try Wood by Dsquared, they do a mens and a womens version so try them both out
but the “ideal” perfme for night time people seem to love is;
the Armanin Code (eau de parfum)
or even Armani Diamonds.
also, fragrances by Kate Moss are also very popular.
hope I’ve been some help x
no wait, it was strawberries I smelled in Miss Dior Chérie.
For wood, the ultimate- Sensuous by Estee Lauder. It’s a “river of molten woods”, says the ad copy. But it is also clean in a undark moody, too masculine way.
Joane,
Head down to Noor, which is on Avenue Road, in the 4 Seasons (lower concourse). They have a number of niche lines like l’Artisan Parfumeur, Comme des Garcons, and l’Eau d’Italie. Start sniffing and see what you like; I am sure that they can help find you what you are looking for.
One suggestion I have for you is Paestum Rose by l’Eau d’Italie… it is dark, dry and gorgeous; my desert island fragrance.
Noor however, does not carry a complete array – for example, they do not have Frederic Malle (only Holt’s in Vancouver!), and I doubt they have Andy Tauer, so I would definitely send away for samples of those lines. I think you should especially try to smell Tauer’s Rose Chyprée; it is divine. Holt’s does carry Etat Libre d’Orange (you might well like their latest, “Like This”), so go check them out.
Another suggestion I have, this time for evening, is Ineke’s Evening Edge in Gold; it is truly lovely.
As for woody scents, I love Let Me Play the Lion, another niche perfumery you may wish to purchase samples from.
Good luck!
Paestum Rose is really nice.
Just to clarify, Let Me Play the Lion is from Les Nez – I love their green+violet scent The Unicorn Spell, but I’m not sure it’s right for you, Joane.
Why don’t you think Let Me Play the Lion would be appropriate for Joane? She says she likes woody masculine fragrances, which this is…
Oops, or was that Unicorn Spell that you think wouldn’t work? It is what I think of as a fairly subtle floral… it might actually work…
I meant I didn’t think Unicorn Spell, which would be my personal pick from Les Nez, would be her speed. Sorry for confusion!
LMPtL might work very well for her.
Paestum Rose is gorgeous. One of my HGs. Great recommendation!
Since she doesn’t like things that are too floral and likes woody drydowns, I’d recommend Miller & Bertaux No. 3 (Green, green, green, and green) for a good daytime scent. Smells just like its name, very green, herbal, fresh, and has a great cedar drydown. Only problem is I’m not sure of its availability in Toronto. Might have to send away for samples. Another good daytime green, more easily found, is Goutal’s Mandragore. Herbal and unusual. Some people have trouble with lasting power, but luckily not me.
Mandragore would be a wonderful daytime scent!
I second the exploration of the Goutal Line!
Perhaps Hadrien for Day and Mandragore for evening??
Two of my favorites! I’ll second those for sure. In keeping with the more herbal scents, I’d also suggest Tauer’s Reverie au Jardin, and just for fun, Boudicca Wode.
Oh, and one more green: PG’s Papyrus de Ciane.
Unfortunately it’s an Internet-only item for us non-Londoners, but you should try Ormonde Jayne Woman — I could imagine a Calyx-lover liking it. According to a comment above, you have access to L’Artisan, in which case you might try Timbuktu for the woodiness. Have fun, and good luck!
*waving hand wildly*
OK, my age group, lots of perfumes mentioned that I’ve loved/love, similar life. My thoughts:
Eclat D’Arpege by Lanvin. Can get it inexpensively on line and has a similar woodsy drydown (IMO) to Prescriptives. Plus, though it’s technically a floral, it does not smell very floral because of the peach and ‘lemon leaf’.
Diptyque’s Oyedo might be another option. The yuzu citrus in that is reminiscent of Calyx, and to me, the Aveda Dune Primrose and Air Nature scents.
Bond’s Little Italy might also be a good choice, but if the green note in that is too strong, maybe Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic would work.,
Finally, maybe Keiko Mecheri’s Passiflore or Peau de Peche will fit the bill. Passiflore is rather sweet but for some reason I adore it, it’s unique. Peau de Peche is a touch more sophisticated and very wearable, it’s peach without being PEACH, tempered nicely so that it almost feels like suede.
checked the notes on the Peau de Peche: white Peach, orris root, Sandalwood, Amber Wood……that might really work!
oh yes, Eclat D’Arpege by Lanvin would be good. I forgot about that one.
I third that, it’s lovely and lasts forever too!
Hello! A longtime devoted reader, and Torontonian, I post for the first time today.
I too dually encourage Joane to visit Noor. The staff is so helpful and generous with their time and knowledge.
They also have Penhaligon’s, and Diptyque, in addition to the mentions above.
Also, if a fragrance from a more mainstream house is desired, I have accrued many bottles from the perfume discounters on the east side of Spadina, south of College Street, in Chinatown – most recently a tumbler of Jolie Madame and Bill Blass Nude, each for under $30. They often have Hermes and sometimes harder to find forgotten gems.
Perhaps, too, a specific suggestion: Comme des Garcons Sequoia? It is very nearly enitrely wood.
I would also suggest Bois Farine or Passage D’Enfer (by L’Artisan Parfumeur, both available at Noor), the former requiring a smell test of course, but if the poof fits….
For that woody/spicy scent, recommend Bois 1920 Come La Luna (I know, I say that all the time — love it!). And Les Nez Let me play the lion! Second that, it’s gorgeous. Also I don’t see any mention of incense in your list, Joane…hmm, you need to work on that! Try Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil (SOTD BTW, ahem), green and slight fruity note with a beatiful dry incense vibe underneath.
Happy sniffing!
Hi Joane
I’m not familiar with Calyx, so am not sure exactly what your ‘nose’ is attracted to based on that recommendation! However, I am a woodsy type gal myself, so I can make suggestions based on that……..
Comme des Garcons has some beautiful woody fragrances – Hinoki and Laurel being the two that spring to mind first. They would be good daytime scents. I also love their incense range, which you should try, as they are fun, lovely daytime scents.
L’Artisan – I second Timbuktu. And also recommend Mechant Loup, which is a very unsual woodsy scent.
Ormonde Jayne – they do a coffret of samples from their entire line, and I heartily recommend trying that before choosing a scent for yourself. They have an array of woodsy and masculine scents, and some absolutely stunning florals that are ideal evening scents (i’m thinking particularly Ta’if and Orris Noir.) All of their scents are beautiful.
Robert Piguet – Bandit. Amazing, brilliant, raw, bold, earthy and WOMAN!
Serge Lutens – For a daytime scent, i recommend trying Cuir Mauresque and Bois de Violette. Bois de Violette is a feminine, woodsy violet. Cuir Mauresque is currently a European exclusive, but apparently is being released into the Export line this xmas! (If money is no option, and you are looking for a stunner evening fragrance, I recommend trying a sample of Tubereuse Criminelle. It starts off weird, but the dry down is an incredible tuberose note, not sickly or overwhelming at all. It’s in the exclusive range, and you’d need to buy a decant from the Perfumed Court or get a friend in Europe to order a bell jar for you. )
Sorry – that was a really long post!
Second CdG’s Hinoki and Laurel! And I’ve heard many good things about their Palisander as well, though I haven’t had a chance to try it myself.
Love Timbuktu, and Bandit!
First and foremost, I will have to confess that I am one of the few that actually like A&F’s Fierce. On a person. Not sprayed into the mall like crazy. I do wear it occasionally and I have been searching for a more feminine version for ages – here is what I found – Comptoir Sud Pacifique ‘Musk Alize’ or ‘Princesse Muscat’ have a similar feel for me.
Here are my other recommendations: DelRae Eau Illuminee (fresh, sparkling, but not kitchen), L’Artisan Passage d’Enfer or Timbuktu, second the Chanel Sycomore but also encourage to try Bois des Iles and while you are there, try Sonoma Scent Studio Champange de Bois.
For good measure (but maybe too straight forward) Dyptique Tam Dao and SL Bois Sepia.
I agree that Annick Goutal might have some good options. The Bay at the Eaton Centre carries AG. Eau de Sud is a sexy, interesting option. Another option could be Versace Versense (The Bay). To me it shares some of the lovely, crisp qualities of Calyx, but seems a bit more current. Other fresh daytime possibilities with woody drydowns: Terre D’Hermes ( Holts, downstairs in the men’s fragrance area) or Jardin Sur Nil (Holts or Hermes store on Bloor). If you like the bitter, tart side of orange and if the budget’s wide open then I’d also try Frederic Malle Bigarade Concentree (Holts) which is my current summer love.
For evenings out, maybe Estee Lauder Jasmine White Moss (The Bay), Creed Acqua de Fiorentina ( Holts Bloor only) or Ormonde Woman (would have to order).
Happy shopping!
Hi Joane,
I second (or third) Timbuktu and Green, green, green, and green as possible daytime scents, and would also like to suggest that you try Guerlain’s Vetiver and Vetiver Pour Elle.
If you’re going to be checking out L’Artisan anyway, you might see if you like the new Nuit de Tubéreuse as a possible scent for evenings.
Thank you so much everyone! Thank you Robin! This is fantastic! I am so new at this….I really appreciate your suggestions and will try as many as I can until I find the right scents for me! I can’t wait to start smelling….they all sound wonderful….
Again, thank you so much.
Joane
Hi Joane,
I’m a little late, but wanted to recommend Serge Lutens Feminite du Bois. Notes are ginger, cinnamon, clove, plum, peach, orange blossom, violet, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, benzoin.
I get mostly cedar and cinnamon and then the musky drydown is gorgeous. To me, this is an evening scent, but others say they wear it to work. Definitely worth a shot! Good luck with your search!
I, too, adore Calyx – although I have not used it in years. Recently I was at Lucky Scent and told the SA about my former love with the scent and he immediately brought Goutal’s Ninfeo Mio to my attention. It doesn’t smell like Calyx, but it seems to “work” like it – fresh, invigorating, I loved it and bought it right then and there (which I never do anymore). Another recent love, which a Calyx fan might also adore if Hermes Jardin Sur le Nil. For night, and a completely different direction, why not take a look at 1000?
Joane, if you don’t really know what you like/don’t like, it’s a bit difficult for us to recommend things. Suggestions will be all over the map! I’d suggest dropping by your local perfume shop and sniffing! Take your time – only try a few scents at a time – walk away and live with them for a day. Or, head on over to Perfumed Court or Posh Peasant and order some samples that sound intriguing. Maybe try one or two of PC’s beginner sample packs. It’s great fun to delve into samples and try different things.
You could try:
Gucci Envy
ck One
Guerlain’s Mitsouko
Bath and Body Works Butterfly Flower
I find Gucci Envy similar to Calyx. Some would consider Envy an office scent, but I think it’s too strong for the office. I think Envy dresses up jeans and a white tee really well, if that’s what’s meant by “casual day”. Maybe a Lauder for the office – Pleasures or Beyond Paradise are nice green floral scents and the latter is also similar to Calyx. I also recomend Miss Dior Cherie and the Hermes scents mentioned, especially the Jardins. For evening, maybe Paris, since it’s by Sofia Grosjman as well, and is just so plummy and juicy, like Calyx, but with some woods.
Joane, I used to wear Calyx and keep meaning to purchase it again – it’s a great scent! I second Karin’s suggestion to get some sample packs from the Perfumed Court and try more wonderful things. You owe it to yourself to try the classic Guerlains (Shalimar, Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleue, and Vol de Nuit), for sure. I would also recommend Annick Goutal – her Vetiver is one of my favorites for day, as well as Heure Exquise, Songes, and others for evening. And Parfums de Nicolai are outrageously inexpensive and wonderful. Happy hunting!
did Joane find a new perfume then ??