The usual drill: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the perfume you're hoping will arrive in the mail soon, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is En s'estiu by Josep Ma. Rosell at flickr; some rights reserved.
I’m curious to know about people’s experience with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s fragrances. I finally just ordered some imps from TPC and while I love the Halloween-themed ones, the Grab Bag (randomly selected ones) I got ranged from absolutely vile “Grief” (smelled like those old conical Glade air fresheners where you popped open the white lid and there was scented green goop inside) to nice, but banal Seraphim.
Anyone have any favorites or recommendations?
I snagged a few from the Alice in Wonderland collection. They were ok, but helped me realize I really just don’t like oils. Of the ones I tried, my favorite was the Red Queen.
There are some nice fragrances, I especially liked Sin, Harlot, O, and Anne Bonny, BUT there can be so much difference between how the perfumes smell in samples and how the smell in full bottles that I threw up my hands in frustration and gave up on BPAL. Don’t give me that crap about there being variation in the oils, if I fall in love with a sample and the FB shows up bearing very little resemblance to the sample, it’s a waste of money.
Yes, Sin & Anne Bonny both sounded great. And two recs for Red Queen means I definitely need to try that one, too. The website is fascinating, but I do wish it was better organized. It’s probably designed like that on purpose – everytime I get on I just keep clicking and scrolling and clicking and scrolling and….and suddenly it’s 11 o’clock at night!
I tried quite a bit of BPAL, but that’s going back several years now. Like Boojum, Red Queen was my favorite from the Alice collection, and White Rabbit was nice too. I liked Snow White from their holiday collection (that may be discontinued though), it reminded me of Demeter’s Snow with a little bit of cookie thrown in. Two that stand out in my mind were Chimera (lots of cinnamon) and Velvet (subtle chocolate). I also remember I liked Ephemera, but for the life of me I can’t think of what it smelled like!
I love cinnamon so I’ll definitely add Chimera to the list. Actually Chimera and Velvet sound like they’d work well together. I wonder if I’d have better luck layering some of these.
Layering might be a good idea, esp. with Chimera — it is *very* cinnamon (kind of unisex, as I recall).
BPAL was my gateway drug into perfume. I love a handful, but there’s so many more I want to try that with other perfumes I want to try I don’t get around to really getting more into the line.
I love Anne Bonny- simple incense but dead sexy
Eos- flirty springtime powdery honeysuckle jasmine
Yggdrasil- airy forest breeze light wood w/ cedar and pine
Delphi- more Christopher Brosius like experience, but I wear sometimes, “The smoke of Sacred Incense of Apollo twined through laurel branches, bay, and honey wine.”
Faiza the Black Mamba- when fresh she bright citrus jasmine with incense, after aging a few months she perfect- dark, smoky, resinous, lushly green, honeyed jasmine, and smoldering sandalwood and incense.
If you like animalic patchouli you will love Ravenous which is animalic patchouli paired with creamy orange that sometimes reminds one of a orange creamisicle- very different, very interesting, too animalic for me.
You are speaking the language I love – Incense! (Holy ****, I almost typed “incest”! 😯 lol!) Thank you for all the suggestions. I think I have enough for another order. I’m glad to hear others are a bit overwhelmed by them. I never know if things are getting more complex or if my attention span is just dwindling to nil.
I was curious about them too, but i realized there are just entirely too many. Thats what turned me off to the Dawn Spencer Hurwitz line also. I cant mentally filter through that much to pick out which are even worth sampling.
Me, too. The number of times I’ve perused DSH and BPAL and given up is probably something close to the number of scents either of them has on offer. I won’t even try any more.
Thirding that. The Alice collection was the only reason I did eventually order some BPALs… my interest was focused.
BPAL is incredibly overwhelming. I think the best thing to do is to find someone who knows something about them (er. hi? 🙂 ) and then give them a category (gourmand, etc.), and a serious collector will send you imps, just because we’re rabid that way.
BPAL does morph quite a lot based on age, light and air, but then they are oils–and like any other perfume, they will change with age and exposure. Very much like wine, in that way; age is not always bad.
LaMaroc (or anyone else), if you’re interested in being blatantly enabled, there is a community on Livejournal called “sinandsalvation” that would be glad to help you with recommendations, and a lot of the time, samples.
Let’s see…I am wearing the rest of my sample of FK Pour le Soir. I am eagerly anticipating the absolute version of it. I bet it’s beautiful.
I am loving my bottle of L’Artisan Coeur de Vetiver Sacre. It is gorgeous! And, the lasting power on me is great.
There are so many new releases coming out this Fall. I can’t wait to try the other L’Artisan, Traversee du Bosphore, plus Amouage Memoir, the two new Tauer fragrances, PdeN Kiss Me Tender, and AG Rose Splendide.
Hugs!
Oh, I’d love to smell the Absolute too! Hope they’ll have it at Neiman Marcus soon.
Congrats on your new L’Artisan 🙂
You know, I was really close to buying a bottle of Pour la Soir but it seemed so similar to Habanita at the time, I couldn’t imagine needing BOTH on my buy list. I would love to give it another go, though.
Has anyone tried the new Mona di Orio leather?
I haven’t, sorry!
Hi Robin,
Thanks to all your insightful suggestions, just TODAY I rec’d my first bottle of “real” perfume; I’ve graduated up from the light and fresh and girly, to my first mature and sultry fragrance Hommage Attar by Armouge. Love it love it love it. I also was wearing the White Oud by Montale all the past week. GORGEOUS. But it smelled to me so strongly of sandalwood, rather than anything else. And I love sandalwood, so it’s fine by me. But was curious if you smelt it that way, too. Also, Lucky Scent sent me some samples: Santal Blanc by Serge Lutens and Nassomato Nuda. Any opinions on these?
Oh wow, you don’t go halfway, do you?! Any Amouage is something, but an attar!
will have to check their site.. do they send samples?? sounds exquisite.. but also sounds extremely expensive 🙁 lol
I really enjoy Lutens Santal Blanc, but it’s a quirky scent that some say has a pronounced pencil-shavings note, while others comment on its apple-cider qualities.
Congrats on your Homage Attar. Oh la la!
OOOOO I second Joe’s ooh la la !! talk about going straight for the Jugular of the perfume world!
When I first tried it, out of a bag of samples, I knew right away. I’d trade over my second child, my youngest horse, my older sister, just to have this. I can’t stop smelling myself. There IS a difference between a high quality perfume and the not so high quality; it just feels….real. Can’t explain it. I have an ex boyfriend who’s a falconer and is in the Middle East selling birds, and a good friend who’s a banker for some huge bank in England and both are in the Middle East right now–I hope I can get a hold of one of them and have them see if they can pick up some more whilst over there. Duty free?
Yes, this is the jackpot. Been looking for so long…
So glad to know there are other aficionados out there! Thanks for all the help in steering me that way. M
Hommage Attar is my favourite Amouage too. I mainly wear it when I’m by the sea, which is a rare occasion unfortunately, so it always reminds me to be there
Hi Mough, and welcome!
Yes, Homage has lots of sandalwood. I love Santal Blanc (and I’ve reviewed it: https://nstperfume.com/2006/03/09/serge-lutens-santal-blanc-fragrance-review/) but I haven’t yet smelled the Nuda.
Wait, you were asking about sandalwood in White Aoud, weren’t you, not Homage? Then yes, I smell it in White Aoud too — I think that one has more sandalwood than the other oudhs from Montale, probably it’s one of several notes they’re using to “tone down” the oudh and make it creamier and “white”.
I am suffering through a cold and I cannot smell anything -my version of hell, anyone else’s? 😉
I’m excited as all get out for URV- I hope it’s as grand as I imagine.
I have fallen for chypres, I’m a chypre chick these days.
I totally get it. But I still cannot wear the queen Mitsy-mean ol’ broad!
My daughter Juju was tellin’ me how she got complimented on her scent at school yesterday and it made me proud to see her joy, especially because the older sissies lamented about how they haven’t received any compliments yet .
She was beaming -they were sad.ha.
Sibling perfume rivalry.
She’s 12 and wore Kenzo Amour that day.
I refuse to wear anything if I can’t enjoy it but I feel naked! 😀
I’ve gone through multiple bottles of Cristalle, Rive Gauche… and Isabella Rossellini Manifesto. (I like basil. They were very small bottles.)
I’m halfway through my bottle of L’Heure Bleue and I know that I’ll replace it when it’s empty.
Oh, how sweet — go JuJu! And you get better 🙂
Thanks Robin! I will, and yes “You go girl!” was how I felt for Juju.
She was very pleased to tell me at dinner and I was proud. 🙂
My little family and I have got colds at the moment too. Perfume is actually unpleasant to me when I feel like this but I can’t help it and wear some anyway.
Cross fingers we and you get better REALLY SOON!
Thanks Lilybug- Get well wishes to you and yours!
I miss my perfumes, I can’t believe how much they are a part of me and when I can’t enjoy them it’s so odd.
I’m wearing Une Rose Vermeille today, from a sample. To me it’s the lightest Tauer I’ve tried — quite sheer. The raspberry note dominates over rose or vanilla for me, and it’s a really realistic, tart, delicious raspberry. I’ve been wearing it for almost 8 hours but I imagine the vanilla and amber in the base will come out more in the next few hours. I’m finding this more of a fun fruity summer scent than a rich winter gourmand.
Egabbert, I’m intensely curious now!
A summer gourmand? From Tauer?
I must get a hold of this soon and smell for myself.
Thanks for the nose up.
T., I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well! Hugs! Maybe at least our ebay venture will come through tomorrow. Fingers crossed…
oh yeah, that’s NOT going to make us all uber-curious! After you win you must come and fess up about what it is.
I second that…
And hopefully half the commenters here aren’t unknowingly bidding on the same item and driving the price up. :O
well, for once I KNOW it’s not me bidding against anyone—-can’t afford a thing! Staying far away from ebay temptations!
WOW. Ahahahaha you guys are the best! HUGS to all my peeps.<3<3 🙂
I will tell IF I win which I highly doubt since it's getting ridiculous and can I just say the pitfalls of evilbay are very, very real.
No wonder all y'all tried to warn me.
Wretched evilbay.
Tauer URC. 🙂
Shame Miss Kitty, I haven’t gotten my greedy lil’ paws on it yet! 😉
Ok….we’ll have to enact the Perfumista Honor System and stay away from Tamara’s auction!
That was the whole point in announcing it– to keep other greedy mitts off of it…
and it was successful! 🙂
Get well soon, Tamra, and rock on, JuJu!
Thank you Jolie, I am trying too, downing Airborne like crazy to get well.
And yes all my girlies rock!
I told them I’m set forever with all four of them.
Four perfumes several times a year from all of them (Christmas, Mother’s Day , my B-day)
Teehee, it’s the very least they can do! 😉
I’ve got a cold here, too. 😡
What. An aggressive face. xD
Ol Rait,
I like that face though, it explains the frustration quite well! 😉
Get well soon!
So glad it’s Friday! SOTD is the last of my bottle of Prada Infusion d’Iris EDP.
I had two questions: I’m realizing that I am an aldehyde lovah … does anyone have any recommendations?
Also, what fragrance do you love so much that you’ve gone through multiple bottles?
Everyone have a great weekend!
No recs on aldehydes I’m afraid- still trying to learn to love them. Fragrances with multiple bottles are Shalimar, Chaos, And Chamade. Must check my supplies!
Dzingnut, I am sick but still tried to huff a sample of Les Parfums de Rosine Une Folie de Rose and I could definitely smell the aldey’s in there!
Have you tried it?
It was zingy fer sure.
I can’t wait till I can sniff it up close, I have tunnel vision in my nose right now though.
But from what I could , it smelled deliciously bright, sparkly.
Thanks Tamara! I will try that one, the only P de Rosine I have is Une Zeste de Rose, which is fab!
poor nose! trying so hard to sniff thru the stuffy! 🙁
Daisy, what can I say?
My decants are languishing without me and I without them.
I’m dedicated.<3 🙂
maybe a few mighty spritzes of Bandit on your arm , then hoover it really good—might clear your sinuses right out! (and burn off any stray nostril hairs at the same time!) I hate being sick, I feel so badly for you….your sniffies will wait patiently for you.
Oh, I enjoy aldehydes. Some of my favourites are – Bois des Îles (while it lasts), Baghari and Amouage Dia. Plus there are the usual suspects like No22, Arpege, No5, Pleasures & White Linen. Oh and I think there’s a Le Labo one too but I haven’t tried any of those.
Baghari is a favorite so I spurged on a FB. Others aldehydes I love are Lanvin My Sin, Worth Je Reviens and Balmain’s Ivoire.
Everyone seems to mention the obvious ones (No. 5 and the like) but tend to overlook the easily-had-for-a-song American ones like Lauder’s White Linen. I’ve learned from this blog that things don’t have to cost a lot to simply smell great…and WL certainly passes muster there!
Oh, aldehydes! Don’t get me started! My favorite! But since you did: Divine L’Ame Soeur, ELdO Vraie Blonde (not for everyone, admittedly), Weil Antilope, Piguet Baghari, YSL Yvresse, SSS Lieu de Reves, obviously the Chanel’s 5 and 22, Bond No. 9 Broadway Nite, Caron Nocturnes, Bill Blass Nude… I know there are a lot of my faves that I’m forgetting, but that’s a starter list. I know others will jump in and fill in the blanks.
Second that Antilope, as well as No. 22, BdI…can’t think of others atm, though I know there’s at least one other huge aldehyde I love. (If you need more Id’I, let me know… I have a nearly FB that may soon become room spray, since the 2 minis I have are sufficient for me.) Multi-FBs…nothing since the early 90s. I can’t imagine going through a FB of almost anything at this point, much less several.
In addition to the many others I forgot, Natori is a good one.
Miz Kitty already stole my favorite aldie: Divine L’Ame Soeur…so my other fave would have to be SSS Champagne de Bois ! Oh! and my other fave Amouage Dia…..
Seconding the Champagne de Bois!!
*waving to the Empress*
waving back to my co-enabling partner in crime! 🙂
ps —cool new gravataar!
Champagne de Bois is so gosh darn good – one of my favorites.
Daisy ,we’re sharing the same favourites in this category,and I’d add Baghari and B.d.I also.Lorena.
yesssss…Bois des Iles! I’ll have to try Baghari and Lorena. Thanks for the recommendations. 🙂
LOL hey! your NAME is Lorena! hahaha well, I could sniff you too…I bet you smell amazing since you’re probably wearing some wonderful aldehydic confection!! 😀
LOL,you can smell me anytime ,doll,lol….that made me laugh hard,thanks.
LOL –I live to amuse 😉
really, you should have seen me scrambling to search this new fragrance I had never heard of!! Lorena, lorena…who makes it? Took about a minute and a half….the light dawned…HEY! LOL well, saved me some $$ not buying the great mystery fragrance: Lorena edp !! 😀
I’ve gone through several bottles of Chanel No. 5, a bottle of Shalimar & have almost used up a bottle of SMN Melograno. The one perfume I do wear a lot that I will never be able to go through is definitely Chanel No. 22. It might as well be sold as a gallon jug. I’ve barely put a dent in it … it seriously almost looks unused.
Also for the aldehydes, try the Melograno. It’s a bizarre one, though.
Oh, I left Melograno off. Yep, it’s a weirdie – very very dry, like a martini, and a little powdery. For me it’s like having both my parents standing right behind me: Mom’s No.5, Dad’s Old Spice. Eerie. If I didn’t have those associations, though, I’d probably wear it.
It’s funny because it turns very incense-y on me. And yeah … I wouldn’t want those associations either. I’ve never smelled Old Spice, but I can see where the No. 5 would come in though ultimately I find it to have a lot in common with No. 22.
Dad wore OS talcum as well as aftershave, and I think that’s the association w/ Melograno – the incense reads quite spicy to me. No. 22 is an enormous sugar bowl on me, and Melograno isn’t sweet at all, though it is very very aldehyde-y!
(If you had to imagine your parents’ fragrances getting together and splicing themselves, what would it smell like?)
Sadly — or perhaps given the context it may be a blessing — neither of my parents wore any fragrance so instead for me it would be a melding of Colgate shaving cream & Dove soap. I have my grandmother to thank for the perfume. She wore Tres’or & Chanel No. 5 but it’s the Tres’or I will forever associate with her.
Off topic, but I have to say…you rocked Sophie Anne! Nice job!
Big aldeholic here! Love No. 5, Vega, Mariella Burani, Bois des Iles, SL La Myrrhe, SSS Champagne de Bois, Climat, L’Aimant, & Arpege (vtg parfum please).
I like L’Ame Soeur, Liu, Baghari, L’Interdit, Je Reviens, Revillon Turbulences, & Sortilege, but it’s not love.
I do not enjoy No. 22 (sugary), or White Linen (the Lauder curse), Bill Blass Nude (too much baby aspirin/Tang Dust Effect), or Lady Stetson (um, don’t really know why).
On my to-try list: D&G original, Iris Poudre, Amazone, My Sin, L’eau Cheap & Chic, Farouche, Calandre, Mme Rochas, Antilope, & Rive Gauche.
I never sent you any Antilope? Really?
Noooo. I have a small vintage bottle of parfum, but have not cracked that baby open. Given the state of the others in the set, though, the top notes are messed up, so I don’t know if it’s as it should be anyway.
I’ll have to dig up your address and send you some…
Dzingnut, I *heart* aldehydes, too. You’re getting great some recommendations. In fact, I’m adding some of them to my samples list. I’ll add: Calandre, a floral aldehyde. I’ve gone through several bottles over the years.
Aldehydes…love ’em.
Chanel No. 5
Arpege
J’Aiment
Bill Blass Nude
Lady Stetson…cheap but very nice. Got 4 stars from the The Guide.
Have you tried Fleurs de Rocaille? That was the one that made me realize I love aldehydes. It’s so… strange, and strangely addictive!
Thank you all!! I have to try Melograno, since it is mentioned so often in the comments.
Multiple bottles for me: Diorissimo, Eau de Givenchy, Dzonghka, Terre d’Hermes, Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, Hiris.
And another great “aldee”: Piquet Futur!
I fear I may be the one singing most of its praises, though. It seems to be a love it or hate it kind of thing.
K.thanks to you I ordered a sample and I love itttt!!!!.The top notes are wonderful,thanks.Lorena.
If you want to try Melograno to see if it works on you, I’d be more than happy to send you a decant of it.
I’ve gone through multiple bottles of Terre d’Hermes, Timbuktu (though my first was only 80% full), and CdG Energy Series 8: Grapefruit (30ml bottle).
One of my first fragrances was Dior Higher, and i think i bought 4 bottles of it before expanding my collection. I havent had it for years and and contemplating another bottle for next summer.
Apres l’Ondee, Chamade, AG’s Gardenia Passion, Heure Exquise, and Rose Absolutes are the only fragrances I can think of that I actually finished and replaced with another (larger) bottle. That said, my Jicky edt is a 200 ml tester bottle and I know that I’m more than half way through (can’t see through the aluminum…) so it probably counts as a replacement!
As far as aldehydes go, I think that many perfumes out there have aldehydes in them and are just not publicized as such? I’m thinking of the likes of Chamade, L’Aire du Temps (don’t know the reformulated version though), First – I believe is classified as an Aldehydic Floral and is truly grand, and Diva is a beauty as well – with cheekbones.
Hmmm… That’s a longer list than I thought. Initially, it was Apres L’Ondee. Then it became, oh wait – there’s…then there’s… LoL!
Opera- If you aren’t fully stocked up already…I have a 15 ml of Gardenia Passion I purchased in a trio about 3-4 months ago that is just taking up space. I’d be happy to send to you. I tried it and it didn’t work for me at all, so in my collection it will just go to waste. The bottle has only had 2-3 spays used. Email me at promiseevans at gmail dot com if you want it and I will be more than happy to send it to a good home. 😉
Hi Promiseevans! Thanks so much for your generous offer! I actually have a large refill bottle of the edp with a hefty amount remaining due to my ever-growing fragrance collection. It’s a really beautiful scent and among my HGs. Perhaps someone else who doesn’t have it can contact you?
Of course! It can go to any takers. I’m a firm believer in “Spray it Forward”… 😉
I have gone through five bottles of Lancôme Miracle since 2002. It used to be my signature scent when I was at the university, before it was reformulated. Now I love other perfumes, but I still keep a FB of Miracle pre-reformulation.
I think that I will re-buy FBs of Tam Dao and Kenzo Amour too.
Great suggestions here for aldehydes. My rec is Givenchy III.
I don’t think I’ve ever finished a bottle of perfume. I just have too many.
🙂
You know, I think there are some on here who between their perfume collections and possibly their wine/liquor cabinets…. could take out an entire city block should their house catch on fire. lol… (god forbid!…I’m just sayin’….. that’s a LOT of flamable liquid in one place) Oh geez…but now I’m thinking… the bigger my collection gets, I need to make sure it’s covered under my homeowners insurance…I would be so devasted if something did happen to it…. and my shoes too.
I’m going to put in a plug for something UNscented: Martha Stewart’s semi-new line of cleaning products. I’ve tried all kinds of natural cleaning products, but the scents are always cheap ‘n’ cheesy compared with my fabulous perfume! The few things I’ve tried from her line (dish detergent, laundry detergent, toilet cleaner) work wonderfully, too.
Good to know. I have seen her products appearing everywhere lately, but have not tried any. I am a big fan of using vegetable based cleaners like “Earth Friendly Products.” Are her’s vegetable based?
I’m hooked on Mrs Meyers Lemon Verbena dishwashing liquid. To me it smells more fresh and basil-y than the Basil scent!
Really? I’m going to have to try that one. I really do enjoy the Basil. I like the Geranium as well, but for some reason if I have the slightest of headaches, it makes me nauseated.
Oh yes, I use that exact same one! I have not tried the basil scent.
I use a lot from that line: toilet bowl cleaner, laundry detergent (but just for sheets/towels), multi-purpose cleanser, to name a few. Love the line. Also like the lavender room spray.
Mrs. Meyer’s Lemon Verbena is the dish soap I use also! In the kitchen , I use the LV hand soap too. I use other scents in the bathrooms.
I’ve tried Mrs. Meyers (Lemon Verbena and Basil scents), but they get cloying to me after a while. Good old Martha has an unscented combination hand soap + dish detergent that actually works well on both scores, believe it or not.
SOtD: Villainess Perfume Oil in Friction. Peppery smoke and rich creamy base….yum.
That does sound nice!
Sounds great!
Hi: I have a question for everyone. I am a woman and I have always pretty strictly stuck to wearing “women’s fragrances,” but recently I have begun to find them too sweet. I want to start trying out some men’s fragrances, but I don’t want to smell too “masculine.” Any recommendations for a somewhat unisex men’s fragrance that would be good for the fall/winter? I like spice, smokiness, etc. Thanks 🙂
Hi Minnie, I recommend Parfums de Nicolai’s New York.
A dear friend turned me on to it, it’s amazing with bergamot, amalfi lemon and cloves; middle notes are thyme, cinnamon, pepper and paprika; base notes are oakmoss, vetiver and amber.
It really *pops* on my skin and vaguely reminds me of Dior’s Dioressence which I also love. It lingers on me.
If you like spice-it’s in there but the amber draws out a lil’ smoke too.
Hope you like it!
2nding the New York recommendation. I bought a bottle (love those Nicolai 30 ml bottles!) before I even knew it was “men’s.” It’s beautiful and is just the sort of scent Minnie is talking about. If you have any interest in an amber, I’ll add MPG’s Ambre Precieux to the list – it’s marketed to men, but is a nice, dry amber that’s really unisex.
Goodness, my sleep deprived eyes are playing tricks on me. They stuck an extra “o” in there, and I was trying to identify the responsible indolic note….. :O
I made the transition with Hermes Terre d’Hermes and Guerlain Vetiver. The Hermes just smells … great (read Robin’s review, she captures it perfectly), and the Vetiver has undertones of smoke weaving in and out.
I actually bought the Vetiver for my bf this past Christmas. He didn’t like it but I have worn it myself and have really enjoyed it. I will look into Robin’s review of the Hermes . . . I think I looked at that one for my bf as well but chose the Vetiver instead.
Fragrance molecules don’t have a gender, Minnie! Wear whatever you like! I know lots of women who’ve worn fragrances traditionally billed as scents for men: Dior’s Eau Sauvage, Chanel’s Egoiste, YSL’s Kouros, even the men’s original Stetson! If you have access to a major department store in your area, go poke around the men’s “grooming” section and enjoy yourself!
Obviously one person’s unisex could be another person’s full on macho but put of the ones that are explicitly marketed at men I like Terre d’Hermès and I think that Guerlain Habit Rouge is pretty easy to wear too. Dior Eau Sauvage is very close to the wonderful Diorella. Chanel Pour Monsieur (the original not the concentrée) is a mossy chypre which is worth trying if you are into that sort of thing. What else? Guerlain Vetiver, OJ Ormonde Man…
And, obviously, there are lots of companies which don’t aim their scents at a particular gender like Tom Ford Private Blends, Lutens, Chanel Les Exclusifs (try Sycomore!!), Hermès Hermesences etc
Bulgari Black. It is really a unisex fragrance but it is always shelved with the men’s.
L’Artisan Dzongkha, Timbuktu, Tea for Two (today’s SOTD); L’eau d’Italie Bois d’Ombrie, Sienne l’Hiver; CD Eau Sauvage; Chanel Egoiste. Those would be some good starters, I think (I’ve had the same too sweet problem, and Tea for Two is borderline too sweet, but the smokiness saves it).
Minnie, I feel like that most of the time – anything even close to traditional cologne (citrus, herbs, wood) feels too masculine to me. If it’s fougere-y, it’s a Toothpicks NO.
Having said that, though, I admit to occasionally wanting Eau Sauvage or Acqua di Gio – and I like Bvlgari Black a lot.
I have given up on trying to make myself like cologne. I don’t, I just don’t, and have stopped trying anything out of the genre but haven’t quite shaken the guilt yet.
You would probably be able to get away with Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme.
Minnie, not to point you down the path of excess, but try the men’s version of any of the Amouages. I actually like most of them better than the women’s.
Concentre d’Orange Verte (Hermes) works well year-round, IMO.
Thanks for all your suggestions! Is not Blvgari Black hard to come by? I want to look into the L’Artisan line indeed, but have not made my way downtown to the NM or Saks yet.
I actually saw it in my Nordstrom a few weeks ago, and it’s all over the discounters for dirt cheap. Or at least, it was when I bought it (last year?).
I’d recommend a few of the Sonoma Scent Studio scents – Amber Noir, Fireside (regular or Intense) and Incense Pure. All beautiful, well done and unisex. Oh! And affordable!
Yeah, THOSE. None of them strike me as too masculine for me.
Have you tried layering IP Mals? I’m finding that it plays well with others. 🙂
Hi Minnie, you can also try layering a feminine over a masculine to cut the sweetness & add more depth. My favorite masculine for this is Annick Goutal’s eau de Monsieur — a great mossy frag in its own right as well. 🙂
Agree on PdN New York. Also maybe CDG 888, Bvlgari Black, C&S Dark Rose, Timbuktu (not even remembering if these last two are marketed as men?? But I’m driving down the interstate at the moment so I won’t check….lol) my bf smelled OJ’s Ta’if the other day and said he liked it even for a guy. (muuuaaahhhhh…evil laugh at sucking him into the fragrant rabbit hole…even anti metro, football absorbed, athletes can slide from the soily bonds of earth)
Several of the Guerlains are supposed to be somewhat masculine or uni-sex but I wear them a lot, such as Derby and Jicky. Almost anything with lavender can be marketed as masculine but many of these are also beautiful on just about anybody in my book! I’m thinking of By Kilian Taste of Heaven absinthe, amber, lavender, florals), Jo Malone Amber & Lavender, and Andy Tauer Reverie sur Jardin. You could also branch out into leather scents such as Chanel Cuir de Russie or Lutens Daim Blond. Enjoy!
I’ll second the Terre d’Hermes suggestion above, but have you tried Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Marocain? If you like spice and smoke, it’s amazing, and a dry-as-a-bone unisex scent.
My sentiments exactly! I also recommend Mitsouko.
L. I agree with you completely.
I’m enjoying two leathers these days – Etro Gomma and Parfums d’Empire Cuir Ottoman – and Kilian Back to Black, which are warm and smokey. Also, Guerlain Vol de Nuit is an all-time fav.
Gomma’s been on my must try list for a while…does anyone know if Etro do sample sets?
No idea about Etro, but you can get samples of the line from Aedes, who has one of the most reasonable sample programs I’ve seen.
Hello everyone!
SOTD is By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses. The brand is finally available in my area so I picked up samples of Liasons, Beyond Love, Prelude to Love and Back to Black. Nice but I’m relieved that none are must haves 😀
The fragrance I’m most looking forward to trying is SL Cuir Mauresque when it finally becomes available outside of the Paris boutique.
HA…I was very relieved not to need any of them too. Although there are a few I do like…just not enough to pay.
I love LD! I also love Back to Black and Cruel Intentions. I wish I was as immune to the line as you seem to be. 🙁
Try some others such as Cruel Intentions or Taste of Heaven… these became must haves for me. If you buy the small bottles for the travel set it’s much cheaper and you can switch them out (i.e. use the same atomizer and buy the small travel bottles for another of their fragrances). And beware! Initially I couldn’t tolerate some of them such as Love but they have been growing on me lately to the point where I’m thinking of investing more!
Ah, I read somewhere that Cuir Mauresque is the one that Uncle Serge wears, so I’m greatly tantalized and looking forward to its availability, too.
SOTD is one of my cheap thrills: L’Aromarine’s Fleures Blanches.
This weekend I’m going to check out the Comme des Garcons boutique in NYC. I’d love to hear back from anyone who’s been there, and input on what not to miss from any CdG lovers. My plan is to check out the incense line, but I’m open to any and all suggestions. Happy Friday!
Definitely try the incense line. Avignon is a staple, though it can be difficult to wear because it truly smells like High Mass. I was taken aback by how perfectly they rendered it. I’ve recently fallen in love with Zagorsk, as well, which personally I find to have a bit more ‘mainstream’ wear-ability than the former. I’m trying to find a good reason to not purchase the entire incense line at the moment even though I’ve not sniffed the other three.
Zagorsk is my fave so far, though I haven’t tried Jaisalmar (sp?) yet. I wanted to love Ouarzazate for the name alone, but it was sour on me. I just did a split of Zagorsk.
Zagorsk is such an evocative fragrance. My fiance’s parents spent several years in Moscow during the early 80s and brought back with them a collection of beautifully lacquered palekh boxes. When you open them up they smell like Zagorsk because of the wood and the age.
And that’s a shame about Ouarzazate. I was hoping that one would be lovely … oh well.
Oh, do try it! I haven’t heard anyone else call it sour. And keep in mind, your baby Melograno gives me a pounding headache. I got a good giggle when the two bottles I hosted arrived; didn’t notice the theme until I saw them side by side (the 2nd bottle was Ambre Russe).
I really liked Oarzazate! So definitely try it.
Thank you for the input! I was most excited to try Avignon and Kyoto, but I think the whole line may sweet me off my feet (or, rather, cuddle me in smoky wonder).
…and by “sweet” I mean “sweep.” Though now I’m thinking about sweet incense, and how lovely that could be!
I found the experience kind of odd. Warning — the store is kind of hard to notice even when you’re on the right street!
When I went — this is at least 5 years ago — all the scents were on a shelf in a side room, the SAs knew nothing about them, and the SAs were not all that nice. Not mean, mind you, just not all that nice. I was glad I went because it’s a cool store, but hope they’ve improved the presentation of the perfumes. I think that back when I went, they didn’t have anything that wasn’t at Barney’s anyway, so perfume-wise it was not necessarily worth the trouble.
Thank you, Robin. I’ll make sure to double-check the map before I head out. I go to NYC about once a month, so I’ve slowly been exploring the different perfume boutiques and have had really good experiences so far. In particular, the staff at Diptyque on Bleeker were so charming (and generous with samples). Hopefully my trip to CdG will be another great sniffing adventure.
If you go that often, I would say do go. I had fun there anyway looking at all the clothes!
I was there mmm, about six months ago, and the perfumes were still shunted off to the side in their little alcove. I did have a very nice SA though–he was wearing one of those hilariously chic CDG jackets with the double-sleeves, but he had on bright pink socks. I actually mentioned how great it was that the SA’s were mellow and friendly and he told me that they try to be that way because the entrance to the shop is so intimidating most clients have had all they can take by the time they get inside!
i really like that shop — the salespeople are always really nice. if you haven’t already, you must try CdG2 — one of my all-time faves!
Most of the line is interesting to at least try. Many in the Red series are good, and you need to try the standard CdG and CdG2. I love Daphne, am intrigued by Stephen Jones, have a split of Artek Standard, and am generally impressed with CdG scents.
From the incense line I really love Jaisalmer and have gone through two bottles! I use it as a linen spray and it’s SOooo nice. I also really like Palisander from the Red series. It’s not very complex but has something beautiful about it and is interesting to experiment with layering with some other scents too (I do it with Lutens Louve).
am using my rarely used JPG fleur du male which i though would be ok for the rainy weather at our place today.. turned out to be a good choice 🙂
am waiting for samples i got from the tauer website.. heard (and read) a lot about them but have never tried any as the line is not available here.. i love incense and spices but some incense tend to overwhelm me like passage d’enfer which i adore and lacroix tumulte for men.. love them as they are but there’s something about them that makes me nauseous once i wear them for the day 🙁 so lets see what the tauers do to me, lol.. i think i got the marocain, lonestar, the two with incense names plus the rose chypre..
am also playing with mix and matching oils from ashley and burwood (www.ashleigh-burwood.co.uk)
🙂
o, and “hello and hi” to everyone.. heehee
I loved Marocain – the Lonestar not so much, I smelled like I’d stepped in some tar on the beach and then smoked a cigarette.
The Rose Chypre was dense, lovely and I want a bottle badly!
I thought Lonestar smelled like the interior on my old ’69 VW Bug. I’m always amazed others like it. It must really take a wrong turn on me.
Or they’re nostalgic for their own ’69 Bugs.
🙂
You’d think I would like it, since I loved that car. I actually cried when they towed my car away for good.
Ha – I thought Lonestar smelled like I had stepped in gum in a hayfield. It was better the second time. Might be one of those that grows on you.
Kitty – I kissed my previous car goodbye – the salesguy caught me, too.
I think my teenager might have shed a tear or two when my husband drove away in the ’96 Altima. She was hoping it would hold out long enough that she could drive it. I bought it right when she and I moved, 12 yrs ago, and she always loved it and called it “baby car”. I was sad too, bc my cars were the same ages as my kids. 😀
I find L’Air du desert marocain to be all kinds of divine. I need to order a FB because my sample is running dry.
Enjoy your Tauer samples! I’ll warn you now, don’t go spritzing with abandon – they’re very concentrated. Know your tolerance level first (I nearly killed myself once with one spray of Une Rose Chypree, which I really dig – it was HUUUUGE).
She’s not kidding. I can get 3 days wear out of CPUA. And I have REALLY scent-killing skin. (I’m not exaggerating. I put it on on Wednesday, and it’s made it through two showers.)
Oh dear. That one might be fatal on me, then. I’m thinking one drop would last what… a fortnight? A month? Almost nothing lasts less than 12 hours on me to begin with…
Makes me think you should try it, just to find out.
Wow! I am glad I read this blog now. I received a bunch of samples from this co. Now I knoe to be careful. Thanks for the “heads up” all!
🙂 your comments made me smile.. thanks.. now im thirsting more for marocain!!
and i will take note!! 🙂
oh.. and just wanted to share, good night spritzing SOTD (or should i say week) is diptyque essence of john galliano.. it’s weird but am loving it.. is it just me or does it remind one of band aid or some sort of medicinal plaster.. is this how birch trees smell like?? wonderful scent 🙂
Lilyboy,
At least , for me I can spray myself right good with Une Rose Chypree.
I don’t kill myself, I don’t know about “others”( meaning if I’m killing THEM or not) No one says so. Or maybe they don’t dare say so? ha.
I love it to pieces.
Go big or go home I say. But that’s just me.;) ha
Congratulations! I just ordered a FB of Une Reverie au Jardin, which I have wanted for a long time. I also got samples of the latest fragrances, because I am behind!
l’Air is one of my all time faves – when I wear it I get a lot of compliments, and love to smell myself. But the whole line is at least interesting, if not amazing. Everyone is right about the strength – I consider everything parfum, pretty much – lol.
Nice! Congrats on your new bottle of Une Reverie au Jardin—I’m so glad you’re buying goodies for yourself again…that dry spell a while back was rough!
I’m definitely making up for a couple years of perfumista impoverishment. I think I’m at 17 bottles this quarter. All for ME.
wooohooo! now that’s my kinda’ shoppin’ !!!
I was also wondering if anyone else has had the experience of their Perfumed Court samples drying out? I bought a bunch of samples last winter, and when I last looked at them they were all dry. I even had them in plastic bags. I think perhaps it is because I ordered the spray vials?
I’ve had the same problem. I think it is the spray vials, although I’ve had a lot of their samples in the little 1 ml dabby-vial turn, which I don’t have happen with samples very often.
perhaps it’s something about the decanting process? Perhaps they aren’t airtight the way a manufacturer’s sample would be?
Yes, I’ve had that problem, too. There was something on their website or in their emails recently about the problem. I took some electrical tape and tape the seam of the 1.5 ml and 2.5 ml sprayers and that took care of it. Must have been something to do with the prayer cap not fitting correctly.
I recall that email note – they’ve replaced the older sprayers with ones that are better-sealed.
prayer cap? Let’s try sprayer cap.
I really enjoyed that typo, though. I noticed it, and it made me smile. 🙂
Prayer cap… “Dear Lord, please don’t let my wonderful smelling juice turn into wine or vinegar or let it disappear, Amen.”
Yes me too and it ticks me off! It also happened to me with the small sprayer bottles. They are using new ones but I have found the action on them is rather sticky. That is, you have to press really hard to get some to come out and then get a huge gush all at once. Ick. I’m re-thinking whether to keep buying from them. Also their delivery time can be really slow and their customer service poor.
Ohhhh! I was wondering why some of my TPC samples were getting lower when they were hardly sprayed!
hi Minnie,
most of my 2,5 spray vials dried. hardly ever used them…once TPC informed the customers about this, saying a tiny percent of 2,5 ml spray vials tend to evaporate, and it is safer to buy either 1 ml or 5 ml. and they will use different 2,5 ml spray vials later on to solve this problem.
Ugh… how long would you estimate it took before they went bad?
they did not go bad, they disappeared….5 months approximately, these are the ones I did not really like, so did not check them too often…
Waiting to try some Escentic Molecules… SOTD Dzing it’s all gone.. need to order me a FB–Thank Tamara..Hope you feel better soon.
My dear Adela, yes you do! 😉
I’m surprised you haven’t yet!
Thanks honey, I hope I feel better, soon! Not smelling is really hell.
I’ve often wondered about these, too, and perused the website, but there are SO many options, I can’t seem to make heads or tails of what I want to try….so, unfortunately, I haven’t.
There is something to be said for the ease of few choices, and BPAL seems to suffer from the same problem as my mega-grocerm or, rather, I seem to suffer from the same problem when it comes to these merchants!
P.S. Last comment was mean to respond to first comment on page…anyone else having trouble with their comments not going in the proper place?
This may happen if you try to post a reply before you’re signed in. If you have to sign in first, you need to go back to the comment you want to reply to first before typing your reply. (Now watch this one show up somewhere else….)
Glad you answered because I didn’t know that…it never happens to me and must be because I sign in first thing every morning.
SOTD: Jo Malone’s Nutmeg & Ginger. The top notes are damn near perfect…. if I only could get the party to last longer than 15 minutes, it’d be a HG for me. I’m determined to make it work so I’ve just bought a tub of the body cream from Saks to layer with the scent. Maybe that’ll do the trick!
I like that one too. Im waiting for JM Bergamote & Oud to hit the shelves in the US tho.
I did, I got the Bergamot and Oud. I love it. But, I will say, that was before I even knew what Oud meant–I thought it was an attempt to smell like a stringed instrument. Seriously. But it’s what got me to look into ouds and their ilk. This is one of the better J Malone’s because it has some depth to it. a little more lasting power. It’s worth a try, and I have also sampled the Iris and Musk which is nice. I love that they’re going toward the more “intense” variety and not so light and effervescent.
I always spray this little mood lifter on clothing, it disappears in seconds otherwise! Nice to hear other people like it 🙂
Since the weather is still warm, I’m wearing Clarins Dynamisante today. Then UPS showed up with my Sephora order and I put a little Pacifica Meditteranean Fig on and they actually work together for some weird reason. This is my first Pacifica scent and it’s a pretty darn good fig! Got a bottle of The Gap/White Amber @ Marshall’s yesterday for $7.99. The bottle sure is cool and I think the scent will work pretty well in cooler weather. It’s definitely amber-y with a note that I can’t quite define – sort of sharp & medicinal maybe? Hope everyone has a great weekend!
I actually just bought the Pacifica Mediterranean Fig as a gift for a friend less than an hour ago. It’s actually the first Pacifica I’ve smelled & it is a very lovely fig.
Yes, K – surprisingly pretty. It seems to be well done and I love a cheap thrill – so hard to come by! I look forward to a more thorough testing. If it still like it as much as I think I do, I will definitely try more Pacifica scents.
I’ve only tried the solids (box of 9 at some outrageously cheap price, except when you consider that solids don’t really work for me so I never wear them). The fig was really nice, and I liked the sandalwood a lot too; gave Tibetan Mountain Temple to my teen, who loved it; and I liked a few of the others, though I can’t remember off the top of my head what they were. Oh, the pikake! That was nice, too.
The Malibu Lemon and the Blood Orange are the next ones I’d like to try. I’ve noticed for a while that the line gets some respect from Perfumista types, but it took me forever to try it.
Love a cheap thrill, as well. I may have to go back and snag myself a bottle.
The Pacifica line is a real bargain. The fig is lovely; I also like the Lotus Garden, Malibu Lemon, Tibetan Mountain Temple, and Egyptian Bergamot Rose. I have a small sample of their lilac and it really reminds me of the lilacs we had in the yard when I was a kid. Quite realistic.
A – I had never heard of the Egyptian Bergamot Rose one before – does it have an incense aspect to it?
Not that I have noticed. Amber, and spicy rose, but not incense.
‘Egyptian’ automatically made me think of incense I guess. Sounds good though.
SOTD = DelRae Amoureuse… comfort on a foggy coastal morning.
I’m excited to receive a decant of the L’Artisan Vetiver soon so I can spray liberally… just have a vial so far and can’t make out what I think of it.
I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Amoureuse is so beautiful, did you spray or dab Joe?
I’ve only ever dabbed, I need to get a decant so I can spray
(what I prefer) I bet it makes all the gloriousness come alive!
Spray! Yes, it’s really nice. I don’t feel overly feminine in this one either, for whatever reason.
Ahh Joe -I love to spray!
I wonder what honey smells like on a man’s skin, does your skin amp up the sweetness or tone it down?
Nosy noses want to know.
I like Amoureuse too, but have never dabbed… the thought’s a little scary. But just a little. I want to smell it on you, Joe!
It’s cloudy and chilly here today so I basted myself in Champagne de Bois but I’ve discovered that it really rocks if you also have a spritz of L’Artisan Fleur de Narcisse—some of you may think that I just couldn’t contain myself to one fragrance….ok, there’s a bit of that going on too but they really do smell great together! I have my own cloud….
Hmmm Daisy, I’ll have to try the combo soon. 🙂
Gosh. Sounds lovely. Sounds like another reason to go find a sample of FdN – wait, that’s LE, isn’t it? And $$$$?
I’ve changed my mind. Now I hate you.
Fine fine fine – I’ll just go hunt down a sample of narcissus absolute instead and add that to my CdB…
SOTD is SSS Jour Ensoleille with the addition of – Champagne de Bois! The 2 really compliment eachother….
two more reasons why Laurie can NEVER STOP MAKING CHAMPAGNE DE BOIS….. **wink** (my personal campaign to keep CdB in production f.o.r.e.v.e.r. )
You know I’ll be right there in the front lines fighting with you. That’s practically all I wore all summer! And the more I wore it, the more I loved it.
can’t keep my wrist away from my nose! and it’s not like it’s a new smell that I have to sniff a lot to think and evaluate….I’m well into bottle #2 and have bottle #3 waiting in the wings! still—wrist to nose all day long!
I’m the same way! It’s addictive!! And I keep a couple of the original test vials of Incense Pure on my desk and I’m constantly sniffing those too! I truly think that Laurie is brilliant.
yup, Laurie is brilliant…and she’s just as nice as can be too.
That Incense Pure is some amazing stuff too—so smooth and rich….It’s everything that I *wanted* Balsamo della Mecca to be (but wasn’t)
Sonama Scent Groupies in thah house yo!
Tamara – just holla girlfriend if you need samples. Daisy and I are always happy to enable! 😉
R,thanks doll!
I am aware of this all too well and adore you both for the chance to smell beauties from sweet peas such as yourselves<3
(sigh!) and again – I just HAVE to try this one. I love reading what everyione has to say but I have found I have serious lemming tendencies. Seriously, like possibly fatal!
SOTD is Kelly Caleche. I bought a 15 ml bottle a few days ago — my first purchase in quite a while! Have been wearing Tea for Two a lot lately since the weather got cooler … it’s definitely one of my ultimate fall scents!
It is a good fall scent…I’m wearing it today myself (TfT, that is), and for the 2nd time this week!
Sometimes it is almost too smokey and “literal tea” on me, but sometimes, like this week, it is *gorgeous*!
I just love Kelly Caleche! Fell in love at first sniff…
I drained two sample vials and knew I had to have a bottle! 🙂
Kelly Caleche comes in 15 ml? Uh-oh.
Joe – I’m having the same “can’t decide if I really like it, or not” experience with L’Artisan Nuit de Tuberose. Those little vials … sometimes they just don’t really do the trick.
I have a 5ml decant and have worn it *several* times – and STILL can’t decide if I like it or not.
I loved it on my first try, and got complimented, but then on my second try I was glad I hadn’t bought it. Third time’s the charm?
it can go from undecided to addicting really fast….I got a split, tried it, sold it off immediately….then a sample came in the mail (so of course I tried it again) ….now I have an FB . I’m not sure if the moral of the story is “don’t get rid of things too fast” or “once you’ve gotten rid of something –don’t go trying it again! “
ROTFL!!! You have no idea how funny that statement is! Do you remember that decant of Attrape Coeur that I sent you, and that you sent back? Well guess who’s lemming a bottle (or at least a decent decant) now???
LOL –you’re kidding me! hahahaha I knew it!
I don’t know if BGs has any bottles of AC left—but now would be a real good time to call and ask/beg a little if you’ve a hankering for your own bee bottle. Otherwise —we’ll talk. 😉
Waiting for my Tauer sample order to come – I so want to try Eau d’Epices and Une Rose Vermeille, as well as the others I hadn’t sampled yet.
Scent of the day is Angel Violet – I will be going to a loud pizza parlor with a large group, including small children, in a few hours and felt it was appropriate.
P.S. I didn’t bathe in it, so we will still smell garlic and anchovies.
Have fun at the pizza parlor!!
Thanks, my DHs family all had a good time – due mostly to the fact that they sold beer and there were crayons all over the table.
LOL…works for me!
SOTD is CdG Zagorsk. I have a sample that came w/ my order of Avignon that I only recently tried. I think I may be needing a FB soon.
With the return of cooler weather — finally! — I’ve been happily indulging in heavier fragrances, not that I really stopped during the summer months. I’ve been enjoying wearing crimson lipstick and bold classic perfumes.
Lately, I have been trying to select a good travel perfume for our honeymoon. We’re planning to spend two weeks in Istanbul and I’ve been wanting a fragrance that captures the both European & Middle Eastern aesthetic of that city. Unfortunately, I’m kind of coming back with incense-y orientals that capture the Middle Eastern most definitely, but are lacking in the European. I may have to end up layering. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
K: Zagorsk was initially my absolute favorite of the incense line. It really evokes a strong emotion in me.
CdG is masterful at capturing certain emotions with their fragrances. While I’m of Eastern European descent, I’ve yet to travel to Russia and have never stepped foot into an Eastern Orthodox church and yet there’s something about Zagorsk that puts you right there in it all. It’s beautiful and very emotive if a bit sad.
Where Avignon is straight up High Mass for me — with a vampire crypt accord — Zagorsk is the contrast of a candlelit Eastern Orthodox cathedral and the snow swept landscape just outside its icy windows. There’s a frost to it that’s barely being held at bay.
I really think I need a FB before the winter holidays approach.
Vampire Crypt!
When I wear it, to quote a vaguely Goth friend of mine, I am filled with a sense of, ‘Gothity gothity goth! Black black death!’ Seriously, though Avignon smells like a crypt. I love it but it definitely can smell ‘crypt-like’. Somehow High Mass + Gothic cathedral = vampire crypt.
Gothity gothity goth, black black Death” made me laugh. I need to smell Avignon now.
Zagorsk is definitely up there among my very favorite incenses; the other I neeeeed (but fear it’s discontinued, since I can’t find it!) is Messe de Minuit.
Boo, have you tried e-mailing Etro? I did a few months ago and they gave me contact details for their UK distributor who then gave me stockists info and even sent a couple of samples.
Btw, they told me that in UK MdM is exclusive to Liberty so perhaps it’s in limited distribution in US also.
Ah, maybe that’s the problem. Thanks!
Just so you know—I have a bottle of Edt on the way. 🙂 do we need to talk ?
So sorry to tell you that Libertys no longer carry Etro. I contacted an Etro boutigue in London and they could offer me Messe de Minuit – for rather an extortionate sum. I ended up buying a tester bottle from your FragranceX. I think they rarely have it in, so it’s best to keep dipping back into their site to see if it has returned. And maybe try FragranceNet too.
Hey there Kly, not sure if you’ll see this, but if you decide you need a bottle of Zagorsk, feel free to contact me at Perfume of Life (screen name sweetlife). I have an unloved bottle that, sadly, refuses to work for me. Got it cheap, happy to pass on the savings… 😉
Zagorsk is my favorite as well. It’s like standing in a Russian church that’s in a forest clearing. I’ve been wearing it a lot this summer where it’s chilled, piney incense has been perfect.
Hi everyone. I’m another delurker! I’v only lurked quite so long cos I had some password trouble signing up and gave up trying for a while.
But I am still a newbie – with a) a skin that guzzles up perfume and b) a muted sense of smell possibly because of hay-fever, sinus etc. As a result I tend to go with quite strong perfume. Of the cdg incense line I most loved kyoto and quazzazat (sorry about spelling). Unfortunately kyoto died on me quite soon so I ended up buying quazzazat (what’s zat?). I have 8 or 9 perfumes I rotate but this is my most expensive one. But in the past month or so I have been avoiding it. As ridiculous as this sounds the smell has started reminding me of some sort of Moroccan fish baste, or chicken baste. I assume the problem is the lemon and clary sage note??? Anyone have any solutions!?
I have that problem with sage/rosemary notes. My nose says “roasting meat” which is not what I’m hoping for in a ‘fume.
Hmmmm …. I wonder what you could layer with it.
nice to meet you Merlin, have fun here 😀
Merlin, two suggestions: one, try layering it, as Aparatchick mentioned.
Two, put it away for a few months. Try it again then, and if you still don’t like it, give or swap it away.
Its such a complex scent (to my untrained nose) that I assumed layering could only end in disaster! But yes, I may as well experiment, or otherwise put it away for a while, as suggested…
Thanks for the welcome everyone!
Interesting. I only have a little spray sample, but on me it turns too sweet.
Actually one person I asked found the perfume too sweet on me too…
How about something like OJ Ta’if? Or, if the budget allows, the Amouages are very East meets West.
I’m intrigued by the OJ. Sounds like it could be what I’m after. The Amouages … be still my heart, but seriously I dunno if I can justify the $300+ price tag unless I’m 100% positive it’s going to be amazing and with what appears to be no domestic retailers I would likely be purchasing unsniffed.
contact me and I can send you a few samples….that way you could get a feel for the line. Daisyloo82 @ gmail . com 🙂
i’ll have to retry the incense line, not all of them were available when i checked to shop here.. and kinda eyeing from the CDG line one that would be my first CDG if ever 🙂 we’ll see how it goes.. was weirdly attracted to the medicinal EDP and coming close was palisander..
cant remember the CDG incense scent that i tried.. it was wonderful but was doubting whether i can wear that line on it’s own or i would have to layer all the time.. as i had the impression that it was too dry on its own.. anyway i had only tested on paper.. will have to revisit!!
Avignon layers really well.
For Istanbul, maybe you’ll have to hope that you fall in love with that new L’Artisan Traversée du Bosphore.
I think many Lutens scents have a European aesthetic and “orientalist” feel: Arabie, El Attarine, Vetiver Oriental, Fumerie Turque.
K, what a great choice – Istambul is simply one of the most sensual and fascinating places in the world! I agree with Joe that SL merges East and West, and join him in hoping that Traversee du Bosphore will merit the name. A classic Guerlain – Shalimar, Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit or Nahema – would be perfect, too. Chanel Cuir de Russie seems right, too, if you love that one. Let us know what you decide, and enjoy!
oh, have a wonderful honeymoon Klytaemnestra. and report back 😀
Okay- here’s a question.
How come Miller Harris’s Noix de Tuberose gets no love around here?
I tried this before I got sick and OH MY!
What a decadent scent, strong and heady with a creamy, buttery drydown. Yummy.
It’s not cloying, but it does need to be applied carefully however.
Honestly it rivals my diva Fracas. It smells THAT good.
Fracas is actually more orange blossom to my nose.
This NdT is just amazing.
I like it, it’s fab!
I’ll have to pull out my sample of this, T., but I remember not liking it for some reason or other. Just didn’t do it for me. But I’m glad you love it!
Hi Joe, well yes I do adore it, it feels old school to me which I love.
It almost numbs my nose but I read it’s made with tuberose leaves so maybe that’s what gives it the oomph.
I also love violet , mimosa, tonka and they are in here big time.
I think it would be comforting in a grand dame sort of way this winter.
Ha! I remember why you didn’t like it Joe—disinfectant (ring a bell)? Anyhow, I agree with Tamara—MH tubereuse against Fracas? MH wins every time. 🙂
Oh Tamara – I wish I knew! You’re going to faint (since this would be round 2 after Dioressence)…. I gave my big bottle up for my church’s rummage sale last week. *Sigh*
ack!! **THUD**
ROTF!!!
Oh Daisy – I feel awful, but one of the priests was encouraging us to give up our tchotchkes for the thrift sale and I took him at his word and decided to give this one up, albeit somewhat reluctantly. It’s beautiful, but more than I can handle. Hoping it has found a nice home. Last year, I gave up my bottle of Ferre – Woman, the 1992 white flower scent.
Mind you, I DID reserve 5mls of the NxdT for an occassional spritz, and a couple of vials for exchanges/gifts to swap friends (Tamara), and I DO have a pot of the solid, which is easier on my nose….
it was for a good cause…..so you did the right thing. 🙂
Operafan!
OH.MY.GOD. 🙁
Really??!
How could you dear?
Now some churchlayday is gonna smell mighty strong,
and it won’t be me! 🙁
Ahahahahaha WOW.
Ain’t the way it always is.
WE should talk more! 😀
Get thee thy sniffer back in shape and we can see what else I have that you might like….
😉
Get well nose- darn you! 😛
SOTD The One by D&G. It’s not normally what I go for, but it’s nice when you want something really feminine. And I think I like it better in cool weather.
Can I just delete this comment now?
Hey, why?
Oh, sorry about that. I was having a bad day, makes me a little bummed when I can’t get into a conversation. I’m much better today, thanks. 🙂
Oh, the perfume I hope will arrive in the mail soon (though I just placed the order today): Sands of Aqaba, which I describe as Amouage lite…for which Daisy laughs at me.
That actually sounds great, because no matter the love here for Amouage those babes are too big and grand for me. I think of M.Miccalef Rose Aoud as Montale lite.
…but it was my most kindest and nurturing laugh possible!
Ok, really—I think Sands is a “grand scale” type scent. On me it is kind of big and luxurious (that’s why I like it) 🙂
What are some men’s or ~*omnisex*~ fragrances that use sandalwood as a prominent note?
10 Corso Como
10 Corso Como? Art of Shaving Sandalwood? SL Santal Blanc?
Caswell-Massey Tricorne?
And Diptyque Tam Dao.
Tam Dao. A couple years ago I paid $50 for 5mls of sandalwood essential oil and diluted it with jojoba oil and that stuff was so rich and perfect it was Heaven on earth. I’ve also been meaning to try some Arabian attars- sandalwood flower combo oils which Arabic men wear happily. Another blogger reviewed some a little while ago here-
http://perfumeposse.com/2010/07/06/tigerflag-attars/
I’m looking for something mainstream 2bh
But thank you for the answers so far <3333
Have you tried the shopping by note feature over on TPC? You could probably find good ideas there.
Crabtree and Evelyn has a Sandalwood fragrance. i think its $40 for 100ml.
How is Creed’s Santal Imperial? I kinda wanna try it
I really like Original Santal!
Hey Kro,
Etro Sandalo.
SOTD Laura Biagiottia Roma. Thanks to Scentualist Geek who plugged it on the underapreciated perfume thread. It is spicy evergreens underscored with citrus and gently powdery florals. Perfect for Fall and perfectly unisex. And a good bargain.
I saw a beautiful photo for sale on etsy of a vintage Chanel no 5 bottle surrended by roses.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/39786819/bogo-sale-chanel-with-english-roses-8-by?ref=v1_other_2
Pretty. (Shame that bottle’s empty, though…)
SOTD is Tokyo Milk Ex Libris, because you can never have enough fig.
I’m looking forward to weather that isn’t in the upper 80s/low 90s so that I can break out the cold-weather scents. That probably won’t be for another month. 🙁 But I really want to get my hands on samples of Andy Tauer’s Eau d’Epices and the new L’Artisan Bosphorous (too tired to look up its real name).
Robin, I’m hanging my head because I had to google Constitution Day. As part of “we the people” I really should know what Constitution Day is!
That may be my favorite-ever cheap thrill, the Ex Libris.
Some of us can have waaaaay too much fig…
nevah! 😉
ps. I’m sending you something.
mals, 🙂 I’m that way about lavender – can’t abide it!
make that the “dreaded lavender” and I completely agree!
SOTD AG Ninfeo Mio. Fortunately, I don’t get any of the cat pee so many have mentioned. It reminds me of the Silky Underwear body powder by Lush and I’ve discovered they’re quite nice together. Although the powder doesn’t mention fig, that must be a component of their ‘perfume’ ingredient.
Silky Underwear, really? I got nothing like that, or cat pee. Just didn’t like it any more after about 20 minutes of wanting to buy it. Very short-lived love affair. But I’ll try it again eventually.
The cat pee is = tomato leaf…. Not sure if I really like it or not. I feel the same about real tomato leaves, but at least then there’s hope of a nice tomato coming out of it all!
SOTD: Eau de Apt being painted. HA! I recently discovered Dior Homme Intense. For you Vanilla and Iris ho’s I strongly recommend it. I got very much a Guerlain Irish Ganashe vibe from it. Really! I’ll probably be one of the few here, but I am anxious to try the New Bond 9 Cooper Square.
Irish Ganache: with Bailey’s
and it is def a bargain price!
We are painting today too…the living room is almost done.
I like the smell of paint! Now that my “computer room” (yeah, yeah, on the house plan it says Formal Dining—but around here “formal dining” means we have shoes on….) anyhow, now that the computer room is all finished….my roving “painting eye” has turned upon my bedroom…I barely got out the color book before the CEO started with some really heavy duty whining….sheesh!
SOTD – Yves Rocher Rose Absolue. Their Secrets d’Essences are one of the biggest steals in the fragrance world! (I have minis of Rose, Ambre, Iris Noir and Tendre Jasmin.) I’m looking forward to trying the new vanilla.
Yes – they are nice and I just placed an order with them [their Orange Blossom edT] to get the vanilla mini!
I almost pushed that very same button, but opted for some Tauers instead. Not quite the same cheap thrill. Urk.
My VN arrived today! (Like Rustic Dove, I placed an order just to get the sample) But as much as I adore Rose Absolue, I am afraid I am not loving the Vanille – I suppose what I had in my head is just so different from the reality. Iit is definitely not gourmand (the Rose is much sweeter), and is actually quite woody. The really strange thing is that when I first dabbed it on, the top notes reminded me of Worth’s Je Revien, and that is so not what I had expected to smell. So I’ll be sticking to the Rose.
Not gourmand? Quite woody? Sign me up, that sounds like my kind of vanilla!
I agree … must try it!
I love Rose Absolue and I agree that line is great!
So I ebb and flow through lemmings all the time. My two latests are Floris’s Snow Rose and Joseph Parfum de Jour. Flittersniffer managed to get a sample of the Snow Rose for me and has posted it so I do hope I get it soon! But the Joseph is another matter. Can’t find samples. Has anyone tried it and can tell me what they think? Thank you in advance 😉
Parfum de Jour is wonderful. It was created by a Penhaligon’s nose, but it is more complex and interesting than any of their own. It a beautiful, bright floral – very springlike.
Here in London it is only available from Joseph stores these days. I have no idea where you can get samples (I have a couple, but I’m afraid I’m holding on to them, especially since they date from a few years ago and I believe Parfum de Jour has been slightly reformulated in the meantime).
Penhaligon’s has been getting much more interesting with their recent releases though, don’t you think?
I thought so, although I just read two frightening reviews of Zizonia and Jubilee Bouquet on 1000fragrances….
Uh-oh. 😉
Thank you for your thoughts!
SOTD is FM L’Eau d’Hiver, which was an extra thrown in with a recent split portion by a very generous host. I forget who, but thanks! At first, didn’t feel one way or another about it, but now it is very nice. Slightly sweet, sheer, but it is just too light, especially for those prices.
Had a lovely sniffing experience yesterday – was traveling for work and had a 2 hour layover in SFO. Noticed a toiletries shop that had some perfume (Harmony?) and they had all these indie lines and things I could never find here in San Diego! I was so excited! Elizabeth W, Ineke, lots of ones from lines I’ve tried, but specific scents weren’t in our stores (Tokyo Milk, Tocca, Pacifica), and many more. It was such fun!
Really?? I might have to take a trip to the airport!
It was pretty cool, but maybe those in bigger cities and fancier shops wouldn’t find it as exciting! Looked it up and it is called Harmony Pharmacy.
What fun! Did you buy anything, or just sniff away?
It was a lot of fun! I showed incredible restraint and did not buy anything. Almost bought Elizabeth W Sweet Tea since they have a nice small bottle, but I didn’t. Added more stuff to the to buy list for the future though!
Oh, didn’t know they were making small bottles now, I’ll have to peek at their website.
This is my first time commenting on NST, although I’ve been following for about a year now. This site totally introduced me to the joys of perfume, although I’ve been a little bit smitten with scent since my first Crabtree and Evelyn spray at the age of five. I have a few questions to ask more experienced minds, being that I’m still pretty much a perfume newbie. First, does anyone know of a feminine, vanilla-based perfume that comes across more delicate and pretty than supersweet and sugar cookie? I tend to like green and chypre scents, but my boyfriend’s a big vanilla fan, so I’m trying to find a perfume that we can both enjoy. On the other end of the spectrum, does anyone know a really good, aggressive perfume that would suit my dominatrix side, maybe with some good leather in it? And finally, has anyone here tried any of those silly Star Trek perfumes that were released somewhat recently? I kind of want one, just for the geeky novelty of it, but if they are really horrible or boring, I’ll probably just avoid them.
Aggressive, dominatrix perfume = Etat Libre d’Orange Vierges et Toreros. Pure, animalic floral leather.
Oh my, yes, Vierges et Toreros is some whip-crackin’ good stuff!
Yes! that one makes me want to don a corset, for sure.
Dzing!? Or, no leather, but maybe some Musc Ravageur?
Aggressive fragrance? Bandit is just that for me. Vanilla that isn’t too sweet? TF Tobacco Vanille, Le Labo Vanille, or l’Artisan’s Vanilia, I think
second Bandit
Welcome! We’ve had several people de-lurk recently. Leather: Chanel Cuir de Russie or Piguet’s Bandit. Vanilla: Guerlain’s Spiritueuse Double Vanille – this can be pricey but decants and splits are easily had.
I’m losing my comfort, here, Rapple. I love all 3 of those. 😀
YIKES!!! I know! If I can’t count on loving the ones you hate, and hating the ones you love, I’m going to be lost in this Amazon jungle of perfume!!!!
Guerlain’s Chamade has a lovely vanillic dry down, without being too plush or sentimental. You have to wait for it to arrive though!
a non-cookish vanilla….something a guy would find appealing….L’Artisan Vanille is a good one to try….maybe some Hermessence Ambre Narguile? it’s got a smokyiness to it. Or maybe some PG Felanilla –it’s a little naughty.
that would be ” non-cookie-ish” sigh, can’t type worth a darn some days….ok, most days.
Aggressive? Leather? Bandit! Take a look at Robin’s review here: https://nstperfume.com/2006/09/26/bandit-by-robert-piguet-fragrance-review/
Echoing the above suggestions of Bandit — seriously, it’s the quintessence of dominatrix-dom! Good suggestions already for vanillas, but you might also want to try Le Labo’s Patchouli 24, CB I Hate Perfumes In the Library, and Cartier Le Treizieme Heure — none of them are vanillas per se, but they all have a dark, dry, vanilla vibe.
SOTD: Kenzo Amour. And I just won a vintage bottle L’air du Temps EdP NR for Eur 8,50 incl. shipping. I hope it really is vintage.
Well it is late here, sorry. I won the bottle on Ebay.
I hope so too! Congrats – that’s beautiful stuff!!
so happy the fall has finally arrived. been wearing Le Labo’s Rose 31 and also SSS’s Tabac Aurea. Both so great!
on my wish list:
Penhaligan’s Sartorial
Tauer Chypre Rose
S.Lutens Chene
Bulgari Black
Kenzo Power
I already own approximately 25 fragrances. This has become a sickness!
I really don’t want to add up how many bottles I have … and even less do I want to add up how much I’ve spent on them. I just refer to it as my hobby and most hobbies do tend to be expensive.
when i first got into this i bought a bottle of bond no. 9’s new haarlem. i couldn’t believe i was spending over $100 and i felt so guilty. well, i’ve done it 24 more times since then — ha! 🙂
Have you started buying vintage yet? That’s where you’ll end up spending way more than you should. I try to justify it by saying that so many of them have been reformulated that I need to buy them before they vanish entirely.
god, no. i’m afraid my wife would file for divorce if i went that route.
Not of you shared…. 😉
Typo! Supposed to be not IF…
Tabac Aurea is Da Bomb.
where’s the like button for this comment? 🙂
Only 25? I’m working on 25 for this quarter, I think – ugh. But I am having so much fun – no regrets! And yes, hobbies can be expensive. I figure I haven’t bought much quilting fabric lately, so I can spend on perfume.
Opinions of Pacifica’s Sandalwood and Spanish Amber?
Pacifica’s Sandalwood doesn’t smell much like sandalwood and more like citrus. Your mileage may vary.
I’d say that’s about right… but it smells really nice if you have no preconceived notions of what it *should* smell like. Can’t remember the SA, though I have the solid of that one too. I think I liked it, but it didn’t wow, even as a cheap thrill.
Does anyone have any idea how much the lay down (lie down?) bottles of Caron are? I am too embarrassed to call up and ask, and I don’t see pricing on the site.
Try Amazon or eBay for Caron. You can find some amazing bargains. Caron in general is pretty reasonable and lovely.
Don’t be embarrassed to call! The SA, Diane, is so nice! I went there in person just recently, and when I told her up front that I wasn’t going to buy anything that day (because, I said, it takes me a long time to make up my mind–true), she said, of course, you need to wear the perfume first. And she then spent a good 15 minutes giving me things to smell and telling me in detail about the fragrances. It was a wonderful experience.
SOTD–4 of the five La Maison de la Vanille scents.
And here I only thought there were 4! I have Mexique and Madagascar. Which were your favorites?
I like Madagascar, Mexique and Antilles best.
SOTD: Eau de Star. One of the graphic artists complimented me on it.
Wednesday I went to Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s lecture at the Denver Art Museum. She passed around raw materials from dill to frankincense and an ancient-style preparation of herbs (marjoram?) in oil that she described as “like salad dressing,” which I think is going to be reinterpreted as Sampsinon. Ancient Egyptian preferences ran to strong and medicinal: I thought that they didn’t have eucalyptus but they would have liked Vick’s VapoRub. (And probably Eau de Star.)
Then we got to smell samples of the Egyptian collection. Antiu, with strong bitter almonds, is my favorite; 1,000 Lilies is beautiful too.
Ooh, I’m jealous, but grateful for your report! How interesting!
That sounds so fun!
My favorite thing in the King Tut exhibit is the stone sarcophagus of Prince Thutmose’s cat. I have informed my cats that they’re not getting anything like it because I spent the money on the vet who provided a tenth life for Nikki the Blue-Eyed Monster (Siamese/tabby, 16, and the Queen of the Top of The Kitchen Cabinets, where no other cat may trespass). They don’t mind: they’re all planning to live forever.
That lecture sounds fascinating! I love Egyptology, too. I always imagined the Egyptians wearing earthy scents, sandalwood oils and the like. Great to know more about it, will have to read up.
Oh, the Egyptians. Must have been resins, resins, resins. Frankincense! Myrrh! Cinnamon!
SOTD is Calyx. Lovely and summery although summer is very much gone.
I really won a vintage bottle of Diorissimo. There was only a little left, the rest has evaporated, but what remains is stunningly gorgeous. I finally understand what people were on about. The new has very little if anything to do with the old.
oooooh! you’re so lucky!!!
I’m jealous, lucky you!
It finally fell below 90 degrees here today (heat is due back tomorrow) so I broke out the L’Heure Bleue. I’ve been dying to wear my cool weather scents.
I’m only waiting for a decant of Chanel No. 19. I’m in the mood for something new and exciting, but not sure just what….
Rapple,
I luuurve L’HB.
I just got my Chanel 19 in the mail today which means you’ll probably get yours tomorrow but I cannot smell it! Grrrrrrrr.
So basically we’ll still be finding out about it together 🙂
We’ll meet back here tomorrow or Sunday then and discuss. 🙂
Rapple- Agreed dear! Let’s do a sniff to sniff comparison-
R&T present~ Chanel 19 in real smelltime.;)
I am SO disappointed, T!! Mail just arrived and NO #19. 🙁 Better luck Monday… I hope your cold is well enough so that you can enjoy yours this weekend.
Oh no dear! I hate that. 🙁
Well at least you still have something to look forward too, I do as well.
I can’t properly sniff good so I’m holding out on trying mine.
I’ll wait for you! 😉
Aww…. thanks, sweetie!
Yes! we had a cold night last week where it went down below 60 F, and I ran toward the l’HB — so amazing!
Yes! After not smelling it for several months, it’s even better than I remember it! And that’s hardly possible!!
Perfume allergy! I seem to be developing one! Or at least, I get an itchy rash in the places I normally apply perfume, especially at the base of my throat and downwards. I dom’t know if its a particular perfume, or all of them, because I wear something different every day.
So far it’s not too bad, and Medihoney fixes it up. And of course I can apply on clothes, and use lotions and creams. But still – how could this be happening??!! I’ve worn perfume every day for years without any worries until now.
The spices, especially cinnamon and clove, are bad for doing that and the citruses will cause a rash if exposed to sun. With the spices, it’s not that it’s an allergic reaction as that they are skin irritants.
Thanks, I do wear a cedar spice perfume a lot and wondered if that one is to blame.
OH NO!! It might be a type of ingredient like Rapple says….make sure you let the rashiness heal completely….give your skin a break for a few days. Then start by applying something that you’ve worn a lot in the past with no problems on a non-sensitive area….like the top of your forearm (avoid that inner elbow) and see what happens.
Thanks, the Medihoney does seem to clear the rash back to nothing, and I will take you advice and leave that spot alone for a while.
I am having a similar problem-my inside elbows are a mess- but have been blaming the spring pollens- i dry my clothes outside and they must collect airborne pollens! Maybe thats part of you problem too!
Yes, inside elbows are a sensitive area in any case because it’s a moist environment. I’ve had eczema there before, tho’ not recently. Good luck!
Interesting – my inside elbows have also been getting red patches recently. I think it was precipitated by the record three months of over 90 degree days here, heavier summer sunscreen and irritation from taking a backpack on and off. I’ve kept perfume away from it and dabbed on Eucerin, which seems to be helping. I’ll be glad when it’s cooler!
I had those red patches for years, and they went away when I started taking flax oil every day. The one time I went about 6 weeks w/o taking it again, they came back. I never would have guessed!
Thanks so much for this idea, Robin!
Never hurts to try — it’s good for you anyway! I was just surprised at how much it helped my skin.
Hi AnneMarie, So sorry this is happening to you- guess what? CONFESSIONTIME-
I’m finding oakmoss does this to me! 🙁
(YES I know ,Grrrrrr it’s stupid, my skin knows better- such betrayal!!)
But it hasn’t stopped me from wearing anything I have with it in there, I just have to get through the intense stinging for about a min. or two.
After that I’m gravy.
HA. Such dedication with a heaping does of obsession on the side.;)
I will not give it up.
Unless I develop boils or something 😛
Gulp, yes, I wondered if oakmoss is the culprit and felt really bad. But most if my chypres were bought post-reformulation (I think). So it must be something else. And yes, I am determined to see this through without giving up!
Oh, so sorry! Please don’t tell IFRA though.
I read a suggestion on a blog a year or so back for what to do if you start reacting to perfume: spritz a cotton ball with your perfume of choice an put it in your bra. I have one perfume that I love, but doesn’t love me (I get ugly, red contact dermatitis from it) so I’ve used this method when I’ve worn that perfume. All the scent, none of the contact.
Oh thanks for the reminder. Yes, I’ve done this in the past too and it really does work!
Wearing Tom Ford Black Orchid today and loving it more than I can express. Hoping to order a Tauer discovery set in the next month or so. I’m so ready to jump into niche perfumes.
welcome to our obsession….the rabbit hole is right this way…. 😉
JB I love that one! not for me as I consider it too feminine for a man to pull of, but I have it on my list to give as a gift to one of my best friends for her birthday… 🙂
Tauers were my rabbit hole – enjoy! I have a sample set coming my way, too.
I am wearing my Burberry Brit today. I never imagined that this perfume could be so beautiful and “comfortable”
I have just discovered it
Those discoveries are the best, aren’t they?
That is such a great bottle, too.
I’m layering premier figuier over kiehls musk (and I thin it is a repeat already on this polls! hehehehe)
The coconut drydown on the Premier Figuier smells great against the musk.
That combo sounds intriguing! Will have to try to soon.
Do try it! I use that musk as a base for layering with many things, like one-note citrus, fruits like figs.
I also use as a base a strong vetyver or Kiehl’s amber oil (the roll on)
I must admit that i got the idea after reading Chandler Burr’s article on SJP’s Lovely… but the bases I use are not nearly as skanky as whatever she used! hehehehehehe
SOTD is Apres l’Ondee — I wore this the other day as well: I was in the middle of a conversation & caught of whiff of it & lost track of what I was saying. It is so lovely……..
I am SO close to ordering a decant of AL’O from TPC. It has been on my list for ages!
So we’re both wearing the Guerlain heliotrope wonders today! You smell marvelous!
As do you!
I bought a bottle recently and love it so – I don’t wear it often, but we are getting into a bit of foggy, damp weather and I think I’ll be pulling it out more. I was surprised that it was not really very expensive for as fabulous as it is.
Happy Weekend Perfumistas and Perfumistos!
I am currently enjoying my latest purchase of the newly released Prada Infusion d’Iris in the EDT formula. The EDT is wonderful. Not as “thick” or “dusty” as the original EdP. Just wanted to mention it in case anyone was wondering about it.
~Dawn
I smelled the Infusion d’Iris EDT in a magazine just this week, and mentally put it on my list right away. Glad to hear you like it better than the EDP. I have Prada’s L’eau Ambree and really love it, but I have a feeling I might like this Iris EDT even more.
I sprayed it quickly in the store and liked it, but haven’t yet tried both versions side by side.
SOTD: layered Heeleys – Sel Marin & Esprit du Tigre.
Has anyone sampled Aroma M’s Geisha series? I’m thinking of ordering a sample set, but would love to hear opinions from people who have already taken the plunge.
Hi,
I have a bottle of the Geisha Noire EdP (compliments galore when I wear it) and Geisha Blanche.
They are night day. If you like the Tonka note, then you will love Geisha Noire. And if you like really clean and light scents, then you will love Geisha Blanche.
I tried a few others in the line, but didn’t like them as well as the 2 above.
Do sample first.
~Dawn
Thanks, Dawnkana. I also really liked the description of Geisha Noire, with maybe Rouge & Green placing 2nd and 3rd– but there’s no telling until I actually try them. I tend to be skeptical of tea notes and fruity-florals, so some of the other Geisha blends might be more challenging– the sample set will be my best bet. 🙂
SOTD was vintage Sublime – note to folks I have sent samples to – the top notes are a bit off, but let it dry down – you won’t be sorry. I think I need to keep looking for the perfect vintage bottle, though.
SOTE – I just treated myself to a TJMaxx trip after a rough day at work and got Hilary Duff With Love (gift set – $15) and Lolita Lempicka L ($17), both unsniffed, so have both on my arms. I like them! The Hilary is perfectly fine – I can see why it is a guilty pleasure. The L is going to be a great autumn scent.
On the way – Kenzo Amour Parfum and Tauer Reverie Au Jardin. I have been a maniac this quarter, and am not finished yet, bwahaha. The only time I have not bought perfume was last weekend when I went out specifically to buy some perfume. I did fall in love with Santa Maria Novella Iris and am going to revisit it soon.
Tama, please let me (and the rest of us) know how you like the Tauer. More than any of his other frags, that’s the one I am dying to sample.
It’s been on her to buy list for ages. I’m not usually a lavender fan at all, but this one is really nice. It’s been awhile, so I need to re-test, but it’s in my head at least as my favorite Tauer.
Boo is right – it has been on the list for a long time. It is very hard to describe, but it is comforting and unusual – sort of simultaneously herbal and warm. People who generally shy away from lavender don’t object to it in this, and I am fortunate to like lavender, so it works well for me. I gave a sample to a friend and she really liked it. I already own l’Air and Maroc, and a decant of Rose Chypree, so I am definitely a Tauer fan anyway.
Thanks for the description! I’ve come to love lavender in the past year and this definitely sounds like something I’d swoon over.
LLL is a really nice fragrance and smells MUCH more expensive than the discount prices it sells for. Definitely would be a great autumn scent for any vanilla/gourmand lovers.
I don’t really need a bottle of Micallef’s Note Vanille.
But I keep sniffing it over and over.
I don’t need a special edition bottle for a fabulous price.
But…….
a decant might be the way to go….wait, did you say special edition bottle at a fabulous price? ooooo so hard to resist!
Note Vanillee is one of my very favorite vanillas! yummy, yummy stuff.
The one at Luckyscent, and by fabulous price I mean it’s fabulously high (sniff, sniff, sniff).
Il Profumo Chocolat Amere does the same thing NV does, but with chocolate, of course. To my nose there’s a big dose of civet sitting right in the middle of both that cracks me up.
Oh! that bottle! nah….don’t care for it. For the most part (and don’t tell anyone I said this) the Micallef bottles are a little tacky in person. That type of top (it’s on a couple of their bottles) doesn’t fit well and the square collar thing is really awkward. But the fragrance is very lovely….just delicious!
It seems to be the only bottle of NV available right now, unless you know of a secret warehouse somewhere.
I have some to spare …I’ll email you. 🙂
Need some fall fragrance help. I always thought of myself as a fall girl (my clothes are all perfect for fall) but somehow my scents have become more summer. In my teens and 20s, my scents were more fall/winter… but I seem to have lightened with age? Go figure. Anyway, have been sniffing about for a nice cozy warm scent… and hit a number of stumbling blocks. The biggest two boulders are patchouli and oud. Everything I’ve been smelling in my search hits this base and I get mildly ill, and can’t scrub fast enough. Example of the day: 10 Corso Como. So sad. Saddest to me was Coromandel. The first 10 minutes, I was in heaven… HEAVEN, was sure that this was the HG of all HGs… but that patchouli killed it quickly. (Is there anything like Coromandel without patchouli? and yes, I know that’s like saying i’d like a steak without meat.) The other side of the fall scent conundrum: Angelique Noire — a vanilla so sweet it made my teeth grit.
Looking for suggestions for something cozy in the wood, amber, vanilla family that won’t take me down these paths. Gracias o wise ones of the scent!
Steak without meat, indeed!
Hmmm. I like patch so if any of these have it forgive me:
EL Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang, Guerlain Attrape Coeur, Fendi Theorema (hard to find), Farmacia ss Annunziata Aurora (ginger and spice without the sugar), several of the Tom Ford Private Collections (of course I own the Oud, lol), the new l’Artisan Coeur de Vetiver Sacre, Malle Musc Ravageur.
It’s kinda late and I might be talking out of my butt, but maybe something will work.
Thanks Tama. Will revisit my Musc Ravageur sample… first sampling I was a little unsure on it, and as I’ve been so busy trying more and more, haven’t returned to resniff. I definitely want to try the new L’Artisan… don’t we all? Have been meaning to try both Theorema and Attrape Coeur, so you’ve just given me more incentive. However checked out Aurora, which has patch in it, so will probably skip that.
In some ways, finding your pitfalls can be almost as helpful as finding your “good” notes.
Ha – I never noticed a speck of patch in the Aurora! Funny.
I love Coromandel but, funnily enough, I find that the patch is most prominent at the beginning and the drydown is more amber than anything else. Anyway, if you want something in a similar vein but without patchouli then I would suggest Hermessence Ambre Narguilé. It’s one of my absolute winter favourites, a very cozy scent.
Abyss has made an excellent recommendation: Hermessence Ambre Narguile. Maybe some others to try: Guerlain Bois d’Armenie or SDV, Delrae Bois de Paradis, Montale Boisé Vanillé, Amouage Lyric woman, OJ Woman or Tolu…..on the more gourmandish side there’s Molinard 1849 Iles d’Or edp, and Fendi Theorema and Guerlain Gourmand Coquin. I avoid anything with more than a smidgen of Patchouli and “most” ouds (particularly Montales) are too medicinal and overpowering. Good luck 🙂
Wonder if you would like a really sheer spice scent like Lubin Idole or Comptoir Sud Pacifique L’Eau du Gouverneur or Bvlgari Omnia? Or if you like cedar, Carthusia 1681 maybe. And the Theorema is a great pick if you can get your hands on it.
Thanks for all these everyone!
SOTD: J’Adore L’Absolu. I ordered up samples after someone recommended it in the last weekend poll and got them today. To my nose, it’s a mash-up of my three vintage floral favs: 1980s Rochas Lumiere, 1999 J’Adore and the original Chloe. Really enjoying it – huge thanks to whoever recommended it!
I didn’t recommend it but I was part of the discussion I think. You make Absolu sound wonderful!
annemarie, J’Al’A is well worth sampling if you enjoyed any or all of those, and a bit more subtle than any of them. You know, some evenings or weekends I just want to relax and luxuriate in rose/jasmine/tuberose without having to pay attention to how clever the perfume is 🙂
I forgot who mentioned it (maybe Mals?) but I do recall seconding it. I have a good amount of a tester bottle remaining, so if you need a sample refill, let me know. I’m mollyseb at hotmail.
I think I was talking about J’Adore in connection with Teo Cabanel Julia (on the Alahine review), in that I found Julia to have the same lovely mood as J’Adore L’Absolu. L’Absolu really is pretty… I reviewed it once and was complaining about it being “too naive” for me, but I think I was just, um, going through a phase. It’s really pretty.
I’m putting together a wish list for my birthday which is in early November. As it will be spring in this neck of the woods I’m thinking of Baleciaga Paris or AG Songes but am happy to hear of any other gorgeous spring fragrances! I will also go back and check out the old “10 best” lists from the northern hemisphere spring!
Hi Red…are u in Australia? assumption made by the spring in November comment… if u need a decant of Songes let me know 🙂
Yes I am in Australia, in Sydney. Thanks for the Songes offer but I have a decant and was thinking it is FBW !!! The only problem is the prices we pay in Aus for perfume, might have to get hubby to take a look at strawberrynet! Bound to be cheaper there than DJ’s or Mecca…
Those are both lovely choices, redscorpio. I also loved Kilian’s Beyond Love last spring. It is expensive, but the By Kilian exploration kit is a good deal, the travel set is a less than the standard bottle, and you can often find individual refills from the travel sets on ebay. Enjoy spring!
Oh gosh…I’m probably a bit late lobbing in…having recovered from nearly passing out laughing:-
*operafan puts her Fracas in the Church fete
*Daisy goes ‘Ack – thud’
*Tamara goes OMG
did Joe come in adding a bit of droll sanity???
who said that one of the church ladies would smell mighty gooood…
well …
on the bright side: no one here is going to develop an ulcer from holding in their feelings, yes? 😉
Glad to have been able to provide some good weekend entertainment! And it was Miller Harris’ Noix de Tubereuse, a 100 ml bottle from which I skimmed off a 5ml souvenir decant before donating it. Just hope whoever got it appreciates it… I still can’t believe I did that…
“Droll sanity.” HA! I’m glad that’s how you think of it, Wini! I rarely feel like I exude anything akin to sanity!
Forgive me if this has been mentioned @ NST already but, the current issue of Traditional Home magazine [October 2010] has an article [Scents & Sensibility] featuring a man who collects perfume and their bottles – and his collection is amazing. Some of his treasures are being displayed @ Longwood Gardens now during their “Making Scents: The Art & Passion of Fragrance” exhibition. Neat article. 😉
Oh my SOTD on this beautiful Saturday is FM Noir Epices. Cheers!
Oh cool! I’ll try to remember to include that in the October magazine round up.
I’m not sure if there are any South Africans here but there is a South African company called ‘fragrance boutique’ which offers ‘brand’ substitute perfumes for R160 for 30ml. They claim the perfumes are often from the same factory as the perfume put into the brand bottle but that theirs is cheaper because they do without the bottling and brand name. They claim their perfume is all from Grasse France. This makes me suspicious as though I know many top quality flower ingredients are from Grasse I doubt that the majority of production sites are there…
I would be suspicious too!
I know I am asking the wrong group but is it an absolute disgrace that I am seriously considering buying a bottle of vintage Après L’Ondée? I absolutely love it and have gone through 2 bee bottles. I am eyeing a vintage perfume for a ridiculous amount but my finger is poised over the buy button. My biggest fear is not the price but that I will so prefer the perfume I will never be able to go back to the EDT!!!
KR, if you love it, trust this seller, and can afford it now, I’m inclined to enable. The parfum form is discontinued, and IFRA keeps narrowing what can be done. Therefore, it is not as if this will be less expensive or more available in the future – au contraire!
In terms of whether having the perfume will spoil your enjoyment of the EDT, I can’t foretell. Personally, I have EDT or C and extraits of my fav Guerlains, which allows me to wear the less expensive version for everyday and to sleep in, and the extrait when I have time to pay attention to it. Also, some here enjoy layering parfum and EDT.
I agree with noz 100% —if you can afford it , then nab it while you can. Also, try to see it as a lovely compliment to the edt….and as noz said: edt for everyday…add a little parfum when the spirit moves you. Here’s the thing to consider: this doesn’t show up very often, it will only be LESS often in the future. I fear if you don’t get it while you can—that you’ll kick yourself later. Not that I’m a known enabler or anything….
Ha, ha – make that “known serial enabler” or better yet “known mass enabler” i.e., one of the best-loved, deluxe features of this site 🙂
I have a large decant of Al’O vintage perfume from TPC. I should content myself with more decants, but then I compare the per ml cost of the decant with that of the FB and it looks like such a bargain 😀
mass enabling….yeah, we’re all about that, aren’t we? 🙂
Muaahaahah! 🙂
Kelly – I’m afraid that I have to vote with my fellow enablers. Ask yourself which you’d rather have – the money or the perfume? I know which I’d rather have. 😉
I have both the extrait and the EdT of Apres l”Ondee myself, and I do not find that there is much of a difference in the scent of the two concentrations with this particular perfume. I think the main difference you will find is that the extrait lasts longer. I do not think it will spoil you for the EdT, but I do think you might enjoy layering them. The EdT will give you the initial impact, and then the extrait will help keep it going longer. By all means, if you love it, go for it. It will not get any easier to find or any cheaper in the future. It is very rare to find in extrait form anyway, as it has never been nearly as big a seller as, say, Shalimar.
You’re right – it’s not like it’s going to be easy to find in the future.
Okay, today I am wearing the Hilary Duff – it is a nice, subtle, feminine, vanilla-ish thing that is very easy to wear. I smell good! And I have to say that bottle is really a nice bit of work. Chunky and pretty – one of the nicer bottles in my collection, to tell the truth. I opted for the gift set, but may have to go get the bigger bottle. It won’t take long to get through my 30 ml. I have to say I am grateful that although I like niche, classics, and wacky stuff, I still have room in my heart for the more mundane offerings.
Cool, you made it back to TJMaxx and it was still there. My TJMaxx seems to only have dreck….never a bit of anything interesting. 🙁
I know – it’s a real crapshoot. I got both the L and Duff yesterday and that is where I got Covet, Tocade and Fleur Corail. Marshall’s seems to have more unique stuff but pretty much everything I buy at any of those places is unsniffed.
I’m on board with you on Ms. Duff, what a nice surprise ie: celebrity scents….and AFFORDABLE!!!
(This is a comforting scent to me)
Today I am wearing L’Artisan’s Mechant Loup on one wrist, and Vetiver Tonka on the other. Preparing myself for the fall, I thought it would be a good idea to go back to some of my favorites. They both share the nutty heart and some balanced wood. Vetiver Tonka seems to be a bit sweeter and a bit more gourmand. Maybe even far more gourmand than the Mechant Loup:) Mechant Loup seems to be just a bit spicier and it’s wood is a little bit more exposed. I love them both, however Mechant Loup makes me burst into tears… Its exactly the smell of my R.I.P. Grandfather, who used to have this wooden cabinet where he would save all kinds of sweets for me when I was a child. My favorite ones were the chocolate covered peanuts, and Mechant Loup resembles that scent exactly and so well… I start missing my grandfather and that wood cabinet full of goodies for me… I love when my perfumes remind me of some of my childhood memories, but some of them literally make me cry… I have a bottle of Mechant Loup and I think its a gorgeous scent, however I only wear it for myself and around the house, for the reason that it reminds me of my dear grandpa too much. Vetiver Tonka is gorgeous too, and it does not make me cry at least:) they seem to be a bit similar to each other though, because they bothe share that nutty note. Vetiver Tonka makes me think that some of the niche perfumes don’t have to be weird in order to be unique and original. Vetiver Tonka definitely smells very niche and different that most mainstream frags, however it departs nicely from being “too weird to bear” for people surrounding me. And its drop-dead gorgeous!! That and Black Vetyver Cafe are the only vetivers I can not only wear, but also love with all my heart. I guess after years of being a “perfumista”, I have found my olfactory group… Yea I’m the gourmand type of a gal:) I can bare strong ambers and vetivers, if they are also packed with some notes that fullfil my food cravings, hahaha:)
Ah, Lavandula, it’s bittersweet when a perfume evokes a loving memory like that. The sense of smell is such a strong link to our memories. Thanks for sharing.
I also enjoy Black Vetyver Cafe – thanks for reminding me to pull that out for this lovely transitional weather and make a decant for the office.
Regarding BPAL…I have a lot (detoured briefly from perfumes, I forget why) and have decided to buy some perfumer’s alcohol and bottles, to make my own ‘fume. Has anyone done this (any tips?)?
Regarding what I’m wearing, I put Laura Biagiotti’s “Roma” EDP on this AM.
My mailman “Spike” just waltzed up to my door with my Jil Sanders # 4 and K de Krizia minis, so those will be next up!
I sooo enjoy reading all of your comments, I’m a lurker since I just started this obsession in Jan of this year…..have so much to learn!I believe I’ve dropped several grand on Ebay/sinandsalvation/evilenablers since then… (No, I’m not wealthy, we were unable to get away from work to take a vay-kay this year, so guess what I spent my portion of the money on. Irresponsible? Perhaps. Do I smell great? YUP!!) The stuff I’ve spent the most on as a group would probably be Annick Goutal and Bond. No. 9’s
>^..^<
…… I am STILL KICKING MYSELF for turning down a second chance offer of 80 bucks for a large bottle of Chinatown. I know not everyone agrees on this one, but I do like it!
BiscuitBoogie:So glad you’ve de-lurked!
I have Jil Sander #4 and like it. I’m a big fan of Sun as well. I’ve tried a few of the Biagiotti’s and while Roma isn’t one of those, they are interesting and well done.
Don’t worry about anyone agreeing with you on a perfume unless you’re looking for an enabler. Plenty of those hang around on here to help out when you need it!
Thanks Tiara!
Roma is the only one I’ve tried of L. Biagiottis, I did buy my mother “Laura” since that is her name, it is tucked away for Christmas…I’ll try it when she opens it, didn’t want to pre-spritz someone else’s perfume!
I’m really liking Kenzo Amour…but I think I may have a rarer one, it is in a bronze bottle and says “parfum”, not EDP……?
Does anyone know how Kenzo “Holi” or “Oriental” differs/compares?
*Question for anyone….I tried to add an avatar, but it’s not showing up. I must have done sumpin’ wrong…… I’m 45 and feel like a dinosuar sometimes in relation to the “web”!
(Is it because I marked it PG instead of G? If I can get it up, I’m sure nozknoz will appreciate, as my ebay name is blackbestcat)
Welcome, biscuitboogie! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there cannot be too many black cats!
Wish I could remember anything helpful about setting up the gravatar. I’m older than you are, so it was a matter of sheer luck and persistence, and I’ve not been able to figure out how to get it to show up on any other site except Perfume Posse, so far.
I also enjoy Roma – it’s different and very pleasing to wear.
Nozknoz,
Thanks for the welcome!
Nope, can NEVER be too many black kitties! Prettiest ever (can you tell I’m predjudiced? LOL) have currently two but branched out into a grey (a Chartreux, the smiling cat of france…and the author Colette’s favorite…which reminds me, isn’t there a new scent out named after her from Tocca?) he is a very good and wonderful addition, we love him dearly, but my heart will always be w/ the black ones. It doesn’t help that I’m in the veterinary field, and have mucho access to black cats that are abandoned. So hard not to take them ALL HOME.
Two are in my so. cal clinic right now needing homes.
I’ll just keep trying to figure out the avatar thing, I am thinking I messed it up by rating it PG….but who knows. I guess I should just ask my 16 yr old son and be done with it! God, these kids are amazing (and humbling, har)
The whole name biscuitboogie is black cat related, we had a wonderful black one whose name was Boogie, and one of his nicknames was Biscuit. He has passed away but my son grew up with him, and Boogie gave Colton his lifelong love for cats. Black ones!
(Sorry about all the cat talk instead of perfume talk!)
my gorgeous black cat, Maxie, agrees most whole-heartedly!
I’m not very technologically apt —but it seems I’ve heard people mention before that you may need to clear your cache and then your gravataar may show up. oh and make sure the email addresses associated with the gravataar site and NST are the same. there, now you know, everything I know, about it.
Oh, if I were constantly tempted by available cats it would be all over! So wonderful that you have the training to help animals (wishing we had the applause gravator here).
I’d be kicking myself on the Chinatown too!! Great stuff.
Tama,
Yeah,
That’s going down in history as one of my “what was I THINKING?!” moments, for sure.
awwww darn…..well, maybe you’ll come across another deal on it sometime. Chinatown is the ONLY Bond that I adore.
But I know the pain of which you speak….I let a vintage bottle of a discontinued fragrance pass without bidding because I was feeling guilty over perfume spending….not realizing that I may never see that particular scent again EVER. I kick myself when ever I think of it.
**kick!** ow!
What was it?
If, that is, you can type it without wanting to kick yourself again.
a PERFECT bottle of L’Artisan Orchidee Blanche….discontinued, almost impossible to find….but no, I was feeling guilty and let it slip away …and for a pittance! Later I was able to acquire a partial, for a lot more…..
**KICK !** ow.
There are MANY cat lovers on here, so don’t ever worry about cat talk with your perfume talk. I’ve got two rescues myself. And welcome!
yuppers–lots of cat minions here. All my fur babies are rescues…not that they would acknowledge those low beginnings now….
Yes, my Precious Princess Pookie Bear does NOT think of herself as a rescue. 🙂 She believes we found her being carried around on a red satin pillow.
Ha, ha – your kitties KNOW it is THEY who rescued YOU: each day, they lick themselves on the back and think, “This poor human was leading an utterly POINTLESS existence before I came along and demanded to be fed!” 🙂
yeah, something like that…..
we almost had a revolt here last weekend….I ran out of extra-creamy whipped cream and no back up can!….demands were made, dirty looks were given….
Hi Perfumistas 🙂 I’m trying to understand what vetiver smells like – it’s listed as a note in so many perfumes but I can’t quite single it out. Could you recommend a few fragrences where this is a standout so that I can understand this note a bit better? I have access to all the standard stores, but niche lines I have to resort to mail order. Thanks for the tips! -CM 🙂
Hi CM! I’d recommend theperfumedcourt.com for samples. They’ll have sample packs available by note that should give you a good representation of vetiver scents.
Ah vetiver, vetiver… I know, it’s not the easiet note to describe!! When You do smell it for the first time, You will always recognise that note in perfumes:) Vetiver is the root of tropical grass. It smells earthy, rooty, woody, dry, sometimes even sweet. Very hard to describe. Try smelling Clinique’s Elixir Aromatics. It’s packed with vetiver, patchouli and all of the strong notes. It has that earthy, rooty dry-drown. So if You recognise the patchouli in it, focus on the other ingredient that is also present in the dry-down… vetiver!
Thanks Lavandula – I have some Clinique’s Elixer Aromatics and I’ll give it another try. I like patchoulli, but either the fragrance went bad (it was in the bargin bin) or it’s something else I didn’t like so much. Scubber! So, I was thinking that vetiver was that ingredient that made fragrance smell ‘masculine’ since it’s in so many men’s perfumes. I like green & woody and walk the line on unisex scents, but I dont want to smell like a boy. I’m too girly, I guess.
If you go to a men’s counter and smell Guerlain Vetiver that will help!
Thanks Robin – I will!
Do you have access to a health food store or someplace that sells essential oils? If they have testers, take a sniff of the vetiver to see what it smells like.
Hi everyone,
Wonderful posts as usual. I love you all. I have a question. I found two scents on lucky scent that I really want to sample, but even to sample them is a bit expensive and then if I love them, they will be extremely expensive. Has anyone tried the Regina Harris Frankincense Myrrh Rose Maroc perfume oil? The bottle is exquisite and the scent sounds beautiful and I am wondering if I should venture forth to sample? The other scent that I am pondering to sample is Amouage Homage Attar? Any experience with these scents and any thoughts on them will be greatly appreciated. BTW I am an Amouage Lyric Woman lover.
Well, thanks a whole bunch, darn it. Since my actual name is Regina, I now have to research Regina Harris, like I have any money left.
(smile)
I haven’t tried the Regina Harris, but I enjoy my tiny sample of Homage Attar. It’s very strong, so a touch or two of the dauber is enough. I’ll probably get a decant rather than a full bottle. Decants and splits are a great option if you love something too expensive for a FB, or if you realize you’d rather have a wider range of scents to enjoy and wouldn’t use up most of those bottles anyway.
I also adore Lyric woman….in fact I adore most of the Amouage women’s scents (not so much the men’s). Plenty are going to say “Homage Attar is amazing” so I might as well be contrary and say that it didn’t appeal to me at all…don’t recall that much other than I wondered what all the fuss was about, and that it seemed kind of heavy and masculine. The Regina Harris Frank.MRoseMaroc perfume oil I sampled recently. I found it to be quite disappointing….it was mostly just a heavy, musky, oily smell and had zero sillage, some incensiness but no rose that I could detect. … but then I generally don’t like oils anyhow. Sampling these isn’t going to be cheap, but definitely sample rather than making any unsniffed, very expensive purchases.
I have tried both the fragrances you mention. With regard to the the RH Frankincense Myrrh Rose Maroc, frankly, I was disappointed. I thought it smelled nice, but not worth anywhere near the price. It reminds me of amber “perfume oil” of the type you can get from the shops that sell incense and the like, only about 10 or 20 times the price. I felt similarly about Amouage Homage Attar. It is a very nice perfume, better than the RH FMRM, but again, not worth the price. For my money, Gold Woman or Dia Woman are far superior. I have not tried Lyric yet, but it is on my “to sample” list.
Of course, your opinion may be very different from mine. Mind you, I didn’t dislike either of them, I just wasn’t blown away by either. Would you like me to send you my samples so you can try them? If you are interested, you can contact me at roses_50 at yahoo dot com.
Thank you to everyone for your input. I felt that because even the samples of these scents are expensive that it would be worth hearing the experiences of any of the wonderful and knowledgable nst posters. I have removed both scents from my Perfumed Court shopping cart and have replaced them with some samples of Amouage Dia and Gold. I have to make the most of my “sample money budget” and this has been a great help in sorting out my list. Everyone here is so nice and always so helpful.
yummmm Dia and Gold are both wonderful….big floral scents. Sure, they’re spendy, but also intense—both one spritz lasts all day types.
Good choices 🙂
Just a quick question, is it just me or is the scent splits website (the wikidot one) a complete mess to figure out? I can’t really make head nor tails of it… how it’s supposed to be organized or if the data I’m seeing is even up to date anymore. Is there a secret legend or map of reference I haven’t come across to help me through the weeds?
I’m afraid it’s just about perseverance. Many of the listings are woefully out of date, and the search function is nearly useless.
Scrolling slowly down the list is about the only way to find anything there…half the listers don’t even bother to alphabetize their offerings which drives me nuts…..but the good news is that while you are laboring thru that long long long list—you will invariably find treasure. Something you wanted but didn’t think was available or got pushed to the back of your mind or something someone mentioned on NST….I’ve found a few bits of treasure on the bottles for sale page. It is frustrating but it’s worth it to wade through once in a while. Good luck 🙂
Ha! I’d like to know too! Sometimes I try to use the search function, and that helps me know whether the frag I’m looking for is there at all, but other than that it’s just a whole lotta scrollin’…and then emailing to see if it’s still available.
Still, primitive though the system is, it’s been very helpful to my wallet and I’ve been happy to put in the time.
I gave up on the search function there. Instead, I go to the page I want (bottles or current splits), hold the control key+ f to pull up the find feature for my browser and search that way. This let’s me stay on the correct page and immediately know if the name shows up anywhere plus how many times. If you change pages, then you have to do control key + f again (at least on my browser).
oooo–I’m going to try that! Thanks! 🙂
hey! it works and really helps…but like Joe mentioned—spelling counts. And a good scroll-thru is good once in a while for finding something interesting that you just weren’t thinking about .
Tiara, I do that to. Trying to find something on that page without using your browser’s find function is an exercise in futility.
Exactly! If I’m curious to find a particular fragrance, I just use the find tool within the browser … and hope that everyone spells correctly. Now and then I just scroll through the list of splits to get my saliva flowing and see what the going prices are for various decants and such.