This week we're helping Lucy, who has been looking for her daily signature fragrance for a couple years without success. She says she doesn't know much about perfume, but she lives in a large city with access to a wide range of stores and is also willing to shop online. She'll pay up to $80-100. Here is what we know about Lucy:
I'm a writer, artist, and university instructor in my early thirties, finishing my MFA. I love farmers' markets, roller coasters, thrift store dresses and old jeans, stationery, leather boots, sea salt, contemporary art and craft, smoky black tea, beach hair, Thai sticky rice with mango, ginger molasses cookies, gardening, and road trips in rusty pickup trucks.
Lucy likes citrus and honey notes, but the scents she has tried in this genre (L’Occitane Honey & Lemon, Lush Honey I Washed the Kids, Mrs. Meyers Geranium cleaning products, Fresh Sugar Lychee or Bergamot Citrus) seem to lack depth, complexity and staying power. She also likes smoky campfire, tobacco or tobacco flower notes. In her 20s, she wore Hugo Deep Red and Burberry Brit.
Lucy doesn't like "fluffy-flowery-cookie-foodie, powersuit-knock-you-over-in-the-elevator, patchouli, or named for a celebrity" perfumes.
Fragrances Lucy has tried in her search include...
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb ~ too sticky sweet.
Kenneth Cole for Women ~ too brassy and sharp.
Ineke Field Notes from Paris ~ the closest she has come to finding her ideal, but it was "a bit too aggressive out of the gate and then faded quickly". She was hesitant to pay the $88, but she might go back to it if she doesn't find anything better.
CB I Hate Perfume line ~ she likes the idea and the look of the line, and particularly enjoyed Memory of Kindness and In The Library, but she finds the line too expensive, and can't decide "whether they're what I want to smell like, or just where I want to hang out".
What say you?
Note: image is Post Box by at Living in Monrovia at flickr; some rights reserved.
This is a tough one!
I can’t think of any which fit all her preferences, but I’d go with Parfums de Nicolai’s New York! – Bitter orange and that gorgeous amber will evoke the warmth of a campfire… it does for me anyway. Definitely fulfills depth and staying power though.
I would suggest L’Artisan Tea for Two (smoky tea and honey) or maybe even Hermes L’Eau de Merveilles which has a sea salt note I believe. Good luck!
I second both of those and they are both easy to find in a city.
I think the Eau de Merveille recommendation is great. This is not one of my personal favorites, but I know a lot of perfume friends who just love it, and it combines the sea salt, the citrus (orange) AND the staying power/complexity in the drydown. It’s available everywhere, too. Nice suggestion, Prudie!
Hi, Lucy, I like your taste! For honey I would suggest Chergui. It’s a little above your price point, but really beautiful and worth it. I’d also suggest Botrytis. For smokey, campfire-ish scents (one of my favorite categories) I would suggest Sonoma Scent Studio’s Fireside Intense, which is very realistic. I also love Tauer’s Lonestar Memories, which is a more complex smokey scent with fabulous staying power. I also think you’d like Parfum d’Empire’s Ambre Russe and L’Artisan’s Tea for Two, smokey tea scents with some honey.
I too thought of Sonoma Scent Studio and Andy Tauer right away. AT is probably too expensive, but SSS is a great value — I recommend trying Winter Woods.
I also thought of Heeley Sel Marin (citrus + sea air).
I agree with Lonestar! The SSS line is worth sampling period.
I second Tea for Two! Also, I would suggest trying Bulgari Black, Bulgari Blu II (it has a sea salt element, in my opinion), and Lalique’s Encre Noir.
I second Samantha’s Bvlgari Black – smoke, vanilla, rubber, leather. Beautiful. Or try Serge Lutens Miel de Bois – it divides a lot of people, but to me it’s a really woody, smoky incense and honey skin-scent. Happy smelling!
I second Miel de Bois – great perfume.
Lucy, you have great taste! I recommend trying Tabac Aurea by Sonoma Scent Studio, a gorgous amber-tobacco fragrance which isn’t heavy or sticky at all. And what about Andy Tauers L’Air du desert marocain? Incense, spices, amber and LOTS of smoke.
I also second the Tea for two by L’Artisan. Have fun!
it will be hard to find the light summery citrusy aspect together with the heavier tobacco-smoky wintery side. First type is fleeting, the second usually has more staying power.
based on the description of yourself the following scents came to my mind:
Hermes – Un jardin sur le Nil
Ormonde Jayne – Champaca
Lancome – Cuir de Lancome
have fun Lucy : D
and OJ Woman is worth a sniff too!
I really like the things you like!
L’amoureuse by delRae and Une Rose Chyprèe by Andy Tauer have a nice green-citrusy opening and a honeyed feel. Both are complex and sophisticated, but they are also powerhouses, so you might prefer to dab them on the firts time, to keep them a bit muted!
I get a honeyed feeling also in the very elegant 31 Rue Cambon, by Chanel.
Anyway, your likes made me think of the two most iconic perfumes, and possibly the most beautiful of them all: Shalimar by Guerlain and Chanel n° 5 in extrait. Enjoy!
And good luck for your quest!
How about CSP Thé? That has a smokey tea note, and a sweetish note that could be honey… and can be had on eBay for about $60!
You certainly won’t be smelling it on many other people
that’s exactly what I was thinking Dee! CSP The ! definitely worth trying….I don’t know really where you can get samples since it’s long discontinued except for emailing ME….at Daisyloo82 AT gmail dot com. It is available for a great price on ebay …but if you like it, you might want to pick up an extra, because when this stuff is gone, it’s really gone ( they just don’t do sandalwood like this anymore!)
Daisy, I was wearing my sample (from you!) yesterday, and really enjoying it. I found a seller in Kuwait who has 10 bottles… *but* today I bought Ambre Fetiche, and Prada L’Eau Ambree, *and* a batch of samples from Luckyscent… so I’m hoping that his stash will last another month or two.
Did I tell you how much I loved Fifi Chachnil? I think I might get the less offensive looking purse spray
ahhhhh…Fifi…..good stuff. Yeah, the bottle is…umm….not my favorite. But you know, I make “travel sized” out of most of my FB’s anyhow. I love to buy the biggest bottle available of most things (less per ml, split off the extra…so my friends gain as well) then make myself 10ml sprays that easily toss in the purse! So mostly it doesn’t impact me if the bottle is goofy–they’re all in closed up cabinets anyhow!
Yes–the seller you spoke of is the only place in our galaxy to still acquire CSP The —that’s where I got mine and it’s fabulous.
Dee: I thought about getting that “less offensive” purse spray too, but then realized it’s not a good price for it. Just bite the bullet and go pink! You can always decant and then give the foofy bottle to some young girl to play with!
Ach, you’re probably right! I can just picture it inside my cabinet with the pipette taped to the side… lol.
For citrus and honey, my vote goes to Prairie Nymph by Smell Bent. You can order a sample from IndieScents.com
It’s my favorite cheap thrill and it smells so good!
Perfume Notes:
honeyed beeswax, carnation, clementine, and soft musk
~Dawn
I’ll second this one! I drained out my large sample in the summer time. It was super fun to wear and very happy.
Hi Lucy:
Here are my rec’s to you based on your profile:
Etro Shaal Nur, which is very smooth, minimally herbal, mostly rose, incense and sandalwood. It is gorgeous, seasonless, and easy to wear for day. The drydown is just amazing. It always reminds me of the hippy soap section of the farmers market, and I think is very boho artsy.
Somoma Scent Studio Tabac Aurea (for the rich honey woods & unsmoked tobacco), and also agree with the above mention of Fireside Intense. You may also want to try the Winter Woods, Ambre Noire or Incense Pure.
I think the Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is a very boozy, honey like vanilla, and it is out of your price range, but you could always try a decant.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz (DSH) Coeur de Vanille has a wonderful rich honey-immortelle-ish vanilla, cinnamon woods. It is NOT gourmand, but it makes me want to eat my skin, lol. It has that savory, aromatic richness of vanilla, cinnamon, woods, etc. Really gorgeous, and it lasts forever. It is also all “natural” perfumery. A bottle of this is on my short list righ now!
No honey, but I’ll also rec Diptyque’s Eau Lente, which has a very powdery, woody, incense-y, hippy, “aromatherapy” vibe, and is very easy to wear for day.
Good luck!
These have been discontinued but can be found on ebay – the MAC Naked Honey and Africanimal perfumes. Naked Honey is bright and summery, with lots of linden-y honey, and Africanimal is the sort of sexier version.
Also agree with Bulgari Black and Smell Bent Prairie Nymph.
I’ll put in another vote for Tea for Two, and I love FM L’Eau d’Hiver — subtle honey and a great warm/cold scent — good for all seasons, IMO.
yeeeeah, L’Eau d’Hiver is a great one!
I second nearly everything suggested, and would add to the sampling list ELdO’s Like This.
Oh, YES! Good one. This is currently the love of my life.
That is MY love as well!!! Yes, try this one!
Excellent suggestions above… I’ll add Comme des Garcons Series 1 Leaves: Tea to the list, and have you tried Russian Caravan by CB I Hate Perfumes? And as long as you’re trying Tea for Two, you might as well give L’Artisan’s The pour un Ete (light, lemony tea) a shot too.
For smoky I like Czech and Speake, if she is into church type smokiness from incense.
Another vote for Tea for Two! Le Labo Patchouli is a great smoky scent, but it is expensive (and hard to imagine wearing it every day)
For honey, how about Honey and the Moon by Tokyo Milk? I tried it a few days ago at Anthropologie, and it really does smell like honey. I liked it a lot, and it is quite inexpensive (and comes in a tiny bottle).
Andy Tauer’s L’air du desert marocain, which I know busts the budget, but is so gorgeous, and maybe for summer EL Bronze Goddess?
LdDM came to mind immediately!
I’d second Eau d’Hiver, and the JCE Hermes scents, but what about Dune for a different parallel on your themes? It was very fashionable, and is now very passe but has a salty intensity you might like, and is (I think) still quite widely distributed.
I always second Etro Shaal Nur
and adding Ulrich Lang Anvers (very soft) and Donna Karan Black Cashmere (a bit more spicey).
ELd’O’s Divin’ Enfant (check out the whole line);
Penhaligon’s Sartorial;
L’Artisan’s Dzing!;
Comme des Garcons Odeur 71 and Odeur 53
LesNez’s Let Me Play the Lion (may as well try l’Antimatière too… I love it)
There are great suggestions here. I’d like to add Soivohle Purple Love Smoke and Estee Lauder Sensuous [which is easy on the wallet].
Have you tried:
Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Moroc
Soivohles new one Meerchaum
and I’ll suggest an off-beat (found on etsy)
Alkemia Miel de Sauvage et Tabac
You can never go wrong with Coromandel too!
Meerschaum is a great suggestion – probably even better than Purple Love Smoke!
The magic word: Coromandel. Be still my heart… (though Lucy might not like the dirty patchouli opening)
And how exciting are the 75ml releases next year?!
Try By Kilian Back to Black. I realize it’s outside of the price range, but you might really like it. I found it incredibally long lasting with prominent honey-tobacco notes, esp. in the dry down. A decant might just fit the bill!
I would also say thumbs up to “L’Air Du Desert Marocain” as it IS my SOTD and I also thought of Jardin Sur le Nil.
Also, it’s way pricey, but for honey, and something smokey I can NOT say enough raving things about Kurkdjian’s Alsolue Pour Le Soir. She could try the earlier, less colossal version, which has a great honey feel to it. Like powdered horse dust and honey.
AND, another personal fav, which is SO reasonably priced and easy to find is the fabulous Habanita by Molinard. Smokey, leathery, little bit of rose, vanilla-vetiver mix. She MUST try it! Major bang for the buck, there, IMHO.
I strongly recommend Blu Mediterraneo’s Arancia Di Capri (a line from Acqua di Parma..
It lists “caramel” as one of the notes, but for me it evokes honey.
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P163801
There/s the sephora link (Robin please delete if the link is inapropriate, I never remember if it is or not)
L’Artisan Bois Farine for a bit of smokiness. Dzing for leather and just uniqueness. Sensuous is just a great everyday scent.
Czech & Speake used to have a very inexpensive sample offer. If it is still available, I would strongly recommend trying these. I concur with the Sonoma Scent Studio recommendations–they are great!!!
Also try Noel au Balcon by Etat Libre d’Orange…
Hi Lucy,
I’m rather late here but I’d just like to add Serge Lutens 5 o’clcok Au Gingembre. It’s at the top end of you budget but has most of the notes you like i.e. ginger, honey, smoky tea and a lemon citrusy opening. It also has the depth you’re looking for.
For some reason I’m also thinking Diorella; it’s a citrus chypre with brains that is defo signature scent material and can be found relatively cheap on ebay (in the UK anyway). Otherwise ditto Bulgari Black.
sicily…soir de lune
Has any of you ever tried Pioggia Salata; http://www.ilprofumoshop.com
it is aeau de parfum haute concentration. you could layer it whit something else or use alone,
Bulgari black is also one of my favourites
Santa maria novella – Tobaco toscano
Balenciaga – Paris
Hermes – Un jardin sur le Nile
Annick Goutal – Ninfeo Mio
Cristiane Celle Calypso – Marine
Tea for Two or Havana Vanille from L’Artisan.
posted before I could add
Daim Blond – SL
Cologne Pour Le Soir -Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Cristalle EDP – Chanel
Fresh Tobacco Flower is also very similar in note structure to your Ineke. Would also would recommend Bulgari Black