Today we're helping Andreja, who is looking for a new perfume that is unique but not weird. She lives in Slovenia and has limited access to good brick 'n mortar stores, but is happy to shop online. She can spend up to $150.
Here is what we know about Andreja:
She's in her mid 30s, and has an 18 month-old daughter. She has a small circle of special friends, and likes socializing but dislikes crowds.
When she has time, she loves to travel, dive and ride motorcycles.
Andreja likes woody, spicy, oriental-floral, oriental-woody and chypre fragrances. She likes notes of incense, myrrh, nutmeg, cedar, bay laurel, and other woods.
Andreja doesn't like citrus-y, airy, overly gourmand, sweet or fruity fragrances, or heavy rose notes. Some of the fragrances that don't work for her include Thierry Mugler Angel, Chanel No. 5, Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey, Prada Infusion d'Iris, Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum.
Here are some of the perfumes Andreja has tried:
Ralph Lauren Safari: her favorite, although she isn't sure why. She'd like to find something similar.
Guerlain Shalimar: she loves it (it is not too sweet or vanillic, and has good staying power).
Rochas Byzance: a milder version of Shalimar; she enjoys it.
Donna Karan Black Cashmere: the best spicy fragrance she has tried; it makes her feel cozy and warm.
Givenchy Organza Indecence: a really woody spicy scent.
Bvlgari Black: points for being different, but she doesn't like the opening.
L'Artisan Traversee du Bosphore: an interesting fragrance, and the longer she wears it the better it gets.
Chanel Bois des Iles: a nice woody scent, not too heavy or plain.
Chanel Cuir de Russie: she loves it.
Creed Fleurissimo and Estee Lauder Pleasures: both nice florals.
Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile Eau de Parfum: she likes it very much.
Yves Saint Laurent: smells good on others but awful on her.
Diptyque Tam Dao: a nice sandalwood but too plain and linear.
Estee Lauder Azuree: she hates it (too green and too mature).
What say you?
Note: top image is Kildale Post Box by deargdoom57 at flickr; some rights reserved.
If you like Shalimar, then Miller Harris Fleur Oriental is a good one to try; also, Parfumerie Generale Felanilla, L’Ombre Fauve, or Iris Oriental.
It sounds like you like Bois des Iles, so why not give Sonoma Scent Studio Champagne de Bois a try? The sandalwood is to die for in that one!
Good hunting!
I’m not familiar with any of these so I’ll have to order some samples. They sound very interesting.
SSS is not expensive, so order a bunch of samples. Her scents are great!
Will do so ;-)).
Seconding the Champagne de Bois, and adding SSS Incense Pure.
I second Felanilla and Champagne de Bois. How about Antilope by Weil or Kelly Caleche, which has some grapefruit but isn’t too citrus and balances it with a wonderful leather note. How about an earthy fragrance like Black March?
Feminte du Bois! Either in the old Shiseido version (available from *bay) or the newer, less woody rendition from Serge Lutens.
Make that Feminite.
Ha, this one is on my buy list.
Excellent! I think it’s perfect for you. We seem to have a lot of overlapping tastes and I adore it (and Black Cashmere, and Cuir de Russie).
You might also try Coco in parfum if you can get your hands on a few drops without buying the bottle.
That will be hard in our deserted stores. But I hope I’ll be able to attend perfume fair in Milan at te end of March and there I hope I’ll be sniffing to death ;-)).
I second Feminite du Bois.
I thought of Feminite du Bois, too. Another one to try would be Sens et Bois by The Different Company.
I just checked Michael Edward’s classification of safari: it’s supposed to be a fresh green soft floral, which is rather confusing, given your other preferences. Mabe you should try other irises than Prada’s? I would then say: Iris poudre (F. Malle), Iris oriental (Parfumerie generale, as mentioned above), Bois d’iris (van cleef & arpels) or otherwise 31 rue cambon (Chanel, now finally in the 75 ml bottles), kelly calèche (hermès)..
I tried Chanel’s and it was quite interesting but I’ll have to try it one more time at least to decide what to do with it. Kelly Caleche did not give me any special feelings.
I also love Safari (when Perfume Posse did the wear-it-all-week challenge, that’s what I wore), and I’ve often seen it classified that way, but it doesn’t really seem like the other green florals I have. I’ll second your 31 RC recommendation and I’d definitely add Andy Tauer’s L’air du desert marocain to your “to-try” list.
As I wanted to buy sth similar to Safari I got suggested Bill Blass Nude. It is some kind of vintage floral to me. It si nice but far away from Safari. And when I first sniffed Nude I was disappointed but I gave it more tries and now I’m confortable with it. I like it but that’s just it.
I wonder what she’d think of the Musk by Khiel’s? I tried it recently and I thought it was a nice floral, not at all the heavy slutty muskiness that I expected.
I feel confortable with musks as long they not to heavy slutty (good description) as you said.
Three woodsy favorites of mine:
Gucci Pour Homme (baritone woods)
Serge Lutens Santal Blanc (sweet pencil shavings)
Jil Sander Stylessence (comfort woods)
What is baritone woods? I was quite satisfied with santal blanc, but I think it felt to fresh for me. I’ll have to try it again.
Baritone as in a male voice, low and with a lovely resonance (more an association than an actual description of the scent).
And I also must add my newfound love of today: Humiecki & Graef’s Askew. Notes: Birch tar, Guatemalan cardamom, smooth leather, ginger, grapefruit, vetiver and Egyptian mimosa. Exquisite!
I tought so this is sth like a baritone in music. Nice deep vibrations. And certainly I’ll try to get my hands on Askew. It sounds very promising.
Safari was my sig scent for YEARS, and I like/wear many of the others you listed as well. Shame they reformulated it. Similar to Safari: AG Heure Exquise, though it’s less complex – it resembles the drydown, primarily, I think. Also Chanel No. 19 (esp the vintage edt). For galbanum+wood, Miller Harris Fleurs de Bois. OJ Woman would be a good one to try, too. Are you looking for a daily scent, or more of a special occasion?
I too was thinking that Chanel No. 19 would appeal to someone who like Safari.
Well this one waits at home to try it on. I’ll try it on.
I’m looking for both. But I would really like to feel some kick when I smell it.
Nothing kicks like Bandit…give that one a try, too. And as a total shot in the dark, just bc we like enough similar things… ELdO’s Like This.
Diptyque Eau Lente for spicy/incense.
Notes just for me.
I’m so excited to read the suggestions! We have similar tastes! One I’ve recently tried and right away bought a full bottle is Gucci Pour Homme. (not number II). It is a lovely lovely woody incense! I’m a huge fan of Bois de Iles and wood and incense and this one really hit the spot for me!
I’m also a big fan of Bal a Versaille…hope you get a chance to sniff both!
I think I tried some time ago Gucci Homme but I’m not sure which one was it. I really liked Bois de Iles. I think Bal a Versaille would be too heavy for me. But if I get a chance to sniff it I definetely will do that.
Ormonde Woman. There, that was predictable, wasn’t it?
Recently fell for vintage Shalimar — good choice. I’ll have to try Traversee du Bosphore, and I agree with anything woody from Sonoma Scent Studio.
OJ Woman is on my sample list. Shalimar I own is quite old and I adore it from frst sniff. I wish they produced perfumes like that today.
I tried Traverse and it has a beautiful and really interesting development. Just what I like.
2nd 3rd 4th OJ Woman! It is unique and lovely!
How about DK Wenge, AT L’air du Desert Marocain or Les Nez Let Me Play the Lion?
Wenge is the woodiest of the lot and might be too linear for you but it’s worth a try.
I tought about Wenge and I will try it. L’air du Desert Marocain is also on my try list.
You may be the first Monday Mail applicant with similar tastes to mine! The best of the “new” chypres that I’ve tried is Solange Cosmic. It may be more than you want to spend, but you could buy decants from either The Perfumed Court or the Wiki Scent Splits site. I’d also recommend the classic Guerlains. Good luck and let us know what you come up with!
Recently I bougt Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue. And I’m very, very happy I did it. It was a blind buy but worth every penny. It is really what Kevin has written in his review.
Orris Noir from Ormonde Jayne. A spicy-woody fragrance. I think the name is misleading, so don’t let the name distract you.
Top Notes: Davana, pink pepper, coriander seed, bergamot
Heart Notes: Iris, sambac absolute, pimento berries, bay
Base notes: Incense, myrrh, patchouli, chinese cedar, gaiac
You can order a sample from her online website.’
I also thought of Estee Lauder Sensous.
Nice suggestion. Sensuous does not have enough body but it is nice and wearable at all times.
Try Annik Goutal Sables, it could really work for someone, who likes Safari – its dry, spicy and beautiful
I hope I won’t go bank-rupt with all these nice suggestions.
Me too, but try it anyway
You are my perfume twin!
I like Gucci Homme layered with Narcisse Noir. I also recommend Kenzo Jungle and Hypnotic Poison. HP was developed by the same nose who did Bulgari Black, and it has that same elegant weirdness. Also, if you like Shalimar, try Vol de Nuit, which is, to my taste, even better.
It is nice to hear people has similar taste. I already tought about Vol de Nuit.
Totally agree with VdN. I love Shalimar, too, but VdN is more versatile.
Hi Andreja,
For woody/incense I’d try Idole de Lubin (red sandalwood, rum absolute, saffron), L’Artisan’s Timbuktu (incense, wood and pepper) and Comme des Garcons’ unisex Wonderwood for a lovely peppery wood-fest!
I tried Wonderwood and I’ll give it to my housband or I will try to layer it with sth more warm. It’s to sheer but nice woods anyway and pepper.
There’s a niche scent line called Made In Italy, and their “Sicily” is a woody scent with light green and floral notes. It’s a very nice scent, different, complex, but very wearable. It’s primary distinction for me is that my husband actually sorta likes it on me, and he’s not a big perfume fan…You can find it (and samples) on the Indiescents site and TPC and (I think) at Luckyscent.
I have to check this one.
How about CdG’s Incense Kyoto? Or Czech and Speake’s Frankincense and Myrrh?( Which is similiar to the burning of church incense.)
Certainly worth a try.
FM Musc Ravageur
Mitsouko
Baghari
Youth Dew
Opium Bath Oil-I find the scent of this to be much nicer than the EDT
FRagonard’s Cette Nuit La
Samsara-vintage is better, the sandalwood is fantastic
If you can try Amouage, do try Dia, Gold ,Epic and Memoir
Anonther vote for vinatge Samsara. It truly does have that wonderful sandalwood. The older the vinatge, the better.
FM Musc Ravageur – tried that, it’s sth I really like
Mitsouko – on my try list
Baghari – don’t know that
Youth Dew – like that, own it
Opium Bath Oil-I find the scent of this to be much nicer than the EDT
FRagonard’s Cette Nuit La – will try it
Samsara-vintage is better, the sandalwood is fantastic – my boss is wearing it and it smells really god on her and also Opium.
If you can try Amouage, do try Dia, Gold ,Epic and Memoir – I am interested in all Amuage line. Just the prices are a bit high. Luckily they have sample boxes.
Dioressence by Dior, a high quality chypre
Oxiana by Profumum (this is one of the most original creations of the last years, a superb myrrhe and not only)
Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie by Creed, for a genial sandalwood
En avion or French can can or Parfum sacre or Montaigne by Caron (trying a Caron is a must)
Cardinal by Heeley for the incense
I liked Dioressence all the others I’ll guess I’ll have to try. Tnx for suggestions.
Which YSL? Because I tried Nu once and I that’s what I thought of reading your notes.
Opium doesn’t work on me. But I remember trying Nu long time ago. I think this is really worth of resniffing.
Hmmm… if you like Shalimar and Byzance, I highly recommend that you try Boucheron for Women and Miller Harris Fleur Oriental. And I have a feeling that Habanita could be right for you – check out the reviews. I discovered Habanita recently and love it!
And, just to be predictable, I have to recommend my beloved Shaal Nur, an oriental with spices, herbs, florals, incense, and vetiver. There IS citrus in the opening, but it doesn’t dominate the fragrance. It’s subtle, different, and beautiful!
I think Habanita would be right for me just as Shaal Nur. I got my eyes on both of them when I read the reviews.
Oh good! I love them!
-Another vote for LesNez’ Let Me Play the Lion;
-vintage Mitsouko;
-Mona di Orio — Nuit Noire, Oiro, and Carnation;
-Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Chyprée;
-Vero’s Onda (try the 2 different versions)
-Eau d’Italie’s Paestum Rose (don’t be put off by the rose scent — it is all about dark wood, frankincense and myrrh)
Uf, yes all that are worth a try. Although I admit I was discouraged with rose mentioned in the name.
Paestom Rose, while the rose is there, is a really dark, spicy and incens-heavy perfume. That’s what came into my mind when reading what Andreja likes in fragrances. Also, I just bought (and adore) Black Widow perfume which can be had for a song and easily found on a web search, which is a spicy clove-based frag that isn’t too sweet or even foody. It is very nice and would work well both in warm and cold weather. And Laura Mercier Minuit Enchante is really lovely and spicy, too, without being a gourmand.
It’s rather daunting to recommend for someone who already loves several perfumes like Cuir de Russie and Shalimar that are regarded by many as best-in-class, and new classics such as Traversee du Bosphore. A lot of the niche scents that I like as well or better than those are too expensive. One idea not already mentioned would be SL Daim Blond, which parallels the apple Turkish delight leather of TdB with osmanthus/apricot and suede.
More I sniff more picky I’m becoming.
I tried Daim Blond yesterday and it turns nice from leathery start (slightly less powerfull than Bvlgari Black) to warm close to skin scent. Liked that ;-).
Thank you all again for contributing in my search for a new perfume I would really love. I’ll let you know how successful I’ll be in that quest.
Donna Karan Signiture
Hope I get my hands on that.
Your likes/dislikes are very much like mine. Have to jump on the bandwagon for my all-time favorite, Vol de Nuit. Also Shaal Nur, which to me is a lighter, warm-weather version of VdN.
I will report about my new scent discoveries.
Wow! I haven’t even heard of some of the perfumes here. I love woodsy/ spicy and citrus/ spice and quite hate sweet/ floral unless overwhelmed by spice or citrus. The ones I have are She wood from DSquared and this really lovely very spicy scent called Bronze Goddess from Estee Lauder. I love the She Wood for winter, it doesn’t have much stying power though. I love using Bronze Goddess in the summer coz it really does conjure up images of tanned, oiled beautiful feminine bodies. I know these sound painfully common, but I’d still like to hear what you think about them. Also, it would be great if you could have a search function for reviews by kind of fragrance, woody/floral/ spicy/ citrus/ aqua etc. This is an amazing blog, kudos to all contributors!