Our usual open thread: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, your favorite new perfume of 2011 so far, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is lilac-blue flowers by orange_kuma at flickr; some rights reserved.
Well I’m loving Bulgari mon Jasmine noir…..it’s got that cologne fresh jasmine feel to it, which I totally ‘dig’ especially in the summer. As to the perfume I’m dying to get it’s Serge Lutens-A la nuit. OK I LOVE JASMINE!
I love jasmine too!
Me too! I also like Mon Jasmin Noir, but oddly don’t get a lot of jasmine from it. Pleasant spicy skinscent on me….
Today I’m wearing Jasminade by Parfums de Nicolai. I rarely use it; when I do, I wonder why it’s been sitting in the closet, ignored.
Girls I DO like jasmin. Do you know some good masculine jasmin fragrances? Or a good feminine jasmin perfectly wearable by a man?
Well, I think you could give Mon Jasmin Noir a try.
Thanks!
I’m wearing this today and its really nice. I like jasmine too.
I think you will love A la nuit. It is lovely
remember how we all tried to suggest a perfume for Lady Gaga
well she wears Womanity by Thierry Mugler, she tells us on the Graham Norton show. I came close by suggesting Angel. obv she’s go for the weirder one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4HeA0G4hT0
I just remembered I have the 10ml bottle of Womanity :O
I have the same perfume as Lady Gaga !!
she gave it away to some celebrity though, so now I technically don’t :/
It has been about a year since i first sampled it and i still dont know if i like philosykos :p i broke down and bought the soap, which im loving, but still not sure if i like it as perfume.
I thought that the longer i was at this, the sharper my sense of taste would get and the quicker i would be able to tell exactly what i liked and not. But it seems lately there are more and more scents that i dont know what to make of- lonestar memories was another i thought i didnt like but cant stop thinking about…
Anyone else get periods of second-guessing themselves? Is it typical after about a year me perfumistahood? Is it a good thing, does it pass?
I am still a novice too and find myself second-guessing. In terms of Philosykos, I like it a lot but I don’t know if I love it. I’m curious what the long-timers have to say about second-guessing…
I think about this problem all the time and it’s been a bit more than 4 years for me. I have a whole list of my favorite “crow” (never say never), and ones I’ve persuaded myself I need, There are about two handfuls of frags that I went nuts for early on that no longer hold my attention, and a few that I missed out on b/c they are now hard to find. It’s just part of the game. I constantly agonize over what merits a decant or FB purchase for my limited funds and limited skin time. But I also realize that all the wanting and having/not having is half the fun. I do try and stick to my rule that I can’t buy it until I drain it, which is often severely tested. I find if I’ve waited more than one or two months to decide about something, invariably during that time something else I want more has come along, and so it goes. The more I sniff, the more fickle I’ve become. My nose has changed, and my tastes have changed too. I try and get as many decants as I can – it helps the budget and space issues too. The agony is part of your learning curve.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for it to pass! The more things you try, and the more choices you are faced with, the harder it is to make a decision. Then there is the difference between deciding whether you like something well enough to wear it, say, from a sample or decant, or if a bottle dropped from the sky (as if!) and deciding that you like it well enough to actually buy a bottle. Some notes and some perfumes tend to be acquired tastes, as well, and you find you only “get” them after repeated tries. Particularly if a note is new to you, your nose may need time to decide whether it likes the note or not.
I do understand the “I like it as a smell but not as a perfume” phenomenon as well. There are some perfumes that I though smelled good for short time, but that I would not want to smell for hours on end. Scented soap, while wonderful, tends to have far less longevity than perfume. I usually find that I am unable to smell it on my skin just 10 or 15 minutes after I get out of the shower. There are also some perfumes I would like better as a room spray or scented candle than on my skin.
Hmm. My tastes have expanded dramatically. And, some things that I thought were great early on, later I realized weren’t so great — just because I’d smelled more perfumes and had a better idea of what was out there.
I am also about a year into perfumista-hood and I hear you on the indecision! Beyond deciding what I actually want a bottle of, I find that lately I am really have trouble prioritizing the things on my buy list (which is absolutely necessary because of lack of funds). If I can only afford one perfume per season/ every 3 months, how do I decide which one’s the first to be purchased? The most seasonally appropriate, wearable, affordable, diverse, complimented? It seems to change day-to-day!
Perfume is like crack, only more expensive. I think it is a good time to enter the world of samples, swaps, splits and decants.
I agree with Robin that my tastes have expanded dramatically since the day I innocently ordered a few samples of classic and niche perfumes. Often my feelings about a fragrance I used to like changes because I’ve smelled a much better version of the same type of scent, like Amazing Grace vs. vintage Diorissimo or hippie patchouli vs. Coromandel. I’ve avoided some expensive mistakes by limiting myself to samples and also discovered what I don’t like or what is unlikely to work on me (if it involves cumin and B. Duchafour will not smell good and it also won’t come off). I try to be disciplined about getting a sample of something and using it up before deciding if it’s for me and if I really “need” a full bottle or even another decant, but I also fail at that a lot.
I had the same quandry about philosykos and eventually figured out after many misses that fig really isn’t my thing.
Crack!
I have been seriously sniffing for about 6 years and I still have a hard time deciding what to buy..Like Meg said: seasons, affordability (good deals!), availability and mood seem to play a big role often edging out perfumes higher on my list..
I think that if you’re stil not sure, the answer is no, don’t buy. To me, Phil. is more of a room spray than a personal perfume. Move on and find something that you have no doubts about.
I’m also a novice, but I wanted to add that sometimes, even if its a definite yes, it could still be wrong. There are at least two fbs I have that I was totally certain about – but now cannot stand…
I like the rule that if you still like it in 3 months, then buy it. Yes, by then you may like others, but you will have to wait 3 months since you first smelled them.
Truthfully, I haven’t managed 3 months, more like one month – but it was progress for me!
I didn’t like Philosykos that much at first, but have used more than half of my sample and do not want it to end! I find it fresh and cheerful. Since its not easily available where I live though, I wont be splashing on it any time soon.
SOTD is Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, which I discovered after reading all of your recommendations! I love this site!
So glad!
Oh! I tried BG for the first time recently, too. It’s great!
In a quest for nutmeg/clove incense fragrances I have really enjoyed DK Black Cashmere – but it doesn’t last on me, which is weird because my skin doesn’t eat perfume but I get about 2 hrs, tops.
I am not a body cream person – if I can’t spritz or splash it won’t be worn, so layering isn’t really an option.
Any suggestions for other fragrances in that family? I know it is “out of season” but personally I LOVE incense for hot summer nights, maybe I am weird . . . probably.
Comme des Garcons EdP, Comme des Garcons 2, & Comme des Garcons 2 Man — have you tried those?
Let me add CdG Carnation, which many people say is a clove scent.
CdG Carnation was also the first thing that I thought of—it’s got clove, and it’s pretty great. I get 6-8 hours wear from it, if I spray the holy trinity (wrist, throat, cleavage).
I am a liberal sprayer and love carnation and clove, so this sounds fabulous, thank!
Maybe CdG Red Carnation? I find it similar to Black Cashmere but lighter.
Washington Tremlett Clove Absolute is slightly incensy, I believe, and VERY clove.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I will be sure to check out the CDG fragrances (haven’t tried anything from that line yet) and the Washington Tremlett Clove.
I usually use L’Air du Temps for daytime and summer but am also now in love with Bulgari’s Jasmin Noir.
Randomly picked up an Essence of Beauty White Lilies & Freesia body mist at CVS for $4 today. It’s refreshing and pretty (we are having a 95 degree day today and I can’t take anything heavy).
Great cheap buy, congrats!
I have a couple of BBW scents like that – cheap and cheerful and refreshing. Very nice to have in the summer.
JM Vintage Gardenia today – needed something spring-y with a little bit of spice – gorgeous day today in Manhattan
It was mostly gorgeous here too, then it clouded up. Oh well, at least it’s not too hot or too cold.
Here, too. It rained for a second while I was out, but the breeze was gorgeous. Happy Sunday. Haven’t decided what I’ll wear yet today. Going to a play and then meeting a friend for wine and greek dips. Hmmm.
What is the spiciness in Vintage Gardenia? Is it from the gardenia or another note? Just wondering — this is one I haven’t tried yet.
Jill, I can’t for the life of me figure out what the spice is – but it’s there. Yesterday, with the wind blowing, amidst the crowd in Union Square (where I was for a bit), it was just perfect. Anyone know what the spice is?
Thanks, I love a good spicy floral! Sounds lovely.
Just looked up the notes and cardamom is listed. Maybe that’s what you’re picking up?
Maybe it is, Jill, but it seems a tad sharper/crisper than that – but you could be so right. Give it a try if you can. I love it.
Jolie Madame, vintage..
Saturday leather…
I wonder, is it safe to buy Vintage Tabac Blond, if it is very dark? but the bottle is sealed, I am sure it is amazing, but worried that it might be off. Thank you for helping…
I don’t always find that the color matters…I have some VERY dark vintage scents that are just fine, other than the top notes.
Thank you, I might risk it then…
fingers crossed
Good luck!
Same here, a couple of mine are very dark but they still smell great!
doesn’t jasmine tend to turn dark as it ages? I’ve read that before.
It turned quite warm here in the last couple of days so instead of body lotion and perfume I’ve been using Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi body oil It’s a nice change and very convenient too. Anyone else use anything similar? Any favourites you’d like to recommend for the summer?
Oh and I’m STILL looking for a perfect summer floral
I’ve a whole bunch of Almost Theres but nothing that I’m completely in love with.
Abyss, my perfect summer floral is Osmanthe Yunnan, I find it breathtakingly beautiful and it has this very joyful, sunny quality. My latest discovery in this category was Nicolai’s Week-end a Deauville, a gorgous green floral, light yet substantial, uncomplicated yet elegant, with a chyprish feel (there is some leather). Do try it!
Oh I love Osmanthe Yunnan but I think of it as a year round unisex scent. The Nicolai sounds interesting although I often find green scents quite tricky. I like Odalisque, though, so I’ll keep Week-end a Deauville in mind. Thanks!
Oh, that sounds so nice! Is it expensive?
It’s not cheap. I bought mine a while ago but I think it’s around £29-30 these days. I use it like baby oil and apply on damp skin right after a shower. It spreads really well that way so I don’t need to use a lot.
Abyss, what features/notes are you looking for?
Lol, I’m starting to suspect that what I want might not even exist. I want a summer floral which is light so I don’t need to worry about it bothering other people in the hot weather (pretty much rules out tuberose and other over the top tropical florals) but which still lasts well and is distinctive. I’d also prefer a more abstract composition rather than a soliflore. My favourite year round floral is Amouage Dia.
The ones which are almost there are OJ Frangipani, Aqua di Parma Iris Nobile and Magnolia Nobile and Guerlain Chant d’Arômes just to name a few. I’ve been on the lookout for the last 3 summers and have tried lots but I’ve yet to find something that really makes me swoon.
Have you tried JM White Jasmine & Mint? It lasts very well on me, but is quite light and no one else ever seems to notice it when I wear it!
Thanks! I think I only tried that one on a blotter. Most Jo Malones have no lasting power on me so I don’t think I ever tried it on skin. I might re-visit and test it properly since I always found the name very appealing.
I love the JM Vanilla & Anise. What stands out for me in that one is the frangipani note, believe it or not, and I like the just-right touch of anise. The vanilla stays light, on my skin.
Abyss, my summer floral favs are Dipytque Olene and L’Ombre dans L’Eau, TDC Osmanthus and L’AP Fleurs d’Oranger. Vintage Bellodgia might be worth trying, too. BK Beyond Love is tuberose but not heavy or intrusive. Also Hilde Soliani Il Tuo Tulipano is very pretty. Hope you’ll let us know if you find your summer floral HG!
Thanks! I’ve tried the Diptyques, the TDC and the BK but I’ll look into the other ones and see if they might fit the bill.
AG eau de Camille? Lovely and green, cooling, undemanding but incontrovertibly pretty.
Thaks! I’m trying to remember if I’ve tried that one. I tested a number of Goutals that start with C
so they are all blurring into one. I definitely tried Ciel and either Charlotte or Camille…or Chèvrefeuille.
Honeysuckle, lilac, ivy…. For me – the honeysuckle note is most prominent so if you like honeysuckles and fresh-mown grass, Camille may be your tkt.
Abyss, have you tried DelRae Panache? It’s an interesting, complex floral vetiver. I think it’s very pretty and not run-of-the-mill.
Abyss, I can’t promise anything but if you like Guerlain I’d recommend trying Champs-Elysees, which I am currently enjoying. It’s a bit of lilac and other florals but Guerlainesque and very appropriate for spring – I’m stretching it into summer.
I was just thinking “champs elysees” as I was reading—since you said it—I’ll second it!
My first thought for a summer floral if you like jasmine – Kilian’s Love and Tears.
Another great summer floral (believe it or not) – the original Juicy Couture. I love this one. Have you tried it?
Having an allergy flare up. My whole day is shot. Ive been wondering how come we dont see very many giveaways anymore.
So, so sorry!
Fewer giveaways because for whatever reason, have gotten fewer full bottles sent for review, and fewer offers to host giveaways.
Just checked, last year by this time we’d done 12, this year we’ve only done 8.
Considering we’re barely halfway through the year, I think you’re right on track!
sorry about the allergy flare up –yesterday was hell on my sinuses too….it’s been a bad spring so far : a lot of molds I think. Hope tomorrow is better for both of us.
* I need an emoticon with a stuffed up nose that can still run and a headache…the allergy-emoticon…*
I just purchased a new dust & allergy air filter for my car’s A/C. I’m pondering spraying it with some summery scent. Has anyone else tried this? I wouldn’t use Secretions Magnifique or anything.
My Mum used to scent the vacuum cleaner filter with perfume!
I do this!!
So do I! I tried a new one today and my husband asked me if I spilled a bottle of something on the carpet.
Lol! Do you use a cotton ball w/perfume in the vacuum bag?
what a great idea!
Yes!! I actually used a special blend of essential oils that I loved.
Oh, dear – the thought of SM on wheels – shudder!!!
*blerhggg* >_<
Today I received seven new samples from Sonoma Scent Studio, plus an additional two that Laurie threw in there gratis, which I was thrilled to learn. I don’t know which one to try first! I am in perfume heaven. Off to sniff these bad boys…..
Ooh, which ones? I’ve been planning to order some samples from SSS for a while now — particularly interested in Tabac Aurea and Incense Pure.
Do it! Tabac Aurea is amazingly comforting and gorgeous….it may just be full bottle worthy for me (I’ve only purchased two full bottles in the last three years, so that’s saying something!). I also love Champagne de Bois and Winter Woods.
The samples I received are: Cameo, Lieu Reves, To Dream, Rose Musc, Vintage Rose, Fireside Intense, Sienna Musk, Wood Violet, and Viole de Violette. I was especially struck by Sienna Musk and Wood Violet. It’s too early to tell what my favorites are overall, but I’m really enjoying the sniffing process!
Wow, that’s high praise! I was thinking of ordering a boxed set of five mini sprays: Tabac Aurea, Incense Pure, Ambre Noir, Champagne de Bois, and either To Dream or Fireside Intense. For $40, I could probably do a lot worse …
Yay!! champagne de bois!!! mmmmmmm
Enjoy!
I tried Azurée yesterday at an EL counter. I wanted to love it, and did at first, but it turned acrid and bitter on me after half an hour or so. Broke my heart. I love leather in theory and on paper, but on skin I find it very hit or miss.
I didn’t like Azuree either, it was just too bitter. Leather and (especially) tobacco notes are difficult for me. About the only leather perfume I have loved so far is Chanel Cuir de Russie. It’s MUCH gentler and smoother than Azuree.
I’ve been wanting to try Cuir de Russie. So far I’ve had good experiences with Cuir de Lancome (and Bandit shower gel), but that’s about it. Love tobacco notes, though.
I have a squirming, sick 3 year old on my lap as I’m trying to do this… so forgive the typos. Anyone have any cooments on either of the following: the limited ed Chloe “Rosebud” or the Prada infusion de Rose? I am going through my normal, annual lust for more summer roses and am curious…. Neither of these are at my local Macys. Thanks!
I haven’t tried the Prada but I think it is exclusive to N-M. That’s what they say but they also claim the VC&A Collection is exclusive to them and it is not.
Wearing Prada l’eau ambree today as it is finally hot and it seemed sheer enough to handle the heat. I rarely wear this, in fact I don’t think I’ve worn it since last summer, and evoking some crazy nostalgia from those days.
I have a question about washing/ reusing fragrance containers. In this case, I am curious about the atomizer only. I got the travel bottle set for BK’s Back to Black, and I was excited because I figured it will let me dip into the rest of the line for really reduced prices. I want to get the refill set for A Taste of Heaven, which would allow me to out the atomizer from my back to black onto the taste of heaven bottles, but I am concerned about *ruining* the scent with back to black remnants. Is there a way to effectively clean the atomizer? Running some bleach water through it or something? Any help would be much appreciated.
Only a very few times have I ever tried to reuse an atomizer , as normally it’s not a good idea. Once I had an old, empty AG eau d’Hadrien 8 ml bottle, and I really wanted to decant some of my Ce Soir ou Jamais edp from that fancy crystal pour bottle into it for travel. I fully soaked the empty atomizer and sprayer in rubbing alcholol for a few days and sprayed a bunch of the alcohol through the nozzle. I let the bottle air out for a few days and then put a tiny bit of the CSoJ in to slosh around and get through the sprayer. I dumped out that bit and let the bottle air out again. Then I filled it with about 4 mls just to see what would happen. In this case it worked, I think, because CSoJ is a much heavier fragrance than eau d’Hadrien. And one time I reused a 4 ml sprayer that had 4711 in it (cleaned in the same manner) to put some Crystalle edp in for my purse. That worked too. But I also had a glass atomizer with SSS Lieu de Reves in it, that I couldn’t soak out, so I just used that atomizer for some citrus/verbena EO room spray I’d made for myself. Good luck.
I once received a swap item of OJ Woman, and had my own sample from the discovery set. The swap item clearly was in a re-used bottle, as at first it smelled like Woman, and then there was something else happening – like Shalimar. Tested them side-by-side and they were simply not the same. I’ve also read that while you can boil glass bottles, any plastic portion cannot really be cleaned of scent on a molecular level. I wouldn’t do it, especially with such pricy perfumes. Just my two scents
I’m not even sure about boiling the glass. I tried that with some glass bottles (not atomizers, just plain glass bottles with screw caps) that I had used for some “homemade” cologne. I boiled the bottles for at least an hour, and they stilled smelled of their previous contents.
Meg — I’m wondering if you instead find an inexpensive atomizer top that would fit, so you could change it out for each new scent? I know I had more than one vendor site bookmarked at some point, but I can only find one at the moment. I’m sure other folks here or a Google search would turn up a greater number of options, but just as an example:
http://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/Perfume-Atomizer.html
Thanks for the advice all! It seems like it’s not really a good idea. I will explore other avenues!
Meg, it’s tempting, but they are such different (and precious) scents. Personally, I wouldn’t risk it but would rather get one of those purse atomizers from Luckyscent or other sites to decant into.
Also, I love having the attractive and completely opaque BK travel atomizer out handy on my dresser, but it is a bit heavy to tote around, so the purse atomizer approach has another advantage.
I also love the travel bottle! Like a lost relic or something. I like it more than the normal, more expensive one (my friend has it so I have seen it in person). It is amazingly heavy though, isn’t it?
It is heavy, and that’s a bit of a shame – stunningly beautiful, but too heavy for me to want to carry every day (as I should!)
Theoretically vodka is supposed to be the perfume solvent of choice for cleaning and reusing bottles/dispensing equipment – but if at all possible I’d take these folks’ advice and get a different atomizer.
don’t pump bleach water thru a plastic component atomizer–you’ll never get the bleach out. Soapy water (dish soap like Dawn meant to cut oils) then baking soda water then clear water —then put them in a tub (or something to keep them from rolling around) and set them in the sun for a couple days—that’s your best bet.
On the other hand—a few inexpensive atomizers would work immediately and be pristine….although plain.
Need help finding some? email me…we’ll get you all set up.
SOTD: Bois des Isles, on a statistically-unlikely (for this part of the world) rainy grey day.
I love Bois des Iles. I purchased it last summer on vacation so it always seems summery to me
It’s 98 degrees and I’m soon to leave for an arena football game…tough to find a scent match for that, but I’m wearing SJP’s Lovely body lotion and will probably go withthe scent. Light, pretty, doesn’t clash too badly with beer….
Sounds like your Lovely should pick up her friend Tocade for help drinking all that beer! Have fun!!
Scents that don’t clash with beer – a potential poll topic in it’s own right, LOL!
I always thought the original Miss Dior Cherie smelled like beer — could be a good choice!
Just came back from Milan, where I tried Profumum Battito d’Ali, Arso and Ninfea. Ninfea is passable, some fresh flowers, rose and musty round-up. Arso is mysterious at the beginning, like a dark room full of ancient wood furniture, and then settles to distinct church incense.
The best was Battito d’Ali. It is close to jasmin, not any jasmin, but that named Trachelospermum jasminoides, which grows everywhere in Rome and in many balconies in Milan. This new Profumum release is the real Garden on the roof (jardin sur le toit), not, Hermes’ fruity stuff.
Oh, these sound so tempting – I’m really hoping there’s a US source for samples. Thanks for these mini-reviews!
I wore METAL (Paco Rabanne) the other night….well, I’ve got to say, it’s the best perfume in the world, for me. Like no other, not even close.
How nice!
SOTD Thierry Mugler Cologne.
Yesterday was 28 La Pausa, but I got some on my hair. I was having a little comfort sniff later on and noticed vetiver, which I’ve never noticed on skin before. Anyone else get vetiver in there, or was it lurking in my shampoo?
Here is a copy of my post to Robin’s favourite vetiver article in April.
“This is so strange that you would have an article about vetiver when I am wearing my newest love – 28 La Pausa.
I know, I know, everyone says it is an iris soliflore with vetiver hiding beneath, but after the iris fades, the vetiver remains strong for quite some time.
Granted I’m wearing it on my hairy forearms and that may help with longevity (2 hours for the iris, 4 for the vetiver), but this is a great perfume. The iris is breathtakingly beautiful and the vetiver green and woody.
28 La Pausa is my vote for favourite vetiver.”
Glad to see someone else smells what I smell!
I am wearing Prada Infusion de Iris. I love it. Perfect for the summer. It smells like a European vacation to me. Does anyone else have that experience?
Infusion D’Iris is one of my go to fragrances – it is simple and elegant. As I live and work in Europe it doesn’t smell like vacation to me, but does work and going out very well!
Alas, I’ve never been to Europe… but what it smells like to me is a particular cone incense that I used to burn many many years ago.
I think I am in love with Carnal flower- just discovered this last weekend when I finally tried it on my skin. I didn’t think I’d love any tuberose fragrance half as much Tubereruse Criminelle, but I was wrong..btw- can’t wait for TC to be available in the U.S this fall- finally!!
Also question- how different is the L’Arte Gucci EDP from the EDT?
Tubereruse Criminelle is the next export? Brilliant! (yeah, SLs almost never work for me but I still get excited about trying them)
yep! First heard it from Robin on the nst fb page, then crosschecked with Franco at luckyscent and he said sometime in Fall..
I don’t have personal experience with L’Arte edt, but when the question has come up in other conversations, the comments have been largely that the edt is lighter and less deep in the base.
Carnal Flower totally rocks. TOTALLY.
Oh Carnal Flower….one of the best ever!
Carnal Flower! *thud*
I also finally got a sample of Carnal Flower just this week to try and it is so special. I figured I would love it because of all of the reviews I have read. Two of my top favorite perfumes are Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia and L’Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse. I am looking forward to trying Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle. I have completely fallen in love with white flower scents and seem to love tuberose and gardenia especially.
SL TubeyC is a little scary…
I’m going to guess that if you like Nuit de Tubereuse that you might also like Cruel Gardenia. You may also want to try Divine EdP, Guerlain Mahora or Mayotte, MH Noix de Tubereuse, Roja Dove Scandal, Piquet’s Fracas, L’Artisan La Chasse Aux Papillons, L’Artisan La Haie Fleurie or Orchidee Blanche …and that’s all I can think of now with my sun-fried brain.
Also AG’s Gardenia Passion, Guerlain’s Jardin de Bagatelle, and PdeNicolai’s Number One is a white flower bouquet with a nice amount of tuberose in it.
AG doesn’t like me…but I can’t believe I forgot about Jardins de Bagatelle!
Tubereuse Criminelle enhances the mineral/camphorous sweetness of tuberose which is my favorite aspect of the living flower..That part is very evident in the heart notes of Carnal Flower as well but TC amplifies it
Oh, yes, I bought the BIG bottle of Carnal Flower recently. It’s amazing.
oooh…
it is so lovely- I want a VAT, but I think I’ll settle for the travel size bottles..:)
a travel size of Carnal Flower is still a lot of Carnal Flower! when I was feeling particularly daring I put on 3 spritzes at once!!! Of course about 37 seconds later my daughter called down from her upstairs bedroom “how much Carnal Flower did you put on!” yep, I was in a cloud.
LOL – good to know!!
I started off with DK Iris, which I’m always sort of ambivalent about. Like it, but not that much. But then, this perfume obsession has turned me into a grail-seeking monster. Switched to Magnolia Nobile later in the afternoon, which seemed perfect for today.
I’ve been seeking my iris grail for a while but haven’t tried DK Iris or Iris Ukiyoe yet. I have used almost half a bottle of VC&A Bois d’Iris and a nice decant of Iris Silver Mist and kind of stopped trying after that. I do want to try L’Artisan’s “non-vintage” Iris Pallida.
I wore Philosykos a few days ago and I’m pretty sure it smells like coconut cream and taro. but maybe I was making that up.
Currently I’m really into M7.
Today I am wearing the incense accord oil that I got from CB I Hate Perfume, though.
Coconut cream and taro sounds plausible.
mmmmm M7 : the best “masculine” ever. Love it.
You smell great!
It’s kinda cool out (by LA standards, and a little cloudy) so I started the day with VCA’s Orchidee Vanille. Then, wanting to “warm up” a little, moved on to Chergui. Last night wore PG’s Brulure Rose, which no one seems to talk about on the blogs, but it’s just amazing. That’s what I love about swapping, getting scents you’d never try on your own, but you fall in love with. In fact, all three scents I’ve mentioned I was first introduced to as swaps for scents I own and never wear, so I thought, “why not?,” or were extras. All three perfumes are easily available to me, but I’d have never tried them or sought them out on my own because 1) I’m not a huge rose person, 2) I’m not a vanilla gal, and 3) I don’t really love SL…so there you go, you just never know!
I agree – Rose Brulure is so distinctive – I’m surprised it’s never mentioned.
I recently splurged on a bottle of Memoir because I’m in remission!
I don’t usually limit my perfume choices by season but it is brutally hot down here with punishing sun and an almost record breaking drought and a lot of fragrances feel smothering, especially the sweet ones. I’ve been wearing a touch of dry woody iris and incense fragrances and some fresh citrusy things like Imperiale. I find Vanille Noire du Mexique more fresh than noire, with a little hint of lime and spice in a not too sweet vanilla. Chergui is very nice in the heat, too.
An excellent reason to splurge!
Congratulations on remission AND the Memoir, Julia! So great to see your Shalimar gravatar and wise comments!
Congratulations on the remission!
Remission is a most excellent reason to buy a new bottle of perfume! Congratulations, Julia!
Vanille Noire du Mexique has been on my to try list for a while but I never seem to buy a sample. I love lime in the summer so I really need to rectify that.
Here’s to your remission! Congratulations
In celebration of you Julia, I think we should all purchase a new bottle of something! Cheers everyone!
Wonderful, wonderful WONDERFUL!!! on both the remission and the Memoir! very happy about both!
Thank you all. I knew the first time I stumbled across NST that it was special and that’s been proven to me over and over. I have made real life friends who have been amazingly supportive and caring – just last night somebody went to see my husband’s band and sent home some Un Lys.
My advice upthread about samples, swaps, and splits instead of full bottles was good, but it’s not what I actually practice. I’m trying to earn the title Daisy Jr. someday. The only things that still fit after my treatment are my shoes and my perfume so I’ve been indulging in both. I can’t share my shoes but I think it’s time to open up my perfume closet and share some of the perfumey goodness that’s come my way over the last few months. I’m working on an inventory of some sort and then – a round of decants for all my friends!
Thanks again to everybody for the well wishes and kind thoughts.
We can ALWAYS make exceptions for special occassions! I’m very happy about your good news and that’s a very generous thing you’re doing.
It’s good to hear your news, Julia, and best wishes on your path to the Daisy, Jr. title!
Hoooraaayyyy!!!!!
Yahoo on the remission!! Best of health to you, Julia. It ‘s great your perfume preferences didn’t change.
Congratulations re: the remission and Memoir *is* lovely (As are all the Amouages that i’ve tried).
My wonderful hubby just came home from yard saling and gave me a Calvin Klein sampler that he found! Eternity, Obsession, Secret Obsession, CK1, and Euphoria.
How sweet of your hubby!
Yeah, he is a sweet guy.
awww that was sweet thing for him to do!
*now send him estate sale shopping*
That’s a good idea. We should both start getting into that.
I am crazy about Lostmarc’h this year. I don’t know what took me so long but I keep going back to Ael~Mat layered w/Aod. It’s absolutely perfect! Everytime I see a question about a beach scent for this season I wonder why this isn’t more popular and mentioned more often? I must say~I’m thrilled that at least I’ve found the perfect perfect perfect answer to this question for myself! I wasn’t even asking the question~it just sort of happened! LOVE that!!
I like Ael-Mat a lot, too, and now I really must try that Aod sample. I think it’s a good line!
I like it, and would wear it if I had it… but somehow it wasn’t quite right for me.
I’ve had my eye on Din-Dan for a long time now. It’s a pretty nice line.
I have a question, has anyone tried any of the Molinard perfumes other than Habanita (which I love). I would like to try some of their others ie Les Orientaux Musc and Les Orientaux Chypre d’ Orient, they are quite cheap but are they nasty too?
Old hippy that I am, I have both Ambre and Patchouli by Molinard. I was disappointed by both. I smell something I can only describe as a “corn tortilla” note – have no idea what it is. It’s stronger in the patch, but I smell it in the amber, too. They’re not scrubbers, but I won’t be buying second bottles of either. I have a small sample of Habanita and I don’t smell it in that, but it’s waaay to sweet for me. Don’t know about tortilla in their others.
I wanted to love Patchouli Vanille but it was more vanilla than patch, and I adore patch.
I have some of the Molinard depuis 1849 Iles D’Or and Un Air de Molinard —both very well done….Iles d’Or is one of my mostest favoritest gourmands evah!
Need samples? Daisyloo82 at gmail dot com
Was reminded of the beautiful Guerlain Metallica today, so eventhough I was only going to mow the lawn and do garden work, i wore it anyway
Love it !
That is gorgeous. And why not enjoy your time in the yard?
I think I’ve finally found a good summer oriental. After draining two decants, I broke down and bought a bottle of Jacomo # 8 which I’m enjoying in this summer weather.
I’m moving my untried sample up to the front of the pack!
How funny is that, I just bought it today, too! I have been trying it at the store over the last months and had a sample that I used up. I noticed that it’s really splendid during the hot weather (I’m in Houston), it just has a sort of sparkling pick-me-up spicy quality! Enjoy!
Great stuff!
My favorite fragrance lately is from the blooms on our paulownia tree outside. There’s not much longer until they drop off and give way to the leaves, so once again I find myself thinking of trying to harvest them and trap their essence somehow. I’ve vaguely heard that they respond both to steam distillation and to the steeping in carrier oil method, but I’m not sure which to try. Does anyone have experience with creating floral essences? Or has anyone heard of a fragrance with paulownia in it? It’s so strong and lovely, it’s hard to imagine no one’s tried to use it.
I couldn’t find anyone selling an extract or an absolute, but I did find this article about someone at Givaudan who analyzed what’s in the fragrance. http://glasspetalsmoke.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html
It appears to be 79% hydroquinone dimethyl ether. Which attracts bees.
Thanks so much for the article! I especially like the full chemical breakdown: It’s comforting to think that even if my preservation attempts fail, I might be able to build the same fragrance from base components
Rziest – steam distillation is a pretty complicated process requiring special equipment (something akin to a still), whereas soaking the blooms in oil is much easier. When I’ve made scented oils before, I’ve soaked and strained three times (i.e. three different batches of blooms) to get enough scent into the oil. Good luck!
Btw, at first glance, I thought the picture Robin used was of Paulownia blooms, but looking closer, I realize they’re not. I think they might be Yellowwood blooms.
I wonder if it’s similar to catalpa – I love the scent of catalpa flowers and the trees are in the same family (and should be blooming here soon).
Wanted to be wearing Eau de Rochas but
got my package of a tester today from ScentedMonkey- Was supposed to be a spray and was a splash instead and had the old label with some of the silver flaking off. I’ve emailed to ask for a refund and return instructions. Here’s my question: is there hope? Will they accept my return and refund my money? They do not carry a 100ml spray of EdR…
What they sent may be vintage, but it was the current version both I and my husband fell in love with…
Oh, what a shame! Hope you get a refund.
thanks, Robin, actually talked to a person there today – they’re emailing me an RMA by the end of the day – stay tuned. (Compared to what I’ve read about them on other sites, this is good news…)
SOTD was Byredo Bal d’Afrique; now it’s Kiehl’s Original Musk. Good stuff.
Sampling a perfume named after me, Eau de Charlotte by Annick Goutal. I’m not getting much “blackberry jam” at all – seems more like really harsh laundry soap. I generally like green and fresh (and even soapy) scents, but not sure if I really like this. I still have remnents of this morning’s Azugary (lovely and long lasting musky drydown) that is clashing clashing clashing with EdC. I was really hoping to love a perfume with my name on it but don’t think this is it.
iccck! @ harsh laundry soap! bummer…..they should change the name!
But most AG’s go bad on me so I’m not terribly shocked.
I haven’t found a AG perfume that works on me yet…. I really liked the idea of Eau de Charlotte…. but no go.
I’m not good with AG’s either – Songes is the only one so far. That sounds very disappointing! I hope I find a perfume with my name on it someday.
…and then hope that it smells good!
btw—I despise Marc Jacobs Daisy.
maybe I’ll make a label that says Daisy and tape it onto a great bottle….like Citizen Queen..oops I mean: the new Daisy…..
I’m quite pleased with figuring out how to open a vintage bottle with a maddening small, spherical stopper. First I put put drops of alcohol on the edge of the stopper (where it fits into the bottle) over a few days to loosen any dried gunk. Then I looped a piece of leather (an old sandal strap) around the equator of the stopper so that I could grab it with pliers and get traction without chipping the glass. I used the kind of pliers that have an arched mouth and that slide a bit farther apart so that the bite was parallel. Gripped it quite firmly and gave it a slow, steady twist and it came right out! Whew – vintage stoppers – always such a nail-biter!
I also have a pair of jewelry pliers with nylon-covered pincers that work nicely on some faceted stoppers, but I’m sure the leather trick will come in handy again someday.
You left out the best part.
What was the perfume?
mon Seul Ami d’Isabey. Fab art deco presentation (although very foxed and worn) – looks like the ones in the 1928 vintage ads on ebay. All those old natural notes. I was looking at some photos of Eileen Gray yesterday in Modernism magazine – can imagine her wearing it. Not something I would wear often, but I do love a bit of time travel!
Bear, I appreciated your La Pausa 28 post, above – I love iris and vetiver – really need to try that one more again thoughtfully.
Noz—do you have some 28 La Pausa?
I do – and even managed to find it! Bear and Kizzers are right – there’s a lot more to this than meets the iris (sorry!). But have I told you recently that you are the most thoughtful person in the world?
BTW – what do you think of Frapin 1691?
awww thanks, I just like to share.
Frapin 1691 — sweet, boozy, musty –like old oak barrels. tends to be more at the masculine end of the spectrum. It’s interesting to sniff…I’m not sure if I want to “wear” it though …..probably should have sniffed before purchasing (got a little overexcited and the next thing you know : it’s on the way from Germany!) want some?
SOTD is Calyx since I thought it is the best fragrance to wear in Riyadh where temperature is starting to rise as it is already summer. Today it is 43 degrees. Calyx fits the bill since I want something stronger (and lasts longer) than my usual summer cologne. And it is living up to my expectations. Cheers!
I’m always searching for hot weather scents – is this the current version?
No, original version.
Love Calyx…..but keep forgetting about it because it’s one of the few I still keep in the refrigerator! I think I’ll have a spritz before I head back out to the garden….although I already smell of mulch and dirt and weeds and sun…and um…sweat…ick.
…but I got the peonies cleared of grass and weeds….they look better—I look worse…
SOTD was Angel, as bafflingly inappropriate for the weather as it might seem. I first smelled it smack in the middle of last summer, and drained my samples in record time, so my mind now automatically places the scent in a summery context – fruity drinks, sunshine, sultry nights out. It makes more logical sense to wear Angel in the winter, but I get more sick pleasure out of it when the humidex is sky-high. (One spray only, though. I’m not completely daft.)
Whatever works, LOL!
I bought a vintage screw-cap bottle of L’aimant perfume. It was full in the auction but it arrived totally empty, all leaked out and ruining the box and labels. I emailed the seller to say what happened but they’ve ignored me. What would you guys do? Is it the buyer’s tough luck what happens during shipping? I’m really confused about why it would have leaked and can only guess the lid was on wonky or something. Wasn’t expecting this! I don’t know the ettiquette around this stuff or how I should leave feedback even if I don’t make a claim. Opinions?
So sorry this happened to you! When I win an auction on vintage perfume, I usually email the seller with a few precautions, if it seems they might be inexperienced with shipping fragrance: wrap the neck in plastic wrap and place the bottle in a sealed, zip-lock bag. Now that the damage has been done, however, your only hope is that the seller is reasonable and will make it right. If not, there is not much you can do about it, unfortunately. Sure, you could appeal to the auction site, but sometimes the bad vibes from the seller (not to mention feedback) is not worth it. Good luck!
I am very sorry that it happened. It’s the seller’s responsibility to ensure that the item gets delivered to you and arrives in good condition and they should not be ignoring you when things go wrong. Buyers get A LOT of protection from ebay and PayPal (if that’s what you used to pay) so I would recommend that you file a claim with either ebay or PayPal and let them sort it out. Btw, sellers can no longer leave negative feedback for buyers so there’s no risk there. Good luck!
Yes, and how fair is that?! I’m not talking about this particular case, but really! How can one side of a transaction be allowed to assess accurately the other side and not vice versa? It’s an absolute outrage, actually. Like all buyers are little angels and all sellers nasty devils!
(Can you tell I have more experience as a seller than as a buyer?)
I have found this quite odd as well. My husband does the selling for us and he’s had more than a few nutty buyers.
Some buyers are incredibly unreasonable. And it’s worse when you’re selling something like perfume because there’s an element of subjectivity in it, and taste, so you get buyers who equate ‘disliked perfume’ with ‘bad seller’. I had one person complaining that a solid didn’t have any sillage. Er…
Oh, I absolutely agree. I sell more than I buy and ebay’s rules for sellers have been getting increasingly absurd over the recent years, no two ways about it. PayPal is in a whole other league when it comes to unconditionally siding with the buyer and I’ve read some real horror stories about their conduct. That’s a whole other topic, though, and I just wanted to let lilybug know that she’s not necessarily out of money just because the seller’s ignoring her.
Thank you for saying that.
Try to get it sorted out before leaving feedback. Contact the seller again and threaten them with filing a claim if they don’t respond in a timely manner. Wait a couple of days and then file a claim (use the eBay Help file: it’s quite detailed). Good luck! Because of bad sellers like that, all sellers are tarred with the same brush and are now practically powerless against bad buyers (and there are many of those too – and getting more numerous because they know sellers can’t do anything any longer).
Many sellers have gone to great lengths to address any problem that I reported to them. It’s unacceptable not to get a response.
I guess I might take into account whether the seller who specializes in perfume, as long as s/he had taken basic care with the packing (appropriate to a glass bottle – although I guess one could argue that baggies and aborptive padding are prerequisites for shipping liquids). You can probably tell by looking at what else s/he is offering currently or the full rating history whether the seller just happened to get a bottle of perfume with a bunch of other stuff, or if s/he sells perfume frequently.
And I agree with Queen Cupcake. If it’s a stoppered bottle in particular, I often e-mail and suggest precautions, such as rubber bands (secured with tape) to snug down the stopper.
Worst experience I had was a seller who transferred some old Guerlain Vetiver from a stopped bottle (not a bad idea in principle) to a Caron Bain de Champagne bottle (which utterly ruined it). And this was one who specializes in perfume. Unfortunately, I was so angry I couldn’t even contact her.
Still, the rewards have outweighed the risks, in my view, and I am so grateful to the conscientious and expert sellers.
BTW, I meant to say many/most of the sellers to whom I have reported a problem have addressed it, some going to great lengths, or willing to do so…I haven’t had many problems to report, thankfully. Wrote the above in a hurry….
Thanks for your answers, guys, that’s a big help.
favorite of 2011 so far – Jeux de peau by serge lutens
Mine too! And it was an impulse buy on my part. Weirdly enough, I only like it when it is hot. When spring turns freakishly cold, it just does not work. Maybe I just associate all that bread smell with a warm bakery?
After returning from India a few years back, my camera and several belongings smelled of an incense for months….a wonderful incense/kperfume that I have not been able to find in the US. Sometimes I can still detect just a small hint of the fragrance on some of my things from the trip.
I could smell it on some of the passerbys…especially in the temples and shrines.
Does anyone have any ideas of a perfume out there that captures the scent and heart of India?
THanks so much!
Sorry see my reply below.
The drydown of Etat Libre d’orange’s Rien (which I recently tried) smells a lot of the incensey smoke that you smell in temples and the smaller shops that sell souvenirs (at least to my nose).
Commes de garcon’s Champaca is very evocative of a South Indian Wedding- I smell a melange of champaca,white flowers and kumkum.
Does anyone know if those really beautiful butterfly bottles by Annick Goutal–for Petite Cherie, Nuits d’Hadrien, etc–are splash or spray bottles?
Is fragrancestop.com a legit website to buy perfume off of? Because they are selling Goutals for very good prices.
Butterfly bottles are generally splashers. Not sure I’ve ever seen them as sprayers.
Great, thanks for commenting back. I prefer spray bottles to splash bottles, regardless of how beautiful the pale green Petite Cherie bottle is.
Yes, I think they’re all splash.
My SOTD is Lotus Flower and Water Lily by Jo Malone. Found it at the back of the shelf of course, it’s now at the front and will no doubt slowly but surely move backwards again as I am so fickle. I do love this scent though and get lots of compliments on it. I really need to put a long shallow shelf along my hallway, so I can keep my boxes and bottles all in sight.
I enjoy that one, too, Sunsetsong!
Its late Autumn where I live, and SOTD was Kyoto. Its a warm and spicy Japanese incense, but I like it also because it has a sort of clean simplicity to it. It does have a slight mustiness to it, but i kind of like that too!
Love Kyoto
I’d like to share a rather unhappy event with you perfume enthusiasts. Recently, the parliament passed a new law that strictly prohibits all online shopping of cosmetics from foreign countries in Turkey, where I live. Since the selection of perfumes isn’t wide at all and there’s almost no niche perfume suppliers, let alone niche boutiques, in my country, this is thoroughly disappointing and utterly sad. The only way for us perfume aficionados living in Turkey to sample and buy niche perfumes is- correction, was- through online shopping. I just wanted to express my sadness over the situation.
The law sounds so draconian – I HATE STUPID PROHIBITIONS!!!!
Oh no! That is so sad!
I am so sorry to hear that. What a lousy situation.
That’s a HORRIBLE thing to do!!! I can’t even imagine what would prompt that kind of regulation! ……I think you need to move.
Ok, easier said than done….maybe you need to take twice yearly vacations to Paris or London so you can perfume shop….how are they about checking luggage? or parcels in the mail?
It’s just so new that I’m unable to even guess the way they’d approach to air parcels now. Though, I don’t think anything’s going to change with luggage, it’s permitted to shop outside the country and bring them along in your suitcase. And you do have a point, I either have to move or travel more.
The only thing keeping me from entering depression is that a friend of mine is travelling to Milan the next month, so he’ll grab a few, I mean handful of, fragrances for me.
Thanks for all your sympathy, it makes me glad that there are people like you who would understand the severity and the sadness of this situation.
Try jaisalmer by comme de garcons. I cant say how realistically it evokes india because unfortunatelly ive never been there, but it claims to and it smells brilliant.
I don’t know…for some reason it reminded me of curry! The only one in the series I didn’t like.
Last week I asked an ethical dilemma question about my hair stylist selling counterfeit bags, makeup (MAC) and perfume. I really appreciate all of your input and I am changing salons.
Ironically, I opened my back-up bottle of L de Lolita Lempicka yesterday (don’t judge me, sometimes I need a big slug of gourmand which L delivers) only to discover that it had been tampered with. The clear label on the bottom of the bottle had something sliced out of it and it just sort of looked off. I tried it out and it is clearly not L in EdP strength. Anybody who has sniffed it knows you cannot spray upwards of 15 pumps of L on your hand and smell nothing. If it were real we would be wearing gas masks and calling somebody to clean our air vents. I don’t even think it is EdT that was switched out for the stronger version. It smells like a bottle that was drained of perfume and refilled with alcohol.
I don’t remember where I bought it. I think at Marshalls but the box and the shrink wrap don’t have any stickers from there (and I’ve bought a lot of perfume at Marshalls and other discounters and never had a problem). I’m so frustrated. I try to be careful. I don’t buy perfumes from flea markets or anything that seems shady and I still wind up with a tampered product. Maybe the only ethical thing I can do is purchase perfume at department stores and open it before I leave or order it directly from the maker?
Sorry for the rant. My SOTD is my very last drop of L.
I had a weird experience with Marshalls where a bottle of Fleur Defendue was packed in a Fleur de Corail box – I took it back and convinced them they were not the same thing and got another one that was right. I could tell it had been re-shrink-wrapped from the get-go, but was surprised. I was happy they took it back. I guess the moral of the story is that when we get stuff at deep discount, open it right away and make sure it’s good. I am imagining that you have had it for a while?
I’m in no position to judge you, since (true confession time) I also enjoy L de Lolita. I’d be interested in knowing where TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, etc. get their perfume. Overstocks? Returns?
Yes, I often wonder where the discounters, especially the online ones, get their stock. Sometimes it is just stock left over after the packaging or bottle has been redesigned, but that can’t account for all their stock. I’ve never had a bad experience, but I’m wary.
I’ve asked about that at Marshalls and also a perfume buyer at Saks. Marshalls official line on perfume is that the stock comes from department stores that close and liquidate everything that’s left. The woman at Saks confirmed that but also said they get it in less than reputable ways and that you do risk getting counterfeit products there. There are so many mid-size department stores (local and regional mostly) that have closed over the last few years and they do sell a lot of whatever they have left to places like Marshalls.
I bought the perfume at least a year ago but it isn’t age that made the smell disappear. I might have suspected that if the label hadn’t been obviously altered. I think I will take it back anyway and show them what I got in a sealed box from them. I have no idea if they will even have one to replace it with but I am going to ask if I can check the product for authenticity before I buy anything else there. If I buy anything else there.
Today I’m testing Floris Madonna of the Almonds EdP. It’s a very pretty, unsweet almond and floral mix with some real complexity. I’m loving it, and plan to buy a bottle!
Love the name and the concept!
Wondered about that one, glad to hear it’s nice!
I am excited because I am going to go to a thing at Barney’s with Frederic Malle in a couple of weeks. He has never been to the SF Barney’s and they are all excited at the store. So, I have samples of almost everything so I can be familiar with the line in advance. Besides Carnal Flower, which I own, and Portrait of a Lady, whichIi have a decant of, I am liking Parfum de Therese and Iris Poudre. Still have a few to get through, though.
Have you decided what you’re going to ask him?!
I have a big list!
Very exciting! I think L’eau d’Hiver and Angeliques Sous La Pluie are my favorite Malles. I’ll be curious to hear how it goes!
Tama, how exciting! I hope you’ll report back.
I’m really enjoying a decant of Lys Mediterranee these days. Although I guess what I’d be most curious about in an actual store would be the candles, fleurs mecaniques and scented mats.
Yes, please do report back! My favorites of the line are: L’eau d’Hiver, Une Fleur de Cassie, En Passant, and Lys Mediterranee.
How Exciting!! Please do report back!
Wore Helmut Lang For Men today! An Old addictive Fave! My Best friend works in painting apartments for a Complex and found an almost full bottle left behind in one of the move-outs and gave me the bottle… I nearly DIED! my OLD OLD Bottle was nearly empty, SO Nice to have more of this Strange, Yet Profound Elixir!
What a great find, congrats!
Has anyone heard that Bvlgari’s original tea scent is being discontinued?
Gasp! Say it ain’t so. If that’s correct, I’ll need to get a bottle ASAP.
No. That would really surprise me. But I have been surprised before!
Me too, but who knows where the perfume market is headed. I love Bvlgari scents-they aren’t super sexy-in-your-face, but I think they are very well done, discreet scents.
Eau de Blanc, Black, and Pour Femme all get into my regular rotation.
Has anybody smelled Hugo Boss deep red? I was trying to but some perfumes for my sister. She has access only department store fragrances so I made her tell me which perfumes she liked/has liked. She said she liked Hugo Boss deep Red, Tommy girl and Poison.. She also liked the Crazylibellule stick of Amoureuse that I gave her once..Any ideas what else she might like?
[I was thinking of Yves Rocher Rose Absolute (which I’ve never smelled before) and L’Arte Gucci based on the Amoureuse stick]
Thanks in advance!
Hi Lavanya, I smelled Hugo Boss deep red a long time ago. I found it very fruity, with a warm vanillic dry down. It goes a bit in the fruity/oriental direction. Maybe your sister likes Boss Orange (woman), it has also a warm vanillic dry down, but has orange in the top notes. Or Boss Woman, it is fresher as Hugo deep red. Or maybe DKNY red delicious, I find it very close to deep red. The Hugo woman is going more in the direction of Tommy girl. Bulgari au the blanc is also more in the direction of Tommy girl, but sweeter. Maybe you can get some samples first, or take your sister with you on a “sniffication” tour. Hope I could help you a little.
Thanks! Tulp- that really helps- I would never have thought my sister like warm oriental vanilla scents if she hadn’t given me the deep red reference (though she did say she liked Poison. She also said a while ago that she liked Chanel No. 5)..Now I am thinking PdN Vanille Tonka or Anne Pliska for her?..:) I wish I could take her on a ‘sniffication’ tour- but she lives in India- so I’m planning on sending her stuff through my mom who is visiting me..Thanks a lot for your reply- it really does help!
You’re welcome. PdN Vanille Tonka is great, I don’t know Anne Pliska. Joop le Bain also has vanille/tonka in the drydown, it is one of my favs, but it is sweeter als PdN. Have a nice time with your mother.
Forgot to mention Annayake pour elle and Annayake pour elle light, smell-direction Tommy girl. Both have a nice tea scent, but they are only available as 100 ml bottles.
This was meant as an answer to Lavanya… Sorry
Hello to all ! I am new here at the forum-is my first message, but since about 3 years very interesting about perfumes – so I have found this site !!!…Very interesting and helpfull…have to say ;o))) Now about new possibilities here – great idea, so each can tell any things like… My story – just yesterday occasionally I have tried one old perfume from my mother – it is ”Fleur d’interdit” from Givenchy – I must say it was really good on my skin – some year ago I have tried it already, but it was like other perfume, in any case not my.. Now it was smelling so fresh, light and have to say very longterm – I sniff flowers like freesia – light, lovely sweet and something green inside and also some note, that hold all of notes together like favour plait a bouquet. Which note was it ? Maybe patchouli ? In any case it is very magnetise.