Today we're helping Rena, who is postmenopausal and finds that with the hormonal shifts, everything smells different: top notes are becoming sharper, tenacity and sillage are increasing. She'd like us to help her find some (more) perfumes she can still wear. She has good access to perfume stores, and is happy to buy samples or decants. She's also happy to chase after vintage so long as the perfume is still reasonably easy to find. Her price limit is around $250. Here is what we know about Rena:
She's a massage therapist in her early 40s. Next year, she'll be starting acupuncture school.
She says she is generally cheerful, optimistic, easy going and down to earth.
Rena has wide-ranging tastes. Her chemistry seems to work best with scents that are lush, full, round and big. She'd be especially interested in suggestions for magnolia and honeysuckle. She can't wear anything fresh, sharp, green or aquatic, and she doesn't like baby or baby powder fragrances.
Here are some of the fragrances she owns or had on her "to buy" list, along with a few she has tried but didn't work for her:
Paul Smith London: screechingly unbearable.
Lostmarch Lann Ael: a bit bright.
Calypso Violette, The Different Company Osmanthus, Ormonde Jayne Ta'if, Guerlain Iris Ganache: all still workable.
The Different Company Bois d'Iris: she loved it so much she used up a whole bottle, but now it is a bit over sharp in the opening in a way that grates on her nerves
Bond no. 9 Chinatown: remains exactly the same (probably because it was already big and tenacious).
Bond no. 9 Andy Warhol Success is a Job in NY: now makes her eyes water for the first two hours but still has a lovely dry down.
Miller Harris Fleur Oriental: used to be nice, now incredibly skanky with huge sillage.
Lollia Relax: a recent purchase; honey vanilla floral yumminess.
And here is an abridged list of things she has tried or bought unsniffed over the past few months:
Chantecaille Kalimantan: the benzoin overdose makes her happy during grey dreary weather but it's a bit strong for her.
Parfums DelRae Panache: a magnificent magnolia that started her magnolia obsession.
Parfums DelRae Mythique: holy grail territory.
Parfums Delrae Amoureuse: lovely but maybe a tad too much tuberose.
Costume National 21: cozy honey fuzzy over leather.
Cartier L'Heure Convoitée: a true carnation; she doesn't love the cosmetic base but it takes about 14 hours for that to become prominent.
Donna Karan Black Cashmere: fabulous in small doses.
Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur: leather is too strong.
Profumi Del Forte By Night, White: too much sweet vanilla.
Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille: toasted marshmallow was good until coconut showed up.
Lubin Idole: nice but she doesn't want to smell like a mulled drink.
Demeter Honeysuckle: lovely but she wants something bolder.
Calypso Chevrefeuille: mostly bergamot and orange blossom, honeysuckle shows up after 8 hours. Not what she expected but she does like it.
What say you?
Note: image is lettres by jenny downing at flickr; some rights reserved.
My first thought was L’Instant EdP by Guerlain. I’ve only worn the extrait and EdP, both of which aren’t too overpowering if dabbed or sprayed under clothing. The magnolia is really lovely and warmed by honey while the citrus quality of the flower just sparkles and it is so smooth I don’t think it would irritate the sinuses. I think Kenzo also put out a magnolia but haven’t tried it so can’t speak to its quality. If you don’t mind fruit, Parfums MDCI Peche Cardinale and Mary Greenwell Plum have a “big white floral” quality on my skin though there is a good deal of fruity top notes in both while MGP’s drydown is a bit more traditional and chypre-ish. But neither of them wear especially loud while still remaining on my skin for several hours. And for a relatively reasonably priced white floral that is just gorgeous, a bit earthy and really portable, I love DL& Co.’s Angel’s Trumpet. It is beautiful and since it is a roll-on, really hard to over-apply. Best of luck and happy sniffing!
L’Instant EdP by Guerlain sounds nice.
I would also recommend Black Orchid Voile de Fleur by Tom Ford, Burberry London for women or viva la juicy by juicy couture
Where can I get a sample of Angel’s Trumpet? It doens’t look like Luckyscent or TPC have it and I wasn’t even seeing any perfumes on dl & co website:-(
Oh no. I didn’t realize it was discontinued. I thought I saw it on LS back in the fall, but haven’t looked since then. Off to investigate and thanks for the heads’ up…
Despite a name that suggests citrus, Melissa Flagg’s Clementine perfume oil is a honeysuckle fragrance, at least to my nose. It’s not a complex scent, but no need. It truly captures the scent of honeysuckle on a Southern summer evening, sufficient achievement in its own right.
With that budget I recommend the Fredcerick Malle line and Ormond Jayne.
Chanel Beige may work.
Couldn’t have said it better! Chanel Beige especially!
L’Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse – a lush and full fragrance.
by Kilian Love (don’t be shy). I don’t know why this popped into my mind but I think it’s worth a sample.
Love popped into your head because you were reading my mind? It’s already on my eventual FB List. Robin posted an abridged version of what I’ve sampled since I wrote in
It’s true and I’m sorry — in my experience, the vast majority of readers won’t read a list that’s any longer than what I included.
Yeah thelag time between when I wrote in originally and now was plenty of time to test dozens (!) of perfumes and what I sent you was an abbreviated list. Perfume switch hadn’t been on for a few years due to being underemployed but now….
Some lush florals that are well worth sampling include Kilian Beyond Love, Lez Nez Manoumalia, Annick Goutal Songes, OJ Champaca and FM Lys Mediterranee. For something lighter, Chanel 28 La Pausa. More abstract (and a bit fruity) would be FM Le Parfum de Therese.
Now I’m really longing for one of these scents – got to run to the perfume collection to decide which one to wear today! 🙂
Never sampled the others but I’m sure I still have OJ Champaca around. Since I seem to suddenly be wanting FBs of things that were previously in the “nice enough but not quite right ” category I better resample this. The perfumes I rediscovered were M.Micallef Hiver, Black Cashmere, Haie Fleuri du Hameau and Annayake Tsukimi. OJ Sampaquita is definitely much more interesting than I remembered
Interesting – I’ve been wondering about Haie Fleuri de Hameau and Anayake in general. Enjoy the hunt, Rena – looking forward to learning what you ultimately choose!
TheTsukimi is fabulous, don’t know if I have samples for the rest. I’d best describe it as plum/woods/vanilla with a teensy whiff of smoke in the background. It’s the perfume equivalent of silk long johns–cozy but also elegant and delicate and obviously not a warm weather scent. Can be worn day or night and seems to be work safe. I’ll probably be buying either this or Black Cashmere next
Nozknoz, I’ll second Manoumalia and Songes – my two favorites in the big white floral category.
I was also going to suggest Songes.
I must admit I have no idea what magnolia smells like, but I did a note search on Fragrantica, and the following are lovely and include it as a note:
Agent Provocateur (great rich rose chypre)
EL Youth Dew Amber Nude (on me a very sheer amber)
Beautiful
Gucci Envy (awesome green floral, but you say that’s not your thing)
It’s also in Sensuous, Be Delicious, J’Adore, Tommy Girl and Tocade. FYI!
Beautiful is simultaneously pretty and annoying on me so it’s a no go. Beautiful Love has more magnolia and doesn’t annoy me so maybe. Other than L’Instant suggested first the most mainstream magnolia I can think of is Jean Paul Gaultier Classique edp– It’s a pretty clear magnolia once you get past the furniture polish in the opening. I only smell magnolia inthe edp (the lacy looking bottle) NOT the edt. Haven’t tried the others you mentioned
Lush, big, full and round? And a large budget? How about Frederic Malle’s Carnal Flower?
Lush, well rounded florals? Hie thee to Amouage, and try Ubar; it is lovely, symphonic, massive…perhaps too massive, but my first thoughts in reading your profile were to point you to Amouage. Epic (woman) and Lyric (woman) would also be a thought, but more rose themed than your note indicates.
Natori also popped in mind immediately. It is not as heavy as the Amouage fragrances, but rich and complex without being too heavy.
For more straight up gorgeous big white florals, Serge Lutens’ Fleurs d’oranger or Fleurs de Citronnier would be great to try, as would Vero Profumo’s Rubj. Warning: if you are sensitive to cumin, and loathe that note, the d’Oranger and Rubj may not be a good match for you.
Hope these ideas help in your search. I wish I had a magnolia fragrance as well. I live in the south US where these blooms are common, and nothing I can find matches their lemony, spicy, heady floral quality. Best wishes as you search. Be well.
I instantly thought of Amouage, my favorite house. I’d also throw in Memoir Woman. Maybe even Homage Attar, or Dia. The thing about Amouage is that there is never a harsh, abrasive note anywhere. It’s just all good and gooey and gorgeous.
Funny, I was just logging in to recommend Natori. I just sniffed it for the first time and immediately thought of the Monday Mail for Rena. It smells delicious!
I’m not a cuminphobe or hater but my problem with cumin is it smells like cumin which means that after about an hour I’m ravenously hungry for Indian or Mexican food 🙂 so cumin heavy perfumes are usually washed off in an hour or so
I would second the recommendation of L’Artisan Nuit de Tuberose. For honeysuckle, the most beautiful and lush I know is Soivohle/Liz Zorn Honeysuckle Bird (and she sells samples!). For magnolia, I would recommend Strange Invisible Perfume’s Magazine Street. It has an admittedly challenging opening, but if you can wait patiently for a few minutes, it becomes an altogether different fragrance: a sweet but dry, and a bit boozy magnolia. Also, while not a magnolia or honeysuckle scent, SL Datura Noir might fit the bill for lush and tropical without going green or coconut. Finally, I would also strongly recommend Mona di Orio’s Les Nombres d’Or line; I think Rena might like both the Tubereuse and the Vanille.
Grand Amour, EdP Annick Goutal.
Cashmere Twill, EdP Acqua di Biella
Love, L’Oeuvre Noire Collection By Kilian
HELP does anyone know where to shop for perfume in Houston???
Other than the mainstream department stores? I have exhausted my searches there. Perhaps there are some niche brands available to purchase somewhere in this international city?? I love Serge lutens and many other french influences F Malle line would be fun to enjoy, Montale line, commes de Garçon, or any arabian noses. Andy Taur ….
Please help this perfumista is in need of a new fix. If you have any suggestions email Laura crazyforperfume@gmail.com
Check your e-mail, I wrote you!
Hi did you have a perfume to recomend for me? I live in the Boston area so I can’t help you with your shopping problem…
Rena’s preferences are not my cup of tea, but a few suggestions come to mind:
1. Big Lush Floral – Poeme by Lancome
2. Softer and lovely – Sublime Balkiss by The Different Company
3. Flowery and lovely – Crystal Flowers by Pierre Montale
supposedly magnolia-based, but lightish (both the magnolia note and as a whole): Acqua di parma magnolia noblie, kenzo magnolia, magnolia romana (Eau d’Italie),
Claimed to contain magnolia, many! E.g.rose de feu (Rosine), matin d’orage (Goutal), Reflection woman (Amouage)
For honeysuckle with a twist: why not try Fahrenheit?
for big bold flowers generally: I’m a manoumalia fan too (see above recs), maybe you’l want to try temps d’une fête (Nicolai, might be greenish to start, but mellows down) , beyond love (Kilian, tuberose)
And maybe SL Feminite du Bois? I know some people find all the wood a bit screechy, but on me its all lush peach and plum. 2nding Manoumalia and Songes which are just lovely, and maybe you’d also like Goutal’s Grand Amour, which is a big hit of honeysuckle. Victoria wrote a great review of it over at Bois de Jasmin.
Frangipani from Ormonde Jayne has Magnolia, it is very fresh and sunny, yet full of full-blown White floral notes!
Oh – another power-floral from Ormonde Jayne is Tiare!
Like Rena, hormonal shifts have changed my scent-hunting nose – and skin. Her perfumography is fantastic in scope! Some of these may have already been suggested:
OJ Woman
Chanel Beige
Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo – Mirto di Panarea
And if she can get her hands on some pre-reformulation Pavlova for First by VCA.
Oh! And Gaultier’s Fragile – believe it’s discontinued, but still widely available.
Bonne chance!!
Magnolia (+ Fig Leaf + Cardamom) = Ex Libris by Tokyo Milk! Worth a try!