Today we're helping Julia, who is struggling to find the perfect scent to fit her current lifestyle. It must be serious, graceful and classic enough to work in her daytime professional environment, but intriguing enough to make a lasting impression and to carry her into the evening. She can spend up to $160, and has good access to perfume stores. Here is what we know about Julia:
She's in her mid 20s, and she lives in Stockholm, Sweden, where she studies business and political science at the University while working at a corporate law firm.
Her days are varied, sometimes all day in the library, other times in the office, and then she also meets friends for dinner or attends other events such as release parties or live performances at clubs.
Julia loves music, and is currently re-discovering 90s electro and motown soul.
She also loves fine dining, not that it has to be expensive, but she loves the experience of discovering new tastes and combinations, and she finds food and wine a close to perfect combination of the senses — taste, smell, sight.
Julia likes rose, jasmine, sandalwood, lily, bergamot and leather.
She doesn't like citrus, mint, melon, eucalyptus or red berries.
Here are some of the perfumes Julia has tried:
Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne: too pungent and sweet.
Dolce & Gabbana The One: she loved it but gave it up because her friend wears it.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue: too light, fresh and outdated.
Diptyque L'Ombre dans L'Eau: she current wears this, but finds it too green.
Gucci Envy: too floral and too light.
What say you?
Note: top image is Number 24 [cropped] by thristian at flickr; some rights reserved.
For rose, jasmine, and sandalwood: Sonoma Scent Studio Nostalgie (if she ships to Sweden?)
Cuir de Lancome is my favorite floral leather — it’s discontinued but you can still find it online for not too much.
If you love The One, I’d explore other florientals — according to Fragrantica, people who liked The One also liked YSL Cinema, Dior Addict, Hypnotic Poison, Kenzo Amour, Lolita Lempicka, and Coco Mademoiselle, among others.
Atelier Cologne Sous le toit de Paris is a great perfume with bergamot in the opening and warm blond leather in the drydown.
For rose (if you don’t mind a tiny bit of oud) – Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme. Eventually L’Artisan Voleur de Roses for a dirtier rose.
Chanel No. 22. Always right in every environment. Plus it gives you your rose and jasmine.
DITTO
graceful and classic with character: Bottega Veneta, Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue (only the Absolue version!). For something more lush and rosy I recommend you Liaisons Dangereuses By Kilian.
This might be an out-of-left-field suggestion, but perhaps try Alien by Thierry Mugler, or one of its flankers: the “Fragrances of Leather” edition and the “Essence Absolue”, in particular. I feel it ticks off a few boxes: jasmine, woody, sophisticated (when properly dosed!), day-to-night versatility, makes a lasting impression, feminine but in a refreshingly adult way. The leather edition adds a bit of scratchy dryness and leathery warmth for intrigue, while the Essence Absolue is more sweet and caramelly, but also warmer, richer, and less floral. People get scared by Alien due to its potency, but in reasonable doses I think it’s gorgeous and entirely elegant.
I second Balenciaga Paris, for rose. I’d also recommend Donna Karan Gold (which, at least as of last year was available from some internet sources for really low prices) for a lily which is also a good sophisticated day scent for those client presentation days. Madness is another discontinued fragrance which is excellent and cheap on line which would satisfy your rose and sandlewood desires. However, I have no idea what the availability in Sweden is.
I’d sniff the Dries Van Noten when it arrives at your department store counter to get a sense of a really, really good sandlewood. I suspect this may be a bit cheaper in EU countries, then here.
I realize that this is not exacly on your list of notes, but I would give Seville D’Aube a try, because I do think it would work perfectly as a sophisticated scent for work and lovely scent for going out. (Wait about thirty minutes after spraying yourself to make a decision. ) It is orange blossom (orange but not really citrussy) and jasmine.
Sandalwood + Jasmine = Samsara by Guerlain. Might be a bit pungent for you, but that’s immediate what I thought of.
Seconding this; my first thought too. And go to eBay and find the older version in the clear bottle and red box with black at the top. Gorgeous jasmine and sandalwood! One of my favorites.
Thirding this! It was my immediate thought too, and absolutely find the “vintage” version, as it is so much more mellow. Delicious.
Caron Tabac Blond Extrait or EdP – a sophisticated floral leather. I prefer the extrait.
Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady – intense rose and incense, packs a punch. Tricky if you don’t like incense.
Cartier Baiser Vole Extrait or EdP – This is my latest purchase and I adore it. I mostly get lily and green stems. Extrait is better in my opinion.
SoOud Ouris Extrait or EdP – smooth peaches and vanilla with a powdery dry down. I also prefer the extrait version as it smells richer to me.
I second Chanel No 22, which is a gorgeous white flower tempered with incense. And want to add that while you are at it, try all the Chanel exclusives (which are now available in smaller sizes so are in your budget). These have the “serious, graceful and classic” qualities you are looking for. Try Bois des Iles for sandalwood! Try Cuir de Russie for leather! 1932, though not my favorite, has the jasmine. Work your way through the entire line!
Seconding Cuir de Russie. A soft and smooth leather.
I would suggest Voleur de rose by L’Artisan, a strong and wine-y rose/patchouli combo.
Rosine’s Secrets de Rose might be a good option too for day and night.
Ooh, lots of good suggestions here already! Seconds for Cuir de Lancôme, Gold EdP and Bottega Veneta. Perhaps if Samsara is a bit too much, you could try the lighter Un Air de Samsara, which I regularly see for cheaps on the bay. SL’s Santal Majascule was a soft creamy sandalwood I enjoyed. Also not so easy to get hold of these days but if you come across vintage Jolie Madame that might be a good option.
Roses Musk by Montale – perfect
Suggest that Julia try Chanel Coco (the original one) and No. 19 in EDP and EDT. Mohur by Neela Vermeire might be of interest, although pricey. Jo Malone’s Dark Amber and Ginger Lily might also be worth a try. Good luck!
Another thought would be to try Anais Anais by Cacherel. It ticks all your boxes for rose, lily, and jasmine and has an amber sandalwood dry down. Would be great for day to night and is easily and inexpensively found online and at the discounters.
Like many of you, I’m thinking of Chanels – 1932 and No. 5 Eau Premiere in particular. The latter contains, jasmine, rose, and sandalwood, and is such a beautiful take on the classic. Bottega Veneta in its original form and in the new Eau Legere version would also be worth a try. Also, if you don’t mind tuberose (I do!), why not try Joy?
A few more ideas for things to try:
Hermès Kelly Calèche: for rose and leather
Guerlain Idylle: rose, jasmine, lily, other florals
Dior Pure Poison: jasmine (and other white florals), sandalwood, bergamot (and other citrus notes)
Serge Lutens Daim Blond: nice leather scent, if you like apricot
Someone else suggest Bottega Venata, which to me is a lighter version of Daim Blond (or as the sales associate who sold me a bottle of the latter said, Dumb Blonde- except the smell is more suitable for a CEO than for a dumb blonde ). If you can find a store which sells them both, you might want to try one on each wrist to compare the two.
Off the top of my head, I think maybe you should try Stella by Stella McCartney. It does have a bit of mandarin in the opening, but it is tart, and the rose is much more prominent. The drydown is amber. Rose is its only note from your list of likes, but the fragrance as a whole seems to fit the lifestyle you described. I’m going to keep thinking about this and check back later.
came to my mind too
So sorry, I had a really busy week and just made it back here. Unfortunately, after all that time, my best recommendation is still Stella. Good luck!
I think everybody named Julia should wear Shalimar.
Jicky is my favorite bergamot, the EdT is great, and its never out of place. I find the extrait to be almost unbearably sexy.
The other scent that comes to mind is Citizen Queen. It’s a softly aldehydic rose leather skin scent. It’s starts out like a cross between a classic 50’s aldehydic rose perfume and a luscious handmade rose soap then the leather/amber/Labdanum melts into a comfortable skin scent that I prefer to the clean musk variety. I don’t find it overtly sexy but I think some people do. I like to add a little Musc Ravageur to get that effect.
I also think Chanel Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie are the best silky sandalwood and plush leather fragrances respectively. No hard edges, challenging spices, and not too indolic, animalic, or aldehydic – just right.
Tuscany Per Donna, EL
Julia, have you tried the EDP of L’Ombre Dans L’Eau? I find it a lusher rose, not as green. That could be an easy solution if the EDT pretty close to what you want.
The other thing that came to mind for me was J’Adore. I know lots of people are bummed out by the current formulation, plus if one concern is not having something you encounter frequently on others, this might fail on that front, but still, it seems worth a sniff if you haven’t tried already, since it has certain structural similarities to D&G The One and L’Ombre Dans L’Eau in terms of fruit (but not red berries) and floral. Plus it’s certainly flexible enough to transition day to night.
For serious, graceful, classic, intriguing, I’d go for Hermes’ 24 Faubourg. It does have some citrus notes up top but I hardly notice them, in the EDP anyway. What I get is jasmine, orange blossom and a slightly scratchy patchouli anchored to a base of amber and sandalwood. Not expensive, but not so widely worn that you are going to meet yourself at every street corner!
Hi Julia
I recommend Ormonde Woman from Ormonde Jayne
It is a woody fragrance, and a modern classic, I think!
It is one of the most unusual scents out there, full of mystery and allure during your evenings out, and subtle enough to be suitable for office wear, plus you will love it so much that you’ll be sniffing your wrists alone in the library!
One of the most brilliant leathers out at the moment is Heeley’s Cuir Pleine Fleurs. Give it a go. And good luck.
I second the Heeley, a very nice leather indeed!
Since you are a foodie, I’d reccomend a perfume that works well with food – what I think of as restaurant-friendly scents. Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule comes to mind, with its delicious jammy rose-sandalwood combo. In that same vein, you should also spend some time with the classic Guerlains. Have fun!
How about Ormonde Jayne’s Ta’if? It’s a lovely deep rose with saffron and date, an initial burst of pink pepper and a soft ambery drydown. Not as gourmand as that sounds, and it’s rich but not overpowering. It also seems to wear nicely in all seasons and for day and night (although I know that some people prefer it for the evening).
For some reason, when you described this lady, the first “signature” scent that sprung to my mind was an unusual one, but one that seems to fit: histoires de parfum “music hall”. I think t would really suit here. I also second Guerlain Idylle for the rose/jasmine combination.
I recommend the sample set of Ormonde Jayne’s fragrances. They invariably seem to be a hit with the Monday Mail.
Woman and Ta’if have already been mentioned but maybe Tolu might be the one for you.
For a rose jasmine combination I recommend Joy by Patou. I’d go for the edt, but try some extrait if you can.
Another jasmine heavy composition is First by Van Cleef&Arpels. The edt is pretty and radiant, the edp is stunning.
A lot of soft leathers have already been mentioned; I would add Mythique by Delrae, and while you are trying Delrae’s Bois de Paradis and Amoureuse merit at least a try. I personally adore Début ( green floral) and Emotionelle ( garbagey melon) as well but they might not suit your tastes.
For a modern take on sandalwood maybe Lumière Blanche by Olfactive Studios is worth sniffing. They have a nice sample deal, which isn’t expensive. Have fun trying!
I’ll add L’Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse, the new Dior Diorling and Juliette Has A Gun Mad Madame. Lycka till!
Perfumes Julia should try:
Hermes Kelly Caleche
Stella McCartney Stella
Estee Lauder Sensuous
Guerlain Samsara
Narciso Rodriguez For Her EDP
Bvlgari Jasmin Noir
Chanel Coco
Lolita Lempicka EDP
Bottega Veneta EDP
Cartier Baiser Vole
Thierry Mugler Alien
For Jasmine
Santa Maria Novella’s GELSOMINO