Today we're helping Sophie, who says she is new to the fragrance scene, but picky and disinterested in many popular fragrances. She wants to find an everyday scent that is not out of place most of the year in Australia, where the weather is quite mild. She can pay up to $150-ish and is happy to shop online. Here is what we know about Sophie:
She's in her late 20s, and is studying for her PhD.
She says she is quite introverted but doesn't take anything too seriously.
She likes to try new things and being herself, an individual, is important.
She also loves to be outdoors, whether it's hiking, cycling or skiing.
Sophie likes patchouli, iris, vanilla, citrus (particularly bergamot), woods (particularly sandalwood) and lighter florals. Sophie's favorite perfume is Guerlain Shalimar Ode a la Vanille sur la Route de Madagascar, but because it was a limited edition, she does not feel she can use it with reckless abandon. Other favorites include the woody, caramel dry down of Prada Candy, and for spring/summer, Christian Dior Miss Dior Eau Fraiche. She also likes Prada Infusion d'Iris (a touch softer than she'd like), Stella McCartney Stella (but too many people wear it), Chanel No. 19 (but she finds the first half hour or so a little jarring), Estee Lauder Sensuous (too close to the skin), Bottega Veneta (but sometimes she finds the dry down sickly).
Sophie is not a fan of white florals or fruity chypres. Perfumes she doesn't like include Thierry Mugler Alien (she can't stand that strong almost eucalyptusy note), Estee Lauder Beautiful (too floral), Christian Dior J'adore (nice to start with but then so sweet), Hermes Eau de Merveilles (she finds the ambergris too funky).
What say you?
Note: top image is Number 24 [cropped] by thristian at flickr; some rights reserved.
My suggestions are:
Laboratorio Olfattivo Noblige – a lemony perfume evolving into warm iris
Le Labo Iris 39 – rumours has it that it contains more patchouli molecules than those of iris
Hermes Hiris – if you like your iris more carroty
Carner Barcelona D600 – woody iris with vanilla, cardamom, cedar and also bergamot and grapefruit. This might be a hit for you.
The Carner fragrance does sound very intriguing due to the notes and also that Barcelona is one of my favourite cities. Thankyou! Also loving that I can order a sample easily from them.
Irises that are worth trying:
Dior Homme: More of a gourmand iris than the Prada, but since you like Candy it might hit the spot
The Different Company: Bois d’Iris, a woody iris.
Honoré des Prés: Love Carottes; a carotty iris, even more so than Hermès Hiris which I also recommend.
Van Cleef&Arpels: Bois d’Iris, a smooth iris.
Just because it is the rootiest: Iris Silver Mist, Serge Lutens
Parfumérie Générale: Felanilla, an Iris with banana. Sounds ghastly but it isn’t.
Parfums Delrae: Mythique, a soft suède iris. A bit like Bottega Veneta
And another classic: Chanel; 28 La Pausa. I find it too fleeting to want to own it, but it is reckoned to be one of the best renditions of iris.
And maybe you will like Acqua di Parma’s Iris Nobile. It is quite floral though, but maybe not too much for your likes.
Serge Lutens Clair de Musc is a beauty. It includes the bergamot and iris notes that you enjoy. It’s wears nicely in just about any weather, warm/cold.
Since Sophie likes sandalwood I think she might want to try Diptyque Tam Dao, I reckon that one can be easily worn year round. Other possibilities would be Bois des Îles (but not sure if it’s within budget) and SSS Champagne de Bois (but I’ve no idea what the situation with shipping is like right now).
Sophie, you sound almost like a perfume twin to me (and maybe a long lost twin based on the rest of your description)!
Seconding the patch-heavy Le Labo Iris 39 and VC&A Bois d’Iris. I have tried them both recently and preferred the VC&A. Also, I would try Bottega Veneta Eau Legere. I fell hard for it recently. I also fell hard for Diptyque Volutes recently so am going to recommend that since our preferences sound so familiar. I loved the creamy warm, sweet smokiness of Volutes.
Also I will throw out Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil which I love – unisex, not too sweet, feels green but sexy with a bit of an edge. You might love it too!
Cosigning Bottega Veneta Eau Legere and along the line of Volutes, maybe Spicebomb?
I have been looking for both Volutes and Bottega Veneta Eau Legere but have not seen them in stores here yet. I will keep looking!
If you are fond of sandalwood you should try Samsara by Guerlain (I prefer the contemporary EdT version). Shalimar Parfum Initial might be also interesting for you because there is a nice candy note in it. If you do not mind the company for “misusing” the famous name it is a very well created perfume.
If you like No.19 Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal might be worth a sniff. Other iris scents you should not miss are Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens and the new limited edition Infusion d’Iris l’Eau d’Iris by Prada. The latter one contains mint and laurel which is nice if you are a little bored with the wellknown Infusion.
I have tried Shalimar Parfum Initial and it is OK, but I think it is the candied citrus that stops me from loving it as much as the LE version of Shalimar. The fragrances are too reminiscent of each other that I would always wish I was wearing the latter!
Sophie and I are near-scent opposites but I kind of love that (I really enjoy it when others can make use of stuff I can’t manage.) So, some ideas:
Angel; Lancome La Vie Est Belle; the Sensuous flankers, maybe especially Sensuous Noir; Diptyque Eau Duelle; Tokyo Milk Tainted Love and Dead Sexy; the other Miss Diors if you haven’t already, since, why not; Kiehl’s Aromatic Blend Vanilla & Cedarwood; L’Artisan Seville a l’Aube (violates the no-white-florals rule but I have a good feeling about it.)
Oh, a bit far afield as well but why not Dzing! as well.
This one sounds intriguing, thankyou!
Hermes Un Jardin en Mediterranee and Diptyque Philosykos might be worth a try. Serge Lutens Daim Blond might be good to look into for a light leather. I just tried it this past weekend, and I found it similar to Bottega Veneta.
Sophie, because you like patchouli and Candy’s drydown, I recommend Chanel LE Coromandel. I sense a link there! I like what you like, so I’ll be on the lookout for the rec’s too
Give Like This a try.
as you are a phd student and at the same time do not want to take anything seriously (except yourself of course being an individual and herself, as I understand of the post here). Well… I recommend Britney Spears Fantasy.
Haha I do actually have a rollerball of this! It smells like a teenager’s magazine and is my guilty pleasure on girl’s nights out and fancy dress parties
I’ve enjoyed my sample set of Juliette Has a Gun perfumes lately and recommend Calamity J (patchouli, iris, amber, musk), Vengeance Extreme (bergamot, lavender, rose, patchouli, ambroxan, vanilla, white musk, tonka and labdanum) or Midnight Oud (my favourite – with Moroccan rose, oud, amber, several sorts of musk, saffron, geranium and patchouli oil). Happy sniffing!
I second all of these, and Calamity J in particular–it’s a great, soft, cuddly iris. You might try Juliette has a Gun’s Citizen Queen as well.
The Different Company Bois D’Iris is brilliant. And for sandalwood try Donna Karan’s Chaos.
Try 10 Corso Como, Ineke After My Own Heart and I’m also seconding Dzing!
I think we might be semi-scent twins, at the least (and I’m in a PhD program too–grad student solidarity!!) I seconded PetronellaCJ’s idea of Calamity J above, but you might also try Tommi Sooni’s Eau de Tommi Sooni II (and I think it’s an Aussie brand?) for a Shalimar-light vibe, Miller Harris’s L’Air de Rien, or Etat Libre d’Orage’s Bijou Romantique. For a lighter patchouli, you might also try Chanel’s Coromandel.
I will have to look into Tommi Sooni. I have never heard of them before and it appears they are even based in the suburb I live in!! ..and good luck with the study
Sophie, I suggest Frederic Malle Iris Poudre
Le Labo Labdanum 18
Hi Sophie,
I suggest you try the radiant citrusy floral, Jour d’Hermes. I wore it today and I can’t imagine a time or place where it wouldn’t work.
Because you like patchouli and rose, I recommend Voleur des Roses by L’Artisan. It is a deeper fragrance, perhaps venturing out of the everyday category, but it’s so beautiful. Do try it!
Goodness, I think we are the same person but 5 years apart! I would also recommend Chanel’s Coromandel, at least for the colder days.
I’m right there with many of y’all in the “scent twin” thing. I strongly second Tam Dao (which is soft, inoffensive to others yet has decent staying power), and L’Artisan’s Patchouli Patch is fun for more of a patchouli-only mood. Lorenzo Villoresi Sandalo is a “dirtier” sandalwood than Tam Dao. I really like the EDPs of Philosykos and I bought the EDP Volutes in Europe in December, but haven’t been wearing it as much. You might also like Christian Dior’s Ambre Nuit, which, like Tam Dao, is very wearable, warm and embracing–good lasting power and you get a lot of juice for the money. Coromandel–also amazing, but could, like Bottega Veneta, be a bit much. My current spendy, dream frag is Amouage Opus V from the Library collection. For fresher, greener options (more spring/summery), I love vintage Cristalle, vintage Eau de Givenchy, Bulgari Au The Blanc, Hermes Gentiane Blanche, and a citrus that works well for me is Eau d’Hadrien. (Mostly orange blossom and grapefruit don’t work for me, turning into plastic or Play-Dough and cat pee, respectively.)