A simple game: name a fragrance note you find difficult or unpleasant (first, maybe see if anyone else has already started a thread for that note).
Others can reply with the fragrance that helped them learn to appreciate that note. I've started the game off with patchouli (which I actually don't hate anymore).
Note: top image is trois fleurs de pavot / three poppies [cropped] by Olibac at flickr; some rights reserved.
Patchouli!
I always want patchouli scents to have some whiff of my dad’s essential oil–biting and earthy and sweet without being feminine. I think L’Artisan’s Patchouli Patch does a pretty good job–more understated and complex than the oil, but still recognizably patchouli.
And should have said, part of the reason I don’t hate patchouli anymore is it never is the “whole” patchouli these days, it’s a molecular fraction which isn’t much like the real thing.
But the scent that brought me around to something closer to the real thing was Montale Patchouli Leaves, although don’t even know if they make that still, or if it’s been reformulated.
Yes, I did think of that! I have strong nostalgia around patchouli, but I know there are many strongly negative associations for folks, too!
I like real patchouli but that molecular fraction is KILLING me. I think I’m oversensitive to it. For example, Portrait of a Lady turns into a sour chemical disaster for me, even just on my coat sleeve, where it clung for a week after I tested the fragrance. And that was after my first sniff of it was gorgeous. On the other hand, I absolutely love Coromandel. I also enjoyed Patchouli Leaves when I tested it, so I think there is a very big difference between the the real thing and the molecular fraction.
Mind you, I don’t know if PL actually has “real” patchouli…and I think they did amp up the earthy thing with other notes. But clearly, whatever they’re using isn’t as “sanitized” as what’s in most modern mainstream perfumes.
I concur with PP. It is wonderful. I also really like the CdG Patchouli. These two are my top two.
I bought my dad some Patchouli Patch as a gift some years ago, and he’s now on his 3rd bottle! I think that’s a pretty good endorsement from an old hippie!
Attar Bazaar Tunisian Patchouli oil. It will set you back about eight bucks and it’s the best patch I’ve ever smelled.
Great suggestion! Are there any other Attar Bazaar oils you recommend? I’ve never ordered anything from them as I find their website overwhelming.
Have most of the Attar Bazaar oils (as I still plan to try blending my own scent one of these days), but my absolute favorite is the Egyptian Shalimar.
Thanks!
Persian Amber and Mysore Sandalwood are both gorgeous smelling oils and very reasonable too. I used to buy their Tunisian Amber but I think they changed it because I don’t like it as much now. AB also gives you four generous sample vials with every purchase.
Thank-you!
No longer hating patchouli because of ELO Nombril Immense.
Cristina by Hilde Soliani and L’Air de Rien by Miller Harris
I like de-fanged patchouli like what was used in Atelier Cologne Mistral Patchouli. That said, I got the Patchouli pack from CobraRose and I am working my way gingerly towards trying them out.
Rather late to this party, but I’ve recently become very partial to Le Labo’s Ylang 49 and mostly for what it does with patchouli.
I also recently sampled Le Labo’s Patchouli 24, which definitely has patch in it, but of the woody variety. I found the scent a little challenging at first, but after a long lunch and poking in shops, and sniffing away at my writst.. .I found myself back at Le Labo to get a sample of the Patch 24– woods, birch tar, smoke… but still sensuous… like a wood paneled pied-a-terre, that you lent to a friend who put a fire in the grate and wore something gorgeous and woodsy that still lingers.
Oh, great game. Tuberose! I’m recently starting to come around but would love some help.
Oh, so there with you on tuberose! Can’t help at all to help you appreciate it!
The entry level tuberose is probably Diptyque Do Son, but I swear the best thing to do is just wear Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle all day, every day, until it starts to smell good to you
I’ve heard that that one grows on you. Never been brave enough to try it out, though!
Haha I think this could be right! Alyssa Harad was in town recently and brought some tuberose absolute which I actually liked better than any of the milder tuberoses I’d tried before. Maybe what I need is the hard stuff
Ack retch retch…
Robin, it worked for me! Love the stuff.
The Diptyque or the Serge?
Why do I remember my mom forcing me to eat broccoli and operating under the same idea. Just eat it and you will like it. Added bonus if you can picture her saying that in a semi-comic “Russian” voice like a bad spy! She thought getting us to laugh would make icky food taste better, only a mom thinks that.
I’m definitely no help with tuberose, but I never liked broccoli until I tried Thai beef and broccoli in oyster sauce.
Oh, gosh, I totally agree with Robin! I don’t think I will ever forget my first sniff of TC. I was simultaneously horrified and delighted. Despite that shocking opening, I kept the scent strip and found myself unable to stop sniffing it a few hours later. It’s my ultimate tuberose and one of my absolute favourite scents now.
Robin, unbelievable, but its true… The only thing is that TC is still the only tuberose I can wear. I think the cool mentholated feel of it is a perfect counterpoint to its voluptuous aspect. So many tuberose perfumes seem to blend it with warm notes and its that combo that makes it intolerable to me.
Me three. Like a surprise rancid hazelnut, tuberose literally makes me gag.
Have you tried Mandy Aftel’s Cepes et Tuberose? For me it’s mainly about the Cepes–it’s a damp, loamy, earthy thing and the tuberose is not a huge flower waiting to devour you and yours.
I don’t know if any of the tuberose haters on the thread like lily, but Lys 41 made me come around to lily (I loved tuberose, but hated lily), and it’s a pretty even mix on me, so maybe its magical powers work in the reverse, too?
Of course, if you all hate lily, too, then this will be anything but helpful!
Oh, I bet there’s a lot of crossover between non-tuberose and non-LOTV folks! I know LOTV isn’t one of my faves, either.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE TUBEROSE! ULTIMATE FAVE!
Me too.
Ramon Monegal Barcelona Kiss my Name seems like a good tuberose perfume to start with.
I found Carnal Flower to be a tuberose I can’t live without. It is a powerful note, but I find CF to have a spiciness and green aspects that really make it quite beautiful and wearable.
I would suggest Hiram Green’s Moon Bloom. It’s all natural, and that might be the trick for me as far as a tuberose note goes. I’ll be honest and say I’m still not a fan, but if you’re tiptoeing towards being one, you might love this.
Fragrance Republic 01/02 is a good entry level tuberose. Not heavy, sweet, or cloying. It’s actually quite airy which is good since a lot of tuberose scents can be overwhelming.
Sacrebleu has quite a bit of tuberose but has so much else going on and is both so delicious and accessible I think it might help you learn to appreciate that note. Carnal Flower is so gorgeous, but it gets cloying on me after a couple of hours and then I want to gnaw my arm off. But I wore it in Hawaii and it worked perfectly there. So experiment with different weather and/or humidity conditions.
Tubereuse by Mona di Orio. I’m not a fan of tuberose generally but I quite like this one. It’s very creamy and milky.
Tuberose…I have just started warming up to it *a little*. Tuberose Gardenia by Lauder is one I warmed up to though to where it’s actually a like and on my wishlist. You try that one? Now, it took me a few times of sniffing and wearing it before I actually liked it. But it happened! I still can’t do heavier ones like Fracas.
Orange blossom.
And should add, not sure I really WANT to go about sniffing a dozen ob scents, so it’s gonna be a hard sell! Blech!
Hehe. I hear ya!
How do you feel about cumin? The older formulation of Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger is my favorite orange blossom, but it has a lot of cumin, which isn’t a plus in everyone’s book! (On the other hand, the newer, less cumin-y version makes the tuberose feel more present to me, which…) Someone recently kindly pointed out to me that the older Serge bottles have a slightly different label (the rectangular icon underneath the name of the fragrance being horizontally oriented in the older ones, while the new labels have a vertical rectangle icon.)
Also on the not-your-average-orange-blossom is Seville a l’Aube if you haven’t already tried it. Not even necessarily that it will be your favorite perfume, but for a non-typical perspective on the note it could be useful.
I’m fine with cumin, although I don’t want to smell like a taco. Next time I’m at Our Lady, maybe I’ll give the Serge another sniff.
Did NOT like Seville a l’Aube–so far any hint of that supersweet orange blossom totally turns me off.
Yeah too sweet is where I go wrong with Seville too. Do try the Serge, in that case. See if Our Lady has a bottle where the label looks like this for more cumin-y one: http://product-images.barneys.com/is/image/Barneys/182205006_product_1?$zoom_square$ (rather than: https://www.liberty.co.uk/pws/client/images/catalogue/products/aw02clas592092199-assorted/large1/aw02clas592092199-assorted.jpg Or so I’m told–I have not personally sniffed the two bottles side-by-side.) I promise you won’t smell like a taco in either case!
Seville made me gag, totally understand. I love lighter and fresher orange bs though…like Flora Nymphea..that one by Lancome, Orangerie..something like that. Super sweet is icky..though there was something alluring about Sweet Redemption..and that one was a bit sweet..not sure I would get a decant of it though. But ya, try some fresher ones, that may do the trick.
I second Seville a l’Aube! This was my gateway to orange blossom. I was not a previously a big fan of the note (read: avoided it like the plague).
I think the Fleur d’Oranger suggestion is great. I’m an orange blossom fan anyway, but the Serge version is warmer and more rounded than most, with very little of the soapiness and vaguely medicinal thing that seem to put a lot of people off. I’ve only dared to sniff it recently, since I’m not generally a cumin fan, so I’ve probably only tried the recent version. My other suggestions would be Azemour les Oranger, which has neroli in it but its surrounded by a lot of citrus and moss, and April Aromatics’ Nectar of Love and Rose l’Orange.
I have some trouble with orange blossom too. It never smells quite how I imagine it. I do like Jo Malone Orange Blossom, and on the more complex side, Rubj by Vero Profumo and Golden Cattleya, by Olympic Orchids.
Hmm. Isn’t Rubj another cumin/ob combo? I’ve got samples of both the edp and edt and I’ve tried so hard to like them! I recognize they’re very well made, but something about them just hasn’t appealed. Wonder if it’s the orange blossom!?
…hehe, thanks for the reminder that Rubj is orange blossom + cumin; gotta bump that to the top of my to-sniff list!
Enjoy!
Go for The 7 Virtues Afghanistan Orange Blossom or Houbigant Orangers en Fleurs
OB is one of my favorite notes (and SL’s Fleurs d’Oranger is my favorite of the bunch). But for the orange blossom adverse, I would definitely recommend the Houbigant, it’s certainly one of the more “polite” OBs I’ve ever run across, though it’s still the dominant note, so that might turn some peope off. 24 Fabourg is a good representation of OB blended with many other notes. Fleurs d’Oranger is basically orange blossoms & cumin, so it might repel those already skittish!
I dunno..I get a lot of jasmine from Fleurs d’Oranger, almost more than ob itself, so someone who likes jasmine but dislikes ob might still find something to like in it, depending on their feelings about cumin, of course.
I keep looking for a 7 Virtues Orange Blossom sample with no luck. I don’t want their set. Any suggestions?
Raised in an orange and grapefruit grove, I live for this scent and caught the first few blossoms in last evenings pre – storm sultriness. The night air intensifies it. Lasts about two weeks. Starts out green and fresh. Week two is full on orange bliss and then fades to a boozy rancid mess. Then gone. I love all of it. There are certainly a lot of sins committed in the name of OB. I have been on my Fleur de Louis kick lately and you have to chase the OB in that one. That makes it very real and wonderful to me.
Lovely! Yes, I have wondered if this is one that might be better “in the flesh!”
The first time I drove past an orange grove in bloom I very nearly drove off the road. Never had I smelled anything so good. The real thing is an amazing scent.
Ok dumbass beginner question: Are orange blossom and neroli the same thing?
If so, I really love Yves Rocher Neroli. It’s fresh and natural smelling and not too sweet.
Both orange blossom essence and neroli come from the flowers but a method of extraction is different, if I remember well.
Ah thank you! That may explain why I love neroli but have a hard time with orange blossom.
When I was studying aromatherapy, we were taught that neroli comes from the bitter orange tree (like bergamot), while orange blossom comes from the sweet orange (like orange e.o.). And Lucasi is also right – the extraction methods are different.
Yes, like Lucas said, the extraction method is different. Neroli is an essential oil steam-distilled from the flowers (which also creates lovely orange blossom water as a by-product), and “orange blossom” generally refers to the absolute, which is extracted using a solvent.
I adore orange blossom! However, my intro was through aromatherapy decades ago. Now, after sampling many orange blossom fragrances, I understand why that note is so unpopular.
My brain finally started working again, and I’m just gonna order rose, jasmine, ylang ylang and orange blossom from my eo source rather than frustrate myself with facsimiles that miss the mark for me. That way I know I’ll get my fix, and then I can continue to sample without jonesing.
Holly, I like your plan! I was wondering if you would mind sharing your preferred source for essential oils? I have been wanting to invest in some quality oils, but I don’t have the time or money to try a bunch out.
I love White Lotus Aromatics. They’re in Port Angeles, WA. I can sincerely say that their oils are exquisite. The nice thing is that they offer small samples as well so you can test things out. If you go to their website, you will be able to contact them via email and clarify what you’re looking for as there are often many different oils and formulations in each category. I haven’t yet tried their formulated ruhs or attars, but they’re on my sample list of infinity.
Their website is beautiful. Thank you for the suggestion! Makes me wish I was still living in Seattle.
Oh, you’re welcome! I think their website is wonderful, too. I have great admiration for them, and envy as well.
I know what you mean … Seattle is one of my favorite places on earth.
Elie Saab le Parfum, especially the original EDP. This is probably not an entry level orange blossom because it’s fairly strong, but if you are trying to educate your nose, it’s worth a sniff from a tester. I love it unreservedly, especially for the luscious honey note as well.
Probably getting hard to find now is Guerlain’s AA Flora Nymphea. It has a Guerlain-ish pastry like base which softens the characteristic sharpness of orange blossom.
I agree that Houbigant’s Orangers en Fleurs is a good OB for beginners. It’s darned expensive though.
Jo Malone, L’Artisan and Penhaligon’s all have straight up orange blossoms but I’ve not tried them.
I’ve tried the Jo Malone Orange Blossom and liked it, but I like the note to begin with, so I’m not sure it would convert anyone. It is somewhat sweet, but not too bad. It fades quickly (no more than a few hours) so if you hate it, you won’t have to deal with it for very long.
A year or two ago, I think someone here commented about purchasing orange blossom water from an Indian store, transferring it to an atomizer, refrigerating the thing and on a hot summer day, spritz away for a lovely refreshing orange blossom “cologne”. I don’t recall if the person said to dilute it or just leave as is. I never tried it but hey, perhaps this could be YOUR orange blossom!
I will add another vote for Houbigant Orangers en Fleurs. I’ve never smelled anything prettier, and I think “too pretty” (or “too ladylike”) might be its only possible flaw.
I also love the opening of Narciso Rodriguez for Her edt. I can’t smell the musk at all, so I can’t vouch for the perfume as a whole, but for half an hour or so, it really smells to me like the days when the orange trees start dropping their blossoms.
That’s funny, I’m the opposite. NR4H is all about musk for me. I know there is orange blossom in there but I can only smell it if I concentrate really hard …
My difficult note is Lily-of-the-Valley. I was forever scarred when I smelled the cooped up in plastic smell of Tauer Carillon Pour Un Ange and I blamed it on LOTV, but Undina thought it has to be something else…but what?
I have a sample of Penhaligon’s LOTV. Is this my best reintroduction to LOTV? What other perfumes would you recommend?
Nice poll, Robin!
Ok this suggestion makes me such a jerk, but what converted me (and I was also a LOTV hater) was some vintage Diorissimo. Knocked my socks off. Totally realize this is not an especially practicable plan for many if not most people (I just happened to luck into an old, mostly-empty bottle at a second hand store), but if you did happen to get a chance to sniff it, do not let the LOTV keep you away
Second C.H., but it has to be vintage. The reformulation will make you ill.
Third on the vintage, although I haven’t tried the reformulation.
The reformulation is pretty nice, if one hasn’t smelled the vintage. Very natural-smelling, somewhat green. On the discontinued and hard-to-find front, LOTV lovers seem to adore Gucci Envy.
So many muguet fragrances have been reformulated that it’s hard to know what to recommend. I would say maybe MDCI Un Coeur en Mai, unless you also hate hyacinth.
Such a good rec. Has anyone tried the reformulation?
I have no impression of hyacinth so hmmm, I’ll keep the MDCI Coeur en Mai in mind for its LOTV note.
I don’t think that Carillon Pour un Ange even smells like lily of the valley. I have plenty growing in my yard so I smell them every spring. I honestly get more lily of the valley from Kai even though it’s supposed to be a gardenia scent.
Ha! and I have Kai from my Barneys beauty bag from 2013…I have not even popped open the vial!
Run quickly away from VCA Muguet Blanc — quite nasty. Alas, have to second the almost-impossible-to-find Olde Version of Dioressimo.
Amouage Ubar. It’s got the usual Amouage complexity, with a touch of Frankincense, and is blended so well that the lily of the valley is there but softened out. I prefer vintage Ubar because of the delicious real sandalwood, but it is worth checking out the new version.
Yes, yes, I have several little decants / samples of Amouage Ubar and it is lovely. As you said though, the LOTV is softened out. I am looking for a full on LOTV for me to judge once and for all if I should leave LOTV in my perfume purgatory.
Oh, is Ubar a LOTV scent? I own it and enjoy it very much, but it’s my only big white floral–probably because it is so smooth and has that bright lemon to help brighten it up.
This is the second or third time I’ve seen reference to the older version, though. I’m afraid to seek it out–what if I love it more?!–but I’m now terribly curious!
Santa Maria Novella’s Mughetto. Its the only LOTV scent I like – a little bit green and spicy: very pretty!
Ooooh, I’ll have to check this out the next time I’m at MinNY!
Nice sillage and longevity too:)
I LOVE lily-of-the-valley, it’s one of my all time favorite flowers. I had a small sample of Penahaligon’s LOTV, and was kind of disappointed. It was intensely LOTV scented for about 15 minutes, and then just faded into other, less interesting things. Give it a try. If you hate the LOTV notes, be comforted by the fact that they won’t last long.
Almond!
Hypnotic Poison almost did me in. I think I would be okay if it were deeply buried in a blend, but in HP it is right in my face. Any suggestions for a baby-step almond fragrance?
Give a try to Tardes by Carner Barcelona, it’s very pretty.
Thanks, Lucasai–I love D600, so I’ll give Tardes a try, too. Maybe this house is a good fit for me.
It definitely is a good fit for me
Cannot wait to experience their new scent at Esxence in Milan, 3 weeks from today.
Yeah, I could use that too! There is a particular note that I get in some fragrances, I think it’s almond but I sometimes have blamed it on heliotrope as well – maybe a combo of the two? – and it just makes me think of a particular soap that I’ve only encountered in public restrooms. Serge Lutens Datura Noir had that note for me, and I just couldn’t do it.
I don’t like almond either. In fact, I have no idea why it’s called almond. I don’t like “almond” flavoring, either.
I can completely see that. I’ve mostly avoided “nutty” scents–as they tend to smell more like Nutella and other confections rather than some kind of earthy legume. That said, I don’t find the somewhat sweet and chewy feel that hazelnut gives to Tauer’s PHI.
Oh, thank god. At least one person isn’t blinking and nodding politely at me!
I have no idea if the “almond” that I have an aversion to is derived from actual almonds, or if it’s the aromachemical replication or perhaps something involved in the extraction process. Whatever it is, I don’t like it.
I have a sample of PHI which I have yet to explore. Do you like it?
Whoops–just saw I wrote “find” when I meant “mind!” I don’t *mind* the hazelnut in PHI!
Actually, I love PHI! I am, admittedly, a Tauer fan-girl, though. I find PHI has a similar spicy, complex rose base as Une Rose Chypree, and it is similarly not immediately identifiable as rose scent but rather lightened somehow by the rose none-the-less. And instead of the green, chypre-esque feel, it has a more gourmande take. It has similar strength and sillage as URC–which is right up my alley, but I recognize it’s a bit of a whopper to some!
How interesting regarding PHI.. never picked up the hazelnut, but will have to smell for it now.
I am enjoying PHI as well. It’s my entry rose scent and I highly recommend it for those that dislike rose.
Mohur is a beautiful rose with almond-y notes (in my opinion). Soft and delicious. Also, of course, there is Rahat Loukoum by Serge Lutens. I know Robin loves that one! Sorry everything I’m coming up with today is so expensive!
Mohur sounds like something I need to try–thanks! Rahat Loukoum’s notes sound like they are not so much me.
Oooh, Foxbins! Serge Lutens Louve is almond from the get go. Have you ever tried it? I got an FB from a swap
Do you know, I have not tried Louvre? I think I read somewhere that it was very sweet, and then with the almond note I thought I should skip it. Do you find it complex and interesting? Is the almond very prominent?
Melon! C’mon, give it your best shot.
Ooh! I like your fighting spirit!
I like Ferre a lot, to my suprise, as I *think* it has melon as a top note. Something fruity definitely.
Lush Breath of God is like smokey rubber and minty melon. It’s polarizing, but I love it, and it’s the only melon note in any perfume I own.
Do you count pumpkin and melon in the same scent family?
Can’t help you there. But if you want shock treatment, Emotionnelle by Parfums DelRae.
The grandmother of all melons: Le Parfum de Therese! You’ll either love it or hate it.
Ha, I was going to offer melon as my top bete noir. Department stores used to smell like powdery old ladies and now they smell like melon. I did the Frederic Malle survey on his website once for fun, where you enter your likes and dislikes, and a charming person emailed me to suggest Therese! I love all the Malles but that one!!!
I don’t know what the newer Clinique version is like, but if you can find some Prescriptives Calyx, give it a try. It’s one of those perfumes that, on paper, I shouldn’t like it.. but I do. I’m not a melon fan either. And I didn’t like Parfum de Therese, FWIW.
I immediately thought of Calyx, also.
Yes, now that’s true. Melon has to share the seats on the Calyx bus. It’s not the driver. And I dislike Therese as well, but adore Calyx.
Un Jardin Apres la Mousson? It is very different, and I think it is in such different territory from the 90s melon saturated stuff that turned you off. Worth a sniff. I don’t hate melon so it’s hard to say for me, but I think the cardamom and general JC Ellena light treatment might change your mind.
I should say that probably or may have turned you off, who am I to say why you don’t like it? But boy there was a whole lotta aquatic melon going on in the late 90s….
I agree on this one. I like it a lot because it is not too sweet. It feels humid and reminds me of cucumber. The lack of fruitiness keeps it closer to a skin scent IMO.
Emotionnelle by Parfums DelRae. I don’t like melon in perfume, but this is just so melon that your soul simply surrenders… in a good way?
I don’t hate melon, but I haven’t encountered it in many perfumes. Red Cattleya by Olympic Orchids does a good job with melon. A reviewer called Red Cattleya voluptuous, and I agree. It’s juicy and spicy and unlike anything else I’ve ever smelled. Like Golden Cattleya, it is ambrosial and you only need a couple of dabs.
Ineke Angel’s Trumpet is sweet and silly and like the perfume version of Juicy Fruit but it never makes me gag like so many melon fragrances.
Very tired, please excuse the long, breathless sentence above.
VETIVER!…love vetiver, but it is a difficult note to get right; furthermore, it’s even harder to blend right with other notes for fear of overpowering. Vetiver is and will always be in my top 5 of faves…
I’m not a vetiver fan at all, my favourite woody vetiver & iris perfume blend is the one of D600 by Carner Barcelona
I love the drydown phase of Providence Perfume Co’s Hindu Honeysuckle. The vetiver is subtley woven into the lingering sweetness of the other notes.
By far the best vetiver for me is the giant nest of it I bought at a Haitian market in the DR.
Paul Smith Story was a perfect entry-level vetiver, but think it’s discontinued.
Naturally the one I can think of (which I adore) is super expensive now: Guerlain Vetiver pour Elle. It’s such a beautiful floral, and the vetiver makes it seem like a grassy floral in the spring.
Never really found a wearable vetiver until I tried Jo Loves Pink Vetiver – it is a pink pepper and vetiver unisex fragrance. I find it beautiful and very uplifting. And the lasting power is quite good, it stays reasonably close to skin but for a long time.
Vetiver! I love it when it is smokey and dark à la Encre Noire or Chanel’s Sycomore, maybe even Eau Sauvage Parfum, but most of the time vetiver is a scrubber.
For me, the worse vetiver, may the fragrance Gods forgive me, in the celebrated Guerlain Vetiver. I just can’t stand it,
My nemesis notes are already mentioned patchouli and vetiver, so I will go with…
FRANKINCENSE (OLIBANUM)
It always turns sweaty and very mineral and salty on my skin, I don’t know of a single perfume with this note as a dominating one that I would truly enjoy…
I hesitate to suggest something to such a sophisticated perfume blogger, but have you tried Amouage Interlude Man? Apologies if even the suggestion of it makes you retch.
Yes, I did try Amouage Interlude Man last year when it was launched, but I didn’t find it suitable for me and I liked the Woman version of Interlude better…
Just curious about why you liked Woman better?
This is a tangent, but Interlude Man was one of the first non mass market perfumes I smelled and at the time it knocked my socks off. I didn’t like Woman as much. So I bought a small decant of Man and now a year later what was magical about it seems a bit too strong. And some of the perfumes that just smelled like baby powder to me a year ago now have all sorts of interesting points and edges. Just wondering if the brain adapts to increasing subtlety of smell.
I liked the intriguing kiwi note in Interlude Woman.
Your brains learns how to analyze perfume, that’s why after some time you might notice a completely new feature of a well known scent.
I’v heard a lot of praise for Montale’s Full Incense, but have not yet tried it myself.
MUSK! I’ve hated it from childhood and for some reason I’d like to find one version I like, and maybe even wear.
The worst: Musc Tonkin. Utter scrubber. Had to treat the decant bottle like hazardous waste. Muscs Koublai Khan was gobbled up by my skin, turning in Love’s Soft Kitten Musk, ie boring childhood drugstore musk.
Annie, maybe try some softer musks blended with other ingredients.
I would suggest Ramon Monegal Barcelona Cotton Musk or Cherry Musk, they’re both very soft and not animalic.
I’m in the anti-musk boat with you Annie! However, I don’t want to like it and probably never will like it! My skin seems to amp it and I get a strong dose of it even in perfumes that don’t list it as a note (I’m looking at you Odori Iris). It smells like freshly applied deodorant to me. Ugh! A terrible base for a perfume!
lol I might not be much help because I really liked Musc Tonkin, though I have never worn it out of the house.
So anyway.. musks… since you mentioned Musc Tonkin and MKK.. are you wanting something dirty/animalic, but not crazy? At the risk of being a bit “broken record” since I recommended this to someone else above but for a different reason, ELdO Putain de Palaces does have a nice animalic undercurrent to it. Parfums de Nicolai Maharanih Intense could be a good one too. Neither of those are considered “musk perfumes” per se, but they might be worth a try if you want an animalic note but not hazardous waste. Also Mona di Orio Nuit Noire.
Or if you’re wanting something cleaner… have you tried Narciso Rodriguez for Her? Again with de Nicolai, but her Musc Intense is a nice clean (but not laundry-ish) musk with rose and violet. I’ve also heard good things about Indult Tihota, which is basically vanilla and musk.
Just thought of another one: Sonoma Scent Studio Sienna Musk. She also has a Rose Musc but I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t say how it is.
I LOVE Sienna Musk! If only I lived in the US, a bottle of it would be on my shelf.
Bruno Acampora Musc! If you survive the open (mushrooms and menthol) you suddenly get the most beautiful velvety, creamy musks. They don’t smell like laundry but it’s no barnyard either, and it’s balanced with rose and I think some other flowers and woods.
I love Annick Goutal Musc Nomade. It has an angelica note that just delights me. And it’s neither a laundry musk (hate things that smell like Tide) nor a skanky musk. It’s one of my go-to fragrances in spring and summer.
L’Air de Rien by Miller Harris and Musc Ravageur by Frederic Malle are great, in my book.
Thanks to everyone for the musk suggestions! I have made a list and will start by trotting over to Holts and the Perfume Shoppe (before I start splashing out for samples online). Lucasi, the Musk & Something direction just might be the way to go. Will report back if there are any stunning successes, or possibly amusing failures.
Iris kills me. Tried to love Prada Infusion d’Iris for the longest time and finally surrendered and gave it to a friend. It was chilly, metallic and incredibly persistent on my skin. Headache material. Any suggestions?
Ann, as an iris lover I can give you tons of recommendations for iris perfume!
If you get the chance please try compositions like:
Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris
Atelier Cologne Silver Iris
Penhaligon’s Iris Prima
Aedes de Venustas Iris Nazarena (might be risky as it has an ashy undertone)
Carner Barcelona D600
Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris
For the moment keep away from SL Iris Silver Mist, Hermes Hiris or Heeley Iris de Nuit unless you’re interested in carrot irises that are rather sad…
Lucasai, thanks. A sample order is in process! No sad carrots though.
I hope that you’ll fall in love with at least one of them. I’d love to know about your sampling results later.
Will let you know! Thanks.
Hiris is divisive but just for another datapoint, I actually find it one of the most wearable irises! Not sad at all to me, just very mildly sweet and lovely. Meanwhile I find Silver Iris too sweet. (Shorter: YMMV!)
Those are some great recommendations Lucasai!Can I add Parfums d’Empire Equistrius and my other favorite Iris Poudre(Frederic Malle)!Iris Poudre was a HUGE hit at work the other day,and so easy to wear!
Equistrius by Parfum d’Empire is a great addition to the list, especially if someone likes a bit of gourmand sweetness in their perfume.
Iris Poudre is lovable!
Thirding Equistrius. Pretty and definitely not chilly or metalic.
I’m not an iris lover and Atelier Silver Iris was wearable to me.
Il profumi di firenze Caterina de Medici (probably butchered the spelling on that one). The iris is sweetened and warmed up by rose of Florence and lily of the valley.
Sounds lovely, Sajini. Another for the sample order. Thanks!
Oh my goodness Sajini that does sound very intriguing!Google I shall immediately!(I am addicted to Iris perfumes!)
I blind bought some on eBay because I loved the story behind it. It’s a perfume made from an old recipe that was made exclusively for Catherine de Medici by her personal perfumer. Apparently it is made in small batches exactly as it was then. I don’t really like florals, but I love this.
I’ll second that one, Sajini!
Iris=love, LOTV=hate….maybe I should try this to get over my abhorrence of LOTV!
I had the same experience with Prada Infusion D’Iris. But oddly enough loved it as a scent on clothing and linens and it actually brought me around to liking and wearing it. I just couldn’t believe it was characterized as a light or soft scent. I also found it both chilly and persistent. You might like Le Labo’s Iris 39.
I used to think I didn’t like iris because sometimes it came off soapy to me (i.e. L’Artisan Dzongkha). Infusion d’Iris was kind of that way as well. I know it’s considered a bit hardcore, but Iris Silver Mist was one that made me realize I could like iris. So I guess I like sad carrots. ;-P I also like Equistrius and AC Silver Iris. Le Labo Iris 39 was a tough one for me. I like the drydown, but the top went a bit metallic on me.
I don’t know if this would actually sway you, but the the scent that brought me around to iris was Lush Imogen Rose. They say it’s a powdery rose perfume but I find the orris note much more central, made very soft and warm with the rose and a little sweet with the tonka.
Annick Goutal L’Heure Exquise. Galbanum, rose, and iris, with some sandalwood. Perfectly blended, perfectly beautiful. Similar to Chanel No. 19 but warmer.
annegd, I have a guest post over at Undina’s blog with an iris perfume giveaway
Oh will look. I love the way the Prada smells on others, and on objects. I need to find an iris that works on skin.
Oops, missed the poll. Rats.
Guerlain L’Instant is the first thing with an iris note that I’ve liked. Still coming around on iris in general.
Not related to notes, but would appreciate some advice. Attending a wedding in the Orlando area this spring. Is it worth it to go to that Epcot perfume store, or is it just the same array as I’d find in NYC? Nor would I want to pay a park entry fee just to shop!
The entry fee is probably more than you’d pay to have something shipped from the Vegas boutique. Admittedly it was a long time ago when I was at Epcot, but I did not think the selection was interesting at all — NONE of the “hard to find” things I was hoping for. My suggestion: think of 3 things you’re hoping to smell, call the boutique and see if they have them.
Thanks Robin. Sounds like I may easily give it a pass.
I hate Lily. Not Lily of the Valley, that’s one of my favorite notes, but lily – blech. Reminds me of church or funural bouquets.
I’m already familiar with Baiser Vole (no to the edp, but I can handle the edt).
Squirrely, have you tried Lys Carmin from Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire? It’s more creamy (ylang) take on the lily with a bit of soft spiciness of cinnamon and pepper
How do you feel about vanilla? To me it (plus lilacs) keeps Serge’s Un Lys well out of church territory, but if one doesn’t care for vanilla, it’s not much help!
I don’t like lily, either. In fact, I don’t like any of those funereal flowers: lilies, gardenias and tuberoses. I’ll refrain from getting graphic.
I’m another lily-hater. Guerlain’s Lys Soleia came the closest to winning me over, as it’s so close to my beloved Songes, but I ultimately couldn’t stomach the lily in it.
Have you tried Tom Ford’s Shanghai Lily? I like lily, so I might not be the best judge, but it’s got a lot more going on in it, like spices and resins and such, so it seems like the lily isn’t really as front and center as the name might suggest.
Yes, and a nice dose of vanilla to cozy things up. Might work!
Great rec!
Another lily hater here. :p I strongly dislike the smell of the actual flowers and Lys Soleya, despite the many chances I gave it, remains one of the few perfumes I consider a total scrubber.
I will probably be crucified for this, but I don’t care for roses. I do love the flowers, but rose perfumes…no thanks. I hate Knowing, dislike Paris and there are others that I don’t remember but none, as yet, that I’ve wanted to rush out and buy. Can anyone convert me?
Oh, I used to be just like this – rose scents just left me cold! What changed my mind were the dark roses. I’d suggest Paestum Rose, the Rossy de Palma rose perfume (I think it’s called Eau de Protection?), Le Labo’s Rose 31, Montale’s Black Aoud, Un Fille de Berlin, and by Killian’s Rose Oud. Or you might like an especially green rose like L’Ombre Dans L’eau.
Yes, dark, spicy roses were my gateway, too! I probably started with Une Rose Chypree.
Agreed. I love a good rose flower — the ones that actually smell (as I find most that florists sell these days don’t), and I like the smell of rosewater, but a lot of the more traditional “rose” perfumes bother me. FM Lipstick Rose…ugh…smells like a grandmother. Any of the Bond perfumes with rose (well, any of the Bond perfumes, really, on me) = scrubber. Really boozy roses are a bit much for me, too. But I love weird roses or dark roses: Paestum Rose, Feu d’Issey, Une Rose Chypree, TDC Rose Poivree. I do like Un Fille de Berlin, but not sure it’s bottle-worthy….not much is, at this point, or I’ll need to buy a perfume armoire. I do need to get my hands on a sample of PHI, though.
I second jirish. My favorites are the darker ones. I’m a big fan of Rossy de Palma/Eau de Protection. L’Ombre Dans L’Eau is a good one as well. It’s nice for summer and has kind of a green/blackcurrant/grapefruit thing going on. ELdO Putain de Palaces (if you can get past the name) is good too, depending on how you feel about animalic notes. It’s got rose and violet, but it’s mixed with some leathery and musky notes and is a little powdery, but in a cosmetic way, not like baby powder.
For what it’s worth, I hated Knowing too, but for a different reason. It smelled like laundry detergent on me.
Thanks for the suggestions. The ones that attract me most are the Rossy de Palma, L’0mbre dans L’Eau and Putain des Palaces (I’m afraid I just LOVE the name!). Animalic notes are no problem. Will try to get some samples.
lol I like the name too, but I know some people have issues with it, so I figured I’d err on the side of caution. I have bottles of both Rossy de Palma and Putain de Palaces, so if you want I would be happy to make up samples for you. If you’re interested, you can email me at countsjc at the gee mail. I think I also have a little bit left of my Malle Portrait of a Lady sample. Have you tried that one?
Emailing you now!
I LOVE Putain des Palaces!
Totally can relate, and recently went on a hunt for a rose scent I might love. Result: Tauer’s PHI is a rose I really, really enjoy. It has rose in it, but it doesn’t lead with rose or a rose powerhouse. It’s beautiful. Spicy and a little sweet. Also enjoying more citrus/spice roses such as Yuzu Rouge.
I love the scent of real roses (Abraham Darby, Heritage, Sharif Asma) but rose in perfume always smelled…musty. I have a necklace with black beads (made from roses) & turquoise that is beautiful, but the musty, dried, too sweet rose scent just won’t quit. A few years ago I discovered a spicy rose Teo Cabanel’s Oha. It is sweeter and more feminine than the perfumes I usually wear, but I found it irresistible and always receive compliments when I wear it.
I can definitely convert you if you are searching for the smell of roses. I love sampling all the different rose fragrances out there, but if I want a true rose scent, I know I can get it if I buy the real oil. I would highly recommend White Lotus Aromatics. You can send them an email clarifying what you’re looking for, and based on their suggestions order a sample or two. They ARE expensive, but I’ve come to realize that ordering 20 meh niche samples is more so, particularly considering they are not hitting the spot.
I second the rose oil idea. I really dislike rose, but once in awhile will wear “Amma’s perfume” which is rose and sandalwood oil. Smells like an Indian market and I’ve gotten many compliments on it.
The other rose that caught me by surprise is vintage Caron Parfum Sacre extrait. Scored a partial bottle on eBay for just a few bucks because it was mislabeled EDT in the description. I expected to hate it but ended up totally loving it.
I love roses like Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme, Amouage Lyric, Tauer PHI Une Rose de Kandahar.
I don’t like rose either (love the real thing, hate rose perfumes in general). Traditional roses turn sour on my skin, darker roses like Amouage Lyric & Epic, SL La fille de Berlin are total scrubbers. Strangely enough, it was saffron that was my way into rose: the only rose fragrances I actually like are OJ Ta’if and Parfumes de Rosine Rose Kashmirie, both saffron rose scents. In these, I can appreciate the rose aspect and really enjoy it.
I too have been a big fan of Eau de Protection. Since it’s been fiendishly hard to find it Canada and terribly expensive to get from abroad, I took the plunge and ordered a bottle of Gres Cabaret since it was both a bargain and available and supposedly a dupe. We shall see…
I’d suggest two opposite roses: Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule for a dark rose sandalwood composition and Parfums de Rosine Un Zest de Rose for a cologne-like lemon-rose.
You might want to try Jo Malone’s Red Roses which is an Awesome Rose based scent that is still fresh and springlike without that smothering effect Roses can have in a fragrance. Crabtree and Evelyn’s “Evelyn” Fragrance is also Vibrant and Light yet Lavishly Rosy! It’s been a favorite of mine for AGES!
Incense of almost any stripe – instead of the “soaring of angel’s wings” or “cumulus cloud over Taos clarity” or whatever, it just brings me back to epic incense-induced headache during Midnight Mass in suburban Pennsylvania circa-1983. Hence an aversion to Tauer, CDG Series 3, etc. Is there any hope?
Have you tried PoTL Luctor et Emergo? Incense, cherry-almond something or other. Weird and lovely, no church at all.
or perhaps 10 Corso Como? Lovely, and not at all church-like.
Seconding 10 Corso Como and I’d also suggest trying Trayee.
In the same vein as the PoTL, ELdO Encens et Bubblegum?
Also, if you like orange blossom, Seville a L’Aube might be worth a try. There is incense in it, but it’s a pretty light presence and not churchy.
If you’re ok with vanilla, Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee is really pretty and light on the incense.
Annayake Miyako. Rather than being dry, it’s warm, slightly sweet incense due, I’m thinking, to the benzoin and amber in it. It has both frankincense and myrrh.
Etro Shaal Nur? I’m not a fan of heavy, peppery incense, either, but Shaal Nur is light and pretty.
Where to begin! As someone smitten with scent my acute sense of smell and sensitivity has been both a blessing and a curse. There are three personally offending notes that come to mind: orange blossom (especially pettigrain), hawthorne, and cumim. I could add synthetic cucumber/apple/melon, but I get a headache just thinking about them.
As a child my grandmother brought me a small bottle of orange blossom perfume which I treasured. The real scent of orange blossoms in bloom is intoxicating, like riding your bike past some night-blooming jasmine on a summer night. The problem: perfumes with ob never smell like that. Pettigrain can leave me feeling nauseous, and neroli often gives me headaches. So I was surprised and delighted to get an unsolicited sample of Jour Ensoleillé from Sonoma Scent Studio. I had ordered several samples (Champagne de Bois, Nostalgie, and something else, plus an additional complimentary sample). Jour Ensoleille was the replacement sample andI was so taken with it I purchased a bottle and it is currently a favorite. It truly has that sunny quality that the real blossoms have but it is also a very sophisticated scent.
I would love to know how others feel about Cumin and Hawthorne. Just the idea of either scares me away from perfumes I think I might otherwise like. I do like so called “masculine” notes. I love leather and vetiver and patchouli (very) selectively.
I still adore the original Guerlain Vetiver, but find most other scents containing the note to be too dry and woody.
I can’t say I know what hawthorn smells like, but I like cumin in the right scent. I’ve liked it in the modern version of Rochas Femme and in Ineke Sweet William, and in Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger. To me it just adds a spicy note but doesn’t go too far into b.o. territory. Eau d’Hermes, on the other hand, was too much cumin for me. I think cumin + peach or cumin + floral works for me.
I was waiting for someone to mention cumin! From what I understand, it goes all sweaty on plenty of people!
Guerlain Pamplelune smells like the worst and purest b.o. on me. This perfume made me believe on skin chemistry.
I’m doing a bit of an informal survey on this!
Does Pampelune smell good to you when sprayed on other people?
I’m trying to figure out how much is skin chemistry and how much perception with this one!
To me, it doesn’t smell like BO at all, but it is too sharp and sour, both on me and on others.
Thanks Laurels! Personally I like it, but I’m not sure how I would wear a perfume that others may perceive as sweat…
Great question, Merlin. Since I live in Perfume Mordor, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to perform this crucial experiment, though.
I liked the idea of Pamplelune and bought a full bottle after a quick department store run through… and then… and then… the love faded fast. Too much sulfur… on or off my skin. So I don’t know about my skin chemistry, but my nose chemistry said no to Pamplelune. I resold it on eBay to a lovely woman who was really pleased with it! So is it skin chemistry or nose chemistry?
Solance, I guess you could try it on fabric before hurling it down the crack of doom:) Try it on Gandalf’s robe!
Thank you for the recommendation of Jour Ensoleille. I’m still looking for the perfect OB.
Carrot. Carrot seed, carrot top, carrot oil, rooty carotty iris.
I’m with you in disliking these, especially a rooty and carroty iris putts me off (Looking at you ISM!)
Hey, Lucas! I know we share that dislike. I’ll be honest and say I doubt anyone could convert me and I’m not even inviting anyone to do so, lol. I’ve enjoyed seeing your suggestions re: almond, lily, tuberose and iris. I’m an iris convert thanks to you, and I really appreciate your suggestions. So far each and every one of them is a winner for me. Thanks!
I’ve noticed a definite trend in my dislikes and I could sum it up as the fine line between what my nose determines to be pretty rot versus rot. What a thing to admit, but there you go. I’ll bet there are multi-million dollar ad campaigns centered around just that aspect of perfume.
Yeah, I’m with you. Do you like iris? I find both notes too cold, too much like musty soil.
Marjorie Rose, I DO like iris, and that’s all due to Lucas here. I didn’t understand the note, was confused by all the manifestations and associated it with boiled carrots, powder and tombstones. He directed me away from those perfumes that carry those notes.
Oddly enough, I have yet to encounter an iris perfume I perceive as cold. I keep reading references about that, but my brain translates that note as being warm, often even fetid.
Yes, I imagine if anyone can steer you towards new irises it would be Lucas! I know he has a great love of it in many forms. So you don’t find Infusion d’Iris cold? It, to me, is the quintessential cold iris–stuffy, overtly prim and almost ironically understated. Like it’s saying, “I dare you to notice me and feel like snuggling in!”
Thats funny, since our tastes overlap and I like IdI:) For me Iris Poudre is the quintessentially stuffy, prim and pricey iris, lol!
IdI is airy (for me) and while ‘serious’ enough to make me feel professional and focused I don’t get a prim vibe at all. Perhaps its the vetiver nip that makes me think of some kind of addictive industrial substance and gives it a slightly illicit, or at least alien-like twist.
Ah, here all along I’ve been thinking of “cold” as chilly, wintery, grey and metallic. Frigid temperature versus frigid personality!
I do like Infusion d’Iris quite a bit, but I would agree it is rather prim and proper. On me it skews rather sweet and warm.
Holly, I think ‘cold’ encompasses both aspects:) Sometimes I find cool or cold a positive property – like when one has a fever and a cold compress is pressed to ones hot forehead – or when one has something cool to drink after exercising.
Iris Silver Mist strikes me as cold and wet but cold and wet when one is hot and dry. It’s like the root- flavored waters of paradise for me. Joyful rather than sad!
Amber! Yuck-a. Would love some amber entry-level perfume ideas. Thanks!
Have you tried Prada L’Eau Ambree? If your issue with amber is that it’s too heavy, this might work for you. If the problem with amber is that it’s too sweet, Kerosene Copper Skies is a more herbal take on it that isn’t too sweet.
Seconding the idea of Prada L’Eau Ambree. It’s a divine soft amber.
Me three.
And if not the Ambree, try the regular ol’ Prada Prada which is sometimes called Prada Amber. I found the Ambree to powdery and sweet, but love the first Prada by Prada (Amber). Not arguing that it is better than the Ambree (although I prefer it), but just another scent you might want to try!
Hmm…
Dsquared2 Potion for Men
Ramon Monegal Ambra di Luna (my favourite amber so far)
Profumum Roma Fiore d’Ambra, Ambra Aureau
Prada L’Eau Ambree
Laboratorio Olfattivo Alambar (yum!)
Thanks for these suggestions!
Oh gosh, I forgot about Ambra Di Luna
..sooo goood. I bought a few samples from their sample program.
Sensuous by EL has an amber if I remember.
Coco Chanel is good too..
also, Must de Cartier..yum.
Atelier Ambre Nu is a pretty skin scent. If anything I wonder if you’ll find it too mild, but as a gateway, it could get the job done!
The Different Company Oriental Lounge, a very soft, low-key amber with a slight herbal twist of curry leaf. Also, Tolu by Ormonde Jayne, which is less sweet than most ambers. It also has a slight herbal twist to me, and from the notes I see it has juniper berry. Finally there is the late, lamented Fendi Theorema, which is a lighter, spicy, orange-y amber that almost everyone adores. You have to hunt for it, though (I recently found three testers in a shop with old stuck, so keep hunting everyone!).
Oh yes, amber. My favorite notes, and so I have plenty of recs. Tabac Aurea by SSS is a great smoky tobacco one. Has a definite gourmand edge, like walking in a forest where there’s a wood fire maybe a mile away and you’ve packed sugar cookies as a snack. Also Ambre Sultan by SL and Mitzah by Dior. Very similar- Mitzah is being discontinued. Both have a more spicy incense feel, a bit rougher. Cristina by Hilde Soliani is great, a bit of a patchouli-amber, smells exactly like those roasted nut vendors that set up outside in the fall. Ambre 114 by Histoires des Parfums is very soft and cushy, my sampling of it has been limited, but I certainly like what I’ve smelled so far. Eau de Mandarine Ambree by Hermes is very easy to get along with, very citrusy with a bit of sweet tropical passionfruit and an ambery base. Very summery, amazing longevity and sillage for a cologne. Ambre Russe by Parfums d’Empire is great- boozy and perfect for the cold, very deep-smelling. L’Air de Rien by Miller Harris has a bit of amber (I’ve now recommended it for the musk and patchouli threads as well)- it smells a bit like horses and books and a bit of leather. Very personal and lovely. Baghari is fabulous. Very aldehydic and golden citrusy, lasts forever. Others worth checking out are EL’s Amber Ylang Ylang, Hermes Ambre des Merveilles, AG Ambre Fetiche, and Copper Skies by Kerosene.
Wow! Thanks for all the great recs! Excited to try all of these.
I looooooove Prada L’eau Ambree, that is how I fell in love with amber, do try it..It’s so darn good.
The Prada is at the top of my list! Some of the others I’ve tried in stores and maybe if I got a sample and did a longer stretch of wearing it I’d develop a liking for the note.
Ambre Sultan I hated though…so.much.oregano. Yuk.
I’ve ordered samples of it three times! Still not getting it either
I love ambers and I’m writing down your recs. Thank’s!
I also have problems with amber. Hermes 24 Fauborg is mostly floral, but with amber in it, and it’s just on the edge of tolerable. Some days it’s perfect, some days it is still just too much amber, but for amber lovers, I don’t think it even registers as containing amber…
As a self-confessed amber-lover I wouldn’t think of 24 F as an amber. Probably the powerful florals, powders and aldehydes take over for me…
Hermes 24 I can do, maybe because there really isn’t any amber in it??
Maybe! Although ‘amber’ is such a loose term anyway, and comprehends such a variety of notes, it’s hard to exclude it for sure:)
Etro’s Ambra is a very light and pretty amber too.
Try Gaultier2. It’s a Lush Amber Fragrance with Musk and Vanilla. Yes, it’s kinda sweet but it’s intergrated so well with the other notes…
Fig and grapefruit are not winners for me, more often than not
I often avoid fig notes when I see them, and grapefruit can go either way but tends to remind me of porta-potties.
Haha Yukiej! I love Nuits d’Hadrian because it reminds me of the cologne the attendant pours on your hands in Turkish public bathrooms and busses. Very grapefruity porta potty! (looking forward to your prix de faux entry)
I love that Turkish bus cologne!
Ha! I haven’t spent much time in Turkey, so I don’t know what cologne you speak of. I am mighty curious now, though
Gosh, I have lots of dislikes. I don’t like fig, either. However, I adore Neela Vermeire’s Ashoka.
Sonoma Scent Studio Fig Tree is a nice fig!
Yeah, I think that was the first fig I warmed to. But I moved on and bought Fico di Amalfi, which is fig and grapefruit, so I’m guessing that won’t be a winner!
I’m assuming you’ve tried Philosykos, but if not, that is the direction in which I would point. And grapefruit, I would say check out Rose Ikebana by Hermes.
I have tried both Philosykos and SSS Fig Tree, though I have not tried Fico di Amalfi yet
They were both difficult and decisively unsuitable, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. I have read many reviews of both perfumes and similar fig scents that make me jealous that I do not “get” the creamy green quality often mentioned. I do like Rose Ikebana though! It is lovely and completely inoffensive to my nose with no sign of any porta-potty…
I love fig. But my fig scents come in different varieties: green fig, ripe fig, flowery fig, etc. A few recs not already mentioned above – Ninfeo Mio (Annick Goutal), Carthusia IO Capri, Pacifica’s Mediterranean Fig, Jardins des Kerylos (Parfumerie Generale). Ava Luxe has a number of very good figs – Fig Leaf (very green), Johri, Bois de Figue.
Sonoma Scent Studio has a really nice grapefruit.
Guerlain’s Pamplelune is OK–it started off beautifully, went a bit “cat pee” on me, but only for about a half hour, and then it was lovely again, if a bit generic in the dry down.
Are you referring to SSS Citrus Vetiver? I have enjoyed many of Laurie Erickson’s perfumes, but I don’t remember any with a grapefruit note. That would probably be a good oen for me to try, too.
Pamplelune went more “cat litter box” than porta potty on me, but after several tries I decided I would never be able to shake that association
Yukiej, I’m losing my mind. Not SSS–Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has the nice grapefruit. It’s just called Pamplemousse. Sorry for the confusion.
I wonder what you would think of Shalimar Initial L’eau. It is much heavier in citrus than other shalimars and has a definite, though lovely, grapefruit bite. Instead of the animalic amber, the citrus is complemented by a lighter slightly drier vanilla.
That sounds so weird! I love Shalimar (I have only tried the modern and a vintage EDP, I think), but I have a really hard time imagining what it would smell like with grapefruit.
If you love Shalimar EDP you may think Initial L’eau is an outright travesty. Its like the youthful grandchild of the Grandam Oriental, effervescent rather than seductive and pretty instead of sexy.
Just out of interest: how does Pampelune smell to you on other people?
This one is available here, I’ll give it a try.
For grapefruit, Kelly Calèche by Hermès has a nice grapefruit opening. It transitions into soft leather and rose/other florals, so it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a fruity perfume the whole time.
Grapefruit tends to be too sour for me in perfume, but I do like M. Micallef Pomelos, which for me is to Pampelune as actual pomelos are to grapefruit.
Added to sniff list!
I will give these a try, thanks!
I’m really not sure if it’s the sweetness or potentness, and do its helpful to try both the options you recommend to learn the difference.
This was meant in reply to the amber note suggestions! :))
Oud. Can’t stand it.
Kilian Rose Oud. The only one I’ve been able to stand (and it turns out it is, lo and behold, very popular.)
LOVE the rose note in Rose Oud! I would buy a rose with that scent without the oud and be very happy!
I’ll check it out. Thank you for the tip!
Oud by MFK is a very interesting take that might click if others haven’t. Rose Anonye and Portrait of a Lady are nice rose/oud offerings… and Plum Japonais is pretty nice, though ridiculously expensive.
Kilian Amber Oud and Ramon Monegal Agar Musk are two I don’t mind, also, Noir de Noir…furthermore, Juicy Couture for men.
Gardenia. I don’t know what the real flowers smell like (gorgeous, I’d imagine), but I cannot stand most gardenia perfumes. I’m fine with other white florals like tuberose, lily, jasmine, etc.
Also, realistic (rather than more abstract) roses tend to be either unpleasant or boring. Grapefruit is usually a no go thanks to that typical sweaty armpitness.
This one is easy but expensive (as is almost everything I’ve suggested today). Mandy Aftel at Aftelier has an all natural Cuir Gardenia, created with real gardenia (from a limited source). None of the other perfumes have real gardenia so you probably don’t like fake gardenia. And the way she blended the gardenia with the leather makes is so gorgeous and seamless and rounded and rich, it is nothing at all like the high-pitched white florals we find in department stores. This won’t really help you learn to love the note because it’s not even the same note, it’s the real thing!
Ah, yes, I noticed people raving about this one and have been quite curious. I adore leathers so the cuir part is very appealing, but I’m still nervous about the gardenia part. I might see how difficult it is to get hold of a sample.
I have trouble with gardenia as well. Honour Woman by Amouage is fairly good, as is Gardez Moi by Jovoy. Both I think are worth trying, though neither fulfilled my dreams as much as I would have hoped.
On the positive side, I don’t remember picking up any gardenia in Honour Woman. On the negative side, it don’t remember much else, either, except that I found it disappointingly bland.
Another expensive one, but Van Cleef & Arpels’ Gardenia Petale is the most lovely and realistic gardenia fragrance that I’ve tried.
Ah, I’ve tried that one and it was a no go for me.
A favorite gardenia of mine is Arquiste Boutonniere No.7.
Thanks! That’s a house that I’ve not had a chance to explore at all so far.
Wondering what you think of Estee Lauder’s Tuberose& Gardenia…
Tuberose & Gardenia is the only ‘gardenia’ that I don’t find completely horrible, probably because of tuberose. I still don’t want to wear it, but it’s what I’d recommend to others.
Well at least we are on the same page, lol! I’v had the Isabey recommended to me for Gardenia, but did not really enjoy it.
The Chanel Exclusif Gardenia is an idea – I think someone claimed it does not smell of gardenia at all – so for us that might be the one:)
It’s true that Chanel doesn’t smell like gardenia, but I don’t like it anyway!
For someone who doesn’t like Gardenia perfumes, I’ve tried quite a few of them. I guess that’s how I know that I don’t like them
Yeah, I’v been suggesting quite a lot of relatively well-known specimens, so I don’t think my ideas have been, in general, very helpful in this highly specialized forum!
I know that especially with notes I don’t like I keep hoping to find my gateway example and so I keep sniffing (although I’m less likely to pay for a sample). I guess this is the way to keep an open mind – and hopefully to one day find a whole new kind of perfume to appreciate.
So on we go – sniffing gardenias, lol!
FWIW, that’s my favorite line, to date, that I’ve ever heard about perfume. JCE says Chanel Gardenia is his favorite gardenia because it smells not of the flower but of happiness. Sold me on it!
Oh great, now I have to re-try this;)
Luca Turin in the guide gives his two word descriptor as ‘not gardenia’. He also pans it completely. But the JCE line is wonderful – who wants to smell of gardenia (even if you like the stuff) if you could smell of happiness instead!
I just plain did not like Chanel’s Gardenia. I was very predisposed to like it for a bunch of reasons… Although I didn’t have a panic scrub-off moment with it, but found it generally unappealing– not gardenia, not sensuous white flowers, not really anything I wanted to smell on me…
Well JCE’s scent of happiness is just cheap toilet spray to Luca Turin!
Fig leaf. Cannot stand. Horridly bitter (and I adore galbanum, for what that’s worth – people often call galbanum bitter).
Big NO to Premier Figuier, SSS Fig Tree, and the Diptyque (whatever it’s called).
Un Jardin un Mediterranee? Have you tried it? Fig is not strong to me, more like earth and tomato leaves.
Or its almost-twin, AdP Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi.
Lavender.
Won’t say I hate it, but I dislike it a whole heckuva lot.
Purchased Jicky in extrait 18 years ago thinking if I would ever like it
Jicky would do the trick. Nope. Re-test every six months or so (does anyone else do that?) but every time my opinion is “This would smell great if the lavender didn’t smell like dust.” Ugh!
I’v come to the realization that although I do have 180 degree turnabouts on some perfumes, these are definitely a minority. No more buys thinking I will come to love them! So yes, I know what you mean, about the regular re-testing and the loss of hope, lol!
I think lavender essential oil smells better than many perfumes that contain lavender, but I used to dislike even the essential oil! Lavender perfumes I do like: Caron Pour un Homme and Fourreau Noir . I have so far only smelled the wax sample of the Lutens but I loved that. Also, I recently smelled a Crabtree & Evelynn cologne called Old Windsor (part of their new heritage range) and thought it had a very nice lavender note as well…
Also, I don’t know if I love it – since I’v only had a small dab, but Kiki, which has a lavender-passionfruit accord is interesting and really nice too. Apparently the parfum is easier to get along with than the EDP. Worth mentioning because it is very far from the dusty type of lavender in Jicky.
Thanks for the suggestions Merlin. Glad to see I’m not alone in endlessly re-testing. I have a sample of Kiki that I received when I purchased Onda EDP, but I have yet to test it. And passionfruit isn’t a problem because it makes Onda EDP smell fantastic!
Caron Pour un Homme is a no go, love the vanilla……… well, you know how I feel about the lavender.
But I will note everyone’s suggestions and smell them and even re-smell the ones I already know. I love perfumes, even perfumes that don’t make me want to wear them!
Jicky is a good one, with the animalic bits. Caron Pour un Homme is a classic. By Kilian Taste of Heaven smells like Pour un Homme. Brin de Reglisse by Hermes is a great licoricey lavender. 1723 by Histoires des Parfums is a nice somewhat spicy pastry lavender. DjHenne by Parfumerie Generale is a fantastic gourmand chocolatey smoky lavender.
Thanks Connie!
1723 Histoires des Parfums and DjHenne Parfumerie Generale both sound fantastic. I really like gourmand/pastry scents.
I’m excited to order samples.
Hi Bear,
I’m a Jicky fiend so if you ever want to do a trade…
Lavender essential oil is beautiful in a salt foot soak bath and I sniff it straight from the bottle to stop headaches.
Hello Sajini!
After 18 years there are only a few drops left in my 1/4 oz. bottle. I don’t regret buying it. I learned a lot about testing perfumes and parsing the notes. Thanks for the post!
In my short experience, there is quite a range of lavenders! CB I hate perfume lavender tea has little in common with Jicky but it is still quite nice. SL Incens et Lavende is also interesting and different, perhaps a little along the lines of Brin de Reglisse. I tried both of then through a lavender sampler pack.
Thanks Yukiej!
I’m writing down everyone’s suggestions and ordering samples.
Yes, the deeper I get into perfumery I find that a note such as lavender has multiple olfactory definitions.
Lavender I find challenging too, however, the lavender in Ninfeo Mio is done just right in my opinion. With the citrus, fig and galbanum its the most relaxing scent I’ve found due to the lavender mixed in there.
Thanks Floragal! Great name.
Citrus, fig and galbanum sounds great- I’ll check Ninfeo Mio out!
Pear isn’t a note that I’m overly fond of. Does anyone have any recommendations for a pear fragrance that is pretty and wearable?
Nope. Sampled MDCI’s La Belle Helene in hopes of a decent pear, but no dice. Haven’t yet tried Pear + Olive, but given my experience with the note, I’m in no rush!
I actually have and wear Pear + Olive and I am not much of a pear lover. The initial blast of gummy pear candy (that is what I get from it) is my least favorite part but it doesn’t last long and the Olive is divine and woody. It is helping me to appreciate pear but I have had to really give it a chance.
Just sampled Pear + Olive yesterday–I didn’t find it over-fruity at all. It was softer than I expected, and more of a cozy-sweet rather than a perky-sweet, if that makes any sense? Not sure I’ve tried any other scents with pear as a dominant note. I like Bill Blass Nude, which is more appley, but only once in a while. It can be too fruity for me on the wrong day.
Maybe Petite Chérie by Annick Goutal?
That’s too funny that even after taking their test, she recommended the one you dislike!
Ack! This was in response to Beck above.
Thank you for this thread! As a newbie it’s a great opportunity to read about a bunch of notes, all at once.
Soaking it all up
That’s awesome, Nebbe. I feel the same way. Making a list of samples to get based on this thread.
Good, glad it’s helpful!
HUGE long list over here! Great pol. It’s just really helpful to tease out notes to better understand what you like.
Petrol/gasoline. It’s mentioned as an “interesting” note in some perfumes, but it always nauseates me. Any suggestions so I can start to understand it?
Have you tried Bulgari Black? It doesn’t have a “petrol” note per se, but it does have a smoky, rubbery, hot asphalt note with vanilla. Kind of makes me think of wearing vanilla perfume in an auto parts store.
Second the Black.
The smell at the gas pump is one of my favorite scents. I think it’s a childhood thing (riding in the boot of the VW bug on long car rides I think I got high on the fumes)
Ugh, actually being at the gas station/gas pump is the worst!
I’ve tried it, and while I didn’t completely hate it, I didn’t really get why so many people like it. I’ll re-try.
I like the petrol note both in Farenheit and in Nostalgia (SMN). I prefer and own the latter which also has a lovely balsamic dry down.
I’ll look into those, thanks.
The petrol aspect of these is definitely heavier than in Bulgari Black which has a stronger florals- ‘n-sweet rubber vibe.
Can I ask which fragrances you have tried that have this note? On the spot I can’t really think of any others!
I haven’t smelled petrol in any fume..Fahrenheit was all leather to me..but no gas. Same with the Bvlgari.
I’m not prone to scent memories, but the first time I smelled F I got this impression of my dads motorbike and leather jacket. He drove a motorbike more than 30 years ago!
But honestly I dont pick up petrol in the Bulgari either, though it does give me a sense of adventure. Sweet rubber and some wild florals:)
Me too! I am disappointed in myself about this–like the way I wish I liked durian fruit, and scents with hints of cigarette, but I just don’t. I try, I sniff, I am not conquered.
Violet! I thought I hated it but am coming around a bit. I did not like Jolie Madame last time I smelled it (which was before my conversion), but I have tried and liked SSS To Dream and Alexander McQueen My Queen. I remember liking Tom Ford Black Violet but I’ve only smelled it on a card and not skin. A gateway into violet for me was SL Boxeuses. I’m sure there are other violets I need to try. What say you?
How do you feel about the rose-violet accord? Personally I prefer Lieu de Reves by SSS to To Dream (but I think I’m in the minority). Then there is Lipstick Rose and the more accessible Flower by Kenzo. Flower has an interesting clove note that keeps my nose interested – but I do not yet have a bottle. Apparently the parfum is better but I have never come across it.
Discontinued, but for a rose-violet perfume I’d recommend Guerlain Attrape-Couer.
If you would consider violets that are not so pretty and feminine I would recommend Arquiste Alexandre (with some leather) and Mona di Orios Violette Fumee.
Seconding Arquiste Aleksandr. Also Apres L’Ondee is worth a try.
SSS Wood Violet and Voile de Violet, DSH Vers la Violette, and seconding Apres L’Ondee and Mona di Orio Violet Fumee. For a violet leaf note, Atelier’s Sous le toit de Paris.
Not really entry level violets, necessarily, but two great ones (and very different from each other) are Atelier Cologne Sous Le Toit and Comme des Garcons Stephen Jones.
Thanks for the recommendations! I’ve been meaning to try more of SSS in general, so I’ll make sure Lieu de Reves and Wood Violet are on the list. I’ve read good things about Violette Fumee, so it’s on the list to try when I get around to it. I had forgotten about the DSHs and the Arquiste, so thanks for reminding me of those. I’ve liked most of what I’ve tried from Arquiste so I’m hopeful.
I have been wanting to revisit Apres l’Ondee. I smelled the current EDT at Neiman Marcus some time ago. I remember not liking it, but if I’m remembering correctly, I don’t think the violet note was the reason I didn’t like it. But it’s been a while so I need to re-sniff.
Thanks for the recs, Robin. I actually have tried Stephen Jones but forgot to mention it. I sort of liked it, but it had a bit of the cucumbery violet leaf thing that I struggled with. I need to give it another sniff nonetheless. And I need to try the Atelier when I come across it.
I hate pear & heliotrope, no recommendations needed, I hate what I hate. lol. That green vanilla ick from helio makes me wanna gag.
Interesting! There are few notes that I hate in and of themselves. It always seems to be what its combined with that repels me in any instance. Offhand I can think of hardly a single note that is awful in every formula I have ever tried. Perhaps caviar is an exception since I think I have only found it in Womanity, and am still recovering, years later;)
Ughhhh heliotrope. Agreed, no one need try to convert me!
Isn’t L’eau d’Hiver heliotrope? ‘Cuz that’s a BIG LOVE for me! Also Teint de Neige, which I’ve only sampled, which had a similar feel. Can’t really imagine being turned off by either of those! It’s like hating a Jo Malone–they’re so soft and understated–I can be bored, but not repulsed!
I know, it’s so crazy. I think it really is a molecule that bothers–it’s not exactly that it smells bad to me, but that it sets my teeth on edge. Like olfactory nails on a chalkboard,
Oops, commenting via my phone for the first time, hit send unintentionally!
Was going to say, also like biting into something too sweet. It’s a physical sensation more than a bad smell, to me at least. But it happens to me with so many heliotrope perfumes even ones I otherwise love (kinda grit my teeth through that stage of After My Own Heart bc the rest is soo lovely!)
Huh! That’s fascinating to me! I wonder what it is that catches you so unpleasantly? Have you sniffed an actual heliotrope flower? I haven’t, but I wonder if that would strike you differently. . . or totally wig you out!
I know, it’s totally weird. I should try to get a sniff of the real thing. I tend to assume it must be a synthetic molecule that bugs me, but I don’t really have any good reason to believe that!
Me too! (no heliotrope and no L’eau d’Hiver)
Oh, glad it’s not just me! I do sometimes feel crazy, like, what could anyone find objectionable in such light perfume… But!!
CH, we tend to have similar loves and dislikes a good amount of time..and I totally feel the same way about that Ineke! I love the lilac but whhhhhyyyyyy the helio? I recently tried Angelique Lilas..which seemed nice on first blast…then something horrible happened…it was all helio. I felt all queasy wanting to scrub it off. Nasty, just nasty. Don’t try that one, LOL.
Okay, here is a truly unusual one: I have trouble with prominent jasmine notes. I think that that strong Lutens one is partly responsible for the aversion, but also the fact that its often in hyper-femme floral concoctions. Soft innocuous jasmine are usually dull; and combined with tea in The pour un Ete it strikes me as slightly dirty vase water. Perhaps my favorite was one of those limited harvest Givenchy editions, but I’m not sure these are even available any more…
I’m aware that jasmine-ambivalence is an especially perverse flaw
Haha no I hear you, especially on the untamed jasmines! But I take it we’re looking for something not hyperfeminine? That’s a bit of a challenge to me, as the first ones that come to mind are Dior Grand Bal and (as Sweetgrass notes above) Serge Fleurs d’Oranger, but those are pretty white floral-y… Oh, maybe Jasmin et Cigarette? It is, I’m afraid, a lot tamer than its conceit might lead you to believe, but then, maybe that could work in this case. And I might as well mention Poet’s Jasmine as well, as a very accessible jasmine–I worry you’ll find it boring but I’d be surprised if you (or anyone) found much to object to.
Yes, Grand Bal is the kind of perfume that is decidedly not-me! Fleurs d’Oranger just turns icky on my skin… Jasmin et Cigarette is a strange case; it smells so much like a real ashtray it actually makes me cough, and my chest feel tight.
Unfortunately with present postal regulations and all I do not have easy access to Ineka. A traveling friend did mule home Evening Edged in Gold for me and I adore it!
Ohh, interesting about Evening Edged in Gold! Hmm, I wonder if I can help–let’s discuss further if you’re inclined! catherineh789 at ye olde google mail
I take it that that is a gmail account? I’v e-mailed, but don’t know yet whether it went through…
I too love Evening, Ineke is superb with customer service too.
I’m not a jasmine person as well; however, it’s mainly my skin. I’ll love a perfume with the note in the bottle. As soon as it mixes with my skin chemistry though, I’m scrubbing it off my arms.
The only fragrance with the note in it that I can handle is Aftelier’s Pink Lotus. Otherwise, I tend to avoid the note as I just don’t see the point.
Certainly no point in trying to like a smell one simply doesn’t like, I agree!
I love jasmine..the only one I can’t seem to hang with is Joy..it smells like raunchy, dead or unfixed, feral cat or wet fur coat. I thought of a dead cat or, not to be gross..but that funk in the air that lingers when a cat gives birth. Nasty.
Annick Goutal Le Jasmin, I think, is tamer but not dull, although of course I love the L’Artisan too so maybe I’m disqualified.
Do you mean L’Artisan Fleur d’Oranger? I’v only had a dabber but I actually loved that one. (I don’t like the Lutens – with the same name – on me. Is the L’Artisan strong on jasmine?
I have trouble with tonka bean
Gosh, that’s hard, it’s in so many perfumes that it’s hard to avoid.
I’m not even sure I can differentiate tonka bean from heliotrope, amber, various balsamic resins and vanilla. My nose still runs most of these together:/
Yes, tonka and amber are indiscernible for me, too!
Hey, I guess our noses are in the same class at school;)
That one can be iffy for me too, depends on how much is used though..if it’s a lot..it may be too much..like Tonka Imperiale..too much for me.
Rather off topic, but just wanted to thank lindy I think it was for mentioning Giving Gifts in Vancouver as a source for Ayala perfumes where I popped in on Friday. Film Noir was neat, smelling of chocolate and potting soil, and Treazon smelled of Chinese grocery store, which was confusing.
Definitely off topic since I haven’t seen any perfume there, but Still Fabulous Thrift is now on Main Street around 27th.
You’re very welcome, AnnieA. Now that’s an interesting response to Treazon — definitely not what I got. Espionage is another one of hers that I like.
And thanks in return for the thrift store tip.
That Horrible Urinous Synthetic Musk that has become so Popular in scent nowadays! Gives me an IMMEDIATE Headache that feels like someone is driving a Spike into my temple! ACK!!!!! I wanted to like it but that new Men’s Burberry Brit Rhythm Has it in it and Versace Eros and It just makes me wanna DIE!
How come nobody has mentioned the evil vanilla?
I have to confess that I have a couple of loves from SL and Giacobetti with vanilla, but more broadly vanilla tends to kill things for me.
And yes I have never learned to like amber for which I just blame vanilla.
I was surprised that it hadn’t appeared so far. I used to hate it because I associated it with sickly-sweet, but recently I discovered Vanille Insensée, which I love. Cuir Ottoman has a lovely vanilla note in the dry-down too – and not sweet at all.
But I do like amber very much…
I second Vanille Insensee, and would also suggest Vanille Exquise (Goutal). Its a smoky burnt vanilla, so not in the super-sweet category…
For a very non-vanilla type of amber you could maybe try Ambre Sultan which is dry and herbal.
Apologies if these are all ones you have already tried!
Thank you 2rista and Merlin for the suggestions
Will try and it will be fun as I usually do not dare to bring close to my nose anything that may have vanilla in its list of notes, let alone in its title. If the experiment turns into anything positive, I’ll be happy in my amazement (despite the fact that disliking vanilla tends to be not so bad for my wallet).
I am not huge on vanilla either…but I recently fell in love with Shalimar..grown up vanilla..not icing sweet or fluffy cream. Just right.
I’m off to surrender to get a bunch of samples. Culled from this thread and sure to push me into learning more about perfumes with notes I wouldn’t normally touch with a ten foot pole, thank you so much!!:
Coromandel, Patchouli Patch, Rubj, SSS Sienna musk, Musc Nomade, L’heure Exquise, Shanghai Lily, Putain de Palace, Rose Kashmirie and Oriental lounge.
Right behind you!
Thanks all!!
Rose Kashmerie is a better done Stella, imo..I like it.