It's been a good long while since we've done a Monday Mail...I hope some of you still remember the drill! Today we're helping Liz, who is in law school and wants to find a "grown-up" fragrance that she can wear regularly. She'd prefer something with decent lasting power. She can pay around $100 and has reasonable access to stores, but is overwhelmed by the offerings she finds in the mall and is subject to migraines from some scents.
Here is what we know about Liz:
She's in her late 20s.
Her personal style during the week is feminine and conservative, but on the weekends she's usually in jeans and a t-shirt.
Her hobbies are reading, yoga, running, and aquariums/aquascaping.
Liz likes scents that smell either lightly floral or foody (vanilla or cinnamon) She has worn Jessica Simpson Fancy and Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio in the past. She really liked Tokyo Milk Sparrow (the notes: neroli, citrus, crisp greens, gardenia and rosewood) and thinks what she liked about it was the combination of neroli and light gardenia (her favorite flower). She thinks she'd like to try a light gardenia and/or a vanillic gourmand.
Liz dislikes anything musky or heavily floral. Perfumes she has been given as gifts but did not like include Calvin Klein Obsession, DKNY Be Delicious and Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps.
What say you? And note that Liz is not accustomed to ordering samples online — mainstream recommendations are probably best, but if you think of something niche / obscure you think she'd love, do tell where she could get a sample.
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Prada Candy! Sweet but subtle. Liz should definitely also try Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee if her local Sephora carries it (most carry at least the mini).
Maybe try:
Kenzo Amour
Dior Addict
Hanae Mori Butterfly
Tocca Margaux
Annick Goutal Songes
Ooh, Amour is a really good choice!
Elisa beat me to it – Kenzo Amour was my first thought.
Gosh, I kind of feel you nailed it!
Cartier Baiser Vole perhaps?
Always gorgeous.
Vanillic Gourmand = +1 for Prada Candy, or the Candy L’Eau version if you want it a notch toned-down.
Light Gardenia = Marc Jacobs. The original perfume called “Marc Jacobs” that is. (Sephora also has it in rollerball, which can be a nice option.)
Good luck. =:o)
I’d also recommend trying both Candy and Candy L’eau, if you are going to try either. I could hardly smell Candy and found Candy L’eau to have far more presence on me.
+1 to the Marc Jacobs. It’s lovely and very wearable.
Kai and Monyette Paris for a light creamy gardenia with a touch of vanilla sweetness. L de Lolita Lempicka for vanilla and cinnamon.
Good to see the Monday Mail back!
Dear Liz, you may want to try Un Matin D’Orage Annick Goutal for a light gardenia. It’s a light floral, rather on the green side.
I would also suggest to try Un Jardin en Mediterranee or Un Jardin sur le Nil Hermes for light florals with an interesting twist.
Give a try to the Yves Rocher lines too: Neroli is absolutely lovely, and so is Vanille Noir.
If I may – considering your style, I can see you wearing Acqua di Parma Colonia, or maybe Essenza (heavier on neroli). I think you will totally rock it!
Since I don’t know what stores you have access to in your local mall, I’m going to suggest a few that are available in almost any mainstream department stores or Sephora. Perhaps the Estée Lauder Sensuous perfumes for light gourmands– and for light gardenias maybe Juicy Couture original (the one with the black ribbon), Estée Lauder Tuberose Gardenia and l’Artisan La Chasse au Papillons. Good luck & happy searching!
Try Van Cleef & Arpels Gardenia Petale (also some vanilla here) and Jour d’Hermes for a grown up, light floral. For foody vanilla try Angel Eau Sucree (entirely different from the original Angel)-feather light and delicious. Enjoy!
Yay, Monday Mail!
For some reason, Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise comes to mind: It has jasmine and gardenia and a dewiness or wetness, which Liz might like. So: even though it is very floral, it is tempered by the tropical dew.
I second the Hermes recommendations. If you have a decent-sized Sephora nearby, they shouldn’t be too hard to find. I’d also suggest checking out the Tocca brand as well, which you should also be able to find at Sephora.
Lots of good suggestions already. I’d add Lush Vanillary (with the note that it comes in different concentrations–so if the spray is too much, try a solid) and maybe Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia (available at some Whole Foods, some Targets, and occasionally at TJMaxx!) Or if you’re near one of the Chanel boutique which have testers of the Exclusifs line, Chanel Gardenia–it’s not hyperrealistic but might fit the bill for “light gardenia”.
I recommend checking out the Estee Lauder line. Most are quite affordable and good quality. I agree with the earlier recommendation for Sensuous. Jasmine White Moss is exceptional but I think it’s only at the Saks stores though I am not entirely sure about this. All the perfumes are worth investigating-especial youth dew of whack I like the oil.
whack shoulda been which!
I saw the EL PC Jasmine White Moss and Sensuous (or possibly a flanker) at the Saks outlet about six months ago–not super-cheap, but discounted at least.
Assuming no one in your eventual office is allergic or perfume phobic, I recommend trying to branch out a little to get a more sophisticated (but still office appropriate) scent.
If you are getting headaches from the perfume counter, there may be specific notes which bother you. (Perhaps Aldehydes and/or “white musk”)
My recommendation for a sophisticated light flower would be Channel 19.
Prada Infusion D’Iris is a wonderful sophisticated (yet widely available) light floral. In fact, the entire Prada line is very well done. (But Candy is well, delicious and well, candyish).
The same is true up and down the Hermes line- all well done and sophisticated.
Another really good, often available at malls is Atalier Cologne. (Very affordable in the travel sizes) The Vanille Insensee is a non-gourmand take on Vanilla, so you might prefer the Amber Nue.
For a reasonably priced vanillic floral that is lovely and wearable, I would suggest Parfums d’Nicolai Vanille Tonka. PdN has some other very nice light florals you might consider trying at the same time (tho other people might have better suggestions for that).
Dyptique is available at Nordstoms which is pretty mainstream. Eau Duelle is a nice Vanilla.
Prada Infusion d’Iris for a sophisticated floral that isn’t too floral. Kenzo Flower EDT, maybe? Also, definitely try Hermes Eau des Merveilles. Feminine without being floral, quirky sophisticated but not at all mainstream or too “old lady” for a law student. Try the Shikai Gardenia shower gel at Whole Foods!
I think you should really try Eau Duelle from Diptyque for a vanilla, but strongly second Prada Candy and Kenzo Amour as light, sophisticated, vanillic fragrances. I have been able to wear all of them around patients and not gotten complaints.
Tory Burch is a light, fresh, citrusy floral. If you like sweet vanillas, La Maison de Vanille has a coffret of five different varieties for I think $55. It’s at Luckyscent.
Tocca Colette