Robin participated in the Monday Mail back in 2014, looking for two perfect fragrances: one for everyday and one for special occasions. Since then, her life has changed and so has her perfume collection, but she still doesn't have her special fragrances. So, let's try again! Robin wants complex, beautiful, feminine scents, preferably not mainstream, that fit her personality and style. Ideally, she would like to sniff her own arm and swoon. The fragrances should be grown-up but not too mature, youthful but not teenager-ish. She will spend what she has to. Here is what we know about Robin:
Robin is in her mid 30s. She's originally from Charlotte, NC and now lives in Florida. She's a former 6th grade teacher; when she wrote to us before she was working at a radio/television station as the resident education expert, and now she is the Director of Communications and media at a large multi-site church. She has degrees in English Literature and Political Science.
She says she's an extrovert and an introvert: she's very social within her own group of friends, but still loves to be alone and "in the quiet". She has a bright personality, but is also sarcastic, over analytical and very picky. She enjoys creative work, cooking, reading, hiking and long walks on the beach.
She likes to dress casual-glamorous and classic, like a fashionable nerd. She is also a shoe and handbag fanatic. Her staple: jeans and t-shirt with a nice backpack and nice jewelry.
Robin likes lighter perfumes with citrus (soft rather than "astringent"), light floral and beachy notes. Favorite notes include mandarin, grapefruit, tea, green notes, plum and apple. Her current wardrobe includes mainstream fruity florals with some sweetness: Marc Jacobs Daisy, Creed Acqua Fiorentina, Clinique Happy, Kate Spade Twirl, Chanel Chance Eau Tendre. She also likes to layer Byredo La Tulipe (a favorite) + Byredo Inflorescence, or Chanel Beige + Chanel Gardenia.
Robin doesn't like most rose fragrances (although she occasionally uses Lush Rose Jam body products), and she doesn't like any super heavy or overly mature fragrances, or strong gourmands.
Here are some of the fragrances Robin has tried since her last Monday Mail (some of which were recommended by our readers):
Issey Miyake L'Eau d’Issey for women: she recently smelled this again and sort of loved it.
MCMC Maui: she loves this one.
Atelier Cologne: all a no, although the vanilla was the closest in the beginning.
Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au thé Vert: she liked it but didn't love it or buy it.
Ormonde Jayne (I think possibly the Frangipani?): ok, not memorable.
Cartier Baiser Vole Eau de Parfum: she liked it, but had to layer it with citrus to lessen the powdery aspect. She tried Jo Malone Grapefruit and liked it on paper but it was too metallic on her skin.
Fresh Hesperides: too astringent.
Prada Infusion d’Iris: too powdery.
Jour de Hermès: smelled like nail polish remover.
Moth and Rabbit Duke of Burgundy: smells OLD and a bit dusty.
Kai: intriguing but way too green, feels she can't pull it off.
Ebba Miss Marissa: she found it sort of weird and not right for her.
Puredistance: smelled like Fracas to her (too heavy and mature).
What say you?
Note: image is post_te [cropped] by fedewild at flickr; some rights reserved.
Guerlain’s Terracotta might fit the bill. And it’s been quite awhile since I’ve tried it, but Goutal’s Petite Cherie is a not-too-mature fruity floral.
Annick Goutal in general is a good idea, except Eau d’Hadrien, which sounds like the kind of citrus she does not like.
I recommend TF Orchid Soliel.
I haven’t had great success with Tom Ford…but I will give this a try!
I just ran through your earlier Monday Mail.
You seem to like light and delicate but not too citrusy florals. I don’t try as many fragrances as I used to, so please take this with as many grains of salt as you deem fit. I would recommend La Chasse aux Papillons by L’Artisan Parfumeur, By Kilian Water Calligraphy, Sweet Redemption and Love and Tears. Grandiflora Madagascan Jasmine and perhaps Boronia. Parfums de Nicolaï, Cap Néroli or Néroli Intense and maybe her Odalisque as well. More expensive but perhaps to your liking might be Parfums MDCI Un cœur en mai and La Belle Hélène. Now discontinued but extremely lovely is Patou Vacances (Héritage Collection). I don’t know whether you have tried any Malles? En Passant is great at this time of year.
And last but not least: Neela Vermeire Rahele.
Parfums MDCI is a great suggestion! I would add their Nuit Andalouse.
Agreed on Un coeur en Mai!
Also, while you’re at the Kilian counter, sniff Liaisons Dangereuses. It has rose but different from most and also plum. It’s more of a late fall/early winter scent, though.
PdN Cap Neroli! Their Neroli Intense gets heavier on me when the beeswax really comes out, but Cap Neroli stayed easy breezy throughout.
I don’t know if this will help, but I love the grapefruit in Parfums de Nicolai Balle de Match AKA L’Eau de Sport. It is marketed as a masculine, but I find it very wearable. It may be too much citrus.
I got a sample of this a while back, and I didn’t even make it past sniffing the sample. I was scared to actually put it on my skin, but I may order as sample to try again.
Perhaps Bois de Iles in the EDT version?
L’artisan the pour un ete – light tea & jasmin.
Bulgari au the noir – tea that skews a tad more assertive.
Baiser Vole Lys Rose – Baiser Vole without the powder.
Of the Ormonde Jaynes, perhaps Champaca would be better, or Prive. I feel blah about Frangipani myself.
I recommend Frederic Malle En Passant. White lilac with a little cucumber and whiff of baking bread.
Keiko Mecheri – Un Jour d’Ete
Ormonde Jayne – Osmanthus
Tom Ford – Eau de Soleil Blanc
Diptyque – Do Son
She might like something that’s lightly spicy as well.
l’Artisan Tea for Two?
And I like Eschmeling’s ideas above as well.
Also Byredo Bal d’Arique and Keiko Mecheri’s Cuir Cordoba.
Ooh, OJ Osmanthus is a good one!
She might like Meliora by Parfums de Marly it is a fruity floral with a dry down of musk.
Delina is another great fragrance in the same house. It is very sparkling and beautiful.
I would recommend Cacharel Noa L’Eau my favourite fruity (apple, cassis) floral with no rose on a light base of musks.
This sounds promising!
Some recommendations from me:
Prada – Infusion de Mandarine
L’Artisan – Sur L’Herbe
Altaia – Yu Son
Goutal – Le Chevrefeuille
Parfum d’Empire – Osmanthus Interdit
Parfum d’Empire – Acqua di Scandola
Chanel – Paris-Deauville
Ormaie – Les Brumes
Jul et Mad – Aqua Sextius
VC&A – California Reverie
Atelier des Ors – Nuda Veritas
Atelier des Ors – Pomelo Riviera
Memo – Winter Palace
If you have doubts about any of these fragrances, I have written about all of them on my blog
i second Chevrefueille from Goutal. Also Chanel Paris-Riviera and Hermes Hermessence Rose Ikebana (yes, I know about the Rose, but really, it’s beautiful and aptly named)
Seconding PdE Osmanthus Interdit! Really any osmanthus fragrance since they tend to incorporate peach or apricot notes.
I immediately thought of JLo Deseo. It has a nice bright pineapple note, with a beachy undertone. It somehow seems perfect for an India Hicks Island style type personality. lillyjo just calls it a fruity floral if my description scares you. Bottles of this are still floating around and can be had for very little money.
I think this is the description that made me start doing research after reading your response. Running now to look into it.
I am nervous that it’s a J. Lo perfume is the only catch. Don’t hate me!
I wish the Iunx line weren’t so hard to sample, because I think those ethereal and sophisticated scents might suit Robin.
In terms of florals, Hermes Iris Ukiyoe, which is the fresh flower rather than the powdery root, would be worth trying, as would all of the Hermessences — or are the calling them the Exclusives now?
Whichever it is, they are harder to find than the mainstream Hermes scents but I think they might appeal more to Robin. Cuir d’Ange is so delicious…
https://www.hermes.com/us/en/fragrances/exclusives/#||Line
Also the Cartier’s Les Heures de Parfum, not the stronger ones with the horse mane accord, but some of the others. They have a new scent called Carat that would be worth trying, too.
I don’t know what Chanel 31 Rue de Cambon smells like these days but would be worth a sniff.
The Japanese brand Parfum Satori comes to mind. Luckyscent has samples.
Masque Milano L’Attessa has gotten a lot of praise.
Give Frederic Malle Eau d’Hiver a chance, too.
The horse mane (accord criniere) Cartiers are Troisieme and Fougueuse. Don’t go there, Robin! ?
Horse man accord? Sounds scary and interesting!
Yes, some of the let’s say gentler Hermes choices might be just the ticket.
Meanwhile I’m enjoying the smoky tea version of the accord criniere in Fougueuse. I don’t wear it often, but it kind of works on a cool, cloudy spring day.
Hmmm. Lots of great ideas in other posts. Roger and Gallet Te Fantaisie, Berdoues Assam of India? I have drained bottles of both of these light smooth citrussy tea fragrances. Chanel Eau Premiere is a lovely light floral. Also Caudalie Fleur de Vigne has soft citrus and tea – very wearable.
Thinking of some I have that she might want to try
Carthusia Fiori di Capri
Guerlain Baiser de Russie
SSS Jour Ensoleille or Equestrian
What about Carthusia Io Capri? It’s got an easy going Mediterranean beach vibe with a dash of seaweed, plenty of fig, not too sharp lemon, and tea. If you’re feeling 100% summer beaches in the US there’s also Bond no. 9 Fire Island, which smells a lot like coppertone + other stuff in a fun way.
Berdoues Peng Lai is a cheerful peaches and osmanthus flower frag that can be sniffed at some/most? Sephoras. If you have a chance, try several of the options from Berdoues (I know someone already mentioned Assam of India).
Diptyque Eau Duelle might be another option if you liked the vanilla-citrus Atelier Cologne entry but it wasn’t exactly what you wanted.
Jimmy Choo by Jimmy Choo and YSL Mon Paris both had a lot of juicy pear if I remember right. Of the two Mon Paris was prob more floral, but also might have been heavier?
Ineke Poet’s Jasmine had a bright citrusy jasmine with some greenery and woods, and Ineke Idyllwild feels like catching a whiff of rhubarb and grapefruit in the forest. Ineke would be another brand to try.
Stella Peony if you’re trying out peonies?
And Zoologist Hummingbird (honeyed flower nectar from start to finish), Dragonfly (airy-aquatic florals), or maybe Chameleon (a super laid back, not over-powering tropical floral) could be the one! Really do try Hummingbird, it’s a boatload of indulgently sweet florals without getting too heady.
Whoops, sorry LizzieB, didn’t mean to sneak onto your thread!
I think you would absolutely love Vilhelm’s Dear Polly. It is pricey but has both apple and tea, is both fresh and comfortable, AND makes me swoon when I sniff it. Do give it a try!
Since you tried a lot of stuff from a certain direction, maybe it’s time for a slight change? I recommend Tangier Memories by Teresa Helbig. It’s a fruity scent on a musky, light leather. Neither sweet nor bold. The cheeky cranberry note is as far away from the young girl as the soft leather accord is from the lady. This one has the perfect balance of playful and serious. Could be yours!
Looking into this rn!
Few recommendations: Byredo Elevator Music, Diptyque Essences Insensees Tiare, Celine Saint Germain Des Pres and Maison Violet Tanagra. These are all on the lighter side without being boring.
Robin might want to work through the rest of the Bvlgari Eau Parfumee line, which have subtle but definite differences.
If you haven’t already sampled you should run through the Hermes Jardin series–my fave is Jardin Sur le Nil, but a sweeter take is Jardin Sur la Toit. I also like the light jasmine of Jardin de M. Li. All are great for the coming season.
Seconding this. I was thinking Jardin sur le toit would be especially perfect because of the apple note
Agreed, juicy apple with light florals and some greenery!
Hey there. Robin, from the article, here. Are any of these classified as green?
You may want to check scents out in parfumo.net One of the features for users there is classifying attributes like green (or fresh, creamy…) to it, displayed in a chart. For example the Malle En Passant mentioned above: https://www.parfumo.net/Perfumes/Editions_de_Parfum_Frederic_Malle/En_Passant
The Hermès Jardin series probably does, and several of the others including Ineke Idyllwild.
try
Emozione by Salvatore Ferragamo
Fleurs de Citronnier by Serge Luetens
Fleur d’Osmanthus Roger& Gallet
Outrageous Frederic Malle
What about Acqua di Parma Peonia Nobile for a day scent? I find it a beautiful citrus/floral (I don’t get any rose) and very easy to wear. I also love Rosa Nobile and Magnolia Nobile and find them all really easy and classy scents for daywear. Eaudemoiselle De Givenchy is also a lovely citrus scent for daywear.