Marta fell in love with perfumes in 2007 when she discovered Serge Lutens Chergui and Frédéric Malle Musc Ravageur. Since then she has been an avid reader of Now Smell This (and she also loves our own Angie's cozy mysteries).
She's currently searching for a signature scent for special events, something that will make her feel both chic and professional, like her longtime favorite Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady. She still finds Portrait of a Lady beautiful but she's overly used to it now, and no other perfume in her collection feels powerful and special enough to be its replacement. Her perfect perfume will be as cold and chic as a Hitchcock blonde, but also with some wit and panache. So, icy and interesting.
Can we help?
Here is what we know about Marta:
She is in her early thirties and works as a freelance writer and film critic. She also wrote a monograph about Luchino Visconti’s cinema, and may start her Ph.D. studies this year.
She has blue eyes, a reddish complexion and long blonde hair, and describes her style as 70s hippie meets 90s minimalism (but she also has a soft spot for 40s femme fatale style dresses). Her friends and family often describe her as an odd mix of witty and shy.
She loves Italian and British cinema, old Hollywood movies, red lipsticks, opera, cats and golden age mysteries.
She is from Poland, and is currently living with her husband and cat in Geneva, Switzerland.
Marta's signature fragrances over the years have included Chanel No. 5 and Chanel No. 19, Clinique Aromatics Elixir, Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower and Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady.
Other fragrances Marta has loved and worn include...Bvlgari pour Femme, Guerlain Après L’Ondée, Frédéric Malle Eau d’Hiver, En Passant and Eau Magnolia, Rochas Femme, Parfums DelRae Mythique, Diptyque Tam Dao, vintage Dior Diorissimo and Chanel Cristalle.
The most recent perfumes she fell in love with were Frédéric Malle Lys Méditerranée (beautiful cold lilies), Le Lion de Chanel (baroque Shalimar-like leather – but too nocturnal for professional meetings) and Guerlain Bois d'Arménie (a woody symphony that reminds her of fireworks and bonfires).
Her favorite notes are patchouli, hay, tobacco, leather and suede, roses, iris, orange blossom, acacia and mimosa. She also loves linden blossom and lily. She likes spices (cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, ginger) and she's not afraid of a little bit of cumin (longtime Femme lover). She hasn't met a green fragrance or green chypre she didn't like.
Some perfumes that should have worked for her but didn’t:
Rose chypres other than Aromatics Elixir, like Agent Provocateur, Paloma Picasso, Sisley Soir de Lune, Paco Rabanne La Nuit. She appreciates them but does not want another rose-patchouli combination, or a rose scent in the style of Portrait of a Lady.
Vetiver perfumes: vetiver is her husband's signature and she likes it better on him.
Musky skin scents like Narciso Rodriguez for Her, Le Labo Another 13; these are too straightforward and remind her of hygiene products.
White flowers with prominent vanilla notes like Annick Goutal Songes or Le Labo Lys 44...she loves them but they often turn very vanillic on her.
Most Hermès fragrances, although beautiful, turn into a linear, boring mess on her skin.
Marta dislikes gourmand scents, oud, calone and fruity-floral notes. She also doesn't adore fig scents, narcissus and daffodil, grapes and bubblegum notes, heavy rose-violet combinations, and she prefers more abstract compositions over soliflores.
Perfumes that she really dislikes include:
Estée Lauder Spellbound: sweet and cloying.
Cacharel Eden: plasticky tuberose.
Tauer L’Air du Desert Marocain: in theory a perfect scent for her but one fecal-like note ruins it.
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium: generic and too boring.
Karl Lagerfeld Sun Moon Stars: metallic sweetness that feels nerve wracking.
Frédéric Malle Lipstick Rose: oily, heavy and unpleasant.
Heeley Cardinal: she usually loves incense, but Cardinal is too strong with some unpleasant undertone.
What say you?
Note: top image is post_te [cropped] by fedewild at flickr; some rights reserved.
For something a bit less well known, what about Nuit de Longchamp by Lubin? I have that one and I’ve described it as smelling like green silk, it’s a cool mossy floral. It has white florals, but they aren’t rich or indolic but almost breezy, and if Marta likes No 19 she might like this one. I’d describe it as very Hitchcock blonde.
I never try it and this description is very tempting. Thank You!
I’d love to try that one too!
Since Marta likes a whole swath of perfumes I also like, here are my favourite perfumes in what I call the Rich Lady/Executive Lady in the 40s genre:
L’Attesa by Masque Milan – very refined iris
Rien by Etat Libre d’Orange – leather/rose/incense, has the corner office
Encens Mythique by Guerlain – (for brunettes?) perfume equivalent of a fur coat
Thank You for suggestions, they’re definitely on my list, especially L’Attesa. Love the name Rich Lady/Executive Lady in the 40s!
Do report back later with your opinions and whether you made any purchases!
Maybe Lubin Upper Ten for Her?
Carine Roitfeld Forgive me? ELDO 500 years may be worth giving it a go. Rose de Jamal Les Indemodables is another that came to mind, They are all different.
Thank You for recommendiations! I definitely try them. Rose de Jamal and Forgive Me sound exactly like something I could fell for.
31 rue Cambon (or for something that may give the vibe Marta is going for, though maybe not the right notes, Chanel Cuir de Russie?)
Both are now on my list, thank You!
That’s one of my favorites of all time!
Rue Cambon sounds perfect!
I am going to recommend what I am wearing today: ånd Frånk
https://www.instagram.com/p/C30gkLUR4A1/?igsh=MXUzYngwY2VnM3pleA==
I know she mentioned not liking fruity florals but this one is fruity frankincense and I think has just the right balance.
Fruity frankincense sounds very intriguing and I never heard of this brand. Thank You!
Frederick Malle’s “Une Fleur de Cassie” is a stunning abstract floral, and it’s got a bunch of her favorite notes. Not as huge as “Portrait,” but it still makes a statement.
Thank You, one of the Malle’s I never tried and I really love Ropion’s work.
I’m wondering about Jour Ensolleille from Sonoma Scent Studio. It’s described as white flowers but the oakmoss lends a dryness. Gorgeous scent.
Sounds lovely and I never heard of it before. Thank You!
Lots of perfumes I also love in your list, Marta! N19 and Bois d’Armenie are also among my favourites, and coincide with your dislikes.
Caftan is a wonderful incense with lots of benzoin and frankincense like Bois d’Armenie, but more heavy on the incense I would say.
Since you list a few Shalimar-likes but no Shalimar, I would recommend one of my latest discoveries, Kismet by Lubin which is shalimaresque in the best possible way minus the challenging opening notes.
For iris perfumes, some of my favourites are Belle Ame by Les Abstraits, Angelique Papillon and Iris Torrefie Guerlain. Irisss is a very cold iris perfume ( in the vein of n19 cold), but also lovely, Another cold “queenly” perfume by Chanel in 22- lovely incense dry down too.
A nice lily scent from Dusita is Cavatina, I also love her iris perfume Splendiris.
Thank You for all suggestions! I definitely must try more Lubin scents and these wonderful iris recommendations. Also thanks for putting Dusita on my radar.
Sounds lovely and I never heard of it before. Thank You!
Some recommendations -Cartier Le Panthere perfume, Tom Ford Rose Prick its pach forward rose is behind the scenes, also Noir de Noir by Tom Ford, Prada Infusion d’Iris, Chanel 1932 & 31RC
I really like Le Panthere and Infusion d’ Iris, Noir de Noir and Rose Prick are going to my sniff list. Thank You!
I will mention another lily, PG Louanges Profanes, and for a complex, green leather Must de Cartier, I call it Green Shalimar.
Thank You – Louanges Profanes goes on my list! I tried Must years ago, maybe I give it another chance.
Bois des Iles gets my vote!
Bois de Isle was my suggestion too.
Thank You! I definitely must spend more time with Chanel Les Exclusifs.
I think several of the Ormonde Jaynes are solid choices, ormande woman for sure.
I recently tried and liked–
New Parfum Strength
Evernia by Ormonde Jayne is a modern take on a classic and is in keeping with our gender-free philosophy. The overall impression is of soft interlacing flowers; lily, freesia, orris and violet, fanned with the unmistakable aroma and tenacity of oakmoss. Moroccan rose adds sweetness and cardamom an intense wave of spice.
Cashmeran, sandalwood and musk give Evernia its underlying softness and sensuality. Wear Evernia on any occasion when you want to feel at your alluring best.
Never tried Ormonde Jaynes line, now I have a good reason. Thank You!
I second Ormonde Jayne Woman.
Not icy, but definitely not warm are Bois d’Encens, Armani Privé and Encens Flamboyant, Annick Goutal.
Another green with attitude is Jean Louis Scherrer Eau de Parfum
Thank You for recommendations! I think I never tried Scherrer and green with attitude sounds perfect.
Musc Ravageur and Chergui are some fantastic choices to kickstart a passion.
I second someone’s suggestion of Rien by Etat Libre d’Orange.
I thought Beige by Chanel, which is a warm floral with honey sweetness, if you haven’t tried it!
If you’re checking out Lubin, please try Idole. Not sure it’s a Hitchcock blonde scent, but it’s so beautiful. (Epidor is also a favorite, with a ravishing hay note.)
The one that sprang to mind instantly is Mentha Religiosa by Roos & Roos, a cool mint foiled by frankincense, with an ambery base that I find addictive. I think it would fit the brief perfectly.
Thant’s all I can think of at the moment but I’m sure the to-try list is already so long!
I was in love with Idole some time ago (but never bought a bottle), same with Beige edt. I definitely try Rien and Mentha Religiosa (great description). Thank You!
I hope you’ll report back. At least in the US, Roos & Roos isn’t easy to try (I think I got a sample from Nose) but I got my bottle for a great price.
Marta certainly has a great list already, but I think she would also enjoy my top two. As already mentioned, Chanel 31 Rue Cambon is beautiful and a must try. Also, since Marta likes many by Frederic Malle and some iris, I would also say she should try Iris Poudre. Others that have been mentioned that I think are good bets are Dusita Spelndiris and Chanel Beige.
I really like Beige and Iris Poudre (this one unfortunately has some sour note on me), but I will definitely try Splendiris and 31 Rue Cambon. Thank You!
My immediate thought was Acampora Sballo with its prominent hay note. Very earthy but with a refined floral undertone.
Always happy to try new perfume with hay note and I never gave much attention to Acampora. Thank You!
Since she likes Apres l’Ondee and Shalimar, what about l’Heure Bleu? It’s abstract not a solifore, and it has iris. And I second Rue Cambon.
I had a small bottle of L’Heure Bleu in my high school years and I always like it, maybe I should try it again. Thank You!
Has Marta tried some Mathilde Laurent’s creations? Her works are usually transparent. A modern face with classic vibes.
Le Panthere (Cartier). This could be one of the best choices for confident and professional women. A modern, floral pink chypre, landing on tender patchouli and leather. (Tho I only tried the original one. Robin has reported that it has been reformulated. Not sure how is the new formula.)
L’Envol (Cartier). Honey, iris, violet leaf. As some would describe, could be a valid and modern flanker for Fahrenheit or Dior Homme.
Pamplelune (Guerlain). I understand this may not be the category Marta into, but this is a lively grapefruit and one of the best fruity-floral creations ever.
Pur Muguet (Cartier). If your budget permits, you must try this one. One of the best lily-of-the-valley, only after Diorissimo, maybe.
I would have included Baiser Vole (Cartier). A tender lily, but also with vanilla. Thus, I am not sure if it would work.
I would also recommend creations by Patricia de Nicolai. I find her creations with classic decency but also intellectual twists. Odalisque (an icy green chypre), L’Eau Mixte (a refreshing minty chypre), Patchouli Intense (a polite patchouli for the professional), Week-end in Normandy (a classic fresh green chypre)… Caravansérail Intense, a warm spicy coffee, is one of my best last year.
If you are looking for something more spicy, you may also be interested in Christine Nagel’s creations. (Yes, she is the current Hermes in-house and have created several Jo Malone best-sellers. But she is a perfumer with great varieties, with both creativity and biz sense. I find her modern floral-ambery most compelling.) Mauboussin, Theorema, Une Nuit Magnetique, etc. (Tho, hopefully, they are not too cloying for you.)
I should also add that she actually is bringing a new life to Hermes, and very different from JCE’s. For example, please do try her first creation as in-house, Galop, a rosy leather.
Hope these can help 😉
Thank You! I love Mathilde Laurent and never heard of Pur Muguet, Envol also sounds interesting (I considered buying Baiser Vole but there was never right time for it). I definitely try Patricia de Nicolai and in the past Mauboussin was my autumn favorite, so maybe I will explore Christine Nagel work more closely,
For this green perfume lover, how about Niki de Saint Phalle?
Seconding Annick Goutal Encens Flamboyant. It’s one of my favorite incense perfumes.
I will try to look it on ebay – love NST review of Niki de Saint Phalle and Encens Flamboyant sounds very like something for me. Thank You!
Do you have access to Amouage? I’d suggest their Lyric Woman.
Yes, I have and Lyric Woman goes on my list. Thank You!
Serge Lutens Bas de Soie. Iris, hyacinth, and a cool smoky vibe. Smells like a Hitchcock blonde to me.
I love that one but it’s rare now! I sometimes wish I hadn’t sold my export bottle. I didn’t always love the far drydown.
I recommend Fath’s Lilas Exquis for a similar dark purple hyacinth floral, if you haven’t tried it!
Fath’s Lilas Exquis also goes on my list. Thank You!
Wonderful description. Thank You!
Iris Poudre.
Thank You! I like Iris Poudre and maybe someday it will perform better on my skin.
Her perfect perfume will be as cold and chic as a Hitchcock blonde, but also with some wit and panache. So, icy and interesting.
White Whale Masque Milano
L’Eau d’Hermes (cumin!)
Chanel No22 (missing wit but perfect Hitchcock blonde)
These three are among my absolute favourites!
Another one to consider is Coco Noir! It is so easy to wear and professional and sexy at the same time.
I am very intrigued by White Whale and L’Eau d’Hermes. Thank You! I really like Coco Noir and Chanel No22!