Do you smell nice?

[MrsKoala]

I have come to a conclusion that i do not smell nice . I don't mean i smell bad , but i don't think i actively smell nice either. Just sort of clean and bland.

Recently a few people have walked past me who smelled bloody lovely, and i realised no one would think that about me and i would like them too.

The problem lies in that every year i got lovely smellies for birthday and xmas, so never bothered to buy any and used those and people would comment on how nice i smelled. Then 18months ago i had DS and all gifts stopped. People now buy for him (the present stealing little usurper) and i get flap all. So i have started buying functional cheap unisex shower gel/shampoo etc to share with DH. The other day i had dry skin so went out to 99p shop and bought a tub of what looked and smelled like industrial lubricant. Functional yes, luxuriant and fragrant, erm, no.

So if you smell nice. How do you do it? Is it nice washing powder/conditioner? posh shower gel? body cream? Perfume? (i don't smell great in most perfumes as it seems to turn acidic)

[MrsDavidBowie]

I use unscented shower gel although I love clarins wash.
I use perfume every day (Chanel 19) and respray at least once..even when just at home.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I think I smell of dogs, chicken poo, and washing up liquid, with cheap perfume layered over it.

When I think people smell nice, it's not an overpowering perfume smell, just the odd fresh waft.

I think it's clean, preferably line dried, clothes.

[Bunbaker]

I have been gardening today and have bits of ivy in my hair and have got very sweaty

No I do not smell nice right now

[NaturalBaby]

I don't think I do most of the time because I don't use a ton of perfume or scented fabric softener or have my hair done regularly (it's au natural curly) - these are the scents I notice on other people.
We've just moved house and certain parts smell gorgeous, the inside of the wardrobe smells very expensive (think leather and perfume)!

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

I smell of piss and vinegar.

[Apatite1]

Yes, I use unscented deodorant and lotion, and then spray something exquisite, then get dressed. Even when I'm lounging at home. Today I'm wearing alien essence absolue.

[lurkingaround]

What's wrong with clean and bland?? I lost all my 'taste' for smelly stuff with my first pregnancy, and never got it back. I don't like perfumed anything anymore. I smell bland too, (well I hope I do) by choice. Although right now I smell of roast dinner.

[myalias]

I am told freqently I smell nice. I have naice shower gel mainly Molton Brown and Elemis and use body lotion. A daily change of clean clothes (washed with fabric conditioner). A sprtitz of DKNY 'Be Delicious' perfume on wrists and always a couple of squirtz in my hair as it seems to retain the aroma for longer.

[MrsKoala]

What's wrong with clean and bland??

Well i suppose it has completed my conversion to functional mum, rather than fragrant fox! I mean i'm no Mary Archer, but i would like someone (preferably DH) to think mmmm as i walk past. In the last day i have been covered in ds piss, dog shit and bacon fat. I just want to smell nice godammit!

I am also currently pregnant so have the nose of a bloodhound.

I don't want anything overpowering. Just fresh and maybe citrusy. My nan bought me a clarins set which was blue about 5 years ago which i remember i liked very much. it had a body lotion and light perfume. That may be an option to revisit.

I don't want ds to think 'what's happened to mummy' tho, so i just want to smell a bit nicer. if that makes sense.

[Dawndonnaagain]

Zeste de Vigne by Caudalie. About £26. via Amazon, light, zesty and people tell me I smell lovely. I put it on in the morning and refresh once during the day.

[myalias]

Nothing wrong with clean and bland The Clarins red and blue atomisers are lovely and fresh.

[Artandco]

I generally use a non fragranced soap and deodorant. Then use either Chanel or Marc Jacobs perfume. My shampoo and face cream all smell like coconut

[MrsKoala]

i think i need a unifying smell rather than products from all over the place - then it should be easier to smell nice.

DH bought me that bee perfume for xmas and the ladybird one for my birthday (perhaps a hint!) but i haven't opened them yet . He just said he liked the bottle tho.

[WooAGhostCat]

I'm another one who uses unscented everything ( I can't stand smell clashing!) then use perfume even if I'm in my daggiest trackie bottoms at home alone cleaning.
I'm trying to find my 'signature' sent at the mo, as the two I love are both discontinued now.
I ordered about 40 samples from ebay, and each day I put a new one on even if I don't think I'll like it. Today it's 'Celine Dion'. Husband loves it and won't leave me alone!

[MichelloBarner]

I always smell clean but boring. I would dearly love to waft around in a subtle cloud of perfume but I can't find anything I truly love. I'm so worried about smelling overpowering or cheap or sickly that I can't make a decision, and so few really grab me at all, so I don't wear anything most of the time. I want to though.

[OverAndAbove]

I smell off garlic and wine at the moment

But usually I have clean hair, clean clothes washed with fabric conditioner, clean teeth and nice perfume on, so I think I smell quite nice

[monicalewinski]

I get complimented on my smell a lot, and people are surprised because it is Eternity I wear which has been around quite a while now so not necessarily fashionable. I do a squirt in my hair too like a pp does as that is where most people will get a 'waft' from. (I also quite like ck one every now and again as it's quite cheap and is quite light and fresh for everyday smell).

I keep laundry smells quite neutral and use a not too smelly shower gel and shampoo - the kids and my husband use coconut shampoo or 2 in 1 shower gel/shampoo.

I suppose my smell (when not perfume) is hair products and deodorant, but they aren't massively overpowering either.

It's worth getting some sample size bottles of various perfumes to try out, or pop into boots when you can to try out a different smell every time (how long it lasts and whether it still smells nice after a while).

[MrsKoala]

Eternity is one of those smells i love on other people but smells foul on me (all CK perfumes do). I bought it for myself once and went out on the bus (i was going somewhere nice, not just an evening travelling about on the bus btw) and noticed this horrid amonia smell, then i realised it was coming from me. I thought/hoped that maybe i was just being paranoid, then a pissed aussie got on and shouted 'JEEEZZZ someones over done it on the perfume, it smells like a cats pissed on here' and lent across me and opened the window above my head...someone down the bus cheered.

[MrsKoala]

Oddly enough the more heady scents smell lovely on me - Opium particularly. But it's not a smell i really want to smell of. i like zingy and fresh on other people.

[monicalewinski]

MrsKoala, you've just made me hurt my stomach laughing

I've wasted loads over the years, buying perfumes because they've smelled gorgeous on other people. My sister always smells lovely but all the perfumes she wears smell really cloying and headachey on me - that's why even though I have a shelf full of pretty bottles, I only actually ever use 2 of them.

I've actually just been on Amazon and bought the one that dawndonna recommended as it sounded nice (and another from the same range). This is why I can't be trusted on the style and beauty threads with access to Amazon one click

[Shimmyshimmy]

Did a 4 day safari once where we climbed, walked and didn't wash, bar a dip in the river and a splash of water on the face. I suspect we hummed of sweat and smoke from the fire and we walked past a group of tourists who were all scrubbed clean and the cloud of perfume was an assault on the senses, it felt totally out of place. We all wondered whether they had smelled us and thought something similarly negative.

Normally I smell of sweat after exercise or Chanel but only when someone gets close, I don't like to smell someone's perfume as they pass by. I don't like perfumed product either, especially strong smelling washing detergents.

[lurkingaround]

Hilarious story re the ammonia smell in the bus MrsK. I do you what you mean when you say functional mum and fragrant fox. There is an air of elegance when someone passes and smells lovely. But for me bland and boring is as good as it gets ATM. I wonder will I ever like perfume on me again.

[thecatfromjapan]

MrsKoala, why don't you go on a scent-finding safari of your own? Decide you're time-frame, and when you go off to the shops (with your children, or by yourself) make a little time to spray various perfumes - on the little cards you are given, and then yourself.

As a starter, I recommend spending quarter of an hour in your local Marks and Spencer and checking out Fleur d'Osmanthus, which is very citrussy.

Then you need to graduate to your local Boots. There is a Clarins you will almost certaily love, Eau Dynamisme, as well as O de Lancome. You can then go bravely forth and find something that makes you think you smell delicious.

I'm wearing "Ninfeo Mio" by Annouck Goutal at the moment. It was on sale in my local TK Maxx, and I was delighted to find it there. I strongly suspect you would love this. I can't imagine anyone opening bus windows, however much I wore. Even drunk and rather robust Australians.

The bus incident is very funny, but must have been a bit cringey at the time. Totally unlikely to be repeated. I had something similar happen to me when I was trying a Sisley perfume once - it rather puts you off wearing statement perfumes on public transprt ever again, doesn't it? But perhaps that is no bad thing?