I'm a perfume blogger- Ask me anything

[MissBattleaxe]

I've been blogging about perfume since 2013. Ask me anything. No snobbery, all budgets and nothing is off the table.

@Bossybitch3of3 Time For peace sounds lovely. I haven't smelled it but going by the notes, it's an amber musk with a peony and jasmine. There's also blackcurrant which can add a sort of inky sharpness if that makes sense? You might like Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt, which is wonderfully gentle with a soft musk finish. You might also like Coty Wild Musk (try allbeauty.com) or at the £££ end try AERIN Amber Musk.

@LumiereLennie Fire away! I've looked into this and it's very berry! This is good news as berries are pretty popular. At the cheap end I'd suggest Avon Surreal Sky at around £7. It's a very sweet red berry. Alternatively try Nina by Nina Ricci in the lovely red apple bottle. Another Avon you might like is Avon Luck, also cheap and cheerful but great value.

Hi OP. What an amazing job you have!
Byredo Gypsy Water is my favourite perfume and is my day to day but I'm looking for something for a night time vibe. Do you have any recommendations? I don't like anything too flowery or sweet really and need staying power as don't want to carry it when I'm on a night out. Would also love something unusual. I smelled some replica fragrances at Harvey Nichols for firs time last week and they were lovely, do you know if they last well?

@TeethingBabyHelp thank you. I just wish it paid better! I'm non You Tube so maybe that's why I'm not rolling in it.

I'm going to say try the Harvey Nichols Perfume Society Discovery Box. There are some brilliant niche brands in there that you would never be able to get without massive clout and a unicorn.

Byredo Gypsy Water is sandalwood and juniper, so you could take the sandalwood up a notch for evening. I would suggest Diptyque Tam Dao or Serge Lutens Santal Majascule. You might also like Le Jardin Retrouve Cuir de Russie- it's woody with a touch of juniper and baby soft leather.

@TeethingBabyHelp To answer the other bit of your question, I can't recall having tried Replica so can't give you an honest answer there. x

Oh wow @MissBattleaxe thank you for that recommendation, I didn't know that discovery box even existed I'll definitely get that! So lovely to get the chance to try new ones.

Thank you! I shall pass along your recommendation along with one of my spare Nina by Nina Ricci bottles! It’s my back up!

I absolutely love My Insolence by Gerlain but it's so pricey, any advice on something similar that doesn't cost the earth?

Here's my review of the Harvey Nichols Box. It's like the best advent calendar ever! bit.ly/2Kkr0sk I don't get commission but I did get this free.

@RibenaMonsoon My Insolence is discontinued so prices will shoot up. I've noticed that raspberry and almonds are dominant, so you could try 100bon (pronounced scent bon) Amaretto and Framboise

Thank you so much! Will give that a go

Insolence is discontinued??

My dd wears it. We both love it.

My God everything i love is discontinued. She only bought that bottle 3 months ago though

@31RueCambon don't worry! Insolence is still going strong I was talking about a flanker, My Insolence, not Insolence ( which is gorgeous by the way).

Oh phew. I find 95% of perfumes all indistinguishable. The ones i love tend to be interesting, as well as lovely!!

My sample hasnt arrived yet. I cant wait!! Must be here by tomorrow. Coming from France but still. Ordered it sunday morning i think

@31RueCambon I find that a lot of mainstream scents all kind of fuse together- you know the smell when you walk through duty free? There are a few new-ish big brand perfumes that I think smell that little bit different. Chloe Nomade, Gucci Bloom and Gucci Bamboo. There's probbaly more but if I had a voucher, that's what I'd go for.

Wow, funny you should say that because I love GUcci Bamboo, I thought about buying it.

I have smelt Chloe Nomade and I like it. I remember Chloe Narcisse used to seem (to me, in my early 20s!) like the poor woman's chanel number five! although I prefered Chloe Narcisse.

My Sample still wasn't there when I got home from work today. So sad :-( hopefully it will arrive tomorrow. DYING to try it.

Just reposting my question again as you missed me last week! @MissBattleaxe
What a great thread!
Pre pregnancy I used to love all the sweet scents (D&G- The one, Hugo Boss- Femme, Versus Versace, Escada - Turquoise Summer) then morning sickness kicked in and I found everything I used to wear nauseating!
I was hoping it would wear off post pregnancy but my son is now two and I haven't wore perfume for almost 3 years!
I feel like I'm ready for a new scent and have been to a few counters for suggestions but I can't find anything that doesn't make me feel sick.
Fear not, I don't stink as I do wear deodorant daily and regularly wash my clothes and funnily enough these sort of scents don't make me feel sick?
Might be a strange one but can you recommend any perfumes that just smell clean- like soap? or fresh laundry? etc. TIA!

@KeithFitt I'm so sorry! I thought I'd replied to you but I can't find my answer.

if you like clean and soapy, try JLo Glow. It smells pristine and freshly shampooed and is cheap as chips. You could also try Philosophy Amazing Grace, Cacharel Noa or Avon Pur Blanca. I wrote a blog post about fragrances like this

As for finding a new one, I always recommend Perfume Society Discovery Boxes. It's a great way of getting samples you couldn't get over the counter. Try this one for a nice variety of modern launches

@KeithFitt while we wait for @missbattleaxe 👋 ☕ can i suggest ck one. I started wearing it when i was pregnant. I smelt it on somebody else and it was so crisp and fresh. I still loveit and it is by normal day perfume that i keeeeeep going back to.

Oh sorry my eyes 😑🤔🤪

Does anyone remember impulse o2? A body spray from the 90s/00s. I know not exactly a perfume but I’d love to find that smell again, any ideas?

My Avon Surreal Island has arrived and it is very lovely - good call! Sui Love will always live in my heart, but this is a good back up!

@MissBattleaxe have you smelled the Disney ‘Wonder’ scent? We were given a Dumbo soft toy that had this scent impregnated in it but I can’t find out anything about it! Apparently it was a linen spray at some point? Just remembered whilst sorting out and finding the elephant!

I do remember it @MrsApplepants. I used to think it was like a g&t with lime
Am i thinking of the same one?

@MrsApplepants. Have you smelt guerlain's aqua allegoria "bergamot"
Sniff that one and see if it is similar! It popped into my head. Iloved that impulse too. My favoutite. Very fresh

Yes, very strong lime, and so fresh! I haven’t tried that one @31RueCambon, thanks for the suggestion