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.

@Marcipex guerlain insolence is nice, Kenzo flower maybe..
I find Le Labo scents very unisex but also ££!
I'm not expert though so would wait for OP

Just wanted to add this is a great thread!
What would you recommend similar to L'eau D'Issey Summer 2017 it's meant to be woody, vanilla and mildly floral (but very clean and fresh)?

@IsThisValidEnough You might like Chanel Chance Eau Tendre. It's ultra feminine and opens with bright grapefruit and beds down into peony. As usual, the eau de parfum lasts longer than the eau de toilette. The other Chanels are No 5, No 19, Coco, Cristalle and Coco Noir. I love Cristalle- it's green and fresh and beautiful and I love Coco as it's just a perfect oriental that lasts ages. A friend of mine smells great in Coco Mademoiselle and it has good longevity.

@Marcipex Thank you so much! That's lovely to hear. I remember Body Shop Samarkand. Didn't you just love their perfume bar? If anyone brought something similar back they'd make £££.

Cacharel Eden is an unusual floral with tuberose and mimosa and pineapple. It really is one people would have to smell before buying! I'm glad it suits you. it doesn't suit me, but I'm a fan of it in the way I might love a dress that would never fit me!

As for gender in perfume, IMO I wear whatever, regardless of the label and you are quite right to cross the shop and look at the other side. I've no idea why your DH might be embarrassed but it might be a good opportunity to get him to buy you some Tom Ford, since they're marketed at everyone! I know of several men who wear TF Black Orchid even though its "for women." But really, as far as I'm concerned, if you like it wear it and ignore the label!

The Body Shop perfume bar!! That’s a blast from the past! The hours I spent sniffing everything there as a teenager!

Do you know of anywhere that will let you sniff EVERYTHING? I have a list of about six that I’d love to get testers of, but I have no idea where to go to do that? There used to be a The Perfume Shop in our local city, but it’s gone now...

Thankyou MissBattleaxe
I loved the Bodyshop perfume bar and so did all my friends. It was where everyone headed on a Saturday morning.

Loving this thread, have scribbled down several suggestions for my birthday list, thank you!

My DH is not an aftershave person but I would like him to be as it makes me a bit swoony when I’m with a man who has a lovely crisp soapy smell. What would you recommend for a starter fragrance for him that wouldn’t make him roll his eyes too much

@LumiereLennie The Fragrance Shop or The Perfume Shop are usually pretty good at letting you sniff things, or try a Discovery Box. I also found Notino useful for doing samples when I was doing some research. You find the perfume you want on the site and just order 1m or 2ml.

@ThomasinaandSeptimus give him this, then he can pick one himself and you haven't lost any money. If he finds one he likes, you could then buy him a full bottle

perfumesociety.org/product/the-explorer-mens-discovery-box/

@cannotmakemymindup Aquatic florals are your thing by the sound of it! Try Inis Energy of The Sea, Davidoff Cool Water for her, Michael Kors Turquoise or Acqua di Gioia.

MissBattleaxe
Thank you for the thread. So interesting. You are so knowledgeable- I'm in awe.

I have very eclectic taste in perfume - ranging from Chanel Les Exclusives Jersey and Creed Silver Mountain Water to Katy Perry 's Mad Potion, Coty Wild Musk - not available in Europe , Ted Baker's Polly and Annick Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien. All above loved and repurchased.

I really really dislike Angel, Pomegranate Noir, Tweed, Yves Saint Laurent's Rive Gauche, Paris, Opium and Chanel Mademoiselle. Im not keen on any Dior scent.

Is there anything similar to Chanel Jersey as it's so expensive ?
I love L'occitane almond shower oil- is there a similar perfume ?

@beanaseireann What wonderful collection! I like that you mix a celebrity scent with the posh stuff. Celebs scents are way under rated IMO.

I must confess I've never smelled Chanel Jersey. They definitely don't have testers here in South Wales! However, the notes are lavender, vanilla and musk, which are also to be found in Caron Pour un homme, a bit cheaper at under £40!

@Missbattleaxe thank you for your suggestions I look forward to trying the suggestions next time I go shopping!!

Just bought myself some suddenly Madame glamour from Lidl which costs just £3.99 for 50ml after hearing allot about it supposedly smelling like coco Mademoiselle.
I like it and I think it’s well worth the £3.99!
What are your opinions?

Is there anything similar to Tom Ford Sahara Noir???? I'm broken hearted that it's been discontinued

@Phycadelicsilhouette I can't officially endorse dupes as brands wouldn't work with me, but I own a bottle and like owning it! x

@MissLadyM I haven't smelled it, but I see it's a big resin-y incense scent so I would recommend Tauer au Couer du Desert (try a sample as its £££. Try Les Senteurs) or Serge Lutens Arabie which is very resin-y. Check TK Maxx as they sometimes have fragrances that are having a change of packaging. I've seen some Serge Lutens for £50 lately.

Alternatively, try some of the 4160 Tuesdays Crimes of Passion range. Deep, dark and mysterious!

Thank you! X

I like your answer
Do you like any of the other Lidl range? I’ve read up that a few are supposedly quite good but not sure whether to try them out.
I don’t often spend on myself as a single parent to 2 boys 13 and 10 so this perfume has been a welcome discovery!

The Body Shop perfume bar!! That’s a blast from the past! The hours I spent sniffing everything there as a teenager!

Fuzzy peach was the best!

@Phycadelicsilhouette I sympathise. I used to wear Chanel Cristalle, had two kids and BOOM! had to find cheaper perfume! No more Chanel. That's how the blog started, so it was sort of a silver lining. I recommend a lot of Avon fragrances and even when things are tight, I can usually afford one of those once a month.

Check out my Avon round ups here bit.ly/2OO714k and here bit.ly/2EyJoJZ

Re "cheap" perfumes - the Primark "Neroli & Happy" is a gorgeous orange blossom scent: nicer than the one Primark calls "Orange Blossom" and a bit like the lovely Orange Blossom that Lush used to do. Yves Rocher Chevrefeullie is also gorgeous.

I dwell in cheap perfumes, except Red Roses (Jo Malone), Diorissimo, and Diorella, Coco Mademoiselle (only the EDT, EDP too much for me). I think you just have to try a lot of stuff.

I used only to use Body Shop Tea Rose - now that's discontinued, I've had to find alternatives, and it's fun!

Fuzzy peach!
I loved musk. They still do a lighter version of it which is nice.
Half my school reeked of musk and the other half pachouli

Id love a perfume smelling like L'occitane almond products. Their body creams and shower gels are lovely. I'm surprised they've not produced an almond scent

My Body Shop scent of choice was Dewberry - now have a Lilyflame candle of the same name, but it’s not quite the same!