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.

Many thanks for your lovely reply and all the great ideas, Missbattleax, very helpful!

I actually have an Yves Rocher in walking distance and a place to check out the Miller Harris and Tom Ford scents just opposite, so will do that today or tomorrow.

Great tip re expanding one's database by smelling everything! I'll definitely try this and have already started with several plants, my coffee and the cat this morning. Normally, I'm mainly a very visual person, so really interesting to concentrate on using my nose more for a change.

Have you ever done / would you like to do one of these 'create your own perfume' workshops some brands / parfumeurs offer? I imagine it is a lot harder than one would think to create anything half decent and interesting!

One more question: I noticed you recommended an H&M fragrance upthread. I just discovered those on the website a few days ago and some get great reviews, though none of them seem to be available anywhere near me. I've currently got Makassar Patchouli, Mirabilia and Sparks will Fly in my shopping basket (very heavily reduced!), any opinion on those?

@MissBattleaxe thanks. I wouldn’t have thought of discovery boxes. I really want to find something I love so really don’t want to be buying full bottles till I’m sure so that’s a great idea. I like lush bar shampoos so I’ll have a look at lush orange blossom too.

@Celticrose Yvresse is still available to buy, I’m pretty sure

my questions always get missed on these threads. I give up🤦🏻‍♀️

Yvresse is GORGEOUS! I’m not convinced it is quite the same as the original Champagne, which I would die for, but I love it!!!

@MissBattleaxe just wanted to pop back on and thank you for your suggestion for a cheaper alternative to Flowerbomb. I bought the Rihanna perfume you suggested and it is lovely and a fantastic alternative...and 100ml for £20 is a total bargain

@LorelaiRoryEmily - Un amour de Patou is available on ebay but it may be a reformulated version from the one you remember?

This one says 'vintage ' though...

@MaudBaileysGreenTurban thank you!! That’s it!!!

@IWouldBeSuperb try Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt. It's beautiful with a long lasting musk finish that's so sexy and feminine.

@OpheliaTodd Ooh! Do you agree that Jo Malone Tuberose Angelica smells like original Chloe before they changed it??

I haven't tried JM Tuberose Angelica but you can still get Chloe Original which is a wonderful tuberose fragrance. bit.ly/2H3MSav

@endofthelinefinally You might be able to get some original Charlie Blue from eBay, but I can't think of anywhere else. Once they reformulate, there's no going back.

Thanks!

@Propertyofhood What's your view on Perfume Parlour?

I can't officially endorse dupes or copycat scents on my blog as it would undermine the brands I write about. However, between you, me and the gatepost, I have a Gucci Envy dupe from Eden and it's fantastic. I think Perfume Parlour do similar things but I have to stay on the fence.

@31RueCambon Is there anything like eau de givenchy but with a bit more staying power!?

Yes. Try Le Jardin Retrouve Eau des Delices. It's cologne style with petitigrain and citrus, but eau de parfum strength. They do a nice Discovery set with it in and they refund the price of the set so you can buy a full bottle. (I do some work for them but loved the perfumes long before that)

Oh wow!! Thank you for the suggestion. Can't wait to look in to that. Is it Guerlain??? Or is that a different "le jardin"

I'm loving this thread! So knowledgeable about perfume and it's amazing.

I've always worn Gucci Rush since I was a teenager and I still love it. I'm looking for something new though but don't even know where to start as there's so much to choose from. I've also loved Versace Versus (not sure if they make it any more?) and Boss Orange I got as a gift.

They are probably all completely different scents but is there anything you'd recommend?

@LorelaiRoryEmily Sorry I'm late! I went back and had a look for your original question.

@MissBattleaxe a friend of mine had a perfume called Un amour de Patou, her grandmother bought it in Paris. It was by Jean Patou. It was gorgeous and I’ve never been anti find it. Any ideas?

The main notes of Un Amour de Patou were rose, aldehydes (kind of clean soapy notes), greenery and lily of the valley. It had a sandalwood finish. I haven't actually smelled it, but the perfumer Jean-Michel Duriez also made Escada Especially Escada Delicate notes, which is another woody rose. You could also try Rosie for Autograph from M&S, believe it or not. That's a rose with a woody finish too. You can find reviews here bit.ly/2OWCEya and here bit.ly/2MZUlu1

This was a hard one! x

@31RueCambon No it's a small perfume house in Paris. You can go and visit and everything. Here's the website bit.ly/2S4eluI

@Theromanempire So glad you like Rihanna Reb'l Fleur. It's a hidden gem on the perfume shelves. easily as good as Flowerbomb. x

Have you smelled the ones by ffern? I have the small tester bottles attached to the side of them that I’d be happy to send you if you like?

I love perfume, this is the best thread, thank you so much.

I have a question, does your sense of smell change as you get older? Or is it just that your taste in scents changes?

Thanks again for all the great recommendations.

@TaxiPlease Have you ever done / would you like to do one of these 'create your own perfume' workshops some brands / parfumeurs offer? I imagine it is a lot harder than one would think to create anything half decent and interesting!

Yes I have and it was incredibly hard. It gave me a new respect for perfumers. I did mine at 4150 Tuesdays with Sarah McCartney, who is amazing. Here's the blog post I wrote about it. bit.ly/2KxQh2i

@Flyingdaisy What are your views on Molecules by Escentric? I can’t work out what it is I like so much about number 2 in particular. Can you shed any light?

I must confess I haven't smelled them but a perfume friend of mine adores number 04. You can get an Escentric Molecules Discovery Box from The Perfume Society.

@3luckystars Thank you for your kind words. I think your tastes change but I don't know if your nose does. Smell and taste are very closely linked so if you lose one you kind of weaken the other.

@Haggisfish No I haven't. They've popped up in my FB feed. I'd love to try some if that's OK? x