To ask you how you found your 'Signature Scent'?

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I have tried many different perfumes - my current fragrances include Opium, Obsession, Bulgari Jasmine Noir (a favourite), Philosophy Magnolia & Amazing Grace, Liz Earle No. 9 & No. 20, Dior Coco but I still haven't found a special scent. i like musky/spicy/patouli/ types best - what are your favourites, can anyone recommend something a bit more unusual that might be lovely to have as a 'Signature Scent', that doesn't cost the earth?

I used to stick to one scent when I was younger (Ralph Blue will always bring me back to my teens and early 20s), but now I have loads and I like to mix it up.

My favourites now are Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir (the only one of hers that has any staying power), Kenzo Flower and Armani Diamonds Violet.

For cheaper ones I love Beyonce's Heat, Zara Gardenia (similar to YSL Black Opium) and I just picked up Lidl's dupe for J'adore which is really good.

Day - Lush Vanillary
Night - Tom Ford Black Orchid or Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

I knew when I'd get upset that I couldn't smell myself halfway through the day. They felt like me.

The idea of having a signature scent is lost on me. There’s so many great perfumes and fashions change and new ideas invented that I want to try. I have about 25 bottles in my collection- some I love and repeat buy, some I get bored of and I replace with something new. I like to match my perfume to my mood, occasion, season, etc. If you have just one scent that you always wear then your senses become accustomed to it and you stop noticing it on yourself. Also, I dont buy the idea that because you can’t smell it it’s because it’s the right one for you- bollocks I say x

I wouldn’t use the phrase ‘signature scent’. But I’ve been wearing Chanel Chance Eau Tendre for about 11 years- with a break while I was pregnant, because all fragrances made me feel sick.

Love all of the Chanel Chance range but find all Chanel’s other perfumes - Mademoiselle, No. 5 - really heavy and overpowering. On me, anyway.

In my teens and early 20s I wore Gucci Envy, J’Adore and Glow by J.Lo, because you could get them all cheap in Savers. Oh and there were some godawful sickly Versace ones I liked too - I mean really sweet and nostril stinging.

Also liked Givenchy - the tall slim pink bottle - and Armani Code for a while.

You just have to keep trying I think (if you want to find a perfume - there’s no law that says you have to wear one!) I’m very unadventurous, once I found one that worked I’ve stuck with it.

From 18 to pregnancy, Paloma Picasso

Skin chemistry changed, so I needed a new one.

Now it's Levantium from Penhaligon and Chanel No5.

I went in to the shop and sniffed things. Levantium was totally right for me. I also picked up a sample tin with loads of different samples so I could try them and see how they went over a few days. It was fun.

It's mind-bogglingly expensive but a bottle lasts me about 4 years and I only buy it when it's on sale.

I mostly smell of cat food

Branleuse I was gutted when JM discontinued French Lime Blossom too, it was my favourite of theirs. Closely followed by Gardenia which promptly went the same way.

I'm currently mostly wearing either L'Interdit by Givenchy, which is okay but I don't love it as much as I do Very Irresistible (the former was a Christmas present from someone who got it confused with the latter) or a cheapy Sanctuary one. I do have a couple of other Jo Malones but I'm eking them out as I can't afford to replace them. I have quite old-fashioned taste in perfume and I still love the likes of 4711, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, Chanel No 5 and Obsession. I used to adore Bulgari Blu but that was discontinued.

My favourite ran out at Christmas and this thread prompted me to have a look online . The fragrance shop has 20% off atm.

JPG classique.

My Mum wore it when she was pregnant with me and it’s still the only perfume I will wear, it is just ‘my smell’

TopOfTheGherkin I've discovered that in the case of perfumes, it generally is the case that the more expensive perfumes are better quality. Having sampled a good number over the last year or so.

Meanwhile, there's a proper little perfume shop in Sidmouth in Devon. Proper expensive perfumes, none of which were below £90 last time I went there, and the kind of names you don't see on the high street (and which on Googling turn out to be the more exclusive brands).

I tried a few over the week I was there, and they were definitely much better quality in the smell. Eg real sandalwood as opposed to the synthetic version. It does make a difference to the scent.

There's also the perfumery in Bourton kn the Water that makes their own perfumes. Nice scents, but the never seemed to last long enough.

@OnlyTheTitOfTheLangBerg perfume parlour do A dupe of it but its not as good.

I 100% agree that in the case of perfumes, you get what you pay for! And the more expensive ones are definitely better quality and more complex.

I personally don't like dupes and never think they smell the same as the real perfume. I have a friend who wears Jenny Glow rip off of Jo Malone and I don't think it smells the same at all (or nice!) Same with the Aldi dupes of the Jo Malone candles etc

On the back of this thread I had a spray of Tom Ford Santal Blush at lunchtime - it's gorgeous and one to add to my long list. And I have ordered a sample of Penhaligon's Halfeti as it sounds like one I would love too.

I love perfume!!!

I smelt a perfume on someone a few times and asked them what it was. It was Maison Francis Barraccat Rouge 540. It was a stupid price!!

I bought it as i really liked it. I bought it from a well known retailer online and when it arrived the smell was gone on me after an hour. Nobody could smell it.

I could spray loads on and after an hour the smell was gone. I sent it back to the retailer and they tested it and said it was fine.

What a waste of money. Sold it on ebay

My favourites are Molecule, Biblioteque and Chamade.
I love perfume. Dh buys me all mine...he has a great nose! Currently only got 6 bottles...usually have a dozen on the go.

L’Occitane Verbena range - love the lift and freshness I get from having a quick top up during the day

Dior Coco

Don't you mean Chanel?

Mine is Dune by Dior. Someone walked past me wearing it and I fell in love with the smell on the spot.

I used to love that. It was probably a bit too grown up for me when it came out first. I was a teenager I think but I want to go and smell it again now. I think it's a confident woman's scent.

I normally like very fresh citrus scents which I don't feel the need to be confident to wear.

@caperplips where do you order samples from?

And Cabochard as my sister wore it and it reminds me of her

Santal 33 by le labo. I kept smelling it on people out and about..... Something about it just makes me so happy.

I agree with the PP that people who described 'their favourite perfume' as a 'signature scent' are being a tiny bit cringe. BUT, if I could wear one perfume every day it would be Juniper Sling by Penhaligon, which I smelled on someone else and fell in love with. However because I'm not a millionaire and can't afford £100 per 30ml, I wear Hugo Boss's Femme or DKNY Woman most of the time, which are both cheapish and often on offer.

Chanel Chance is by far my favourite and therefore, I guess my signature.
But I love and wear so many perfumes I don't know whether anyone would associate me with that fragrance as I rotate every day through my collection and wear whatever I'm in the mood for.

Im also partial to
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Teirry Mugler Alien
Dior Jadore
Ellie Saab
Jean Paul Gaultier
Chloe
Armani She
Tommy Girl (For nostalgia)

Wearing Jadore today. Been wearing it 3 days in a row and forgotten how much I love it.

@TopOfTheGherkin niche fragrances use the best quality perfume oils which is why they are superior,they last longer for sure.

There’s a lot to be said for perfumes like Malle, I have both Lipstick Rose and Portrait of a Lady and love them. Sisley Eau de Soir is my special occasion smell. But I also love Cabochard which is the opposite end of the price scale.

And I completely disagree about the JM knock off candles, etc. I bought a Lime, Mandarin and Basil hand wash to compare with the JM cologne and it’s a dead ringer. I now buy the reed diffusers, candles and hand wash regularly.