Perfume for Christmas.

[MordechaiVanunu]

I want DH to buy me some perfume for Christmas, Ive become a bit obsessed with researching and trying perfumes and am now confused so thought I'd seek advice here.

I want a heady sexy seductive sophisticated sort of scent. One for a night out when all dressed up on a winters night.

I already have Samsara, Amarige and Jean Paul Gaultier Classique. At the moment Samsara is my night out/winter perfume but I want a new one.

I am considering: Coco Chanel, Alien or Black Orchid.

I have tried and discounted: Mitsouko, Shalimar, Hypnotic Poison, Dior Addict.

Any recommendations or opinions?

I'm perfume obsessed at the moment.

Ormonde Jayne perfumes - my sister gave me their discovery set a few years ago, very distinctive from one another, and a lot less like a trumpet blast than a lot of high street perfume. One of their perfumes might fit the bill? A few people blogged about having had a perfume portrait done, it sounds great - if you are anywhere near or are planning on going to London, that is.

That does look wonderful, but I'm not near London and although the discovery set is enticing I think I want to chose a perfume IYKWIM.

Which of the Ormonde Jayne perfumes did you like best incidentally? I'd love to smell the Tolu one from the description.

I am perfume obsessed too.

Alien is my new winter smell.

D&G woman? The one with the red top

I really like the new Valentina by Valentino.

I love Bulgari's Jasmin Noir and Prada's Amber.

Oops, posted too soon. You seem to be an oriental fan (Amarige, Samsara) and they're both woody orientals: sandalwood, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli...

Definitely Alien. I love Classique and Samsara, I also wear Angel alot. I fancy a new perfume and I've decided on Alien.

Thanks for all your replies. I think I am looking for an oriental.

I think I'm leaning towards Alien, but I feel a bit perfume snobby about it. I feel that it's heavily marketed at the teen/early 20's market and is a very 'now' perfume, whereas I'm over 40 and looking for something sophisticated.

BUT Ive tried it in the shop twice now, and loved it and some got on my cardi which still smelt of it days later and I just kept sniffing patch of fragrance left.

I like the classy classic image of Coco more, but not sure I love thebfragrance as much.

I love Tom Fords Black Orchid, but have it in my head it's a bit male which is putting me off, but I keep sniffing the faint fragrance left on that tester too.

Also my skin seems to eat scent. Fragrances which people say are strong seem to just disappear on me. Mitsouko disappeared without a trace!! I need something powerful.

I'll put the Bulgari and Prada one on my list to try. My mum has the Prada Iris one whichnis lovely but not me and not what I'm looking for.

Try Dior dolce vita but leave for 15 mins to develop. Weirdest stuff smells totally different after wearing for a while. Gorgeous!

Have you tried Dior Addict ? Very rich oriental.

Have a look at the les senteurs website.

Choose (for example) the "orientals" pull-down, and look for orientals that also have the dot for "florals"; click through; then send off for testers; see if you like anything - and if you do, order by 'phone or on-line.

Lovely, lovely shop with a wonderful range of distinctive and individual perfumes.

I love Chanel's Coco. It's a great evening perfume - very complex, great sillage (I love their EDP - you could also sample whether the perfume strength might be better for you). During daytime, I also use Coco Mademoiselle, a much crisper and more business-like scent.

Listen to your inner perfume snob, too. I have lots of different perfumes - impulse purchases at airports - and while J Lo and SJP make nice light celebrity scents, they feel strangely one-dimensional compared to real, adult scents.

I like exactly the kind of scents you do op!-very strong,orientals.

My forever perfume which I have been wearing since I was 16 is Samsara. I also like Shalimar-but not the new version!

I have worn amarige,poison,allure and alien in the past. I found Alien really did not last long enough for my liking.

For xmas I want some more Samsara and I am trying to decide between Estee lauders Knowing or Cinnbar-both very musky and strong. Beautiful is my every day perfume.

Another vote for Alien here, lasts ages on me

In your original post you have described Spellbound by Estee Lauder - give it a sniff!

A vote for Prada here. Lovely scent, goes strong for hours... Great for evenings.
I wear Victor & Rolfe flower bomb for day, or Stella. Both bloody lovely :o

Have you sniffed Guerlain's Vol de Nuit, Mordechai? I would go for something you aren't going to be smelling on anyone else, if possible. Try Creed? Or maybe Caron? And yes, definitely try Les Senteurs - if you tell them what you like, they will come up with a lot of suggestions (and samples).

PS Your user name brought back memories of a job I used to have, lobbying on human rights!

Have you tried Must de Cartier, it's my all time favourite evening perfume.

I love Estee Lauder Sensuous, no idea if it counts as oriental but I think it's quite sexy!

Les Senteurs looks wonderful but they are now charging £5 to send each sample, and as I don't know where to start with their lists I could end up spending a whole lot on samples.

I think I need one I can test myself so am restricted to department stores.

I haven't tried Vol de Nuit, but out Guerlain counter was quite limited so they may not have had that one. I did try Shalimar, which was just baby powder on me, L'bleure Heure, Apre Ondee and Mitsouko, but none were what I was looking for.

I did try estee lauder Sensuous ages ago and recall liking it, so maybe I should try that again?

I'll give SpellBpund a go.

Really I want Alien but I keep telling myself I shouldn't!!

Mrs. Schadenfreude I should, probably unecessarily, point out that I am not the actual Mr. Vanunu himself, agonising over perfume on the Internet.

Although I guess you never know!

you need Ta'if by Ormonde Jayne - an unbelievable oriental - it is based on an arabian rose but smells NOTHING like any type of rose. Also you might like Orris Noir based on the Jordan's national flower the black iris. the sales assistants are just lovely there, so if you call them they might even send you a sample to try. The perfumes really will set you apart from the crowd ) and have an unmistakable seductive thing that really actually works. men really do like them. tolu is also very addictive but my absolute favourite is Ormonde Woman with black hemlock & violet. with that, you are guarranteed to be different from everyone else in the room! have been going there for 8 years now!

Black Orchid is delicious.

Gucci guilty