Budding perfumistas walk this way- Part 2 of the Worst Perfumes ever

[shoeprincess2]

As the first thread is nearly full, I've set up Part 2

Thank you DonaAna

Having spent the best part of an hour reading both threads can I AGM some advice

I've been wearing Dune for the last few years, mostly because mil bought me some as a present, I thought it was quite nice so she bought me a bottle every year

I fancied a change and on a trip to London a sales assistant suggested Chloe. I was surprised as I never liked the old Chloe but I liked this one. I didn't like the Chloe that comes in a greenish colour bottle though

I had a sample of roberto Cavalli in a magazine and dh bought me some for Xmas and I really like that one. I'm wearing it now

When I was younger I liked opium and I quite like the new opium too. I also like the smell of opium for men

I dislike things like CK1 and anais anais and there was an ysl perfume I hated too. Might have been ysatis or Paris. I don't like old lady lavender/fresh smells much.

So based on this what sort of other perfumes should I look at.

I am developing a bit of a thing for Bottega Veneta. I have sampled it a few times and really liked it. but have been bit hesitant. But a friend visited on Xmas Day and she was smelling gorgeous - I asked her what it was, and it was that!

The trouble is, I always think things smell lovely other people but I'm never 100% about them when on me.

The Burberry original one. 30ml in Boots for half price = £15. Get asked what I'm wearing all the time and it's especially nice for colder months :)

FN I know. Sometime dabbing lightly just behind your knees (not on your wrists) will make a perfume you enjoy in passing more wearable.
If you love BV but are not sure, buy a 7,5ml mini - or try to find a sample (it was launched about a year ago, so you may find something on eBay).

Pictures Dune is a classic innovative and unique aquatic-green-oriental.
Chloe Edp (the new one) is a watery/powdery fruity floral - the main theme is muted, semi-undressed.
Cavalli Edp is a loud orange blossom/white floral.
The common theme in the perfumes is a slightly sweet base, possibly with some saltiness or green. You probably like orientals and light ambers and are comfortable with light watery florals. Some to try. Watery sheer florals with green and oriental and sweet accents: Hermes Jardins perfumes. Nice light mainstream oriental: Chanel Allure Sensuelle. I also recommend Fleurs d?Oranger by Serge Lutens for a stylish orange blossom. Orange blossom and musk: Narciso Rodriquez for Her. Loud and brash orange blossoms and white flowers: Fan du Fendi (EdP, EdT is atrocious), sweet-salty: L'Ambre des Merveilles by Hermes. Fruitchoulis: Suddenly Madame Glamour by Lidl (a Chloe-esque take on Coco Mademoiselle) and Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel.

If you are feeling adventurous and want to try niche, 1889 Moulin Rouge by Histoires de Parfums is a superb makeup/undressed scent and Bal a Versailles has a decadent orange blossom note. My favorite orange flowers: Narcisse Noir by Caron and Rubj by Vero Profumo.

Inspired by impulse purchases , I'm wearing Traversee du Bosphore today. Its a seamlessly soft suede that has a boudoir feel. I usually hate fruit in perfumes but this features apples in a way that is really irresistible. I'm inspired enough to quote Dariush Alavi's mini-review here:

"It would be silly to complain that TBD doesn't really smell of Istanbul, as it's one of the most inspired creations of recent years. Duchaufour takes the tulips, apples and leather goods that are plentiful in the city, combines them with a finely ground iris, adds a drop of rosewater and then sprinkles the lot with a puff of icing sugar a la Turkish Delight. The results sits precisely halfway between oriental sweetness and more occidental floral notes, which makes you wonder if it was ever supposed to smell like Istanbul at all."

Wow thanks. I always assumed in the past I liked musk

The thing that ultimately put me off buying Chloe over the roberto Cavalli was the Chloe didn't last on me.

Always fancied trying a 'grown up' Chanel perfume. Now I know where to start.

I was in John Lewis today and tried a couple of new fragrances:

Tom Ford Black Orchid I didn't like, definitely a cloying jasmine note somewhere.

But Guerlain L'Heure Bleu was a lovely thing, not my usual style, but soft and sophisticated.

I don't like that Black Orchid either, but the most of the other Tom Ford's I love. The Santal Rose (or Rose Santal? ) is gorgeous.

I went to Lidl today. Saw Suddenly I there - it's a part of their new luxury range (luxe at Lidl - the word truly has lost its meaning...) No tester and don't want a full bottle even at 3.99 but other perfumes there had testers. So will sample it in the future, hopefully

Wearing Burberry Woman today. I'm on my 2nd bottle, the bottle predates my interest in perfume and I haven't worn it in a long time. Perfumes like this were a reason why I started exploring - sweet, peachy, comforting but nothing more. But associated with many good memories.

persolaise.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/best-perfumes-of-2012.html

Loretta made the Top 10. Hurray!! As an amusing aside, my DP had packed up the gift bags for his parents' Christmas presents and we were all sat in the sitting room exchanging presents. He pulled out my Loretta perfume bottle (I had left it next to the Christmas bags very stupidly) and said "who is this for?" I went a little bit Gollum and snatched it from him. "It's mine" . I then stroked it awhile. Phew- near miss!

CV - we clearly have similar tastes in perfume! Have you tried Guerlain's Vol de Nuit?

Yay Shoe what a lovely gift!!! And I'm quite surprised that someone somewhere found this rare and unusual scent because of the Worst Perfumes thread

Persolaise's list is great. i have tried most but all of them and own and wear several (Loretta, Oud, Ambre des Merveilles, Songe from the Desert series! And I think Heure III) and am going to buy Oud Ispahan because I love it.

If you haven't read Le Snob yet, I really recommend it. Turin/Sanchez has more fireworks and humor, but Le Snob gives a short list of terrific, extremely wearable perfumes.

I love L'Heure Bleue. I tend to prefer Carons to Guerlains, but L'Heure and Vega are my favorite Guerlains. Vintage Mitsouko is great too.

If anyone has time to kill and wants to learn more about perfumes, this BBC documentary is great and very informative: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 - there are two further episodes on Youtube too.

Ok so today I tried Chanel mademoiselle.

My first reaction when I sniffed the bottle and sprayed some on a card was pure orange. It was as pungent as the stuff I use in baking

But I thought I'd give it a chance and sprayed some on me. I really didn't like the orangey ness it just felt like it wasn't proper perfume. As it settled it did tone down and other stuff cdje through making it Warner and less pungent. However it's now 4 hours later and I can hardly smell a thing.

So maybe not for me.

DonaAna, Burberry Woman is one I wear quite often; it's a nice warm scent for a cold day. I've had the bottle for years.

I found myself in a branch of Harvey Nicks today, and tried a couple of new ones:

Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay - started off zingy and grapefruity but turned very quickly into nothing special.

Robert Piguet Chai, which I've been sniffing all day! Very fresh citrus-blossom, one to try again in the summer.

I also tried Guerlain La Petit Robe Noir again, hoping it would be better second time around. Ugh, still smelled like I had been dowsed in black cherry jam.

Agh, please don't judge me by my rotten French. BleuE.......PetitE...... Believe it or not, I managed to get an A in my French O Level (yes, yes ok, it was many many years ago).

Wish i had found this thread earlier, think I have become a perfumeaholic over the last year or so. I even have a lovely casket which I keep mine in and I open it regularly and just sniff the bottles. I wear a different one each day (I have about 10).

My favourites are Kelly Caleche eau de parfum- leathery but floral and light.

Sensuous be Estee, warm and comforting

and for summer i love Baiser Vole by Cartier, a very green lily scent.

Also have Allure, Gerlain's Petite Robe Noir (like Lolita lempika), Black Orchid, White patchouli, Crisatalle eau vert, Roberto Cavalli, Ellie Saab, and a couple of others.

What do people think of lolita Lempicka original, and Womanity?

DonaAna Is the Lidl one Suddenly Woman 1? I bought it before Christmas. It smells very similar to Chanel No.5 . I think it is worth ?3.99.

I also have the Suddenly Madame Glamour but don't like it as much as the new one.

Yes. I didn't try it though - no tester. Will try next time.

Good old Hermes Caleche can also be a budget alternative.

Isabelle welcome! You have a lot of variety, there is a lot to explore. If you haven't yet, buy the Turin/Sanchez perfume book, you will get a lot of ideas from it.

I'm not a huge fig perfume person so I don't wear Womanity. I have a lot of respect for Thierry Mugler perfumes - they are innovative and bold for mainstream. I don't wear any of them regularly but like Angel (EdT in particular) and A*men. Alien is awful on me.

Many perfumistas really respect Lempickas. I've tried just one of them (L?) - competent but not my thing.

Picture finding great perfumes is always a trial and error process. Sorry about CM, it has a strong bergamot-patchouli pairing. When looking for perfumes, orange blossom, white flowers and light oriental are some key words that might help you along.

Isabelle- I like to sniff my family of fragrances too! It's like my little piece of paradise. I'm wearing Portrait of a Lady today. It's a grower.

Interestingly, I nipped into Boots on Boxing Day and hovered round the Chanel counter, looking for a no 19 poudre sample. Lots of men asking about Chanel no 5. Now, this may have been the case for years, but methinks that a certain Mr Pitt has kicked started something. Inevitable? (hope you have seen the ad, otherwise this will be lost). Oh, and there was no poudre sample, so i left!

No problem. I'm going to try something else next time I go into town. I don't like trying more than I e at a time. My sense of smell gets confused

About two years ago I passed through John Lewis on my way to another dept and smelt a gorgeous smell. I so wish I'd stopped to find out what it was.

No problem. I'm going to try something else next time I go into town. I don't like trying more than I e at a time. My sense of smell gets confused

About two years ago I passed through John Lewis on my way to another dept and smelt a gorgeous smell. I so wish I'd stopped to find out what it was.

I always have a little wish list too, of ones I think I might try and ones I might buy. I tried the Juliet has a Gun range of perfumes which were new in Harvey Nics in Leeds a few weeks ago. Some of them were quite horrible, but there was one I liked called Citizen Queen, which was a bit similar to Narcisso Rodrigez. Also on my wish list is Elixir de Mervais, and the Lolita Lempicka which comes in the blue sea inspired bottle (not sure what it's name is but tested in house of fraser and it's delicious, all vanillary, like salted caramel).

Does anyone use the fragrantica website- it is fab.

Isabelle I have tested that Lempicka (blue bottle with golden sea trinkets) and it's a pleasant gourmand. If I had less perfumes, I might sometimes wear it, but I have trouble already finding time for the ones I already own

After a couple weeks of colds and sinusitis, my nose is functioning again. I'm wearing Tauer's Miriam. After long weeks of sensory deprivation, it smells almost overpowering.

Oh and No 5 would make a terrific masculine!