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

Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au The Blanc today.

Such a soft, pretty, clean fragrance, but sooo weak and elusive on me - all but gone within two hours. Maybe I need to splash it on a bit more lavishly next time.

Oh Cointreau I'll have to wear that too.
At the moment, I want something very girly, so it is Beige by Chanel.
(In my opinion, this should be "Pink" - it's My Little Pony done by Chanel. Not my usual style, but giggly fun anyway.)

Spent the afternoon in town. I went to a department store to buy something else and saw the Shalimar flanker L'Ode a vanille sur la route de Madagascar). It's less old-lady oppressive than traditional Shalimar, but still not my thing. It's a well-made gourmand, but it smells exactly like butterscotch cookies I used to eat as a child. Lovely taste memory, but not what I want to smell like (the same with Prada Candy - who wants to smell like creme brulee?).

Another much more pleasing find was a hyper-niche profumeria in Monti I've never noticed before. I sampled Cinabre by Maria Candida Gentile on strip, and this is love. I'm ordering a travel size right now. She's a lovely niche perfumer who uses high quality naturals, I've actually met her in passing at a perfume fair, and had forgotten all about this. Worth seeking out - like Tauers, outstanding quality and even more unique.

I was in Boots this afternoon buying toothpaste, and mooched over to the perfume corner,where I noticed a bottle of Samsara. Oh, Samsara, that reminds me of the eighties, I thought, and absent-mindedly sprayed my arm. Oh dear me! I was taken right back even further to Christmas mornings of my early teens, when my stocking always had a bar of bee brand (from India) Sandalwood soap. I love, love this smell !

(I also tried Rive Gauche, which I was a bit meh about. Yes, I know it's a classic. I may well have No Taste.)

I loved those sandalwood soaps too... Not sure what was in them - Mysore sandalwood was overharvested and is almost extinct.

Niminy, many classics are difficult to wear - plus you just aced Samsara, also a classic (I'd say the modern sandalwood reference). RG is a hardcore aldehydic - they are notoriously difficult. I wouldn't wear RG except for testing and learning - my mother did. It's useful to know the classics, and some perfumistas (a decided minority though) have very classic tastes. So don't feel bad. You are lucky, you were born in a time when there is unprecedented variety in perfumes. You are allowed to wear anything you like, including masculines and celebrity perfumes

For anyone lurking here and new to perfume, I don't recommend starting with classics. But if you are interested, the litmus test for aldehydic florals is Chanel 5. If you like it, you will like many other perfumes made in that style. If it smells impossibly like your grandma's face soap, try something different - modern unisex for example (Tom Fords, Tauers are a good place to start - or if you like subtlety, Olfactive Studio or perhaps Annick Goutals.)

Got a travel size of Cinabre for 32 euros (home delivery to Italy included), yay!!! Sometimes luxury is very inexpensive.

I can't bear Chanel No5 myself!

Thank you Dona Ana - I did feel a bit worried there. I guess I was expecting to like RG because I do like aldehydes, and I like perfumes that smell 'perfume-y', if that makes sense. But I guess you can't like everything. On me it was jarring rather than thrilling. However, I now have to add Samsara to my 'one day you will be mine, my lovely' list. Who knows where it will all end?

The more I read this thread the more I realise I am an aldehydes girl through and through!

I'm testing Pentachord Verdant today. Bloody hell, I think it is the oddest thing I have ever smelt. I like it but am struggling to think of when I would want to actually wear it! It smells like I imagine aliens smell, I think.

Also, I think I'm the opposite of DonaAna, as I adore Rive Gauche and find Samsara really difficult.

I smelled L'Heure Bleue (eau de toilette) on a tester strip today. They didn't have the eau de parfum to compare, can anyone describe the difference between the two? I usually prefer the stronger version of scents.

The eau de toilette is lovely, somewhat mature old lady and classic, I am finding it soapy rather than oriental. I do like it though and will test on skin. Reviews of this perfume criticize it for being reformulated but can't comment as never tried the original?

Also trying Tuscan leather and love it, it has got better on my wrist as the day has wore on.

Pentachord Verdant has improved hugely with time. It's now pleasantly mossy and earthy.

I loved Rive Gauche when I was 19 or 20. Looooong time ago! Other perfumes I liked at the time but have not smelt since were a Gucci one, and a Rochas one - I think it was Lumiere. And one called Ma Griffe by Carven. This was in the mid 80s, the days of Poison (ick).

These days, I like fig scents - L'Artisan Parfumeur and Diptyque are my favourites. I did like Jo Malone but have gone off it. No lasting power.

Right now, inspired by this thread, I have Bois des Isles on and I love it. A big change for me. I feel warm and snuggled and luxurious in it, like cashmere! And for lighter days, it's Eau Dynamisante.

I tried a wee dab of Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, also from reading this thread. Oh my. I would very much like some of that!

Oops! Bois des Iles...

I will have to look up Lumiere as Premier Figuier, Rive Gauche and Ma Griffe are huge favourites of mine. I also like Eau Dynamisante, Tuscan Leather and Bois des Isles so we clearly have similar tastes!

Pentachord Verdant is turning out so surprising at the end. Like Lonestar Memories there's a real but not clolying sweetness at the end of it. Genuinely lovely. The first thirty minutes or so are kind of scary, though.

Careful with Lumière.
They reused the name.
there was one - early Eighties, which then got discontinued and then brought back smelling nothing like the first one.

Thanks, coffee. I might see if I can find some original version on eBay, just out of curiosity/nostalgia!

I just scored a sizeable mini of a 150+ euro perfume (hint: from Dior Collection Privee) for the royal sum of 13 euros, shipping included... Fellow addict ladies, decants and minis and travel sizes are really the way to go!

I like Pentachord Verdant, but find it challenging. I found Loretta even more challenging. Initially, it really scared me... I have to say I love challenging notes.

I'm ashamed to say that I'm not a big classics/vintage lover - that is, if you define classics as the feminine canon. Samsara is unwearable on me (smells like a coffin). I don't wear classic aldehydes well. I sample them, I appreciate them, I never wear them - Chanel No. 19 is an exception but I think it's more butchy than quite a few new masculine releases . The classics I love and collect are classic masculines - they have everything I love, herbs, slight bitterness, great leather notes, true presence without coyness. So if you happen to be one of these women who has always remained slightly unconvinced by classic feminines, I urge you to try a classic masculine. Take Habit Rouge from Guerlain, for example. On me, infinitely more wearable than Shalimar... (The new flanker of which, by the way, smells great on my coat sleeve - much better than on my skin.)

Isabelle I adore L'Heure Bleue, it's perhaps my favorite Guerlain, but I feel it's still slightly too mature and distinguished for me. Looking forward to wearing it all the time 10-15 years from now. But I have a 20-sth friend who wears it really well.

I don't wear sandalwood well Awkward but Bois des Iles is a remarkable perfume!

I'm also extremely impressed by the truly sophisticated picks by everyone on this thread. You ladies are the experts now - I'm watching in awe. So happy that so many of you are discovering great perfumes and becoming increasingly confident with them!

Cointreau I'm wearing Bulgari's The Blanc at the moment - fantastic, I can smell the slightly bitter tannines of tea, yet this feels refreshing and light. Another very true-to-life tea perfume is Russian Caravan Tea by CB I Hate Perfume.

I am going to be 40 in a couple of weeks, that was why I was sampling some grown up fragrances and classics as I thought I might buy one as a sort of coming of age present to myself . I tried Shalimar and although I can appreciate the lovely warm classic and iconic smell, it didn't feel like it was me, felt like I was wearing someone elses perfume, likewise Chanel no 5. I will have to sample l'Heure in the Eau de parfum version though.

What other warm classic fragrances are not too 'old' smelling? Can anyone suggest any?

Isabelle, did you already try oriental and amber samplers from Les Senteurs? If you like the vanilla in Shalimar, also try a vanilla sampler.

Not warm, but a radiant modern classic - 24, Faubourg by Hermes.
Opulent feminine classic floral perfumes that lean oriental: Shem-el-Nessim or Phul-Nana by Grossmith, Bal a Versailles. Modern version, Amouage Jubilation 25.
A stylish and rich vanilla cologne - Cologne du 68, Guerlain.
Great amber: Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens.
Great oriental that is not too heavy on spice (=very elegant): Habit Rouge by Guerlain (masculine, but do not let that fool you).
Great light saffron gourmand: Safran Troublant by L'Artisan (La Traversee du Bosphore also a great suedey gourmand).
Reference gourmand: Angel (Coromandel is easier to wear).
Great patchouli-rose: Portrait of a Lady by Malle.
Superb modern classic that has a warm but sparkling feel: Rubj by Vero Profumo.
If you like a classic glamorous makeup feel, Moulin Rouge by Histoires des Parfums or Rose d'Hollande by Mona di Orio. Or Dior Homme

I am going to put my toe in the water and place my first samples order with Les Senteurs, inspired by all the deliciousness on this thread. I think I have narrowed it down to:

Heeley - Figuier
Tauer - L'air du Desert Morocain and Eau d'Epices
Tauer - Lonestar Memories

But that's three from one perfumier so perhaps I should have another browse...

Haven't finalised my samples yet so will add a couple of vanilla ones, I think I actually like floral notes with the amber and vanilla, so floral/orientals/ambers seem to appeal more. Portrait of a lady sounds amazing, I have added it to my list to sample.

Thanks to the recommendations on here, I've just dropped £95 on a flippin perfume FGS bought Jo Malone Dark Amber and Ginger Lily. It is divine and I love it. However, I suddenly realised it reminded me of Estee Lauder Azure Soleil, which I like and used to wear but I don't want a £95 perfume to remind me of a £30 one!! I almost wish it was a bit 'darker' and dirtier.

DonaAna - DP (and I) love 1725... Thank you so much!