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

Thanks for the tip shoe will go there if I have time. I think from my google search that Selfridges has the Exclusifs, think they may be in the Chanel department though, not in the usual Chanel stand in the beauty department, but will let you know for sure.

I like perfumes with tenacity coffee but doesn't sound too good for l'elephant though, cloves are not my favourite! Will have to try it now just out of curiosity:-)

I placed an order this morning with StC. However, i have just read that the Royal Mail changes take place with effect today (that is, they will not deliver perfume orders that are shipped internationally). D'oh. I have frantically emailed StC to ask them to cancel my order. I hope they respond, otherwise, that's money down the drain.

I was really looking forward to sampling some more Les Exclusifs and Tuscan Leather . I might have to take my 4 month old to Manchester and stalk round the Chanel counter...

After reading through this post last week I ordered some Tauer samples as I am looking for a new perfume/s. I got Lonestar memories, Eau d'epices and L'eau du desert

I HATE them and am so bloody dissapointed- I can't smell the tar/woodsy/spicey smell just an overpowering whiff of rich old ladies . Took ages to scrub the buggers off as well (the perfume ,not rich old ladies)

So have samples here of the above if anyone wants them

Anyone recommend a good vetiver perfume that's not ££££££? I LOVE Sycomore by Chanel but it's too expensive; alos like Vetiver Extraordinaire by Frederic Malle

I adore all of those fragrances Pudden, so would love them (unless someone has beaten me to it). In exchange, I could send you a sample of Pink Vetiver by Jo Loves and the Gardenia one as well?? I assume you are UK based?

Go to the Guerlain counter and try the gents fragrance "Vetiver". Much cheaper than the other ones, but I haven't tried it myself, so not sure what it is like.

Shoe - what postage changes?? I have a StC order "en route".

If you pm me your address shoe I'll post them off to you as dh says they are "stinking out the house" . Would love to try the pink vetiver one thanks ( I'm in Durham) but not keen on gardenia

Shoe, I did a Google search and found the leaflet about prohibited products in the post, but also found a couple of news articles about the ban on imports being relaxed from today. This, for example. And this talks about new restrictions on perfume sent FROM the UK, but not TO it.

Ok Pudden. I shall email you and if you give me your address, I shall post off tomorrow.

CointreauVersial

www.royalmail.com/customer-service/terms-and-conditions/compensation-and-delivery

Basically perfume is prohibited from international delivery. Not sure what happens to stuff that is already "en route" or in the system.

My StC order has now been cancelled

Shoe - this all refers to items posted to international locations, not items received from. i.e. outward items which are handled by RM. A ban on shipping perfume internationally was already in place, this just seems to say they're enforcing it. And at the same time they are relaxing the conditions for domestic post.

Presumably imported stuff isn't handled by RM until it arrives here, and then it's just treated as domestic mail, where perfume shipping is permitted?? Or maybe I'm wrong.

Cointreau- typical of me to get it wrong. Well, that is good news then. I'll wait a bit before re-ordering from StC. Thanks for clarifying

SWAPSHOP ALERT!

Would anyone like to do a non smoky/leathery swap for...

Caron - tabac blonde
Malle - lipstick rose
Chanel - cuir de russie

all 1ml samples from StoC

Today I'm sampling Guerlain's 'Apres l'Ondee' - it's cool and reserved, even a bit mysterious. Intriguing! The polar opposite of 'in your face' big scents from the 1980s.

Maybe if I can't find a modern green scent to love I'll buy more of this.
But re modern greens - has anyone tried perfumes made by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz in California? Her website mentions several likely-sounding ones.

Are there more male perfumers than women, it seems so when searching for fragrances? I wonder why? I am sure men have a less well developed sense of smell than women (with exceptions) of course. My DH and my DF can never smell things that I can.

florascotia- I tried Apres l'Ondee the other day. I get that it's a classic and so on, but it just seemed dry and kind of papery. I don't like perfumes too sweet, but this was the opposite, very dry and wintry and cold.

Hi Slag (if I may...)
I agree with you; Apres l'Ondee is indeed very cold. Perhaps it suits the weather - I can see snowy hills close by. Or perhaps my mood. Am returning to (freelance) work after three weeks of being unwell although still feeling rather fragile. It's a sort of 'don't get too close or make too many demands' scented armour.
On my first sniff, I, too, was a bit repelled, but now I'm finding the scent increasingly persuasive.
Our sense of smell is so deep-seated (any psychologists out there?) and unpredictable. Fascinating!

PS However, the cat (who likes to sit next to computer), does not enjoy Apres l'Ondee. He prefers some of Caron's heavier offerings, eg Farnesiana, or even D'Orsay's Etiquette Bleue. I would have thought that both of these would have equalled sensory overload for him, but perhaps he just has better taste than me!

I loved Aprés L'Ondée.
went through a bottle - and I almost never use up a whole bottle.
Haven't smelt it in years, but can almost smell it now, just from the recollection.
I love that dry coldness.

My cat gets very excited by L'eau froide by Serge Lutens. He holds my hand in both paws and licks my wrist frantically, making growly little noises. Sometimes he even gets his lipstick out. He also likes Coromandel, but just sits very close to me, darting out his tongue for a little lick while breathing heavily.

I want someone else to love Ivoire by Balmain as much as I do.

My stepmum loves Ivoire, MrsS.

Don't think she'll lick your wrist, though.

flora-I see from your earlier post you are a fan of modern greens. So am I! My favourites are Gucci Envy and Cristalle but I am always searching fruitlessly for more. I am ploughing through tons of scents right now, but a good, clean green eludes me.

They keep discontinuing the good green stuff, yet they keep finding the cash to pump more fruity florals into the market, seemingly by the week.

Slag, do you like Prescriptives Calyx? One of my fave greens.

Have you tried Thierry Mugler Cologne, that is really green and unisex. It is quiite strange though, almost green in a soapy washing up liquid way? I was also given Cartier Baiser Vole which is a lily fragrance, but it is also green as if it contains the whole lily plant.

Ooh I've never tried it Cointreau but I will seek it out, thanks!

Yes I didn't like Cartier's Baiser Vole. Quite Linear and reminded me of Zoflora a bit. Luckily the following week I tried Eau de Cartier and fell in love with it. I guess I like a bit of Bergamot, but dislike Green tea notes. They are often put together, sadly.

I think Of Après l'Ondee as cool, but tender - not papery and dry, but damp spring leaves and flowers - and then in its later stages, for me anyway, there is quite a pronounced note of heliotrope - a flower I associate with early summer. So Après l'Ondee for me is a scent which tells a story about spring unfolding into summer, and has associations of tender young leaves and flowers and the fragile joys of early spring.