Please help me find a perfume!

[MadamFolly]

I'm trying to find a perfume I like but I can't smell more than 5 at a time before my nose stops working.

I'd like a perfume with quite a light scent possibly citrusy or smelling like a summer meadow

I can never find anything like this in the shop, they are all too heavy or Old Lady Perfumes.

I'm early 20's if that helps

TIA

Nobody can smell very many perfumes in one session. It's also unwise to buy anything without having sampled it on skin first for a full wear, preferably a few times.

I assume you are looking for cologne-type citruses (this means, they are light and refreshing and may not have full-day lasting power). Easy mainstream: Escale a Portofino by Dior, Light Blue by D&G (ubiquitous, be warned), Eau Sauvage (men's side, one of the best citruses ever made). If you can take some green notes, try Cristalle by Chanel. Good old 4711 and Eau Imperiale by Guerlain are often overlooked but they are great inexpensive and refreshing colognes, especially for summer.

Some more classy niche citruses - Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford (very expensive but long-lasting), Bergamote by The Different Company (slightly sweet, exhilarating, I keep a mini in my travel pouch).

How you interpret 'meadow' is subjective but my favorite of that genre is slightly herby, not too flowery and sweet - I love Eau du Sud by Annick Goutal. It has a real trajectory and smells great and is quite unusual. Ninfeo Mio has a figgy green twist and is very easy to like as well.

L'Artisan Parfumeur has the perfect summer meadow - L'Eté en Douce.
Hay, linden, orange blossom, beeswax.
It's Summer in a bottle.

Have you tried Issey Miyake? He does some lovely light scents (particularly the original one called Issey I think and the one called 'A scent by Issey..." ) or Versace Versense mmmmmmmm

Take a couple of coffee beans with you and sniff them between scents when your nose stops working - it will clear your palate/nose palate???????

I don't have a lot of money so can't go for the really expensive stuff.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will make a list for the next time I go to the shops.

I would second Eau du Sud and Eau d'Hadrien (or Les Nuits d'Hadrien for something a little stronger) by Annick Goutal. You might try the Eau de Cologne by Lynn Harris at M & S as well - I liked this very much. Still on the subject of M & S, I also have an orange blossom one from there that is light and citrussy, and which is my daily summer smell. I think it's called Eau d'Oranger or Fleur d'Oranger.

The M & S orange blossom one is a tenner (it's from the La Maison des Senteurs collection), and the Lynn Harris one £35. The Roger and Gallet perfumes are also good at citrussy - Jean Marie Farina and Eau de Cedrat, and shouldn't break the bank.

Another vote for Annick Goutal Eau de Sud and Eau d' Hadrien . My favourites. Escale a Portofino and Eau Sauvage both by Dior also good.

If you are restricted by budget, either buy a few used perfumes on ebay to try, or ask for samples in perfume counters (they do have them, just ask them directly to hand a few over), or buy samples on ebay.

I often buy used perfumes on ebay for a few pounds, then if I dislike them, I resell them on ebay and usually make all or most of my money back.

I have a bottle of Gres Cabotine, which is less than a tenner brand new on Amazon or CheapSmells.com and it smells very green and meadowy. M and S do a lovely fresh one called Inspire that's affordable too.

Oh and don't smell five in one day or your nose will get confused and they will all merge into one.

Oh and listen to Dona Ana, she is the recognised perfume expert on MN.

I have often bought stuff from Fragrance Direct (mostly makeup rather than perfume) and they have this - I am a total perfume snob and love love love fancy and expensive perfume, but I have to say a colleague of mine received this as a gift and wore it and it is really really nice. And really reasonably priced. It's quite light, I wouldn't describe it as citrussy particularly but it's not heavy and old-lady.

This DKNY one is very very citrussy and fresh and also rather lovely. Only £23.

Thanks everyone,this has all been really useful.

Have you tried Hugo Boss Orange? I think they do a 'light'version as well.

Miller Harris - fleur oriental.

A beautiful warm but some how fresh smell.