Part 3- Fully fledged perfumistas- share your fragrances

[shoeprincess2]

Part 2 is nearly full!

I'm testing out YSLs M7 today on behalf of DH, don't really know many masculines apart from the ones DH is fond of but I do like this a lot. Starts off slightly medicinal and then becomes deep, woody and a bit sweet. I think it's been relaunched and probably reformulated but much nicer than the softer masculines he normally wears. He's also fallen for Guerlain's L'Eau Boisee, which I love on him too. This is turning into a family obsession, my 21 mth old DS came up to me earlier with his little wrist outstretched saying 'Mell! Mell!'

The M7 was in a sample bundle along with Hugo Boss Man- nice enough but generic and watery and Vera Wang Lovestruck Floral Wish. Now I think I have a fairly broad range of types of scent I like but this is awful. It smells like a hairdressers- shampoo, hairspray and something synthetic and chemically like perm lotion, yukky!

What's up with Teint de Neige? On me it was a 12+ h sillage monster. In fact, so strong I couldn't sleep (this never happens). My sample came directly from the Villoresi HQ in Florence sometime last year.

On my 3rd 'fume today (EdCs are fleeting). Now wearing Prelude to Love By Kilian. Papery, cardboardy (=irisy) citrus - I even smell a realistic tea note (might come from the previous frags too). Quite delicate. So love starts with a cuppa and "Would you like to see my etchings"?
The opening smells fantastic - my fling with Kilian is getting really expensive ;)

Citrus chicken here.

Haber google woody oriental sampler and spicy oriental sampler, select the masculine alternatives, and try on some of the suggestions (some of the are mainstream and not difficult to sample for free). I was so surprised when I found the universe of eminently wearable mainstream masculines.

T&S love Estee Lauders. I like Knowing, but I associate most of them with slightly older women. They are skilfully made but slightly inhuman and daunting - to me they represent all these repressive impossible-to-fill expectations (Paulina Porizkova's bone structure sweating rose petals, menstruating blue water, with Barbie's hair and legs smooth in perpetuum). In fact, I think Tom Ford is EL to my generation (owned by the same company) - still physically perfect, but genderblending, sex, secretions and other naughty things are now allowed

Floral rush I mean!

Fuzzybirds- bless . My little boy asks for handcream, handwash, and likes to waft my powder brush over his face and put face cream on his cheeks. He's 2. He had very dry skin as a baby, but he has lovely skin now, so maybe his little fixation is paying off.

ProFumo- thanks for the chicken recipe. I've saved to favourites as I think I'll make it this weekend.

Need to check out the By Killians. They have eluded me thus far (well, to be fair, I hadn't added them to my sampler list). Guerlain's L'eau boisee sounds interesting. I'm off to check it out on basenotes.

Clb, very of your full bottle of Ninfeo Mio. It's one of the nicest I've sampled.

But I was very chuffed to find a 10ml decant of the discontinued L'Artisan Tea for Two at a good price on eBay, which arrived today. That should keep me going for a while!

Another rose day here - trying the sample of Frederic Malle Une Rose, sent to me by Niminy. Like others have mentioned, it falls squarely between the boiled, jammy Rose Vermeille, and the potpourri-spicy Rose Chypree. But sooo pretty for daytime; a winner for me.

It's the only FB I've got, Cointreau! Until provoked to try again by this thread, I don't think I'd worn perfume for about 20 years. I'd got very bored with Chanel No. 5 and didn't know perfumes out of the mainstream existed.

Slightly hoping to receive another FB from my parents, as a late birthday present. Have just sent them a list ;-)

Actually, this thread and the Guide :hat tip to Luca Turin and Tanya Sanchez:

CointreauVersial so pleased to hear you like Une Rose!

Tomorrow I'll be trying your sample of Timbuktu. But today it was so cold and grey and comfortless that I took refuge in Shalimar.

Thanks, Profumo. I always appreciate your tips. Talking of which, that chicken looks great!

clb what a charming story - I'm so happy you've found a new perfume to love and yy to back-up list Hope you'll have happy moments with the your reawakened nose!

Well done Cointreau with Tea for Two and Une Rose.
And the communal spirit here is fantastic!

Hannah someone else here loves Dior Addict2 (not sure who).

Fuzzy your DH has great taste, M7 is really good!

You ladies are a bad influence My must-try list is getting longer too. I actually ordered new samples (a friend has been praising www.suendhaft.de and I'm curious about Slumberhouse).

Turin/Sanchez is great. I like the essays in the beginning and their must-smell lists. Really recommended for anyone curious about perfume - it's a great intriduction to anyone new to quality perfume. I keep my Kindle version on my phone.

The soft neroli of Prelude to Love is very tenacious (unlike the colognes I wore earlier today). Another quality juice. May need a decant

Fireside Intense this evening. I need the illusion of crackling flames! It's so cold out there.

Literally the only thing wrong with Zeta in my world is that it doesn't last long enough. It kept me very happy this morning but by lunchtime was nearly gone apart from a lingering lick of honey.

I tried Penhaligon's LP No 9 yesterday and hated it. There was a note in it that I also found in Ghost Sweetheart that I found really unpleasant. It's like fluffy, cloying synthetic oriental vanilla or something.

I checked the notes of both fragrances and can't see any I don't know that might be creating this jarring note. I had to wash them both off within an hour of trying.

oh and ProFumo- talking of bad influences, now that you've pointed me towards hesperides my wish list has gone orbital! I need to calm down!

I've never found a Penhaligon's perfume that I really like. I genuinely think they sell them purely on the strength of the gorgeous bottles.

There are a couple of masculine Penhaligons I quite like - Opus and Sartorial for example. Not sure about the feminines, although I found Violetta (???) oddly enticing the other day. Overall, even the masculines are perhaps a tad too restrained and civilized on me. If I'd have to pick a British house, it would be Grossmith. Heeley (Yorkshire goes to Paris) is understated and stylish too.

MmeSlag you are very lucky - some of the best hesperides are very cheap - you can buy them by the litre and still have change in your pocket. But yes, I'm very sorry, I may have added some to your list When you get tired of fresh, let me know - your dusty-patchouli-loving id subconscious may need some attention too...

I'm in real trouble - have ordered more By Kilian samples I find his first collection really well-rounded (but only try them if you can handle very sweet perfumes). There is a bit of everything, different moods, and good raw materials shine. Have almost gotten past the awful names...

Just tolet you know, the Perfume Parlour smellalike for Virgin Island Water doesn't.

One of the many reasons why I'm not a fan of knockoffs. Lots if Creed decants on Crystal flacon. Thank Good, a good source of By Kilian there too - else I'd risk going bankrupt

Today wearing A Taste of Heaven. A fougere with a twist, green absinthe.
Fougeres are the archetypical old man masculine group. They are built around the Holy Trinity of lavender, coumarin (sweet, vanillic-nutty substance derived from tonka beans - would taste great in a creme brulee) and oakmoss (earthy florest floor scent also found in chypres). The cheap but great super-classics most of us recognize from our childhood (everyone has had a father, uncle, brother or boyfriend who wore them) are Paco Rabanne Pour Homme and Azzaro Pour Homme. Next time you go perfume shopping, step to the men's side and try either one on a strip. This is one of the easiest perfume categories to recognize and a huge class. Later, you'll rerecognize perfumes belonging to this group on countless men (these days, especially on older men) and can feel smug and think "fougère" instead a more vague "um, smells quite manly".

As a woman, wearing a fougere feels what wearing trousers in the 1920s or le smoking (with nothing underneath) must have felt in the 1970s. It's the ultimate forbidden fragrance group, you are crossing boundaries and defying stereotypes - only do this on a good hair and possibly pair with red lipstick Easy ones to wear are 1725 Casanova by HdP (it exudes sexy self-confidence and irony). By Kilian's offering is great too. It's funny how fougeres became so macho - lavender can be very old lady, tonka is edible goodness and women have worn oakmoss for a long time in chypres. But yes, go on, try a fougere! Even if you won't ever wear one, this is a good group to know while buying gifts for the men in your life. Or snubbing orange ladies at the counters - say 'I'm looking for an aromatic fougere' (roll the r's ) and they'll either back off or engage in a meaningful discussion

A public service announcement - fantastic and reliable German-based Crystal Flaconer here. He has an extensive catalogue. I (and many friends) warmly recommend him. How it works? Email him to confirm availability, then paypal to his e-mail address the agreed sum and start waiting for the parcel. His packaging and labeling are high quality too.

LetsFace and ProFumo I'm not averse to the odd knock off

I've got a few perfume parlour oils and they are quite hit or miss. They need to be left to settle and warm up on the skin for a good half hour before the true fragrance emerges, I find. Staying power is excellent though! I think they are ok for those scents you like, but don't LOVE.

As Profumo says, decants are great, or you can look for partial or mini bottles on ebay.

I love bargain hunting and there are many inexpensive fragrances out there that get good reviews. Just ordered a bottle of Yardley's Iris on the basis of a review from Perfume Shrine's blog. It cost just over a fiver!

Ooh yes, I already have Gerald on my "list"; it's good to know he is recommended.

Testing out my decant of Tea for Two today, in case they sent me coloured water. Nope....tis the real smoky-spicy deal. I have spoiled the effect somewhat by plastering on some L'Occitane Lavender handcream. Both smell nice, but methinks not together.

If you are at all interested in copies try this company here. MIL gave me a bottle of their "Story of Flower" which is a blatant copy of Kenzo Flower. It's utterly vile, but I don't even care for the original so it could just be me.

I am trying Cuir de Russie today. The leather is perhaps more dominant that I thought it might be, and it is quite an animalic sort of leather (which of course, it can't be anything else), rather it is more raw and barn-yardy than say the leather in Tom Ford's Tuscan leather, it's not a new handbag sort of leather, it's more a horse's saddle.
I am enjoying it, I think, could be grower, the floral aspects are very elegant and it has good staying power so far.

So my first ever Les Senteurs samples are on their way to me! Exciting! Can I just ask for a few tips when trying perfume? Should you smell out of the bottle first or put it straight onto your skin? From the little sample vials, should you put some on your finger and dab on, or just pour on whilst holding the vial against your skin? I have also heard that you should never spray perfume onto one wrist and then rub them together?

I was in boots today just picking up a few bits and wandered over to the fragrance section. Just reading this thread has really encouraged me to try some perfumes that I never would have tried before (because I perhaps have thought they are not modern enough?).

I tried the original Miss Dior, which I thought was horrible! Does anyone know what the notes are in this so I know to avoid?! However, I also tried Pure Poison which I quite liked and also Opium which I was quite surprised that I really liked (I always think of it as very 70s/80s and always assumed that I wouldnt like it). But I am really glad that I am open to trying some more different scents.

Funnily I used to love Flower by Kenzo and used a whole bottle of it in my youth, but I accidentally sprayed a load on my hand earlier in boots, and I didnt like it at all.

I really need to start writing down some stuff, both from this thread, but also then what I smell when I am in the shops!

Hi scarlet, what did you order from Les Senteurs? I got my first order from them last week. The bottles come with a little dabber inside, so if you just want to try a little bit you can use this. I like a bit more so i dropped on a little bit form the bottle then spread it around with my fingers. It would be so much easier if they supplied them in little spray sample bottles wouldn't it?

I use www.fragrantica.com to keep a track of my fragrances. You can create an account there and add the fragrances that you have had/have/want/like etc to your wardrobe, and if you click on the notes you can keep a little shelf of ones to try and add notes about each one. It's really useful as it's very pictorial and you can see what your perfumes look like, not just a written list. So easy.

I always spray on tester cards first to see if like enough to be bothered trying on skin. Will try Pure Poison this afternoon, Turin/Sanchez give it a good write up!

Weather here today is absolutely foul - heavy sleet and howling winds and low, glowering grey sky.
So I am wearing big quilted coat indoors, and the the warmest, spiciest scent I own - Coriandre.
In fact, unless you count Nuit de Noel, it's my ONLY 'warm' perfume. I think I might detect a gap to be filled

Hope other Perfumistas are enjoying better weather, but, I wonder, does anyone have favourite smells for keeping out the cold? Am not keen on peach/pear/berry/syrup but I DO rather like incense ...

Hi Isabelle, I ordered 4 samples: Eau d'hadrien, carnal flower and then Orange Star and Bigarade Concentree. The only unisex perfume I have ever smelt before is CK One, so am interested to see what the last two smell like. I really like Orange/citrussy smells, but want to see what these smell like combined with all the other notes as well.

Oh dear, I can see myself spending rather too much time on the 'fragrantica' website as well....

Isabelle, Cuir de Russie sounds gorgeous. I used to ride (long time ago now!) and loved the smell of the tack room- saddles, leather soap, horses, straw and sweat. Would love to own a perfume that smells like that!

Scarlet, I normally wipe the stick on my wrist and if the scent seems weak I keep dabbing more with my fingers. I went through a bottle of Miss Dior in my 20s- bought blind due to a good deal but then discovered I didn't like it much! I persevered though and ended up liking it, especially as a work perfume as it made me feel efficient in a kind of 1950s prim secretary kind of way.

Flora, I find ambery, vanilla based scents are very warming. Ambre Extreme is my favourite, but love Coco or Samsara on nasty days too.

Thanks to cardoon, I have a wee dab of Lipstick Rose on one arm and Teint de Neige on the other I think it's safe to say I'm a powder lover. I love both but just a tiny spray of Teint de Neige is taking over everything! Will have to try Lipstick Rose alone tomorrow and give it the space it deserves.