Part 3- Fully fledged perfumistas- share your fragrances

[shoeprincess2]

Part 2 is nearly full!

Hi Scarlet - Sorry if this puts further temptation in your way , but next time you're looking at 'fragrantica', you might like to see what the contributors there say about Eaux de Caron Fraiche. That's another bright lemony cologne, with a floral, faintly musky finish. I love it - but IMO it's far too fresh and crisp to wear on a day like this. Brrrr! For me, it's a spring and summer scent only.

Another question for Perfumistas. I have just remembered that, years ago and far away, one of our lecturers came into the common room smelling quite wonderfully of spring, with a strong waft of daffodils. She said that her DH had been to Paris for work, gone to xxxx perfumery [alas! I forget the name] and brought her this lovely perfume. Do any wise ones among you know what it might have been? I can still recall the happy reaction the scent created, and would love to know its name. Though, sadly, I suppose that it may have been discontinued by now...

Going by current perfume names alone, it might have been Caron's Narcisse Blanc, I suppose. I have never smelled that - has anyone else? It's not easy to get a sample.

Fuzzy. Very kind. Have not tried Coco or Ambre Extreme, so will have a go. Have not smelled Samsara for ages; was not keen when younger, but tastes change as we get older (sigh!) , so I will give it another try.

Isabelle - I found Cuir de Russie quite underwhelming; to me it smelt just like Imperial Leather soap. Not unpleasant, but nowhere near as nice as I expected.

I think it probably does have a touch of Imperial Leather about it Cointreau , but more leathery than the soap.

Popped into the local Boots store this afternoon, tried Pure Poison, and I am pleasantly surprised, it is a white floral with a twist, it's not fresh like most, it's very smooth smelling and I can't really describe it but it smells sort of round and I would say radiant, it almost seems to be vibrating in a way. It's sweet in the way a gardenia smells sweet, and also warm, probably due to the amber and vanilla. It also seems to have some power to it and it's lasting well.

While at the Dior counter I also tried Dune, this is something I have always seen, but never really thought of smelling before. I expected it to be a sweet suntan lotion type fragrance due to the packaging, but it's not at all. It's actually quite a fresh, warm, orangey, floral amber, not hugely feminine. It has a little similarity with Eau de Merveilles to me.

HELP, I seem to be a split person - perfume wise
I was on this thread well before Christmas and it's only now that the penny has dropped
These are my past crimes:
Tresor (no),Hypnose(yes),Opium(yes),Byzance(yes,yes,yes),Angel(yes but have only had body/hand lotion dread to think of the perfume sillage).

My current interests:
Lolita Lempicka L,Eau de minuit,L'eau en blanc
Ambar J del pozo
L'instant, Samsara Guerlain
Artemesia, Malabah Penhaligon's
Cabochard Gres in all forms (new/old/EdT/EdP)

I want to order:
Sweet Redemption Kilian
Seville a l'aube L'artisan
Carnal Flower Malle
Etat libre d'orange and
L'Heure blueu perhaps

So I want sweet ones but also would like and want a lighter orange/floral.
It looks as if I never wear perfume in the summer,doesn't it

Isabelle, have you tried Bobbi Brown Beach?
it's very suntan-y with some jasmine.

Thanks Coffee, I haven't tried Beach, will look out for it. I wasn't looking for a suntan lotiony smell, was just sniffing Dune out of idle curiosity and was surprised (quite pleasantly). I think the best suntan Lotion smell though has to be Bronze goddess from Estee Lauder! It transports you straight back to a sunny holiday every time you smell it. Coconutty, ambery, gardenia ...mmmmmmmmmmmmm... (I think this one of Tom Fords while he worked for Estee Lauder).

Does anybody know where I can get this very strange mix of samples from?
Post at 19.24

Hi Harbinger - I can't speak for many of the scents you list, and we all smell things differently, but, IMO, L'Heure Bleue is neither sweet nor orange. It is aniseedy, smoky, soft, cool-and-warm-floral (roses, iris) powdery, clovey, incensey... But of course other people may disagree.

For your list, have you tried 'surrender to chance' on the internet? They have a very wide range.

Hi Isabelle. Gosh - I sound horrid here - but Dune is one of my least-favourite smells ever. I don't know why I dislike it. Does Dune have any special note? Can others help here?

Hi Isabelle - just to say that we all like different smells. Re Dune, I really did not mean to be offensive.

Hi FloraScot - I had an order from Les Senteurs back a while. Surrender to Chance is the US one? Not prepared to deal with their customs.

Whoop -Flora, can I smell/find L'Huere Bleue in a mainstream store?

Definitely no offence taken Flora, Dune has a lot of orange I think, or at least it does to my nose, also I can smell a lot of amber and some sandalwood, and some florals, but I am not really good at distinguishng them unless they are obvious so not sure.

You can sample L'Heure Bleu in most department stores with a Guerlain counter, I know John Lewis stock it, and it is a soft powdery radiant oriental floral, no orange.

Long day - whew - keep up the good work ladies!

Harbinger before the crazy mail restrictions you would have been able to get everything from Surrender to Chance in the US.
Now it's harder. In Paris, you could sample all during a brief afternoon walk. UK-based people, would bigger department stores carry all of these?

You can find By Kilians occasinally on eBay plus sample sets from his site and from Alla Violetta who also carry Malle and L'Artisan. Les Senteurs have ELdO and Malle. L'heure bleue is mainstream, bigger department stores and big duty frees sell it. If you have a lot of patience, you may find what you need on Crystal Flacon.

Hi Harbinger - I have not ordered often from surrender to chance, but - in my experience - if you order only a few samples from them, customs do not interfere. The package just arrives in the post, like any other. I don't know what problems - if any - other Perfumistas have had with customs charges/taxes. Maybe they can help you here.

As Isablle says, L'Heure Bleue is widely available in department stores. John Lewis usually have a good range of Guerlains, male and female. And kindly let customers spray freely ...

If you order from anywhere in the EU, customs/vat do not apply. ProFumo and others are experts here. They will know more European sample sources than I do. I have ordered samples online from Alla Violetta in Italy, and they arrived safely, with no problem. (Beautifully packaged, and with freebies. ) www.allaviolettaboutique.com/

Thanks Isablle, for your understanding

By Killians are stocked in Harvey Nicks in Manchester if that is any help.

For a small sample order from the US, import taxes are a nonissue and often waived altogether. Lots of advice on Vol 1 and Vol 2.
But many sellers abroad avoid shipping to certain countries.

Wearing Tea for Two to bed right now. Feeling charbroiled

very sorry all
I was forgetting recent restrictions. Does anyone have experience of how they are actually enforced right now? From what I remember, there was some discussion of the topic on this discussion forum or previous one, but I cannot for the life of me remember what happened. My last orders from surrender and allavioletta were only just before Christmas. No charges for either. But it all may be different now.

I sometimes order other things from USA - eg from sierratradingpost (western mega-outlet, with good Canadian stylish but practical winter footwear) and even from LLBean (preppie, I know, but for DH to wear and very long-lasting ). I find that even if I have to pay import duties/vat, the difference between the dollar/pound sort of compensates. The procedure for either is quite simple. If Post Office is handling package, they leave a note with instructions of how to pay (can be done on line). If DHL or other courier company, the helpful local van drivers tend to phone me in advance, asking me to have a cheque ready to give them.
All that refers to orders worth say £100 or more. It means any handling charges imposed by Post Office/Couriers seem fairly innocuous in comparison. But if I had to pay (say)£ 10 or more for the 'handling' of say £ 10 worth of samples, that would obviously not be fair or practicable. A problem ...

Yes, I think you'd be able to try all of these in central London, harbinger.

By Kilian is sold at Harvey Nicks and then you could go across the Park to Selfridges for Guerlain and L'Artisan and around the corner to Les Senteurs for Malle + Etat Libre d'Orange.

Of course, if you're not in London that's a fat lot of use - but perhaps worth calling them?

Cross-post, ProFumo. Sorry!

I had an order from StC a week or so ago, just before the shipping charges went up massively, but it was only 2 samples so didn't attract duty.

Flora I'm happy Alla Violetta was a good experience. They are my favorite source for samples. Good packaging and labeling, generous spray samples, lovely extras, and quick and safe delivery. Warmly recommended. And their catalogue is so extensive and nicely curated that by the time you've sampled a quarter of their offerings, you are already a leading expert.

Parfümeria Neroli in Hungary (within EU) also lovely and very cheap.

Yes, AllaVioletta made everything seem so luxurious. At the time I ordered , I was not well and their sense of cherishing was really, really welcome.

Flora you are ready to graduate to the next level - full bottle shopping at Place Vendome Haute Parfumerie in Belgium. Orders & inquiries by email, payment via bank transfer, word of mouth catalogue - but once you get your order

Courtesy of another forum, what they carry:
Chanel (+Les Exclusifs)
Cartier (+Les Heures de Parfum)
Guerlain (+ Maison Guerlain exclusives)
Amouage
Hermès
Annayaké
Annick Goutal
Parfumerie Générale
Robert Piguet
Il Profvmo
Les Parfums de Rosine
La Prairie
Clarins
Atelier Cologne
Parfum d?Empire
Arty Fragrance by Elisabeth de Feydeau
Houbigant
Nicolas de Barry
Balmain
Montale
Maître Parfumeur et Gantier ( from February on)

Wow, ProFumo!

It all sounds wonderful. I shall start saving now....