Part 3- Fully fledged perfumistas- share your fragrances

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Part 2 is nearly full!

I love Strip, bought it blind and tried it in the morning and didn't like it then tried it again at night and it made perfect sense.

Might have to try Strip, it sounds very interesting!

I tried eau d'hadrien today. When I first put it on it was overwhelmingly lemony, too much so really, was actually a bit bathroom cleanery (although I love lemon bathroom cleaner!). But after a while it mellowed into a really gorgeous citrus, that I really liked However, it didnt last anywhere near as long as the orange star that I tried yesterday.

Carnal flower next!

Giving Rose Vermeille another try. When I came downstairs with it on my six year old DS said 'Mummy you smell of jelly squares'. For him this was a complement squares of raw jelly being a favourite treat but for me it's a damning judgement. Will go and have a shower to wash it off so I can put on something else, something that doesn't remind me of children's party food.

Ha! It may change, of course. Must admit that I have a sample of Rose Vermeille I've not tried yet, because I don't like the smell of the bottle. Must be braver.

I'm enjoying the dregs of Heeley's Cuir Pleine Fleur this morning, having put it on last night. Just completely delicious, I think: soft suede, no harsh edges, wafts of indistinct floweriness. Not aggressive in any way, no huge sillage, but noticeable and unusual. Surprising longevity, too.

Over the weekend tried both Heeley's Figuier and Diptyque's Philosykos. The latter seemed much sharper and greener than the Heeley, which had more warmth, milkiness and a mild coconut scent at times, which seemed to die away after half an hour or so and be replaced by melon and salt. Both scents very enjoyable.

And two scrubbers: Caron's Farnesiana on me (too sharp, too much bitter almond) and Histoires de Parfum's 1740 on DH (he hated the tarriness).

Perfumistas? Is it possible that Les Senteurs water down their samples? Yesterday I wore my sample of Carnal Flower, 10 minutes after applying I could hardly smell it, yet when I tested this on card at Liberty's it lasted for a week! Teint de Neige? Gone by lunch time, Fleur Nocturne? so weak from the sample I struck it straight of my wish list! Yet all 3 of these perfumes reportedly have high silage and longevity. I was beginning to doubt my sense of smell, but am wearing Cuir de Russie today, from a genuine manufacturer sample, and I can smell it strongly, even the Aqua di Parma Iris Nobile sample, again a manufacturer one, was longer lasting and stronger than any of my Les Senteurs ones, and this isn't reported to be long lived. Hmmm???? Anyone else have problems? It's putting me off buying more samples.

It is funny you should say that Isabelle as I have sampled Carnal Flower today (from Les Senteurs) and was going to come on here and say that I found it quite overpowering! It was actually a bit of an assault on my nostrils for the first hour or so, I felt like I couldnt fit any more smells up my nose. If I had a full bottle and sprayed it as liberally as I normally with perfume, I think that I would be knocking people out as I walked by them! And I put it on this morning, and it is definitely still there now, although it is more subtle now. So if that is a watered down version, then I am not going near the full strength version!

I did like it though, much more so than I thought I would when I first smelt it from the bottle. It is much more floral than I am used to wearing, but now I have had it on for a few hours and it just smells like a lovely bunch of flowers.

The eau d'hadrien I tried yesterday did fade very quickly, but lots of people on fragrantica said that as well.

Oh, Clb, Farnesiana is one of my favourites - but only in tiny amounts and at the right sort of time. Even though it smells of mimosa, I see it as a winter perfume. The almonds make me think of velvet - no idea why.

Reminds me of a time long, long, long ago when a French exchange student arrived to spend Christmas with us bearing huge armfuls of fresh mimosa. I was a scruffy young teenager - 12 or 13 - she was several years older. As was the habit in certain middle-class Franch families then, she dressed with tremendous correctness in a classy, sophisticated, style. I had never seen clothes like hers, and was very impressed with the overall effect, though I had no wish - or ability - to emulate it. The mimosa, which I had never seen before, either, was all part of the general glamour. So was the huge and delicious scented candle that she also brought, as a gift. For several years - the red candle in its glass and golden container lasted for ages - it was the smell of Christmas in our house, warm and comforting. Don't recall what the scent was was, however.

How strange the power of smell is! I had not thought of those memories for literally decades...

What a lovely memory, flora. Fwiw, my own daughter's French exchange student, who arrived here at the end of last year, aged 11, I think, completely awed us by her smartness and adult demeanour. So that French middle-class correctness isn't completely dead.

I've a smallish bunch of mimosa sitting in a vase on my dressing table this morning - the most marvellous smell - but it didn't chime with the Farnesiana at all!

Viviennemary - You may have found a source or Annick Goutal samples by now. But if you are still looking, this site sells a wide range of them: www.allaviolettaboutique.com/
It's in Italy, but there is an English version of their website - just click on the Union Jack in the top right hand corner of their home page.
I've used them and found them jolly good. Generous-sized samples - plus, in my experience, one or two free manufacturers' samples thrown in.

clb - what a coincidence!
I agree - fresh mimosa is a much, much better smell than anything, however good, in a bottle!

Charliefox Have you thought about Rossy de Palma - Eau de Protection from Etat Libre d'Orange? I wore it on my wedding day (!) It's (in the nicest possible way) a slutty rose scent. Here's the blurb

Created for Rossy de Palma, this eponymous fragrance is the impetuous rose that the Spanish actress has always wanted. The dark magic potion is made of crushed petals and thorns, of cacao and spice and nothing nice. A gothic, bleeding rose, this is a fierce, passionate fragrance that blends rose with jasmine for an extra floral impact, then spikes the opulent mix with ginger and black pepper. The seductive concoction rests on a pitch-black base of patchouli, incense and cacao, a captivating abyss into which one is eager to fall. A promise and a threat.

boisdejasmin.com/2011/02/etat-libre-dorange-rossy-de-palma-perfume-review.html

I just love it, it's meant to smell like you've hugged a big bunch of roses and got pricked by the thorns so there is a slight metallic twang of blood in there as well. Sounds strange but it a gorgeous scent - warm, dark with a hint of danger.

You're all fab, recommending all these perfumes! I'm writing them all down for my next trip into Manchester. Not sure about that one reen - I've never been a fan of anything floral but especially not roses.

I can't really better Boudoir Charlie for smelling dirty in a sexy way, it is floral though so you might like Rossy de Palma, you could also try Portrait of a Lady, it is a similar style to Boudoir in my opinion, a spicy rose with musky undertones for that unwashed effect.

I continued my quest for something green in a brief stop at the local department store. They had Private Collection at the Estee counter so had a little spray of that on one arm. It has a very pungent sharp blast on first spray, but quickly turned into a very green, almost vegetal and very strong fragrance. It was almost like the smell of herbs or leaves when they are ground up in a pestle and mortar. This seemed to last for about an hour or so, but then it became more of a green chypre scent. I don't really care for it when I smell it close on myself, but I think it probably has a pleasant silage as I keep getting a little puff of it every now and again as I move around. Don't think it is the 'one' though. A bit too vintage smelling for my tastes.

I also had another smell of Beyond Paradise, sorry Mr Turin, I'm not getting it's 5 star rating, still 'meh' to me!

Private Collection sounds lovely, Isabelle. Awful name, though.

Isabelle - I've though of another green one - Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca. Starts off minty, then settles to a lovely green tea note.

Tauer Vetiver Dance today - one of the Tauers I do like! Smells to me like vetiver and gingerbread. Weird, but nice.

Thanks Cointreau, I think that is already on my list to try.

Odalisque from Parfums Nicolai sounds like it could fit the bill, would love to try this, does anyone know of a uk stockist? I can't find one.

Oh, just found they have a London shop!

Morning ladies! Just catching up again with the thread. Was offline all day yesterday, spending the day with 3 babies! I was wearing Coromandel, so all the babies' heads will have a lovely scent to them. Charliefox- I am wearing Musc Ravageur today by Frederick Malle. I would definitely describe it as a dirty scent, but in a very understated way, as opposed to the shouty filthiness of Boudoir. It is my least favourite of the 5 samples that I received yesterday. From whiffing Tuscan Leather and Tobacco Vanille by Monsieur Ford, I think they are going to be clear favourites!!

Isabelle- the only Parfum De Nicolai I have a sample of is New York. I was excited to try it after it was plauded in the Top 100 perfumes book, and it actually reminds me of Eau Dynamissante!! Herba Fresca is lovely. I tested out Teint De Neige again on Saturday- I applied it at 11am and it was still going strong at 10pm (bedtime). So, I'm not sure what is going on with your samples. Like you say, Carnal Flower is supposed to be a big hitter too

Thanks for recommending the Italian website florascotia. I sent for some samples from Surrender to Chance. Also when I was browsing round the internet I saw a snippet which said there was to be a new Guerlain at the end of March. Nerolia Bianca. (sp?) That sounds one too look out for.

Definitely sounds like one to sniff when it appears, Viviennemary! Thanks v. much indeed for the information.

I love many Guerlain smells - though (and this is probably heresy), I don't like their famous classics Mitsouko or Shalimar. And nor do I like Guerlain's recent (to me) rather silly girlie scent: Petite Robe Noir.
On the other hand, as other Perfumistas have said, several of the recent Guerlain 'Acquas' are delicious.

On the subject of Neroli, isn't it interesting how encouraging and uplifting many orange-blossom scents are? Traditonally - or so my elderly mother says - they were used in bridal bouquets, or worn in bridal headresses. Even the scent of the humble everyday orange is encouraging. Years ago, I remember that Body Shop used to do a fantastic orange soap; I loved it. It really made a cheerful start to the morning.

More recently, DH and I were on a slow local train that was bumping and swaying in high winds as it made its way through remote Scottish countryside. Sitting close to us were two young Chinese girls, probably students. They were both rather quiet - and then one of them, very, very politely, asked DH whether she could have the peel of the clementine - or maybe mandarin - that he had just eaten. The reason? Her friend, who did not speak such good English, was feeling very travel sick. For the rest of the journey, the travel-sick friend sniffed the orange peel, and looked rather happier.

Perhaps, in Chinese medicine - or any other traditional system of healing - oranges are used as a remedy. Does any Perfumista know?

flora I love the smell of orange as well, which is why I absolutely loved Bigarade Concentree when I tried it yesterday, it is just delicious!

When I first put it on it literally smelt like your hands do after you have peeled an orange - the slight bitterness of the orange skin, but still really fresh. And it just stays really delicious! I can see that it could be a unisex scent, but for me was much more feminine and wearable (for me) than orange star.

I could definitely see myself buying a full bottle of this...oh dear!

The new Aqua Allegoria sounds lovely.

Oranges have a really cheerful, uplifting scent I think, but my personal favourite citrus smell is lemons (so hard to find a lemon scent that doesn't smell like kitchen cleaner though!)

I got my bottle of Yardley's Iris in the post this morning and it is not bad at all- papery and powdery with some citrus zest as well, very fresh and subtle. I'm not normally much of an Iris lover as I prefer stronger florals, but I imagine this one would work well on warm summer days. At such a low price as well I won't be scrimping on the resprays. Perfume Shrine's blog compares it to Hermes Hiris, which I haven't yet smelled but may have to check it out to see how they compare!

I adore orange or lemon or grapefruit in scents, although i don't like conventional "fruity" scents.

One fragrance that I was really ready to like (but didn't) was Pamplelune. I was most disappointed as it smells of the rind of a grapefruit, and it wasn't fresh and sort of astringent like I was hoping for.

Normally grapefruit in a scent is wonderful to me, but this wasn't as I'd hoped.

Afternoon, all. Oh Fuzzy, Yardley's Iris sounds most enticing, and so, Scarlet, does Bigarade Concentree. Slag, what a pity about Pampelune. It's very strange of them to make a grapefruit scent that isn't fresh. That's what grapefruit are for, surely? To wake one up at breakfast!

I am terribly excited today; my box of samples from 'Neroli', as recommended by ProFumo, arrived in the post at lunchtime. All the way from Hungary to Scotland in less than a week !! (I placed my order on 14th). Thank you post offices of Europe - and Boutique Neroli

The first sample I've tried is Bois d'Ascese by Naomi Goodsir. I'd never heard of it - or her - before, but it was described as being woody and incensey. It IS both those things, but also very tarry and almost medicinal - at least to start with. It's not an unpleasant smell, and the tar has now faded, within half an hour, to something like smoky church incense but a lot more astringent. And with an element of juniper, which I like a lot. The whole concoction is very interesting and nice to try on bitterly cold day like today, but I don't think I'd want to buy a whole bottle.