Part 3- Fully fledged perfumistas- share your fragrances

[shoeprincess2]

Part 2 is nearly full!

I do love orange blossom ProFumo. I didn't realise till a while back it was the same as neroli.

Vivienne neroli and orange blossom absolute come from the same source via different exctraction methods (neroli via steam and orange blossom via solvent distillation) but they are very close although easily identifiable side by side. Neroli is more straight, to the point, piercing (masculine, cologney); ob smells more voluptous and narcotic (indolic, bordering on jasmine, definitely feminine). After encountering them in better-made fragrances I have really started to like both. A note for experimenting is petitgrain - the leaves, twigs and unripe fruit from orange trees: a green version of the above.

Meant to say that my samples from the French niche site Parfumerie des Fontaines arrived - high quality samples, recommended, shipping is free!

Oh and I have to add that the French site has minis The Different Company and Mona di Orio among others. Haven't written much about the former but have two FBs - enough said

Trying Jour D'Hermes.
(a small sample in Marie-Claire)
Lovely, really. Can smell the roses, orange flower, tuberose, very well balanced though - they really flow into each other.

However, I don't think it's for me, too pretty.
I love smelling it but don't want to smell like t.

Thanks very much for explaining Profumo. I'm learning lots from this thread.

A lovely bottle of Carnal Flower is on it's way to me (£30 off from Liberty).

Ooh Isabelle - you're the Malle spokesperson on this thread

I've been wearing Idole de Lubin (by Olivia Giacobetti - couldn't resist the French parcel) but am growing a tired of the monotonous saffron note. This is a sibling to Safran Troublant, with a yummy rum-laced opening. I would like this more in a more fleeting form - it's relatively linear.

I found a charming online perfume glossary, source unknown but probably from early 1990s. Lots of descriptions of naturals and classics, and great if you love late 1980s/early 1990s as semi-forgotten gems (Red by Giorgio? Rumba by Balenciaga? - plus the new aquatic note in Dune!) are the height of novelty and sophistication. Private Collection in there too and I loved the description of tuberose.

Am very excited...first big full bottle for ages. I would have preferred the smaller bottle really, but they don't sell it online at Liberty and too far away to make it viable to go to the store, I could have purchased it elsewhere but without discount, so with £30 off it made it much better value for the bigger bottle. There was a disclaimer saying the £30 couldn't be uses with Malle purchases but it seemed to work and just recieved an email saying they have processed the order. So fingers crossed xx

Profumo? Have you tried Sweet redemption by Kilian?

Perfumistas- I can report that Halle smells absolutely nothing like Coromandel! Or Flowerbomb. It acutally smells like one of those perfumes that you could pick up in the early 90s from Boots (not Exclamation, but something of that ilk). On a more positive note, I spritzed some Nahema by Guerlain on my wrist, and I like it. A floriental, very powdery- really very pretty.

At least I only have 5ml of Halle to use up

I used to work in an office in Paris that was situated between Frederic Malle and Annick Goutal. Perfume bliss?

I am loving my Cabochard. CointreauVersial - you should try it!

Delurking briefly to ask for your expertise perfumistas! I got recently a sample of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and the opening is identical to a Lalique perfume I loved about 20 years ago... I have been exploring online trying to remember its name to no avail. All I can remember is that it was a tall narrow beautiful bottle with a pale green glass 'top' which might have been in the shape of a flower but not 100% sure ..... any ideas? Would love to be able to find it.

Loving this thread btw, very inspiring. Planning a day in London tomorrow with visits to Les Senteurs, Selfridges and Liberty to try a few things and hopefully get some samples to try at home.

Just looked at Fragantica .... might it be Lalique's Claire de Nilang? Top notes only have bergamot in common with Coco Mademoiselle though...

If anyone is nearby, Selfridges in Manchester Trafford Centre are having a release event for the new Chanel exclusif 1932. I can't make it, but apparently there will be champagne, freebies and you can try the fragrance.

Funny, MrsS, I added Cabochard to my wish list yesterday after reading some reviews.....

I have managed to find a sample of Ambre des Merveilles on eBay, so hopefully it will live up to expectations.

Thanks to generosity of flybynight, I luxuriated in a sample of an exclusive old Guerlain yesterday: Sous Le Vent. I know I'm a Guerlain obsessive, but it IS lovely. It starts lighter and greener than many older Guerlains then becomes more substantial and sumptuous (tho' in a discreet way, and with a lot less powder than many Guerlain scents). Alas, I see from various websites that its (a) horrendously expensive and (b) available in Paris only. I didn't like it THAT much! However, the first few green sniffs were heavenly...

Am off to big city today, and so, after comments from several Perfumistas above, will try and get a sniff of Jour d'Hermes. I also very much like the sound of ProFumo's 'Prelude to Love'.

Inspired by this thread, I'm wearing Le Labo Labdanum from my stash. A sweet hug of a perfume that really smells like Shalimar, but without the slightly musty feel that I associate with full-length fur coats and theater.
A good pick for a cloudy, humid early windy day

Need to check my raw material kits - I might have labdanum there.

Left out the word 'spring' somehow, whatever...
Flora welcome to the world of Guerlain boutique perfume addiction I've been struggling with that for about a year now... All of my favorite Guerlains (Encens Mythique, Tonka Imperiale, Bois d'Armenie, Cuir Beluga, Vega) are those expensive limited distribution Guerlains.
They are hard to source, samples are difficult to get, and I'm seriously considering a stopover at CDG on a work trip to sample some more
How can you get samples of them if you don't live near a Guerlain boutique? Order your next bottle via e-mail from Place Vendome Haute Parfumerie and add to your order a list of about ten Guerlain exclusifs you'd like to try. As a bonus freebie, you will get gigantic luxury vials that will be enough for at least one British summer winter (decants of some on Crystal Flacon). P&p is 10-15? depending on weight and destination, and well worth spending because of the stunning treats you will get (I once got a mini Guerlain Les Meteorites primer too - perfect for my travel makeup purse). Not sure whether you in the UK can keep doing this for much longer because of postal restrictions, but until now it has worked perfectly and I love them
Here's a partial list of their current offerings:
Chanel (+Les Exclusifs)
Cartier (+Les Heures de Parfum)
Guerlain (+ Maison Guerlain)
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

That explains why I can't find Tonka Imperiale anywhere......dying to find a sample; it sounds right up my street.

Really enjoying Le Labo Labdanum. This is Shalimar after a facelift, works for me

For some unknown reason anything with vanilla or amber smells really good on me. Sweet soft scents work on me, radiating waves of subtle warmth and softening my angles without becoming too cloying (I have dry cool skin). This is why orientals and gourmands are my natural home base.

Le Labo are discontinuing their Dallas exclusive, the excellent Aldehyde 44, am thinking whether I need a sample or 15ml bottle. It's one of the very few aldehydes I've come across that smell sleek and modern. Need to wear it later today to decide. Aldehydics are generally not worth stocking up - their reactive top notes burn off quickly unlike orientals that just deepen and riped with age.

Oh ProFumo, you are putting delicious temptation in my way!! But thank you so much for the information. I will have to think of a bottle that I 'need' to buy sometime soon .

Your mention of evaporating aldehydes but long-lasting orientals takes me right back to childhood. I can remember my mother had an old, almost empty bottle - with an old-fashioned ground-glass stopper and thread wound round it - in her scarf-and-gloves drawer, presumably for sentimental reasons. Maybe it was her mother's, who died when she was quite young. As little girls were were fascinated by it. It contained just a few drops of incredibly powerful, dark-brown, sticky liquid, which we were occasionally allowed to smell. Goodness knows what the scent was, but it had lost all fresh or floral elements, and smelled rich, sweet and - I think - civetty. Completely unwearable, but still somehow alluring.

Afternoon all, have had a lovely morning on a sniffing mission

Tried L'Heure Bleue on skin for the first time, I loved it on paper but sadly it turned a bit too soapy for me. Also got quite a peppery smell, I don't know if anyone else has found this.

Insolence EDP- I'm loving my recent acquisition of Meteorites but find the longevity and sillage lacking so thought this might fit the bill- love, love, love it. Still not quite as 'make-upy' as I've been looking for, but I have plenty more on my list to try!

White Linen- quite sharp and clean to start, with a bit of a 70s vibe? A few hours later it's softened a fair bit. I like, but don't love.

Grain de Soleil by Fragonard- this was a suggestion from the Perfumerie Profumo linked to upthread, based on my love of Coco. I wasn't too sure of the opening but it has dried down into a lovely powdery, slightly sweet scent, which I can't stop sniffing. Definitely one for the wishlist!

L'Occitane Eau Des Baux- had to get DH to test this one as I ran out of arm space. This I LOVE- smooth, sweet tobacco. DH didn't like it all though, typical!

I really wanted to try their 'Immortelle' perfume but the SA said it was discontinued. Still being sold on their website though

Shoe - shame about Halle, but worth a try for a few quid. I was surprised to see Celine Dion's offering getting a decent review in 'The Guide'- maybe I'll offer myself as guinea pig for that one in case we are missing a hidden gem

Isn't a day out on the town sniffing wonderful? I love lazy Saturdays and Sundays when I can take long walks.
I've had a lovely sniffing day too.

Was going to walk to the Hermes boutique to try Jour d'Hermes, but got sidetracked and am wearing Dries van Noten by Frederic Malle on my right wrist and Canyon Dreams by Keiko Mecheri on my left (the latter is ultra expensive but reminds me of Diptyque's Eau Lente - too lotiony and spicy for me). I also bought a 20ml rollerball vial of Eau de Tarocco by Diptyque. Need all the Vitamin C I can get

Dries by Malle is very interesting. Opens with a photorealistic grated nutmeg smell, the best I've ever smelled. Then sharp and woody, with a smidgen of vanilla. Ultralightweight woody oriental, if that makes sense. Cannot decide whether I like it or not. I generally dislike sandalwood but this smells very different (I'd say Aussie sandalwood but have no idea what current Mysore sandalwood smells like.) This smells minimalist and stylish, but not sure yet whether I'd like to wear it more often. Office-appropriate definitely, but think might also smell wonderful on a passer-by. I really need a sample to decide...

Fuzzy I have the same feeling about L'Heure. The drydown is slightly too mature for me, but in a radiant, graceful way. Maybe in 15 years I'm old enough to carry it off - it reminds me of Catherine Deneuve type lady, slightly sad, off-guard, sunglasses in her lap, in the back of a chauffeured limo. When I have a few plastic surgery scars and sit of the backseat of a car that is completely beige inside, I promise to wear it often

Fuzzy L'Occitane Immortelle and Eau des Baux are perfumista cult classics. I wouldn't mind a small amount of the former - lots of my friends bought it. It's a light immortelle, perhaps 100x more wearable than Sables.

Flora the short film Loretta by Brian Pera (ie the brief for Tauer's Loretta) has a similar vintage bottle and storyline. My aunt returned from Switzerland in the 1970s glamorous, fashionable and with a bottle of Vol de Nuit - I will always associate that perfume with her

Isabelle I still don't have Sweet Redemption by Kilian but smelled it in passing in a shop today. Va-va-voom OB, need to test in on skin soon! My new Kilian samples should be in the mail (not sure why it is taking so long - the Slumberhouse samples from the US I ordered at the same time have already arrived).

Oh and I hope I don't sound like a saddo who constantly obsesses about perfume and totally misses real life. Perfume for me is an escape and outlet - moments of intense feelings, plus the joy of a good hunt - in a life that is otherwise full of work, children, travel and many other things. But I really like the collective aspect too

Today I'm wearing Profumi del Forte, By Night Black, thanks to Florascotia. It is lovely, herbal and incensey, but has that unmistakeable "male fragrance" note - I keep getting wafts of it and looking over my shoulder, thinking DH must be nearby. I might try a dab on him and see what I think of it from the other side.

The scent has died away now; I've been doing housework all afternoon, and I now smell of furniture polish and bathroom cleaner.

Oh ProFumo (again). I am sure I speak for many perfumistas when I say that of course we don't think you obsess. You have shared your knowledge so generously with us, and we have enjoyed learning.

I am sure, also, that perfume is for many of us a genuine sensory pleasure (just like nice food or new clothes or listening to music or looking at paintings). It makes use of a sense that - at least in my experience - women are more aware of than men (though my DH has strong feelings when a scent is actually brought to his attention, as I expect many men do). Wearing perfume enhances our real lives; with luck it brings pleasure to those around us, as well.

Yes, a fascination with scents is in some ways an escape (and ye gods I valued it two or three of months ago when I was in and out of hospital), but no more so than reading a glossy magazine or a detective novel. (Though perhaps more expensive ). And there's nothing wrong with that.

And IMO you are absolutely right, the collective aspect is important.

I had my make up done at the tom ford counter today and took the opportunity to douse myself in Tuscan Leather. Have ordered Cabochard and am bidding on Arpege. Smelled Cristalle today for the first time, not at all what I expected, a lovely fruitiness. Also sniffed youth dew for the first time in eons, hated it as a kid but love it now.