Part 3- Fully fledged perfumistas- share your fragrances

[shoeprincess2]

Part 2 is nearly full!

[CointreauVersial]

I had a great sniff-a-thon around Kingston today. Oh dear, I found some more lovely scents I might just have to invest in. The nicest were two from Serge Lutens - Chergui and Gris Clair. The latter is a perfect spring fragrance, fresh lavender, but with a woody warmth behind it.

I also popped into L'Occitane and tried a few on my arm. Eau d'Iparie, Amber and Eau des Baux. All lovely and wearable, but gone so quickly.

[FrugalFashionista]

Shop I got minis of the original Dahlia Noir EdT and EdP from a kind SA last spring. Quite enjoyed them and would describe as a stylish lady all dressed up but without knickers. Quite daring for a mainstream

Wore 28 La Pausa again last night to a party. It's such a lovely thing.

Oh and have forgotten to mention it here but gave the Shalimar Madagascar flanker a new chance last weekend. I finally could isolate what I don't like about it: the citrus top with the soft labdanum vanilla is a bit like oranges and chocolate. It's a classic pairing, loved by many chefs; I like oranges, and I like chocolate, but I really don't like them together. Le Labo is basically Shalimar that doesn't have a prominent citrus note - that I love.

It's a clear and freezing morning: spraying on some Le Labo Labdanum to warm me up. DH BTW says I smell like a wealthy Tunisian lady: overripe and spilling over. Now that's what I call a mixed compliment

[shopafrolic]

Ha! Frugal my style to a tee!

[ArbitraryUsername]

I never wear perfume, but the longevity of these threads (and the descriptions of stuff I don't understand) have made me curious. So I ordered some samples from les scenteurs.

So today I have been wearing en passant by Frederick Malle. It's very light and a bit cucumbery. I like it, even if I'm crap at describing it.

[ArbitraryUsername]

I also got a sample of angeliques sous la pluie, and wore it earlier this week but it didn't seem to smell of much on me.

[shoeprincess2]

Arbitrary- En Passant is lovely isn't it? Very subtle, but pretty. I haven't tried AsLP. Sampling can be of very addictive, but it makes sense to spend money on many different scents (1 ml here and 1 ml there), than blast a lot of cash on a fragrance that you get fed up of. What kind of notes do you like in fragrance?

[ArbitraryUsername]

Erm... I'm not sure. As I said, I really don't know much about perfume. I just decided that I'd like to, and was intrigued by all the talk on here. I've never really worn perfume. I like things that smell quite fresh I think. And probably reasonably light. I just decided to start with some samples off the 'green' section on les scenteurs.

I've been sniffing en passant all day and it is very nice. Quite subtle.

Any advice/suggestions would be most welcome. You are dealing with a proper novice.

[Haberdashery]

I like Angeliques sous la Pluie a lot but it is very subtle and seems to disappear within minutes on me!

If you like green, Arbitrary, may I just take a moment to recommend my favourite perfume ever, which is Premier Figuier by L'Artisan Parfumeur. It's very non-perfumey, light, green, maybe a bit sexy in a buttoned up glasses-wearing secretary who might just take those glasses off and let her hair down later kind of way. I adore it.

I had a question but I've had a couple of glasses of wine and it's gone. Oh, hang on. Cointreau, where can I smell Serge Lutens perfumes in Kingston? Bentalls? Or JL?

Was cold and rainy here today and I had a houseful of children (mainly not mine) so it was Lonestar Memories for me. I keep coming back to this one. It's not just the warmth, there's something really bracing and WHEEEEEE, HERE WE GO! about it that makes me feel better every time I wear it.

Also, I bought a FB of Eau d'Epices because I just had to. Thinking about a FB of L'Air du Desert soon. I think Tauers are the best things I've smelt. I would also really love a bottle of Bois D'Ascese as that sample went as fast as anything else I have tried.

[CointreauVersial]

Haber - JL is the place to go in Kingston for SL. They also stock Annick Goutal, Dyptiche and a few others and it's my favourite shop ever

Are you local, then?

[Haberdashery]

Thanks!

Yes, I'm in Richmond.

[FrugalFashionista]

Angeliques sous la pluie has a hefty dose of Iso E Super. It's a strange molecule, some of us are anosmic to it, others can smell it for days. A friend explained that the molecules are huge and can block olfactory receptors - not sure whether he just made that up. Anyway, IES is used a lot create a woody/cedary effect.

Perfume free today, sorting out stuff. Plus DDs reeking of Aquolina Pink Sugar

[FrugalFashionista]

Actually changed my mind, spritzed on some En Passant.
The spring perfume for me, rain-soaked lilacs...
If you like this Arbitrary (welcome!) google Olivia Giacobetti (or scroll back - we talked about some of them up-thread) and try some of her other perfumes? Or alternatively some of the other Frederic Malle perfumes?

Perfume samples are a treat. On a dull day, sampling something new (or and old favorite) is such a lovely little escape...

[Ladame]

Hi everyone ! Just returned from Biarritz and a walk through some lovely fragrances. Unfortunately, Mr Ladame got the most horrible flu and so I didn?t go back to buy any, although to be honest, my favourite ? Tom Ford Oud Wood, was so eyewateringly expensive (bottle started at 280 euros, sorry not sure the ml, but pretty titchy, I didn?t want to study it too hard as I was reeling from the price!) ? also loved Arabian Wood.

I loved SL Chergui and Ambre Sultan. Chergui a little more I thought. V expensive smelling fragrance, goes well with the beautifully-dressed French Ladies and their terriers walking along the promenade, caught it more than once on the breeze. They didn?t have Musc Koublai Khan or Borneo unfortunately and told me I could prob only find them in Paris.

Hermes fragrances not really my thing - Santal Massoia had quite a cinnamon kick to it, which I dislike in food and fragrance, but the saleslady said there was no cinnamon in the ingredients, so I?m not sure where I got it from . Also, there was a security guard on the door (Why? Why? aren?t they intimidating enough? ) and the saleslady was a little disinterested and a bit sigh-y.

Tried Eau d?Hadrien ? thanks Florascotia - loved it, but if I had to choose between that and O De Lancome, I?d probably go for the O. I now have a paperback that will always remind me of my trip, due to the many strips I gathered and a hankering for something I can?t really afford, ho hum! Florascotia I would love to try some of your samples, I don't really have any to swap, although please have my Coromandel if you like it, I really want to love it, but sadly, 'tis not to be. Apart from the lovely drydown, then rapid disappearance, it just smell like stale Youth Dew mixed with flat cheap supermarket coca-cola, and not a little wet dog . My daughter walked past me (on my third try), shook her head and said "give it up Mum".

[FrugalFashionista]

Ladame affordable decants of Oud Wood here. I've received decants from the US without problems - simple as long as you don't make a big order (=they bypass customs). Oud is everywhere in perfumes, even Jo Malone has a few oud colognes - a theme for you to explore more in depth? YSL M7 Oud Absolu is an easy-to-find / not hyper expensive dept store oud (men's department).

Loving your paperback. I'm still debating going to a big niche fair next weekend (6 hours on a train required) - if I do, definitely taking a paperback along

You have a heavy metal taste in fragrances Ladame (balanced with light citrus). You liked the king of Ambers and a tobacco/hay fragrance. And, like it has been repeated here many times, oud is really worm-eaten wood. Share the menswear side with Haber and (occasionally) me Woody fragrances and herby ambers are tobacco and hay notes are your thing. Dry, not sweet, and possibly not big on patchouli. The men's department is full of those experiences. Do you like leather in fragrances?

[Ladame]

Frugal I think you are right! I often like male fragrances more. The Hermes one I do love is Equipage, also Eau Sauvage and Old Spice. I'm not sure about the leather accent, is that in Aromatics Elixir? (which I hate with a passion - makes me want to throw up ). Am (was) a bit of a rock chick and loved the whole hippy/sandalwood/incense-y thing, although I'm not getting on so well with patchouli any more it seems. Have ordered some TF Oud Wood from STC, I have it on a strip and can't stop smelling it, it is so gorgeous. There is often something so 'clean' about a male fragrance and I'm not too keen on flowery things.

[GoingtobeRuth]

O how did I not find this thread before!
Hallo, I have so enjoyed reading through the thread and exploring the sites and shops you have recommended
Marking my place

[Ladame]

GoingtobeRuth I know, I know! Only found it a couple of weeks ago. I love it that there is a wealth of information and expertise. I've learnt so much and was much more confident about what I might like when I had a chance to go and try some fragrances. Who knew that I obv like the male fragrances more? Newbie like me, enjoy!!! .

[ArbitraryUsername]

Thanks for the advice, I shall seek out a sample of Premier Figuier. And look at more by Olivia giacobetti and Frederick Malle.

I should probably brave the local department stores, but I find the whole thing a bit intimidating and overwhelming. I just have no idea where to start. I have so little ability to explain or describe what i want that I can't imagine how any sales assistant could begin to help me. I have no idea which concession to even start with, never mind anything else. And the orange ladies do scare me a bit. For this reason, online sampling (with descriptions and explanations) seems a bit less scary to me. And I get to wait for stuff in the post, which is always nice.

DS2 has been ill, so I've mostly been smelling of vomit today.

[GoingtobeRuth]

ArbitraryUsername I totally agree on the orange ladies, they just never listen, SpaceNK are a lot better though our local shop ladies are a bit inclined to push their favourites
I have worn Cristalle for EVER (10 years I guess) so time for a change but I never seem to find anything I really want to change to. I have a bathroom cabinet with about a dozen different scents butter only one I ever fancy instead is the Annick Goutal Ninfeo mio which is nice and dry too

[ArbitraryUsername]

The orange ladies in my local shops are probably very nice and helpful. I'm just quite scared of them. They ask me questions I don't know the answer to. To be honest I find the whole department store shopping experience a bit exhausting. There's just too much spread about all over the place and nothing all that useful to help me find what I actually want.

[Haberdashery]

I didn't know En Passant was Olivia Giacobetti! She did Premier Figuier, too, so maybe you will like that.

I am v much a newbie, too, Arbitrary. But if you test lots of stuff and look up the notes afterwards and see what you could smell and what you couldn't and which bits were good, you will soon start to find your way. I have started to be much more confident about identifying what I can smell and once you can do that it is very easy to search more of the same kinds of things out.

Ladame, welcome to the dark side... I also love and adore Eau Sauvage.

[Haberdashery]

Also, sorry about the vom, Arbitrary. That is no fun at all.

[CointreauVersial]

I tried something a little different today - L'Artisan Traversee du Bosphore. Sooo sweet, like sugar, play-doh and soft floral marzipan. It's interesting - in my pre-perfumista life I would have immediately dismissed it as "not my thing" and wouldn't have even tried it on my skin, but now I am able to appreciate and enjoy it as being something a little different. Definitely more a scent to wear at home, or by myself, as I don't think it represents "me" really.

Oh, and hello to all the new peeps!

[kiwigirl42]

Hi guys - recovering really well from my op and thank you so much for all your kind wishes. Have not been up to much perfume as feeling bit nauseous so it was another sign on the road to normality when I wore some Louve last night (hardly the loudest perfume!)

I've realised, thanks to a beautiful bunch of daffodils my lovely MIL bought me, that there is a dose of narcissus in Montaigne.

Cinema for me this morning. as Frugal said, the perfect light spring gourmandy amber. In fact, I can see a bottle of this in my future (thanks the gods that its cheap!)

[Fuzzybirds]

Good morning folks and hello and welcome to ArbitraryUsername and Going tobeRuth

Arbitrary we too have eau de vomit in this house today, lots of nasty bugs seem to be doing the rounds. Got a free sample of YSL Parisienne over the weekend so I'm trying that today...very 'meh' fruity floral to me, extremely light for EDP. There's supposed to be a vinyl note in there, which would make it more interesting but I can't really detect it.

Kiwi glad to hear you're doing well and hope the nausea goes away soon. Cinema is lovely, funny as I've always thought of it as a winter scent so I'll have to try it again now spring is (slowly) on its way!