Part 4- All you ever need to know about fragrance continues

[shoeprincess2]

Well, we're nearly all full.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/1665844-Part-3-Fully-fledged-perfumistas-share-your-fragrances

Justaweeone go for the real thing here or here.

Can anyone help me? Aqua do Gio by Armani was my signature scent, and they've stopped making it and when I wrote to them didn't even suggest alternatives. I have friends scouring duty frees for the last bottles but I need something new.

since having kids my sense of smell has gone into overdrive and I find my Marc, by Marc Jacobs which I used love to be overpowering.

Any suggestions? I love the neroli adolescence by dealer and. I'm seriously contemplating using that.

I'm not an expert on the Armanis (so many confusingly similar names), but assuming you mean the unisex/masculine, some threads here and here. It was an incredibly popular scent, so you will find lots on eBay, maybe just stock up there? Much easier ime than trawling duty frees.

Oh and have you tried D&G Light Blue?

Thanks so much, Frugal. That's really kind of you. What a lovely idea.

Blimey, the fragranistas have been prolific this weekend...

I was off up the M40 yesterday to visit DSM in hospital, and stopped off at Bicester Village for a little shop. L'Occitane was disappointing (not many fragrances), but there was an outlet selling discounted perfumes and cosmetics, so I reaquainted myself with a few old faves, notably Prescriptives Calyx (still gorgeous fresh greenery; alas not cheap enough for a FB purchase), and Estee Lauder Pleasures. I bought DSM a bottle of Clinique Happy In Bloom - she loves florals (her favourite is Houbigant Quelques Fleurs), but I figured it was light and fresh enough to wear in hospital, and might just lift her spirits. I think it did.

Hmmmm....violet - is it similar to iris? That I do love. I'd like to join the violet party, although, by the sounds of it, it'll be 2014 before they get to me!

Oooh sorry to harp on, but I really am a woman in love with L'air du desert morocain. Every time I wear it, it takes me on a slightly different journey of gorgeousness. You can think it has faded away, and then a stiff breeze catches you and suddenly, it's there again. Just beautiful.

Have just got back from my AA meeting (am a sober, recovering alcoholic) and my LADDM felt almost like a protection cloak. Unfortunately we get the occasional newcomer at the meetings who has a desire to stop drinking but isn't quite there yet, and these days I really do find the smell of stale alcohol quite repulsive and difficult to deal with. My beautiful perfume wrapped me up in a safe little bubble where everything smelt lovely.

Tis amazing what a perfume you really love can do

I adore it too, Fuckit. I haven't worn it for a while, as I'm down to a few drops, but I'm not ruling a FB splurge at some point. Divine.

Can anyone recommend a nice (I hesitate to use the word cheap)....reasonably priced perfume for me ? For about £10...?

I know I'm asking a lot. No longer working and money is very tight but in my heyday I had a perfume collection like Heathrow's Duty Free. I'm a bit odd in that I love both sweet, heavy scents (Guerlain Samsara, Coco Mademoiselle, Calvin Klein Euphoria) and light fresh scents (Ghost Serenity - unfortunately discontinued, Davidoff Cool Water).

I'm wondering if the likes of Zara or The Body Shop has a nice budget friendly version I could try ? I got a solid perfume from L'Occitane, think it was Cherry Blossom which was lovely but it just didn't last one me

Happy to help Justin!

Try this link

iscentyouaday.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/good-perfumes-under-ten-pounds-is-it-possible/

Brilliant ! Thanks so much for this....

Chocs thanks you just inspired me to spritz on some J Lo Deseo - very crisp and smells so classy you'd never guess it's an el cheapo celeb juice (there is a bit of a plasticky chemical feel though and the end of the drydown is a bit jarring). Then there are Lidl copy perfumes, going for about 3.99 and quite well made, and appreciated by perfumistas, my local branch stocks copies of Coco Mademoiselle, Tresor, Chanel no. 5 and Boss. Definitely explore eBay and discounters and decants.

Marks and Spencer do a good range for under ten pounds. I have a 25ml bottle of Per Una Originale that doesn't smell a million miles away from SJP Lovely, albeit with a bit of fruit. It was £8 and they have others in the range for the same price.

IfIsayno I used to wear Acqua di Gio and found it had a lot in common with Eau d'Issey (that melon/ cucumber type smell)

I think I'm going to have to order a sample of LADDM at some point, I'm missing out!

Justin I'm always on the hunt for bargains and often get half used bottles from ebay for a few pounds. I've also heard good things about Dita Von Teese's first perfume, which is about £10 for 20ml. Other celeb scents which get decent reviews and you can get for £10 or less (ebay or amazon) are Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights, Mariah Carey M and Queen Latifah.

Ooh and not forgetting the Gres- Cabotine, Caline and Cabochard!

If you can stretch to £12, Superdrug are selling all the Cacharels for that price this week. I especially love Noa!

Thanks Frugal for the link
What other perfumes have similar notes to Maxims

I love, love, love Noa - sweet fluffy cashmere cardi powder yummy perfume. Wish there was a Superdrug here . SotD, big splash of Eau Dynamisante - bliss!!

I'm going back to the local Savers this week to pick up the Prada that I've had my eye on and to see what other things they have. I've had a good sniff of the Prada and it's definitely very interesting, will be fun to see what it's like on my skin rather than straight out of the bottle. Will report back with my findings once I've bought it

CV - if you like LADDM then I imagine I will too! Will try and get to Jovoy this week for a sniff.

By the way Justin, if you like sweet, heavy scents, you might like Ambre de Cabochard. It's around £9.15 or 7.99 in Savers. Luca Turin doesn't like it, but I do! I call it my grown up lady perfume as it smells slightly 70s to me, and reminds me of how grown up ladies smelled when I was little.

SOTD: Bubblegum Chic. Starts nice, but gets a bit bitter at points. Vanishes quickly.

Another L'Air du Desert Marocain lover here. FB n the cards if and when I've got more money.

On me LADDM lasted 13 hours! I imagine a FB would last a long time.

SOTD Coromandel. Glorious.

SOTD: Gres Folie Douce. Lots of flowers and wood (not really my thing, but nice enough). Just noticed that fair amount of people have likened it to Venezia. Will get my mini of Venezia in the post next week so can compare.

I know a FB of LADDM would last probably generations (DS can use it when he's older.. but not at school! ), but Tauer doesn't do smaller ones. In reality will probably get a decant first.

It's funny, but I just don't get his other incenses. They all seem to me to have a weird synthetic/plastic/solvent aspect that really jars and spoils them for me (Incense Rose, Incense Extreme, Pentachord: Auburn). Also, on me, Lonestar Memories is mainly bonfire smoke with a hint of leather. Not really a wearable fragrance. Will try that one again, though. In the meantime I'll stick with Le Maroc and LADDM.

I'm really excited to try Andy Tauers other fragrances. And having read a little about him on the internet, I'm interested in the man himself.

He's an independent perfumer with no formal training, so what you smell is just pure natural talent. And I like his style - he bottles and packages everything himself, and even hand signs all the boxes his perfumes come in. You can tell the whole endeavour is a real labour of love, that he is really dedicated to the creative process, and that rather than just coming up with something that smells nice, he is trying to conjure fragrances that are truly evocative.

I want to try everything! He has a website on which you can buy a discovery set of samples - but I'm confused because it seems you can only pay in dollars, euros, or francs. I'm not sure how online payment works when it is not a British site...

What's La Maroc pour Elle like Toys? Do you like it as much as LADDM? I'm expecting my FB to arrive in the post tomorrow - am much pleased.

Fuckit: I think when you pay with a credit card or pay pal online it will convert to the right currency automatically. Just check that they deliver to the UK! Might they have a separate UK site? Maybe check just in case.

Le Maroc is (at least to me) completely different to LADDM. Sweet with dried fruit and spices (clearly a feminine).

I have ordered a miniature of CdG 2. Intrigued to see what it's like.

Really MUST stop spending now and wait for that violet chain letter ..

I think En Passant will have to be a Sept b-day present.