Perfume lovers - vol. 6

[FrugalFashionista]

This space is for anyone who wants to talk about perfumes - ask for recommendations, tell us which scent you are wearing today (=SOTD), list your favorites...

Continued from here

SOTD = sample of Caron's Farnesiana. (I was just curious ... I bought it last year, tried it once, put it away and have just found it again.) It's got lots of Mimosa (fresh and lovely) plus almonds (marzipan!) plus Johnson's baby powder plus vanilla. There is also a sharper, darker undertone, which balances it somewhat. On a warm sunny spring day in a splendid southern garden (I presume that's where the scent gets its name) it would fit in beautifully, but it's as out of place in my current cold surroundings as (say) a flamingo would be on Scottish moorland.
Am really glad to have tried it, however.

I have a £25 Boots voucher to spend on perfume, what would the perfumistas spend it on, can't find anything I fancy which I haven't already got. Looking for inspiration and don't have any particular type in mind except something which is really great!

Cosikitty I love JPG's Fleur du Male, £25.99 for 75ml and in the men's section but very unisex I think. Ma Dame is also lovely and around £25.

In step with you ladies, wearing one of my light and frothy budget finds - L'Air de Habanita from Molinard.

I cannot decide whether this makes me smell like a naughty flapper girl wreaking havoc with a cigarrette holder (no coincidence that I am reading Colette's biography right now) or an aging chain smoker
Anyway, tobacco leaves are perfumed with lots of things and this has a feel that definitely brings back childhood memories. (No one I know smokes any more.) I have a bottle of real Habanita too but have lost it in one of our many moves. It's much more scary and heavy-hitting, but a budget gem and might work for someone who likes Tabac Blond.

Regarding budget perfumes, one of my all time favorites is Yatagan from Caron. It costs about twenty bucks from discounters... (Don't buy blind, it's a scary masculine but perfect on me)

Science don't be ashamed of what you wear. Likes and dislikes are really subjective. The fun in perfumes are that you are allowed to explore and for me the addictive thing is that perfumes spice up my day-to-day routines. Perfumes are much cheaper than exotic trips - they have the ability to transport me to other places!

Osmanthe Yunnan is a fantastic choice, very understated and subtle! Someone I know really likes it and she also likes quite a few Miller & Harris perfumes.

Farnesiana Flora - will wear it when L'Air de Habanita fades!

Teta thanks for your kind offer - will pm you later!

So I Just popped into Liberty's in my lunch break and the Scent of the Moment is definitely Molecule 01. Saw 2 people buying and heard another 3 asking for "the perfume that you can't smell". Anyway have sprayed my left arm but obviously not smelling anything. Am waiting around for one of the multitude of men in my office to swoon and tell me how lovely I smell but may be waiting a long time.

Have got Creed Virgin Island Water on my right arm inspired by someone on here, Frugal?, and it smells lovely.

Have also got several cards of Frederic Malle but have slightly lost track of which is which. Was a bit disappointed by Potrait of a Lady on first spray, but may be partly due to pushy sales assistant asking me what I thought. Preferred Carnal Flower which surprised me as am not that big in florals normally.

Think I need to go back.

Thank you - I was worried about giving the perfume equivalent of Blue Nun! Do know what you mean though Fuzz - though I've know she likes light citrus scents, so thinking about one of the Monotheme Book of Citruses, or Lyn Harris Le Cologne.

Reading this thread has opened up a whole new world - I had no idea about niche perfumes before, and am v excited about my Tuesday samples. And it's made me realise that perfumes are for yourself, not other people, so it's fine to wear them on a slobbySunday, or to bed!

Cosi, I bought some Chanel cristalle eau verte from boots a couple of years ago. It is nothing like other chanels, in my opinion.

I'm now wondering where it is as I fancy a sniff and don't remember finishing it. Hmm.

Frugal, thank you. I also think perfume is very personal. At a wedding recently, I tried some tocca stella that had been left in the ladies and was greeted by rapturous sniffing when I got back to my table. Several others trooped off to put it on, only to find that it smelt utterly different and not that pleasant on them. I love that about perfume

SOTD is Samsara. I know it is a perfume that divides people and that many think it began the dumbing down of Guerlain scents but I have loved it since I was 15. Reformulation is obviously missing the real sandalwood but its still a favourite.

Thanks Science, I already have a bottle of Cristalle eau Vert, it is lovely , even though I don't often go for citrus pefumes I really enjoy the lemon in this mixed with white flowers. It doesn't have the dusty/mossy base which a lot of Chanels seem to share which is why I think it smells different. Thinking about trying Coco Madamoiselle again, haven't worn this for years.

I need something which is very mainstream, but good as my local boots don't have anything out of the ordinary at all. I was after a bottle of Mitsouko edp, but they only stock the edt unfortunately.

Hmm, not hugely familiara with what boots have but have you thought about some of the classic cacherel perfumes? Anais Anais, Eden, Noa etc?

I have Noa and quite like its dark little heart!

Or how about exploring some of the men's colognes? Frugal is the expert there and I'm sure she'll give you a steer if you are interested. I haven't really explored that side at all yet but I think the Dior colognes are good?

Of course there's SJP's Lovely? I don't have it but most Boots do I think. I have heard people praise Truth or Dare and Circus also.

If it was me, I'd be buying Chanel 19 EdT! But I've no idea what you might like really!

What do you have cosi? Maybe we can spot a gap in your collection that MUST be filled

cosi- use your Boots voucher to by SJP Lovely- it's very similar to Narciso Rodriguez For Her, but cheaper. I have a bottle and I rate it very highly.

O de Lancome is excellent too.

Boots may have Guerlain Insolence if you're lucky- a lovely Violet/Iris if I recall correctly. Givenchy Organza isn't bad-Gardenia and Amber. Oh and Eau de Chloe is a lovely green scent.

Failing that, have a sniff of Antaues for men if they have it.

The High Street depresses me when it comes to perfume but there are some gems if you rummage through.

Already have Insolence (love it!), yes SJP is a good one, hadn't though of that! Will go and have a sniff to remind myself what it smells like. Not mad on citrus colognes though so don't fancy O de Lancome.

I probably have about 20 perfumes at the moment, I like mostly feminine ones, especially florals but like a wide a range of things, I currently have

Insolence
Cristlle eau vert
Carnal Flower
Tuscan Leather
Black Orchid
Coromandel
Allure
Sensuous
White patchouli
Portrait of a Lady
Pure Poison
Private Collection (which I adore!)
Petite robe noir
rose splendide
Basier vole
bronze goddess
and a couple of others

I think I like quite dramatic perfumes but a few subtle quiet ones for reflective moments and hot weather.

Also have Kelly Caleche, I would love to try some more perfumes which have a leather note too.

How about Obsession? Popped into boots on my home to have a nose and thought it smelled the most interesting.

The estee lauders are solid too, the boots I was in had Very Estee, Knowing and Youth Dew. I don't own Beautiful but I'm always tempted! Azuree is another old estee fragrance I like but it wasn't in my boots.

Or how about shalimar or cinema?

I also popped into another shop to sample the tom fords, tried santal blush, it was gorgeous! But I'm not keen on the dry down which is surprisingly sweet and creamy. But the initial spicy peppery green woodiness is divine.

L'Eau D'Issey seems universally liked a and can be bought at boots.

Cosi I'm not sure what Boots stock but you seem to have a wonderful variety of great perfumes and seem to know what you like really well so listen to the suggestions and go testing! I rarely buy full bottles any more so don't have any strong recommendations.

Wearing Eau Lente again because it's a cold, dreary, gray day. I've overlooked this sample for a long time but quite like it. Warning, I'm tall, thin, have poor circulation and feel the cold intensely so I tend to wear hyper sweet and dense perfumes and big orientals in the winter so don't listen to my suggestions if you like light, crisp and tart!

I happen to hate L'Eau D'Issey with a passion, so it can't be that universally liked.

But that does not matter though - what matters is what Cosi likes, it does not have to be universally liked.

cosi- you have great taste. There are at least ten on your list that I would shamelessly steal from under your nose, and Private Collection is superb and very underrated IMO.

Cosi lovin' your collection!

I had one of those little wipe testers of L'Eau D'Issey in Glamour mag a few weeks ago, used to wear it in the 90s and it brought back the memories to smell it again. Very strong melon/ aquatic vibe, I don't mind it but not my favourite notes.

SOTD is my new ebay bargain, L'Occitane's Eau d'Azur. It's a very light, mimosa spring scent, probably better on a warmer day than today!

Fuzz and coffee, I stand corrected on L'Eau D'Issey! I often gets comments when I am wearing it and know quite a few people who have bought it after sniffing it on me. No other perfume I have worn has such such a favourable response.

L'occitane jasmine and bergamot today. Perfect in this sunny weather.

Wore Roger and Gallets Rose spray to the gym this morning.I must admit it smelt very one dimensional after 4160 Tuesdays Urara's Tokyo Cafe.I just couldn't stop smelling this yesterday - seriously addictive and long lasting.I kept on getting wafts of blossom as I got sweatier and sweatier( tough exercise class).

If there's one thing I'm sure about perfumes is that if it exists someone out there will adore it and someone will hate it.

SOTD - the last bits of Extrait de Songe.
I love the bitter hay with the pretty flowers. Tempted to get a new bottle for the summer.

SOTD is La Perla. Another very cheap buy but smells similiar to Paloma Picasso/Aromatics elixir.

I think there are always lovers and haters of every perfume, but know what science was getting at as some are more universal than others. Not mad melon though myself.

Beautiful is a funny one, lots of people seem to love it, I got manure last time I tried it, like a meadow full of cows!

Will be off to boots to sniff a few of your suggestions at the weekend, Cinema sounds nice, and might have another try of the Chanels, Cristalle, No 19 and Coco MM. Might also see if they stock Prada as well.

Scent of the day is going to be Kelly Caleche. This isn't anything like the original Caleche, it has that grapefruit top note that a lot of Jean Claude Ellenas perfumes seem to have, but it then dries into light florals with an interesting leathery note, I'd say it's in a similar style to Daim Blonde.