Do you smell nice?

[MrsKoala]

I have come to a conclusion that i do not smell nice . I don't mean i smell bad , but i don't think i actively smell nice either. Just sort of clean and bland.

Recently a few people have walked past me who smelled bloody lovely, and i realised no one would think that about me and i would like them too.

The problem lies in that every year i got lovely smellies for birthday and xmas, so never bothered to buy any and used those and people would comment on how nice i smelled. Then 18months ago i had DS and all gifts stopped. People now buy for him (the present stealing little usurper) and i get flap all. So i have started buying functional cheap unisex shower gel/shampoo etc to share with DH. The other day i had dry skin so went out to 99p shop and bought a tub of what looked and smelled like industrial lubricant. Functional yes, luxuriant and fragrant, erm, no.

So if you smell nice. How do you do it? Is it nice washing powder/conditioner? posh shower gel? body cream? Perfume? (i don't smell great in most perfumes as it seems to turn acidic)

I do well on heady scents MrsK, like Opium and Samsara too.

However I've found Eau Dynamisante works well on me, so perhaps that's worth testing as it's so fresh and light?

I smell great

Ladies listen to Cat, she really knows her stuff. Lots of perfumes sold for women are a bit samey, very fruity, very floral, some of them quite sweet and gourmandy.

I only started really loving perfume when I explored slightly more unusual scents (Samsara, Opium, Eau Dynamisante are all steps in the right direction - although they used to be mainstream perfumes, they are in fact all great classics and very individual choices these days). If you research perfumes, 'skin scent', 'mimimalistic' and 'unisex' may be great code words if you don't want to have a full on perfumed effect. Great very simple perfumes to try - classic eaux de cologne (4711, Eau Dynamisante, Goutal's Hadriens, Eau du Sud; Eau Sauvage and Escale a Portofino by Dior, L'eau de l'Artisan). Things like Kiehl's Musk, Mure & Musc from L'Artisan Parfumeur, Molecule 1 from Escentric Molecules. If you like masculine scents, explore Acqua di Parma and various vetivers. (Encre Noire from Lalique is a classic choice.) Habit Rouge is a classic masculine that women tend to like on themselves. Chanel Allure Homme is surprisingly nice and minimalist on women as well.

If you like fruity but with a twist, fig perfumes - Ninfeo Mio and Philosykos -are worth a try. My favorite fruity perfume ever is Pulp from Byredo. (Warning - it has everything in it and can smell rotten.) I also love the tart edge of rhubarb in perfumes.

Our tastes in perfume are very individual and we all have slightly different skin too - I spritzed some L'Occitane green tea perfume that was supposed to smell light and fresh, it went acrid in minutes and smelled of burning plastic. Instead, impossibly sweet perfumes, vanillas and big scary orientals smell great on me...

Anyway, it's important to try the perfume on skin (preferably smelling it through its life cycle) before buying. Lots of perfumes these days are designed to smell great on the smelling strip, but they wither in an hour. You'll want to know what you are getting before purchasing.

Sorry about the long post. Perfumes can be intimidating but there are great things out there if you venture out and sample a little...

I used to smell nice in my life BC (Before child).

It was bold lavender and comfort fabric conditioner for my clothes. Used body shop shower gels and body shop body butters ( blueberry, almond, passion fruit and papaya). Perfume: Eternity, Euphoria, J'adore, Miss Dior, Chanel Eau Fraiche and my good old Splendor. not all at the same time

Now I smell of whatever food I am cooking on the day.

I had to give my Samsara to a mnetter recently as I found it too heady.

I gave away a bottle once too, MrsD!
I wore too much on a long journey, and it put me right off for a while!

Another lovely clean smelling perfume is Paris by YSL.
Give that a go MrsK.

Can anyone recommend a floriental perfume?

My fav fav fav perfume, which got me lots of compliments even though I didn't like it at first, is no longer made and the one I wore before that is also not produced.

I'm a bit stumped and need help.

I used to wear Elizabeth Arden Envy before I had my dc but now I smell of baby bathwash & lotion! Not a bad smell but not the glamorous lingering scent of pre baby times either!

I smell bloody lovely. I spend a lot of time with horses.

Thatbloodywoman & MrsKoala The Elizabeth Arden Envy is a crisp & clean smelling perfume. I love Samsara but it reminds me too much of a dearly departed relation. Envy is a good everyday perfume.

My favourite smell, and one that suits me is L'Instant by Guerlain.

Can anyone recommend something in the same ball park, but cheaper?

Florientals here.

Ladies, if you search your favorite perfume on Fragrantica, you can find (on the left sidebar) perfumes that people who like your favorite also like to wear. They might not be exactly similar but it gives you a starting point.

MsA, thanks!
I'll have a snort if it next time I'm near a perfume counter!

Thank you!

I smell nice. At least i think i do, my family and clients havent said i dont

I have high personal hygiene standards, shower twice a day, use deodorant and brush teeth twice daily. I wash my hands frequently. Sometimes i shower 3 times a day, depending on activity. (mobile hair and nail tech - some clients smoke in their homes meaning i leave smelling of stale fags which i detest)

I wear clean clothes and underwear every day, that are washed with fabric softener.

I use scented shower gels and various lovely smelling body lotions /butters. I use professional hair products that smell wonderfully fresh.

I wear perfume daily, mostly Marc Jacobs Lola and Britney Spears Believe.

I shower with either citrus or coconut scented shower gels and use herbal essences conditioner. The conditioner scent is retained but I don't think the shower gel is. I then use Coco Chanel if I'm out or various orange scents if I'm home. I like the idea of a Spritz midday, may give that a go tomorrow!

If you find perfume goes acidic or sour on your skin, you might try perfumed talcum powder instead. It's all to do with the ph and natural oils in your skin. Plus it's pretty difficult to go OTT and smell too strongly with powder.

I like to think I do.

I adore Laura Mercier Tarte au Citron body soufflé. Unfortunately it seems to only come out at christmas, but I managed to bag some in the sale.

Perfumes I am wearing at the moment are Juicy Couiture Viva La Juicy, Jimmy Choo Flash or Chanel No5. I use perfume every day and always have it in my handbag so can have a squirt during the day.

Oh Lola by Marc Jacobs is a nice light smell as is Elle by YSL.

I like to think I smell nice.

My perfume wardrobe tends to be quite heavy scents.

My favourites are:

Dior Poison
Chanel No5 Parfum (Pure Perfume)
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Chanel Coco
Tom Ford Black Orchid
Tom Ford Sahara Noir
Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge
Tom Ford Santal Blush
YSL Opium
Guerlain Samsara
Creed Fleur de The Rose Bulgare
Versace Gianni Versace

I really love the Liz Earle perfumes, last ages and smell fresh.

I always think the same. People walk past me and I can smell their fab con or detergent. I try to use ones with fe breeze or add extra in but never seen to have same outcome. When I've picked up friends children their clothes smell fresh but i can't smell anything on mine.
I've started squirting everyone with asda fabric spray it's the purple one in the hope we smell nice. Also use smelly body lotion especially on shoulders and neck.

During the day and especially for work, I use something light and fresh, often Happy by Clinique. I spray it in front of me and then walk through it. I find the scent lingers well on my clothes but only up close. For night time I use Tom Ford, either white patchouli for summer or black orchid for winter, but just a little spray on the boobular area.
I know what you mean about smelling bland. I used to have a childminder who sometimes had to wash my dc's clothes and they smelt fantastic. She told me that it was Bold 2 in 1, so I started using it. But my laundry still smelt just clean rather than scented. I think maybe my washing machine rinsed better than hers!

I love TF White Patchouli futterbingers!
Also Prada Infusion D'Iris. For everyday Jo Malone English pear and freesia, although I need to spray both on clothes and skin and also refresh once throughout day to make it last.

I've been told I smell nice, but I've always loved fragrance and always ask for it for bdays and Christmas. Personally don't bother with scented shower gels etc. Waste of time!

OP the Clarins Eau Dynamissante shower gel and mousse are gorgeous and strangely have more staying power than the spray, especially if you rinse a little bit through your hair.
I agree that the original O de Lancôme is worth trying, but not the newer fruity versions. Liz Earle too.

Often I think you smell hair product on other people, good and bad, as scent (and smoke) really cling to hair.

Roma by Laura Biagotti, Guerlain Mitsouko and 10 Corso Como are three that always make people comment favourably. Also Commes des Garçons but that is far too sexy for my current life.

I make my own soaps, sometimes I will add essential oils to them, but mostly they are unscented. I use scented oils as opposed to perfumes they don't smell as chemically as perfumes do.