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)

Puddles have you tried Serge Noir by Serge Lutyens? Nice & heavy, a bit like musky aftershave. It is one of my faves along with Samsara, Organza & Envy.

I smell of my horse which I happen to like :)
Perfume is all well and good but gives me a migraine without fail.

Thanks for all the recommendations - i shall go out armed with a list. I have remembered a smell i also love which was the rituals hammam body cream, it had an orange blossomey smell which was lovely. But i got it in spain - i'll have to see if you can get it here. i think there is one at westfield.

So are perfumes advised over washes/creams underneath? I always kind of feel putting perfume on without getting a base of nice smells is just like putting a cover up layer on rather than actually your body smelling nice - or do i put perfume on my naked self?

i had a friend who stank of stale booze, fags, unwashed clothes and b.o. who used to swear by a squirt of perfume over the top. it was fooling no one, but she was convinced. she used to brag about how she could be out all night drinking but a bit of perfume would hide all sins at work. i don't want to smell like that. Like i'm trying to polish a turd. Altho sadly my all night raving days are over (as are my working days for that matter!), now i just need to cover the smell of baby, disappointment and failure

Squirrelsmum I too use essential oils and for the same reason.
Also home made unscented soap here, made a huge batch which will last me forever as DH not a fan, he prefers the comercial scented variety.

I ordered lots of tiny vials of blended oils from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (sorry can't link as on phone) so using those at the moment. Should'nt have ordered so many as now I can't decide which one to order for regular use.

I just threw up a bit in my mouth imagining the smell of your friend!! I worked with a woman like that years ago and I can still remember the smell.

Yes you must be clean before you put perfume over the top! With a good unscented deodorant. Fruity shower gels and and creams are fine but the scent doesn't last.

Walnut - she once said to me smugly that if you caked loads of strong smelling cheap make up on and cheap perfume, there would be so many smells going on no one could tell the alcohol and fags from the perfume. Ummmm i hate to disappoint you there love...

When anyone mentioned it to her, she accused them of lying because they were jealous

My signature scent is chanel no.5 - I love it, you don't need a lot & as the day goes on it becomes a lovely baby powder fragrance.

Hair is also nice when it's fresh, some styling products smell nice, I have vo 5 hairspray that smells lovely & as above, a spritz of perfume over your hair lasts all day, I tend to dab it at the base of my hairline interactivity as I fiddle with my hair a lot

MsAspreyDiamonds Thank you so much for the recommendation. I looked it up on Fragrantica and I have just ordered some from Liberty London.

Also it said it was similar to Les Exclusifs de Chanel Coromandel which I have and it is gorgeous so maybe this is one for you to try.

Thanks Again.

I like to smell nice though I am very fussy about perfumes and dislike lots that seem popular.

I like 'cologney' type smells. Currently we use L'Occitane Vetyver shower gel and soap in the shower (dh uses it aswell, lovely smell)

And I use either Creed Vetyver or Tom Ford Portofino Neuroli perfumes once I am dressed.

I don't like strong fabric conditioner smelling clothes though, just a nice freshly washed but faint smell.

I use shampoo and conditioner from the hairderssers, usually INOA for coloured hair and it smells nice and light.

I DETEST cheap body sprays and body lotions. I use unscented aqueous cream for my arms, legs and body and mitchum deodrant, mostly unscented.

Dh smells wonderful, he uses the L'Occitane vetyver shower gel and soap and he uses L'essencia Loewe aftershave.

I hope I do! Just had a squirt of Noa perfume at the chemists!

I prefer a totally unscented base over perfumed skincare and body and hair products. It's often unrealistic but many products smell either really generic (thinking of fruity shampoo smells) or 'fresh' (urgh). We don't use fabric conditioner. Perfume is added to many products to cover a funky-smelling base, and that's great, but if I have a choice, I tend to pick the unperfumed product.