One perfume for the rest of your life...

[ThenLaterWhenItGotDark]

And I want to know the story behind it

I would have said Chanel 19 as it takes me back to beginning university (my room-mate wore it) or the best year of my life studying abroad (_my flatmate wore it) Just that sort of backbite of zing that it used to have. Goddamn those reformulations
Now, after not even smelling, let alone wearing Ysatis for about 30 yrs, I blagged a cheapo vintage bottle and it's bloody lovely. If I had to choose today, one to keep forever, it would be that. Only the old vintage though. And only till I get me an old formulation of 19.

Chanel Cristalle or Gucci Envy. I'm loyal to both and have a tiny stash of Envy for when stocks eventually dry up.

Pixi- try a tester of La Fille de Berlin by SL. It's about £60 a bottle so I wouldn't recommend a blind buy. You should be able to bag a sample somewhere though- try eBay. If you like Rose perfumes, try Jo Malone Red Roses, Rosie by Rosie Huntington Whitely for Autograph (at M and S), Yves Rocher Comme Une Evidence or L'Occitane Roses et Reines.

Chanel No.5

I occasionally wear other things, but I always come back to it.

Another vote for La Vie Est Belle.

L'eau d'Hiver by Frederic Malle and Route du The by Barneys New York
First is made by a famous "nose" who does a lot of perfumes for Bulgari and Hermes and is just so complex when it reacts with skin. Makes all other brand perfumes smell cheap and vulgar.

Second is the perfect summer scent, light fresh and citrusy, though a pain to source as they only sell it in US.

Worn both for over 20 years and haven't found anything that smells even close to either of them.

Whoops, L'eau d'Hiver only came out in 2003. It smells like the better nicer version of Bulgari in the yellow bottle (same person created both) which was what I use to wear the decade before.

YSL Elle. Bought it in a shop on the Champs-Élysées the day we got engaged. Takes me back, and I love that it lasts the whole day and night.

Mine would be Armani Sensi - but they discontinued it ! I still miss it

Versace Pour Femme. It just smells like money and has become my signature scent.

J'adore would be mine too, never found anything comparable!

Black Orchid Tom Ford. It just makes me feel sexy and powerful and I'm always asked about it when I wear it. It's a very strong heady scent but I still wear it everyday

Dior Addict for me!

A Terry de Gunzburg one, Lumiere D'epices. Grapefruit and bergamot.

I don't think I'll ever be able to afford it so I have to sniff it in naice shops .

I got Anais Anais in my christmas stocking - I thought I was so sophisticated! (My friend called it Annay Annay

By the time I was about 15, I had moved onto Miss Dior, Diorella or Dune.

I don't like strong perfume nowadays. I wear Eau Dynamisante, which is nice and non-overpowering.

Hypnotic Poison - I have lots of perfume I love but I completely adore this one!

Jean Paul Gaultier - Classique always makes me feel happy, attractive and sexy!

I was just reminising about Ysatis the other day! I loved it as a teen.
The body shop used to do a perfume oil, Mostly Musk, it was lovely but stained your clothes .
I always wear Chloe Narcisse now.

Guerlain Shalimar. I've only smelt the reformulated version and love it - I feel like I should hunt down a vintage one.

Still looking for my perfect carnation scent although Miller Harris Fleur Oriental is gorgeous.

Im addicted to Miss Dior originale. I just love it. I have a huge bottle. Hope they dont stop making it.

Original Diorella if I could get it. My wedding perfume, I wore it for years on and off until they changed it, the bastards.

I've yet to find another perfume that is as 'me' despite trying hundreds.
I love Laura Mercier La Lune but am currently working through a massive bottle of Diorissimo which is a bit too heady for me.

My favourite ever scent, and I've never owned it myself for fear that it won't smell nice on me, is Blue Grasse. My mum and grandma both wore it when I was young in the 1980s. It's really old fashioned but I think you can still get it.

Paloma Picasso. I have worn it for over 25 years. Without fail I get asked by new people what it is and told how lovely I smell. Its just me and I always go back to it.

Again, it has been messed about with a bit over the years and the scent doesn't linger in the way that it used to but I still love it.

I've tried loads of perfumes recently and so many smell sweet and sickly.sticking to Hermes Orange verte for now. I'm considering buying estee lauder youth dew.

I really wanted to like Viktor and Rolf flowerbomb but I just didn't.

So many just seem so disappointing

The brands you mention are pretty mainstream rihanna. Perhaps you're wanting something rather more niche?

Hermes is nice - have you tried any others by them? Agree with Gruach that you might want to try more niche ones. What sort of smells do you like? Spicy, citrussy, green/fresh?

Hermes is a nice brand, I mean, and does some less mainstream-smelling scents.