Let's revive our old perfume threads, perfumistas!

[shins]

I know it might seem like we've nothing left to say but I'm sure we have :)

I have to tell you: Seville a l'Aube is on the TK Maxx website for half price - lots of other L'Artisan perfumes but that one is very special and I wore nothing else all summer!

SOTD: Cuir de Russie. Like a fuzzy hug with vague undertones of marauding Cossacks from the 19th century.

Fresta - welcome back! I checked, I thought I had a stick vial of Odalisque, but no luck I'd try to find a way ro sample it first - Parfümeria Neroli used to sell cheap PN samples but they don't seem to have it any more.

Loving the mellow aura of Coco EDP. Normally this perfume is way roomstrong but I managed to spray just the tiniest bit today.

I think I got a decant of Odalisque for my mum from Perfumed Court, Fresta, having read that it appealed to lovers of Mitsouko. Not sure whether it was a hit; I must ask.

Am planning to be in London for the best part of a week in March; I am planning visits to all the temples of perfumery: Les Senteurs, Selfridges, Harrods, Liberty. Any suggestions for things I must try while I am there... Roja Dove's Unspoken is on the sampling list, other ideas?

Quick question on decanting from a splash bottle to handbag spray: metal or plastic? Any recommendations?

The Travalo bottles (always in TK Maxx, roll on or spray versions) have a special valve that makes spilling almost impossible........... does this help, if you haven't got one? Sorry. They are good; standby present drawer item in my house.

SOTD Tom Ford Amber Absolute. "Mummy, you smell like kinder egg". Hmmm, not quite what I was going for but I can see their point.

Travelo bottles are ace.

Thanks Cresset, but not sure they help with splash bottles (or am I being very dull?)?

I had a quick waltz around John Lewis and Boots today, spraying randomly as I went.

Creed Virgin Island Water - I've tried this before - I really like the fresh lime and pina colada.
Shay & Blue Oud Alif - Oud without the camel dung, spicy woods and chocolate - very nice.
YSL Cinema - almond and vanilla, quite soft and pretty.
YSL Black Opium EdP - overpowering and really quite horrible. Reminded me slightly of Angel (must be the caramel and white florals).

I loathed Black Opium. I was quite affronted by its dreadfulness.

What do you reckon is the best mainstream scent? I reckon if I had £50 to spend in The Perfume Shop I'd probably go for Cinnabar or Chanel Cristalle. It's a long time since I've been remotely tempted by a new mainstream launch, with the exception of Joy Forever by Jean Patou. I loved that.

Actually if I had £50 to spend on the High Street I'd spend it in Marks and Spencer Perfume Dept and skip The Perfume Shop.

MrsC, no, it's me being stoooopid. I had forgotten the little filler valve thing-y. A tiny funnel? I have a very very small one that lives in the bathroom cupboard for transferring products into travel sizes.

Samsara is the best mainstream winter perfume,though the Vintage is much lovelier.I do have a really soft spot for J adore however.

Wearing Dsquared She Woods Velvet Forest .I'm enjoying its warm woodiness and pondering its similarities to Jayne Ormonde's Woman .I don't understand why Woman sent perfume reviewers into such raptures at the time.Anyhow Velvet Forest is a much cheaper substitute for the Jayne Ormonde and I think just as lovely.

Samsara is a trusty classic but unfortunately it was ruined for me by a woman who had terrible personal hygiene but marinated in Samsara to mask the smell. Ruined it!

Cresset don't judge Unspoken on the first 20 mins - I find it fairly unpleasant (but quite interesting) during the opening! What sort of thing are you after? We can give you some ideas to try then. I'm jealous of your planned Sniff-a-thon.

I can't say I liked Black Opium either - I liked the bottle though.

Getoff I love your description of Ostara. Sounds like Spring in a bottle.

£50 on the High Street? I would go for a Fragonard in M and S I think. Heliotrope Gingembre was really nice but didn't seem to last that long.

Favourite Serge Lutens: Jeux de Peau (buttery croissants, coconutty deliciousness but not sickly), Nuit de Cellophane (trip to the florist) and Ambre Sultan (herbal amber). I also found Chergui quite soapy, and Five o Gingembre quite masculine. Not keen on Datura Noir either, smells like urinal blocks to me.

I also love Hermes scent - there seems to be no surplus fillers in them if that makes sense? Like every part of it has a reason for being in the perfume, stripped back without being bare. (disappears up own arse).

I used to love Samsara until someone (it might have been on this thread) mentioned that the sandalwood note smells of baby poo, I can't get past this now whenever I smell it, as it does indeed.

SOTD Putains de Palaces by Etat Libre d'Orange. Sweet rice powder, roses and a touch of leather. It's lovely but not sure it's beefy enough in this weather.

SOTD is Papillon Angelique. Really didn't think I would like this, and didn't on first spray. I normally prefer something more incense/leather/Amber but this is growing on me. It is beautiful and balanced and "expensive" smelling. However it doesn't seem to last very long on me which is a real shame. (I also had to post as I noticed we were on 666 posts which made my superstition alarm go off!!!)

I really love almost everything by Jo Loves - where Jo Malone went after her shop was bought up by... someone. This was an excellent perfume gift guide I sent my DH before xmas (mwhaha) with in-the-know perfumes - really nice website in general actually: www.culturewhisper.com/whisper/view/id/5658

Cecilia that website is lovely, but dangerous... Just discovered James Heeley perfumes, they sound gorgeous ordering some samples .

Jo Loves is a gorgeous range. I especially like No 42 The Flower Shop.

shriek< can't believe I have not noticed this thread until now!! You've been chatting without me since >gasp< November

How ya all doing anyway? SOTD is ma griffe which I have grown strangely fond of!

SOTD - Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel. Really savoury, herbal and dry - no sweetness whatsoever. It's very different, but I'm not sure if I like it particularly.

7days I have braved the Americsn sites and escaped customs so far. I have read somewhere they don't bother with items valued less than €80 but that said was caught with earrings not that long ago which was painful.

Otherwise there's an Italian site that is pretty good, Alla Violetta I think it was called? Or sometimes I have bought directly from their perfumer, Andy Tauer does a great deal on 5 little vials for
£25 when I bought plus they threw in an extra one

I'm also a member of a closed Facebook group. I use that more for procuring 20ml- 40ml shares of full bottles I know I love though.

Hth!

Welcome wilting! I was wondering where you were!

I'm having real trouble sourcing Tauers now because of posting regs. I've missed all the Tauerville Flash range and Sotto la Luna Tuberose. I used to use Scent and Sensibility but lovely Ronny has shut up shop now.

Only halfway through reading (waves hello) but had to say, for those looking for a sharp ginger scent, I swear by Pacifica's Tibetan Mountain Temple. Cheap as chips, but can be tough to find in UK, have to buy online.

It doesn't have the baking/gourmand notes of SL Five O clock au Gingembre.

Loving the chat, off to read more.