Unusual or love/hate perfume suggestions

[PatriciaBateman]

I'm just really starting to get into perfumes (serious sample collection habit forming), and would be grateful for some suggestions from the more experienced than me that'll be just about everyone.

I like perfumes that provoke a strong reaction and/or smell very unique. My oldest favourite has always been Poison, and now I'm finding Alien very interesting (at first hated it, now starting to love it).

Anyway, I'm looking for more ideas to start a cohtroversial olfactory relationship with. Any suggestions much appreciated, the more extreme/unusual the better!

I wear musc rav a lot, stole my husband's bottle as he wasn't giving it a proper airing!

I like Lolita Lempicka, the original one, comes in a wee apple shaped bottle. Described in the Perfume book as a herbal angel.

OP: check out Serge Lutens: perhaps Ambre Sultan, Feminite du Bois and Chergui?

4160''s - try those on the darker side, perhaps Evil Max, Who Knew?, Shazam!. The Dark Heart of Old Havana is almost lovely with a really dark disturbing edge.

Do you use Basenotes and Fragrantica for reviews/notes on composition?

Yay, a whole bunch of samples came today. I'm resisting the urge to put them all on at once.

So my first try today is - Shalimar by Guerlain.

It's... interesting, definitely very evocative, but I'm not sure I like it for me. Started off very, very spicy, woody, incensy. I feel like I’ve just walked into an ancient magic shop, full of real magic wands, ancient books, intricate potions, and old whiffs of potent incense. East Asian vibe (to me). Quickly becomes a bit more sweet and powdery on my skin, now (about 30 mins later) smells a bit more like talcum powder.

I'll definitely be experimenting with this one more for my own pleasure (at home, quiet evenings), because it really transports me away, but it isn't "me" enough to wear it out I don't think.

For the pp who asked, I have just really started getting into fragrantica to read up on perfume reviews. However, I don't like to read anything I haven't tried yet because I like my mind to weave a story around the fragrance without being overly influenced. I do like reading them afterward though and comparing notes I may or may not have a personal perfume spreadsheet.

I discovered something deliciously unusual on my holiday to the USA last month; Another Oud by Juliette Has A Gun. It almost defies description but it's obviously more woody than flowery! The clincher for me which made me buy it IMMEDIATELY, was the animalic ingredient which is also in Lemon (surprisingly!) by Mary Greenwell. It's not something you'll find wafting around the Pretty Young Things. It's definitely one for the grown ups.

My new discovery (which is probably v pedestrian for serious perfumistas!) is Hermes.

I've spent my life in Davidoff cool water, or Coco Chanel (NOT mademoiselle) as scents often give me headaches, but these are both fresh and delicious. But I recently discovered the Hermes Rhubarb fragrance and I LOVE it!

It starts off exactly like rhubarb, crisp and fruity. Then mellows to a warm spicy fragrance. Yum.

I'd love to hear any other suggestions - I love unique scents but nothing too heady

I'm resisting the urge to put them all on at once

You are doing better than me. My Perfume Parlour order arrived in record time.

I now pong all over, in a very eclectic way.

And so does the house cos I am testing the fragrance dust stuff. My kitchen smells dead expensive < happy dance >

If you are looking for unusual, try some of the stuff from BeauFort London, who are a fairly new niche perfumery. Tonnere smells like blood and gunpowder, Fathom V is green and salty. I can't wear either of them! Certainly interesting, though.

Love the name CointreauVersial, and thanks for the tip (adds to wishlist). I'm kind of looking for all things unusual/controversial, both wearable and not wearable.

I am looking for a new wearable signature scent (Poison since I was a teen), but I also like scents that take you on mental journeys and evoke powerful feelings, and those I'll just cuddle up with on an evening (almost like a new book).

I love Kingdom by Alexander McQueen. It's discontinued now but can still be found online.

Stories and books? Then you do defo need to check out Sarah Mc's work at 4160 Tuesdays. The Four Mysteries are inspired by the 1930s 'cosy crime' genre and Sarah Mc wrote short stories to accompany their launch.

Or try L'Artisan's Seville a L'Aube - famously inspired by Denyse Beaulieu's description of an encounter during Holy week Read more here.

I can only say that everybody must try Feminite De Bois.
It's a wonder.

I adore Boudoir. And Naughty Alice.
My partner buys me lots of perfume and generally gets it spot on.
Love Molecule one, and currently orgasming over Tom Ford Noir

I'd throw in my all time great....Ellie Saab perfume... amazing
For day time cheap and cheerful Boss Orange, or Burberry touch.

Tonight's very late sample - Tom Ford: Noir Pour Femme.

Oh my God, I love this sample! A very close rival to Poison for me in terms of a "me" fragrance. Spicy, fruity, dark, absolute deliciousness. Sort of grapey (I love grape flavour/scents) and makes me think of lying naked in fur, in front of a fireplace with a glass of fruity dark wine, waiting for my beloved to come and ravish me. Oh yes, I love this!!! Keep sniffing it over and over again. Hope the dry down is as nice, because wow!

Jungle L'elephant, D'zing, and Womanity have also arrived, so looking forward to trying some more controversial scents, but wow, I do love this Tom Ford one.

Also, I made DH try on Musc Ravageur tonight and wow! It is far better on him than on me, and makes me feel like eating him up entirely. Far better than the "Lynx Africa" he's been wearing!

Happy Christmas all!

I am wearing Tom Ford Noir.
I want to shag myself

I've never tried it but I really want to try the molecule 01 perfume. It apparently smells different on everyone and people love it or hate it. I did some serious hint dropping to DH for Christmas but no luck, shall be buying it in the new year!

Apparently Vivian Westwood designed Boudoir to smell like musky lady bits so that's why it smells like sex!

Well, I loved Tom Ford Noir so much I wore it until my sample ran out (DH also loved it).

Tonight trying Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant.

First thoughts were: wow! very, very sweet, almost sickly sweet. Then a richer, headier mixture of incense-like spices hit, but overall still very sweet.

My mind makes me think of liberally sprinkling a baby with sweet-smelling talcum powder, while changing her on a slightly damp wooden table on the patio of an incense shop. I want to add a jungle in that mixture somewhere, but I think that's just the name influencing me .

Overall, it's quite addictive to keep smelling because I've never smelt a perfume quite like it and think it's very distinctive (I'd definitely recognise someone else wearing this). But I don't really like the sweetness, just way too sweet!

Great inspiration for late-night amateur writing sprees though. Smells very different and exotic.

Also, looked up the sale price of Musc Ravageur and could weep! It's something like £32 for 10mls! Way out of our budget so I should probably stop sampling expensive perfumes, but can't... resist....

Will definitely be looking for some nice dupes if anyone has had any success before me.

To all of you who have mentioned Perfume Parlour, you will be held responsible for my new addiction.

I HAD NO IDEA!!!!

Well, clicking on this thread was a bad idea.

dontpokerhebear

For the love of God don't add any frangrance dust "just to see" next time you are having another PP sessions

My house now smells very expensive. This has led to repeated sessions of wanting even more lovely smells not just me, but the entire house too.

"don'tpokethebuybutton" should be my new user name.

Reading back through the thread, I realised thisfalseinsight already gave a dupe suggestion (for Musc Ravageur) - L'erbolario Meharees.

On the wishlist now, many thanks!