Lovely Friendly Perfume Thread: Part 3

[MrsCocoa]

Continuing the discussion of all things perfume related. Tell us about your long standing favourites and tell us about the latest finds you've sniffed out. Everyone is welcome.

Oh I definitely need to test Flora Psychedelica again!

My SOTD was Eau de Missions (a linear smokey vanilla) topped up with some of Green's delicious biscuit (#ILoveYou by Parfum Hashtag)! I was at work today and got lots of compliments.

So now I want to try absinthe as well as perfume .

Had a stressful day alleviated by sitting in my own private cloud of vintage Cabochard (beats tramadol) .

More blizzards today, so a more appropriate SOTD was L'Air de Rien.

Been to town and got loads of samples from the perfume counter 😀
Still loving my Valentino poudre - had some really nice comments on it

I think Dream should be doing the marketing for absinthe.

Fished out Trefle Pur from the Atelier samples yesterday and either I missed it altogether last time or my nose was broken because it is a gorgeous, bitter green scent. The longevity could have been better - it lasted around four hours on me - but it is so beautiful it is forgivable. Yes, I'm going to have to start stalking this one.

No blizzards here thankfully but it is blimmin' chilly so I needed Black Opium today. It is just like putting on a soft, cuddly, baggy cardigan and I swear I felt warmer immediately. Later I think I shall have to try Calm's combination of Eau des Missions with #iLoveYou which sounds truly inspired - I think you're lucky none of your colleagues tried to take a bite out of you!

Actually I don't know why I keep talking about booze on these threads, I am all clean and sober these days

I'm enjoying living vicariously through all your Atelier reviews, I adore the bergamot but wouldn't spring for a FB until I have tried them all more.

SOTD is TF's Velvet Orchid - I have snagged a sample before I spend my MN windfall (see heeding MNers' sensible advice not to splurge blind on a FB like I would have done before )

I do wonder sometimes exactly why the TFs are so expensive as a couple of the ones I have tried I have seriously disliked - on me anyway. I know there is a lot of love for Tobacco Vanilla here but this smelt like olbas oil (in fact I think DH asked me if I had a cold) and I think it was Noir de Noir (?) I also scrubbed.

But velvet orchid - well I like it a lot. It smells expensive which I like and the longevity is very good especially for my Dyson skin. I'm no expert at all but it seems very multi layered and like something from a posh department store rather than off the shelf at Boots, and although it's sweet, it's not the usual pink sugary sweet - if that makes sense?

These days I shudder at the thought of spending what is to me a large amount (and I used to think nothing of buying £££ FBs on a whim, oh well) but I think this might be a contender. I am a sucker for the very word velvet (if DS had been a girl he would have been called Velvet) so it might be The One!

Keep the Atelier reviews coming Hooray for it being nearly a Bank Holiday weekend - for UK based fragrant MNers anyway!)

God I don't half witter on

And nothing wrong with off the shelf at Boots that came out all wrong!

I shall close MN down and watch Masterchef I think

Funnily enough I tried TF velvet orchid today!
I dunno....I've not been that impressed with any TF I've smelt -sorry! - but velvet orchid was ok. But only ok. Nothing special.
Maybe it's the hype? People rave about TF fragrances and I have such high hopes and then....they have all either been ok, underwhelming or actually unpleasant.
An issue I am having ATM is the number of sickly sweet floral perfumes around...just NOT me at all.
Every single one I tried today was really sweet and bluergh
Prada candy actually made me feel a bit 🤢
I was really quite cross by the time I left the perfume counter - how hard is it to find a subtle powdery fragrance that's classy and not dowdy!?
Very as it turns out!!
🤔

Wore 4160 Tuesday's Buddawood Box today, which I liked lots last year, and this year I disliked its beginning, although the drydown was good and it lasted very well. It's better now, eight hours on, TBH. Elegant, woody, but slightly bland.

FYI, the opening notes are quite harshly full of resin, which takes time to resolve into nice gentility.

Hi Badders - have had an idle browse around for powdery notes: have you tried Alaia Blanche (I haven't - but will keep an eye out now having seen some positive reviews)?

The two powdery things I've tried most recently are the misleadingly named Tart's Knicker Drawer (actually a sweet tempered vintage vibe rather than a Theo Fenell Scent-type knickery powder monster), and Citizen Queen: powder, aldehydes with a touch of leather (the aldehydes make the start of it a bit screechy for me).

The other TF get props in my book for the majestic Sahara Noir. I notice some of his Private Blends have turned up on the TK Maxx site (still £££s though).

Hello! New to the perfume threads!

Can anyone recommend a light, floral but not sweet scent please?

Fennell doh!

Know what you mean about the start of Buddhawood Box OC. One of those perfumes where it's tempting to set an early alarm, spray, and go back to sleep for a bit! (As in fact is Scent).

Some of the Tom Ford's open with truly discordant semi-industrial smells - have always wonder if this is a bit of a test?

I sprayed Sahara Noir in a duty free at one stage and loved loved it. I have black Orchid - a FB - it was my going out perfume but I think I have outgrown it. It seems a bit generic to me now.

My go to light florals are givenchy Dahlia Noir and boss ma Vie in the pink bottle.

Welcome dont. I'd reach for No.19, but am not very knowledgeable as I tend generally to go for darker things. Tell us about other perfumes you like?

And just on powder, a leftfield plug for Caldey Abbey No.1 (but only if you like that sweet, almost honey-like, gorse note?).

Hello don't. Off the top of my head I'd say Nina Ricci's L' Air du Temps, L' Artisan Parfumeur's La Chasse aux Papillons and 4160 Tuesdays' Rome 1963 are all well worth a sniff.

Dream you keep wittering because you do it beautifully and so entertainingly. Sounds like it's likely to be Velvet Orchid then. I think the only Tom Ford I've ever tried was Black Orchid and I found it scarily overpowering. But, looking at the price of TFs, this was a Good Thing. And I consider bottles from Boots to be aspirational - most of mine are unwanteds from Ebay!

Ooh I love The Buddhawood Box, including the harsh, resinous opening. Very huffable. DD loved it so much she bought her own 9mls so we are now a two Buddhawood Box family.

I think vintage is probably the best source of subtle powdery fragrances these days. Isn't it supposed to be impossible to produce a true chypre since the IFRA restrictions? Though Agent Provocateur is very powdery - however, it isn't the least bit subtle!

Hello, dontpoke! For non-sweet light florals, try exploring some of the Fragonards. You can get them in the larger Marks & Spencers. Their Jasmin is beautiful.

If you have access to Yves Rocher, I would recommend Comme Une Evidence, which is a light but classy rose/lily of the valley. Also their Neroli and Chevrefeuille.

Dior's Diorissimo is a beautiful long-lasting lily of the valley.

4160Tuesdays have a couple of interesting light florals: Ealing Green, a grassy rose, violet, geranium and lavender; and Tokyo Spring Blossom, a fresh raspberry, rose and violet.

Badders What do you think of Chanel No 5? I know it's mainstream, but for powdery I love the Eau Premiere version, it's not quite as ubiquitous as the original too. It's a very go-to perfume for me, it smells like a wrapped bar of floral old fashioned soap sitting in a rich elderly lady's bathroom. With gold taps. The other recommendations you've had sound more niche and interesting though

What a coincidence about the TF! I'm so glad it's not just me that is dubious about a few of them. I'm going to try Safari Noir if I can track down a sample - not managed to get out for my department store sample and splurge as my legs have (quite literally ) thrown a wobbly and I'm stuck in bed

Dontpoke welcome, can't add to great recommendations here but second the love for L'Air du Temps - one of my top classic eleven million ten, especially if you can lay your hands on a vintage bottle!

Ah
Now, I'm not a Chanel fan tbh
However, my perfume tastes have changed a lot since I was young!
I used to like the real powerful orientals like opium, obsession and cinnabar!
Not keen on the new opiums and obsessions sadly 😞
Last winter I wore knowing by Estée Lauder and it's nice but I'm going to look for a new fragrance come autumn...argh!
I loved lagerfelds sun moon stars - proper powdery loveliness but can't get it now 😞
I like musks, love Tonka bean and iris too
My current perfume is Valentino poudre and it's so....pretty. Subtle, powdery and just right for summer 👍
Not keen on the normal valentinos tbh
God, I'm a nightmare aren't I!?
😀
I shall re visit the Chanel counter!
I was VERY disappointed in myself that I wasn't keen on guerlians shalimar

I was sniffing lair du temps yesterday too!
Lovely scent

I've just been on fragrantica and this is what it says about Valentino poudre;

Valentina Poudre by Valentino is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. This is a new fragrance. Valentina Poudre was launched in 2016. The nose behind this fragrance is Aurelien Guichardd*. Top notes are powdery notes and ambrette (musk mallow); middle notes are tuberose and iris; base notes are vanilla, sandalwood and tonka bean.

Aha!
So that's why I love it! It's an oriental!
If any of you know any other perfumes with these notes can you let me know?

Thank you! 💐

Badders, you might like the Vetiver Tonka (Hermessences) which is light and warm like toasted hazels but not flowery, or Equistris (PdEmpire) which is a lovely soft iris with chocolate-y notes. Be warned, neither comes cheap by the full bottle but a decant isn't too disastrous. Frugal's German re-seller did mine.

Ohhhhhhh
Toasted hazels??
Mmmmm
😀
The only fragrance that fragrantica recommend as being like poudre and That i haven't tried and is l heure blu (sp?) by guerlian.

anyone tried it?

The others it recommends like JPG classique etc I've tried and not been keen

Anyone tried narcisso poudre?
It's by the same nose behind Valentino poudre