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.

Calm my Misia's a sample too and even though my instinct was to use it sparingly like you but the second time I wore it I liked it so much I sprayed lots more of it on and it still only lasted a few hours, those hours made me feel unusually ladylike though! I was expecting it to last like my beloved Coco, but it was just a whisper in comparison.

I'd love to try Lipstick Rose for the classic cosmetics feel Judy but have yet to track a sample down. I scan Perfume Parlour for a dupe but no luck so far. By the way, what does the Bella Freud smell like? I'm intrigued by the inclusion of a date in its name? Is it quite seventies in feel?

How lovely to have a precious memory tied to a scent, Get. Shows how important our perfumes can be, eh?

Lily I've always loved burying my nose in the fur on my cats' heads. But that's perfectly normal behaviour.

Inspired by Scarlet's example, I cracked out another of the JHAG samples - Not A Perfume, the infamous one note wonder. While it was inoffensively musky it really was rather boring to wear something that didn't change in the least. It was so dull I ended up poking around Fragrantica to see why it's supposed to be so great. And discovered lots of recommendations to layer it. Aha!

Layered with L' Agent Provocateur it adds a dark, dirty note that pushes it into Mad Madame territory - L'Agent Fou . I'm now wishing I hadn't used up so much of the sample because I'd quite like to experiment with a few others. I might keep an eye out for a cheap-ish half-used bottle.

The downside of vintage is the odd complete dud. One just landed in the shape of a completely fried Giorgio Beverley Hills. Almost full and with its box, but even before I'd taken the lid off, the stench of burnt alcohol was overpowering. There isn't a single note left. I think it must have been sitting in direct sunlight for years. Ho hum.

MrsC, then I think we shall just have to have a Vipers' Outing

Commiserations to all cramp, cold and headache sufferers. Hope you're all feeling better tomorrow.

Extrait d'Arpège did you say Vintage ?
Gah, I'd taken it off my eBay watched list!
Speaking of which, someone keeps listing a BNIB 50ml bottle of LADDM for, wait for it, £165!
It's only €98 on the Tauer website.
Honestly, for that price you could fly Ryanair to Switzerland, buy one from the man himself, and still have change for a duty-free Toblerone.

That sounds a grand plan for a day out Baroness - perhaps that should be our second excursion?

Still pondering the chocolate violet cream idea down thread.,..

at Baroness. Some of the ebay stuff is absurdly priced. But I got my Coty thingy (it's called Paris Measured Mist, and is in a sealed plastic dome with plastic flowers- it's so kitsch!) the L'Aimant (almost full bottle 50ml) and the Arpege for 35 euro the lot. The Arpege is so sealed I can't actually open it, and it's a splash so I'm scared of yanking it and having a very nice smelling floor.

I feel like I have missed a lot, the vintage Paris gave me good luck as hospital wasn't as bad as I feared...another appointment this morning though

Misia sounds amazing, is it named after Coco Chanel's friend? One of my DD adores the smell of Parma violets, Perfume Parlour do a Parma violets perfume which I bought for her as a joke and it's actually lovely!

I think I missed the Penhaligons mention, oh how I love Penhaligons (especially sadly discontinued Lily and Spice which is in my top ten fave perfumes which is a list of about 50 ) They used to do a bluebell one I also loved. They make me feel I should be sitting in a floaty negligee at my dressing table brushing my hair with a silver brush. I have the negligees and brush but no dressing table sadly. And not much hair

Jealous of the Arpege, I have a tiny small ball shaped bottle from the 80s with a couple of drops in which I inhale occasionally, the modern one is still nice but nowhere near as good. I want to try the lighter version but can't remember off top of my head what it's called...

Eclat de Arpege I think.

I still haven't got the lid off! But a bit of detective work on the Coty tells me it's probably 1950s. Isn't that fab?

Just had shower and am off to my 2 least favourite classes with a thumping head. Hmm. Might just have to be Infusions d'Iris for comfort-food appeal.

I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed by the longevity of my Diorissimo, but I suppose vintages can be a bit of a gamble.

MrsC the violet chocolate cream comes from a childhood memory of my mum's attempt to make them (she didn't normally make confectionary, must have been a special occasion) the combination of melted chocolate, violet essence and sugary, creamy fondant was the most amazing smell. I might experiment with layering Insolence and body shop Chocomania and see what happens!

Thisthing glad the appointment wasn't too bad, vintage Paris sounds like an ideal choice

Wow 1950s VP, that's amazing! Hope your headache clears up soon.

Les - sounds like it has the potential to be amazing and if anyone can help you realise the vision it's Sarah McC. Her gourmands that I've tried (the Great Randello, Centrepiece) are really fabulous.

Violet is a funny note. I've never smelt violet essence but suspect I'd like, as I err towards the parma violet end of things. I've made a powdery violet/anise/leather, using a 4160 home workshop kit. And I'm the proud owner of the dregs of a bottle of SL's Bois de Violette. But that's about as naturalistic as I go with violet. I've tried the uber earthy Kerbside Violet (Lush) and it really didn't appeal.

Have just tried the B de V alongside L'Heure Bleue. Guess what I smell first of all with the L'HB - TCP!

Lily Les Senteurs do Frederic Malle samples if you're interested in Lipstick Rose. The Bella Freud 1970 is quite woody and dusty, and a bit less patchouli heavy than I would ideally like it to be. It probably could be worn by a bloke as well as women.

SOTD is back to MMM Untitled here. I am loving this so much, thank you to whoever it was that tipped me off about the eBay samples. I had sort of known I would like it, but probably wouldn't have got round to it if it hadn't been for this thread.

Vintage, I sprayed some Miss Dior (old style) in Boots yesterday on one of those wee scent strips. It was the first proper perfume I ever had, when all my peers were wearing Anais Anais. I have about £65 of Boots points and am dithering about getting it.

I am smelling of Mint,mastic,cucumber,a dank boat with rotting lilies,Tomato leaf amongst other things.Yes, I've received my 'greens' and I've annointed myself on any exposed patches of skin.Dh has just recoiled in horror when he smelt me!
My favourite has to be Mito edp for its fantastically green opening.Its definitely a ramped up version of Cristalle with more depth,richness and slightly tropical flowers in the heart.

SOTD is Coco.
I also moussed and scrunched dried my hair, and accessorised with a scarf and fluorescent pastel eyeliner in a sea green to totally rock the eighties look.
And, and, and......one of the old boys in the office came up to me to say that my hair looked fab and I reminded him of Stevie Nicks. 😂

Éclat d'Arpège appears regularly in drug stores and corner shops for a pittance so for goodness sake don't pay to much for it. I think it's about €25 for 100ml.
It's pretty meh anyway.
Has anyone ever tried Jeanne or My Sin or any of the original Lanvins?

Fabreeze autocorrected to Faberge so Brut was nearly an option too!

I still want to be Stevie Nicks when I grow up.

Head still delicate so opted for Infusions d'Iris.

Judy- everyone needs a bottle of Miss Dior in the way everyone needs a bottle of Chanel 19.

T'is a fact.

MrsC you have definitely sold me on the workshops, also the home perfumery kit sounds fantastic. I enjoy violet in all it's forms, I'm hoping to see some violets in the woods soon (if they haven't all been uprooted by the boar.)

Baroness Coco is my absolute number one favourite, it always reminds me of Christmas circa 1986 and my treasured Crystal Barbie

I've been marinating in Cabochard and have found it more leathery today, with a side helping of oakmoss.

I hope today's appointment went well too, Thing . Sounds like Paris was an excellent choice.

VP, you could try wrapping an elastic band around the stuck lid to give you more traction when you grip. If that fails you could up-end the bottle and immerse just the lid and neck (not the precious perfume) in hot water for a couple of minutes to melt whatever gunk is sticking the lid to the bottle. It works beautifully for bottles of nail polish - I've opened bottles that have been stuck shut for at least two decades. More details here.

LesIncompetents your violet chocolate gourmand idea sounds great and just 4160 Tuesdays' type of scent.

teta do please tell us more about your green haul. Lots more.

I've got a Lanvin Eau Arpege, which I think is from the 70s. It's a very pleasant, light, fresh floral and doesn't smell a bit old-fashioned to me. Not that I mind old-fashioned.

SOTD was another JHAG sample, Vengeance Extreme - a bit too patchouli-heavy for me initially, but dried down nicely after a couple of hours. But probably not full bottle-worthy.

Miss Dior, the original one, not the pink usurper, is wonderful. I can open a bottle and conjure up my mother when I was very small. I'm always amused at reviews describing it as difficult or skanky because I don't smell anything like that. To me it smells safe and warm and friendly, as well as super elegant.

Ah Coco! Still can't remember what happened to the bottle I had in the early 90s - I still fantasize about opening a box in the attic and finding it. Have sniffed the current formulation and it seems much less magical and potent - but that could just be my tastes changing over the years.

Back after being away for a while.
Woke up this morning knowing that today was going to be a challenge and needed a hug in a scent - so went for Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay. Strangely it was a perfume that my mother liked on me and reminds me of visiting her in the hospice before she died (this was happening a couple of months ago so not distant memories). As I had a very strained relationship with my mother that perfume is one of the few nice memories I have of her. We both agreed that it was hygge in a bottle.

Anyway, have also fallen in love with Tom Fords Black Velvet. After a brief flirtation with Noir Extreme, which seemed too masculine for me, but too feminine for DH. So think BV will be the next one I buy.....

I also love Black Opium.

Decided life's too short to just wear one perfume so open to recommendations.

Guess I'd better ask for an increase in my credit limit lol.

Sorry to hear about your mum Zeezeek.

Thanks for the Les Senteurs tip for a Lipstick Rose sample, Judy, am going to sit on my hands to stop myself ordering while my bank account recovers a little from my recent perfumed splurges, but knowing me I'll give in soon! My scent of the day has been 4160 Tuesdays' Tart's Knicker Drawer which I imagine has a similar feel to Lipstick Rose as, on me it's a sweetish slightly powder puff scent, certainly a little glamorous but cosy too. I wore it today for a lift in mood when I visited a sick relative and it did the job.

Glad to hear that there are other Coco fans here. I couldn't wear it for years myself because it reminded me of a woman with talons, spiky heels and a bad temper I knew in the eighties who used to wear too much of it while chain smoking. In the last few years I've managed to shake the association with her and Coco's become one of my comfort scents. I particularly love the shower gel which smells gentler and more balsamic to me than the perfume itself, it wafts me off to sleep very effectively.

I picked up a bottle of SJP Lovely this evening for €15 to replace the one that DD broke. I dunno. I'm going off it, now that I have it again. I was hoping to get a sniff of Mon Guerlain but it doesn't appear to be stocked yet where I am.

Time travelling this morning in Rumba (Balenciaga). Woody honeyed plum on leather. Has moments where both Poison and Femme come to mind, but smokier and more balsamy. I like it but suspect it may read as dated.

Help me identify what this note is. I have the remnants of Lovely on my wrist this morning. The note is the same as Kenzo flowers - a perfume I loved a number of years ago but have outgrown. There is a note in that Kenzo that I can only describe as cold. It feels cold when you smell it. cold floral or vanilla maybe. Interestingly, when I look at flowers, the main note is Parma violet. Is Parma violet cold (if you know what I mean)?