Suggest an everyday fragrance for me

[ElizabethAllen]

I've had a challenging few years and have been feeling a bit down trodden, taken for granted and invisible. But I'm making a conscious effort to change that.

I'd like an everyday fragrance to empower me, I'm not bothered by the name or the bottle and I'm not adverse to trying something aimed at men. To try and illustrate what I mean, I imagine it might be something that Michelle Obama might wear.

Unfortunately since having children, heavy perfumes now make me feel sick/headachey.

In the past I've worn Coco, Allure, Philosophy Grace, Clean, EA Green Tea, Molton Brown Gingerlilly and currently, Chloe, but I think I need taking out of my comfort zone.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

I have quite a few Hermes perfumes/ colognes.
If you want something not too heavy how about the rhubarb one? I really love it.
I only wear Hermes perfumes now as they are just the best 💃🏽💇🏻

How about Fig based fragrances? They're great for everyday and aren't too sweet. Philosykos by Diptique is the most popular one.

Paul Smith Rose is nice and light.

I have a scent issue too and I tend to stick to citrus based ones.

Givenchy - Ange ou Demon for evening.
SJP - Lovely for daytime
D&G -Light Blue for daytime.

None of those give me headaches and they feel light on.

Cool water davidoff

Issey Miyake would suit you I think, given the perfumes you already like. But it would be something different.

Estee Lauder does lovely everyday perfumes. I like Pleasures, Modern Muse and White Linen.

I always get compliments on Nude from next. That's my everyday fragrance.

My all time favourite is the original Hugo Boss woman, not too heavy.

Paul Smith Rose is lovely.

I've also worn Stella by Stella McCartney for about ten years. It's a strong, empowering scent without being overwhelming.

Paul smith rose is very green though, and doesn't have many layers to it. I don't think it has much in common with op's usual favourite notes.

Have you tried Chanel chance eau tendre? It has the slightly spicy and exciting notes you like but it's much lighter and more modern than the others. It is not heavy or a "commitment" perfume like coco (which I think too heavy for general everyday).

Wow! Thanks everyone, lots of suggestions to try!

Its funny how a name can influence you, I think I may well like Lovely, but I don't want to be "lovely" anymore, I want to be ballsy, sassy, a maverick. I'd probably like Paul Smith Rose too, but I want to be more dandelion or cactus flower (not the smell though).

I really like Issey Miyake but it does't smell good on me, it goes too sweet, also love D&G Light Blue and this would be a strong contender, but a good friend wears it as her signature sent and I don't want to copy her, perhaps it appeals because she is fierce!

I had a sample of Modern Muse and liked that too, the bow bottle lid put me off though (face palm - I'm completely contradicting what I originally wrote).

I don't like Stella, sorry, I used to, but a friend uses it to mask the smell of cigarettes!

Interested in trying all the ones suggested and will try hard not to be influenced by names or pink, girly packaging.

Thanks again for taking the time to help.

I tried a spray of this one and ally liked it. It stays on scarfs, so that i can still smell it the next day.

www.roger-gallet.com/en-gb/Bois-d-Orange/Eau-Fraiche-Perfume/Eau-Fraîche-p1300.aspx

They have quite a range, so if this one isn't for you, you may like on of their others.

Go into Jo Malone and sample a few perfumes. They are usually great about giving you some testers to take away and try for a few days to see how you like them.

I personally love pomegranate noir, but it's fruity, sweet and quite smoky and heavy for daytime. Lime, basil and mandarin is delicious and fresh, and the grapefruit one is gorgeous too. The fragrances tend to be pretty simple and I prefer them to many of the multilayered over-sweet ones I've tried in department stores.

Happy perfume buying! Hope you find your signature scent soon.

Liz Earle 15 is quite masculine but fresh - I think it's classed as a fresh oriental. I find it empowering.

My current favourite 'fresh everyday' is DKNY Woman.
I also like Dior Homme Cologne: grapefruit-y, lime-y. It's a men's scent yes, but so fresh and light. Yummy.

I LOVE Liz Earle 15 also love Elle Saab.

I have started wearing Chance by Chanel as a daytime perfume. I like Guerlain l'Instante for the evening, it's a really glamourous scent and gets a lot of compliments.

What about a classic - Rive Gauche by YSL, populariser (is that even a word?) of trouser suits for women? It's the only perfume I've ever worn that has been commented on by relative strangers (in a good way!)

Clarins Eau ressourcante? Very light and fresh, I never get bored of it. Although I imagine it might be a tad too weak for Michelle .

My ex girlfriend, as charming and classy as Mrs Obama, always wore YSL elle.

Fuckkit you're my scent twin. I also adore Stella and Paul smith rose. It's been very difficult to move away from these two, though I think Stella's slightly changed the formula so smells different now. I've liked Armani Si Rose and my friend smells divine when she wears YSL Elle but it just smells stale on me. Likewise Elli Saab, I loved the sample on the tester paper, but on me the jasmine just smells overwhelmingly of old lady.

Apparently Michelle Obama wears Love In White by Creed if that helps at all!

Do you want to be grown up? Modern? Classic?

If you don't want to be lovely anymore then you probably want a classic Chanel, Dior or Guerlain.

That's brilliant! There's loads which would never have crossed my mind to try. Thank you all so much!

VintagePerfumista What do I want to be? I want to be stronger, happier, taken seriously, and responsible. I'm not sure you can bottle it though! I've had enough of being nice, kind and taken for a mug, the Chloe and Grace in particular make me feel like this.

Oh, I think you want to go for some modern scents, with a bit of an edge. Am backing everyone who says floral and citrus are the way to go for Power Pong.

The glorious thing about scent is that the really good ones cost the same as the high-street ones so it's worth digging out a bit of a special one - try Lab Perfumes (Gorse) or escentual molecules. Miller Harris do some nice amber-y ones.

Everyone always tell me how nice I smell (inc acquaintances who run up to me shouting I knew it was you, I COULD SMELL YOU wh is unnerving but gratifying) and I have about 30, inc, crucially, aftershave.Don't rule expensive gayboy smells out.

You can't bottle it, no, but you're not going to feel it wearing something pink and sugary!

My newest crisp, grown-up love is Eau du Sud by Annick Goutal- just right for coming into spring as well. Fresh and citrussy without smelling like Jif.

Miss Dior originale (not any of the new abominations without the word "originale" on the bottle) Chanel 19, many of the Chanel esclusifs (buy some samples/decants from ebay first as they are mouthwateringly £££s- my favourites are Coromandel for wintertime and 31 Rue Cambon for general wear.

Some of the Estee Lauder classic ones are great- very underrated as a perfume house, but easily up there with Chanel/Dior/Givenchy/YSL IMO.

Niche may appeal- but do go sniffing first, some are very Emperor's new clothes. L'Artisan Parfumeur scents are well-liked and often to be found cheap as chips in TK Maxx. Seville a' l'aube is my favourite (orange and lavender, but very long lasting and kick-ass, none of the Jo Malone one note here one second, gone the next) You can get sample sets of almost every kind of perfume from loads of places- especially if you are in the UK. Miller Harris, Creed etc- samples galore available, also on ebay.

Or look at perfume notes- IMO if you want crisp, empowered and grown-up you are looking at aldehydes or galbanum as a note.

Perfume Parlour also does dupes of almost everything, and almost everything is either spot on or even better than the real thing- worth a £3.99 pop for their smallest bottle! (I prefer their Rive Gauche and Infusions d'Iris to the real thing!)

You could try some of these
http://www.juliettehasagun.com/en/discovery-kit-the-essentials.html
Some of the names of the fragrances may not suit i.e. MISS CHARMING