Someone’s hair drawer has the aroma of warm knickers on the chandelier - Lovely Friendly Perfume Thread 10

[MrsPestilence]

Welcome to the long running perfume thread. Discuss Scent of the Day, fave dupes and scents of ALL price brackets. You don’t have to spend a fortune and we will encourage you to get a sample first. That said, hiding your credit card in the freezer is recommended.

Old thread

We also have managed to get a 20% discount on a Perfume Society box and are discussing it on The Big Sniff.

Pineapple I combine lives of stationery and scent with my Perfume Journal - a dotted Leuchtturm 1916 which has my stash list so I don't forget anything and a daily log of what I've worn. It means many scents have multiple entries but can capture how they might differently in different weathers/moods etc

Trying sexiest scent today. Hmm, not sure. It seems very woody.

I want a shop ....

Pineapple I've just had a look around on the site, and it looks like they've removed the option to sign up to be a VIP member! There used to be links to sign up on lots of pages, but now, the only link I found was on the "Sign up to our newsletter" page, and that link just goes to a 404 page now.
I wonder why they've done that. You could contact them and ask if you can sign up for a VIP subscription.

In regards to your question about knowing the scents, there's a perfume notebook included in the subscription box, so I've been making notes in that. There are only a few notes that I can pick out, as I don't know what a lot of them smell like in isolation. In my notebook, I list the name and house/brand, the different notes that are listed on the cards that come with the samples, which of the notes I can pick out, and whether I like it/love it/hate it.
I'm hoping that after a while, I'll be able to recognise the different notes, from cross referencing them in my notebook.

I really feel like I need to get some new little cards or a lovely journal now!

Anyway have finally sorted out samples, half of them I can't read and/or have forgotten what they are

The samples below I have going begging are a mix of 1/2/5mls with varying amounts left but enough left for sniffing, and Travelo type decants with varying amounts

Avery/Connock from Sniff
Agonist Isis
Alien Essence Absolue
Arpege
Caroline Herrera 212
Eau Sacree
Fire (MG)
Insolence
Invisible Ben
L’Anais Anais (original one)
Mandoro Di Sicilia
No 5 Eau Premiere
Plum (MG)
Shalimar
Sleep knot
The One (D & G)
Velvet Orchid (a smidge left in this one)

Also have Yardley body sprays available - Violets/Rose/Lily of the Valley

I'm trying to remember those perfumes recommended on here and/or universally loved - for any new recruits or lurkers I can send decants of
Elizabeth Taylor Diamonds & etc
Jade
Lace
Lovely
Truth or Dare

Also, if anyone would like to try any of the Perfume Parlours, I have lots available to decant, including Opium and Paloma Picasso which I actually prefer to the original

I'm afraid I'm limited as my collection is probably a lot smaller than others and I can only really use sprays not dabbers and need reasonably sized original bottles to decant from! But please do PM me - anyone who wants anything. I am always at the post office with eBay parcels

But what are the notes of the notes, ssdchemo?

SOTD is ISO e super with byredo gypsy water over the top

Surely Killian/Xyrena do something already that smells of fake bank notes?

Ssdchemo if you are going to post here you'll have to tell us about your Scent of the Day? Or we could guess...?

Motoko Pineapple you can still up in TPS - might be different on the full computer site, but from the mobile page, go to subscribers. It'll then say log in, or to subscribe click here. The page the click here link takes you to is a bit weird and the copy reads as if you are a member already but ignore that and click add to cart then check out it should work!

Ah yes, I missed that bit, even though I had a look at that page. Odd that they've taken down the other links though.

Pineapple Here's the direct link

Just back from family party. Lots of perfumista action on MN today .

I don’t get Iso Super E. I read about it but don’t understand it. What is it?!

SOTD is Heeley Cocobelle. Summery wishful thinking.

SOTE is Tauer's Reverie au Jardin. Incensey, slightly piney lavender with a plasticky edge that's really reminding me of Nuit de Bakelite, but they don't seem to have any notes in common at all. I'm rubbish at this perfume thing sometimes!

I love this thread! Justification to purchase perfume AND stationary. I'm in heaven 😍

Thank you for the link Motoko & Glitter.** VIP subscription completed and two sale boxes purchased (educational purposes of course)

Also got a pretty notebook in the Sainsbury's sale to start making some notes. DH turn to cook dinner this evening so may make a start.

Another question (apologies)
What would your defining/must smell/iconic fragrances be? Reading the A-Z of fragrance as recommended by Gruber so have a list from there, but I would love to know yours.

I’d say use the A-Z as a guide, pineapple, not a bible. I’m far from an expert, but as I’ve been on my sniffing journey I have gained confidence in being able to describe perfumes for myself and to just straight-up say if I like or dislike something, received wisdom aside. Don’t be scared to disagree with ‘the experts’.

Having said that, I think it’s edcational to have a good sniff of the revered fragrances from different genres - Chypre, Fougere, gourmand etc - to get a solid reference point. If you can Sniff or acquire small samples of some quality vintages, all the better.

It’s a minefield, but maybe start with one established perfume house? I’m biased (and perhaps a bit unimaginative!) but I’d suggest Guerlain. Many classics - Mitsouko, Jicky, L’Heure Bleue, Shalimar, Habit Riuge, Samsara. Hours of fun

I’d add to that...I respect all of the above, adore Guerlain as a house and have learned loads about perfume from sniffing the above...but L’Heure Bleue is the only one I I love and regularly wear from those ‘greats’.

SOTE L’Artisan Skin on skin from kittens. Synthetic, plasticky smell on opening which is drying down to musky suede. Reminiscent of Merchant of Venice Saffron Byzantium to my nose - leathery but has a spicy floral too

^ quick check of fragrantica shows Iris (should have spotted that it’s obvious now) and Saffron which is the same as MoV SB!

I’m going to sleep in L’Apres l’Ondee and have finally packaged up samples for posting

Watching the BAFTAS in PJs and Camel, vair vair glamours.

We're a bunch of enablers on here Pineapple!

Which sale boxes did you order?

So so glad I pretested the Big Sniff perfume and knew before today I did not get on with it. So instead I tried one from my new Bloom subscription, 602 from Bon Parfumeur. Pepper, cedar and patchouli. Really lovely aromatic and I think it might be FB worthy (helps that I can get 30mL for £38, although not from Bloom, they are charging more). It's not got great sillage but it feels so intimate and sexy. Trouble is that I got some bloody Sublime Chypre (never was a perfume so badly named!) on my jumper yesterday so as well as the lovely spiciness of 602 I keep getting the smell of rose bath pearls so I am going to have to a) wash this jumper and b) test this perfume again to check it is as lovely as I think.

Pineapple - I'm with Sofancy on having a sniff around the classics. Tracking down some of Turin & Sanchez's 5*s is one way to go (there's lively debate about the ones 'they got wrong').

I read Barbara Herman's Scent and Subversion and was inspired to go off on a bit of a tour of 20th Century perfume (on the cheap, buying-up dregs of FB bottles on ebay, or looking in collectables for miniatures, especially the box sets, which can still sometimes be had very cheaply (check other European ebay sites)).