Perfume

[missmartini]

I need a new scent.

Actually I need a new scent, new style, new make up look....

But I'll stick with perfume for just now! Lol

In need of something quite distinctive but preferably without the hefty price tag or even a dupe I could get away with.

Any ideas?

We need a bit more. What scent family or notes? Oriental citrus white flowers rose green? Things you like or don't like? Simple nature based scents or more of an accord? My recommendation: if you want a whole new everything it sounds like youd do well to try out a range from different scent families and see what feels right. Otherwise you'll just go for something that you're familiar with. Maybe use perfume parlour to try out some dupes from different families and see how they feel once your wearing them. I try out new scent families like that otherwise I'd only wear chypres. Or Next do decent scents in different categories that arent too expensive. This would let you play about a bit and see how you feel. But I love perfume and would find all that fun. You might find it tedious. Maybe you just want recommendations for classics or of what's good that's new(ish)? Or something for summer. I find many perfumes suddenly don't smell right when the weather changes. For summer Lovely is nice, or Pleasures or something with orange blossom or sea salt when the sun is out

Elie Saab is my all time favourite. I buy other ones and then go off them but Elie Saab has been a firm favourite for years. I also love Jo Malone - Cardamon and Mimosa. It’s gorgeous and ppl always ask what perfume I’m wearing....although it’s pretty expensive so I save that one for special occasions!

Perfume parlour is great for dupes once you've found a scent you like. They do a lot of Tom Ford which are pretty good copies. Also Bond no. 9 -a lot of whose scents I love.

I also love cardamom mimosa

There are lots of distinctive perfumes out there but what sort of family are you looking for? Woody, green, floral, smoky?

Molecule 1, it's a pheromone perfume!! It's divine.

@lasttimeround sorry I've stuck to a sweet smelling scent all my life. I've just came out a real bout of depression, my life is going great, my kids are great, my DP has been amazing and my work is awesome. I guess I just want to forget that "old me" sickly sweet scent. I've never been to "up" on perfumes before and thought I would make an effort to start afresh. I used to have escada island paradise mainly. I guess I was just looking for that scent that someone walks in a room and it kind of just presents itself (if that makes any sense!) and looking for ideas of something a bit different to the sickly sweet I'm used to.

@Notjudesmum I've heard jo malone is good for something quite distinctive. Will check out your other recommendation thank you x

@LadyOfTheCanyon thanks will have a sniff around and then check for something similar x

@1frenchfoodie I guess that's my issue I've stuck to sickly sweet all my life I don't know anything different. Will start to sniff around and see what I can find x

Thanks @puppylovebaby will sniff this out x

If you’ve always worn sweet scents perhaps a fruity perfume would do the trick? A little burst of sweet but not overpoweringly so. I love all the fruity Jo Malone scents (see on website) to me they are the perfect balance of sweet and sharp. You can get good dupes at the perfume parlour (online store) for a reasonable price.

Depending on how tight cash is and how easy it is to get to department stores with lots of choice I suggest trying a perfume society samples box - latest is £19 for 14 different samples (up to 7.5 ml though most are 2ml). These are from expensive houses but given you are looking for a total change it will give you a sense of what else you like - then the lovely people here can advise on similar, cheaper versions.

No need to do this if you can get to places for sprays or free/cheap samples - just keep some notes on them and then fragrantica will help you understand the notes you like.

Jo Mslones are pretty linear and "safe". Nothing very exciting about any of them.
PP have notes listed of their dupes so you could try loads of those in their smallest sizes.
If you fancy sweet and quite fruity maybe a 4160 Tuesdays. You can get samples from the website.

I love Tom Ford Black Orchid. It is £££ though unfortunately.

Thanks everyone! I have a Debenhams about 40 mins away I can get there tomorrow so will be sampling them all!!! Lol

missmartini Do come back and tell us what you liked.

I think I saw debenhams have 15% off fragrance so hope you find something you like

I second Black Orchid. Bloody expensive though :(

Perfume Parlour. Smallest dupe of Black Orchid is a £3.50 rollerball. The spray is £5.
It is, like all PP offerings even better than the real thing.