Winter feels like 4160 Tuesdays long. The Lovely Friendly Perfumistas dream of spring fragrances. It’s thread 25.

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

Join us for fragrant chat - everyone welcome, but lock up your credit cards!

[caperplips]

My local department store doesn't have a huge selection of unusual perfumes (mainly the usual beauty counter ones) what is the best way to get samples? Is there a website? I'd love to try out more but am afraid to buy without testing!

[yoikes]

plips
Welcome :)
Perfume society boxes can be a good way to try new houses. You can slso order samples from bloom and les Les senteurs.
4160 tuesdays does sample sets too.
flora thank you x

[yoikes]

Sotd pp by the fireplace (again)
I'm in a fragrance rut!

[Lotsofpots]

Happy birthday to you judy!

I too am stuck in a bit of a rut yoikes. Lots of shay and blue salt caramel and LE no 15. I need spring to come and unsettle me (though not sure I really know what to wear in spring).

[FloraMacDonald]

I'm going to lucky dip my way through my samples box, in an effort to stop wearing orris all the time. Anyone fancy doing the same?

[yoikes]

I'm up for that flora :)

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

SOTD L’Air de Rien, but now in pyjamas and Diptyque Eau Duelle.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! I had to work, but got beautiful flowers from my lovely second years, and we had pizza for tea. I ended up ordering the JM Wood Sage with my JL voucher, but I also got £100 from MIL today, so I think I might still get the Diptyque Geranium from SNK with that.

[FloraMacDonald]

That all sounds lovely Judy! Lucky you!
Caper I second the perfume society boxes, they tend to have a good selection. I've bought samples from companies that decant whatever you want into a 2ml tester (possibly scentsamples.com, can't really remember) but the tops come off if you're not careful. One of my handbags smells particularly nice!
Glad you're joining in yoikes. I'm going to sort mine as I try them. Today's is MH coeur de jardin. Nice enough floral. Not really my thing, tbh.

[caperplips]

Thanks for the recommendation for Perfume Society, I'll take a look later.

I think SOTD means 'scent of the day'? If so - today I'm wearing Le Labo Bergamotte 22. I got it about 3 weeks ago and the lady who sold it to me gave me 4 other samples to try - I must take a look and see exactly what I have, I know I definitely have Santal 33, Neroli and 2 others...the samples are tiny (1ml perhaps) but will give me some idea what they're like!

I find perfume can become a bit obsessive, for me anyway! And expensive!!

[MotherOfDragonite]

Welcome, caperplips! It's a slippery slope...

I joined this thread last spring and have gone waaaaay down the rabbit hole since then. There have been various swaps, some extremely kind samples sent by people on here, excursions to Liberty and Dipytque for sniffing purposes, and I've spent loads on samples and enjoyed every minute of it!

When I first got interested in perfume, I followed up a few things on here that people were trying -- especially Andy Tauer's scents, like L'Air du Desert Marocain and others. I also went into Miller Harris for a major sniff-athon and found the staff there were super well-informed and happy to share their expertise and help me experiment with what suited my tastes.

Yes, SOTD is scent of the day. Mine is a perfume oil called Pearl by Sage Machado. (and, for later, SOTE is scent of the evening -- if you put something different on to go out, or after your first scent wears off!)

[Calmasasleepycat]

Nice to meet you, caperplips! I have bought samples from //scentsamples.uk.com, //notino.co.uk, //fragrancesamples.uk.com and //feelunique.com. They have all been fine, ie arrived promptly and were genuine as far as I can tell. Also you can buy samples direct from some of the perfume houses, eg Maison Francis Kurkdjian and L’Artisan Parfumeur.

Flora, I will join you in the Sample Sniffathon as I really need to use some up. I wore Narciso Rodriguez Eau de Parfum Rouge last night and it had turned caramelly in storage. It was comforting enough for a bedtime perfume but not what I expected. Serves me right for trying to save the last little bit of a sample.

Today, I have used up the last of my Zoologist Bat sample. It is beautifully evocative of an earthy but airy cave. No mouldy smell, just an impression of warm, slightly musky bats as they fly by. There are some florals in there, but it is not an easy perfume to wear, especial in the opening stages. I do love it, but could not justify buying a full bottle. I might get another sample.

[Calmasasleepycat]

My sample boxes. I have a few to use up ...

[caperplips]

Thank you for the lovely welcome! And more tips on where to source samples. I am looking forward to exploring those sites more.

@Calmasasleepycat that is a fantastic selection of samples and great idea to keep them together! I think the little samples are great for travelling, I always try to collect up a few of some of my favourite perfumes to take with me on short trips.

I normally only use perfume in the evenings if I'm going out, but I like the idea of a SOTE and might start doing that!

Zoologist Bat sounds fascinating as a premise for a perfume, I have never heard of it (clearly have a lot to learn!)

I have researched where stocks Guerlain near me, as the main department store doesn't have it so I am very excited to head there now on my lunch break and do some sniffing and see if I can score some samples!! Will report back - last night I tried the perfume test thing on perfume society, where you name something you have / love and it suggests more that you might like and Guerlain Mitsouko was suggested. I have never tried it and have no idea what it smells like but I'm about to find out.....

[caperplips]

So a disappointing trip to the store with the Guerlain, they had a tiny selection and none of the classics. I didn't bother with any of them.

Swung by the main department store and had a good sniff around the perfume department there. The lady was very nice (or bored) and I came away with a sample of Fredric Maille Carnal Flower and Maison Martin Margiela By The Fireplace, which I am currently wearing a spray of on wrists and neck.

It started off very woody / smokey but is sweeter. more caramel tones now. Its very different to what I usually veer towards but I am really liking it a lot.

Is carnal flower a day time or evening perfume? I hope it's nicer than Portrait of a Lady as I really don't gel with that one at all....it's far too strong and 80's for me. From spraying on the paper tester, Carnal Flower seems softer and not as harsh.

[yoikes]

Ooooh by the fireplace is one ofmy all time favourites :)

[KaliforniaDreamz]

Calm loving your piccie!

Welcome caper you have entered a very comforting (if purse draining) area of mumsnet.

SOTD Tea Tonique.

My DS was recently given a bottle of Paul Smith Extreme and it is very nice indeed! (Top Notes - Hesperide, cold spices
Heart Notes - Incense, Geranium & Rosewood
Base Notes - Musk & Tonka Beans)

[caperplips]

I am really enjoying By The Fireplace - keep sniffing my wrist here in work

This will be fun, so glad i found this thread.

[yoikes]

Fyi...
Perfume parlour do an amazing dupe!

[cantbelievemyeyes]

Evening all, and a happy birthday for yesterday Judy.

Feeling a bit of the perfume rut at the moment also - think I'm just desperate to get some of my spring stuff out of storage! Have just bought a new tester bottle of Diptyque Eau de Sens on the FB group I like, as I'm out of anything Neroli-based.

SOTD was 4160T Centrepiece. Had a few squirts of a MH Powdered Veil sample an hour ago but it seems to have disappeared already. So cold and feeling really bleurgh, so think it'll be an early night with Patch Flash for cosiness.

[yoikes]

Well I totally forgot the lucky dip sample this morning!
Sotd avon mesmerize black for her.
This has a similarity to Estee lauder modern muse nuit. Its the patchouli note I think...

[KaliforniaDreamz]

Yoikes i am SOTDing in Avon Timeless as this makes me feel grown up a ha (I am 48 so should feel it but don't)

Judy Happy belated xx

I loved eau de sens and wore it recently and it made me feel sick - why have i changed??? it's so weird. feel the same about the santal 33 and poirer d'un soir....

can't i have MH powdered veil sample too and agree about staying power. but this is the same with all their bloody lovely perfumes, drives me mad.

[yoikes]

Ooh lovely :) ambery powdery chypre ❤

I'm 47 (well into peri menopause hell!) and its with great sadness that I now realise I can no longer wear scents with lactones in :(

After not much time my skin makes them smell sour/off :(

[FloraMacDonald]

Today's lucky dip is MM At the Barbers. Starts out very masculine but fades to gentle spiciness quite quickly. Nice, but not FB-worthy.

[caperplips]

Hello everyone, that is interesting to read that (peri)menopause causes changes to how we perceive / react to perfume! I am approaching 50 (aargh!) and must see if this is the case for me with perfumes I loved in the past.

I wore my sample of MM By the Fireside all day yesterday and I think that I like the smell when it first goes on - all smokey and mysterious but it settles quite quickly into something far sweeter than I'm used to wearing, not unpleasant but distinctly sweet. DD said it was like cake and dh said canderel so not sure that's a full vote of confidence.

SOTD today is Le Labo Bergamote 22 which I really love.

I have an event after work so am thinking of trying out my sample of Penhaligon's Cairo for that. Will report back once I've worn it.

I don't know what lactones are off to google, so much to learn!!

[FloraMacDonald]

@caperplips I agree about By the Fireplace - it starts out very interesting, but gets sickly sweet after a while.
I do not know what lactones are. I googled it but didn't understand the answer.