Giving up on finding the perfect perfume... What are the Zara ones like?

[ReallySpicyCurry]

I've been on the quest for a forever scent for about a year now, with no luck. I have lost a lot of weight recently, so was prepared to spend quite a bit on the perfect perfume once I reached my goal weight. I've bought lots of samples of the higher end stuff, some of which I've liked, some I haven't. I've also tried lots of the dupes from the various websites, and they all smell really chemically and musty to me.

Basically there's nothing I like so much that I'd be prepared to fork out for a whole bottle of it. I have a super sensitive nose (compensates for extremely poor vision) so I don't know if it's that, but even some of the things that smell absolutely wow in a bottle just don't smell right when they're on me.

So anyway, I'm giving up and I'm going to work through my drawerful of samples one way or another, but as an every day scent, I want something fairly budget friendly that just smells nice. Not chemically, not something that will disappear five minutes after I smell it, nothing exciting either, but just something nice. I read somewhere that the Zara perfumes are pretty good and are mixed by fairly expert perfumiers- has anyone tried them and found them good? If not, is there anything else I can try?

Some of the Zara ones are lovely but I haven't found one with decent lasting power on my skin, and I can't be bothered with respraying perfume during the day.

There are currently some good cheapies in Lidl, a range called Essence in 100ml edp at £4.99 each. They have great longevity. Essence d'elle is a dupe of Narciso Rodriguez for her, Essence Stylish Girl is Good Girl, Essence en Rose is like La Vie est Belle.

I think Jo Malone ( the woman, not the company which is now owned by Clinique/ Estee Lauder ) did a series of scents for Zara last year. They were lovely and reasonably priced. I think they are still on sale.

I had a couple of the Zara scents last year and I honestly thought they were horrible. So disappointing.

I love some of the Zara/Jo Malone scents. Tubereuse Noir and woody especially

I tried Zara’s water lily tea dress recently which I think is one of the Jo Malone for Zara ones - beautiful and delicate. It’s on my list. Several of the Next fragrances are good too - many people love Cashmere, but I like Enchantment and Summer Sun is, to my nose, a nicer version of Estee Lauder’s Bronze Goddess. I too am looking for a new forever perfume but am enjoying the search.
As for the lady who constantly pops up asking people not to wear fragrance, I do sympathise. It’s horrible when people wear something very strong smelling to your nose in a confined space. However I think most people love perfume, not because they smell or don’t wash (!) but because lovely fragrance is one of the great pleasures of life to many of us and also summons up powerful memories. When I smell Youth Dew is takes me back to being hugged in my late mother’s arms as a small child.

I was bought a gift set of all the zara ones and didn’t like any of them. I’m in the same situation of trying to find a new perfume to love. My taste has really changed over the last year or so which means the type of perfumes I loved I have totally gone off. I’ve tried so many samples and still can’t find ‘the one’.

If you want to splash out buy Louis Vuitton ..it's perfume not eau de toilette..lasts all day .

A new fragrance I smelled the other day, I would describe as lovely, simple and pretty - a kind of bridal scent. It was Givenchy Irresistible- I believe there are a few flankers (Very Irresistible and Live Irresistible) which I haven’t smelt but the latest one really intrigued me. It has pear and roses as a top note and then blonde wood/musk as a dry down but the musk is very subtle. Definitely worth a try.

Oooh. The Givenchy has just been added to my sample list.

What's worth trying with the Louis Vuitton? I'd never thought of them for perfume

Have you tried Diptyque? They have a few really lovely scents. Frederic Malle, Serge Lutens, Juliette has a gun, Byredo, Le Labo have some off the beaten track scents that might appeal. All in Liberty if you can get to there ( when shops reopen!)

Maison Margiela replica series and Atelier Cologne are now in John Lewis and are both worth a sniff!

What kind of perfumes do you usually like? Floral, citrus, spicy?
The Zara ones NOT in collaboration with Jo Malone are really nice (I have over 250 perfumes yet always stop DD and say "oooh what is that" and it's always the same Zara one) The recent JM style ones are like JMs themselves, simple linear colognes, so pleasant, but unexciting and don't last.
H&M are worth a punt. They have some lovely perfumes.
There's a thread about sample sets, you could get loads for a decent price and then take it from there. I am still working my way through the Atelier Cologne one!

I wear a perfume that hardly anyone else does and it’s gorgeous. It’s called “Poeme” by Lancome and it came out in 1995 and was advertised as attracting people to you I was 17 and asked for it for Christmas and have worn it ever since.

It’s definitely more of a night time/special occasion perfume and is quite strong but I’m not into floral, delicate scents anyway.

I’ve always thought Chanel have some lovely scents too, especially Allure.

@TheSilentStars
What is the name of the Zara perfume that you say is lovely please ?
They have quite a few non Jo Malone collaboration ones.

The website Nose is good for recommendations. I like heavy clove, vanilla types. My favourite was black cashmere by Donna karan but since that's finished I've used versace crystal noir. I also like Mon guerlain for more of a day fragrance.

@goona

@TheSilentStars What is the name of the Zara perfume that you say is lovely please ? They have quite a few non Jo Malone collaboration ones.

Just asked and it's called Twilight Mauve. Ridiculous name as it's fresh and I'd say a daytime perfume. It's lovely though!

Philosophy Amazing Grace?

I love Zara perfumes but they keep discontinuing my favourites. Currently loving Violet Blossom. I think Zara are the most complex of the cheaper fragrances. They don't last long on the skin but are cheap enough to reapply.

Thank you
@TheSilentStars

I have to say that I think that some of the M&S ones are great. The lychee one is my current day time one and it's lovely and lasts very well

DH has bought me a couple from & Other Stories, both lovely. One is quite lemon sherbety and the other quite light floral...I'm not a huge fan of florals but it's quite fresh smelling not at all overpowering.

Ooo yes actually And Other Stories EDTs are very good! They've discontinued the Moroccan mint tea one that I loved but the Havana blues one is delicious. Also the Punk Bouquet and their current Avant Garde Air EDTs are great and good value for scents that are a bit different to others in that price category.

watches list of samples grow longer

One cannot avoid one's destiny

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