i want a warm, wintery, woody, comforting scent

[Pheasantlysurprised]

I don't like masculine or unisex stuff, dont know why, it really doesn't suit me - even though 'masculine' is a silly way to describe a scent if we are honest.

But i don't want anything sharp or too sweet either.
I don't like Byredo or Dyptique, and i really cant stomach jo malone. Also not a fan of many mainstream designer fragrances such as chanel, Dior, etc.

What i do like - gingerlily by molten brown, Seychelles by white company and fresca-something in orange by guerlain.

I want something warm, like a memory blanket, soothing, but like soft spice/wood mixed with something soft, warm, seasonal. Memorable, lasting but not showy. As comforting as mother, but also individual, slightly mysterious....I cant be arsed with lavender or lime.

Im trying my best to evoke something here, but it is pointless because fragrance shifts around so much and we all react to it so differently - but worth a try!

Not bothered about price - i am happy to check out cheap scents as many are as lovely as expensive ones. It all depends. Price doesnt always predict whether i will love it.

Are there any other au de parfums by guerlain or scents by the White Co that i might like? Or should i try something different?

Iris Prima by Penhaligons. Lovely on a cold winters day. 🙂

OP Most of the great old scents have been reformulated. This is partly because some ingredients are now too expensive or hard to get hold of but mostly because several 'classic' ingredients have been listed as hazardous allergens. A few other older ingredients have animal origins which are unacceptable to us today.

More info here nstperfume.com/2009/09/29/perfumista-tip-on-reformulations-or-why-your-favorite-perfume-doesnt-smell-like-it-used-to/

My favourite perfume in the world is now a horrid, thin, crass version of what it used to be. It's been reformulated twice; worse each time IMHO. I don't know which of its former ingredients were problematic, but this article says they are now unobtainable boisdejasmin.com/2007/02/balmain-vent-vert-perfume-review.html

Have you heard of ffern? They are organic perfume makers who create a new scent for every season. You need to get on their ledger and then you receive a new perfume every 3 months with a tester. If you don't like the scent you return it.
But they do exactly the kind of thing you describe.

ffern.co

How would Cabochard measure up as a winter scent do you think? I read that it's not dissimilar to the 1980s Body Shop perfume oil Samarkand, which I loved.

@XingMing

Most of my favourites have been mentioned already, but to entice you further, Chergui (Serge Lutens) is another honeyed warm spicy wrap of fragrance. It's a bit deeper and headier than Femininite du Bois which I also love. Cardinal (Heeley) and Avignon (CdG) are my picks of the incense scents.

I am struggling to locate stock of any of these, sadly.

If anyone can recap which scents are' incense scents', please do! I need to make a shortlist :)

Also, from a review at fragrantica for 'vol de nuit':

It almost smells like something or someone who is reluctantly sociable, who has to move in society and civilization but is secretly freaking out inside

This kind of sold it to me

@AuntLucyCabochard is an excellent winter scent. Leathery, woody, smoky fabulousness and still a bargain. I have the EDP as I prefer it to the EDT.

Cabochard sounds lovely

@Pheasantlysurprised vol de nuit has a kind of weirdness which stops it being predictable and formulaic and that’s one reason I like it. You very seldom smell it on someone.

[quote scottishnames]OP Most of the great old scents have been reformulated. This is partly because some ingredients are now too expensive or hard to get hold of but mostly because several 'classic' ingredients have been listed as hazardous allergens. A few other older ingredients have animal origins which are unacceptable to us today.

More info here nstperfume.com/2009/09/29/perfumista-tip-on-reformulations-or-why-your-favorite-perfume-doesnt-smell-like-it-used-to/

My favourite perfume in the world is now a horrid, thin, crass version of what it used to be. It's been reformulated twice; worse each time IMHO. I don't know which of its former ingredients were problematic, but this article says they are now unobtainable boisdejasmin.com/2007/02/balmain-vent-vert-perfume-review.html[/quote]
My best ever eBay score was a vintage sealed in cellophane bottle of Vent Vert. I also have one of the tiny prism bottles.

@AuntLucy, I wore an old Cabochard the other day- it's in my winter scent wardrobe definitely.

@Pheasantlysurprised, I have PP Vol de Nuit- it's very complex. You think you've got to know it and then something else comes at you.

Jicky by Guerlain.

Stinks when it first goes on but smells amazing when it settles down

Im going off topic a bit now but there's one fragrance that is classic in France but didn't cross over to the UK in the same way that other french houses did, and that's Scherrer which is very beautiful

What are your thoughts on thiery mugler scents op? They are very deep and rich, definitely enigmatic interesting notes, best lasting perfume I ever had, I smell it on my clothes days later

Yes! to FdB

Vanitas by Versace , on me ,creamy ,warm ,woody ,floral but not old lady, with a little musk undertone.
My son bought me this ,i had never heard of it , i loved it immediately .
I do wear it in the summer but i think it is better in autumn /winter .

Try Clinique Wrappings - it's a warm woody spicy green perfume that smells Christmassy... and of fresh air & pine scented mountains.
The other perfume that fits your brief is L'Occitane's eau d'Iparie. It's discontinued sadly but often available on ebay. Eau d'Iparie is a sheer green warm ambery incense and is quite unique.

Ooh wrappings sounds lovely

Penhaligons do lovely samplers. The Portraits sampler is worth a try.

DH really REALLY hated Halfeti on me. It did not suit my skin at all.

If you want Wrappings, you need Harrods.
I'm in Italy and cannot get it for love nor money. Clinique itself doesn't stock it. Have a feeling Harrods has the monopoly in the UK. I agree it's lovely, and I want a bottle, but so hard to get hold of. It was only ever brought out at Christmas, and these days it seems like they make about 10 bottles

@Pheasantlysurprised, Sorry you can't find stockists for the Lutens. I bought from Escentual.com but our local House of Fraser stocks the range too. I get Heeley samples direct from the website and the CdG Avignon is 5ml decant from www.perfumista.co.uk. Scent Samples is also useful for decants. HTH.

@XingMing, are you the ex owner of some splendid vintage Dune? or am I remembering incorrectly?

You are very lucky, PAFMO !

@Geamhradh, I was formerly the owner of that bottle! And you acquired quite a bit IIRC ... waves

@Pheasantlysurprised

Also, from a review at fragrantica for 'vol de nuit':

It almost smells like something or someone who is reluctantly sociable, who has to move in society and civilization but is secretly freaking out inside

This kind of sold it to me

I need to get some of that

@XingMing

Most of my favourites have been mentioned already, but to entice you further, Chergui (Serge Lutens) is another honeyed warm spicy wrap of fragrance. It's a bit deeper and headier than Femininite du Bois which I also love. Cardinal (Heeley) and Avignon (CdG) are my picks of the incense scents.

I second Chergui. It sprang instantly to mind when I read the OP.