I’d like a perfume that makes me feel like Dame Maggie Smith is offering me a scone and telling me kindly that I’m doing a great job and everything’s going to be OK.

[Stoechas]

For clarification I do not want to smell
like Dame Maggie Smith (although I bet she smells lovely) or a scone.

I have a sometimes grim job in a grim part of the world interacting with sometimes grim people and I’d like to be able to put my nose down my top in private and smell something that makes everything a bit better.

No idea about perfumes. Perfume people scare me. Going to JL next week and would like to have a sniff of maximum 5 perfumes and buy one of them.

Do not want anything remotely sexy, rude, obnoxious, syrupy girlie flowers, loud antibacterial sunshine or clean sheets in the rain I just mowed my lawn in a long dress bullshit.

Anything that fits the bill?

Yes. But so many people rave about it. Is there a men's and womens version? Maybe I got the wrong one.

Jo Malone London Peony and Blush Suede Cologne
I find this comforting

Lovely thread. It's inspired me to have a rootle through my collection to see if there's anything that might inspire you, OP. Not all available at JL I'm afraid but well worth seeking out.

I've had a big old squirt of L'heure bleue and agree it might well meet your requirements - powdery, warming, comforting. I feel as if nothing bad could ever happen when wearing it.

other suggestions include:
Guerlain Shalimar, or maybe Mitsouko - both proper grown-up fragrances fit for Women In Control Of Their Lives, a bit glam but also warm, deep and nuzzly.

Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin (warm yet bright rose), 5 o'clock au gingembre (cozy, spicy, soft, ginger, like biscuits baking) or Chergui (sweet amber)

Clinique Aromatics in White (a musky rose with amber)

Houbigant Quelques Fleures (some will say this is 'old lady perfume' but imo old ladies know where it's at with grown-up, classy green florals, do not underestimate them!)

Diptyque 34 boulevard St Germain - this is my current go-to if I know I've got a tough day at work ahead! Spicy but not fierce, just incredibly chic but also comforting.

4160 Tuesdays Creamy Vanilla Crumble - as the name suggests this is incredibly comforting and cosy, heavy on the vanilla but not overly sweet due to a tobacco note that gives it a lovely deep smokiness. This is basically made for sticking your head down your jumper and sniffing!

If you are anywhere near London I would second the suggestion of taking a trip to Les Senteurs, or alternatively Bloom in Covent Garden is gorgeous and they will let you have samples of anything in the shop for a nominal fee. It's also close to Diptyque / Penhaligons / Miller Harris / Chanel so, go crazy!

Just seen you've bought the Turin / Sanchez book - might as well wave goodbye to your disposable income now OP and accept your fate as a budding perfumista 😆

Aerin amber musk is warm and comforting

I recommend carbolic soap.

Another golden oldie that I think would fit the brief is Lentheric Tweed, but I don't think it's available any more.

I can't be the only one who wants to know more about @Stoechas grim job amongst grim people in a grim, cold place, surely?

All the elements of a top Scandi-noir series there: no- nonsense woman in a man's world; sensible boots and Fair Isle jumpers but the faintest breath of delicious, sophisticated, womanly fragrance wafting up from her polo-neck as she grapples with serial killers in darkened cellars.

And only we, the viewers, know that our heroine retires to her utilitarian apartment (or maybe log cabin?) to take afternoon tea and scones from a delicate, rose-patterned bone china tea service.

🤣 you can still get Tweed (and Panache, and Chic etc) but they're now (iirc) Taylor of London brands instead of Lentheric and a shadow of their former selves. I've got bottles of each but the spirit has gone.

Is nobody else wanting to know what the grim job is?? I’m dying to know!

i wear Angel or Ariana Grande cloud when I’m out out (but that’s proper steaming drunk out out)

coco mademoiselle if I’m being posh out

but don’t tend to wear perfume for work cos it mixes with work scents and I want my perfume to remind me of nice times not work.

scents I find comforting are ones that remind me of being a teenager so CK one makes me happy and I’d die to get my hands on impulse O2 or body shop dewberry.

so for me if I wanted a comforting scent that grounded me in a time of stress I’d be Looking for something that reminded me of carefree days. Obviously that would be something that’s personal to you but if you had something you loved when you get Would that work? xxx

Sorry re: typo

but if you had something you loved when you were younger… Would that work? xxx

Miracle by lancome

Molton Brown Milk Musk. So gentle and comforting. Lactonic fragrances trigger that connection with mother.

Possibly Ralph by Ralph Lauren. These are both my nemory saviours.
Both from being rescued from hardship.and deff the miracle by lancome a lift my nose to the air when I smell it and smile

Badedas springs to mind as that’s what my mum used to use and the smell from her evening bath would reach me in bed when I was a kid.

When I read this the three that came to mind were Chanel 19, clarins (the blue one) and prada iris. I see all have already been mentioned by PPs. Happy shopping OP, do some back and tell us where you landed!

Badedas is one of my favourite scents, I still love a badedas bath!

Or speaking of 4160Tuesdays, how about The Great Randello - 20s tea room - pipe tobacco and the dessert trolley? That's very comforting too.

Back from town (Boots, The Fragrance Shop and Space NK) with 11 tester cards from the long list.
Current favourites are Dior Dune and Diptyque Orpheon.
I now know that I like eating figs but would not like to smell like figs. So that’s good to know

Will wait for JL next week to check out some
more from the list before buying anything.

The perfume shop lady said they are discontinuing Chanel No19.

If you like Dior I also suggest Dior Joy

I thought of vanilla and caramel for you.

For me, in your kind of quest, it’s a very pure rose scent. Jo Malone Red Roses for evening or the oldBody Shop tea rose - except they stopped making that. I sometimes use the Essential Grace Moroccan Rose oil for a room infuser! It has the pure clear rose smell I live. Also Yardley Lily of the Valley for daytime/everyday and Diorissimo for going out(it’s a Lily of the Valley scent).

Am now trying to collect pure simple orange flower/neroli scents.

Lovely! Nice to narrow it down a bit.
Individual tastes can be so different.
I hope you find "the one" soon!

You are not alone. They actually make me feel nauseated, especially the classic ones.

Clinique Happy and Elizabeth Arden Red Door both make me nauseous and headachey. If someone’s wring either near me, I need to open a window and stand in the breeze!

It's so difficult to make a choice isn't it.

Dune was one of my very first perfumes and I actually still have the empty bottle. I give it a sniff every now and then for nostalgia reasons. It's becoming very hard to find where I live, so if you can get it, you are quite fortunate.

I think you want something like Paul Smith Rose. Or the floral version of issey miyake (red bottle).
I'm a probation officer and either of those help to get me through some sketchy days.