Help me find a perfume

[TheCrowFlies]

I am very fussy and have silly expensive tastes in perfume.

I used to love Santal (le labo) but then smelt it everywhere.
Ditto molecule, which I don't like now
I am very keen on fresh, clean scents.
I currently wear Parfum Indelible by Frederic Malle and I love it but feel like a change
I also like and have worn like Another 13 and Oranger from Le Labo
I tried Lavende from Le Labo and thought it was amazing then all I could smell was disinfectant ammonia type smell so that's not an option
My favourite dyptique which I love is eau de sens. It's definitely at the feminine end of my tastes
I occasionally wear French Lover by Frederik Malle
I would say I like fresh, clean, citrus, rose, some musk, subtle wood. I like sophisticated and I like something with a catch in it iykwim
I don't like these very strong fruity oriental scents young people seem to be wearing
I don't like Amber
If I don't find something new I think I might go for a le labo or frederik malle rose, or another 13
I'm not very good at getting help in a store as I feel under pressure and can't think properly when that happens
I usually look in Liberty

I am very fussy and have silly expensive tastes in perfume.

Yup! With you there. I was wearing Joy EDP as an undergraduate in the 80s … Possibly my all time favourite has been Rubj by Vero Kern - none left, it will never come again and nothing else quite hits the spot, though I’m constantly experimenting. From Frederic Malle I adore Dans Tes Bras but it only seems to work when I’m calm and contented, otherwise it turns to poison. And Lipstick Rose, which has been my default Spring perfume for a good few years.

I thought I had fallen in love with Celine’s La Peau Nue - huge whiffs of the 70s when I tried it in my local Selfridges. (And unusually smooth for me as I’m usually drawn to jagged perfume structures.) I was very tempted to bankrupt myself straight away but thankfully hesitated. Sent for samples of Celine’e 11 fragrances and will work my way through them. The Peau Nue seemed less impressive over the weekend, but that may be because I had a cold. You could try their sample box? Seems fairly good value.

Or, as you like Le Labo - maybe experiment with Perfumer H. Lots to choose from, satisfyingly expensive. They’ll send two quite reasonable sized samples if you email. I love the opening smell of those I’ve tried - only, they don’t evolve, which is a major failing as I want a perfume to tell a story.

Presumably you’re already on the mailing lists of
Bloom Perfumery and Les Senteurs? The former has innumerable sample subscription things available.

Have you been to Floris? Not far from Liberty and you can buy off the shelf or bespoke, it's a gorgeous shop

@TraitorsGate No, I haven't. I'll definitely go though. It looks amazing! Thanks so much,

Was that you earlier, @TheCrowFlies?

Anyway, now my cold is better I’ve tried La Peau Nue again and actually - it dances. A few Fragrantica reviews compare it unfavourably to other apparently similar things, but I don’t care! There’s something piercingly specific about this that almost caused me to burst into tears at the Celine counter.

Cogitating on why I’m suddenly so enamoured of a style of perfume I don’t usually bother with (am not a Chanel fan, for instance) I think it might be because life has been a bit topsy turvy lately and the Celine smoothness is just so comforting and undemanding and embracing. Slightly feeling I could happily drown in a huge bottle …

Yes, I'm crap at name changing 😂
I know what you mean! I get obsessed with a smell and can't stop thing about it, then knowing what I want is easy, but that hasn't happened for ages! The frederik Malle one I'm wearing atm is starting to bore me, after loving it for ages.

I love expensive perfumes
I'm currently in love with Tom Ford Santal Blush
I also had a long love affair with Le Labo Bergamote 22 but I recently treated myself to a bottle to celebrate a promotion & sadly I'm not loving it as much

Before Christmas I bought the discovery set of Victoria Beckham's 3 new perfumes & totally fell in love with Suite 302 - v smokey & sexy Rose based scent for evening

@BlossomBlossomBlossom I bought the Celine pack and it arrived today. Thanks so much! Some absolute beauties in there. First impression is that I love love love Parade which I'm wearing today but I'm going to try others before jumping in. Funnily enough Parade is similar to the Le Labo Lavende which I liked but more elegant and without the ammonia.

@ChristmasTreeMagic lovely suggestions, thank you, I will try them.