Nicest ever perfume

[SaagAloopa]

In your opinion what is the nicest ever perfume?

Narciso Rodriguez for her, a modern(ish) classic

Portrait of a Lady is the one I always get complimented on. It's extortionate but a little goes a long way. It's a bit too strong for work though.

Shalimar by Guerlain. There's nothing even close.

I’m not sure any perfume is objectively ‘extortionate’. We’re buying a narrative, aren’t we? It just depends how much you’re willing to pay for that particular idea / fantasy / droplet of personal validation, or whatever.

I loved Estee Lauder Sensuous Noir which has been discontinued for some years. I have eked out my last bottle.
I rushed out to buy Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Oud on bring told it was similar - a faint imitation only sadly.

Really loving this thread!! And in awe of @BetsyRegards 😁. I still love L’arte Di Gucci, winter evenings especially - heavy rose and leather from the early 90s, now discontinued. I have an open bottle and a back up (phew). Current love affair is with Nightclubbing by Celine, but my gosh it is soooo spendy 😳. In summer I love more reasonable priced Cra-Yon Sand Service, and prive Armani Cuir Amethyst, which I’ve just had to google to check and also is not now on sale either 😪. Oh, and Frederic Malle, L’eau d’hiver, but now getting more play-doh on me!

I tried Shalimar once in Debenhams. All the way home I smelt like baby sick and had to shower as soon I got home to get rid of the smell. Even my husband said what the f*ck is that stuff you sprayed.

Oh that Gucci sounds lovely. Is it anything like the Molton Brown Rosa Absolute?

D&G light blue is my absolute favourite

I blind ordered Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker as so many on here had loved it.

Oh my goodness, it smelled so bad on me!
At least it was an inexpensive mistake.

I also asked for Kenzo Flowers one Christmas after testing it at a department store. Smelt sooo good!
However when I received my present, it made me feel really ill! Turned out I had Covid but I was totally put off the perfume.

I remember this! My mother also used to wear it. Delicious, powdery, old fashioned in a good way. I’d consider wearing it, only it’s ‘hers’.

Penhaligon’s the Coveted Duchess Rose makes me feel lovely. It is hideously expensive, so that’s probably part of it!

My all-time favourite too. Sadly long discontinued, and no real dupe to speak of - I've tried!

Charlotte Tilbury Joyphoria. L'Occitane neroli and orchidee.

I used to wear this! The thread is really making me think back over perfumes worn in the past.
Teens: Body shop vanilla, Anais Anais (still available - tried it recently, it doesn’t suit 50 something me!
20’s: Ysatis, a ginger scent by Cosmetics to Go (divine), Tuscany per Donna
30’s: many and varied
40’s: ditto, Aromatics Elixir
50’s: flirting with Ffern, which are great fun but no sillage, Joy, etc

kenzo used to do one - maybe A Time for Peace? Used to love that.

Can still smell Anais Anais when I read the word - lived that then got morning sickness and stopped being able to bare it.

Eternity Moment by Calvin Klein. I've never had as many compliments on a perfume.

Tarheelbaby, funny you should mention Alfred Sung. I had forgotten I used to have a bottle of Shi and it was really nice. I will have to find and explore it again for the spring. In winter I tend to wear a gourmand, this year is is Devotion by D&G.

Theres something about Shalimar that suits my skin/phermones/god-only-knows-what perfectly. I get SO MANY compliments when I wear it, and have done for (sad to say) decades. I’ve smelt other perfumes on other people and loved it on them, then tried it on myself and had to literally scrub it off in a frenzy because it made me feel so nauseous… but you have to find right one for you!

Laura Ashley No 1 was my first ever perfume aged 14 in the mid 80's .It is long discontinued but will remain my most favourite perfume ever.

Black orchid - Tom Ford
Angels Share - by Kilian

Pricy though

Current love affair is with Nightclubbing by Celine, but my gosh it is soooo spendy

Oh …! Only just noticed this. Around September last year, loitering in a Selfridges branch I sprayed myself with Celine’s La Peau Nue - and almost burst into tears in the shop. It was so, so reminiscent of the late 70s - I don’t know how or why but the feeling was utterly piercing. However, after about two hours the fragrance had completely disappeared from my arm so I hesitated to bankrupt myself without a bit of thinking time. A few months later as ‘research’ I ordered the little Celine discovery set with eleven samples of their perfumes. La Peau Nue still breathtaking but fleeting; all the cologne-y ones perfectly nice; Rimbaud intriguing. But I’m pretty sure Nightclubbing was one of perhaps two or three that I just couldn’t wear. Reptile and Black Tie I think were the other two I’ll have to give away.

Lots of reviews (Fragrantica iirc) also say they don’t last on skin - but I think they’d be worth the money if you were fortunate enough to find they do, on you. The Discovery set is relatively good value though, and amongst other perfumes has kept me company all through this year.

@BetsyRegards your descriptions of perfumes are so evocative and lovely, you really do have a wonderful way of writing

I second this. I love this scent so much.

My scent is alien by Thierry mugler
but previously nicer scents have been
Ssshh by jade goody
White musk by jovan
Heritage by Laura Ashley

Ooh, not sure, don’t think I’ve ever smelt that!! I’ll look it out! Fragrantica says MB is an oriental floral, Gucci is a chypre floral, so they should be different?