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Original poster

Is it just me or does the whole of central London smell like ...

37 replies

Giftwithpurchase · 21/03/2025 17:55

Portrait of a Lady - I was out and about a fair bit today (South Ken/Knightsbride/Ox circus etc) and it really felt like everyone was wearing POAL! Even the tube - like they were pumping it through the vents 😂.. has anyone else noticed this or is it my peri sensitivity again? Any other prevalent fragrances in your neck of the woods?

OP posts:
fiorentina · 21/03/2025 22:03

It absolutely depends where you are. Some areas smell very strongly of oud based scents; others of weed!

nearlylovemyusername · 21/03/2025 22:11

EvelynBeatrice · 21/03/2025 18:09

Really?! All I smell is Halfeti!! 😁

Oh yes, it's Halfeti and similar everywhere, on industrial scale

SE20schools · 21/03/2025 22:15

Yep was going to say Halfeti - it's absolutely everywhere! I liked it originally but it's become so ubiquitous I've gone right off it. It's the new Santal 55.

JasmineAllen · 21/03/2025 22:36

FKAT · 21/03/2025 18:07

I thought Portrait of a Lady was a Henry James novel - that's how north London elite I am.

Still smells like weed and chicken shops round here though.

I thought POAL was a film and was trying to work out how somewhere could smell like a film.

Deathraystare · 22/03/2025 14:06

Unwashed males, Oud, weed, juicy fruit gum from ever open mouths, chicken shops. That is London!

Deathraystare · 22/03/2025 14:08

Years ago when I was in New Cross waiting for a tube out I smelt custard everywhere. Took a while to realise it was some vanilla shit everyone put in their hair!!!

Gliblet · 22/03/2025 14:13

BaronessBomburst · 21/03/2025 18:02

London always smells of dust and soot to me, with wafts of diesel and dog shit.
I like POAL. Maybe I'll have to revisit sometime soon.

I got absolutely filthy looks from the staff in White Company once. Walked in to see if I could find something for MIL and one of them pounced on me with a bottle of something and said it was called 'Pimlico'. I burst out laughing and said that was not what Pimlico smelled like last time I was there...

Puravida23 · 22/03/2025 14:29

Weirdly I was in London yesterday and tried out POAL in the local John Lewis so I think it may have been me you smelt!
. I did it mainly because I got a travel size in the HN advent and couldn’t decide whether to keep it or not. Unfortunately POAL is not for me as not a great lover of spicy rose although I can appreciate why it might be popular

MarkWithaC · 22/03/2025 14:32

FKAT · 21/03/2025 18:07

I thought Portrait of a Lady was a Henry James novel - that's how north London elite I am.

Still smells like weed and chicken shops round here though.

Me too 😄 What the jeff is Portrait of a Lady perfume?

SavoySteam · 22/03/2025 14:35

Same in Kent - BR540 has been replaced with PoAL/Halfeti dupes and the whole load of people overspraying cheap, suffocating 'lattafa' variations of oud&rose. I blame tiktok

Mumofyellows · 22/03/2025 14:48

AFrankExchangeofViews · 21/03/2025 18:03

Mens piss and weed was what I thought you were going to say, because yes thats what London smells like.

Same 🤣

ElbowsUpRising · 22/03/2025 22:02

Had a sniff in John Lewis today, didn’t like it.

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