Recommend Me a Perfume : September Rain

Bois de Jasmin will return on Monday, October 7th, and today we have our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread. Autumn has started and there is no mistaking its nutty, damp scent of fallen leaves, musty chrysanthemums past their prime and bitter chestnut shells. Despite the chill and rains, I love the quirky beauty of fall and all of its scents. My perfume wardrobe now welcomes a few favorites that didn’t feel right during the dog days of summer: Kenzo Jungle L’ElephantLolita Lempicka and Bulgari’s intensely smoky Black.

My internet connection is intermittent this week, but I will join you whenever I can.

rain flowers

How does it work:

1. Please post your requests or questions as comments here. You can also use this space to ask any fragrance related questions. To receive recommendations that are better tailored to your tastes, you can include details on what you like and don’t like, your signature perfumes, and your budget. And please let us know how your search goes and what you end up discovering.

2. Then please check the thread to see if there are other requests you can answer. Your responses are really valuable for navigating the big and sometimes confusing world of perfume, so let’s help each other!

To make this thread easier to read, when you reply to someone, please click on the blue “reply” link under their comment.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

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419 Comments

  • Anne of Green Gables: Hello, please let me first thank those who suggested woody/spicy perfumes in the last month’s ‘Recommend Me a Perfume’. I didn’t get around to trying all the suggestions but from what I tried so far, I particularly liked Lumiere Blanche and Santal Massoïa. It was also a joy to discover Feminite du Bois and all its descendants.

    This time, I would like a perfume recommendation for my friend who’s in her late 20s. I know that she used to wear Tommy Girl and Britney Spears Curious. She’s very sexy, playful and sporty (she’s a cheerleader). I’m looking for an affordable perfume from a mainstream brand that smells sexy (not too girly or pretty) and mysterious. My friend doesn’t have much experience with perfumes so I think it’s best to avoid overly complicated perfumes. Any ideas? Thanks for your help in advance! September 30, 2013 at 8:00am Reply

    • rosarita: Estee Lauder Sensuous or one of it’s flankers, Prada Candy (sexier and more sophisticated than you’d think) or for mysterious, something from Narciso Rodriguez. September 30, 2013 at 8:44am Reply

      • Anita Monroe: I’ve noticed that this year’s Blonde Goddess is a lighter flanker of Sensuous. It would also be nice in autumn, and is compatible with the stronger scent if you like it at bedtime. September 30, 2013 at 11:41am Reply

    • Austenfan: Very sexy and comfortably mysterious might be Bvlgari’s Black. I find it very easy to wear and not too smoky. I don’t know how easy it may be to find it though. ( Look in the men’s section perhaps.)
      Another great fragrance in that line, although it actually may be too pretty for what you are looking for, is Bvlgari Pour Femme.

      I would second Prada Candy. September 30, 2013 at 8:57am Reply

      • rosarita: I thought of the Bulgari, too. Something else from the line like Jasmin Noir might be good. September 30, 2013 at 9:48am Reply

        • Elia: good pick September 30, 2013 at 10:00am Reply

          • Karen: I was just going to suggest Jasmin Noir! October 1, 2013 at 5:13am Reply

    • Elia: Narcisso Rodriguez for Her EDT
      I find Tommy Girl awful, for a rose upgrade how about Paris by Yves St Laurent.
      Angel is sexy
      Cinema by YSL perhaps, sexy but still fairly light.
      Although I’m guessing some fruity floral is what would go down well.
      J’adore is a best seller for a reason.
      Acqua di Gio is well liked.
      Pleasures by Estee Lauder is a fair reach,
      and just for a niche aspect, affordable too,
      I can see Roseberry by Les Parfums de Rosine working well. September 30, 2013 at 8:58am Reply

      • Edward: I second Cinema. September 30, 2013 at 12:45pm Reply

    • Maja: I second both Narciso and Prada Candy. Maybe Parisienne A L’Extreme would work, too. September 30, 2013 at 9:05am Reply

    • Caroline: Suggest EL’s Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia. The smaller bottle of edp is affordable, it’s for a grown woman, and she won’t smell it on everyone else. September 30, 2013 at 9:18am Reply

      • Aisha: This is a beautiful fragrance, as is EL’s Private Collection Jasmine White Moss. September 30, 2013 at 9:34am Reply

        • solmarea: Agree with this. September 30, 2013 at 10:49am Reply

          • Figuier: On the Private Collection – don’t forget Amber Ylang Ylang, which is both warm and – in a non-intimidating way – sexy. October 1, 2013 at 6:56am Reply

    • Aisha: Definitely Candy. I’m actually wearing that one today. 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 9:32am Reply

    • Amelia: Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker is inexpensive and easy to find, and smells very similar to Narciso Rodriguez. It is a skin musk so has some sexiness to it. September 30, 2013 at 9:45am Reply

    • Isis: Sexy and playful: why not try Hermès Eau des Merveilles, for a warmer version Ambre des Merveilles, or maybe Kelly Caléche? September 30, 2013 at 10:55am Reply

    • Sapphire: Prada Candy is great, but more of a daytime scent to me. I would recommend Gucci Guilty Extreme for something sexy and mysterious. September 30, 2013 at 11:05am Reply

    • Jan Last: OK, sexy perfumes, good choice. I’m thinking The Different Company’s Oriental Lounge. How about The Pink Room’s Darkly Audacious? Oooohh, Oscar de la Renta Oriental Lace. Agonist Liquid Crystal. Nearly forgot Brecourt Haram, seriously sexy. September 30, 2013 at 11:24am Reply

      • Jan Last: And I just realized these aren’t considered mainstream, except ODLR. September 30, 2013 at 11:34am Reply

    • Patricia: How about Donna Karan Chaos for sexy and mysterious? September 30, 2013 at 11:38am Reply

    • Cybele: Gucci Rush
      Prada L’Eau Ambree
      Narcisso Rodriguez Musc intense
      Kiehls Musk September 30, 2013 at 4:55pm Reply

      • Cybele: I meant musc intense version of For Her October 2, 2013 at 7:19am Reply

    • nozknoz: I checked the Nordstrom website to see what was $50 or less and found they have roller balls and solids of several Diptyques, Kai, DK Cashmere Mist, all the classic ELs and Clinique Aromatics Elixir. For $50-100 you can get Agent Provacateur, Boucheron Place Vendome, Lolita Lempicka and Kenzo Amour. Also (thought not at Nordstrom), Chanel Eau Premiere. September 30, 2013 at 8:47pm Reply

      • AnnieA: Seconding the Kai… October 1, 2013 at 1:22pm Reply

      • zari: You can get Lolita Lempicka EDP from discounted places like Burlington, TJMaxx, and Marshalls! Youth Dew by Estee Lauder is 45$ for the full bottle at Macy’s I believe and the bath oil is even cheaper. October 2, 2013 at 9:23pm Reply

        • colabama: thank you for your tip re:marshall’s ,t.j.maxx and burlington for lolita lempicka.thank you! November 5, 2013 at 11:32pm Reply

    • Anne of Green Gables: Thank you very much for your suggestions! I didn’t expect to get so many suggestions. I’ll try some of them at the duty free shop tomorrow. I’m travelling to see my best friend (we haven’t seen each other for 2 years) and I wanted to get her a perfume as a surprise present. I’ll let you know of the outcome. October 1, 2013 at 5:26am Reply

    • WineGirl: Maybe Trish McEvoy Sexy No. 9? They have it in a roller-ball at Nordys for $25. It is a little fruity but has a mysterious edge. Or maybe Jasmine Noir. And you can’t beat Angel for sexy (at least for me.) Oh and maybe NEST Midnight Fleur. Sephora has this in a roller-ball. October 1, 2013 at 5:27pm Reply

    • Blue Moon: She might like Naughty Alice? It’s sexy but not over the top or complicated. It’s very wearable, affordable and subtly pretty. October 5, 2013 at 10:21pm Reply

    • Anne of Green Gables: I got my friend Prada Candy and she absolutely loved it. It suits her personality really well and she told me that she likes sweet perfumes so it was a perfect choice. Thank you once again for your recommendations! 🙂 October 6, 2013 at 9:49am Reply

    • songeuse: Some really good ideas so far… I will also suggest Hypnotic Poison. October 6, 2013 at 11:57pm Reply

  • Bea: I love this section of the blog!

    I have recently fallen for Miss Dior (Chérie) from Christian Dior. It is not the kind of scent I normally like and I can’t really pinpoint why I like it. I am very new to the fragrance world and I am not trained enough to be able to distinguish different notes or describe them. All I know is that this is something new that I like.

    But I read the rather poor review it got here so I wonder if you have any suggestions for a similar perfume.
    https://boisdejasmin.com/2012/12/christian-dior-miss-dior-cherie-perfume-review.html September 30, 2013 at 8:34am Reply

    • Victoria: If you like it, then just disregard the reviews and go for it! But if you still want to explore something similar, you could try Chanel Chance, Ferragamo Signorina, maybe even Chanel Coco Noir. September 30, 2013 at 8:42am Reply

    • Elia: I don;t think it’s awful. It’s a fair girly scent. If you like it that’s all that matters.
      But I’ll take a stab in the dark.
      1873 Histoires de Parfums September 30, 2013 at 9:01am Reply

    • Hannah: I don’t think you should worry about that. There is no proper way to be a perfumista. Actually, I’m not entirely sure a perfumista is anything to aspire to be. I know very little about music. I can’t play a single instrument and a lot of the time, I can’t even recognize an instrument when I hear it. I don’t know what a C note sounds like. But I listen to music and I enjoy it. Similarly, individual notes are not important for me in perfume. I’ve been into perfume for about 6 years, so I’m not exactly new.
      Victoria is very knowledgeable and that’s why I enjoy reading this blog but you do not need to be “trained” to enjoy perfume.

      You should give the other suggestions a try because you should see what else is out there and you may prefer them. And if you like it, then you should trust your instincts and wear it. Even if it is described as “faceless”, you can still make it your own. A simple t-shirt is the most basic, faceless articles of clothing there is. But Patti Smith wore them all the time.
      Besides, it is about $70. Perfumistas blind buy $225 perfume that smells like baby power all the time. October 1, 2013 at 12:55pm Reply

    • zari: Hey Bea, I tend to not like sweet scents and overly fruity and floral scents give me a headache – but I love the new Miss Dior Le Parfum which is the concentrated version with some added ingredients of the Miss Dior (Cherie) EDP/EDT. THAT is a beautiful and addictive scent. Good luck 🙂 October 2, 2013 at 9:25pm Reply

  • Lucas: Time flies so quickly! I spent last two weeks in Warsaw enjoying myself with clouds of different perfumes and just tomorrow a new academic year will begin and it’s time to go back to university.

    I would like to hear some recommendations on mild tobacco perfumes with a sweet (but not overly gourmand) twist. I enjoy my decant of SSS Tabac Aurea, TF Tobacco Vanille is a bit too sweet for me. Last week I tried Phaedon Tabac Rouge and it was great, but there was too little juice in the tester bottle to make me a sample and they didn’t have a backup one in store.
    Anything similar to it will be welcome. September 30, 2013 at 8:43am Reply

    • Elia: I’ve not yet tried Tabac Aurea or Tabac Rouge. But I don’t like TV. I didn’t find it too sweet, although any woman I asked replied just that: too sweet.
      I find most of the tobacco scents are sweet.
      I like Gucci II, The Dreamer and of course my no1 pick would be Chergui.
      However if you want a more masculine take on things, Havana by Aramis is great juice. I can provide a sample if you like. September 30, 2013 at 9:10am Reply

    • Maja: It’s not exactly a tobacco scent but it is very smokey – Eau des Baux by L’Occitane. It is unusual, aromatic and affordable and has many fans including me. 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 9:11am Reply

      • Lucas: I’d rather avoid something very smoky. I’m looking for a tobacco without the general smokiness. September 30, 2013 at 10:14am Reply

        • Elia: Havana is not smokey October 1, 2013 at 3:36am Reply

      • Neisha: Another vote for Eau des Baux, here. On me it is not very smokey, just spicy, woody, leathery, pipe tobacco, with a vanilla base. Yum. At under $50 for 100 ml it is also extremely affordable. When I want more smoke, I sometimes layer with a small squirt from my sample of Sahara Noir. September 30, 2013 at 3:15pm Reply

    • Eleni: Perhaps Volutes? I have a sample and am waiting for the weather to cool so I can test it. I have the EDT but had read that the EDP is quite sweeter. September 30, 2013 at 9:40am Reply

      • Lucas: Yes, that’s a good one! Thanks for reminding me about it, I have a small decant of it! September 30, 2013 at 10:15am Reply

        • rainboweyes: And it has a lovely iris note 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 1:36pm Reply

      • Irene: I second Volutes..it´s perfect por autumn, not smoky tobacco and with a comforting but not very sweet drydown. The EDT last longer on me than most EDP…I love it September 30, 2013 at 10:17am Reply

    • Anka: Hi Lucas,
      have you already tried Spicebomb, yet? It’s a not too sweet pipe tobacco with a vanilla-musk-combo, comforting and yet interesting. Victoria wrote a nice review on it last year. September 30, 2013 at 9:41am Reply

      • Elisa: Yes, I second Spicebomb!

        Tabacco Toscano by Santa Maria Novella is also nice (and similar to Midnight in Paris). September 30, 2013 at 10:05am Reply

        • Lucas: Anka, Elisa – I tried Spicebomb and as far as I enjoyed it I didn’t see myself wearing this perfume. And I don’t like that bottle 🙁

          Will check out the SMN Elisa mentioned September 30, 2013 at 10:16am Reply

          • Anka: Yes, I feel uncomfortable using this hideous bottle, too … but the content is just superb! September 30, 2013 at 12:36pm Reply

            • Marvin: I quite love the bottle.

              However, the juice is only exciting on my skin for the first 20-30 mins. After that, it disappears into a vanilla-ey nothingness. October 3, 2013 at 4:16am Reply

        • george: Thirding Spicebomb. But if you reach for the tester, also try Calvin Klein Shock for him. September 30, 2013 at 10:20am Reply

    • rosarita: Hi, Lucas – I’ve not tried Costamor Tabbaca but I’ve read good things about it. It’s at Luckyscent, might be worth checking out. September 30, 2013 at 9:59am Reply

      • Lucas: I live in Poland, Europe. Luckyscent ships here but the price would be high. I will check if I can get a sample of Tabbaca somewhere closer, within EU. September 30, 2013 at 10:17am Reply

        • Safran: Hi Lucas,

          how about Tabacco from Odori? It’s a nice, slightly sweet and balsamic tobacco scent.
          Cheers
          Safran September 30, 2013 at 2:34pm Reply

    • Jan Last: Lucas, what about TM’s Amen Pure Malt?
      Beautifully crafted, the notes just slide into each other, very sexy September 30, 2013 at 11:29am Reply

    • nozknoz: Hi, Lucas! I agree on SSS Tabac Aurea and also like BK Back to Black and SL Fumerie Turque. Also, one of my favorite tobaccos is Ys Uzac Pohadka, which is very unusual, with its notes of mint and narcissus. I like it best for spring, though. September 30, 2013 at 8:40pm Reply

    • Karen: Loukhoum by Keiko Mecheri is worth a try. October 1, 2013 at 5:20am Reply

    • Laurels: Lucas, I haven’t tried Tabac Aurea or Tabac Rouge, and I’m pretty new to serious perfume sniffing, so I may be way off base, but Lalique Le Parfum reminded me of Tobacco Vanille with less of a cake frosting effect. It’s nicely vanillic, but doesn’t smell overly gourmand to me. (The tobacco quality I think it has may just be the patchouli, though.) October 1, 2013 at 7:27am Reply

    • Claudia: Hi Lucas,

      I would like to suggest the latest Mona di Orio, Violette Fumee, it has a wonderful tobacco note. It is sweetened by the use of cashmeran but does not go fully gourmand. You can order 5 ml samples from the Mona di Orio site, but I’m not sure if they also ship to Poland.
      Also SL Fumerie Turque has a great tobacco note, but has not much sweetness. It’s a Palais Royal exclusive though. October 2, 2013 at 5:15am Reply

    • Elia: I’d forgotten about Field Notes from Paris by Ineke. A soft tobacco, that doesn;t have an overblown sweetness. October 8, 2013 at 10:39am Reply

    • Karen: Hi – I’m a little late to this thread, but I have really enjoyed Lubin Idole EDP. It definitely turns boozy after a somewhat smoky (for me) opening. October 27, 2013 at 3:11pm Reply

  • Justice Jones: I am tired of so spending big bucks for perfume that lasts only a very short while on my skin. So,I need suggestions for long lasting full bodied but fresh florals. I do not want to overpower as I would in,say, Carnal Flower,but something more akin to Osmanthus Yunnan or Rose Ikebana if they would only stay awhile! Just bought Rose de Siwa which i love but which disappears almost immediately on me! OJ’s Frangipani is also a favourite, as is Delrae’s Coup de Foudre. They actually last! Any thoughts? September 30, 2013 at 9:19am Reply

    • Elia: Well Osmanthus Yunnan or Rose Ikebana are not known for longevity and are not cheap either, so I’m not sure exactly of the target area,
      but a simple solution would be Paris by YSL
      if you like Jasmine Sambac, Alien by Thierry Mugler certainly lasts,
      and I’d suggest Hothouse Flower by Ineke, that lasts forever. September 30, 2013 at 10:04am Reply

      • Austenfan: Maybe Estee Lauder’s PC Jasmine White Moss, or Tuberose Gardenia?
        Hermès Jour d’Hermès lasts surprisingly long for a Hermès.
        Prescriptives Calyx could with some effort be called a fresh floral and it lasts a good long time, plus it won’t cost you a fortune. September 30, 2013 at 10:26am Reply

      • Lucas: Try Parfum d’Empire Osmanthus Interdite or 3 Fleurs. They might do the trick September 30, 2013 at 10:35am Reply

    • Theresa: I find just about anything by Andy Tauer to be extremely long lasting. For a rich floral you might try his new Noontime Petals, or Carillon pour an ange is also nice (Lily of the Valley). All of his scents are very interesting, and I have recently fallen in love with Verdant – an unusual, pungent, mossy walk in the woods! September 30, 2013 at 1:42pm Reply

    • Az: I know what you mean! Have you tried SL Un Lys or Fleurs de citronnier? Both fresh, pretty florals, although some might call them boring, I don’t find them so. And they last a day and night on me. September 30, 2013 at 2:51pm Reply

      • Justice Jones: Yes for FM’s Un Lys! Powerfully stong if not a bit much. Will try the other. Thanks. October 1, 2013 at 9:31am Reply

    • Isis: Does Diorella count as a floral? It lasts well on me, and it is certainly fresh… And I love Chanel Cristalle and no. 19, both last really well on me too. I am not sure itf that is what you mean by a fresh floral though? September 30, 2013 at 4:24pm Reply

    • rainboweyes: What about Artisan Parfumeur Safran Troublant? October 1, 2013 at 6:33am Reply

    • Di: I would suggest a very lighted scented or unscented body cream to wear under your favorite perfume. It will make it last longer. Alternately, buy a mainstream floral which comes in a gift scent with its own body lotion. October 1, 2013 at 10:48am Reply

    • Ariadne: Hi JJ, I find that Atelier’s Rose Anonyme lasts a very long time on me probably because I have the cologne formula. It is a very sexy rose. It has a bit of Oud which I normally dislike but this one uses a light touch and the effect is wonderful. It is my Autumn fragrance this year. Prices seem to vary on this one depending on the vendor. A good price can be found by shopping around. October 1, 2013 at 2:44pm Reply

  • E.Lime: I recently fell in love with l’air de rien, and I want everything in my house to smell like it. Unfortunately, I can barely afford a sizable decant right now, so I will just stick to spritzing myself (I know there is a candle, but it’s out of my budget right now, too). Does anyone have any recommendations for candles or room scents that smell kind of like it? I know Turin mentions joss sticks–do you know of any candles that smell like that? (With a toddler, I’d prefer not to actually burn joss sticks!) September 30, 2013 at 9:27am Reply

  • Aisha: I am absolutely in love with Chanel’s Cuir de Russie, and have ordered a small decant of it. I was wondering if someone could recommend other quality leather fragrances that are … um … in the more affordable price range. 😉 September 30, 2013 at 9:31am Reply

    • Elia: You can get the discontinued Cabochard by Parfums Gres at great prices. September 30, 2013 at 9:49am Reply

    • maja: Cuir de Lancome is quite affordable and very lovely. 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 9:50am Reply

      • Isis: Seconding Cuir de Lancome!!! September 30, 2013 at 2:49pm Reply

        • Karen: Thirding Cuir de Lancôme! Love this but I’ve noticed prices are starting to go up so possibly best to try sooner rather than later. September 30, 2013 at 3:50pm Reply

          • Isis: It is discontinued though, right? If prices are going up, could there be any chance Lancome will decide to start making it again? September 30, 2013 at 4:06pm Reply

            • Aisha: Yup. I think it’s been discontinued. September 30, 2013 at 4:18pm Reply

            • annemariec: It has been d/c and the prices are going up, so anyone wanting to grab it needs to be quick. I counted myself very lucky to have picked up my bottle at $50. I read somewhere that Cuir de Lancome was very expensive to make. September 30, 2013 at 9:13pm Reply

    • rosarita: It’s been a long time since I smelled Cuir de Russie so I am not sure of what notes it has, but Parfums d’Empire Cuir Ottoman is an affordable and beautiful leather scent. Cuir de Lancome is more floral and less smoky, but it’s a bargain and very easy to wear. September 30, 2013 at 9:56am Reply

    • Anne of Green Gables: If you haven’t tried it already, how about Bottega Veneta? September 30, 2013 at 5:14pm Reply

      • Diane: I agree with Anne of GG – try Bottega Veneta. September 30, 2013 at 7:23pm Reply

    • Foxbins: Knize Ten is a lovely leather amber scent, affordable, and unisex. September 30, 2013 at 10:37pm Reply

    • Annikky: Hi, Aisha. I’m a huge Cuir de Russie fan, too, and I don’t think there is anything quite like it.

      My first thought was to recommend Cuir de Nacre, but then I realized it’s actually more expensive than the Chanel. And not as good, in my opinion.

      Bottega Veneta, Cuir de Lancome and Cuir Ottoman are all good ones to try. If you feel like going into the other direction and keeping the iris rather than the leather, I highly recommend Chanel No 19. It took me a while to get this particular classic, but now I love it and I feel there is an affinity between the two Chanels. Also, Victoria says that Aqua di Parma’s Iris Nobile has a similar structure to Cuir de Russie, although it’s of course much gentler and there will be no hit of tarry leather. October 1, 2013 at 5:46am Reply

    • rainboweyes: I’ve smelled Cuir de Russie only once and don’t remember it very well but Evody Cuir Blanc just came to my mind. I don’t know if these two are comparable but CB is an elegant iris/leather scent… October 1, 2013 at 4:14pm Reply

    • Aisha: Thank you all for your suggestions. October 1, 2013 at 10:47pm Reply

  • Andy: This is actually my first time participating in one of the Recommend Me a Perfume posts (I’m always intimidated when I see how many hundreds of comments there are, as I know if I click I will inevitably get sucked in happily reading all of them! 🙂 ). Anyway, I loved the slight “savory” facets of Etat Libre d’Orange Fils de Dieu, in particular the lime and coriander notes. However, unlike many others, I actually didn’t find the savory notes to be very prominent (I would liken Fils de Dieu more to rice pudding infused with jasmine than I would Thai curry paste). Are there any perfumes anyone can think of that might have the tropical, savory aspect I’m looking for? I’m craving a perfume that might include prominent notes of lime, coriander, ginger, cumin, kaffir lime leaf, cilantro, or perhaps a light touch of coconut; to some degree, a perfume that evokes Southeast Asian cuisine. I’ve been searching myself online without much luck, so any recommendations are welcome! Thanks! September 30, 2013 at 9:46am Reply

    • Elia: Bombay Bling is an interesting creation. Certainly tropical, with a lovely fleshy fruity opening which melds into the light spice of a curry pan. September 30, 2013 at 9:54am Reply

      • george: Casbah by Robert Piguet is a very savoury perfume. I’m not sure I would class it as tropical savoury- more middle eastern, but you might like? Rima by Carner Barcelona is quite a curried smell. Zizan by Ormonde Jayne has a nice blast of lime at the beginning but them settles in to more familiar Geza Schoen territory. The Guide also makes an allusion to Vietnamese Beef Salad for Diorella. If you want to follow that advice, you are best to try and get a bottle before the change in to Les Creations de Monsieur Dior bottles. Andy Tauer has a bit of a coriander love- see L’air du desert marocain. But they are all more bits and pieces of what I think you are looking for. Maybe you need to start your own niche line- it sounds great. September 30, 2013 at 10:14am Reply

        • Andy: Casbah and Rima sound fascinating! Thank you for all your recommendations. I think even though my original query was for a tropical savory perfume, I’m now realizing that perhaps I’m just interested in trying more perfumes that have a savory (as opposed to sweet) edge. September 30, 2013 at 5:10pm Reply

          • george: One more- Nuit de Tubereuse- mango, spices and tuberose. September 30, 2013 at 5:47pm Reply

            • Andy: Thanks! September 30, 2013 at 9:56pm Reply

          • george: In which case-it being savoury- pear and olive by Slumberhouse. (maybe see my comments later in the thread about this house). To my mind the Slumberhouse scents should be sampled by all, but will only be worn by the very few………. October 1, 2013 at 7:57am Reply

          • Isis: In that case, think you might enjoy Hermès Eau de Gentiane Blanche. I find it very salty, slighty bitter, a bit astringent, powdery, and absolutely perfect on some days. Its the most salty scent I have. October 1, 2013 at 11:17am Reply

            • Andy: I can remember liking Eau de Gentiane Blanche from the one time I tried it, but didn’t notice the saltiness you’ve mentioned. I’ll try to look for that facet the next time I have a chance to test it. October 1, 2013 at 3:55pm Reply

              • Isis: I haven’t seen a mention of saltiness in review of it, but I was just wearing it yesterday, and I definately pick up a good pinch of salt. I think it is worth a try. October 2, 2013 at 4:35pm Reply

      • Andy: I’ve been thinking Bombay Bling might be just the thing to try. Thanks for reminding me to sample it. September 30, 2013 at 5:05pm Reply

        • Elia: Well it’s on the sweet side. Definitely tropical but more sweet than savoury.
          Perhaps Mitzah for an elegant and beautifully balanced savoury. October 1, 2013 at 3:39am Reply

          • Annikky: It’s quite sweet to my nose, too. But the mango note is spectacular. October 1, 2013 at 5:48am Reply

    • Elisa: Liaisons Dangereuse has an interesting, almost savory coconut note in the opening, but then turns into a sweeter rose perfume. I also thought one of the “Garden of Good and Evil” scents from the same line had a distinct “Thai food” accord but I can’t remember which one it was. 🙂

      Marni has a nice mix of spices including ginger and cardamom.

      You might also check out Oyedo for its intense lime note. September 30, 2013 at 10:16am Reply

      • Andy: I’ll have to look into Liasons Dangereuse. The idea of a savory coconut note has me intrigued. Thanks for the other recommendations as well–I’m writing them all down! September 30, 2013 at 5:13pm Reply

      • Lavanya: I am wearing Marni right now and it is lovely and spicy- though I get more cinnamon (a lot!) than cardamom.. September 30, 2013 at 6:04pm Reply

        • Lavanya: ..and it is pretty sweet on my skin September 30, 2013 at 6:09pm Reply

    • Austenfan: It’s a very long time since I smelled it but Honoré des Prés Love Coco might fit the bill. It’s certainly odd, and not a sweet coconut at all.
      http://www.nstperfume.com/2010/12/09/ed-hardy-born-wild-honore-des-pres-love-coco-crabtree-evelyn-iris-quick-perfume-reviews/

      Another savoury perfume might be Diptyque’s L’Autre or Eau Lente. They don’t really meet the Asian cuisine criteria but are savoury and full of character. I think L’Autre might be discontinued but am not sure. September 30, 2013 at 10:31am Reply

      • Austenfan: http://graindemusc.blogspot.nl/2010/05/olivia-giacobettis-i-love-les-carottes.html

        Another more extensive review of Love Coco September 30, 2013 at 10:34am Reply

      • Erin T: Hey, the Love Coco is a great suggestion! Definitely foody, and Asian-inspired, I would say. September 30, 2013 at 12:43pm Reply

        • Andy: Sounds like it would be right up my alley! September 30, 2013 at 5:35pm Reply

      • Andy: It’s definitely time for me to try Love Coco. I read a few organic skincare blogs from time to time, and the Honoré des Prés line has been mentioned before. I was fascinated by the concepts of some of these perfumes, even more so when I saw that all were composed by Olivia Giacobetti. Thank you for the links and the Diptyque recommendations too! September 30, 2013 at 5:34pm Reply

    • Lucas: For coconut I suggest Bahiana from Maitre Parfumer et Gantier.
      A wonderful lime is 1873 from Histoires de Parfums.
      If you’re looking for powdery notes of rice, give a try to Poudre de Riz (Huitieme Art Parfums) September 30, 2013 at 10:41am Reply

      • Andy: Thank you for the ideas! The rice powder aspect of Fils de Dieu was another effect I’ve been after in other perfumes, and while easier to find, I hadn’t heard of Poudre de Riz. September 30, 2013 at 7:39pm Reply

    • Patricia: Andy, I think you might like Tommi Sooni I, with its notes of lime, lemon leaves, bay laurel, bergamot, and tobacco. It doesn’t quite fit the bill, but might be worth a try. I would have bought it for myself, but it was more masculine than I’m comfortable with. September 30, 2013 at 11:17am Reply

      • george: That sounds great. I shall look out for that. September 30, 2013 at 12:24pm Reply

      • Andy: Those notes all sound so very nice together. I’ll have to give it a try–thanks! September 30, 2013 at 10:01pm Reply

    • Gina: I haven’t smelled it, but what immediately came to mind was Hildi Soliani Mmm. It has notes of basil, butter and cheese! Savory, but not really tropical, so I don’t know if it would interest you. September 30, 2013 at 1:19pm Reply

      • Andy: Whoa! I haven’t heard of that one. It sounds like it would smell, dare I say, delicious! Thanks. September 30, 2013 at 10:02pm Reply

    • AnnieA: You say: savoury pudding and I say: safran troublant! I t doesn’t have the tropical side, though… September 30, 2013 at 1:57pm Reply

      • Andy: As I am reading all these recommendations, I’m finding that perhaps all I’m really looking for is a quirky savory perfume. Safran Troublant might be just the ticket! September 30, 2013 at 10:04pm Reply

        • Jennifer C: I don’t know if anyone else has recommended it, but if you’re looking for a savory perfume, Serge Lutens Arabie might be worth a try for you. I get a very Indian food vibe from it. October 1, 2013 at 12:53am Reply

          • Anne of Green Gables: I don’t know whether it’s just me but I had a similar vibe from Santal de Mysore. October 1, 2013 at 6:27am Reply

            • Isis: I keeping hearing things about Santal de Mysore that suggest I might really really like it…. argh I have no budget for samples at the moment…. October 1, 2013 at 11:19am Reply

            • Jennifer C: I haven’t tried Santal de Mysore, but I’ve heard that about it too. October 1, 2013 at 3:25pm Reply

        • Austenfan: If it is just savoury you are after I have 2 more recommendations:
          Diptyque Virgilio; green herbs and salt.
          Comme des Garçons Monocle Scent Two; Laurel, Bay leaf and olive. To me it smells like a high end Aleppo Soap, if such a thing existed. October 1, 2013 at 9:11am Reply

          • Andy: I really like all the Comme des Garçons I’ve tested so far, so the Monocle one sounds like it could be really promising. Thanks! October 1, 2013 at 10:33am Reply

        • Jeanette S.: Safran Troublant is AMAZING. My favorite scent ever. The only reason I don’t wear it all the time is the poor sillage and it wears off very quickly on me. 🙁 It’s a really gorgeous scent. October 29, 2013 at 4:38pm Reply

    • Neisha: Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin has a thai food accord on me. September 30, 2013 at 3:19pm Reply

      • Andy: I’ve passed up sampling Lime Basil and Mandarin more than once, but no more. Thanks, I’ll have to make sure I try that one for once and for all! September 30, 2013 at 10:05pm Reply

    • Lavanya: ooh- now you are making me crave such a perfume too- I might add galangal to your list of notes..:) Ok- now I just want to eat some Thai food..:D

      I think Anya of Anyasgarden had a perfume called kaffir that Kevin from NST raved about- I haven’t tried it though. As for savory scents- Tango from Aftelier Perfume always strikes me as a thick savory scent. I also really like Shiso from the same line- which is green and spicy too.

      I’ll be watching this thread for an actually lime-y, spicy scent recommendation- yum!! September 30, 2013 at 6:07pm Reply

      • Andy: Yes, please do add galangal! 🙂

        I haven’t tried anything from Anya’s Garden or Aftelier yet, but these both sound promising. Thank you! September 30, 2013 at 10:07pm Reply

      • jjlook: Eau D’Ete from PdN is actually limey, with something nutty and spicy mixed in. Very refreshing. October 1, 2013 at 10:54am Reply

    • Elena: Maybe Un Jardin Apres la Mousson? Definitely has a cardamom spice thing going on, with some melon and to me some ginger. I love the stuff. September 30, 2013 at 7:15pm Reply

      • Andy: I’ve smelled Apres la Mousson and now I’m remembering, there was something about it that was intriguingly odd. I think I’ll have to revisit it, because I really don’t remember it all that well. Thank you for reminding me! September 30, 2013 at 10:17pm Reply

    • nozknoz: Luca Turin notes that Diptyque L’Autre smells a bit like garam masala or chutney – might be worth a try. September 30, 2013 at 9:07pm Reply

      • Andy: Thanks! September 30, 2013 at 10:19pm Reply

    • Annikky: Hi, Andy, about time to participate 🙂

      I’ve lately been intrigued by savoury-salty aspects in scents, too, although not necessarily in the Thai curry context. The first one that came to mind after reading your request, was Ormonde Jayne Champaca – it has these slightly odd basmati and bamboo notes that I love. I’ve also just tried The Different Company’s Tokyo Bloom and while more Japan (obviously) than Malasia, it has basil and dandelion and I found it a great variation on the cologne theme. My favourite “salty” scent at the moment is also from TDC, their “Sel de Vetiver”. While it’s not really what you asked for, I believe you might enjoy it.

      In the other end of the spectrum, I think you could also try both Jubilations from Amouage. I just sprayed some on me (the feminine version) and I definitely get some curry vibe thanks to the cumin. Also, Rochas Femme seems very similar to me and much cheaper. October 1, 2013 at 6:09am Reply

      • Jay: Yes, try the OJ Champaca! To my nose the basmati note is very prominent, very delicious. October 1, 2013 at 8:09am Reply

      • Andy: These are all perfumes I’ve been thinking might help satisfy my savory cravings, so your endorsement is most appreciated! October 1, 2013 at 10:31am Reply

  • Belle: Hello again everyone! Time flies by, doesn’t it? I haven’t been able to try any of your recommendations yet (tAkes 3 months to get here from the US), but I do have some questions still.

    What are your favorite cheap niche houses? And I’ve recently discovered a Neil Morris’s fragrances, so I’m wondering what are your favorites from his house? Thank you all and ai hope you guys have fun! September 30, 2013 at 10:45am Reply

    • Hannah: I’m not entirely sure what “cheap” entails, but I think these are cheap for niche: Parfum D’Empire ($75/50m), Parfumerie Generale ($100/50ml), CdG (~$95/50ml). And my favorites from each one are: PdE Cuir Ottoman, PG Coze, and CdG….it’s hard to say but the original edp is probably my favorite but Wonderwood is the most wearable for me.
      I have a decant of Neil Morris Cafe. September 30, 2013 at 11:18am Reply

    • Lynley: Perfumes de Nicolai is probably the cheapest, and the small bottle sizes help. They also have lots of simply gorgeous perfumes too 🙂 I second Parfums d’empire too. L’artisan can be found at a good price on special online, as can some Serge Lutens. There’s also Tocca, and Etat Libre d’Orange. I find buying coffrets from places like Luckyscent a great way to try new lines, and they often work out to be both great costwise, and often just the right amount 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 12:29pm Reply

      • Annikky: I wholeheartedly second Parfums de Nicolai and ELdO, too (although they are discontinuing the smaller bottles). Diptyque isn’t terribly expensive, either, especially seeing the price points of most of the new lines. October 1, 2013 at 6:19am Reply

    • Theresa: You might look into Olympic Orchids, a very small operation in Washington. I particularly like (and bought FBs of) Salamanca and Ballets Rouges. You can obtain samples of the entire line very cheaply. September 30, 2013 at 1:46pm Reply

    • nozknoz: Smell Bent is one of the most affordable niche brands and I’ve seen a lot of positive comments on some of the scents. They offer sample packs, too. September 30, 2013 at 9:15pm Reply

    • annemariec: Sonoma Scent Studio is another very reasonable option. September 30, 2013 at 10:53pm Reply

      • Annikky: True, but it can be difficult to order from outside the US. October 1, 2013 at 6:21am Reply

    • Di: Ineke. I find her scents to be well made, long lasting and reasonably priced. She also does a good job of covering a range of scent categories. October 1, 2013 at 3:20pm Reply

    • Selina: Hi! I also absolutely adore the Parfum d’Empire line – another reasonably priced niche line is ‘Imaginary Authors’ which does some really interesting scents. October 3, 2013 at 4:20am Reply

      • Selina: Oh! – and i can’t believe i left it off! My favourite new discovery – the niche line ‘4160 Tuesdays’. These scents are amazing! And at a really reasonable price point too. Les Senteurs currently stock them.. October 3, 2013 at 4:24am Reply

  • Liz K: I have been waiting for Recommend Me a Perfume to come around again. It seems like I just end up trying to answer others’ questions and get too sidetracked to ask my own.
    I love CB I hate perfumes Wild Hunt and Under the Arbor but am afraid to buy either because I have heard that the water perfume versions are really short lived. Actually, I find my samples of the absolute are pretty fleeting and soft. I don’t want to knock people over but I do want something stronger than these. Anyone know of something similar? I am looking for an earthy outdoors scent without too much pine/cedar/hemlock. I love the drydown of SSS Forest Walk but the hemlock in the opening is too cinnamon and really puts me off.
    Is it weird that I want to smell like I have been rolling in the garden? I obviously don’t mind a hint of sweetness as in Under the Arbor but I don’t want to smell like a muddy candy factory either.
    PS. I have tried Dirt by Demeter and it is nicely inexpensive and smells like dirt but also has a chemical sharpness that I would prefer to avoid and isn’t very complex. September 30, 2013 at 12:57pm Reply

    • Theresa: Try Andy Tauer’s Verdant. It is totally unique in its scent profile, as far as I know. But it reminds me of rolling around in the pungent forest dirt. It is so delicious- I keep catching whiffs of it where it rubbed on my clothing, and it is addictive. I highly recommend! September 30, 2013 at 1:48pm Reply

      • Nadja Sand: I have heard that Brussles Sprouted from Smell Bent is quite similar to Verdant and much less expensive… October 1, 2013 at 8:52am Reply

    • Caroline: Try a sample of Vero Profumo’s Mito. While I wouldn’t call it a powerhouse, it’s a moderately long-lasting out-of-doors scent without any chemical vibe. Very lovely… September 30, 2013 at 2:28pm Reply

    • asali: I hadn’t read Theresa’s reply, and my immediate thought was Verdant. So, I absolutely second that. And I also thought of PG papyrus de ciane. Hope you find something to fit the bill 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 2:44pm Reply

    • Elia: Perhaps Foxcroft by Solstice Scents.
      It’s quite a light scent, but it is ‘nicely inexpensive’ so you could always over apply. October 1, 2013 at 4:11am Reply

    • Annikky: Have you tried Ormonde Jayne Woman? I know there is a lot of hemlock in there, but I still think it’s worth a try, if you haven’t – I am constantly looking for forest scents that don’t have too many conifers in them and Woman is still my favourite. Man is great, too, but it’s dryer and more juniper-y. October 1, 2013 at 6:26am Reply

    • Lynley: Have you tried Nasomatto Absinth? Very green and herbal and dirty and lovely 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 8:05am Reply

    • Nadja Sand: If you are willing to try perfume oil then I would recommend Samhain and/or Plougman from Haus of Gloi. Samhain is an autumn sent and available right now and Plougman is a spring line scent. I haven’t tried Ploughman but I love Samhain, it is all dark earth and wet leaves! As for green forest/garden scents without conifers I can think of a few Alkemia perfume oils. Vert Sur Le Vert, Moss Maiden, Grasslands and Gaea. October 1, 2013 at 8:50am Reply

    • Liz K: Thank you everyone for your recommendations! October 3, 2013 at 10:16am Reply

  • Yvonne: I have been on a quest for a sophisticated signature scent for a few months now which brought me to your blog, Victoria! I was blown over by the immense wealth of information, choices, reviews that I think I’m closer now but my favorites list of perfumes has now tripled in size. I’ve gone broke with the Perfumed Court and Amazon mini samples, lol!! I love Guerlian’s Samsara, Mitsouko, expanded to the Aquas Pampelune and Flora Nerolia, all the Chanel’s, esp Beige, Bois des Iles, expanded to the vintage Diors, love Miss Dior Cherie, have absolutely fallen for Creed’s Fleur de The Bulgare, enjoy Kenzo Jungle, tried Gucci Envy (yuck, smelled like heavy deodorant on me-not a fan of lily of the valley), love the flowers in YSl Paris, Kelly Caleche, Prada Infusion d’Iris, and SL La Fille de Berlin. My long winded (lol) question is what unique perfume that has a sophistication about it that I may be missing? I’m building my own perfume wardrobe :))any suggestions to perfumes I must have? September 30, 2013 at 2:32pm Reply

    • Caroline: 24 Faubourg by Hermes is a lovely sophisticated floral you might enjoy. September 30, 2013 at 2:37pm Reply

    • maja: I second Hermes 24, Faubourg.

      I assume that by all Chanels you mean N. 19, too – for me it is the ultimate sophistication. And also Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit. 🙂
      For a more gourmand sophistication Lolita Lempicka edp. It is just adorable. 🙂
      Oh, also Timbuktu by Artisan – incense/vetiver perfection. Elegant as ever. September 30, 2013 at 3:24pm Reply

      • Isis: For sophistication I would also reccomend 24 Faubourg, it is what I wear when I want to feel super chique. Have you tried anything Tom Ford? I really like Violet Blonde. September 30, 2013 at 4:11pm Reply

    • Elia: For unique and sophisticated I think of Coup de Coeur by L’Antichambre October 1, 2013 at 4:14am Reply

    • Ariadne: Yum yum to all in your growing collection! In time you might consider putting a Bulgari in there, maybe a vintage Caron, and YSL Rive Gauche 4 sure! October 1, 2013 at 2:55pm Reply

    • Connie: Oh, there are so many scents out there, the list of what one is missing is always so much longer than the list of what one has found. One thought though- I love the smell of lily of the valley and also hated Gucci Envy. I even somewhat agree with your deoderant descriptor. Don’t give up on a note just because of one perfume! Maybe give vintage Diorissimo a try, or Guerlain’s Muguet, you might be converted. October 8, 2013 at 3:38pm Reply

  • Yvonne: One more thing…I prefer long-lasting perfumes as well :)) Thank you all 🙂 September 30, 2013 at 2:35pm Reply

    • Karen: Amouage Gold is quite stunning, as is Divine by Divine. Arpege is very classic and sophisticated, long lasting. October 1, 2013 at 5:31am Reply

      • Austenfan: I second both of these! October 2, 2013 at 3:59pm Reply

  • Isis: I would like to take this opportunity to rave about Bois des Iles for a bit. I ordered a sample of BdI, even thought I am so far not a big fan of woody fragrances, just because Victoria adores it and I respect her opinion 🙂 . First try: just ‘meh’. I was so light and subtle to my nose that I found it very difficult even to understand what I was smelling. I had to press my nose against my wrist, sniff hard and stay focussed to get an idea of the character of this scent. So I figured, this is not my Chanel.

    Second try was a few days ago. I spray it on and expect little excitement. And then a small miracle happened. In the next 30 minutes I was completely mesmerized. I kept wondering what was smelling so lovely, because BdI didn’t feel like ‘wearing perfume’ to me and I kept forgetting I was wearing any. I find it hard to describe, but when I would sniff my wrist I still didn’t really get anything. As it developed I was absolutely stunned, it felt warm and comforting … like my-skin-but-absolutely-fenomenal. And still I could not consciously pick out any notes. Just unexpected whiffs of greatness everytime I forgot about it and was minding other things. It was not like a perfume, but like an invisible presence (I don’t mean to sound esoterical here, I am sorry). BdI felt like a warming wrap around my shoulders, but not made of wool but of pure sunshine. When a perfume has a recognizable character for me it usually has a specific color and texture in my mind, and this to me was dark warm brown, but completely translucent, like glass (I will stop the ranting now).

    This was a very weird experience for me, a perfume that I could at some moments not smell at all, and then out of nowhere really moved me anyway. It has such an unusual presence! I would love to know how other people find BdI works on their skin, and what kind of presence it has to you. I asked my husband, and all he had to say that he found it ‘nice’ but very ‘tiny’ ….. September 30, 2013 at 2:37pm Reply

    • Yvonne: Yes, Isis, BDI is stunning! I wore it just yesterday and today find myself breathing from my wrist (to catch a whiff of Beige). September 30, 2013 at 3:00pm Reply

    • Isis: And again, I apologize for the length of my text… please understand that you people are the only ones I can bother with my Bois-Des-Iles-epiphany… my friends could not care less about this-new-chanel-Isis-discovered… September 30, 2013 at 4:14pm Reply

      • george: Yeah BdI is great. It’s hard not to recommend it to everyone who puts a request in to this thread………. September 30, 2013 at 5:53pm Reply

      • Annikky: Isis, no need to apologize. I’m sure everyone here understands completely… I find BdI lovely and a bit melancholy and I think I might like the parfum version even better. Need to find a way to try. October 1, 2013 at 6:33am Reply

        • Cornelia Blimber: Don’t worry, we love this kind of stories! October 1, 2013 at 8:18am Reply

          • Isis: Thank you! I tried ranting about perfume to a friend the other day. She looked at me like she was contemplating calling a psychiatrist for me. October 1, 2013 at 11:05am Reply

    • Jay: I’m so happy you found a perfume you fell wholeheartedly in love with! Unfortunately Bois Des Iles, while absolutely lovely, lasts maybe 12 minutes on me in the EdT form. Perhaps someday I’ll spring for the extrait.

      Re your husband- my boyfriend has never cared about/for my fragrances, except bizarrely some Escada tropical body spray gifted to me by a family friend who always thinks of me as 10 years younger than I am! Ah, well… October 1, 2013 at 8:05am Reply

  • Rita Sanyal: Hi for cool days of fall Estee lauder sensous for women.It screams SEXY!!!!!! September 30, 2013 at 3:29pm Reply

  • Sheri: First, many thanks to all of you who gave me recommendations in past “Recommend Me”s for replacements for Jil Sander No. 4 – much appreciated! So far, I’ve learned that it’s more fun to have multiple fragrance choices (I even have daytime vs. bedtime choices now!), and have sprung for FBs of PdN Le Temps d’Un Fete, Tom Ford Violet Blonde, Chanel 19 EDT, and Chanel Cristalle EDP. I thought when the weather turned cooler I would gravitate to the warm, spicy Ford, but instead have been reaching for the Cristalle EDP – it’s very comforting somehow, and for me complements the rainy weather we suddenly have here in Oregon (6 inches in one weekend, after temps in the 90s the week before!).

    I’m now starting to wish for a tea scent for fall – something fairly light, but maybe a little quirky. Does anyone have a suggestion along those lines? September 30, 2013 at 4:53pm Reply

    • AnnieA: Sheri, PB Eau Rare Matale is a nice, smoky trea, if not as long-lasting as it used to be. September 30, 2013 at 5:09pm Reply

    • Liz K: I love Bulgari Red Tea. It is inexpensive and very light. Although it isn’t exactly a true tea scent (the opening smells exactly like rooibos tea), it settles down to what I usually expect and don’t ever get from the true teas. It is one of my favorite office appropriate scents and one of the few that I can usually wear even if I am not sure whether I have a migraine coming on. September 30, 2013 at 5:41pm Reply

    • maja: I’d say Bvlgari Omnia, the original, but it has been discontinued. Maybe you can still find it online. It is a lovely, delicately spiced tea. September 30, 2013 at 5:56pm Reply

    • Yvonne: I love the juiciness and tea scent of Fig Tea by Parfums de Nicolai. September 30, 2013 at 6:28pm Reply

    • E.Lime: L’artisan’s The Pour un Ete is quite nice, with a beautiful tea note and a light feel to it. September 30, 2013 at 9:44pm Reply

    • Andy: I am going to second Bulgari’s Au Thé Rouge. It is discontinued but still easy to find online, and is not terribly expensive. I think it may be considered an eau du cologne concentration, but I get several hours of wear (as a skin scent, more or less, after the opening) from a few sprays. It does not exactly smell like any particular tea, but is quite wispy, like inhaling the vapors rising off a steaming cup. September 30, 2013 at 9:56pm Reply

      • Hannah: Au The Rouge was my favorite of their tea lines. And besides Black, Omnia was my favorite of their fragrances in general. A few years ago there were rumors of Black being discontinued and I’m surprised it is still produced seeing as they like to discontinue my favorites. September 30, 2013 at 10:03pm Reply

        • Andy: I would be so sad if they ever discontinued Black, as it’s one of my top favorites. It is such a staple for me, especially in cooler weather. I agree, Thé Rouge is probably my favorite in the tea series, even more so than Au Thé Vert. I spritzed it on before I went to sleep last night and the gentle vapors that rose to me were a reminder of why I love it so. September 30, 2013 at 10:30pm Reply

    • Sheri: Annie, Liz, Maja, Yvonne, E.Lime, Andy and Hannah – thank you all so much for the suggestions! The Bulgaris sound like definite possibilities, and I’m happy to have another PdN to try (they’re always interesting, if nothing else!). And the notion of smoke in the Eau Rare Matale is really intriguing – must investigate. Yay! September 30, 2013 at 10:58pm Reply

      • HB: Hi Sheri – A hello from a fellow Oregonian! Our crazy rain had me putting on Mito this eve – which is a bit bizarre given that I am chilly, but it’s lovely. Maybe to cmbat that feeling of clammy because it’s got an edge? Who knows. For your quest: I don’t have a tea scent to add, however for some smoke that’s light I have loved Chanel Sycomore. You may enjoy it for how sheer it is. For some reason I equate it with tea even though it’s not actually that. And I’m a tea drinker… October 1, 2013 at 1:24am Reply

        • AnnieA: Sycomore reminds me of tea as well, obliquly. I think it’s the smokiness. October 1, 2013 at 1:19pm Reply

        • Sheri: Hi HB – nice to hear from a fellow webfoot. 🙂 I just read Victoria’s review of Mito and it sounds beautiful and exactly the kind of thing I would love, rain or not. Thanks for the suggestion!

          Annie, thank you for suggesting Sycomore – just in the past week or so I’ve been testing it. I think it will be an acquired taste for me by itself, but I discovered that layering Bel Respiro over the Sycomore is rather nice … and kind of reminds me of OJ Woman. Like Woman’s less-wordly younger cousin perhaps. And you’re right – I DO get a bit of tea from it! October 1, 2013 at 2:37pm Reply

          • Theresa: And greetings from yet another Oregonian! Sycomore is one of my favorites- I wear it regularly. For me it was “love at first sniff” which has only intensified! Today, to combat the chilly dampness of the weather, I put on a small spritz of Elixir Aromatics. cheers and stay dry! October 1, 2013 at 3:15pm Reply

        • Sheri: HB, I ordered a sample of Mito after reading your post above (even though it wasn’t really meant as a rec), and the sample came today. Love love love at first sniff! Couldn’t wait a single second to post a thank-you note. 🙂 October 11, 2013 at 6:32pm Reply

    • Elia: Five O’Clock Au Gingembre is one of the nicest teas I’ve tried.
      I also think Dorian by BPAL is a very good tea. October 1, 2013 at 3:41am Reply

      • Sheri: Elia, the Five O’Clock sounds delicious – will definitely check it out. And I’d never heard of BPAL before, but their website is a total hoot (especially now that Halloween is near), and what an enormous catalog of scents! Thank you for the suggestions! October 1, 2013 at 4:59pm Reply

    • Jay: I am going to n-th the Bvlgari The Rouge, and I also like Osmanthe Yunnan by Hermes, although that may be a little too well-behaved for you. October 1, 2013 at 8:02am Reply

      • Sheri: Jay, thank you for the n-th on the Bvlgari – it’s now on my wish list at STC. And Osmanthe Yunnan sounds lovely (at least, Victoria review of it is lovely), so I will give it a try as well, even if it IS well-behaved. 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 5:04pm Reply

    • Nina Zolotow: CB I Hate Perfume has a Russian Caravan Tea scent. It actually smells more like Earl Grey tea to me (not smokey like Russian tea). It’s very pure and clear smelling. October 1, 2013 at 10:58am Reply

      • Sheri: Nina, thank you for suggesting Russian Caravan – I love Earl Grey and wouldn’t have suspected something with “Russian” in the name would have Earl Grey characteristics. I’d been wanting to try something by CB I Hate Perfume anyway, so this is the perfect opportunity. 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 5:08pm Reply

  • Yvonne: Caroline, Isis and Maja, thank you for your lovely endorsements. I will try Hermes 24. And Maja, I was including No.19 and Cristalle, Coromandel, etc (I fear I’m a Chanel addict, cutting my perfume baby teeth as a teen with No.5 and COCO). I still need to try Cuir de Russie). It sounds wonderful! I’m still looking for Blonde Goddess and haven’t tried the Tom Fords yet (a bit expensive, that and Amouage). I purchased Lolita L a year ago and it was little too much something, gifted it to my friend who smells lovely in it. I do have samples of Fracas, very interesting and Hermes Eau de Merveilles and Mandarine Ambree, very lovely for autumn. Next sample will be Brin de Reglisse, love lavender and something with Brazilian nut, if possible. September 30, 2013 at 5:52pm Reply

    • maja: Lolita L is a bit too much for me too, but the original Lolita sold today as Le Premier Parfum is really great. Do try it. 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 2:20am Reply

    • zari: Yvonne, based on your earlier comment and this one – it seems we like very similar scents. I also suggest you try the Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka. I have worn it since it first came out and still really love it. Do you like the EDP or EDT of Cristalle? There is something about the EDP that very interesting to me – it smells so distinct and so different from many other similar minded perfumes. October 1, 2013 at 9:56am Reply

      • Yvonne: Zari, who knows, we may be kindred spirits?! Lol! I will sneak a spritz of Lolita L from my friend and see if perhaps I misjudged Ms. L? I have Cristalle Edt and it’s got a smoky opening at first spray (quite surprising as though someone blew a plume of smoke followed by a bright richness of green and florals my way. It’s very nice, but I must try the EDP and compare the two. October 1, 2013 at 8:59pm Reply

        • zari: maybe! 🙂 also, I meant Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka (the original that smells of anise and licorice). October 4, 2013 at 10:15am Reply

  • Nadja Sand: I am a huge fan of most of the Slumberhouse scents and fear that my love for these scents have spoiled me for almost any other perfume! It just seems like none of the other scents I have sampled can at all compare with the awesomeness that is Slumberhouse Sova/Jeke/Norne… While it is great to have found such fabulous scents so early in my fragrance journey I really don’t want the adventure to be over… I want to explore more deep, dark, odd and full-bodied scents with impressive longevity! September 30, 2013 at 7:39pm Reply

    • Hannah: I feel the same way about Black Cashmere. I was looking for a replacement but NOTHING was comparing. I had thought the reissue was limited but it’s still being sold so I don’t have to care about the replacement yet. September 30, 2013 at 7:49pm Reply

      • Nadja Sand: I will have to put Black Cashmere on my list! It doesn’t seem odd or dark enought to satisfy my craving but it does look nice and spicy! October 1, 2013 at 8:24am Reply

        • Hannah: Well, I don’t know how odd and dark the Slumberhouse perfumes are. I was actually just saying that I have the same problem, just with another perfume. But, I do definitely recommend Black Cashmere. It has a burning candle/candle wax accord in the middle which I haven’t smelled in anything else. It is very dark for a mainstream release but there are darker perfumes out there.
          I’ve heard mixed reviews about the sillage and longevity. For me, it lasts all day and I can smell it in the morning. I’ve heard other people say it is gone within a few hours, which I find baffling but I suppose it is an issue of body chemistry. Black Cashmere was what I brought to Berlin with me when I was there and I only just emptied out my suitcase (I returned in February….:X) and my nightie smelled like Black Cashmere. I don’t wear perfume to bed and I rarely refresh my perfume later in the day. The sillage is moderate but I prefer low to moderate sillage because I think it is more ~*intimate*~ that way. Black Cashmere is my go-to feminine/seductive perfume (I’m not really seducing anyone tho). I hate most of what is considered “feminine” even though I consider myself to be a very feminine person. Recently I’ve decided that I don’t want to be feminine but I’d rather be ~*~*womanly*~*~. So it is hard for me to find a feminine perfume that I like. Ormande Jayne Woman seems like it should be perfect but I keep putting my sample back into the purgatory baggie. So maybe it’ll fill a void in your collection that the Slumberhouses can’t. October 1, 2013 at 12:00pm Reply

    • Elia: Tauers are full bodied and often odd with all day longevity and huge sillage. October 1, 2013 at 3:59am Reply

      • Nadja Sand: I have only tried two Tauers, Noontide Petals and L’Air du Desert Marocain. Noontide Petals is not my thing, too bright and sparkly… I actually thought that I would like LAdDM but I was quite underwhelmed. It was just not very interesting. Any recommendations on what Tauer I might like better? October 1, 2013 at 7:43am Reply

        • Elia: I liked Incense Rose most. It’s a well worked combination, however it can be overwhelming. I remember shooting a single spray to the neck on a work day, and walking around with my neck fully extended all day just to give myself room to breathe.
          Orange Star is rather straightforward, so it might not interest you, but it does deliver in spades.
          Lonestar Memories is drowned in birch tar, which I really don’t like, but it has its fans and you might like it.

          I’d missed the obvious.
          I recommend Puredistance M October 1, 2013 at 8:30am Reply

          • Nadja Sand: I am a bit afraid of both incense and rose, they are notes that seldom work on me but it might be worth a try anyway… Birch tar is very much my thing so Lonestar Memories is definitely moving up to the top of my list! Puredistance M too! October 1, 2013 at 9:01am Reply

    • Annikky: What about Mona di Orio? I don’t have much luck with them, but they seem to mach the description. And I think you should definitely try Vero Profumo, especially Onda and Rubj. October 1, 2013 at 6:39am Reply

      • Nadja Sand: Hi Annikky! I have so far only tried Les Nombres d’Or Cuir but I really like that one. It’s not as dark, as deep or as long lasting as the Slumberhouse scents but I really love the dry herbal leather in Cuir! I am all lemming for Nuit Noire but it’s of course discontinued so my want for it is rather hopeless… Can’t help myself though, the thought of leather/tuberose just sounds so intoxicatingly good! Which of the Nombres do you think I might enjoy? October 1, 2013 at 8:04am Reply

        • Annikky: Cuir was my first thought, actually, but maybe also Tubereuse and Oud? I haven’t tried the new Violettte Fume yet, but I seem to recall you are OK with violets, so this could be interesting, too.

          Talking about unconventional tuberose pairings, what about Aftelier Cepes & Tuberose? Have you tried it? I can send you some when back in Tallinn, I’ve got a pretty generous sample somewhere. October 2, 2013 at 5:31am Reply

          • Nadja Sand: Tubereuse sounds fantastic! As does Vanille actually, I have a weakness for spicy vanillas… 😉 Violette Fume is perhaps a bit too fresh for me, what with the lavender and the clary sage… How much citrus is there in Oud? I’m not at all fond of citrus notes, or patchouli for that matter, so I’m a bit hesitant to sample Oud…

            Cepes & Tuberose sounds interesting! I haven’t tried it but I’m really intrigued by the mushroom note! If you could send me a sample I would be eternally grateful! October 2, 2013 at 10:17am Reply

            • Cornelia Blimber: Are you talking of Mona di Orio Oud? That is the most soft, rich, natural smelling oud you can imagine. The hint of citrus is very, very subtle.
              Such a pity that this prtfume costs 375 euro! I emptied a sample, and now I miss it terribly. There are also 3 rollerbottles for € 175, but who wants this treasure in rollerbottles..like a deodorant, in rollerbottles…! October 2, 2013 at 12:14pm Reply

              • Nadja Sand: Yeah, we are talking Mona di Orio! Thanks for describing the Oud, I’m glad to hear that the citrus is subtle! I have the Cuir as a rollerbottle and I actually kind of like it, rollerbottles that is! It feels kind of sensual to roll it on! But then again I’ve never used roll on deodorants so I don’t have that association. And I love indie perfume oils, where rollerbottles are very common. October 2, 2013 at 3:22pm Reply

    • george: Those slumberhouse scents are crazeeeeee! What with their 35 percent concentration and also the unremittingly dark palette you point out they are really going in the opposite direction of most (if not all) of the market. I don’t think there is much on the market (if anything) that compares to them, because most perfumers will bung in at least a bit of citrus or some pretty floralness. Accordingly, I recommend some what I would consider similarly extreme scents- Iris Silver Mist, Musc K Khan and Tubereuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens; Portrait of a Lady by Malle (don’t be fooled by this being a ubiquitous rose, this is an extreme scent); Patchouli 24 by Le labo too. The Tauer range is good: if you can take Slumberhouse, you might well be able to take the very tarry Lonestar Memories. But if you can’t go that far, there are others in the range. Otherwise, you probably need to be looking to the traditional dudes section of the perfumery counter- Dior Homme, Aramis and Antaeus may all be ones you can easily acquire. (you might also want to try some of the hermes range, not because they are like Slumberhouse but because Ellena’ aesthetic is very opposite, and if you like some or any of them- such as terre d’hermes- it might open you up to liking other possibilities) But I emphasise- no mainstream perfumery house has the same aesethetic as Slumberhouse; I don’t think the 35 percent concentration is even reached by most extract level perfumes from other houses; or uses so many heavy molecules (Tauer is probably the nearest I know of). If Darth Vader were a perfumer, he would be creating perfumes like Slumberhouse’s, and for most people- dare I say- they would be just too much. October 1, 2013 at 7:54am Reply

      • george: Having said that I am going to recommend pear and olive, as probably the most wearable of the range to Andy earlier in this thread! October 1, 2013 at 7:54am Reply

        • Nadja Sand: Hah! Pear + Olive is actually about the only Slumberhouse scent that I have disliked. It was just to ordinary and too light (as opposed to dark) for me… I have been absolutely swept off my feet by Sova, Jeke, Norne and Kere. I don’t find them to be too much at all, they are just enough to satisfy me, which might be the reason why I am so dissatisfied with most other perfumes… I find it really hard to find suitably dark scents outside of Slumberhouse and various indie perfume oil brands… So far I have only found one other niche brand that has a similarly dark aesthetic, Olympic Orchids (I absolutely adore Tropic of Capricorne)! I have been glancing at the Serge Lutens line but so far only tried Iris Silver Mist (too much of a carrot scent on me). If it is very tarry then I might definitely enjoy Lonestar Memories, that one is going on the list! I have completely moved out of the mainstream nowadays… There is only one mainstream scent left on my full bottle list and that is Dior Homme Intense. I really like that one and would love to have it as a comfortable every day kind of scent… October 1, 2013 at 8:22am Reply

          • george: Oh my, you have gone over to the dark side! I was also going to recommend the Comme des Garcons incense range- esp. Avignon, and also Black (though I haven’t smelled that), and also M/Mink by Byredo. But I am worried now that they wouldn’t be dark enough (with the exception of Black). My previous recommendations were also more because of extremity rather than darkness (I find the slumberhouse range both dark and extreme) so all might not be right for you, if its particularly the darkness that you like. October 1, 2013 at 8:38am Reply

            • Nadja Sand: CdG Blak is definitely on my radar. When I read descriptions like smoky, balsamic, leather my heart beats a little faster! I’m a bit iffy about incense and ny scent with incense in the name, but I’ll look into it! I have sniffed M/Mink in the bottle and it is certainly a unique one, but to be frank, it smells a bit too much like an unclean urinal for me to want it on my skin. Fecal scents are a blast and skanky scents too, but urine turns me off…

              Yeah, it’s safe to say that I have gone over to the dark side. Or rather I have always been there which is the primary reason why I have never been very into perfume before… There was no mainstream perfume that really satisfied me. I only got into perfume when I found dark indie/niche perfumes. October 1, 2013 at 9:09am Reply

    • Austenfan: I have no idea whether you will like it as I have never smelled any Slumberhouse scents but I have no fragrance in my collection with more sillage and more tenacity than ELd’O Rien. It doesn’t cost the earth, samples are easily available, so why not give it a go? October 1, 2013 at 9:17am Reply

      • Nadja Sand: Rien does sound like it could be my thing! The aldehydes and the incense are what has made me hesitate so far, I’m not much of a fan of either note… but leather is a big favorite! October 1, 2013 at 10:25am Reply

      • AnnieA: Hear, hear! I have perfume-eating skin, and Rien is the only perfume to prevail. It’s there 24 hours later, and it takes two washes to get it off clothing. I wear it when I want to be an Executive Lady, just like in a mid-century film. October 1, 2013 at 1:16pm Reply

    • nightporter: Are you familiar with Soivohle? I think you should try Underworld and Domino Viole. Anubis, Carpathian Oud and Oudh Lacquer sound promising but I haven’t tried them myself. Liz Zorn has a very distinctive style that you might like. I would also recommend Black Rosette by Strange Invisible Perfumes. It has lots of birch tar. October 1, 2013 at 12:49pm Reply

      • Nadja Sand: I have looked a bit at Soivohle but I have hesitated in ordering samples becuse they are rather pricy and I haven’t read any reviews… That said several of the scents intrigue me (I especially have a thing for tuberose paired with anything dark/dirty) and I will pick up some samples when I have more money!

        I haven’t reaslly been interested in Black Rosette because of the fresh notes of mint, tea and the dreaded rose but birch tar in addition to the leather note takes it right up on my list! Thank you! October 1, 2013 at 4:26pm Reply

        • nightporter: Underworld is a spicy vetiver. Earthy, dark and kind of melancholic. One of my absolute favorites. And this comes from someone who really likes Slumberhouse!

          The top notes of Black Rosette are quite medicinal, a bit like tiger balm. I have a tiny sample of the pure perfume but unfortunately can’t afford a bottle.

          If you like tuberose with dark and dirty, you might want to try Cocoa Tuberose by Providence Perfume Co. It has good projection and longevity for a natural. October 2, 2013 at 12:51pm Reply

          • Nadja Sand: Thanks for the suggestions! Underworld sounds fabulous! I’m enjoying vetiver more an more! I can handle medicinal notes so I’ll go for a sample of Black Rosette when I get some money!

            From the fragrantica page I get the impression that Cocoa Tuberose is more about the Cocoa with very little tuberose? Is that your experience too? Cocoa scents have a tendency of going rather flat on me with the cocoa overpowering everything else. Even Slumberhouse Ore turned out flat and uninteresting… So I am a bit hesitant to sample cocoa scents. October 2, 2013 at 3:30pm Reply

            • nightporter: Yes, Cocoa Tuberose is definitely more cocoa than tuberose. So it might not work for you. But I like it better than Ore. Cocoa Tuberose is, at least to me, darker and more interesting.

              I have more suggestions… You mentioned Mona di Orio Cuir. Definitely get a sample of Vanille from the same line, if spicy vanillas are your thing. For tuberose and leather, I recommend Tableau de Parfums Loretta. It has quite prominent notes of plum and cinnamon as well, very rich. October 3, 2013 at 1:33pm Reply

              • Nadja Sand: Ore was a bit of a disappointment for me… I got nothing but bitterly dark cocoa from it… When I get around to sampling Providence Perfumes I might get a sample of Cocoa Tuberose anyway!

                Loretta has been on my list of things to sample but I had forgotten that it was a tuberose/leather combo! Now I’ll have to try it! I don’t understand why leather/tuberose is such a rare combo! I have only tried it through layering a simgle note leather perfume oil with another perfume oil with a dominant tuberose note… but the result was so incredibly gorgeous!! October 3, 2013 at 6:42pm Reply

      • Hannah: Oh, Underworld used to get recommended to me all the time. One of the reviews on fragrantica says it smells like an indie scent called Zodiac Capricorn. Since my ascendant and venus are Capricorn (I luv my chart sun/mercury/mars/pluto: Scorpio, ascendant/venus/jupiter/saturn/uranus: Capricorn, moon: Taurus), this intrigues me. My favorite sailor scout as a child was Sailor Saturn and she was all about death and destruction. (Saturn rules Capricorn if this seems out of place). Now I really want to know who makes this Zodiac Capricorn perfume but googling is not fruitful at all.
        Black Rosette is another that I wanted to try for years but I probably won’t ever. It’s funny that this perfume was crazy expensive to me but it is cheaper than the By Kilian Asian Tales perfumes (in the edp). October 4, 2013 at 8:41pm Reply

    • Selina: Hi Nadja!

      It sounds like we have pretty similar taste in scent doesnt it?!

      Sadly i don’t think there is anything out there that is quite like the slumberhouse scents – but other scents not a million miles away from their ethos that have recently intrigued me are:
      Union – ‘Celtic Fire’ is a really interesting scent. I’m probably going to buy this i suspect – its rich, earthy, smoky and really unusual -with a hint of Marmite!
      ‘Musc ravageur’ for a rich animalistic scent – my other half described this as ‘Pets at home meets Vics vapour rub -but in a good way’. He is spot on!
      ‘Ferme Tes Yeux’ -smells like a bunch of Triffids poised to strike in a Moonlit jungle!
      ‘The Lion Cupboard’ -4160 Tuesdays – all rich, woody spicy and masculine that goes on quite feminine (on me at least!).
      ‘Bull’s Blood’. I’m considering this -despite the fact that it does have roses in it. My friend was disturbed by the metallic blood approximation! I think the roses have been added to make it more approachable to many, and they do balance the musk, tobacco patchouli and costus root – certainly worth a try…
      ‘Ambre Russe’ -someone once brilliantly described this as being a perfume that you will either perceive as a cuddly kitten, or a mean one eyed furry rapist. It made me purchase a sample immediately. I see it as a very cuddly kitten, but i adore it! Another brilliant description conjured Russian vodka swilling sailors in smoky pubs, their chests smeared in spiced honey. An absolute must try!

      The Parfum D’Empire and Parfumerie Generale lines have some really exotic scents in them. So far ive only scratched the surface with them but they all seem to be worth a decant at the very least! Hope that helps! October 3, 2013 at 5:09am Reply

      • Nadja Sand: We do seem to share a taste for weird, dark and deep perfumes, yes!

        Thank you for these suggestions!! I haven’t tried any of them but they all sound like stuff I would really enjoy!! October 3, 2013 at 6:35pm Reply

      • Nadja Sand: Oh, and I have to say thet the UK postal service sucks! You just got me all interested in 4160 Tuesdays but with the new regulations against shipping perfume I will not be able to get my hands on any scents from that place… A pity because the scents were excting and the prices very reasonable!

        Here’s to hoping that postal services all over the world get less paranoid about shipping perfume! October 3, 2013 at 7:00pm Reply

        • Selina: Hi Nadja!

          Yes the UK postal services do completely suck!

          I do know theres a shop that also stocks them called ‘Les Senteurs’. I have no idea if they can ship outside the UK -but it might be worth contacting them on the off chance? I have my fingers crossed for you -and if they don’t i really apologise for piquing your interest there! October 4, 2013 at 7:00pm Reply

  • Hannah: German Bois de Jasmin readers (or anyone who lives where Jil Sander perfume is very popular): does Diptyque Philosykos smell like Jil Sander Sun to you? Once I wore it on a date and my date asked me if it was Sun and said it was taking him back to his awkward early dating years. Was he just crazy or do they really smell similar? I usually don’t let other people’s comments bother me but it kind of turned me away from Philosykos and I’m sorting through my samples to decide what to take with me when I go to Hamburg. September 30, 2013 at 7:46pm Reply

    • Anne of Green Gables: Hmm… Jil Sander is definitely popular here as well as Boss. I haven’t tried Sun but after reading your comment, I’m really curious to test it to see if it is similar to Philosykos. October 1, 2013 at 7:19am Reply

    • rainboweyes: I have to test it too! Judging by the notes I can’t imagine any resamblance, though… October 1, 2013 at 8:52am Reply

    • rainboweyes: I had the opportunity to try Jil Sander Sun today. It was the first thing I saw in a huge display after entering our local Douglas perfumery, obviously they are selling it at discount prices now.
      Well, to my nose it doesn’t smell like Philosykos at all. I remember Philosykos as a green, fresh, woody scent with a slightly milky touch to it. JS Sun is quite the opposite – powdery, sweet and cloying. It’s not a big surprise, though, if you compare the notes – heliotrope, amber, musk, tonka bean and vanilla – all of them quite prominent. To me, a big lover of sober iris scents, JS Sun falls into the scrubber category.
      I wouldn’t bother too much about your date’s comment, people tend to smell the weirdest things in my scents: jasmine in 28 La Pausa, musks in Dzongkha and tea in Iris de Nuit… October 5, 2013 at 5:05pm Reply

      • Hannah: I’m happy to know that if I bring it, I won’t send anyone back to their awkward teenage years. I have so many samples of Philosykos. I used to never list alternatives when I ordered samples from Aedes and they always sent it. Then I bought something in the store and they threw in yet another sample of Philosykos. I have 3 right now and I’ve had others that I gave away. October 5, 2013 at 10:57pm Reply

        • Anne of Green Gables: Hi Hannah, I just came back from my trip. I tested Sun at the duty free and it’s nothing like Philosykos. As rainboweyes said, I found it too sweet and cloying to the point that it was unpleasant. To my nose, it smells slightly similar to Nivea sunscreens. So I think you can safely wear Philosykos. October 6, 2013 at 10:00am Reply

    • rainboweyes: I just found out that Sun was created by Pierre Bourdon. Yes, it’s a typical Bourdon scent, if it helps a bit… I can definitely recognize the powderiness of Iris Poudre and Ferré… October 5, 2013 at 5:09pm Reply

  • Karina: Hi everyone 🙂

    I have realised that the perfumes I like best are all pretty intense in terms of notes and sillage. My favourites are Fracas, Michael Kors (I adore tuberose), TF Black Orchid, La Fille de Berlin, Guerlain Samsara and JPG Classique.

    There are days when I wish to wear something similar to these fragrances but lighter and more airy. Any thoughts? September 30, 2013 at 9:35pm Reply

    • annemariec: Have you tried Kenzo’s Ca Sent Beau by any chance? It mixes tuberose and other white flowers with citrus (tangerine and bergamot), some fruit and a hint of spice. The result is strange but lovely, and much more airy than usual in a tuberose fragrance. Longevity is good though. Read the reviews and try and sample before you buy though, because Ca Sent Beau is an odd one. September 30, 2013 at 11:00pm Reply

      • Caroline: That sounds interesting, Annemarie…will seek out a sample. Karina, the newish Le Labo Lys 41 might hit the spot. It’s a white floral that’s not quite as big the ones on your list. It does have coconut, though, so you have to not be bothered by that. September 30, 2013 at 11:37pm Reply

        • Karina: Hi Caroline, I’m dying to try some of the Le Labo perfumes, they aren’t available where I live so I may have to make a pilgrimage to a major city nearby or order some samples! I will put Lys 41 on my list to try, I love coconut too when it is done well so that just makes me more interested in it! Thanks 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 1:12am Reply

      • Karina: I haven’t tried Ca Sent Beau, I just looked it up briefly and I’m intrigued by the notes listed! Thank you annemarie, I will give it a go. October 1, 2013 at 1:09am Reply

    • Elia: For Tuberose, Ophelia by Heeley would be my suggestion. Tuberose is by definition heavy but Ophelia is of the lighter ones, lifted nicely by a metallic edge. October 1, 2013 at 3:44am Reply

      • Karina: Thank you Elia, the notes in Ophelia sound very pretty and I would be interested to find out how tuberose with a metallic element is! October 1, 2013 at 4:41am Reply

        • Elia: hope you like it October 1, 2013 at 5:57am Reply

    • Annikky: For tuberose, EL Tuberose Gardenia and for rose, Tom Ford Cafe Rose. The latter isn’t really airy and some would claim it’s quite rich, but I personally find it well-behaved and sophisticated. October 1, 2013 at 6:45am Reply

      • Karina: Hi Annikky, I’ve heard nothing but good things about Cafe Rose so have been meaning to try it for a while, thanks! October 1, 2013 at 9:26am Reply

    • Figuier: Diptyque’s Do Son is a new discovery of mine; I’ve been wearing the edt lots recently, and it’s perfect for daytime/work. It’s a happy, uncomplicated tuberose, both airy and yet convincingly floral. Like Fracas without the baggage… October 1, 2013 at 8:07am Reply

      • Karina: Do Son is lovely, I thought somebody might recommend it! It’s quite linear but as you say a happy and easygoing airy tuberose, I’m glad you are enjoying it 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 9:30am Reply

    • Austenfan: Another airy white floral is L’Artisan’s La Chasse aux papillons and their Thé pour un Eté is a great light and green jasmin.
      Lighter Gardenia’s I was thinking of are Mark Jacobs Woman and Goutal’s Un Matin d’Orage.

      For a lighter Rose I would suggest Rosine’s Ecume de Rose and Un Zest de Rose. October 1, 2013 at 4:32pm Reply

      • Karina: Wonderful suggestions, thank you Austenfan. I remember when Marc Jacobs Essence came out about ten years ago (I think it’s been discontinued) I loved the white floral notes. I haven’t tried Marc Jacobs Woman (it’s hard to get samples where I am) so I must do so. I will put the others on my list to try too. October 1, 2013 at 10:21pm Reply

  • Gigi: Hi Everyone!

    I hope you can help me with my kind of abstract desire; I’ve been in the mood for something more feminine and less challenging that what I usually go for. I’m looking for something floral and feminine, high quality, classy and soft but with decent longevity. Something modern but not too sweet and definitely no cotton candy, not musky, nor oriental and not spring-fresh. Anyone have favorites in that vein?

    Thanks in advance! September 30, 2013 at 10:41pm Reply

    • Foxbins: Parfums de Nicolai Odalisque is a beautiful, modern-smelling floral chypre, with good longevity and not terribly expensive. I love it. September 30, 2013 at 10:58pm Reply

      • Gigi: Oooh, great suggestion. I really have been curious about Parfums de Nicolai, I love that they aren’t terribly expensive and they have them at my favorite perfume store. Stopping by tomorrow! Thanks Foxbins! October 1, 2013 at 12:03am Reply

        • Gigi: I ended up with Odalisque, and I love it! Thank you for the recommendation. All I wanted, yet more! October 10, 2013 at 12:58am Reply

      • Elena: I will second Odalisque, and add Chanel no 19. October 3, 2013 at 9:36am Reply

    • Elia: I think of 1932 by Chanel when reading that. October 1, 2013 at 3:45am Reply

    • Karen: The Coach perfumes might be worth checking out. They are pretty and not complicated. October 1, 2013 at 5:36am Reply

    • Annikky: Chanel 31 Rue Cambon came to mind. Pure class, easy to wear, very polished. October 1, 2013 at 6:47am Reply

    • rainboweyes: I tested YS Uzac Satin Doll a few days ago – a beautiful floral iris. I found it too feminine for me but it’s definitely a beautiful, classy scent.
      Another suggestion would be Jovoy Rouge Assassin. October 1, 2013 at 8:10am Reply

    • Nina Zolotow: My favorite classy foral is Annick Goutal Heure Exquise. It’s a green floral with iris and rose. It’s just very beautiful, with quality ingredients so it it lacks that synthetic quality that so many modern florals seem to have. October 1, 2013 at 10:55am Reply

    • Cybele: Prada Infusion Iris Absolue
      Bulgari pour Femme
      Chanel 5 Eau Premiere
      Dior J’Adore October 1, 2013 at 3:24pm Reply

    • Austenfan: I second Goutal Heure Exquise, Chanel 31 Rue Cambon, Bvlgari Pour Femme and PdN Odalisque.
      I would add; Jacomo Silences, a green floral, along the lines of Chanel 19 but with a more musky drydown. And maybe Baiser Volé by Cartier? October 1, 2013 at 4:12pm Reply

    • Austenfan: I suddenly thought of another suggestion. Nothing quite spells classy to me as an aldehydic floral.
      It’s a category of fragrances that I am quite partial to and one of my favourites in the genre is VCA First. October 1, 2013 at 4:26pm Reply

      • Gigi: Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! I’m looking forward to trying Odalisque today, and No 5 eau premiere actually might be the one. I have a mini of First, and though I like it a lot, it seems a bit strident for work. This is so fun, though, and I sure appreciate everyone’s perspective! October 1, 2013 at 4:35pm Reply

  • allgirlmafia: I have a insatiable desire for depth, volumptousness and down right rauchy perfumes. The two that leave me breathless are Aromatics Elixir(vintage) and Knowing (vintage) they smell somehow primitive and always make me think of, well- sex. Cabochard Gres(vintage) is not quite as deep, but it still offers that raunch factor I love.

    could anyone suggest any other fragrances that might fit the bill? And vintage fragrances are great, but sometimes hard to come by and not enjoyable to everyone.

    anyone know of any recent releases that may come close to these classics? I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you! October 1, 2013 at 12:03am Reply

    • HB: Anytime someone says “raunch” and it’s in reference to a fragrance, I first think of Rubj EDP. It’s a heck of a sexy fragrance that I can only wear sometimes ( I hear the parfum is less flagrant, but have yet to try it); the last time I wore the EDP was for a standing room only concert in a sweaty club, which was perfect. Second, I think of Tauer’s Lonestar Memories; a different direction but I find it sexy and delicious – earthy and inviting, and with a great drydown. October 1, 2013 at 1:30am Reply

    • Elia: I’ve not smelt vintage Knowing, but what’s currently out is not what I’d call raunchy. I also find Cabochard rather tame, so it’s hard to estimate what you’re looking for.
      Bandit is darker than Cabochard. That might be a good pick.
      Absolue Pour le Soir is one I find raunchy.
      Also wearing O by Blood Concept always feels sexy. October 1, 2013 at 3:53am Reply

    • Figuier: If you like Aromatics Elixir you might want to try Annick Goutal Mon Parfum Cheri. It has a similar aesthetic, and there’s a wonderful feral richness to it – even in the edt, though the edp I believe is even plusher. October 1, 2013 at 8:05am Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: Saffron Royal by Bella Bellissima is woody and leathery. Expensive, hard to find (Harrod’s) but raunchy it is, for sure! October 1, 2013 at 8:25am Reply

      • allgirlmafia: Good call! I ordered a couple samples of the EDT two weeks ago. It is beautiful and I am enjoying it, but I do wish it were deeper…I’ll try and get my hands on a sample of the edp. October 1, 2013 at 12:18pm Reply

        • Figuier: It is gorgeous, isn’t it – hopefully the edp will be rich enough for you. October 2, 2013 at 9:26am Reply

    • Bastet: The original Agent Provacateur and Cartier Declaration Essence are both incredibly sexy to me. Shalimar also, although I suppose it doesn’t have the “raunch.” October 1, 2013 at 10:11am Reply

      • Ariadne: Seconding Agent P. and adding Juliet Has A Gun Citizen Queen or Lady Vengeance. October 1, 2013 at 3:08pm Reply

    • Nina Zolotow: Amouage Jubiliation 25 is a gorgeous, gorgeous chypre in the style of Femme. But the ingredients are super high quality and complex so for a modern fragrance it definitely provides “depth, voluptuousness and a little raunch” when most modern fragrances are anemic and/or stripped down. (Both Aromatics Elixir and Cabochard are chypres, so I suggest that you explore that genre.) October 1, 2013 at 10:52am Reply

      • allgirlmafia: Thank you all for your suggestions! Much appreciated 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 12:20pm Reply

    • Cybele: try Chanel 19, Montana Parfum de Peau, the original Paloma Picasso, Le Labo Oud 27 and Rose 31. Second Agent Provocateur. October 1, 2013 at 3:18pm Reply

  • Annikky: Hi, everyone!

    I’m keeping my promise to Victoria and am asking for good lily perfumes. I’ve tried the usual suspects (or put them on my list) – SL Un Lys and La Vierge de Fer, Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee, Tom Ford Lys Fume and Shanghai Lily, Donna Karan Gold, Guerlain Lys Soleia, Cartier Baiser Vole and Le Labo Lys 41.

    Any additions to this list would be very welcome, so please share your lily-scented secrets. October 1, 2013 at 7:09am Reply

    • Jay: Oh, I love Shanghai Lily, and Donna Karan Gold! I think you’ve covered most of the great lily fragrances on your list. You could also try Gilded Lily by Ineke. Des Lys by Goutal was a good one, but it seems it’s no longer available anywhere… October 1, 2013 at 7:48am Reply

      • Annikky: Oh, yes, Ineke – I keep forgetting about them, as they don’t ship to Europe. I’ve been wanting to get the sample set for ages… Thank you! October 2, 2013 at 5:35am Reply

    • Figuier: Hi Annikky,

      I’m sure you’ve considered these already, but if you don’t mind a bit of light vanilla with your lily both Hermes Vanille Galante and Guerlain Terracotta are great.

      In both cases I find the vanilla counterpoint actually makes the lily notes smell more naturalistic. And the salicylates are kept in check, so no palm-oil notes (which is what ruins Gold and Soleia for me). I haven’t tried the Tom Ford lilies yet – really curious about them… October 1, 2013 at 8:00am Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: Passage d’Enfer has lily in it. October 1, 2013 at 8:20am Reply

        • Annikky: Cornelia, this is a scent I really need to explore, thank you for reminding me. I’ve sniffed it and remember liking it, but that’s it. October 2, 2013 at 5:48am Reply

      • Annikky: Figuier, these two are actually new to me, so thank you very much. Vanilla isn’t something I’m usually drawn to, but I if done well, I can enjoy it. And I can see how it would work with lily.

        If you like lily notes, I do recommend trying the TF versions. Horribly expensive, but I personally like them both. October 2, 2013 at 5:38am Reply

        • Figuier: Glad to be of help – hope you enjoy 🙂

          (to clarify, the lily of Terracotta is not noticeable in the top notes but in the tenacious drydown; so you have to go through the carnation/spice part first)

          I will definitely try out the TF – mainly just to satisfy my curiosity I guess, given the prohibitive cost of the FBs… October 2, 2013 at 9:24am Reply

    • Austenfan: Although they are not strictly speaking lily soliflores I think 2 Delrae’s merit a try.
      Début is a green floral with quite a bit of lily.
      Amoureuse is in my memory a “heady”lily.
      Divine’s L’Etre aimé au féminin is another lily. Interestingly it was done by Yann Vasnier who also worked on Donna Karan Gold.
      Goutal did Des Lys years ago. It’s discontinued. Not the greatest of all lilies but a nice easy to wear summer scent, all the same. And there is another one which I can’t remember the name of, if it comes back to me I will let you know! October 1, 2013 at 8:25am Reply

      • Nina Zolotow: I second Amoreuse by Delrae. It is a very beautiful. October 1, 2013 at 10:48am Reply

        • Annikky: Thanks! It does sound lovely. October 2, 2013 at 5:48am Reply

      • Annikky: Thank you for sharing your encyclopedic knowledge, Austenfan! Much appreciated, as always.

        I’ve been meaning to try the Delraes for so long, but something always comes up – I’ve only tried Bois de Paradis so far (and liked it). Curse the 10-sample limit of ALzD! October 2, 2013 at 5:46am Reply

    • Anka: I want to revisit Ange ou Demon (Givenchy) soon. In my memory it’s a Vanilla-Lilly with some spicy and blamy edges, rather sweet – might be good for cold winter evenings. October 1, 2013 at 4:39pm Reply

      • Annikky: This again something I wouldn’t have thought of on my own, thank you! October 2, 2013 at 5:39am Reply

  • Jay: Hello everyone, late to the party, but I’d love people’s input if possible!

    As an early birthday gift for myself, I’d like to buy myself a Frederic Malle fragrance, but I’m having a tough time deciding between Carnal Flower and Le Parfum De Therese. I really love both of them, but my budget isn’t as big as I’d like so I will only buy one. On one hand, Carnal Flower is significantly more expensive than Therese and while I adore it, I don’t know how often I’d be reaching for a big white floral; on the other hand, Le Parfum De Therese is rather reminiscent of (old) Rochas Femme, which I already have, so it may be extraneous in my perfume wardrobe? Advice is appreciated! 😀 October 1, 2013 at 7:58am Reply

    • Cornelia Blimber: Is Le Parfum de Thérèse reminiscent of old Femme? Then I must certainly try it!!
      Your dilemma is difficult. You say you adore Carnal..and it’s for your birthday..so why not buy it, enjoy it and keep it for special moments? Who knows, perhaps you will reach for it often! It is a lot of money, and birthday is a good occasion to take that step. Maybe you can afford Le Parfum de Th. later (Christmas for ex.)
      Or perhaps you can look for another exciting Malle, Une Rose, or Portrait of a Lady
      Good luck and happy birthday! October 1, 2013 at 8:39am Reply

    • Figuier: I have had exactly this dilemma – between Lys Med and PdT – and am still humming and hawing over it…

      One option that might work is if you can find a store that will sell you a mix-n-match travel set of the 10ml bottles (I think I read on Olfactoria’s Travels that they do this in the Vienna store for instance). Then you could have a mix of the two in whatever proportions suited. October 1, 2013 at 9:25am Reply

  • rainboweyes: What about incense and lily as in Artisan Parfumeur Passage d’Enfer? October 1, 2013 at 8:13am Reply

    • Cornelia Blimber: Oh, sorry October 1, 2013 at 8:21am Reply

    • Annikky: I’m so glad both you and Cornelia have brought this one up, I think I’ll like it a lot. Thanks! October 2, 2013 at 5:50am Reply

  • Cornelia Blimber: Computer said No. I wanted to say: oh sorry, Rainboweyes…i did not read your comment yet! October 1, 2013 at 8:23am Reply

    • rainboweyes: No problem! Good to have the same thoughts 🙂 October 1, 2013 at 8:55am Reply

      • Annikky: Great minds 🙂 October 2, 2013 at 5:51am Reply

  • Katie: I have both a question and request for recommendation: I am returning to perfume after a long absence, and have been enjoying sampling a variety of different scents. However, my husband appears to be extremely sensitive to some note(s). He has always had the “nose” in our house – I tease him that he can smell things better than a bloodhound. Recently, on two separate Sundays I have tried Atelier Rose Anonyme and Jo Malone Orange Blossom, and have literally driven him from our car / the pew in church, with instant migraines and oddly enough, salivating. It seems to be the top notes that bother him the most. (His mother had a hand lotion that she can open on one end of the house, and he could smell the two molecules that floated to where he was, and he would have to go outside with the same symptoms.) I’ve been reduced to spraying perfume after he leaves for work. By the time I get home from work, the drydown doesn’t seem to bother him – I’ll ask him to smell my wrist and he says it is “fine”. Does anyone on the BdJ universe have any suggestions what this fragrance note might be, so I can avoid it and not have to wear perfume “sneakily”? I’d love to find a perfume or two we can both like, or at least that doesn’t make him ill! October 1, 2013 at 8:38am Reply

    • Caroline: I’m no expert, but I think a number of the Ateliers contain Iso e super, an ingredient that makes scents more diffusive. I’m sensitive to it as well, so that brand is rather off-limits to me. Can’t speak to the Jo Malone dilemma. October 1, 2013 at 11:32am Reply

    • Nina Zolotow: I hate to say this, but I think you’re going to need to experiment. I know more than one perfume lover who gets migraines from certain perfumes, and they have no idea which note (or more likely ingredient) causes them. Perfumes are very, very complex chemical creations. I was curious so I did a little research and found this board on Fragrantica. Reading it quickly illustrates that there is no consistent pattern for different people: http://www.fragrantica.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=36556 October 1, 2013 at 10:56pm Reply

    • WineGirl: Yes, I agree that it seems very personal which notes can spawn a migraine. Also, very unfortunately, just an overabundance of scent can spawn a migraine for me. Often not a particular perfume, and sometimes even a perfume that is “usually” fine can spawn a migraine. I personally find aldehydes and some musks can cause a headache pretty reliably although not always a true, full-blown migraine. It’s a huge curse for someone who is devoted to fragrance (and wine.) October 4, 2013 at 4:33pm Reply

  • Ines Hourani: I purchased Yves Rocher Amber Noir for my husband and they sent me a sample of So Elixir Purple Eau de Parfum. I was wondering what some of your thoughts are on these fragrances.
    Thanks;) October 1, 2013 at 10:02am Reply

    • AnnieA: They are amazing value, especially during one of their frequent sales. I buy their bath products more than their perfumes, as I feel they work better in that format. October 1, 2013 at 1:11pm Reply

    • Figuier: I tried the So Elixir Purple quite recently, and although it’s not bad, I have to say I preferred the original So Elixir. Another new Yves Rocher fragrance that I tested was an intense version of Comme une Evidence, which was really pretty, with an almost chalky feel to it. In the same range as the Amber Noir, they just brought out Neroli – I sprayed this on skin, it’s very well done I thought…and all of them such good value 🙂 October 3, 2013 at 8:42am Reply

  • Isis: Something else I have been meaning to ask: do you guys limit yourself to certain brands? Are there other measures for the ideal perfume to you than just smell? I’ve noticed that I have been avoiding some houses because I dislike the brand-image. And I really want to feel that a brand is sort of trustworty because I have a trauma of falling in love with scents that are on the market for a minute and then discontinued. With Chanel, Hermès, and in the niche-categorie Lutens, FM and Goutal, I feel like I can expect quality but also some continuity. I’d really like to know how you feel about brands and how that influences your choices. October 1, 2013 at 12:17pm Reply

    • Hannah: To an extent. I think most people do because there are so many brands. Comme des Garcons is at the center of my radar. When I want a new perfume, I will always look at which CdG I haven’t tried first. I avoided By Kilian, but I was recently sent samples of almost the entire line. I didn’t dislike most of them but I also didn’t really feel like I was wrong about my prejudices. I also avoid Penhaligans because I hate the aesthetic. After trying a few of their perfumes, I don’t feel wrong about my prejudices there either. I don’t think I could get myself to try a perfume called Green Irish Tweed.
      I don’t like Bertrand Duchaufour so I generally avoid his perfumes. But I’m glad I gave Bois D’Ombrie a try anyway, and I’m actually considering buying it.

      Is Isis your real name? I was reading about Isis last night. She and Serket are really neat!! October 1, 2013 at 12:34pm Reply

      • Elia: “I don’t think I could get myself to try a perfume called Green Irish Tweed.”

        You should October 1, 2013 at 1:15pm Reply

        • Cornelia Blimber: Yes, it is outstanding October 1, 2013 at 1:24pm Reply

        • Hannah: I like resinous/warm earthy/spicy perfumes and I rarely like men’s fragrances, so no thanks. October 1, 2013 at 3:15pm Reply

          • Elia: We all have our preferred styles,
            but we try out things that reach beyond those limits all the time.
            GIT is worth a sniff, even if it is not your style or not to your liking. October 2, 2013 at 5:20am Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: I don’t know whether it is influence from the brand or simply a matter of taste, but I always return to Guerlain. Not that I don’t like (and buy) other brands, but Guerlain is the best for me. I also like Lutens, but most of his perfumes (exportline) are too sweet, too dense for me, difficult to wear allthough I admire them. On the other hand, Iris Silver Mist is one of the best perfumes ever!
        And sometimes I have diffculties with the image of a brand ( A.Goutal with those knots –if that is correct English for ”strikjes”–, butterflies, ivory boutiques with guilded chairs..brrr) but I try always to be objectif. Of course the jus is the most important, but the bottle is part of the pleasure. October 1, 2013 at 1:23pm Reply

        • george: Yeah, anything with a bow on it gets a suspicious look from me too. Or a coat of arms. October 1, 2013 at 1:31pm Reply

        • Austenfan: As a fellow Nederlander, I think the preferred equivalent of strikje is “bow” in English.
          Goutal is one of my favourite lines. Some of the femininines are a little on the frilly side, but Mon Parfum Chéri par Camille is a very bold and distinctive scent, so maybe you ought to try a few ( if you haven’t already).
          And I hate strikjes in any other situation! October 1, 2013 at 1:34pm Reply

          • Isis: Hi there fellow Nederlanders! I have said ‘no’ to strikjes eversince I turned 10. I really like some of the perfumes by Goutal (I love Ambre Fétiche!), and some where a bit dissapointing for me. A few years ago I finally managed to go to Paris and went to the store, totally excited. The woman helping me find a scent was a bit condescending, and when I confessed my love for Hiris she smiled and whispered something about a big amount of synthetic ingredients in it. I did not feel like I had found my soulmate. October 1, 2013 at 3:09pm Reply

          • Cornelia Blimber: Ah, Bow it is! Weer wat geleerd. Thank you. And yes. I like some of the Goutals: always be objective is my motto! October 1, 2013 at 4:21pm Reply

      • Isis: Thank you, I love reading these comments! I have the same reserve with regard to By Kilian. Also, I don’t sample any Amouage because the whome line is really expensive. However, I WILL sample the equally expensive Carnal Flower one day… the Frederic-Malle project somehow really has my sympathy and I love the bottles… I will ad CdG to my list of myst-try-brands…

        And yes: I am actually called Isis. Do not dive into the mythology too deeply though, the myth of Isis-The-Godess has some very weird x-rated necrofilia-elements to it I am afraid. October 2, 2013 at 9:58am Reply

        • george: Do make sure you try Isis the new fragrance from Agonist! Hopefully you’ll get as lucky as the person I once met called Tolu. October 4, 2013 at 5:42pm Reply

          • Isis: They named a scent after me!!?! Good, I’ll make sure I find a sample, thank you! October 7, 2013 at 6:37pm Reply

            • Annikky: I have been meaning to mention this, too, but kept forgetting. I actually have a sample, so if you have trouble getting hold of one, let me know. October 7, 2013 at 8:40pm Reply

    • george: I must admit that I read the designs of a house’s bottles and so much else to gauge what their attitude to perfume might be and what their perfumes might smell like: more often than not, it proves correct: if I sense any sort of disingenuousness in the press releases or the blurb, that makes me expect their attitude to what they are selling to also be disingenuous. I don’t stick to this strictly, but there is so much perfume out there to try, and I’d rather have more hits than misses in what I lift to my nose. For example, there is one brand I have never tried because I saw the perfumer/owner interviewed and I found him disgustingly pretentious: if I wouldn’t be interested in anything he had to say verbally, why would i be interested in anything he has to say in perfume form. Hannah mentioned Bertrand Duchaufour. I must admit that his name attached to anything does not send me rushing: I usually find them competent but over-complicated, and- to be quite frank- seeing a picture of him holding a smelling strip to his nose, and videos fetishising his nose, attached to so many launches has just irritated me; the work done by him for Guli and the statements surrounding that work hasn’t done him any favours in my eyes either: it just made him look like a hack. I also don’t like a lot of the marketing surrounding the Neela Vermeire range. However, if I ever walk in to a shop in the UK which stocks it, that will be what I go straight towards, just because of the level of recommendations it has received. I guess there is a balance to be struck in these matters. I don’t worry about perfumes being discontinued, though. After all if you want a perfume to be in continuous production it needs to be bought, and to not buy it because of a fear of it being discontinued seems like a bit of negative wish fulfilment. October 1, 2013 at 1:26pm Reply

      • Isis: I see your point George, and I will do my best to buy every perfume that I fall in love with ;)! I do believe (and there must be great exeptions to this rule) the way a product is presented tells you a lot about the way it has been envisioned and created. I have (still….arghagrhhrhhh) never smelled anything Frederic Malle but I really love their overal presentation and their bottle-design, it all exudes craftmanship and integrity and a strong vision… I sort of trust that when I finally get my hands on some samples, good things will happen. October 4, 2013 at 5:25pm Reply

        • george: The other option- and the one that I use most- is to look up the perfumers on Fragrantica: there are a few brands I generally like (mainly those mentioned by yourself) but beyond that there are also perfumers whose work I find interesting, and the nose section of fragrantica is a great way of being able to identify their work across various brands: it’s a way of looking at perfume that frees you from brand loyalty/prejudice. October 4, 2013 at 5:47pm Reply

    • Foxbins: I don’t limit myself to any brand, but I am finding that my aesthetic and scent preferences mesh better with some brands than others. For example, L’Artisans don’t last on me more than about an hour, Tauer is hit-and-miss as far as liking or not, as are Guerlains, and Tom Fords are too expensive and mostly too sweet.

      It seems to be a matter of personal preference, but the more I sniff, the more I’m able to predict whether something might work for me, based on past experience. October 1, 2013 at 3:02pm Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: You said it short and you said it well. October 1, 2013 at 4:26pm Reply

    • Austenfan: I don’t limit myself to certain houses although there are a number of American niche lines I haven’t explored because getting samples is too much of a hassle.
      I have my favourite houses though.

      Etat Libre d’Orange’s ad copy and their fragrance names put me off them for a long time. It took me two reviews of Rien and half a dozen of Like This to overcome my prejudices and order a sample set. I am so glad I did, as they actually have quite a few good fragrances and they are not that expensive. October 1, 2013 at 4:41pm Reply

      • Isis: That’s funny. I have been avoiding Etat Libre D’Orange because they have SOO many fragrances… it made me question what their view is and what they are up to. I have discovered a hop around the corner that carries the line though…. so I might try Rien one of these days. October 2, 2013 at 10:07am Reply

    • Figuier: Good question. I don’t really limit myself too much, my sampling tends to be pretty haphazard; I like to think of myself as a perfume ‘flaneur’…).

      But there are certain brands/lines whose newest releases I tend to be particularly interested in; I own more than one FB from Chanel and AG, so I like to try their new stock. I’m always curious about new versions of Shalimar and of the Hermes Jardins series. And usually the SL releases – in the hope that one day I’ll find one I can actually wear!

      [Unlike many here, I find that By Kilian, if you get past the off-putting duo of over-elaborate marketing and v high prices, are often lovely to wear. Love and Tears, for instance, is not original but of all the airy jasmines I’ve tried is the most affecting. Pure Oud is a better westernised oud than you’ll find in most other niche ranges; Rose Oud one of only 2 rose-centric perfumes I’ve ever been able to wear…

      Sorry for the digression, just sticking up for By Kil!] October 3, 2013 at 8:59am Reply

      • Karen: Yes, I screwed up my nerve (and my wallet) recently to purchase Flower of Immortality from the BK line and I just love it and wear it obsessively – I know it has not got the greatest longevity, I know to some people it smells like peach gummy drops, but it makes me so happy very time I wear it! So I have to stick in a vote for the BK line as well. (With the usual disclaimer on price and ridiculous marketing …) October 4, 2013 at 4:50pm Reply

      • Isis: I love the term ‘perfume flaneur’! I guess that though I may flirt with many perfumes (and I do want to smell everyting), I am by nature a more monogamous girl… ultimately I still want to commit to a scent… so I need to feel like I can trust them to be by my side for decades to come… October 4, 2013 at 5:10pm Reply

  • silverdust: Hi! Late to the party, but hopefully some of you may be checking back.

    After reading Victoria’s review of O de Lancome, I finally tried a sample and liked it but not enough to buy as it disappeared in about 15 minutes. (My skin eats perfume.) If I could crank up the intensity of O de Lancome, I’m reminded of original Azuree by EL. Even though the company says Azuree has not been changed, my recent spritzes say otherwise. Does anyone know of something similar to OdL but at about 10-20X the intensity? (Yeah, I like monster sillage.)

    Also, does anyone remember a discontinued Henri Bendel named “Fireside”? I got an oil-based duplicate and it’s beautiful. Now I can’t find the duplicate anymore! It smelled of a romanticized version of wood smoke with some incense thrown in. (I don’t like sweet smells at all).

    I often think if there was a Polo (original) for women, it would be my signature. I tried Ormonde Jayne Woman but it disappeared on my immediately 🙁

    Budget is a tad stretched these days, so thrifty suggestions for any and all of the above musings would be helpful. Thanks! October 1, 2013 at 3:56pm Reply

    • Cornelia Blimber: Eau de Rochas is more intensive and longer lasting. October 1, 2013 at 4:29pm Reply

    • Annikky: Hi, Silverdust!

      I am not familiar with Fireside, but if you are in US, I suggest sampling Sonoma Scent Studio’s Fireside, Fireside Intense and Winter Woods. Their samples are very reasonably priced, so might be worth checking out.

      I’s difficult to find something as refreshing and vibrant as O de Lancome, but also very long lasting. The ideas that come to my mind are already more in the chypre territory and not exactly cheap, as Vero profumo Mito. The obvious alternatives are listed in Victoria’s O de Lancome review, but none of them are particularly intense or long-lasting either. October 2, 2013 at 5:01am Reply

    • Austenfan: Well, these are bows drawn at venture, but all the same:
      Parfums de Nicolaï Balle de Match is a wonderful fragrance which has a juicy citrusy opening (mainly grapefruit) ending on some woods and incense. It hasn’t got huge sillage, but it does last quite well.
      Prescriptives Calyx; The Guide calls it Guava Rose, Robin over at NST calls it a green citrus. I have no particular name for it; it smells green, fruity, crisp and wonderful. It lasts quite well for something in that genre and has got good sillage.
      Parfums d’Empire Yuzu Fou; lots of citrus and quite decent longevity.
      Parfums d’Empire Azemour les Orangers; a fresh chypre; starting out briefly on a citrus note ending in a wonderful base of moss. It’s a great fragrance that lasts well and has decent sillage. October 2, 2013 at 5:31pm Reply

      • Austenfan: I am sorry but forgot that you wanted cheap alternatives. Prescriptives Calyx isn’t expensive the others are more pricey, though not excessively so. October 2, 2013 at 5:35pm Reply

  • Julie: Hello! Excited to do this!
    So, I’m a new perfumista and I would love some ideas from all you experienced gals and guys.
    I’m looking for a fragrance that lasts all day, but not necessarily one that others will smell (I do work in a corporate office). I get frustrated with scents that I can’t smell by the time I get to work. I do realize everyone’s body chemistry is different, but… that’s what I’m after.
    I don’t like rose, powdery scents, amber, strong woods, too sweet or too floral. For example, I love tuberose (and other white flowers), but Nuit de Tubereuse is too sweet and Carnal Flower is too harsh. I also just bought a sampling of niche vetivers and I really enjoy Nasomatto Absinth but it lasts for all of 3 minutes on me and it costs a ton for what you get. Can’t say any of the other vetivers I’m sampling I’m excited about. They just do not last. FM Vetiver Extraordinaire is OK, as is Guerlain’s Vetiver, but the staying power is not there.

    One fragrance sample I’ve also been enjoying is Mayotte by Guerlain, and I bought a FB of Jo Malone’s Blue Agava & Cacao – it lasts on me and its floral but not full blown floral, and sweet, but also not a gourmand (even though it does have cocoa in it). I tried Like This by Etat Libre d’Orange and I love the opening but it turns all maple on me and I smell like syrup all day.

    Any recs??? October 1, 2013 at 4:47pm Reply

    • Cybele: Gardenia Petale by Van Cleef and Arpels, Elie Saab EDT and Narcisso Rodriguez For Her for softer white florals October 2, 2013 at 7:29am Reply

      • Julie: Thanks, Cybele!
        I forget that gardenia is a white floral and simply delicious! I recently received a few samples of Estee Lauder’s Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia and it I find it a bit too floral for me. I’m going to scope out some other gardenia scents as this might be a good fit for me. October 2, 2013 at 10:51am Reply

    • rose: Have you tried Do Son by Diptyque? It’s like a lighter, softer version of tuberose, slightly fresh/green at first, then it has a nice sweet musk dry-down. It’s fairly strong, lasts, but isn’t too loud. October 8, 2013 at 3:50pm Reply

      • Julie: Yes, I like this scent a lot! It was probably the first tuberose after Carnal Flower I got attached to.

        I’ve been having fun this week with green scents believe it or not. Someone recommended Ninfeo Mio as a fig scent, but I don’t get any fig in it (its fig leaf as the note), I get citrus, lavender and woods — and I really love it. Now I’m interested in exploring aromatics.

        Thanks for the suggestion! October 8, 2013 at 4:23pm Reply

        • rose: I love Ninfeo Mio! Maybe you’d like Philosykos too if you haven’t tried it yet – it’s the best fig I reckon! October 11, 2013 at 4:59pm Reply

  • Gorel: I like Nuxe le parfum prodigieux, it is a fall sent to me. October 1, 2013 at 6:21pm Reply

  • Icetea: I think Chanel No.22 and Shalimar is good for using in Autum… October 1, 2013 at 8:18pm Reply

  • Raissa: Speaking of autumn rain, I am forever searching for petrichor-containing/exuding fragrances. Any recommendations would be most appreciated! October 2, 2013 at 12:49am Reply

    • Karen: I’ve just bought CB I Hate Perfume’s To See A Flower and to me it has precisely the note of that fresh, wet earth scent you’re looking for. It’s very springlike though, but I’ve tried their Black March as well and from memory that was a damper, wintrier version of the same thing. They’re expensive though, which is why I don’t own both! Good luck and if you find one, post back here – it’s a note I love too. October 4, 2013 at 4:54pm Reply

  • Duval: Can anyone recommend a feminine cedarwood perfume? I’m looking for something with complex, with a bit of florals, but in which the perfume revolves around that wonderful creamy cedarwood scent. So, basically, Feminite du Bois, but preferably less expensive. October 2, 2013 at 9:38am Reply

    • Arki: Yes , try Tresor Midnight Rose -Lancome

      Base notes provide tranquility and comfort– composed of warm and soft vanilla, woody nuances of Virginian cedar and sensual musky veil. – from hear http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Lancome/Tresor-Midnight-Rose-11721.html October 2, 2013 at 1:35pm Reply

    • Victoria: Estée Lauder Sensuous came to mind immediately. It’s a great blend of woods softened by violet. October 2, 2013 at 11:53pm Reply

    • Villette: Try Etro Shaal-Nur. I know the notes never seem to list cedar, but cedar comes through for me. October 4, 2013 at 9:10am Reply

    • rose: Have you ever tried Diptyque’s Philosykos? It’s cedarwood/fig but not sweet – more complex than it sounds. It reminds me of grass sap and under-ripe banana but the cedarwood seems to be the main note, very sun-warmed. The EDP is slightly more woody, the EDT is quite light October 8, 2013 at 3:47pm Reply

  • Selina: Hello!

    I like the weird stuff!

    My current favourites are ‘Ambre Russe’ – Parfum d`Empire and ‘The Lion Cupboard’ – 4160 Tuesdays. Love them because I find them fascinating while being an easy wear. Although some might find them masculine i find them extremely feminine! Would love to find more along those lines if anyone has any other suggestions!
    At the more challenging end of the spectrum, although for less frequent use, i also love ‘Musc Ravageur’, ‘Jeke’ and (no i can’t afford it but i have a tiny decant!) ‘Ferme tes Yeux’.

    I am definitely drawn to spices and orientals. I’m not into especially fruity numbers. Nor am i keen on most florals, unless they are exotic ones -orchids, gardenias and that sort of thing are all good with me! The only perfume i have liked with roses so far is ‘Bulls Blood’.

    If anyone has any suggestions on other scents i might be drawn to, that would be most appreciated! October 2, 2013 at 9:59am Reply

    • Cornelia Blimber: Maybe you like the Serge Lutens perfumes, I was thinking of Ambre Sultan for you.
      Or E Lauder Yoth Dew, or Chanel Coco, or the one and only Shalimar (Guerlain). October 2, 2013 at 12:22pm Reply

      • Selina: Thank you so much for your response Cornelia!

        I’ve tried Shalimar and Youth Dew and sadly haven’t been all that captivated by the more vintage scents -much as i wanted to be! My favourite of those so far is ‘l’heure bleue’ – but quite often with the vintage scents i find them a too powdery for my liking.

        I havent tried either of the others though -and actually they are both on my wish list – so i will definitely put them in my next decant purchases! Thank you so much! October 2, 2013 at 3:34pm Reply

    • Nadja Sand: I’m also a fan of the weird! Have you tried Slumberhouse Sova? On me it is a weird syrupy and spicy hay with hints of curry (in the best possible way!). Also, have yoyu tried anything from Olympic Orchids? They have a lot of spicy orientals, weird stuff and several orchid scents. I haven’t sampled OO extensively yet, but I can recommend Tropic of Capricorn and Gujarat! October 2, 2013 at 3:45pm Reply

      • Selina: Hi Nadja!

        Thanks so much for that!

        I have tried Sova -sadly it doesnt suit my skin (somehow i turn everything about 200% sweeter) which is rather annoying!

        I haven’t tried Olympic Orchids! They sound really exciting! I’m going to go and peruse everything they’ve got now and will be adding your two mentions to my list right away!

        Thank you – that’s really brilliant! October 2, 2013 at 3:56pm Reply

        • Nadja Sand: Oh, that’s too bad about Sova. Yeah, it is sweet enough as it is, no need for further amping of that aspect! It is really brilliant on my skin in much the same gourmand-but-definitely-not-edible way as the, sadly discontinued, Slumberhouse Kere.

          I think Gujarat should be right up your alley! To me it is a bit like Sova but without the hay and not sweet. Tropic of Capricorn is a really weird one! Very fecal, very exotic! Interesting trivia: when I have sniffed so much perfume that my nose goes numb, or when I have cold induced anosmia, Tropic of Capricorn is the scent I smell to wake up my sniffer! Works every time! October 2, 2013 at 4:14pm Reply

          • Selina: Can’t wait to try both of these! Somehow Tropic of Capricorn is the one i’m most excited by – looked it up in a few places other than their web site and all of the reviews are only making me want to try it more! The list of accords sounds right up my street!

            Thanks so much Nadja! October 3, 2013 at 4:07am Reply

    • Bee: I’m late here…try réglisse noire (1000 flowers) October 4, 2013 at 6:51am Reply

  • Maren: Hi all, I am wondering if anyone would have ideas for me on a perfume that might smell like an off brand soap I recently found at a Home Goods store that I really enjoy. It is a wonderful shea soap and is called “Jasmine and chai.” The scent definitely is more the chai than Jasmine. Anything come to mind? October 2, 2013 at 7:19pm Reply

    • Nadja Sand: I own a perfume oil, Incendere from Alkemia perfumes, that to me smells very much like a fabulous cup of creamy chai but with added carnation. October 2, 2013 at 8:02pm Reply

      • Maren: Thank you Nadja, I looked at the website, and this looks like a possibility, plus many others to tempt! October 4, 2013 at 12:09am Reply

    • Figuier: Hi Maren,

      How about The Different Company’s Jasmin de Nuit? It doesn’t have the milkiness of chai, but it does match jasmine with chai-like spices – quite strong but lovely if worn in small doses. October 3, 2013 at 7:19am Reply

      • Maren: This definitely sounds like it might do the trick! Thank you Figuier! October 4, 2013 at 12:14am Reply

    • rainboweyes: I love the combination of chai and iris notes in Dzongkha but as a fellow iris lover you might have tried it already… October 3, 2013 at 10:00am Reply

      • Maren: Hi rainbow eyes, you know for some reason I haven’t gotten around to trying Dzongkha, even though I’ve meant to, but now I must! October 4, 2013 at 12:18am Reply

    • Cybele: comme des garcons white smells very chai October 3, 2013 at 2:35pm Reply

      • Maren: Hi Cybele, I just read a comment on lucky scent that it is a softer version 10 corso como, so on the list it goes! Thank you! October 4, 2013 at 12:27am Reply

  • Maja: It’s my turn, I guess. 🙂 I have started liking violets recently. I don’t have access to niche perfumery to explore some of the possible favorites (for now) so I must stay within the mainstream. I already have Insolence edp, Paris and a simple Erbolario violet accord. I am looking for a straight, simple and not so loud violet (no cedar combination) for everyday wear. Could Insolence Eau Glacee be a good idea? I went through two Bvlgari pour Femme when I was younger so I am a bit bored by it.

    Do you have any suggestions? Thanks. 🙂 October 3, 2013 at 8:19am Reply

    • Victoria: Maja, you know what I was going to suggest (Bois de Violette)? 🙂 But then I saw your no cedarwood and no niche comment, and I wondered how you would like something like Tom Ford Violet Blonde? I also love light delicate violets like Annick Goutal Duel (violet, tea, soft suede). Those two are readily available, but maybe not where you live.

      And two more: Balenciaga Paris and Bottega Veneta. October 9, 2013 at 5:05pm Reply

      • Maja: I wrote a reply but it got lost 🙂 Thank you so much. I didn’t know about violets in Duel and will certainly look for it. In the meantime I purchased Caron Aimez-Moi but I think that, unfortunately, the bottle has turned because there is no trace of violets only truly sharp anise and some cardamom. 🙁
        I will give Balenciaga Paris a try, too. Thank you again. 🙂 October 10, 2013 at 5:47am Reply

  • rainboweyes: I like Balenciaga Paris – a violet/carnation scent. October 3, 2013 at 9:58am Reply

    • Patricia: I second Balenciaga Paris and add Kenzo Flower. October 3, 2013 at 1:16pm Reply

    • Maja: thanks, I will try it next time I’m around shopping 🙂 October 3, 2013 at 2:34pm Reply

  • Hilary: I have fallen in love with Amouage Lyric (woman) – which I should really never have sampled, given my budget! What can I try that is in the same vein but less ridiculously expensive? Any suggestions very welcome, thank you. October 4, 2013 at 8:28am Reply

    • Az: Less expensive, but still quite expensive- ormonde jayne taif.

      Budget options (not the same thing but lovely rose) yves rocher rose absolue or rochas tocade (rose and vanilla). Not sure if that would satisfy a lyric lust but they are lovely rose perfumes (that smell more expensive than their actual prices!) October 5, 2013 at 11:38am Reply

  • Karen: I’m trying to find a spring perfume which is similar to byredo’s La Tulipe, but hopefully less expensive and will ship to New Zealand. I love the scent of damp earth, green growing things, bulbs coming up in the garden, maybe some freesia or hyacinth … Any recommendations ? October 4, 2013 at 4:57pm Reply

    • Victoria: There was a very pretty Demeter perfume called Wet Garden, which is similar. But I have no idea if it is still around. October 5, 2013 at 12:22am Reply

    • annemariec: I don’t know La Tulipe but Chanel No 19 and Guerlain’s Chamade spring to mind. (There’s a lovely hyacinth note in Chamade.) Or maybe Ormonde Woman? That one would be expensive to ship, I’d say. (I’m in Australia so I understand your dilemma.) Demeter has a fragrance called ‘Dirt’. And I’ve just noticed on Fragrantica that Demeter has one called – wait for it – ‘New Zealand’ which sounds exactly what you are after, if it is still in production. It would be ironic if it cost a fortune to ship it to NZ! October 6, 2013 at 6:19am Reply

      • Karen: Thanks for the recommendations – I’ve been wondering about Chamade so it might be next on the list. And Victoria I’ve tracked down Wet Garden on strawberrynet, which has 10% off at the minute so I’ve ordered a bottle on spec. (Annemariec, they have New Zealand as well which I find absolutely hysterical!). Thanks again! October 7, 2013 at 9:12pm Reply

    • Elia: I’ve not smelt La Tulipe,
      but Vent Vert came to mind. October 9, 2013 at 2:52am Reply

  • Blue Moon: Hi,
    I’m relatively new to perfume and I would love help in finding a scent that matches an image I have in my mind. Imagine standing on a mountain top, on the edge of a forest. There are tiny flowers in the grass at your feet and a rain shower has just passed, leaving the air bright and chilly.

    That’s the feeling and image I’d love my perfume to evoke!

    $$$: preferably nothing over $150

    I don’y really mind if it’s masculine or feminine…just as long as it’s beautiful! If its any help these are my favourite and most worn perfumes

    Apres L’Ondee
    Songes (EDT)
    Bois des Iles (EDT)
    No.19 (EDT)
    Black March
    L’Heure Bleu

    I love violet, galbanum, sandalwood and tea but they don’t have to be included.

    Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it! 🙂 October 5, 2013 at 10:15pm Reply

    • annemariec: Diorissimo? And, silly suggestion maybe, but Yardley’s April Violets, if you can get it, is a lovely cool damp violet scent, rather old fashioned I suppose. October 6, 2013 at 6:23am Reply

      • Blue Moon: Not silly at all! If it’s a damp violet than I’m almost bound to love it…and I DID love smelling Yardley’s on my mother growing up 🙂 October 7, 2013 at 5:43pm Reply

    • Nadja Sand: Wood Violet from Sonoma Scent Studio might fit the bill… No chilly mountain really, but I can imagine violets in the woods on a dewey morning when I wear it. October 6, 2013 at 2:17pm Reply

    • Victoria: I immediately thought of Annick Goutal Duel or L’Artisan Verte Violette. Also, Hermes Eau de Gentiane Blanche. I don’t remember the prices, but they should be within your range. October 7, 2013 at 8:10am Reply

      • Blue Moon: Thank you so much for your help guys 🙂 Some of these have definitely peaked my interest. Can’t wait to have fun sampling now! October 7, 2013 at 5:42pm Reply

        • rainboweyes: I just read a review of Jardin Mystique by Friedemodin and thought of your recommendation request. I haven’t tested it myself but I surely will. Another scent that came to my mind is Chanel Bel Respiro. And I second Gentiane Blanche and Verte Violette. I love both of them! October 10, 2013 at 5:25am Reply

    • rose: Heure Exquise, Annick Goutal?
      Or maybe the dry-down of Arpege has what you like – I find it refreshing in dry-down with vetiver, sandalwood and I think a touch of violet October 8, 2013 at 3:43pm Reply

  • rose: Hello,
    I feel there’s a gap in my perfume collection. I’ve been searching around looking for an ultimate evening perfume – elegant, yet seductive and ideally unique! But no luck as yet

    I have good daytime perfumes – Infusion d’Iris, Baiser Vole, Philosykos, Lys Soleia, Feminite du Bois, Bulgari Black

    I do have two more evening-like classics that I love – Shalimar and Arpege, but they have a vintage feel which isn’t always what I want.

    I also have Portrait of a Lady, which is stunning, but not ideal for evening – it’s a little challenging and gothic. Also Cuir de Russie, which I love, but its soapy leather isn’t the feminine elegant sensuous perfume I’m looking for, for evenings out

    I also have Diptyque’s Do Son, but I’d only wear that in warm weather otherwise the tuberose doesn’t develop warmly on my skin

    You can probably see I like woody, oriental and floral perfumes, but I’m not big on spicy/touch/aftershave-like perfumes. I don’t like grapefruit and only like patchouli if t stays in te background (Bottega Veneta has too much patchouli for me)

    Incidentally, I love Femme by Rochas but it’s so much my Mum’s signature that I wouldn’t buy it for me.

    Does anything spring to mind?
    Thanks for reading! October 8, 2013 at 3:37pm Reply

    • Austenfan: Maybe try Divine by Divine. A floral animalic fragrance.
      I don’t know how unique it is though. I just think it is lovely and very suitable for evening wear. October 8, 2013 at 4:27pm Reply

      • rose: Aha, never tried it, will have a look.. October 8, 2013 at 5:07pm Reply

      • rose: I’ve read a few reviews about Divine, and it sounds great, and affordable! Nice suggestion October 11, 2013 at 5:00pm Reply

    • Elia: Evening Edged in Gold by Ineke.
      Divine is fairly spicy btw. October 8, 2013 at 6:36pm Reply

    • Karen: How do you feel about Fracas? I have both this and Do Son, and think of Fracas as the grown-up, evening ladylike version. An old favorite of mine for feeling vampy is Vivienne Westwood’s Boudoir, though I’m not sure whether it’s still around. Marc Jacobs for women is a lovely watery gardenia which does well for me day or night.

      And I think I’m going to have to get a bottle of Viktoria Minya’s Hedonist when it goes back into production, it’s all sold out at the moment.

      Maybe also Donna Karan Gold, the Parfum version, if you like Lys Soleia? I love both but as with a Fracas and Do Son one seems like a more amped-up version of the other.

      Happy hunting! October 8, 2013 at 7:22pm Reply

      • rose: Thanks Karen, Yes I’ve been thinking about Karan’s Gold – I love Lily. Fracas is a classic but too much tuberose for me, it doesn’t work too well on my skin. I’m starting think about Malle’s Le Parfum de Therese – I love Femme and this seems to be equivalent but lighter, then there’s Diorama…oh decisions! October 8, 2013 at 7:29pm Reply

  • Kimmi Lepper: I love Chaos by Donna Karan at this time of the year; of course I now have to resort to the new blend – the original was so much edgier and I adored it…but o me it cannot be beaten for it’s smokey Bonfire Night qualities that through complete happenstance take me back to my childhood in Africa and the smell of wild Wattle trees; I recalled this just ONCE more in Georgia on a road trip – the smell of the Georgia pines in flower…that journey wasn’t so wonderful – nor the companion – and yet the smell was hardwired through my olfactory function to a magical time and place October 12, 2013 at 8:44am Reply

  • Delilah: Hi,
    I just stumbled across this site earlier this evening and several hours later I am still here, so thanks for such a great blog!
    Ok, so I would like some recommendations please. I love perfumes and scents, and have quite a lot of different scents, though not a massive budget. Some of my favourites don’t seem to get favourable reviews but I love them anyway. It seemed to me, before I stumbled on this site, that my tastes were quite eclectic but now I am less sure.

    What I would LOVE to find, is a perfume that smelled like a discontinued LUSH shower gel called “Tramp”. I think it had honey and patchouli in, but showering with that made me feel like I was bathing in a waterfall in a beautiful lush forest clearing, with mossy riverbanks, in the sunshine after the rain (if that makes any sense at all haha). Does anyone know the shower gel, and know of any perfumes that have a similar quality?

    Also, any recommendations for violet perfumes? I adore the smell of violets and would love a reasonably priced violet perfume that captures the sweetness and light and femininity and also has good sillage and lasting power.
    Violet wise I have tried:
    (the now discontiniued) L’occitane Delice Des Fleurs Violette et rose which I loved, Crabtree and Evelyns Violet water (beautiful but as a flower water very poor staying power)
    Molinard Violette (only had this a few days but loving it so far).

    My third request (I know I am greedy!) is something that smells similar to (another discontinued) L’occitan perfume called “voyage de meditarranee Neroli”. It hasn’t had great reviews I don’t think but I find it so rich and sensual and warm and comforting (plus my OH likes it on me too – bonus) but it is now discontinued so would like to find something similar.

    I am UK based, don’t have a massive budget, but am willing to save up for the right scent.

    Scents I love:
    L’occitan Voyage en meditarranee Neroli
    L’occitan Delice des fleurs rose et violette
    Molinard Violette
    Crabtree and Evelyn Nantucket Briar
    Hermes Eau des Merveilles
    Hermes Ambre des Merveilles
    Jean Paul Gaultier classique woman
    Cacharel Noa
    Cerrutti 1881 (lady version)
    Carolina Herrera 212 (I know this is seen as a cheapy by many but it seems to work really well on my skin and always gets me compliments)

    I really dislike overly synthetic smells, overly strong fake vanilla smells and am not a fan of the currently popular mega sweet fruit smells or thick super sweet heavy candy smells.

    Sorry for the overly long post!
    Any recommendations gladly received
    To summarise:

    Something like Lush’s old “tramp” shower gel
    A beautiful violet with longevity
    Something along the lines of (now discontiuned) L’occitan neroli

    Thanks! (and sorry for my terrible spelling, especially the attempts at French!) October 27, 2013 at 9:06pm Reply

    • Victoria: Delilah, welcome! Glad that you’re enjoying Bois de Jasmin. This thread is now very quiet, so I suggest that you repost your query when we have the new Recommendations post (there will be one this week). In the meantime, for a long lasting violet, I would suggest Serge Lutens Bois de Violette, Tocca Violetta and Penhaligon’s Violette. Marc Jacobs also had a very pretty Violet cologne, but I don’t know if it’s still being sold. If you like neroli, then Jo Malone Orange Blossom and Annick Goutal Neroli are great options. October 28, 2013 at 7:26am Reply

  • Jeanette S.: I’m trying to find a new scent for fall and winter. I’m looking for a gourmand with monster (or at least big) sillage.

    Some ideas of what I like:

    TM Angel – sillage is fantastic, but I’m wanting more of a baked goods or spices smell, and I get a very strong scent of berries with Angel.

    Serge Lutens un Bois Vanille – wonderful, but it’s what I wore all last winter. I’m also hoping for something with more spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, tea, ginger, etc

    SL Jeux de Peau – LOVE this scent. One of my favorites. The longevity and sillage is good, but not as monster as I would like. While I love the buttery notes and sandalwood, I want something with a spicy aspect

    Parfumerie General Un Crime Exotique – the closest I’ve found to what I want. It’s an absolutely delicious scent of gingerbread, tea, cinnamon, vanilla. My only complaint is it’s a little TOO literal. I want something gourmand and delicious, but don’t want to smell like you could lick my wrist and taste a baked good.

    It’s like I’m wanting a mix between Un Crime Exotique and Un Bois Vanille, with monster sillage.

    Thanks in advance for any recommendations! October 29, 2013 at 4:34pm Reply

    • Victoria: Jeanette, this thread is already calm, but I suggest that you repost your question during our next Recommendations round. You will get more suggestion then.

      My first thought, though, was Chopard Casmir. Now, that’s a lush vanilla with a huge sillage! October 30, 2013 at 9:14am Reply

      • Jeanette S: Thank you!! November 4, 2013 at 11:17pm Reply

    • Delilah: Hi,

      have you tried Jean Paul Gaultier Classique woman (the one in the lady shaped bottle)? I find it has excellent longevity and good sillage and the smell is lush!
      Also, have a sniff at Hermes Elixer des Merveilles, this might be up your street. November 4, 2013 at 8:35pm Reply

      • Jeanette S: Thank you! I will try these! November 4, 2013 at 11:27pm Reply

  • Ruth: Hi,

    I’m so pleased to have found your site! I’ve taken down the info regarding items of interest in French Pharmacies. And though I’m guessing this is already on your site somewhere and I’m just overlooking it, can you recommend a perfume based on scents I’ve worn (5-10 years each) in the past? 1. Diorella by Dior, 2. Angel by Thierry Mugler (just a few years), 3. Vera Wang (10 years)? I don’t have a bottomless pockets, but would love to try something new. January 10, 2014 at 11:48pm Reply

    • Victoria: You have such a range of favorites, so it would be fun for you to try different things. For instance, how about Lolita Lempicka? It’s a sister of Angel, but it has a different character–iris, cherries, tobacco, licorice. Kenzo Amour might be another perfume to try. If you want something sparkling and bright like Diorella, how about Chanel Cristalle? January 12, 2014 at 4:54am Reply

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