Recommend Me a Perfume : April 2018

Our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread is now open in time for your spring queries. You can this space to find fragrance recommendations, to share your discoveries and favorite scents, and to ask any questions about scents, aromas and flavors.

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 what you end up sampling. 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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133 Comments

  • Alexa: Since this is a well-traveled bunch, I’ll throw out this question: any perfumes, perfume shops, drugstores that I should seek out in Ljubljana, Slovenia? Thanks in advance! April 30, 2018 at 9:17am Reply

    • Victoria: My friend recommends Ikona at Mestni trg 24 , which has lots of niche brands. Piranske Soline has lots of salt-based products, from scented bath salts to food condiments, and the salt comes from the Adriatic coast. May 1, 2018 at 8:37am Reply

      • maja: I second Ikona. As for drugstores look out for Muller and DM. And enjoy Ljubljana. 🙂 May 1, 2018 at 11:48am Reply

        • Alexa: Thanks, Maja. I really did enjoy the perfumes at Ikona and had fun browsing Muller. September 18, 2018 at 8:53am Reply

      • Eudora: Hello dear Victoria,
        I am trying to post but cannot, for weeks. This is another try… May 1, 2018 at 4:06pm Reply

        • Victoria: Are you trying to post using another screen name, by any chance? May 5, 2018 at 2:43am Reply

      • Alexa: Thank you, I will look for these! May 10, 2018 at 2:22pm Reply

      • Alexa: Thanks, Victoria. I went to Ikona and discovered a multitude of niche brands that were unfamiliar to me (I haven’t come across them at home in the U.S. or in my travels). Appreciate the great recommendation. September 18, 2018 at 8:52am Reply

        • Victoria: Very happy to hear it! September 18, 2018 at 9:23am Reply

  • spe: How do you determine whether a scent works with your chemistry?

    I have heard that if a scent works well with your chemistry, it should have longevity and development.

    Do you agree?

    Thank you! April 30, 2018 at 10:20am Reply

    • Katya: I tend to test out and see. Sometimes I blind buy but I prefer to make sure it works for me.

      There are some houses that seem to do no wrong as far as I go – Chloe, Miller Harris, Diptyque – all their scents seem to mix well with my body. Others… not so much. Bit of a pricy gamble to take on a scent. April 30, 2018 at 11:09am Reply

    • KatieAnn: Hello Spe – Intuitively, if it smells lovely on you and you enjoy the scent (and perhaps if others think it smells nice on you too), then I think that means it works well with your chemistry. However, if it has longevity and development, that is a plus for sure. April 30, 2018 at 12:59pm Reply

    • Aurora: Hello spe: I agree with the statement that it should have longevity and development and would add that it a scent applied shouldn’t have notes that are weird or unpleasant as an example La Petite Robe Noire develops a synthetic smell on my skin but the Couture edition doesn’t and I don’t know why. Also I found that a musk present in Lady Million and CD Sauvage make me feel sick. May 1, 2018 at 8:07am Reply

    • Nina Z: There’s a lot of debate about this skin chemistry thing, with some saying it doesn’t exist and others saying it absolutely does and that different perfumes smell differently on various people. I’m in the second camp, and have done some testing with various friends to confirm. We find that skin chemistry actually affects the way a perfume smells (not just its longevity and development), maybe, for example, smeller sweeter on some people than others or bringing different notes to the fore. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz actually has a musk perfume that she uses to test her customers skin (Special Formula X). So you could try to get that along with the instructions for interpreting the results. Either that or you can just use your nose and experience to learn what works for you and what does. For myself I’ve found that certain lines smell better on me than others, and certain ingredients (such as the new synthetic woods) always smell terrible.

      As you explore this, take a curious and non-judgmental attitude. There are beautiful perfumes out there for all of us. May 1, 2018 at 8:23pm Reply

      • Em: There is debate about this, really? I would have thought it was a settled matter.

        I am fortunate enough to live within a short drive of a world-class perfume store. (Sir Elton John has been known to drop many thousands of dollars there when in town.)

        Once I lured my husband in there as his introduction to serious perfumery. (In one of those odd coincidences, this happened to be shortly before my birthday.) One of the clerks, all of whom are extremely knowledgeable, spritzed a simple rose on both him and me. The difference in how the scent reacted on his skin and on mine was startling. On me, it was a clear, feminine floral, and on him it was masculine and musky. Same juice, smelled way different. The clerk told us that she likes to introduce this perfume to all scent newbs, because the way this scent comes across on male and on female skin illustrates so dramatically how differently scents react on different people.

        While the effect of most perfumes is not so dramatic from person to person, I take it for granted that there is a difference, albeit sometimes a subtle one. May 4, 2018 at 4:07pm Reply

    • Klaas: Hey Spe, I agree with Nina that there is such a thing as skin chemistry. Thats why choosing a scent is such a personal thing and why perfumes should always he tested on skin before you decide to buy. What smells gorgeous on someone else might turn out quite funky on yourself! For instance, Chanel Egoist and Gaultier Le Male smell exquisite on a friend of mine but absolutely not on me.

      I would also agree that longevity and development are not the only criteria. Some fragrances just are a bit lighter or more linear on any skin. So yeah, just test and see if a scent smells nice on you, and if you – and maybe the people around you – feel like it adds to your appeal. If it does you have a winner, and if it doesn’t: all the more reason to keep on sampling! Happy search! May 2, 2018 at 12:01am Reply

  • Katya: So… I tested out Bottega Veneta Knot and I am strongly leaning toward a fb. Anybody got this? Or can you recommend any other lovely neroli to me? I was a big fan of the original Chloe Love Story.

    I also tested out Rose Silence by Miller Harris which was nice and it makes me want a fb but it’s not that special in my eye. I don’t know what it has over The Body Shop’s offerings. April 30, 2018 at 11:11am Reply

    • Anne: I love knot, and neroli in general. Have you tried Basil and Neroli by Jo Malone? I love this so much. But my big time favourite is L eau des sens by Dytique. Try it. To me it a the best Neroli scent. April 30, 2018 at 11:19am Reply

      • Katya: Oooh, I have’t tried Eau des Sens even though I love Diptyque. I really liked Basil and Neroli although most people don’t seem to. My main problem with Jo Malone is that the colognes don’t last on me at all.

        Anyway. I ordered Knot. Just waiting for it to arrive. (barely staying patient) May 5, 2018 at 6:26am Reply

    • Zuzanna: Dilettante by Hiram Green, probably the best neroli I’ve ever smelled. I wear Moonbloom and the quality is excellent. April 30, 2018 at 1:03pm Reply

      • Katya: Ooh, that sounds promising, thank you! May 5, 2018 at 6:33am Reply

    • Anu: I have Knot and I like to wear it a lot in spring and summer. April 30, 2018 at 1:20pm Reply

    • Aurora: Also, l’Artisan Parfumeur Histoire d’Orangers which Victoria recommended recently. May 1, 2018 at 7:24am Reply

      • Katya: I wish we had a bigger chance to smell new things where I live. That sounds fantastic. May 5, 2018 at 6:36am Reply

    • bregje: Knot is actually one of my favourites!
      I love the sparkling neroli opening. May 1, 2018 at 4:29pm Reply

    • maggiecat: I have Knot and I love it – and Neroli in general. I agree that you might also try Jo Malone’s Basil and Neroli, which is also lovely. Annick Goutal also had a Neroli I adore. May 1, 2018 at 6:01pm Reply

      • Katya: I have tried Basil and Neroli and I love it. The only thing I wish is that they made it a little more… lasting. (Or maybe it’s my skin chemistry – I just don’t get along with Jo Malone colognes in the long term). But Bottega Veneta is fast becoming a favourite house. I have Eau Velours and now I have ordered this one. I only have a handful of perfume houses that I trust so much. May 5, 2018 at 6:37am Reply

    • Jacinta: Hi Katya,
      Have you tried the new Knot Absolue. Beautiful fragrance. May 4, 2018 at 10:27am Reply

      • bregje: jacintha,does absolue resemble the original?

        I was very disappointed with eau florale and vowed to stick to the original but if this one has that neroli-note of knot it might be worth a sniff 😉 May 4, 2018 at 3:44pm Reply

        • Jacinta: It’s a softer version of the original. May 4, 2018 at 4:03pm Reply

          • Katya: I think my local store only has the original, but it might be worth a sniff. (Well, I ordered the original, so maybe not for a while. Very excited that it’s getting flankers, though – it’s a good bet that it won’t get discontinued soon!) May 5, 2018 at 6:35am Reply

  • Ashley: What is your favorite Profumum fragrance? I will be going to Rome in a month and am looking to splurge. I love Ichnusa, have also tried Audace, Confetto, and Tuberosa–but still keep coming back to Ichnusa. Any thoughts? April 30, 2018 at 11:18am Reply

    • Mariann: Havent tried much but I adore Ambra Aurea! May 1, 2018 at 8:40am Reply

    • Aurora: Seconding Ambra Aurea, very rich and it is very much a winter fragrance. How exciting that you are going to Rome, I visited once a long time ago. I love Santa Maria Novella too, a florentine house but there is a boutique in Rome too on Corso Rinascimento, 47. Have a wonderful trip! May 1, 2018 at 9:05am Reply

      • Ashley: Thanks so much! Yes I love that city and lucky that I get to visit again. Hope you get to as well! May 1, 2018 at 10:08am Reply

    • Silvermoon: Ashley, have a great time in the Eternal City! I love Rome. I have D’Ambrosia. It’s a bit sweet but I find it beautiful (just happened to wear it yesterday). I prefer it on cooler days, especially in spring.

      I would suggest checking out SMN as Aurora does. Other really good Italian brands are Carthusia (from Capri) and Eau d’Italie (from Positano). All three are great. May 1, 2018 at 11:31am Reply

      • Ashley: Oh, I forgot about Carthusia. Thanks for the recs! May 1, 2018 at 11:39am Reply

        • Silvermoon: I like their Aria di Capri best, and also Fiori di Capri. Of course, they have other very good ones. May 1, 2018 at 11:49am Reply

    • Neva: Hi iAshley, I haven’t tried many Profumum perfumes but I remember liking Ichnusa too. You could also try Victrix which is also a herbal green and fresh scent. May 1, 2018 at 7:03pm Reply

  • Barbara: I buy samples before I invest in bottles and some bottles are simply too expensive. I’m wondering if you could recommend scents to try that are more reasonably priced. I love Amouage Lyric Woman, and recently have become enamored of Neela Vermeire’s Bombay Bling. Any suggestions? And thanks so much for this opportunity. Love the blog! April 30, 2018 at 11:29am Reply

    • Aurora: I know this problem well. For Bombay Bling you could try Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil, it has a mango note like BB, it’s a green mango, in summer I wear it a lot. May 1, 2018 at 7:28am Reply

      • Barbara: Thanks so much. I absolutely will try it! May 1, 2018 at 12:23pm Reply

    • Anne: If you enjoy tea scents and want the bargain of a lifetime, I highly recommend the lovely Green Tea and Green Tea Cherry Blossom by Elizabeth Arden. So beautiful, both, and less than $15 for 3.30 ounces. May 1, 2018 at 9:43am Reply

      • Barbara: I’m not at all familiar with tea scents, so I’ll be sure to check these out. Thanks. May 1, 2018 at 12:29pm Reply

        • Silvermoon: Hi Barbara, Bulgari also has a range of tea scents: Eau Parfumee au The Vert (or Bleu or Rouge or Blanc, etc). I think the blue and green are the best – and Victoria has reviewed them if I remember correctly). Also, another great tea fragrance is Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan. May 1, 2018 at 4:57pm Reply

        • Bea: Another tea scent that is worth checking out is Atelier Cologne’s Oolang Infini. May 2, 2018 at 1:50pm Reply

    • Nina Z: Erm, there are some discounts sites where you can tester bottles of Amouage perfumes (with caps!) for quite reasonable prices especially when they are having their 30 percent off coupons. Sometimes you have to wait because they don’t always have the testers in stock.

      I don’t think this is the case for Neela Vermeire, however and cannot think of a substitute for Bombay Bling. An alternative would be to buy a decant or a travel size of that.

      (I basically think its kind of hopeless to find cheaper versions of perfumes from these lines because one of their hallmarks–not true of all expensive lines–is quality ingredients and complex formulas.) May 1, 2018 at 8:29pm Reply

    • Klaas: I agree that being a perfume lover can be a costly business. However, one does not have to buy expensive niche fragrances to smell nice. There are some beautiful fragrances out there that don’t cost a fortune, also by top houses! Hermes does colognes that are lovely (Neroli Doree and Rhubarbe Ecarlate f.i.), and some of the regular Chanel, Guerlain and Dior are fabulous (Cristalle! Vetiver! Eau Sauvage!). And available in small sizes, too!

      All De Nicolai scents are available in affordable sizes, and some houses sell refills or their expensive bottles. By Kylian sells refills for half the price of their usual spray bottles. They don’t look as nice, but the juices are the same!

      And you know, if you really, really love one of the expensive ones (Neela Vermeire doesn’t come cheap), it’s sometimes worth to save up some money and treat yourself. A cheaper ‘almost’ will never give you the joy of the real thing….enjoy! May 3, 2018 at 9:44am Reply

      • Nina Z: I agree there are lovely perfumes out there that are not expensive and sometimes you can find some amazing deals (such as when a bottle is redesigned and the old designs are dumped on the market). I have several nice perfumes I got for around $40! And sometimes you can get free vintage classics if you let everyone you know you’re looking for it (they’re glad to give you stuff they don’t wear anymore). However, when people ask for a cheaper version of a really quality niche perfume (not all niche is quality in my opinion) I tend to say they’re not going to find anything that’s really close so they’d be better off buying a smaller amount (travel size?) of something they love. That being said, I just remembered that the Perfume Shrine blog has an interesting ongoing feature called “Twin Peaks,” which compares similar fragrances from different lines. The above-mentioned perfumes are there, but it could be a fun topic to look up on the blog. May 6, 2018 at 5:25pm Reply

  • AndreaR: My husband and I will spend several weeks in Netherlands soon. Our home base will be Amsterdam with day trips by train throughout the country. Are there any perfume shops that shouldn’t be missed? April 30, 2018 at 11:45am Reply

    • Ashley: Yes! The Annindriya Perfume Lounge is excellent. The ladies there are extremely knowledgeable, passionate, and helpful in recommending perfumes. They also carry some local perfumes such as Francesca Bianchi and Hiram Green. April 30, 2018 at 11:50am Reply

      • AndreaR: Thank you so much!! It’s always wonderful to shop in a store where the staff is passionate and knowledgable. April 30, 2018 at 12:00pm Reply

      • Jane: I totally agree that the Perfume Lounge is fantastic and that the staff is great. If you are going to the Hague Celeste Parfums is worth a visit. Another great shop is Parfumaria. They are only open by appointment but they have a wonderful selection. May 1, 2018 at 2:45am Reply

      • AndreaR: Annindriya is simply wonderful! I was interested in coming home with a fragrance that is not readily available in the USA. Phine was my guide in the search. She and I spent time discussing fragrances and perfume notes I enjoy wearing and she gave me several lovely options to explore. After sniffing and sampling numerous fragrances, I decided on Geste by Humiecki and Graef. I’ve been wearing it daily since our return. Not only am I enjoying the Geste, but it’s a fragrant reminder of a gracious experience at Annindriya as well as a reminder of the time we enjoyed in Amsterdam. June 22, 2018 at 6:23pm Reply

    • Caroline: Hi! Always visit Bijenkorf on dam square in Amsterdam. And for niche perfume skins.nl
      2 shops in Amsterdam. Try the one in Conservatorium Hotel near Stedelijk Museum of modern art. Enjoy! May 1, 2018 at 1:30am Reply

      • AndreaR: I enjoyed wandering around Bijenkorf. Lovely cosmetics and fragrance departments. June 22, 2018 at 6:33pm Reply

    • Klaas: Annindriya would be my first choice as well. The staff is wonderful indeed.

      Not far far from Annindriya are Babassu and Parfumerie Louise, also very nice. Skins has an amazing selection (the one in the Runstraat carries al Hermessences), but some of the staf can be snobbish or clueless…..or both!! Although I have gotten excellent service there as well.

      Amsterdam is an amazing city, enjoy!! May 1, 2018 at 9:31am Reply

      • AndreaR: Annindriya is worth a trip to Amsterdam just to experience and explore this wonderful store and their lovely staff.
        We very much enjoyed our stay in Amsterdam. June 22, 2018 at 6:30pm Reply

  • Heidi: Yves Rocher has a lovely Neroli (Secret d’Essences)…. at a very reasonable price…. especially when on sale. April 30, 2018 at 12:25pm Reply

  • KatieAnn: Hello everyone – Has anyone here recently tried Miss Dior Extrait de parfum in the 1/2 oz dab bottle? I sampled Miss Dior Le Parfum (which comes in a natural spray) not too long ago. It has a nice amber and patchouli base to it that is very rich. I am curious about the extrait, though, which is even richer. I was wondering how floral it is. On my skin, patchouli sometimes overrides any floral notes a perfume has. Just to be clear, I am not referring to the more classic Miss Dior that is now Miss Dior Originale. Thank you! April 30, 2018 at 12:56pm Reply

  • Hayley: Hello I wonder if anyone can recommend a perfume that smells like an artist materials shop. We recently went in l cornelissen & son art shop in London and it smelt amazing. Unfortunately I’m terrible at identifying scents and can’t even unpick what made up the lovely scent. Any thoughts welcome! April 30, 2018 at 2:02pm Reply

    • AWS: You could try Turpentine by Demeter, perhaps even layered with a woody scent. April 30, 2018 at 3:15pm Reply

      • Hayley: Thanks Aws I will keep an eye out. I’m uk so Demeter/library of scent is not so easy to try out. May 1, 2018 at 5:15am Reply

    • Delilah V: Hello Hayley, what a fascinating request! I have two semi-related recommendations, neither have ALL the art shop scent-elements you desire but there are enough of those elements included to make them worthy of consideration.

      First up is Comme des Garcons 2011 EDP, which smells like someone dipped violets into chilled white “school supply” glue, wrapped them in unnaturally shiny brown tape then stuffed them into an empty leather pencil case. Not as warm as an art shop would smell but it’s arresting and I’ve never sampled anything like it.

      Finally Amouage’s Opus X, this smells like a giant vat of wood polish that has had rose petals soaking in it for centuries and instead of using it to lacquer wood a femme-fatale repurposed it as a top coat over her blood red nail polish. The wood polish note smells like linseed oil which is used with oil paints. Opus X is carnal and aloof at the same time, the embodiment of cruel sensuality and if you can’t already tell I truly adore it (!)

      I thoroughly enjoyed your question and i hope you find this helpful. If you sample either of these do let me know your thoughts April 30, 2018 at 8:25pm Reply

      • Carla: What a great description! I miss living in a cosmopolitan European city (Hamburg) where I could have run out and tried this! April 30, 2018 at 10:39pm Reply

      • Hayley: Wow Delilah I loved reading your reply! Thank you! your descriptions sound so intriguing I’ve got to try and smell them at some point. I’m back to London in June so will do some research where I might try them. Will update if I can get hold of them. May 1, 2018 at 5:12am Reply

    • limegreen: How about Smell Bent Artist Studio? April 30, 2018 at 11:38pm Reply

      • Hayley: Thanks lime green, just been reading up on this and sounds promising. Might struggle to try smell bent in uk but will keep it on my radar! May 1, 2018 at 5:19am Reply

    • DDJ: Artist’s Studio by smell bent May 1, 2018 at 6:36am Reply

      • Hayley: On the list thank you 🙂 May 1, 2018 at 9:06am Reply

    • Klaas: Try Bowmaker by D.S.Durga. It’s woody and resinous and wonderful. It might not exactly smell like a paint store, but it has this workshop ambiance about it. I find it very original!

      Turpentine by Demeter……I’m intrigued indeed 😉 May 1, 2018 at 9:35am Reply

      • Hayley: Thanks Klaas just been reading up on it and like the sound of a violin workshop scent, on the list! May 1, 2018 at 11:39am Reply

  • Nancy A.: Christine Nagel’s newest cologne (for all genders) is CITRUS NOIR. Combining black tea with varied citrus notes from the likes of Buddha’s Hand Lemon, black lime and so on. I like that she appears to challenge herself! April 30, 2018 at 3:07pm Reply

  • Jennifer S.: I am moving to Portland, Oregon in a month. Does anyone know about any perfume shops there? I also would appreciate any tips on packing up my perfumes and my boyfriend’s colognes. April 30, 2018 at 5:01pm Reply

    • Victoria: The Perfume House is one of the best perfume boutiques I’ve been to. May 1, 2018 at 8:39am Reply

      • spe: Unfortunately TPH has changed significantly over the past few years. Much less vintage. May 1, 2018 at 12:05pm Reply

      • Jennifer S.: Thank you for letting me know about this incredible place, Victoria! I looked at their website and their facebook page. Wow! May 2, 2018 at 2:14pm Reply

    • kpaint: This’ll be when you wish you’d saved all the boxes that your perfumes came in (and congrats if you already did.) Other than that, get lots of bubble wrap and sturdy boxes to pack your collection in. May 1, 2018 at 10:39am Reply

      • Jennifer S.: Thank you kpaint! I do have most of the packages for the perfumes and colognes. I have a vintage Chloe with a loose top. That one is going to need some special packaging! May 2, 2018 at 2:16pm Reply

    • Theresa: Try Fumerie, on SE Division Street. They have niche lines, and are run by a passionate, helpful, and nice staff! they also have fun events regularly. May 1, 2018 at 7:32pm Reply

      • Jennifer S.: Thank you Theresa! I am going to look into Fumerie for my future purchases. Usually I have been ordering online from Neiman Marcus for some of the more elusive perfume lines that I love. Although it sure is fun to order from the official Annick Goutal webstore! May 2, 2018 at 2:20pm Reply

    • Theresa: Sorry, I attached my comment at the wrong level. Here is what I wrote yesterday: Try Fumerie, on SE Division Street. They have niche lines, and are run by a passionate, helpful, and nice staff! they also have fun and educational events regularly. May 2, 2018 at 3:48pm Reply

    • Danica: Fumerie Parfumerie. They used to work at the Perfume House but are more enamored of niche and modern fragrances of quality. They have excellent taste. May 11, 2018 at 2:24am Reply

  • Mel: I want to get my 70 year old mother a new scent for Mother’s Day. She loves Chamade. She loves Anais Anais. Any suggestions? April 30, 2018 at 10:44pm Reply

    • John: My wife swears that Gucci Bloom reminds her of her early teen years wearing Anaïs Anaïs… April 30, 2018 at 11:44pm Reply

      • Mel: Thanks John! I’ll check it out! May 1, 2018 at 12:25am Reply

    • Aurora: Another choice for a perfume like Chamade would be Annick Goutal Grand Amour. Cornelia who often comments here always says it is a softer Chamade. They’re both lovely. May 1, 2018 at 7:35am Reply

    • Carla: Three from the 70’s – White Linen, Rice Gauche, Private Collection. They are soapy like Anais and green like Chamade. However I can’t come up with something from more recent years. These three are affordable though. May 1, 2018 at 10:30am Reply

    • kpaint: Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte has elements that remind me of both Anais Anais and Chamade. May 1, 2018 at 10:37am Reply

      • Eudora: Hi, what is the difference between Cristalle and the Eau Verte version? Thanks! May 2, 2018 at 8:02am Reply

  • Siobhan: I’ve always wanted to try a Byredo perfume and I’d love some recommendations. I live in Australia, so we’re heading into the cooler months. What’s a good Autumn/Winter Byredo perfume? I love fruity florals, and I’m not a huge fan of woody scents. May 1, 2018 at 4:27am Reply

    • Ashley: Agree with Pulp. I can’t think of any Byredo perfumes that are predominantly fruity. You might enjoy Velvet Haze or La Tulipe, or Inflorescence (lighter floral). May 1, 2018 at 11:19am Reply

    • Silvermoon: Hi Siobhan, Byredo has some lovely perfumes. My favourite is Flowerhead (the idea being the flowers Indian brides and ladies sew into a garland and then wrap/clip into their hair). Also lovely are Mojave Ghost Bal d’Afrique, and Rose of no man’s land.
      Hope you enjoy discovering them. May 1, 2018 at 11:45am Reply

    • Severine: Try Byredo Mojave Ghost! You won’t be disappointed! May 1, 2018 at 12:18pm Reply

    • Katya: They say Rose of No-Man’s Land is really good. It’s been a while since I last smelled it, but from memory, it made me think of Lush Rose Jam (then again, what doesn’t.) If that makes you excited, then maybe it’s worth a sniff? To be honest, though, it’s a concept that has been done to death (Si Rose Edit, Paul Smith Rose, Rose Silence by Miller Harris, the aforementioned Lush scent) so I guess the question is: How does it sit on your skin? May 5, 2018 at 6:45am Reply

  • Hayley: If you can give pulp a try it’s massively neon fruity, love it. May 1, 2018 at 5:49am Reply

  • Olga: I am looking for a chocolate smell sweet perfume. I usually love vanilla a lot. Any recommendations? Thank you! May 1, 2018 at 2:16pm Reply

    • Raquel: TM Angel Muse May 1, 2018 at 3:06pm Reply

      • Katya: Seconding Angel Muse. It’s a delight. May 5, 2018 at 6:46am Reply

    • Silvermoon: Hi Olga,
      the one chocolate and vanilla perfume that I have and recommend highly is Anima Dulcis by Arquiste. Really lovely.
      Another good one with a chocolate note is Equistrius by Parfums d’Empire.
      I am not sure where you live? These are not widely available but maybe you can get a sample shipped to you? May 1, 2018 at 5:11pm Reply

      • Olga: Thank you so much! I live in the USA. Where can I buy samples? May 1, 2018 at 6:59pm Reply

        • Silvermoon: Olga, I don’t live in the US and I know only one perfume sample seller that ships – Lucky Scent (Google should get you there). They are excellent (in terms of range and based on the only time I used their service). I think the other US based people here are better placed to suggest others. May 2, 2018 at 2:15pm Reply

        • Mariann: Surrender to Chance is also a great sample site. I used them a lot. May 3, 2018 at 9:19pm Reply

    • Hayley: Hi Olga you might like musc Maori by parfumeur generale it’s a sweet chocolate orange scent. May 1, 2018 at 6:49pm Reply

      • Olga: thank you very much!! May 1, 2018 at 7:01pm Reply

    • Aurora: Excellent suggestions already I will add Berdoues Vanille Cacao is lovely with vanilla and chocolate (more vanilla though) and bonus is it’s very affordable, and I think it’s available in the US. I have a bottle and use it often in winter for something comforting.

      I second Silvermoon with Anima Dulcis which is in a different league altogether, much more complex than VC (and Victoria’s favorite gourmand I think).

      There is also Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule, rose, sandalwood and chocolate, also complex and rich and sophisticated. May 2, 2018 at 7:21am Reply

    • Jessicarus: Have you tried Guerlain’s Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin? It is sweet, has lovely chocolate and cocoa notes, and the vanilla is wonderful. May 2, 2018 at 10:32am Reply

    • Rachel: Gilded Fox by Pinrose has cocoa and rum. May 6, 2018 at 4:37pm Reply

  • Raquel: Hello, could you please suggest a perfume that smells like Lush Scrubee, I love this honey scent. Thank you! May 1, 2018 at 3:10pm Reply

    • Katya: I haven’t had a chance to smell Scrubee, but the first thing that comes to my mind when you say honey is the Body Shop’s “Honeymania” range. They discontinued it a bit, then I saw it come back at Christmas and at their discount events, so it might be worth keeping an eye out. May 5, 2018 at 6:52am Reply

      • Raquel: Thank you! May 5, 2018 at 9:25am Reply

  • Maria: Hy everyone,

    I have a technical question for you. I’m trying to recognize a material that I find in a lot of mainstream perfumes, which I really dislike. I recognize it in Eau d’Issey, Dolce from Dolce and Gabbana and Gabrielle from Chanel. It’s kind of a plastic flower, very present since the head notes, and it usually makes me cough. Does anyone knows what it is? Thanks a lot!! May 1, 2018 at 3:49pm Reply

    • Aurora: Hello Maria: I’m not absolutely certain but the 3 perfumes you list share a musk, and I have problems with some musks that make me ill so this is my bet. The safest way to avoid making a mistake purchase is really to make sure to test everything with musk listed as a note before buying, I guess. May 2, 2018 at 4:10pm Reply

      • Maria: Hi Aurora! Thank you for your answer, I’ve tought of musk also, but I use a lot the Eau des familles Bien-être, that lists musk as one of the notes, and it doesn’t make me cough at all. Maybe it is a question of concentration, given that it is an eau de cologne it is less disturbing :-). May 2, 2018 at 4:29pm Reply

        • Aurora: Hi Maria: so pleased you use Eau des Familles, I am French originally 🙂 the thing is there are so many different musks that it is difficult to find out which one is the culprit, so troublesome really, I’d like brands and fragrantica were more specific 🙁 May 2, 2018 at 4:56pm Reply

  • Raúl: Hello guys,

    I’m a little late in this conversation, but I’ve been in denial. So finally today, while I realised that half of my third and last bottle is gone. Does anyone have a suggestion how to replace Bel Respiro? The new version besides being different from the original works terrible with my skin and it becomes quite dusty. It was one of the no brainers of my collection along with Bois d’Encens Noir Epices and Yatagan. If anyone has a suggestion I’d be quite thankfull. May 1, 2018 at 9:09pm Reply

    • Aurora: Hi Raul: do you know Fragrances of the World?
      I have entered Bel Respiro there and the 3 fragrances they list as resembling BR are: Dusita Le Sillage Blanc, Jo Malone English Fields: Green Wheat and Meadowsweet which may be a limited edition, and Carven La Collection Paris Seville. It can be a bit hit and miss but perhaps you could sample and see if they are comparable although I suppose nothing can completely replace a beloved scent. Good luck maybe someone else will have an idea. May 2, 2018 at 5:05pm Reply

    • Nina Z: This may be kind of hopeless but the new version is EdP while the old one was EdT. So if you look for the EdT version of Bel Respiro, you’ll probably be pleased with it. Finding it is another matter, but they do have some bottles (some are partial) on eBay so it’s around at least for a while. May 3, 2018 at 2:53pm Reply

  • Maria: Narciso rouge May 2, 2018 at 4:41pm Reply

  • Floragal: Looking for an interesting Lily of the Valley scent. Don’t like straight up LOTV but maybe there’s one out there that would please my husband and be bearable for me to wear.

    Thanks for any recs! May 3, 2018 at 5:04pm Reply

    • Austenfan: Perhaps try Odalisque by Parfums de Nicolaï, or Début by Parfums Delrae. May 3, 2018 at 5:31pm Reply

      • Floragal: The Debut is not bad, just doesn’t last on me. May 5, 2018 at 11:52am Reply

    • Heather Hart: I am going to add Ann Gerard Perle de Mousse and Un Coeur en Mai
      Eau de Parfum – Tassle
      by Parfums MDCI. May 4, 2018 at 11:13am Reply

      • Floragal: Not familiar with these, thanks! May 5, 2018 at 11:52am Reply

  • Jo: Hi all, i hope I’m not too late commenting on this thread! Im a newcomer here but enjoy reading all the articles and comments on the site. My boyfriend has just finished the last of his Dior Homme edt and wants to try something new for his next fb but I’m totally lost on what to try next. Previous to Dior Homme he had multiple bottles of Prada Infusion D’homme and was really disapppinted when they discontinued it. He has recently tried and liked a sample of TF Oud Wood but it’s a little out of our price range at the moment. Can anyone suggest any scents he might like to try next based on these please? Thanks so much! May 5, 2018 at 10:09pm Reply

    • Victoria: What about Terre d’Hermes? They also have several variations on the original that are lighter, but also very interesting.

      Also, Acqua di Parma Bergamotto di Calabria and Ginepro di Sardegna might be interesting options for him. They’re also easier on the wallet than the Private Blend collection by Tom Ford. May 6, 2018 at 9:55am Reply

      • Jo: Thanks so much for replying Victoria! Ill give those suggestions a try :). May 6, 2018 at 7:18pm Reply

        • Victoria: Good luck! And if you don’t find anything that works for me, do comment and we will help further. May 7, 2018 at 1:41am Reply

  • Tre: Hello,
    Ive been on the hunt for a perfume similar to the original “Victoria” by VS. This perfume was discontinued in the early ’90’s. It was my signature scent and although I’ve found other fragrances that I enjoy, nothing comes close to Victoria.

    With all the fragrances available, I’d figured I would run across a smell with similar components. The closest of come is “rock and rose” by Valentino.

    Does anyone else remember this fragrance or smelled anything close? May 13, 2018 at 12:22am Reply

  • Edward: Good day to you Victoria. I hope my post is not too late for your opinion. I just bought earlier my second bottle of Frederic Malle L Eau D Hiver. Here in the Philippines, what we usually have are mainstream, department store fragrances. So when I saw a lone bottle of FM at a specialty shop which sometimes sells niche perfumes, I bought it excitedly. The packaging looks authentic and the juice is exactly as I remember it. (BTW, my first L Eau D Hiver I bought abroad at a FM store). However, I noticed the color of the juice is different. My first bottle has a more clear juice while the one I bought just today has a more amberish/dark yellow color. Do ypu think what I bought is a rip off? May 14, 2018 at 7:05am Reply

    • Victoria: I don’t think it’s a rip off, but the bottle might be old. Mine also turned that color, and then a few months later it started smelling musty. May 14, 2018 at 7:22am Reply

      • Edward: Thank you for your response, Victoria. I appreciate it. May 14, 2018 at 7:34am Reply

  • Cristina: Hi! Mi name is Cristina. I am looking for my signature scent. I am 46 and it is hard for me to find it.. I like woody floral scents that are very close to the skin. I like perfumes like Ormonde Woman or Dyptique L’Eau de 34. Could you please recommend me something similar to those fragrances?

    Thank you Victoria!! June 6, 2018 at 7:23pm Reply

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