Recommend Me a Perfume : July 2019

Our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread is open this week. You can this space to find perfume 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 uner their comment.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

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183 Comments

  • Sebastian: I’d like to ask a general qustion: How important is longevity to you? There is now stuff with monster longevity of a full day on skin. Some perfumes survives on clothes basically forever. Do you prefer such perfumes to more short-lived ones? What’s your preferred time-span? How does longevity influence your buying decisions? July 22, 2019 at 8:26am Reply

    • Aimbl: I tried to reply to Sebastian’s query above but must have pressed the wrong button, so my answer appears below. Apologies July 22, 2019 at 10:00am Reply

      • Sebastian: I find your observation is interesting, that “it’s not scientific but the less I like a scent the longer it’s longevity”. In the past few months I have sometimes thought the same.

        In fact, sometimes I like to wear a different perfume in the evening than over the day in the office. How do you do that with these longevity monsters? I like a scent to last around 8 hours ideally. I accept less for a light summer refreshment. I tend to regard anything above 12 hours as an offense.

        I also hate it when articles of clothing that I don’t wash every day (like scarves, jackets etc.) retain a smell for too long. July 22, 2019 at 11:00am Reply

        • Aimbl: Thank you. The worst most tenacious fragrance on me was Etat Libre de orange magnificent secretions (a mix of marine and blood accords with an ineffable queasy factor thrown in). Rubbing alcohol and vodka and soap, salt and cold water did not remove it, but those things work to remove other fragrances placed on the skin. Otherwise, you can try layering on a complementary second fragrance at night (very lightly)! July 22, 2019 at 11:17am Reply

          • Sebastian: I haven’t yet tried vodka and salt. Applied externally, that is. July 22, 2019 at 11:20am Reply

            • Anne: Sebastian, This made me laugh so much!!! July 22, 2019 at 12:02pm Reply

          • Sebastian: I admire people who layer fragrances. However, for me that’s usually not an option because a) I don’t trust the outcome, b) I own far too little perfume to mix and match. July 22, 2019 at 11:23am Reply

        • Zuzanna: Try jojoba oil! (on skin, not on clothes…) July 24, 2019 at 12:09pm Reply

        • eudora: It is not scientific also but here I go. My husband says he never smells perfume on me. Except he is very sensitive to my perfume when I spray perfumes he do not like.
          On the other hand my daughter always, always says I smell divine no matter what. July 27, 2019 at 9:54am Reply

    • Sebastian: Some more background: In his review of “Sedley” at http://colognoisseur.com/new-perfume-review-parfums-de-marly-sedley-longevity-uber-alles/ Mark Behnke has complained “Over the past few years a class of synthetic woody ingredients have come into use; all with ridiculous longevity. They stay on the skin long after everything else has disappeared. At this point any perfume which uses them is indistinguishable from any other.”

      Interminable boredom, isn’t that hell? July 22, 2019 at 11:35am Reply

    • Aurora: Hi Sebastian: I aim to use perfume which last the day but that’s OK if they do so as a skin scent, what I enjoy is having a scent which develops.

      But then if it’s a cologne I don’t mind its being fleeting and enjoy reapplying.

      Some of my perfumes are very ‘big’, Rumba, l’Heure Bleue, Sahara Noir which I save for home usually or used with a very light hand.

      What are you’re long lasting perfumes? July 22, 2019 at 11:40am Reply

      • Sebastian: The creamy Sandalwood of Selperniku has ridiculous longevity. As much as I love the perfume (see below in answer to another question), I’m coming to regard that as a drawback. Zoologist’s Moth lasts for aeons. On clothes, I sometimes recognize its traces even after a week or so. Sogno reale (Mendittorosa) remains noticeable on me for almost 16 hours, even when I’m active (like bicycle riding and sweating a lot). I think these are the three most long-lasting I have. All lovely, but I wish they went away sooner. July 22, 2019 at 12:10pm Reply

    • Patricia Devine: My skin just eats perfume, so the longer-lasting, the better for me. I usually have to spray on clothing for perfume to last. July 22, 2019 at 3:00pm Reply

  • Gigi: I’ll be going through duty free in Montreal tomorrow and I always like to add to my collection. They have a pretty wide selection of hermes, chanel, dior — along with other main commercial houses and not a lot of boutique fragrances.
    I’d like to add something that leans more to a masculine scent — one that I could snuggle up to and image a sexy, intelligent worldly man — and to top it all off, I do like a “clean” essence. Wow — wouldn’t it be nice to bottle that. 🙂 July 22, 2019 at 9:06am Reply

    • Heidi: Terre d’Hermes or Guerlain’s Vetiver might be good options! If they carry the Tom Ford line, also check Neroli Portofino. July 22, 2019 at 10:05am Reply

    • Dorothy Van Daele: Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte. It’s fleeting but so beautiful. Chanel Cuir de Russie. I have bought both for my partner and always love to smell them on him.

      If it’s available, Armani Privé Bois d’Encens, which Turin and Sanchez describe as “sometimes as clean as winter air,” is wonderful. (It cost me $175 CDN last year at Holt Renfrew which I thought was a bargain.) July 22, 2019 at 11:22am Reply

    • Rodrigo: Sample Hermes Terre D’Hermes EDT or EDP, Chanel: Platinum Egoiste (clean), Monsieur, Egoiste and Bleu EDP (clean). From Dior Sauvage EDT (clean) is too popular but I use frequently in summer, another alternative to it is Prada Luna Rossa Carbon.
      In the clean “Department” sample Prada Ambre PH or L’Homme, Mugler Cologne July 22, 2019 at 12:19pm Reply

    • Tracy P Wohlgenant: Tracy: I would recommend snatching up a bottle of Galop d`Hermes by Hermes. It’s so interesting and if you can get a bit of a discount on it, totally worth it. July 22, 2019 at 6:11pm Reply

    • spe: Rocobar. Let it settle for 10-15 minutes. I love this clean scent on a man! It is a bit soapy and retro. Does not give me that “unrelenting spike behind the eyes” feel that the more modern unisex scents usually do. It’s gorgeous. July 22, 2019 at 7:14pm Reply

      • spe: Oops – Hermes Rocabar. July 22, 2019 at 7:16pm Reply

  • Daisy: I’m looking for a scent that evokes the sense of Scandinavian/Nordic style — one to channel an inner scandi self. Any thoughts? July 22, 2019 at 9:10am Reply

    • Briony: Agonist do a nice range. They’re a Swedish brand that base their perfumes on Nordic landscapes and culture. I’ve got Arctic Jade which I love, but it’s one of their earlier ones that’s now been discontinued. They also do scented books which look wonderful. July 22, 2019 at 9:21am Reply

      • Sebastian: In fact, when you look at the notes in the Agonist line, you see a lot of tangerine, ylang ylang, black pepper, ginger, anise, peach, , nutmeg, amber, musk, vanilla, Oriental flowers, Arabian oudh, heliotrope,patchouli, sandalwood, Virginian cedarwood, bergamotte, fig, frangipani etc. What any of this has to do with Scandinavia escapes me. I think that’s only a marketing lie. July 22, 2019 at 9:34am Reply

    • Sebastian: Can you be more specific about what you mean by Scandinavian style? Are you thinking modernist, clear lines, no frills, natural woods, white walls etc? Or rather forests, lakes, mosquitoes and colored houses?

      In any case, there are two perfume houses from Scandinavia that I know of. NOT perfumes and Byredo. From a folkloristic point of view, NOT might be a starting point. Unfortunately, their sample set is currently sold out. July 22, 2019 at 9:24am Reply

    • Allison C.: Hi,
      There’s a Swedish line called Bjork and Berries and they have several fragrances, Never Spring, White Forest, and Dark Rain. I have not smelled them but Never Spring really appeals to me in its association with the longing for spring! July 22, 2019 at 12:19pm Reply

      • Tyska: Björk and Berries is nice, natural perfumes with a swedish vibe. July 23, 2019 at 6:37am Reply

    • Lindy-Fay: I am from Norway and if you are thinking about the typical Nordic style that Sebastian is mentioning (clean lines and wood), Hinoki and Incense Kyoto from Comme des Garcons comes to mind. Anything with light wood really. Week end from Nicolai is like a summerday by the coast, or Sel Marin from Heeley. Patchouli noir from Le Labo, the smell of burning woods in winter.
      Apres l`Ondee (Guerlain) and Ostara (Penhaligon`s) also reads Nordic to me in a way. July 22, 2019 at 3:41pm Reply

      • pocketvenus: Lindy-Fay, despite their Japanese names, Hinoki and Sugi both immediately brought to my mind the clean, blonde woods of a Finnish sauna! July 22, 2019 at 11:25pm Reply

        • Lindy-Fay: Pocketvenus, that is spot on! Couple of years ago I worked with some Finnish guys on a project and one of them smelled so good I just had to ask him what he was wearing. It was Hinoki. July 23, 2019 at 2:43am Reply

    • Tara C: CdG Artek Standard might be interesting to you. July 27, 2019 at 5:08pm Reply

  • Kayliz: It‘s hot hot hot and humid here, and I feel like British Rail when there‘s a slight dusting of snow: I‘m astonished to realise nothing is working, just like every year. My staples are Tubereuse Capricieuse (Histoires de Parfums) and Woo (House of Matriarch), and neither of them work at all in this weather.

    I do have and wear Mito (vero profumo) but that‘s it; everything else I love is no good in summer.

    I‘m not a straight citrus or even straight green kinda gal. I bought Cedro di Diamante (Perris Monte Carlo) a couple of weeks ago for a bottle split, and it’s really very good, but it’s not me. Same goes for Mandragore (Annick Goutal).

    I‘m thinking maybe a light creamy floral? Has to be not too sweet. Light rose is problematic: I love it on others, and on me it reminds me of toilet freshener.

    Rhubarb, blackcurrant and quince are lovely in theory but I don’t actually wear them (I loved Hermes Rose Ikebana but, again, not on me). So probably no fruit.

    Maybe magnolia? One that‘s creamy, unsweet and not too synthetic-smelling? July 22, 2019 at 9:37am Reply

    • Aimbl: I like the Frederic Malle florals which read as creamy to my nose. I like eau de hiver Frederic Malle which is creamy floral – I think hyacinth and cooling effect in the summer. Same with Iris Poudre (which isn’t too powdery on my skin. Also fleur de cassis (but it’s a skin chemistry thing). Bulgari makes reasonably priced scents that seem creamy to me. Vintage guerlain Chamade is another option.

      I wasn’t a fan of rose (had agreed with you about the air freshener effect) until the right one came along (sadly discontinued Or et Noir by Caron and that was my gateway).

      I do think creamy is somewhat related to moist powdery and I am not a fan of super intense dry powdery scents. July 22, 2019 at 10:10am Reply

      • Kayliz: Or et Noir?! Oh, that is the strangest thing. Have you seen that it’s back on the market? I have an unloved bottle that I bought on impulse and then couldn‘t even swap away because no one knew it. I‘ll try it again now in the heat. Thank you! (Where are you, by the way?)

        Chamade is too much for me in this weather, and I don‘t seem to be able to get on with Fleur de Cassis, but Eau d‘Hiver sounds like it‘s definitely one to test. July 22, 2019 at 2:43pm Reply

        • Aimbl: Thanks! I don’t remember if I’ve tried a recent formulation of Or et Noir; I’m reasonably sure that my grail Or et Noir is pre IFRA Regs, but I will be on the lookout! I did land on Un Rose as a structured, composed rose that was not overwhelmed by modern dark ingredients. But, now that I think about it, I think Caron came out with a more modern rose (pre IFRA years back) called Une femme? Crystal sculptured torso bottle EDP. It was a watery translucent rose. Sometimes I order samples from Surrender to chance. Do try Eau de hiver! Victoria also recommended it as a cooling summer fragrance. July 22, 2019 at 3:04pm Reply

          • Kayliz: Where are you, Aimbl? If you‘re in Europe I’d like to send you a sample of my Or et Noir parfum. July 22, 2019 at 4:39pm Reply

            • Aimbl: Thank you so much for your very generous offer 💐but I’m in the US 😢. The fact that USPS doesn’t allow perfume and the other issues with mailing have also discouraged me from sending free samples abroad. I will make a note to look out for it on surrender to chance! July 22, 2019 at 5:01pm Reply

              • Kayliz: Oh well. Fingers crossed for the testing! July 23, 2019 at 5:24am Reply

    • Heidi: Some of the Dusita scents might work — Eau de Sillage Blanc or Fleur de Lalita in particular. I’m also really loving Aedes de Venustas signature, which is a tart rhubarb green chypre, & Papillon’s Dryad, a shimmering green scent. July 22, 2019 at 10:11am Reply

      • Sebastian: I have heard Dryad described as “green” rather often. But for me, it is not at all a summery kind of green, it’s mellow, lush, a bit coconutty (mimosa and narcissus speaking, perhaps), with resins, grass and a bit too much incense. I don’t find this shimmering or summery at all. Very interesting, how different this perfume smells to many people. July 22, 2019 at 10:52am Reply

        • Heidi: “Shimmering” was maybe a misleading adjective — I didn’t mean light & transparent, but more like there were many facets of greenness to it, that it’s constantly morphing through different moods or aspects of green. July 22, 2019 at 11:14am Reply

          • Sebastian: Ah, I see. That it certainly does also for me, ever so softly. July 22, 2019 at 11:15am Reply

            • Aurora: Kayliz: Sorry that the Hermes don’t work for you. Still based on what I wear in summer what about Shalimar Eau de Cologne with its refreshing bergamot and its interesting drydown. Also have you tried Jardins de Bagatelle, it has a realistic magnolia note, it’s one of my favorite white florals.

              For incense: Another option, Annick Goutal Encens Flamboyant with its pine and herbal elements. July 23, 2019 at 4:14am Reply

        • Kayliz: Sebastian, I feel similarly about Dryad! July 22, 2019 at 2:44pm Reply

      • Kayliz: Heidi, thank you, I‘ll check out Dusita. Rhubarb doesn‘t work, sadly. July 22, 2019 at 2:45pm Reply

    • Sebastian: Oh dear, non-sweet, non-citrussy, non-green perfumes for the summer, that’s a tough call.

      Well, with regard to creamy florals, perhaps DSH Nouveau Gardenia, which is light, fresh, creamy, and only a bit green. Or perhaps Narciso Rodriguez, also a creamy flower musk. Also gardenia, not magnolia, but then magnolia i not particularly associated with summer, is it?

      Perhaps a light gourmand might be an alternative. A scent that works very well for me when it’s sunny is Selperniku (January Scent Project, John Biebel). An extremely creamy sandalwood with camomile, apricot, immortelle, a bit of juniper and cardamon. Initially very buttery, but it is really not too foody, not sweet, rather fresh and even a bit salty. Exudes fun and happiness. It is also not at all floral, however, so if that’s your preference, stay away. July 22, 2019 at 10:43am Reply

      • Kayliz: I was fortunate enough to test some January Scents a while back, and Selperniku… I hesitate to say what it (very strongly) smelt like to me. As you say above, it‘s amazing how differently people perceive things.
        Musk isn‘t my thing. I‘ll try and check out Nouveau Gardenia, many thanks! July 22, 2019 at 2:50pm Reply

        • Sebastian: Are you a parent?

          Seriously, Selperniku is in my view the most mysterious and divisive perfume of the line. If it doesn’t produce love or hatred, then it’s bafflement. July 23, 2019 at 4:26am Reply

          • Kayliz: If I was a parent, the child would be a fan of apricot yogurt… I‘m relieved you understand:) July 23, 2019 at 5:59am Reply

    • Aurora: In hottest weather Hermes Voyage and Un Jardin sur le Nil and also apres la Mousson but this one only in dry heat not humid heat.

      Victoria recently chose an incense perfume Messe de Minuit to wear in summer and there is also Serge Lutens l’Eau Froide. July 22, 2019 at 11:46am Reply

      • Sebastian: Oh yes, Victora recommended that in a post that is most relevant in the context of this question, about crisp, cool summer scents: https://howtospendit.ft.com/womens-style/206653-summer-scents-that-are-crisp-cool-and-rather-unexpected

        However, with Messe de Minuit you must be prepared for a very churchy kind of incense. Not everyone’s cup of tea (but ufortunately it’s just that kind of incensyou mostly get nowadays). For me, it’s more of an indoors summer smell. Victoria said so herself, as I interpret her when she writes that “on warm summer evenings, Messe de Minuit is particularly appealing. Evoking old libraries, chilly Gothic churches and damp stones, it feels dark yet refreshing”. Not the thing for humid heat. July 22, 2019 at 12:01pm Reply

      • Sebastian: Oh yes, Victoria recommended that in a thread that is relevant in the context of this question, on cool, crisp summer scents:

        However, with Messe de Minuit you must be prepared to like a very churchy incense. (Unfortunately, that’s the kind you mostly get nowadays.) For me it is a rather indoorsy perfume, not the thing for humid heat at all. I interpret Victoria to agree, when she writes that “on warm summer evenings, Messe de Minuit is particularly appealing. Evoking old libraries, chilly Gothic churches and damp stones, it feels dark yet refreshing”. July 22, 2019 at 12:17pm Reply

      • Kayliz: Thank you, Aurora! Unfortunately I don‘t get on with most of the fresh/floral/fruity Hermes: they have a green mango note that my nose is convinced smothers everything else.
        Messe de Minuit is too much for me in this weather, and Eau Froide too synthetic. But I‘m not averse to incense in principle… I think it‘s summery in Aedes de Venustas, for example (but then there‘s the rhubarb). July 22, 2019 at 2:55pm Reply

        • Charlotte Barrow: Have you tried Hermes Un Jardin sur la Lagune? Magnolia, jasmine, woods and lots of salt with nary a mango in sight! I’m not a big fan of Sur le Nil but love Lagune.

          I also love Jasmin Angélique by Atelier Cologne in the current British heat – a touch green, lightly citrus and herbal but the fresh floral jasmine is gorgeously refreshing – not sure it exactly fits what you’re looking for both worth exploring their line! July 22, 2019 at 5:34pm Reply

          • Kayliz: Charlotte, I‘m sorry, I answered on Atelier Cologne in the wrong place (below) and forgot about the Jardin sur la Lagune: I will try it. July 23, 2019 at 5:32pm Reply

            • Charlotte Barrow: Kayliz, no problem, hope to hear how you get on. July 24, 2019 at 9:01am Reply

    • Sebastian: Here’s another idea: Fig. Fig scents aren’t really green, are they? and depending on whether they focus on the tree or the fig, needn’t be too fruity either. For example, there is “Fig My Love” (The Zoo).

      Opens a bit dramatic with unripe green fig, but then mainly focuses on (crushed) leaves and (broken) twigs. A little chemical. Later it becomes a tiny bit coconutty and milky, associating sun tan lotion, but not annoyingly so. On the contrary, it quite befits the season. Stays that way for several hours, only at the end an earthier note appears. Simple in terms of composition. Not exciting. But I can imagine it working well in humid heat. July 22, 2019 at 2:40pm Reply

      • Kayliz: Oooh, I‘m a fig-hater though. The closest I’ve come to wearing one was The Noir 29 by Le Labo, which is so close: unsweet; non-toilety rose; light and creamy… but overall too synthetic in a direction that isn‘t me, which is my problem with fig. If I was a fan, though, your wonderful description would have me ordering a sample tout de suite! July 22, 2019 at 3:00pm Reply

        • Sebastian: Boy, you are making it deliberately difficult, aren’t you? But I can sympathize, fig isn’t really my thing either.

          So on to the next idea. Something has been lurking at the back of my head, and it’s finally come out: Gardener’s Glove (St. Clair Scents).

          It’s a wonderfully lovely floral leather, depicting a summer garden. Read the review at Kafkaesque (http://www.kafkaesqueblog.com/2018/04/11/st-clair-scents-part-ii-gardeners-glove-frost-first-cut-reviews/) I couldn’t put it any better, except they understate the loveliness, and Gardeners Glove never becomes so dark and smoky on my skin as they say. I enjoyed wearing it in Italy a while back, when the temperature was about 35 degrees C. Also do not let any talk of tomato leaf put you off. (From what you have said so far, I would expect you to hate tomato leaf. You do, don’t you?) July 22, 2019 at 6:03pm Reply

          • Kayliz: Why would I hate tomato leaf? It’s not as if it’s boldly, brashly, green and synthetic… actually I don’t hate it but it’s one if those things like rhubarb and blackcurrant: good in theory but I don’t wear them.

            Thank you for this fascinating recommendation! I’m off to google how to find it. July 23, 2019 at 5:30pm Reply

    • Patricia Devine: You could try a ‘green’ rose such as Sa Majesté la Rose or Ombre dans l’Eau. I rather like Golden Dynastie by Princesse Marina de Bourbon; Cristina Bertrand No III; and Nuits de Cellophane in this weather, but my favourite is Fleurs de Citronnier, though you might well find that too sweet. July 22, 2019 at 3:08pm Reply

      • Kayliz: I‘m frustrated not to get along with blackcurrant (Ombre dans l‘Eau) or non-dark roses — I had to give away my Sa Majeste La Rose. Love it on my friend! Toilet freshener on me. July 22, 2019 at 4:43pm Reply

    • Danica: Pierre Bourdons Sous Les Magnolias is gorgeous although unavailable in the US. Also that line Grandiflora has two nice Magnolias, I like Michael. I’d recommend Malle’s Eau de Magnolia but it’s very lemony and musky towards the end. July 22, 2019 at 3:25pm Reply

      • Kayliz: Oh, thank you, Danica — I‘m in Germany and am adding all of those to my “to try” list. July 22, 2019 at 4:44pm Reply

    • pocketvenus: Hello Kayliz,

      For a light creamy tuberose, I’d suggest Moon Bloom by Hiram Green. It has a touch of honey, not very sweet. Milky yet light.

      For gin and tonic try Angeliques Sous La Pluie by Frederic Malle

      Desiccated spices? Desert Marocain by Tauer. Or for fresh spices there’s Dirty Ginger by Heretic. I find the rest of the house weak but this one is decent. July 22, 2019 at 10:51pm Reply

      • Sebastian: I believe Desert Marocain can’t be what KayLiz wants. It’s basically a dry spicy leather. But I find it a bit heavy with too much sweet vanilla. (Supposed to recall pastries in the Souk at evening time, as I recall the marketing blurb.) July 23, 2019 at 4:20am Reply

        • Kayliz: Desert Marocain: That‘s interesting, I don‘t remember leather, must try it again. July 23, 2019 at 6:08am Reply

      • Kayliz: Pocketvenus, I bow to your love of jasmine. I think Moon Bloom is gorgeous, but it occupies the same space in my head as Tubereuse Criminelle: kind of the opposite of light. But I do love Tub Crim on a warm sunny day, come to think of it (just not in the stifling humidity we have at the moment).

        Angelica is too dry for me, I‘ve found. I‘m more in the market for something creamy.

        I will check out Dirty Ginger, thank you. July 23, 2019 at 6:07am Reply

        • Kayliz: Sorry, I didn‘t mention Atelier Cologne. I can‘t get on with them, sadly. I love the top notes on several of them but after the too notes simmer down, something … metallic? (it‘s hard, and dark greenish grey) develops in all the ones I‘ve tried. July 23, 2019 at 6:12am Reply

        • pocketvenus: Kayliz, you’re welcome! Dirty Ginger is not creamy but it does smell great. July 23, 2019 at 6:51pm Reply

    • Karen A: Parle Moi de Parfum’s Gardens of India is my current hot weather love. Creamy sandalwood, Jasmin and tuberose.

      It wears beautifully in the absurdly hot, humid weather we’ve had on the east coast. Tried a sample from Luckyscent then bought a full bottle. (One of my first bottles besides Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat from a discounter) July 23, 2019 at 7:39am Reply

      • Kayliz: Thank you, Karen! Gardens of India is going on my to-try list:) July 25, 2019 at 7:27pm Reply

        • Karen A: It’s really beautiful, I just spritzed some on. I hope you love it! And keep us posted.

          (Meant to say one of my first full bottle buys in a while – I made a deal with myself that I had to finish a certain number of samples/decants or empty a bottle before buying another) July 25, 2019 at 7:30pm Reply

    • Sebastian: Somewhat belatedly, I’m coming round to your wish for a magnolia scent. Are you familiar with
      Magnolia Heights (Tom Daxon)? It’s a soft kind of magnolia, with a bit of a citrussy opening, then warms up somewhat and remains ever so smooth, staying on the light side of things. Because it is not so oppressive white-flowerish, it may just work in the heat. Don’t know. Worth a try. July 24, 2019 at 6:24am Reply

      • Kayliz: No, I don’t know it. On the list it goes, many thanks! July 25, 2019 at 7:24pm Reply

    • Maggiecat: Atelier has Sud Magnolia, which is very nice and comes in a volleyball July 25, 2019 at 6:52pm Reply

    • Ariadne: Hot and humid equals New Orleans to me and NOLA equals gardenia. I have been wearing Van Cleef and Arpels Gardenia this summer. I find it potent but not sweet nor spicy. This is a remarkable soliflor. I find it does not last as long as I hope however. July 29, 2019 at 5:47pm Reply

    • spe: Tiare by Ormonde Jayne (a creamy, not so sharp Cristalle edp – more floral and subtle) or Amazone by Hermes – dry green. August 4, 2019 at 9:55am Reply

  • Joy Erickson: Has anyone used perfumed fountain pen ink? I would like to try a bottle, but don’t know how receivers of letters would like/dislike it.
    if you use it; what brand/scent do you use. July 22, 2019 at 9:51am Reply

    • Aimbl: I have not tried it, but I think friends would be so happy to get a handwritten missive that the scent would just add an extra special touch. If you find a scented ink that you like enough to be a signature scent (pun intended) so much the better! Would love to hear about whihc one you choose July 22, 2019 at 10:33am Reply

  • Aimbl: Not important to me as I frequently rotate fragrance. I mainly wear vintage perfume that does have better longevity (I believe due to the oak moss, now on the IFRA verboten list, though Guerlain engineered a synthetic ), but longevity is not why I purchased it. There are ways to extend longevity, if that is important like spraying on hair or cloth. Not the same, but a consideration is sillage, which I dislike to the extent that I disable or butcher spray mechanisms and prefer to dab. It’s not scientific but the less I like a scent the longer it’s longevity. I think vintage French formulations have greater longevity and more creative evolution and fade (guerlain, Caron) in general than other European scents and parfum strength is not always an indicator of longevity. For example, mitsouko in the gold flask from the 1980s (I think it was EDP) is strong even when decanted and has monster sillage whihc was the style at the time. A more ‘modern’ classic is Frederic Malle’s line. I have some closer to original eau De terese (which I bought as an experiment to see if I could understand the appeal of vintage EDC diorella — that stuff lasts), malles musc MR and some older versions of serge Lutens that last (MKK). A relatively modern line from my collection that has good longevity is Andy Tauers line. I also found that middle eastern scents seem to linger longer on my skin. Scent lines like Byredo,mentioned below p, not so much. July 22, 2019 at 9:59am Reply

    • Aimbl: Apologies, this was in reply to Sebastian’s query above re longevity but I hit the wrong button. July 22, 2019 at 10:02am Reply

  • Windy: Hello Good People on the Internet,
    Please recommend me jasmine soliflores. I need them to be heady and intoxicating! July 22, 2019 at 10:23am Reply

    • Aimbl: Heady and intoxicating Dior hypnotic poison. I’ve sampled it but don’t own it as I wore the original Poison decades ago.

      A budget jasmine is Demeter jasmine which you could easily layer to create more power.

      IMO, the Michael Kors, Gucci and flowerbomb jasmines are either lighter or brighter, the opposite of heady and intoxicating. July 22, 2019 at 10:42am Reply

      • Aimbl: Forgot to add a la unit by serge Lutens (mainly bc my bottle broke on my bathroom floor. To my nose it’s predominantly jasmine and is both heady and intoxicating. July 22, 2019 at 10:48am Reply

    • Anne: Hello, my favourite Jasmin ( although they are not soliflores) are Annick Goutal Songe and Serge Lutens, A la nuit. I hope you get to sample them and find what you are looking for.
      Anne xx July 22, 2019 at 11:03am Reply

    • Aurora: Donna Karan Essence Jasmine is excellent but maybe a bit difficult to find as discontinued. TSanta Maria Novella Gelsomino is very good, heady and indolic. July 22, 2019 at 12:17pm Reply

      • Aurora: Sorry for the typo it is Santa of course. July 22, 2019 at 12:18pm Reply

    • Becky: I would recommend Jasmine Blossom by Field to Fragrance (I think it’s also known as The Virginia Perfume Company). While it’s not a soliflore, the scent is a very strong jasmine. When I wore it outside, there were bees and wasps buzzing all around me, yet none of them stung me. Initially, I felt woozy when I sprayed it, but in a good way! I would wear it at home before going out, because it will probably have an effect on others. Meanwhile, I love Victoria’s photo of this dog, just resting amidst such beautiful surroundings! July 22, 2019 at 1:29pm Reply

    • Adriana: Lust from Lush or Moulinard Jasmin, both are power jasmmins in my view and, pretty linear. July 22, 2019 at 1:54pm Reply

      • Sebastian: “Lust” – do you seriously wear a perfume called that? I think I remarked on off-putting perfume names already in another month. “Foreplay” is another silly one (Orchid Scents). Just imagine being asked by a stranger what you’re wearing. I think a perfume name should at least be minimally tasteful and non-embarrassing.

        “Seduction” is going in the same direction, but less blatant, like “Obsession”. Perfume names aimed at teenagers. Oh, well. Off-topic rant finished. July 24, 2019 at 10:59am Reply

        • Maggiecat: I know what you mean. One of my favorite scents is Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has A Gun. Telling people at work that this is what I’m wearing could be problematic.
          But Just is a very good strong jasmine, reasonably priced. July 25, 2019 at 6:58pm Reply

          • Ariadne: But don’t you just love telling folks the name when asked….and when wearing LV they DO ask. ;+). July 29, 2019 at 5:54pm Reply

    • Patricia Devine: Has to be A La Nuit for me, though I also like Songes by Goutal. July 22, 2019 at 3:11pm Reply

    • Danica: Grandiflora Madagascan Jasmine. July 22, 2019 at 3:31pm Reply

    • Cassieflower: Lush Lust is the most indolic jasmine. And Montale’s Jasmine Full is well named😉 July 22, 2019 at 5:59pm Reply

    • pocketvenus: Libertine Fragrance’s Sex and Jasmine is lush and heady and very wearable. July 22, 2019 at 10:32pm Reply

    • OnWingsofSaffron: I own „Grand bal“ by Dior and „À la nuit“ by Serge Lutens—the latter being by far the more potent. I personally wouldn‘t rate the fantastic „Songes“ by Goutal a jasmine, let alone jasmine soliflor. It‘t a work of wonder with many white flowers.
      Strangely enough, I‘ve been on the same quest for a jasmine, and have come up with more or less the above mentioned perfumes yet I cannot find a really convincing solution. Neil Chapman mentions „Reine Margot“ in his wonderful book: but where to find? July 23, 2019 at 11:35am Reply

      • OnWingsofSaffron: Addendum: I tried Atelier Cologne’s “Jasmin Angélique” yesterday and was quite impressed. The name says it all. I wasn’t too stingy while spritzing it in the shop and found it to be quite potent. Only longevity seemed a problem: it was gone within 2 hours. On the other hand, it was a subtropical day with temperature way over 35°C and extremely humid and sticky (we’re talking Germany here, not South India!). July 27, 2019 at 2:54am Reply

      • Figuier: I had a bottle of Reine Margot years ago – it was truly awesome but I rarely wore it so passed it on. It was a v rich yet also quite ‘flat’ jasmine with an amberish base. It made me think of the splayed perspective, rich-but-faded dyes and crowded composition of medieval & early Renaissance tapestry. Not easy to wear or modern in feel but v v good. If you come across do give it a try. July 28, 2019 at 2:12pm Reply

        • OnWingsofSaffron: Thank you, Figuier, for your evocative review making RM all the more desirable! I checked the Maître et Gantier website and believe it‘s been discontinued. A pity. Now it‘s in the hands of some ebay deity to throw a used bottle into my way… July 29, 2019 at 1:50am Reply

    • Notturno7: Hi Windy, I like Songes and Sarrasins. July 24, 2019 at 4:00am Reply

  • Deanna: I ordered a small bottle of Portrait of a Lady by Frederick Malle, purely going by all the great reviews.
    Then I visited a friend who has this perfume, she gave me some sprays, and I nearly passed out! Then I was sneezing, and feeling alarmed.that I had actually ordered this stuff.
    Anyway the shop kindly agreed to change it, if I didn’t open the parcel.
    So can anyone advise on a favour Frederick Malle perfume which is not a killer.
    I was looking for a Rose perfume.
    Currently returned to Nahema with relief! July 22, 2019 at 11:14am Reply

    • Sebastian: I guess you want “Une Rose” then. I have not smelled that perfume, but on paper it certainly appears to be the most rosy from Frederic Malle.

      From experience, I can say the following about other FM scents that have rose as a listed note:
      – Bigarade (Cologne/Concentree) has a rose heart. But it is mainly a very fleeting, effervescent citrus. Nice for the summer, but very expensive in view of the number of requisite reapplictions.
      – Dawn is oudy and woodsy, with only the faintest glimmer of rose. Overpriced in view of the low-quality oud. July 22, 2019 at 11:52am Reply

      • OnWingsofSaffron: Une Rose is a real killer: olfactory and financially 😊 July 23, 2019 at 11:37am Reply

    • Aimbl: I second the un rose recommendation. I love POAL, but if you don’t, then I would avoid the so called darker roses that have cedar, incense oud or smoke (like voleur de roses or an amouage). I like nahema (I think I have vintage EDC disc bottle and think of Nahema as a structured operatic rose and an acquired taste) and since you like it I would suggest fruitier, juicier roses if that makes sense. I do think the fruitier roses today tend to be lighter and more transparent in feel than Nahema. There is a serge Lutens rose that might fit your taste, but I forget what it’s called. July 22, 2019 at 2:55pm Reply

    • Silvermoon: Hi Deanna,

      As Sebastian says, their other rose is Une Rose. A very different one than POAL (I have and love both). Une Rose is like a rose with leaves, stems and soil. So a greenish rose, if that makes sense. If you would like to get away from Rose, then Lys Med is beautiful as is Carnal Flower or the Magnolia one.

      By the way, I absolutely love Nahema so understand what you mean. 😊🌹 July 22, 2019 at 3:37pm Reply

    • Safran: Last time I’ve tried Une Rose I found it even stronger than a few years ago, when I’ve owned a bottle. It has a strong truffle note amongst the other already mentioned notes. There are not many similarities with Portrait of a lady, except that it is a very strong scent as well. A beautiful rose is the new Hiram Green “Lustre” imo. At first it smells a bit like a healthy organic store rose scent, but after 15 Minutes it turns into a radiating beauty of a rose. Sunny with a yummy citrus aura. Another beautiful summer rose is Myrrhe Eglantine by Hermes or Rose des Vents by Louis Vuitton. All three of them don’t need to hide from Nahema, but Nahema will always be the reference point for a beautiful rose scent! :o) PS: Anything from Parfum de Rosine is worth trying as well, they are all rose scents. July 22, 2019 at 4:08pm Reply

      • Deanna: Hi Safran,
        Thank you for all those Rose ideas, and to everyone else who gave me an idea of Malle’s Une Rose.
        No one mentioned Lipstick Rose, so I presume that is more Lipstick than Rose! July 23, 2019 at 2:27am Reply

        • limegreen: I have both Une Rose and Lipstick Rose and they are for different “moods” if you know what I mean. Lipstick Rose is very powdery (rose and violet, iris) and very much that cosmetic smelling but not in a cheap way. It’s fun to wear but not all the time, for me. Une Rose is a beautiful darkish rose (no oud) that is not heavy. In fact I wear the Une Rose body butter more than the fragrance.
          If you are not set on a rose, maybe the shop will let you exchange the bottle of POAL which is on the higher price end for several smaller travel sprays of both Une Rose and Lipstick Rose and anything else you want to try. (I have a 10 ml spray of Lipstick Rose and would not want more.)
          I love almost everything in the Malle line, but Eau de Magnolia is very perfect for year round and won’t be a “killer” as you put it, but it isn’t rose. July 23, 2019 at 10:42am Reply

          • Deanna: Hi Limegreen, thank you for your detailed comments. Yes a good idea to exchange POAL for smaller bottles. The Eau de Magnolia sounds very nice.
            I’ll have to be more careful at this price to investigate samples, but I do like the excitement of”buying blind”! Recently I bought a few small bottles of Nicolai perfumes, (also untested) and I have to say they are all wonderful, I don’t think anything by Nicolai would be unwearable or disappointing. July 23, 2019 at 11:46am Reply

            • limegreen: Nothing is blind buy safe! Nicolai Cuir Cuba was really frightening for me, and that was a sample. 🙂

              Many of the Malle fragrances take a while to love. Une Fleur de Cassie is something I love but I tried the sample a few times before it “took” and I love it now but I’m still waiting for POAL sampling to take.
              My skin amplifies the patchouli, so I cannot detect rose at all.
              Good luck! July 23, 2019 at 4:34pm Reply

        • Notturno7: Hi Deanna, I like Lutens rose- La Fille de Berlin. From Malle collection I own and love Carnal Flower (tuberose), Lys Mediterranee , Une Parfum de Therese ( I love it in the summer, especially), and Une Fleur de Cassie. July 24, 2019 at 4:11am Reply

          • Deanna: Hi Notturno,
            Thanks for your comments. I was going to try Une Parfum de Terese, I think I would like it.
            Just got a sample of Lipstick Rose, which I love. Reminds me, in the same vein, of Lancôme Jasmine Marzipan. July 24, 2019 at 12:33pm Reply

            • Notturno7: Deanna, that’s great!
              I was wearing YSL Rive Gauche today and now that I see your reply, I realized you might like it as it has a nice rose. Also, Amouage Gold is gorgeous. Both are really classics, vintage perfumes if you like those. Just sharing 😉 July 25, 2019 at 3:56am Reply

  • Mai: Hello! I find really interesting trying to identify perfume notes, and I have a bit of a hard time setting apart Magnolia and Gardenia – my “research material” is a bit limited to the usual designer lines (no real flowers either sadly…), so does anyone have a suggestion of designer perfumes that highlight these flowers (so I can better tell them apart?). Thank you in advance! July 22, 2019 at 11:17am Reply

    • Miruna: Hi Mai,
      EL Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia is a realistic gardenia. Dame Soliflore Gardenia was recommended to me in the past, I unfortunately wasn’t able to get it due to perfume shipping restrictions in the UK (just like Jovan Island Gardenia, apparently another realistic gardenia).

      Lanvin Rumeur is the most realistic, waxy magnolia *I* have smelled (compared to the smell of the trees I used to have in my garden). Nina Ricci L’air, as well as the Bvlgari in the red bottle (Magnolia Splendida, I think) and Aqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile are also centered on the magnolia note.
      Hope this helps, I’ll come back to this post because I’m also curious about other options that I might find here in the UK. July 24, 2019 at 7:55am Reply

      • Mai: Thank you for all the suggestions! July 24, 2019 at 1:09pm Reply

    • Charlotte Barrow: Hi Mai, for gardenia you could try Une Voix Noire by Serge Lutens (Victoria has a lovely review on this site) or for something light and very affordable (and closer to a soliflore) there’s Pacifica’s Tahitian Gardenia.

      For magnolia, I like Guerlain’s L’instant de Guerlain, although it’s very rich and heavy; not ideal for summer. There have also been some magnolia suggestions in response to Kayliz’s question earlier in this thread, in case you missed it! July 26, 2019 at 2:49am Reply

      • Mai: Thank you very much! I’ll also check out the other comments for magnolia! July 28, 2019 at 3:30pm Reply

    • Ariadne: Van Cleef and Arpel Gardenia smells just like the shrub in bloom. July 29, 2019 at 5:56pm Reply

  • Trudy: Has anyone tried Chanel Paris-Riviera? If so what are your thoughts? Thanks in advance for comments. July 22, 2019 at 11:24am Reply

    • Anne: Hello,
      Most people Think this is amazing and their favourite of Les eaux. However, on me , it s really really strong, the neroli I guess, and some candied sweetness at the end. Too siropey for me, but it s probably a skin thing. July 22, 2019 at 12:09pm Reply

      • pocketvenus: Trudy & Anne, while I did not find it syrupy or thick, I also found it sweet compared to the others. Not a huge fan of the line, to be honest. July 22, 2019 at 10:27pm Reply

    • Safran: I thought, it is a very creamy, clean smelling and uncomplicated beauty, one that can be worn every day. But not really new imo. July 22, 2019 at 4:11pm Reply

    • spe: It smells a lot like Jour d’ Hermes. July 22, 2019 at 7:09pm Reply

  • Deanna: Thank you Sebastian, I was wondering about Une Rose. Has anyone tried it?
    Have had enough of Oud, so probably would pass on Dawn. July 22, 2019 at 12:00pm Reply

    • Michael: I prefer Une Rose to Lipstick Rose. The latter is sweet and powdery, very similar in conceit to Chanel’s Misia. If you are willing to move away from roses, then Frederic Malle offers so many other beautiful fragrances – Une Fleur de Cassie, Carnal Flower, Iris Poudre, just to name a few. Le Parfum de Therese has a a myriad of fruity notes and the bouquet garni-esque herbs tend to be more pronounced in hot climates, according to my personal experience. July 27, 2019 at 3:10am Reply

      • Deanna: Hi Michael,
        Thanks for your comments.
        I have actually got now samples of, Lipstick Rose, Une Rose, and Parfum de Therese.
        I like Lipstick Rose, but immediately went for Une Rose, so I agree with your choice.
        Now for some reason Parfume de Therese gives me the same allergic symptoms as Portrait of a Lady! Trying to work out what are the offending molecules. Pepper? Cedar? I have never ever had allergic symptoms to any perfume. July 27, 2019 at 1:19pm Reply

        • Michael: I really like the truffle note in Une Rose. The richness of the fragrance is somehow balanced by the freshness, and it smells like what I would describe as a living rose, not one of those antiquated rose perfumes from the 19th or 20th century.

          I did a cross check on the ingredients in both POAL and LPDT and there doesn’t seem to be any overlap. Perhaps you are just sensitive to some strong fragrances, as the “more than the sum of its parts” of both can be quite intimidating, if not overwhelming? July 27, 2019 at 2:18pm Reply

          • Deanna: I do agree with your comments about Une Rose.
            Thank you for cross checking the ingredients in Therese and POAL.
            As I mentioned I’ve never had this reaction before, even to knockout perfumes such as Bandit, Poison, Alien, and the like, or dislike, as the case may be! July 27, 2019 at 2:44pm Reply

  • Aurora: Hello everyone: Fruity florals are not well represented in my perfume collection, probably because the recent ones I’ve smelled are all so generic. I have Calyx and two flankers to Oscar by Oscar de La Renta, they are Latin Light and Tropical (both have tropical fruits and Oscar DNA in the dry down) and Noa l’Eau which I love, apple and cassis on Noa musky base. I like these three scents very much in summer but need more ideas.

    With many thanks in advance what are your favorite fruity florals? July 22, 2019 at 12:04pm Reply

    • Charlotte Barrow: Hi Aurora, my favourite fruity floral with a tropical vibe is Guerlain’s Lys Soleia from the Aqua Allegoria line; discontinued but you can still find bottles on eBay. Lots of lily, ylang, and tropical fruit; lasts really well for an EDT and is a very happy scent.

      Another lily I love but mixed with pear is La Vierge de Fer, much cooler and more somber in tone, I like it in early spring.

      For something greener, I love Molinard’s Figue (their only fragrance besides Habanita that I get along with!). It’s very woody and fruity and less floral but does contain jasmine.

      Finally, Eau de Charlotte by Annick Goutal is powdery, feminine, and a bit soapy with mimosa, black currant bud and cocoa.

      Hope this helps – have tried to suggest fruity florals with differing characters, as I don’t think this genre has to be generic or predictable! July 26, 2019 at 3:13am Reply

      • Aurora: Hello Charlotte: Thank you so much for your answer, you’re giving me wonderful choices, the only one I am familiar with is Lys Soleia which I own and like very much.

        You make these perfumes sound very appealing and I will figure out how to sample them as I agree there are interesting choices in the fruity floral genre as in any of the more popular on the recommend me threads.

        Have a great weekend. July 26, 2019 at 12:43pm Reply

        • Charlotte Barrow: Hi Aurora, you’re welcome, hope to hear your thoughts if you sample any of them! And yes isn’t Lys Soleia wonderful? July 28, 2019 at 9:34am Reply

  • Janet: As far as long lasting scents go, I have to mention Hanae Mori Butterly. You’d better like it if you dare to spray; there’s no getting away from this one. I do like it, but only wear on days when I’m up for it. July 22, 2019 at 12:11pm Reply

  • Anne: Hello,

    I am from the south of France and dreaming of cooling temperature ( I know…. I have some time to spare before this happens).
    I am looking for my winter scent, and could do with your help and suggestions.
    Last year I enjoyed Narcisso for her EDP ( but sometimes it would give me a head ache) and also Rose 31 from Le Labo ( but sometimes it would make me feel like I ve just cooked a curry)
    Establishing that i don’t like too strong a scent, I have recently tried Juliet a Gun Not a perfum. I enjoyed it quite a lot, but not sure it is the one.
    I would like to get compliments but not a power house.
    I also tried Bois d argent de Dior, which could be the one, and Santal Blush by Tom Ford. I also tried Byredo Gypsie water, which I’m not sure how to feel about it (it smells lovely, does not give me any head ache, but is it too light)
    Have you tried those perfumes and what are your feelings about it.
    Would you have another suggestion?
    I have to say, that I love this thread!!! So much! I often post on it, asking advises and suggestions. It is so great. So thank you!

    Anne xx

    Ps: if another post from me with very similar wording appears, please excuse this one. The server crashed when posting it and not sure it will get posted or not. July 22, 2019 at 12:33pm Reply

    • Patricia Devine: The Narciso makes me feel absolutely ill, so you’re not alone there. 🙂 One gentle scent I wear a lot in winter is Five O’Clock au Gingembre. I also wear Timbuktu and Air du Desert Marocain – incense-based but light and ethereal. July 22, 2019 at 3:16pm Reply

    • Safran: I love Bois d’Argent to pieces! If you say, this could be the one, then I totally agree. It is such a beauty in such an extraordinary quality. And it always feels like a self-confidence booster, which is a soft and cosy blanket at the same time, to me. Sounds like a contradiction, but with this scent it isn’t. July 22, 2019 at 4:15pm Reply

    • Kayliz: Do try Santal Noir in the same line before you decide on Bois d‘Argent. July 23, 2019 at 6:16am Reply

    • Karen A: I just broke my no new bottles rule (unless x number of samples or a bottle are emptied) twice lately. My latest love is Parle Moi de Parfum’s Gardens of India.

      Note list is very simple, sandalwood, Jasmin and tuberose but it is very, very beautifully done. Wears close, not loud and has a quiet sophisticated feel. July 23, 2019 at 8:02am Reply

  • Rachel: Has anyone heard of Nantucket perfume oils? They make interpretations of the original perfumes in a oil version. Has anyone tried it? July 22, 2019 at 1:59pm Reply

  • Adriana: Hello there, I am craving ever since I know my summers for a nightqueen based fragrance, something which should be true to the flower and headaching strong, so I can use it sparely. I smellet one such on a lady but I was so in awe, by the time I felt like asking what she was wearing she was gone. Nightqueen lovers, if any, please do advice. I am an unfortunate drama queen when it comes to perfumes, so I need a bomb, something with depth and volume. Thank You! July 22, 2019 at 2:01pm Reply

  • Domestic Goblin: Has anyone tried any of the offerings from My Daughter Fragrances yet? July 22, 2019 at 2:51pm Reply

  • Charlotte Barrow: I used to have Molinard Jasmin but had to pass it on because I found it too heavy and realistic! It is (to my nose) an exact replica of jasmine and a very heady soliflore. Also very reasonably priced! July 22, 2019 at 5:43pm Reply

    • Charlotte Barrow: Whoops, that was in response to @Windy July 22, 2019 at 5:45pm Reply

  • Tracy: I am desperate for a new perfume. I’ve been wearing Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio, which I like — but am not loving. I love vetiver, cedar, rose, leathers, incense, rosemary, chypre, citrus…I am all over the board. I sort of-kind of like Le Labo Santal, but I smell it everywhere and it can also read too “dill”. I really want to try Parfum DelRae “Wit” but cannot find it anywhere.
    Any suggestions for a lost soul in the fragrance world? July 22, 2019 at 6:21pm Reply

    • Julie DeMelo: Hi Tracy,
      You may want to try Rose Bohème…by Providence Perfume Co.A beautiful bohemian rose scent! It is smooth & rich. I adore it. It starts at $45.
      Also, they have sample sets. I have a few of their perfumes. Sedona Sweetgrass, maybe another one to try Tracy.
      A really nice fragrance collection which is all-natural too.🌼 July 23, 2019 at 11:25am Reply

      • Tracy: Thank you, Julie! I’ll give those a sniff! July 23, 2019 at 11:32am Reply

      • Tracy: Julie! I just bought Sedona Sweetgrass. Fingers crossed it’s a winner for me!
        Thanks for the tip. All of those scents sounded fabulous.
        Tracy July 23, 2019 at 12:20pm Reply

        • Julie DeMelo: Hi Tracy, I hope you enjoy Sedona Sweetgrass…
          I live minutes away from Providence Perfume, it’s a lovely place and has beautiful scents.
          Charna is very talented. Have a great day! 😊 July 24, 2019 at 12:29pm Reply

    • windy: Louis Vuitton Roses de Ventes is a beautiful weightless rose. Like Grasse roses on a summer breeze. Nothing extraordinary but that’s what is so appealing about it. July 23, 2019 at 11:09pm Reply

      • Tracy: Sounds delightful, Windy! Thank you! July 23, 2019 at 11:11pm Reply

  • Sarah: Hi, I broke my bottle of A la Nuit and went to Barney’s to buy another bottle. But I was told that they didn’t carry it anymore, in fact, one cannot get t in the US any more. Do you have any recommendations to replace that one? Also, I noticed that you have stopped perfume reviews – I used to go to your review and filter for 4/5 star reviews to get inspirations. July 22, 2019 at 10:24pm Reply

    • Karen A: Victoria reviewed Guerlain’s Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat not too long ago – inspired me to do a blind buy, very happy with it!

      And weird that A la Nuit is not to be found. There are lots of Jasmin suggestions above but Luckyscent carries Sarrasins if you wanted Lutens. July 23, 2019 at 7:58am Reply

    • OnWingsofSaffron: Go on ebay; I‘m sure you‘ll find a bottle! July 23, 2019 at 11:40am Reply

    • Notturno 7: Hi fellow perfume lovers,
      Does anyone know what would be today’s equivalent for Tabac Blond?
      I see it got great reviews from Victoria but they don’t make it like that anymore I think.
      Someone gave me a sample of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille and I’m enjoying it. It makes me wonder what Tabac Blond smelled like as I never got to try it. They only have empty bottles for sale on ebay and I’m so sorry I missed getting it when it was still available.
      I love those vintage perfumes that have lots of personality. I think I do l too, so I’ve been told 😀 And so does my cat Yogi. He’s super friendly and hangs out with my neighbours, some of whom I haven’t even met yet. He’s quite a cat 😻 July 25, 2019 at 4:07am Reply

    • Danica: Fragrancenet or overstock.com July 28, 2019 at 11:46pm Reply

  • Carla: Hello, I love the candle Dans l’Atelier de Cezanne by Olivia Giacobetti. It scents the home so beautifully, and drawers too (unlit!). It’s starkly smoky and woodsy. I’d call it clean smoke. For me, it’s beautiful and calming.
    I’m looking for a similar scent in a different format since a candle could be a fire hazard with my three year old and my dog. Thank you! July 23, 2019 at 1:09pm Reply

    • Aurora: Hello Carla: I’ve just read the description of Dans l’Atelier de Cezanne and based on the note perhaps you might like Relique d’Amour, a perfume by Oriza L Legrand. July 29, 2019 at 11:43am Reply

      • Carla: Thank you! July 29, 2019 at 12:28pm Reply

  • Sebastian: Totally different topic, perhaps even a bit off-topic:

    Of the ca. 280 perfumes currently listed on the New fragrances 2019 page of NST (https://nstperfume.com/new-perfumes-fragrances/), approximately 55% have English names. The rest are shared between mainly French, some Italian, a little Latin/Greek, and untranslatable proper names or fantasy words. I know of several more fragrances new in 2019 and not listed there, also with predominantly English names.

    Now, from my teens on, “real perfume” (not the cheap stuff you could get at the drug store) was a very French thing. And as I remember from the early years of my fragrance career, the language of perfumery was mostly French. When and why did that change? I regret it, if only slightly.

    Does anyone else here share that feeling? (BTW, I don’t speak French, but neither am I a native English speaker.) July 23, 2019 at 2:50pm Reply

    • AnnireA: @Sebastian, I miss French perfume names a little too. It also makes me feel sad when I see French wine with English names on their label. July 26, 2019 at 4:20am Reply

    • eudora: Sebastian, it is interesting. From my point of view it has to do with globalisation and, second, to the fact that France has lost ground geopolitically, culturally, etc. With perfumes, but also with cosmetics or fashion, they were hegemonic… Lancome, Dior, Chanel. Retaining the allure, today they deal with much more competition. And a very sophisticated one in some cases. And from everywhere. And globalisation speaks English.
      I understand your regrets, but the new generations -please, don’t take it personally, I don’t know- don’t share that old France story… it is a generational thing. Milenials might find very cool perfumes coming from Tokyo, San Francisco or Barcelona. Because we are talking business here.
      What do you think? July 27, 2019 at 9:42am Reply

      • eudora: AnnireA, I think my amswer works for wine also. There is wine further France! July 27, 2019 at 9:46am Reply

      • Sebastian: Yes, that does sound plausible: a combination of cultural change and economic globalization. I like that slogan: “Globalization speaks English”, very apposite! July 27, 2019 at 11:46am Reply

  • Nancy Chan: Hi, I’m looking for a perfume which smells of Avene’s sunscreen (orange bottles).😃 July 24, 2019 at 3:17pm Reply

    • Aurora: Hi Nancy, I don’t recall the perfume of Avene sunscreen products although I have used them.
      So I’m going to list perfumes with a beachy vibe: you might like Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, Maison Martin Margiela Beach Walk, Nuxe Prodigieux Le Parfum. July 29, 2019 at 11:46am Reply

      • Nancy Chan: Thanks for the recommendations Aurora. July 29, 2019 at 12:11pm Reply

  • Lari: I know some of you have expressed disappointment over a year ago when perfumer Laurie Erickson left her business Sonoma Scent Studio which makes really wonderful, unusual scents. I was just about to commit to a full bottle or two when Laurie announced that she was looking for someone to take over her formulae and keep the business going. It seems she found that person. I had been in touch on FB with Sonoma Scent Studio and have heard from the new perfumer that she is preparing to open the store again. Sooo looking forward to it. I’ll likely start with samples again though there are several I know I really enjoy- Fig Tree, Cnampagne du bois, Jour Ensoillee. I think these are still available to see on the website though the shop is not open yet. My mouth (and nose) are watering! July 25, 2019 at 11:06pm Reply

    • Aurora: Thank you very much for the info, such good news! July 30, 2019 at 11:58am Reply

  • Alice: Hi Victoria,
    Thank you for all your work on this site; I find it all very interesting. For many years I have worn Lolita Lempicka, the original fragrance. Apparently it has been “reintroduced” as Lolita Lempicka Mon Premier and it is definitely not the same as the original. I am so sad and have tried many other scents, but none that approximate the original Lolita. Recently I have been wearing Orchidee Vanille by Van Cleef & Arpels. I like it, but I still long for my favorite scent. Can you recommend anything that more closely resembles Lolita Lempicka? July 26, 2019 at 1:52pm Reply

    • Sebastian: I’m sorry they have discontinued a favorite of yours. I must admit I cannot help you with your request for a recommendation. But I do sympathize – the same has happened to me. However, I finally decided to not go in serach of close replacements any longer. I was heaping disappointment on disappointment. For me, really liking a smell meant that it could not be substituted with a clone. They would all be lacking in some way. I learned to say good-bye. The olfactory universe is really, really big. I am now better off making new discoveries when something is lost for good. I am not saying it must be the same for you. I just wanted to share my experience, because I fear you may be in for a series of let-downs. July 26, 2019 at 3:57pm Reply

    • Danica: I agree. The more one learns about perfume the more the world opens up and the less it becomes about holding on to the past–past memories, past identities, etc. Keep your last bottle for reminiscence but explore to discover why you liked it in the first place. For example you may discover the reason you like LL is because of the richness, the anise, the vanilla, the sensuality of it. You can explore perfumes of all these types, sampling is a relatively inexpensive way to do it, and you may discover you can not only live with another fragrance but enjoy life a different way with it. Maybe even love it more. I used to wear Angel, now I like ouds. My gateway was patchouli. Who knew. I have a 5 ml decant of original LL that I don’t even refer to anymore. It’s hard to let go of a treasure but it’s extraordinary to discover a new love. This past year has been a treasure trove of new perfumes, a lot of them excellent. I wish you luck. July 28, 2019 at 11:43pm Reply

    • kpaint: You could easily buy a lifetime supply of the original LL on ebay without even coughing up too much $. July 29, 2019 at 6:48am Reply

  • Aurora: I agree with kpaint, plenty of original Lolita Lempicka on eBay for reasonable prices, stock up while they are inexpensive. July 29, 2019 at 11:49am Reply

  • Aurora: Thank you so much for this info, such good news!$ July 30, 2019 at 11:52am Reply

    • Aurora: Wrong place, sorry. July 30, 2019 at 11:56am Reply

  • MaryAnn Hardy: Many years ago I was in Paris and found myself in a shop that was ONLY fragrances! What a concept! Of course it existed because this was France and PARIS. I was a country bumpkin, raised with cattle and horses, with a small-town university education and everything in this first trip to Europe was fascinating. I had always experienced the world with my nose too, and had taken to growing herbs and roses and other scented plants so that I could surround myself with fragrance. But HERE was the Mt. Everest of ….scents: a parfumerie! I wanted to buy every beautiful fragrance but I was seeking just one, Roger et Gallet’s “Santal,” which the night before had been offered to me in a Vietnamese restaurant, on moistened, warm towels. Then I remembered a friend who deserved something special. I asked the attendant in my halting French, “Something natural, like grass.” What she brought me to sample was AMAZING. Every layer of scent was a new fresh scent. There was no sweetness, no flowers, no chemical taint, and it seemed to sparkle. I bought a bottle for my friend.

    If ONLY I had kept a record of that gorgeous fragrance. I have no idea what the name was. Therefore, I have searched for such a fragrance ever since. My friend no longer recalls the name either, since it was nearly 40 years ago.

    I have a bottle of Eau de Rochas (the old version) which is nearly empty and I want to start the search for a replacement.
    So I ask you, in your experiences: what are the freshest, most natural, greenest, grassiest, citrusy fragrances you can think of?
    Thank you very much for any suggestions you can give me. August 12, 2019 at 11:14am Reply

  • Aurora: Hello MaryAnn: For citrussy have you tried O de Lancome? I wear it each summer along with Eau de Rochas like you, another citrus aromatic chypre is Liz Earle No 1 and there is also Annick Goutal Eau du Sud (they are like a longer lasting Eau Dynamisante basically).

    Also, there is Eau de Guerlain which is more herbal and less citrus than the above.
    For predominantly green, I would recommend Jacomo Silences, very green and Oriza L. Legrand Foin fraichement Coupe which is like its name indicates all about grass and Atelier Cologne Trefle Pur is also green and grassy.

    Hope this will help you a little bit in your quest 🙂 August 13, 2019 at 12:36pm Reply

  • Lauren: Hello. I have just found this site in a desperate attempt to find something similar to my favorite, and only scent, Folle de Joie. I’ve never found an everyday perfume until that one- I guess you could say I am somewhat new to perfume, but I loved that one so, so much and wore it every day. Now it’s been discontinued. Does anyone know of anything similar? I appreciate any and all help! August 16, 2019 at 11:34am Reply

    • Aurora: Hello Lauren: Sorry your favorite perfume has been discontinued.
      I wasn’t familiar with Folle de Joie so I looked at Fragrantica and made a note search and Shiseido Koto is quite close in notes to Folle de Joie although it doesn’t have the liquor/cognac note. I have and like Koto, it is a light leather chypre with citrusses, florals, and light spices, perhaps you could try it to see if it might be suitable for you.
      Another advice would be for you to save a search for Folle de Joie on eBay, you never know bottles might come up for sale.
      Good luck! August 17, 2019 at 1:14pm Reply

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