Perfume and fragrance chat

[isalaide]

Le Labo Santal 33

I had to veto this purchase because too much of my own magic juice has some level of iris and/or violet notes in it. We aren't doing matchy matchy perfume.

(I am always on the hunt for a good violet, recs if anyone has any please)

Aventus is massively overdone but on the other hand, it is actually nice. If everyone is going to wear one aftershave, I vote for a nice one.

Sometimes I'd rather not smell like my grandpa and it actually gets you noticed in some circles.

I don't mind Sauvage itself, it's who wears it. It's like... everyone really likes Shalimar, but it has a rep as THE old lady perfume so no one will buy it until they are satisfied they are 'old enough for Shalimar'.

(I'm looking forward to being old enough for Shalimar.)

 

[yydszmiteg2]

I enjoy a good bit of cologne but I'm a cheap skate and a lover of strong long lasting ones so I tend to use perfume parlour, they make clone frags with purchasing options for different concentrations and even do candles and diffuser oil based on their clone fragrances. Apparently they're open in the US now so that's cool. https://perfume-parlour.com

 

[Pumpkin spice]

I really loved Sensuous by Estee Lauder as a teen. I think it was discontinued for a while but now it's available on the EL website. Also marem by Caswell Massey smells just gorgeous.

 

[std::string]

I absolutely love one from Victoria’s Secret of all places at the moment. It’s called Bombshell. It’s not too overpowering.

Honestly most of their stuff follows the same formula. Poppy citrus topnotes, some light floral middle notes and a weak sandalwood base.

They're actually not bad though. It's like the only thing that store does right. Perfect for casual summer wear.

 

[mold]

I have a ton of weird chemical sensitivities so I blend my own oils and solid perfumes. It's really satisfying. My favorite so far is a cocoa butter base with honey, rose, ginger, and frankincense. I am out, I need to make more.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

I don't mind Sauvage itself, it's who wears it. It's like... everyone really likes Shalimar, but it has a rep as THE old lady perfume so no one will buy it until they are satisfied they are 'old enough for Shalimar'.

(I'm looking forward to being old enough for Shalimar.)

I have a small bottle of OG Shalimar, because it was my late grandmother's signature scent (she was a total glamorpuss lol), and I think about her and smile whenever I smell the bottle. Shalimar is just one of those scents that I associate with my childhood because I smelled it so often back then, haha.

In my opinion, it only has the "old lady" reputation because it's been around for so long. It smells gorgeous and sophisticated (funnily enough, because back in the 1920's it was known as the "bad girl" perfume haha).

There's actually a lot of Shalimar flankers that have been released over the years that appeal more to today's younger demographics without smelling juvenile. I own an eau de toilette flanker that smells like OG Shalimar ... But it's the lemon pound cake version of it (if that makes sense), and it's great.

 

[Justa Grata Honoria]

I have a ton of weird chemical sensitivities so I blend my own oils and solid perfumes. It's really satisfying. My favorite so far is a cocoa butter base with honey, rose, ginger, and frankincense. I am out, I need to make more.

Nigga run us through the process

 

[Apochrypha]

I really like vanilla mixed with fruity notes, specifically berries. Ive been looking into buying Hanae Mori EDT because of the blackberry and blueberry notes and I heard it's a safe blind buy. Right now I'm just using a body spray. Champagne Toast from B&BW. Has a long lasting power for a spray, at least on me.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

B&BW is starting to release scents that I enjoy again. For a while there, I thought that all of their new releases smelled the same. Now they're making much more versatile stuff again.

I still kinda miss the days when all of their scents were very straightforward, like "Wild Honeysuckle," "Freesia," "Cherry Blossom," "Juniper Breeze," "Plumeria," etc. Sometimes these scents come back online during their semi-annual sales though. I recently stocked up on some Cherry Blossom (which I much prefer over their Japanese Cherry Blossom) when it came back for a brief moment this past June.

I wish they would bring back Wild Honeysuckle though. Best. Honeysuckle. Scent. Ever.

And this past Christmas, I discovered their Fairytale fragrance/body care, which smells very, very similar to my new beloved, YSL Libre. I've been using it for layering to make my perfume last longer and it's great. B&BW has been killing it with their designer fragrance dupes lately.

 

[std::string]

In my opinion, it only has the "old lady" reputation because it's been around for so long. It smells gorgeous and sophisticated (funnily enough, because back in the 1920's it was known as the "bad girl" perfume haha).

Yeah, well in my opinion it smells like Earl Grey flavored animal ass.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

Yeah, well in my opinion it smells like Earl Grey flavored animal ass.

As I was reading your post, I was like "Wait, Earl Grey tea smells amaz-- oh." lol.

Different strokes for different folks, haha. What kind of fragrances do you gravitate towards?

 

[Norstein Bekkler]

Thread made me think about getting back into blending oils, and went browsing for supplies before work. Rose Otto is now nearly $1000/ounce at the cheapest price I could find (was like $200/oz when I bought a vial like 8 years ago)

 

[std::string]

As I was reading your post, I was like "Wait, Earl Grey tea smells amaz-- oh." lol.

Different strokes for different folks, haha. What kind of fragrances do you gravitate towards?

Yeah I don't know if I'm overly sensitive to something in Shalimar or what. Kouros has the same issue.

I'm pretty picky about perfumes. I usually go for the "juvenile" ones. Citrus, sea breeze notes, sandalwood is fine, patchouli is okay as long as it's not overpowering. Hopefully not much else. Actually it's kinda annoying that men get the vast majority of the aquatic scents (I love Kenzo but it's way too masculine.)

My great grandpa grew flowers for funeral homes so anything overly floral is out, especially rose or lilac Vanilla, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon are also out because I don't want to smell like a fucking Keebler elf. So I'm pretty limited in what I like.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

Yeah I don't know if I'm overly sensitive to something in Shalimar or what. Kouros has the same issue.

I'm pretty picky about perfumes. I usually go for the "juvenile" ones. Citrus, sea breeze notes, sandalwood is fine, patchouli is okay as long as it's not overpowering. Hopefully not much else. Actually it's kinda annoying that men get the vast majority of the aquatic scents (I love Kenzo but it's way too masculine.)

My great grandpa grew flowers for funeral homes so anything overly floral is out, especially rose or lilac Vanilla, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon are also out because I don't want to smell like a fucking Keebler elf. So I'm pretty limited in what I like.

Makes sense. I have a friend who used to work at a flower shop and she hates anything floral as well.

In the first post I made on this thread, I said I love wearing Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue during the Summer-- it's a citrusy, fresh, and almost sporty scent (definitely one you can wear at the gym and not feel suffocated or anything). Seriously one of the best perfumes to put on right after you get out of the shower, too.

And, back in my high school and college days, Tommy Girl was my shit (and, honestly, I wouldn't mind wearing it these days). Tommy Girl has the reputation of being a true "tomboy" perfume. It's got the citrus notes you're going for while also smelling a little bit earthy (almost like tea), but not too masculine.

And speaking of fragrances that remind me of tea ... If that kind of thing interests you, then there's always the Elizabeth Arden Green Tea perfume. It's really affordable and easy to wear.

EDIT: Another recommendation I have is Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca. It's so fresh, bright, green, and juicy. It reminds me of a freshly made mojito, with the fresh green mint leaves and all. It's very wearable and not too heavy at all.

Also, personally, I don't think your taste is juvenile at all, especially since you're not into the sugary scents. When I think of juvenile perfumes, I think of stuff like Viva La Juicy, Aquolina Pink Sugar, and most celebrity fragrances that are suffocating vanilla sugar bombs.

 

[Ninon42]

Yeah I don't know if I'm overly sensitive to something in Shalimar or what. Kouros has the same issue.

I'm pretty picky about perfumes. I usually go for the "juvenile" ones. Citrus, sea breeze notes, sandalwood is fine, patchouli is okay as long as it's not overpowering. Hopefully not much else. Actually it's kinda annoying that men get the vast majority of the aquatic scents (I love Kenzo but it's way too masculine.)

My great grandpa grew flowers for funeral homes so anything overly floral is out, especially rose or lilac Vanilla, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon are also out because I don't want to smell like a fucking Keebler elf. So I'm pretty limited in what I like.

More adventurous houses like Zoologist or Olympic Orchids might be worth a go. Neither does anything as straightforward as a sugarbomb gourmand but instead the smell of a wood-fired sauna (Woodcut, OO), a metallic blackberry (Blackbird, OO) or a dried bouquet in a dusty abandoned saloon (Moth, Zoologist). Then again, one of my favorites smells like a frozen carrot ripped straight from the soil so idk.

 

[Super Guido]

More adventurous houses like Zoologist or Olympic Orchids might be worth a go. Neither does anything as straightforward as a sugarbomb gourmand but instead the smell of a wood-fired sauna (Woodcut, OO), a metallic blackberry (Blackbird, OO) or a dried bouquet in a dusty abandoned saloon (Moth, Zoologist). Then again, one of my favorites smells like a frozen carrot ripped straight from the soil so idk.

Zoologist Squid is the bomb diggity, imo. Salamanca (smells like clay) and Cherry Blossom (hard to describe but not noticeably floral like say B&BW) are two interesting frags from Olympic Orchids as they're not typically what people think of as perfume scents. Seattle Chocolate is the closest they have to a gourmand iirc but it's also got orange rather than just chocolate.

God I fucking love niche and indie perfume.

 

[Ninon42]

Zoologist Squid is the bomb diggity, imo. Salamanca (smells like clay) and Cherry Blossom (hard to describe but not noticeably floral like say B&BW) are two interesting frags from Olympic Orchids as they're not typically what people think of as perfume scents. Seattle Chocolate is the closest they have to a gourmand iirc but it's also got orange rather than just chocolate.

God I fucking love niche and indie perfume.

OO does more aromatic experiences than wearable perfumes IMO. Chevalier Vert is the greenest green to ever green while Lil is so rhubarb it makes my mouth water. Olympic Forest smells exactly like a hike in the woods after a rain, Night Flyer (formerly Zoologist Bat) a dirty bat cave, Kyphi a dry frankincense that comes across as a old haybarn. Dev Two is pure sexy booze, smoke and leather but too masculine for me. Their founder/perfumer is a chemosensory researcher and it really comes across in her work.

 

[Super Guido]

OO does more aromatic experiences than wearable perfumes IMO. Chevalier Vert is the greenest green to ever green while Lil is so rhubarb it makes my mouth water. Olympic Forest smells exactly like a hike in the woods after a rain, Night Flyer (formerly Zoologist Bat) a dirty bat cave, Kyphi a dry frankincense that comes across as a old haybarn. Dev Two is pure sexy booze, smoke and leather but too masculine for me. Their founder/perfumer is a chemosensory researcher and it really comes across in her work.

Yeah I haven't loved anything I've gotten from OO, but I wouldn't say any of it is poorly made.

It's worth noting that the actual Zoologist Bat (meaning officially part of the Zoologist line) was changed to be vegan, so Night Flyer is the original formulation as designed by OO's founder. I'm sure you knew that, but it's interesting.

 

[gnostic dogma]

This is my favorite scent in the world. A friend of mine has a 3ml bottle and lets me use some from time to time. It has an insane sillage, I can tell when she’s wearing it just by walking into the same room. Had a dab on my wrists underneath a jacket once and could smell it on the cuffs for weeks. I go crazy for this stuff. Notes are sandalwood, vanilla, and “unisex fragrance.”

The big issue: you can only get it in India. No international shipping. Friend got hers as a gift from a relative abroad years ago and protects it with her life. I’m desperate. One of my supervisors at work is from India and I’m just short of falling to my knees at his feet and coughing up absurd amounts of money to have his wife back home send me a bottle.

 

[one_time_user]

I am such a perfume whore. I have, unfortunately, expensive tastes and can only afford re-bottles of most of it. Tom Ford, Hermes, Guerlaine you name it. I have an entire hanging mirror thing just packed full of perfume. Sometimes samples, mega samples and rebottles along with regular perfumes.

I signed up on something and every 2 or so months I get a bunch of samples from Macy's.

Tom Ford Rose Prick and Lost Cherry and Bitter Peach are so amazing.