The Etc Etc of Perfumes & Fragrances

[Gleam]

I can't believe it took me so long to get into this thread... what a bunch of knowledgeable people you are!

Does anyone have a ridiculously hard time wanting to shell out the money for perfume? I'm this way though I don't know why... I'll happy buy expensive shoes but I'm just blown away by a bottle of Creed which I have wanted FOREVER!

Also, all the free perfume sample vials I get all the time don't seem to help since I can't ever use them up. Maybe this spring I'll finally buy a bottle of one of the Creed scents I've been wanting. Do you guys like Creed perfumes, and which ones?

 

[pavonine]

I think the general consensus is that whilst the masculine Creeds are rather good the feminine Creeds aren't worth the price. You get far better options at a more reasonable price-point.

As for spending on expensive scents... I see it this way. I don't wear any make up at all and don't intend to in the future either. Not even foundation or concealer or mascara. I splurge on scents, though, but since I think I save a lot on make-up compared to your average 24 yo female, I don't really feel bad about it.

 

[tangerine]

I personally find Creed overrated and/or overpriced. There are a couple of them I like but I'd rather spend my money elsewhere. YMMV.

Which Creeds are you looking at?

 

[Spike413]

^ I feel similarly to Tang. The only Creed I'd consider buying myself is Virgin Island Water, but I just couldn't bring myself to shell out that kind of money for something that I'd only wear during the summer.

Other fragrances, such as By Kilian, Le Labo or Lutens, I'd have no problem spending so much money on, so long as I love it. Ultimately that's what it's about. If you love something, the price is definitely worth it.

 

[lucy92]

i associate creed with prince charles. therefore it is a turnoff for me.

then again, i like the jennifer aniston fragrance...

 

[Gleam]

Thanks for the opinions about Creed! I hadn't heard any of that before. I like Spring Flowers but then again, like Spike, I think I may prefer to spend the money on a fragrance I can wear for longer than spring and summer. I'll have to look more into Serge Lutens. I'm not too familiar with the brand. Is Byredo any good? I like Accord Oud.

 

[pavonine]

I haven't tried any of the Byredos, but have high hopes for Seven Veils, Accord Oud, Baudelaire, La Tulipe, Rose Noir and Gypsy Water. The line, as a whole, has generally mixed reviews,but I have to sample them myself before I can make up my mind. Highly acclaimed scents have come a cropper on my skin, and little known/unpopular ones are the ones I end up liking.

 

[tangerine]

I mostly wear Serge Lutens, Le Labo and L'Artisan Parfumeur.

Serge Lutens is known for heavy orientals and as pavonine says, they are not everyone's cup of tea. Definitely try before you buy.

Le Labo makes some very interesting scents which often do not smell like you would expect from the name. They are commissioned and created by some of the great noses in perfumery. Again, worth sampling first.

L'Artisan has employed Bertrand Duchaufour as their "house nose". I love a lot of his fragrances. Many people find that L'Artisan does not have longevity on their skin so you will want to check this out.

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, like Le Labo, commissions scents from some of the greatest noses alive. They have a wide selection and the fragrances are well made. Worth exploring.

Obviously there are many other houses to explore. These are the ones I most often buy.

My two cents.

 

[Gleam]

pavonine and tangerine, thank you! tangerine, wow, you are so knowledgeable! Thank you for the advice. I'll have to check out Le Labo.

 

[Spike413]

^ I'd also highly recommend Le Labo. Besides being really well made, and in many cases interesting enough to stand out within the perfume market, I've found all of the ones I've ever worn to be very, very easy to wear. Compared to some of the other brands I've worn a lot of -- Tom Ford, Lutens, Bond, By Kilian -- Le Labo's scents aren't very demanding of you. They're pretty versatile, too.

 

[MUXU]

i have recently gotten interested in niche perfumeries after being rather tired of the general fashion houses scents, especially when i find it hard to find something i like among them.
one of the first perfumeries i got interested in was L'Artisan. i was searching another perfumery when i stumbled onto their site. went to their boutique, sniffed most of their scents, love a lot of them. some are more general, while some are quite unique but overall most of them i dont think are too overpowering or too demanding.

what do you guys think of english houses such as Penhaligon's or Floris? would they be considered niche? too reserved?

had a quick sniff of Penhaligon's scents last week. a lot of them smell very familiar, like i had known them for ages and embedded in my memories. not surprising since they have been around for more than a hundred years old. i do love their bottle designs, very nostalgic and keeping with the history of the house.

 

[YoninahAliza]

Personally, I love Penhaligon's, it's a classic. But I think it's because like you said, a lot of their scents seem familiar. For me, I associate Penhaligon's with a trip I took to London with my auntie a few years ago and we spent a glorious half-an-hour or so sniffing around the shop. I didn't buy anything (way too expensive for me at the time) but I left having a favorite scent, which btw is Elisabethan Rose. Maybe the English perfumeries are a little reserved but they have a right to be... they are historic brands! Penhaligon seems to focus on floral scents the most however they do have other types of scents too (like oriental, and woody), so they aren't completely reserved.

 

[Spike413]

As far as English perfumeries go I'd sooner buy something from Penhaligon's than Creed, to be honest. They both have that heritage aspect, and they both, for the most part, focus on traditional fragrances, but once you've had a Creed sales associate perform the whole song and dance -- worn by so-and-so, ONLY made from natural ingredients (not even close to possible for their fragrances), lasts forever on skin, blah, blah blah -- it can turn you off of the brand when all you want to do is try out this scent or that. Maybe it's just the ones I've had the misfortune of dealing with, but that shtick gets tired real quick.

 

[MUXU]

i have to say penhaligon's has come up with some interesting scents lately and even some of their older scents are quite unique, though sometimes i find it a bit dated (like how chanel no.5 seems to my nose). 'satorial' is quite interesting, cant say i really like it much. a mate of mine from my tailoring school days swore it smells just like a tailor's workshop.
havent smelt any of the creed frags but i hear they are quite polite and non-intrusive.

 

[Spike413]

Amaranthine by Penhaligon's is also quite unique, and pretty modern, too.

As for Creed, I suppose whether or not their polite and non-intrusive depends on what you typically like. I have a bottle of Silver Mountain Water that I barely wear because I just find it annoying most of the time, but that kind of scent is not my thing.

 

[tangerine]

I haven't tried any Penhaligon's or Floris, so I can only thank those who have replied.

RE: Creed. I remember when I first tried my sample of Orange Spice. I found it very "old-fashioned" smelling and also rather rude! I remember describing it as "the scent of a sleazy uncle". Paradoxically, it remains one of my favorites of the few Creeds I like, maybe because it is so aggressive.* Some compare it to YSL Kouros, a somewhat notorious scent, but I have never tried Kouros so can't comment on that.

And Spike, I am pretty sure that song-and-dance you described is a prerequisite to being employed as a Creed sales associate; you describe my experiences at the Creed counter exactly.

*Or maybe I am going to become a sleazy uncle.

 

[YoninahAliza]

I have a question-and I am prepared to get totally slammed for it- but am I the only one who doesn't like the smell of Chanel no 5? I feel like I should like the scent because it's a classic but it's way too heavy (does that make sense?) for my liking. The only other person I know who feels the same way as me is my sister. Everyone else seems to think I'm mad.

 

[Spike413]

^ I don't love the original No. 5. I can respect it, but that's the extent of it for me.

Try No. 5 Eau Premiere, though. It might give you a better understanding of what No. 5 would have been like to wear back when it was new...if that makes any sense. It really keeps the essence and character of the original, but it's much easier to understand and like (I think) from a contemporary perspective.

 

[YoninahAliza]

^Ahh...I'll try No. 5 Eau Premiere next time I'm in a shop that has it. I'd love to be able to understand what others see in the scent. I think part of my problem with the original is that it almost smells dated, it doesn't seem to fit into my contemporary mindset. Whenever I smell the original No.5 I'm just reminded of old ladies (which might be fitting because my grandma has been known to wear it).

 

[Spike413]

^ It's definitely a vintage sensibility. On the other hand, I find No. 5 much easier to like than No. 19, which came to be like 45 years after No. 5. I know it has it's fans, but it honestly smells like the more old-fashioned and fussy of the two.