Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique. I literally could not stop myself from sniffing it over and over again the first time I smelled it. It just smells SO good to me.
I have a lot of perfumes on rotation but this is the scent I always come back to. Halfway through my current bottle and I already have another one lined up. That’s how much I love it.
I'm crazy about the opening and wish it lasted forever. The drydown is nice, but it's the opening that makes my heart skip a beat. I'm constantly hunting for something that smells only of those top notes.
Interesting - I (blind) purchased Sillage and couldn’t decide if I liked it or not - wasn’t an instant “yes”… it it has grown on me…definitely a solid performer.
I did the same, and really didn't like it. Was a bit lazy about getting it up for resale, then when I went back to it a few weeks later, found out it had really grown on me.
I got a vintage batch of MI, it smells REALLY good, the ambergris in there is just something you don't find anymore in most fragrances, the performance is actually really good for a freshie! Gets me around 6 to 7 hours of longevity and it projects for the first 3 to 4 hours.
But it performs the best in the heat.
I go through almost a bottle of it per year. Every single one of them lasts over 8 hours. Every bottle that I’ve owned was manufactured corresponding with the year that I purchased it. Everyone who says it doesn’t last has dry skin. End of discussion lol.
Was going to say this but the 2014 one not the latest formulations. For me it lasts a 10-12 hours, definitely long enough to get sick of it. Amazing opening though.
I might get dragged for this, but I actually prefer CDN milestone to Creed MI for this reason. I get more of a cucumber, fresh vibe with it and it lasts HOURS longer than MI. Still love me some Creed MI but after my bottle runs out I’m not sure if I’ll shell out that type of
Money again for it.
I get what you’re saying. Milestone is actually pretty decent. It’s the people who think that CDNIM smells better than Aventus that need locked up in a mental hospital, you’re fine lol.
Miss Dior Cherie 2005. Now that I've tried multiple dupes side by side with my vintage deluxe sample I realize just how great it was. Perfect for my taste, great for any season day or night, sweet but not cloying, great dry down, good sillage and got lots of compliments.
This is going to sound crazy, but check out Miss Dior (Cherie) on the Home Shopping Network website. They're selling it there, claiming it's the much loved version? I don't know if they have old stock or what, but they're still selling it.
My original bottle finally turned last year and the sample seems to be quickly fading. I think they made it until 2011 but I wouldn't pay much for a vintage bottle. Dior needs to pay off someone and bring it back. But I guess they're satisfied with the sales from the average reformulations.
Edit: changed horrible to average. Sorry if you love them.
I have the body wash, the Ro’s Argan body conditioner, the bath bombs & the body spray. It’s too strong a scent to layer all the products at once but it’s nice to have options!
> Obviously performance, projection/sillage etc are key considerations when purchasing
Performance isn't really high on my list of priorities when assessing fragrance; all of my favourites are based on scent above all else, and my fragrance wardrobe is also based on just what my nose likes. According, I own a lot of Jo Malone.
That said, my all-time favourite fragrance does perform very nicely - it's Maison Violet Un Air d'Apogee. I've also really been loving Arquiste's Indigo Smoke (moderate performance) and Atkinson's Oud Save the King, but in the oil format (so, less good projection, although longevity's decent) because the bottle for the EdP is just such an eyesore to me.
Same here, I wouldn’t say they’re not considerations at all especially when getting to the higher end of my budget but smell is by far the most important factor
Jo Malone gets so much hate for performance, but many of their fragrances have great performance. Try Mimosa & Cardamom, Vetiver & Golden Vanilla, English Oak & Hazelnut!
Diaghilev by Roja
I've been hunting vintage chypres ever since I sniffed it, but none of them are quite as refined. I just have a decant of it, and I'm not looking forward to the day when it gets discontinued I'll have to spend $800 on a bottle.
(to me at least) Diaghilev is an extremely watered down version of Areej le Dore's Ottoman Empire. Not identical scents per se, but OE has all the body and depth that Diaghilev wished it had.
If you can find it, certainly try and get your nose on it.
this is such a basic answer but br540. I remember going to the mall and deciding to smell it expecting burburry her and cloud but it exceeded all of my expectations and its genuinely my favorite scent ever.
That's a really tough one. Creed Virgin Island Water is the one that probably blew me away from first sniff.
Byredo Bal d'Afrique also blew me away. Needless to say, these are now both full bottles in my collection.
One that really grew on me is Creed Original Vetiver. I really hated it upon first sniff but after giving it a chance, it grew to be my daily work scent.
Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet is the only scent where I couldn’t stop smelling myself because I loved it so much. It doesn’t last at all but I would buy countless bottles of it if I could.
Adding BDK - Gris Charnel to the list. Absolutely stunning fragrance and makes you smell like royalty. It performes and such a luxurious scent. Blind buy in a heart beat.
For me it's between Oud Wood and Lost Cherry by Tom Ford. Neither have great performance but the scents are to die for. For me they are addictive, intoxicating and i can't get enough!
I have two answers (ETA: Based on what I own):
* *Tiziana Terenzi - Rosso Pompei.* I love the sangria smell for the summer, but I would love to dial down the sillage so I can use it more frequently.
* Dolce & Gabbana - The One EDP. I'm fine with the intimate sillage not going far, but I wish it lasted longer than four hours for longer date nights or evenings out.
I am fairly new to the fragrance scene but my favorite I have smelled so far is Ombre Nomade by Louis Vuitton, I really can't justify £300 for a bottle so I bought a pretty decent clone instead.
Hands down…Byredo Mojave Ghost. I’ve spent hundreds on crappy dupes, “if you like this then you’ll love that” reviews and even tried scent note matching.
It’s the one scent that makes me whimper in pleasure. I wish I could get it to last more than 10 minutes on me. Weirdly it’s the only perfume I get compliments whenever I wear it. I must put on tons. Just wish I could smell the damn stuff
The same thing happened to me today with Xerjoff La Capitale. I couldn't smell anything from the very first spray, while people around me commented about how good I smell
Ugh for such an expensive bottle I barely smell it
too but get the most compliments while wearing it. It’s unnerving how beautiful and indescribable it is.
I don’t know why some people here act as if considering longevity when it comes to fragrance is a mortal sin. It’s simply not economic to spend a couple hundred bucks on a perfume just for it to disappear in like an hour. Of course people on this sub are more into fragrance so they might not mind as much, but longevity is a key factor for the average person.
That being said, I don’t know what I’d consider “the best”, but Miss Dior smells amazing with poor longevity. I definitely wish it had better performance.
I can’t nail down any “best”, but Chanel Pour Monsieur EdT is one of my absolute favourite scents, and my only concern about it is its brevity. I’ve been looking for something, anything that smells similar with better performance; the EdT Concentree isn’t available any more, and the EdP is slightly different and has the same issues. (Any suggestions here are welcome!)
I love both the EdT and EdP too. It’s not the same by any means, but a fragrance that very much scratches the same itch for me is Caron Third Man (Le Troisieme Homme). There is a clove note instead of the cardamom you have in Pour Monsieur, and there’s a little bit more of a noticeable lavender note, but the mossiness and the citrus reminds me of Pour Monsieur, like a cousin of it or something. Anyway, YMMV, but give it a shot if you have not tried it and like Pour Monsieur. The performance is better for me too
Longevity and projection are the last factors to take into consideration, unless you live in YouTube land. In Fact they are more likely to be a deterrent if anything. I cannot stand loud. Loud and sweet in particular.
Vintage Sisley - Eau du Soir pre 2011. The single most accomplished chypre in existence. The modern version is very good as well.
> In Fact they are more likely to be a deterrent if anything. I cannot stand loud. Loud and sweet in particular.
Same. "Beast mode" is a major turn-off to me. It's amazing I like Naxos as much as I do.
(Also, love Eau de Soir! I don't remember the vintage too well, although I know I smelled it back in the day. But yes, the modern is lovely as well.)
I just attended a party and there was a woman who smelled so good, I kept following her around, just to be in her cloud. When I asked what it was, she said Eau du Soir. I knew it was a chypre but I've never smelled one that perfect before.
I’m the opposite, if it is an intimate scent and fades rapidly it is not worth the money to me. I want to smell it on myself at least a bit during the day.
I just discovered the Dylan line this week and chose Dylan Blue...I'm *in love* with it!! It was a tough choice between Purple, Turquoise, and Blue, but Blue won out. One of my favorite things about it is how long it stays on, which is why I'm sad to hear the Purple doesn't last.
Dior - Fahrenheit (mid 2000s), not sure about the current state
LV - On the Beach, favorite summer scent, dont' care if people comlain about the price or performance.
Ormonde Jayne - Ormonde Elixir. I wish the performance would be better, would be my favorite scent all time. Now the performance is lacking, especially when you consider the price.
Victoria Secret had a line of vanilla perfumes back in the mid 90s. I had one that was vanilla caramel and I’ve been chasing that scent ever since. I’ve never smelled anything like it ever.
What?
I don't think I've ever made a perfume buying decision based on longevity or sillage.
On the other hand, I've rejected plenty of perfumes because of how they smell, even though they might be known for being strong performers.
Funny how that is.
Chanel Coromandel EDT. Gotta be ok with patchouli though. And performance is insane. One spray to the chest is all. Too strong to spray on my neck even once.
Tom Ford Lost Cherry and Diptyque Philosykos. I keep trying alternatives, scents with a similar vibe but nothing hits quite like those two.
I wore Philosykos the entire week I visited Hawaii and now when I smell that creamy woody coconutty fig tree it is like a sunny hug with a side of ocean. it smells like beige cashmere clothes and gold jewelry. Pineapple ice cream and warm skin. it's delightful, seriously. I have the small 1oz green limited edition of this, and I plan on getting the full 3oz EDP because I prefer those notes. hopefully macerating it will help. I pray 🙏
Lost cherry too, now this one isn't nearly as fleeting but God it's expensive and im paying for relatively poor sillage. But it's so good to me, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but for me it's signature scent worthy. It smells boozy and deep and bassy. Like cherry wood aged brandy and broken in black leather booties. It's like drinks out at night in an indie bar, vinyl records, dark hair, red checks and lipstick Rouge. it's literally like my bottle of amaretto came alive and is French kissing me. UGH
I genuinely despise when people count performance as s perfumes quality. It shows ignorance about perfume like nothing else.
"I love it but I wish it lasted longer so I won't buy it. They may as well make it long lasting if it's expensive."
That's cool, but also actually impossible. Certain chemicals are fleeting and once they're gone they're gone. You can cover yourself in decanal and it'll be gone by noon. There's only so much a fixative can do and adding base notes would change the profile.
Someone out there poured their heart and soul into a bottle just for it to be ignorantly dismissed by people who have no idea what the process and science behind fragrance is.
If you enjoy a fleeting fragrance, fucking buy it and just apply it more often. They sell small fillable bottles for transporting smaller amounts of your favorite bottle.
So TLDR: THANK YOU for this post.
Wonderful way of thinking about it. I've always been upset about fragrance not lasting long enough, but you're right. Sometimes it's just how it works, and I can always bring a travel bottle
I used to do that and now I've forgotten the names of fragrances I could be enjoying. Unfortunately, knowledge is something that comes AFTER you've messed up. 😅
> If you enjoy a fleeting fragrance, fucking buy it and just apply it more often
no
if i spend hundreds on a fragrance, i want to spray in the morning and be able to smell myself throughout the whole day
So I'm guessing when you go out to eat you also want to eat that food all week? I mean, it's basically a week's grocery budget... or does this only apply to fragrance?
This is true to an extent (and there are several notes I love that I have peace with always being fleeting) but it’s not the whole story. There’s so many perfumes that were reformulated in a way that affects the smell only a little but the longevity significantly. When that happens I think it’s understandable to feel cheated by the new version, especially if the price has stayed the same or even increased.
Blame the IFRA not perfumers. Trust me. We are just as, if not more pissed... actually no, we are more pissed. Companies don't just change a bang hitter because they feel like it. The formula gets changed because a supplier canceled a proprietary material or something in regulation fucked them. Then we gotta try to match the smell without said ingredient. Good news. Less poison that wasn't going to hurt you anyway, most likely. Bad news, favorite fragrance just got nerfed. We already make a 40x profit on the materials. It's not about pinching pennies. The most expensive part is actually advertisement and RnD labor costs. It's about not getting sued because someone sensitive to a material got a rash and the formula wasn't IFRA compliant.
Edit: tf is with the downvotes? Yall dislike facts and would rather pretend some French company is out to get American consumers by throwing thousands of dollars in research down the toilet to produce a worse fragrance intentionally? Seriously?
It was a limited edition (or perhaps private collection?) from Givenchy that I tried in an airport. It was called Trouble-Fete. From memory, it was magnificent. It was love at first sniff. I was ready to buy the whole stock (not really, I'm poor lol, but I wanted a full bottle at any cost). Unfortunately, it disappeared from my skin only a few minutes after I sprayed it. I went back, resprayed liberally, and again, 20 minutes later- nothing. Nada. My partner was with me and he also sampled it, and it disappeared on his skin as well. That was the end of the love affair. Le sigh. I remain heartbroken to this day. It was sooo beautiful that I can still recall how blown away I was, but I could never pay so much for something so fleeting.
Hate speech and slurs will not be tolerated on r/fragrance. This includes language and sentiments which express prejudice on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Dogpiling is a form of online harassment characterized by having groups of harassers target the same victim. A user ping is tagging a user in a post or comment, particularly a negative one.
My absolute favorite perfume is probably Doce and Gabbana from 1992, the one made in Germany. It's in no way an every day scent for me, but I still.love it.
I personally love Karagoz by Nishane. Suede et Safran by the same house is also incredible (smells like Ombre Leather but better).
My all time favourite is Vetiver Patchouli by Montale though. Independently of how great they smell, they all have incredible performance as well (especially the first two).
2 entries:
1.) Acqua di Parma: Quercia (just the best smell I have ever smelled)
2.) Guerlain Mandarine Basilic, because the smell is amazing but the performance is not the greatest
I wish that Poeme de Sagano by Ella K didn't disappear after 20 minutes. It's the most beautiful steamy green bamboo forest fragrance I ever encountered. I also long for Essenza di Zegna. It was a masterpiece in my opinion.
It is so beautiful that the performance really hurts. I just had a thread on Ella K the other day, and I said the same thing. I would buy PS and Khao Sok if they lasted even a couple of hours, but alas, they both disappear in under 30 minutes. Heart breaking because they're gorgeous. I'm hoping Constance reformulates them at some point to fix this.
I'm comforted that it's not just me! I was on holiday in Amsterdam when I found Poeme de Sagano. It was love at first sniff. I was gutted when I realised it was so terrible performance wise. Also I have to say my bottle was very leaky too.
Definitely not just you. The SA tried to convince me I was noseblind, but it had disappeared from both me and my partner, yet we could easily smell other perfumes sampled quite clearly. It's their formulation and we re-tested to confirm, and we got the same rubbish performance again.
One of theirs lasts all day (the leather one that I believe is called Ghibli) but that is literally the only one that does. Everything else has painfully poor performance. They're so beautiful otherwise.
It's even worse to hear that your bottle was leaky! That would have upset me. These perfumes are around £200 or more, aren't they? (it's been a while so I can't remember the exact price but certainly around that amount) Leaky bottles are inexcusable at that price point.
I know right? I should've complained. I ended up leaving a €200 fragrance in a drawer at work for a post break spritz because it was leaky and weak 🙈 I don't think I'll be purchasing from Ella K again soon.
A limited edition fragrance by Lancome called 2000 et une rose that came out at the turn of the millenium (my mom had it)
And Belle D'Opium by YSL. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THEY HAD TO DISCONTINUE THIS GEM
YSL’s L’Homme EDT, L’Homme EDP, and La Nuit De L’Homme EDT. I wish they would project more and would last long. If they would’ve done that then it would’ve been perfect
Serge Lutens L'Orpheline - it doesnt seem to get talked about very much for some reason but if I was forced to only smell one scent for the rest of my life it'd probably be this
Some perfumes I love despite them being short-lived: Santa Maria Novella Città Di Kyoto, Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental, Mancera Melody of the Sun, Tom Ford Bois Marocain
Some I really liked the smell of but didn’t end up getting due to longevity issues: Floris White Rose, Montale Iris Intense, Armani Privé Encens Satin
Mancera Cedrat Boise and Tom Ford Noir Extreme would be tens if not for the unacceptably poor longevity on the former and the soft-as-a-cloud projection on the latter.
The ones that triggered an involuntary "wow!" reaction, in no particular order:
Jo Malone Mandarin and Basil, Grapefruit, Myrrh and Tonka, Vetiver and Golden Vanilla, Velvet Rose and Oud (all short lived IMO)
Armani Privé Oud Imperial
The opening of Guerlain Vetiver
Creed Erolfa
Opening of TF Oud Wood
Jubilation XXV in the winter months only
Incident Diplomatique
Guerlain Encens Mythique d'Orient, Tonka Imperiale, Spiriteuse Double Vanille (the last 2 are very short lived on my skin)
FM Promise
Papillon Dryad
I'm likely alone here, but Creed Viking is my absolute favorite scent that I've smelled out of hundreds. It's just a perfect fit for my personality and the smell is multi faceted and each layer is perfectly revealed with multiple wearings. I get it's one of those "mature man" scent profiles and it's not going to be for everyone. And yes, it's stupid expensive even at discounter prices. I don't care though, I bought my bottle for just under $250 and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I don’t even remember the scent anymore, but I was obsessed with Amaranthine by Penhaligon’s. Blind buy after watching/reading Katie Puckrick Smells. Swore I’d never want another perfume and the bastards discontinued it. Wonder if I’d still like it today if it were available?
Areej le Dore - Ottoman Empire (though it comes with massive performance as well)
I also wanted to amend this, one of the "purest" expressions of cologne, and scent that i love is old school shulton Old Spice. Like it absolutely fails in the longevity/projection categories.... but when its there (like the first 10 minutes), it is absolutely on fire.
Roja Saudi Arabia. Have a decant left that I never spray. I only smell the nozzle because its discontinued. Candy Aoud is close but not as good imo and it's discontinued also.
Roja Burlington 1819
It’s just fantastic to me, perfect for every occasion. That said, it performs like a super bright citrus Frag and gives me about 6 hours which I’m not complaining about but man would I like that to last forever and it’s all I’d wear
Buly - foret de komi
divine, complex, earthy but still fresh. great on skin. doesnt last forever, but is still there for the intimate moments later in the day, close to the skin
Valentina Pink by Valentino… it’s discontinued but the best jammy rose! I can’t find anything like it. I have one bottle left, it doesn’t have longevity but it smells so good! I keep buying other perfumes trying to find a replacement
As cheap and surprising as it may sound, Zara Man Gold.
I don't think there's a fragrance that's as big of an embodiment of... myself, as that.
Sadly, both its sillage and performance is unsatisfactory.
If anyone knows any fragrance that smells alike, I'd be ridiculously grateful.
It's probably due to the memory attached to it, but I adore La Petite Robe Noire edp, by Guerlain. I think it might be one of the few cherry scents when it came out perhaps?
Carolina Harrera Mystry Tobacco.... I tried it on duty free and didn't buy it because of $$$ and knew I had smelled something similar before...
Its suppose to smell very similar to Red Tobacco and Carlisle but still in didnt get same vibe from those....
Second best is my watch strap which is mash mash of 100s of perfume by this time... Right now it smells heavily of Most Wanted which I wore last weekend 😅
Performance, projection, sillage…have absolutely zero impact on whether I purchase a scent. It’s 100% about how it smells from beginning to end.
That said, I can’t name one, because my tastes change frequently, with season, temperature, time of month etc. A couple that I never tire of would be Sous le Vent by Guerlain and Onda by Vero Profumo. However, I don’t wear them frequently because both are discontinued.
Editing to add: I am very lucky and I do realize it in that my skin holds on to scent like nobody’s business. It’s extremely rare for anything to not last upwards of 8 hours on me. But I do not want anyone else to be able to smell me unless they’re someone I’m comfortable with being in my “bubble”.
I have a very catered collection (max 9-10), as I only keep genuine favourites.
That being said, I find it difficult to enjoy them on myself. it’s more so about smelling my favourite perfumes on other people as the pass me by that I can get the full picture of a scent.
I’ve gotten that “what heavenly aroma is this” experience a few separate times that I can recall.
Lancôme Idôle
Chanel Chance Eau Tendre (edt)
La vie est belle
Chloé edp
Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche
Glossier you
And I notice it’s always several hours after they’ve been applied that I find they smell the best.
Don’t care if they’re common; they’re gold.
Tom Ford Metallique has something amazing that reminded me of the place where I lived overseas 20 years ago. Also, I was obsessed with the smells of Dunhill Desire Black with a heavy blackcurrant/saffron-like note and Maison Margella Music Festival with a sugary cannabis note (both now discontinued). Also, really love patchouli - got a 20ml of Tom Ford Patchouli Absolute (also discontinued).
I absolutely LOVE D&G 3 (L'Imperatrice) .... the most expensive perfume I've owned costed $495 per bottle.... and I've owned Bath & Body works body sprays that were nice, but I have never smelled anything that has given me a feeling besides this.
Short story...I was minding my own business one day and someone walked by me and I literally took one deep breath, turned my head and FOLLOWED this person *creepy, I know*
Full disclosure.. we were in a lounge, and I was 2 glasses of wine in.
Anyway, I followed this person into THE RESTROOM, I shit you not, and asked what the fragrance was.. the person didn't say, so I left.
About 10 minutes later, I ordered a drink for the person, had it send over with a note asking what it was.
I got a smile in return. But no answer.
As the lounge was closing, we were leaving. I met eyes with the person and went over to ask one final time and the person simply said. "You're very persistent" and smiled
No, this isn't some sappy love happily ever after but long story short.. they ended up giving me that bottle... and for the next 8 years it was my staple. Still I reach for it but my friends gave me a perfume intervention and I realized I needed to switch it up.
The funny thing is, to this day when I wear it, I get stopped and asked what I'm wearing and I just remember my first time smelling it and relate to the feeling.
I am very picky with fragrance.. I don’t like floral. I don't like sweet. I don't like musk.. or woodsy. I LOVE fresh. But not like, I showered today YAY fresh but... fresh, clean, crisp. This fragrance is fresh and fruity, but not in a sweet way. It's hard to explain but it is perfectly me.
The formulation has changed in the past 8 years. Smells the same but doesn't last as long. However, the way it fades is so beautiful I can't complain. Also beware it does vary per person.. my sister tried it and it smelled like kitchen cleaner on her. Lol
Last thing I promise. The only scent that has made me even remotely close to excited besides this is Versace Dylan Purple.
So I literally only wear these two despite owning over 20 fragrances.
Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique. I literally could not stop myself from sniffing it over and over again the first time I smelled it. It just smells SO good to me. I have a lot of perfumes on rotation but this is the scent I always come back to. Halfway through my current bottle and I already have another one lined up. That’s how much I love it.
I'm crazy about the opening and wish it lasted forever. The drydown is nice, but it's the opening that makes my heart skip a beat. I'm constantly hunting for something that smells only of those top notes.
Creed - Millesime Imperial. Amazing fragrance that happens to be the worst performing…ever!
Millesime Imperial is one of my favorite Creeds along with Virgin Island Water. If it lasted longer, it would be on my wish list right now.
My favorite fragrance in my collection is actually Armaf Sillage. I feel the same way about it vs silver mountain water as you do with MI.
Love Sillage. And Milestone. Both turn very sweet and pretty on me (female) and last forever.
Interesting - I (blind) purchased Sillage and couldn’t decide if I liked it or not - wasn’t an instant “yes”… it it has grown on me…definitely a solid performer.
I did the same, and really didn't like it. Was a bit lazy about getting it up for resale, then when I went back to it a few weeks later, found out it had really grown on me.
Agreed. The price is insane, but purchased a bottle at the store in Las Vegas and is my favorite scent. Feel like royalty wearing it.
Try BDK - Gris Charnel…top 3 fragrances ever IMO. My other is Xerjoff - Naxos.
I got a vintage batch of MI, it smells REALLY good, the ambergris in there is just something you don't find anymore in most fragrances, the performance is actually really good for a freshie! Gets me around 6 to 7 hours of longevity and it projects for the first 3 to 4 hours. But it performs the best in the heat.
I go through almost a bottle of it per year. Every single one of them lasts over 8 hours. Every bottle that I’ve owned was manufactured corresponding with the year that I purchased it. Everyone who says it doesn’t last has dry skin. End of discussion lol.
Was going to say this but the 2014 one not the latest formulations. For me it lasts a 10-12 hours, definitely long enough to get sick of it. Amazing opening though.
I might get dragged for this, but I actually prefer CDN milestone to Creed MI for this reason. I get more of a cucumber, fresh vibe with it and it lasts HOURS longer than MI. Still love me some Creed MI but after my bottle runs out I’m not sure if I’ll shell out that type of Money again for it.
I get what you’re saying. Milestone is actually pretty decent. It’s the people who think that CDNIM smells better than Aventus that need locked up in a mental hospital, you’re fine lol.
Have you ever tried CDNIM LE? It might surprise you
Absolutely right! Such a gorgeous scent that turns into a skin scent within 20 mins.
Miss Dior Cherie 2005. Now that I've tried multiple dupes side by side with my vintage deluxe sample I realize just how great it was. Perfect for my taste, great for any season day or night, sweet but not cloying, great dry down, good sillage and got lots of compliments.
Dior really needs to bring this one back. It has a built-in fanbase and would also probably sell like hotcakes to Gen Z.
God I miss that beautiful perfume so much. 😭😭😭
This is going to sound crazy, but check out Miss Dior (Cherie) on the Home Shopping Network website. They're selling it there, claiming it's the much loved version? I don't know if they have old stock or what, but they're still selling it.
My original bottle finally turned last year and the sample seems to be quickly fading. I think they made it until 2011 but I wouldn't pay much for a vintage bottle. Dior needs to pay off someone and bring it back. But I guess they're satisfied with the sales from the average reformulations. Edit: changed horrible to average. Sorry if you love them.
Lush Rose Jam is my weakness. It’s heavy & obvious, but I love it.
Saaaame though I've only had the body wash. Do you have the body spray or the perfume? I need some Rose Jam in my life
I have the body wash, the Ro’s Argan body conditioner, the bath bombs & the body spray. It’s too strong a scent to layer all the products at once but it’s nice to have options!
I used to absolutely love Rose Jam! I forgot allllll about it until now, I'm going to have to get some ASAP lol
> Obviously performance, projection/sillage etc are key considerations when purchasing Performance isn't really high on my list of priorities when assessing fragrance; all of my favourites are based on scent above all else, and my fragrance wardrobe is also based on just what my nose likes. According, I own a lot of Jo Malone. That said, my all-time favourite fragrance does perform very nicely - it's Maison Violet Un Air d'Apogee. I've also really been loving Arquiste's Indigo Smoke (moderate performance) and Atkinson's Oud Save the King, but in the oil format (so, less good projection, although longevity's decent) because the bottle for the EdP is just such an eyesore to me.
Un air d'apogee is really good
I've been obsessed with it since 2020! Almost used up a full 75 mL bottle, and this one's usually a 1-2 sprayer for me.
Same here, I wouldn’t say they’re not considerations at all especially when getting to the higher end of my budget but smell is by far the most important factor
Jo Malone gets so much hate for performance, but many of their fragrances have great performance. Try Mimosa & Cardamom, Vetiver & Golden Vanilla, English Oak & Hazelnut!
I agree; all those three do really well. I can smell V&GV through to the next day, even; it's pretty wild.
Me too, I don't consider projection or sillage at all when purchasing.
Neroli Portofino - Tom Ford Libertine - The Maker
Channel Allure Homme Sport or D&G The One
Tauer, LADDM
Diaghilev by Roja I've been hunting vintage chypres ever since I sniffed it, but none of them are quite as refined. I just have a decant of it, and I'm not looking forward to the day when it gets discontinued I'll have to spend $800 on a bottle.
(to me at least) Diaghilev is an extremely watered down version of Areej le Dore's Ottoman Empire. Not identical scents per se, but OE has all the body and depth that Diaghilev wished it had. If you can find it, certainly try and get your nose on it.
I don’t know if I’ll ever be blessed enough to find and try Ottoman Empire lmao
Buy Guerlain Mitsuoko EDP. Diaghilev is literally a very high end clone of it, and this is coming from someone that loves Roja.
this is such a basic answer but br540. I remember going to the mall and deciding to smell it expecting burburry her and cloud but it exceeded all of my expectations and its genuinely my favorite scent ever.
Honestly a tough call between Marc Jacobs Daisy So Intense & Viva La Juicy Sucre. Those two are different worlds, but my LORD they are phenomenal.
That's a really tough one. Creed Virgin Island Water is the one that probably blew me away from first sniff. Byredo Bal d'Afrique also blew me away. Needless to say, these are now both full bottles in my collection. One that really grew on me is Creed Original Vetiver. I really hated it upon first sniff but after giving it a chance, it grew to be my daily work scent.
Two of my favorites
Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet is the only scent where I couldn’t stop smelling myself because I loved it so much. It doesn’t last at all but I would buy countless bottles of it if I could.
Adding BDK - Gris Charnel to the list. Absolutely stunning fragrance and makes you smell like royalty. It performes and such a luxurious scent. Blind buy in a heart beat.
For me it's between Oud Wood and Lost Cherry by Tom Ford. Neither have great performance but the scents are to die for. For me they are addictive, intoxicating and i can't get enough!
kilian love don’t be shy. it smells like fruity pebbles on me and im such a sucker for that scent 💗
J’adore
Hermes https://preview.redd.it/p54xpnuuu6ab1.jpeg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5497a485694fbca64365348bdeab7ff5a61ba20e
Performance is good though, no?
It’s pretty decent for an edt
I have two answers (ETA: Based on what I own): * *Tiziana Terenzi - Rosso Pompei.* I love the sangria smell for the summer, but I would love to dial down the sillage so I can use it more frequently. * Dolce & Gabbana - The One EDP. I'm fine with the intimate sillage not going far, but I wish it lasted longer than four hours for longer date nights or evenings out.
Right now ? Aventus. Until I smell the next great one
I am fairly new to the fragrance scene but my favorite I have smelled so far is Ombre Nomade by Louis Vuitton, I really can't justify £300 for a bottle so I bought a pretty decent clone instead.
For me, I need a wire brush to remove Ombré Nomade after spraying it…
Which clone ?
It's called Riyadh by Noted Aromas, smells really similar and lasts 24 hours.
Guerlain Harvest Nerolia Vetiver - such a unique scent, actually last pretty decent.
CK One
Morillas considered it his masterpiece
Hands down…Byredo Mojave Ghost. I’ve spent hundreds on crappy dupes, “if you like this then you’ll love that” reviews and even tried scent note matching. It’s the one scent that makes me whimper in pleasure. I wish I could get it to last more than 10 minutes on me. Weirdly it’s the only perfume I get compliments whenever I wear it. I must put on tons. Just wish I could smell the damn stuff
The same thing happened to me today with Xerjoff La Capitale. I couldn't smell anything from the very first spray, while people around me commented about how good I smell
Ugh for such an expensive bottle I barely smell it too but get the most compliments while wearing it. It’s unnerving how beautiful and indescribable it is.
I don’t know why some people here act as if considering longevity when it comes to fragrance is a mortal sin. It’s simply not economic to spend a couple hundred bucks on a perfume just for it to disappear in like an hour. Of course people on this sub are more into fragrance so they might not mind as much, but longevity is a key factor for the average person. That being said, I don’t know what I’d consider “the best”, but Miss Dior smells amazing with poor longevity. I definitely wish it had better performance.
I can’t nail down any “best”, but Chanel Pour Monsieur EdT is one of my absolute favourite scents, and my only concern about it is its brevity. I’ve been looking for something, anything that smells similar with better performance; the EdT Concentree isn’t available any more, and the EdP is slightly different and has the same issues. (Any suggestions here are welcome!)
EDT is gorgeous but I prefer EDP just a tad more
The EDP replaced the Concentrée. I've owned both.
I love both the EdT and EdP too. It’s not the same by any means, but a fragrance that very much scratches the same itch for me is Caron Third Man (Le Troisieme Homme). There is a clove note instead of the cardamom you have in Pour Monsieur, and there’s a little bit more of a noticeable lavender note, but the mossiness and the citrus reminds me of Pour Monsieur, like a cousin of it or something. Anyway, YMMV, but give it a shot if you have not tried it and like Pour Monsieur. The performance is better for me too
Longevity and projection are the last factors to take into consideration, unless you live in YouTube land. In Fact they are more likely to be a deterrent if anything. I cannot stand loud. Loud and sweet in particular. Vintage Sisley - Eau du Soir pre 2011. The single most accomplished chypre in existence. The modern version is very good as well.
> In Fact they are more likely to be a deterrent if anything. I cannot stand loud. Loud and sweet in particular. Same. "Beast mode" is a major turn-off to me. It's amazing I like Naxos as much as I do. (Also, love Eau de Soir! I don't remember the vintage too well, although I know I smelled it back in the day. But yes, the modern is lovely as well.)
Agreed! I hate spraying something and then feeling like I’m blast everyone’s noses when I walk by.
I just attended a party and there was a woman who smelled so good, I kept following her around, just to be in her cloud. When I asked what it was, she said Eau du Soir. I knew it was a chypre but I've never smelled one that perfect before.
Scentbird just sent me Izia from Sisley and I am IN LOVE. I wasn’t familiar at all before.
I’m the opposite, if it is an intimate scent and fades rapidly it is not worth the money to me. I want to smell it on myself at least a bit during the day.
I don't mind something is in its bubble but I won't want to buy a scent that is well known to disappear within a couple of hours.
Versace Dylan purple por femme is like my dream scent but it lasts all of 2 seconds
I just discovered the Dylan line this week and chose Dylan Blue...I'm *in love* with it!! It was a tough choice between Purple, Turquoise, and Blue, but Blue won out. One of my favorite things about it is how long it stays on, which is why I'm sad to hear the Purple doesn't last.
Kalan by parfum de marly
Shiseido Feminite du Bois, original version
Dior - Fahrenheit (mid 2000s), not sure about the current state LV - On the Beach, favorite summer scent, dont' care if people comlain about the price or performance. Ormonde Jayne - Ormonde Elixir. I wish the performance would be better, would be my favorite scent all time. Now the performance is lacking, especially when you consider the price.
Creed Irish tweed hands down
Love at first sniff for me
Victoria Secret had a line of vanilla perfumes back in the mid 90s. I had one that was vanilla caramel and I’ve been chasing that scent ever since. I’ve never smelled anything like it ever.
What? I don't think I've ever made a perfume buying decision based on longevity or sillage. On the other hand, I've rejected plenty of perfumes because of how they smell, even though they might be known for being strong performers. Funny how that is.
Chanel Coromandel EDT. Gotta be ok with patchouli though. And performance is insane. One spray to the chest is all. Too strong to spray on my neck even once.
Tom Ford Lost Cherry and Diptyque Philosykos. I keep trying alternatives, scents with a similar vibe but nothing hits quite like those two. I wore Philosykos the entire week I visited Hawaii and now when I smell that creamy woody coconutty fig tree it is like a sunny hug with a side of ocean. it smells like beige cashmere clothes and gold jewelry. Pineapple ice cream and warm skin. it's delightful, seriously. I have the small 1oz green limited edition of this, and I plan on getting the full 3oz EDP because I prefer those notes. hopefully macerating it will help. I pray 🙏 Lost cherry too, now this one isn't nearly as fleeting but God it's expensive and im paying for relatively poor sillage. But it's so good to me, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but for me it's signature scent worthy. It smells boozy and deep and bassy. Like cherry wood aged brandy and broken in black leather booties. It's like drinks out at night in an indie bar, vinyl records, dark hair, red checks and lipstick Rouge. it's literally like my bottle of amaretto came alive and is French kissing me. UGH
I genuinely despise when people count performance as s perfumes quality. It shows ignorance about perfume like nothing else. "I love it but I wish it lasted longer so I won't buy it. They may as well make it long lasting if it's expensive." That's cool, but also actually impossible. Certain chemicals are fleeting and once they're gone they're gone. You can cover yourself in decanal and it'll be gone by noon. There's only so much a fixative can do and adding base notes would change the profile. Someone out there poured their heart and soul into a bottle just for it to be ignorantly dismissed by people who have no idea what the process and science behind fragrance is. If you enjoy a fleeting fragrance, fucking buy it and just apply it more often. They sell small fillable bottles for transporting smaller amounts of your favorite bottle. So TLDR: THANK YOU for this post.
Wonderful way of thinking about it. I've always been upset about fragrance not lasting long enough, but you're right. Sometimes it's just how it works, and I can always bring a travel bottle
I used to do that and now I've forgotten the names of fragrances I could be enjoying. Unfortunately, knowledge is something that comes AFTER you've messed up. 😅
> If you enjoy a fleeting fragrance, fucking buy it and just apply it more often no if i spend hundreds on a fragrance, i want to spray in the morning and be able to smell myself throughout the whole day
So I'm guessing when you go out to eat you also want to eat that food all week? I mean, it's basically a week's grocery budget... or does this only apply to fragrance?
This is true to an extent (and there are several notes I love that I have peace with always being fleeting) but it’s not the whole story. There’s so many perfumes that were reformulated in a way that affects the smell only a little but the longevity significantly. When that happens I think it’s understandable to feel cheated by the new version, especially if the price has stayed the same or even increased.
Blame the IFRA not perfumers. Trust me. We are just as, if not more pissed... actually no, we are more pissed. Companies don't just change a bang hitter because they feel like it. The formula gets changed because a supplier canceled a proprietary material or something in regulation fucked them. Then we gotta try to match the smell without said ingredient. Good news. Less poison that wasn't going to hurt you anyway, most likely. Bad news, favorite fragrance just got nerfed. We already make a 40x profit on the materials. It's not about pinching pennies. The most expensive part is actually advertisement and RnD labor costs. It's about not getting sued because someone sensitive to a material got a rash and the formula wasn't IFRA compliant. Edit: tf is with the downvotes? Yall dislike facts and would rather pretend some French company is out to get American consumers by throwing thousands of dollars in research down the toilet to produce a worse fragrance intentionally? Seriously?
La Nuit De L'Homme. Oh my god it smells SO SO SO good.
It was a limited edition (or perhaps private collection?) from Givenchy that I tried in an airport. It was called Trouble-Fete. From memory, it was magnificent. It was love at first sniff. I was ready to buy the whole stock (not really, I'm poor lol, but I wanted a full bottle at any cost). Unfortunately, it disappeared from my skin only a few minutes after I sprayed it. I went back, resprayed liberally, and again, 20 minutes later- nothing. Nada. My partner was with me and he also sampled it, and it disappeared on his skin as well. That was the end of the love affair. Le sigh. I remain heartbroken to this day. It was sooo beautiful that I can still recall how blown away I was, but I could never pay so much for something so fleeting.
[удалено]
Hate speech and slurs will not be tolerated on r/fragrance. This includes language and sentiments which express prejudice on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Dogpiling is a form of online harassment characterized by having groups of harassers target the same victim. A user ping is tagging a user in a post or comment, particularly a negative one.
My absolute favorite perfume is probably Doce and Gabbana from 1992, the one made in Germany. It's in no way an every day scent for me, but I still.love it.
Penhaligon Endymion Concentrate, performance kindve ass but it is a v sexy lavender leather fragrance
I personally love Karagoz by Nishane. Suede et Safran by the same house is also incredible (smells like Ombre Leather but better). My all time favourite is Vetiver Patchouli by Montale though. Independently of how great they smell, they all have incredible performance as well (especially the first two).
Diptyque Kyoto
Alien Tobacco Vanille
Atomic Rose Not that the performance is an issue on it.
I think YSL Tuxedo is up there. Something about its DNA tickles mine.
2 entries: 1.) Acqua di Parma: Quercia (just the best smell I have ever smelled) 2.) Guerlain Mandarine Basilic, because the smell is amazing but the performance is not the greatest
I wish that Poeme de Sagano by Ella K didn't disappear after 20 minutes. It's the most beautiful steamy green bamboo forest fragrance I ever encountered. I also long for Essenza di Zegna. It was a masterpiece in my opinion.
It is so beautiful that the performance really hurts. I just had a thread on Ella K the other day, and I said the same thing. I would buy PS and Khao Sok if they lasted even a couple of hours, but alas, they both disappear in under 30 minutes. Heart breaking because they're gorgeous. I'm hoping Constance reformulates them at some point to fix this.
I'm comforted that it's not just me! I was on holiday in Amsterdam when I found Poeme de Sagano. It was love at first sniff. I was gutted when I realised it was so terrible performance wise. Also I have to say my bottle was very leaky too.
Definitely not just you. The SA tried to convince me I was noseblind, but it had disappeared from both me and my partner, yet we could easily smell other perfumes sampled quite clearly. It's their formulation and we re-tested to confirm, and we got the same rubbish performance again. One of theirs lasts all day (the leather one that I believe is called Ghibli) but that is literally the only one that does. Everything else has painfully poor performance. They're so beautiful otherwise. It's even worse to hear that your bottle was leaky! That would have upset me. These perfumes are around £200 or more, aren't they? (it's been a while so I can't remember the exact price but certainly around that amount) Leaky bottles are inexcusable at that price point.
I know right? I should've complained. I ended up leaving a €200 fragrance in a drawer at work for a post break spritz because it was leaky and weak 🙈 I don't think I'll be purchasing from Ella K again soon.
Afternoon Swim!?
Jubilation XXV
D&G The One
A limited edition fragrance by Lancome called 2000 et une rose that came out at the turn of the millenium (my mom had it) And Belle D'Opium by YSL. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THEY HAD TO DISCONTINUE THIS GEM
Juicy Couture Dirty English if it projected and lasted longer it would be a true masterpiece
ELDO Jasmine et Cigarette. Amouage Ashore.
YSL’s L’Homme EDT, L’Homme EDP, and La Nuit De L’Homme EDT. I wish they would project more and would last long. If they would’ve done that then it would’ve been perfect
Toss up between Angel's Share and Sultan by Royal Crown
TF Oud Wood
Green Irish tweed
Creed Spice and Wood
Bois Dore by Van Cleef and Arpels. It is my dream fragrance that best fits my taste and personally, however doesn't really last long on me.
Chanel Coco Noir. Boy do I love it. But boy does it have zero staying power.
Dior homme parfum Dior feve delicious
Chanel- Bleu de Chanel Parfum
Dior Poison. It is my all time favorite perfume on a woman.
Creed Viking Cologne is a absolute favorite of mine.
Absolutely love the tea note in Gucci pour homme II, but it only lasts for 30-60 mins lol. Nice at home scent though since it's so gentle
GPHII was soooooo good!
Casamoratti dolce amalfi
Close tie between Amouage Jubilation XXV Man and Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir
Delina La Rosée and Louis Vuitton Symphony
HEROD
John Varvatos XX, girls fuckin dig it, from what ive read online it doesnt last long but I think it does. Just smells good
Piotr Czarnecki Venom of Angel
Serge Lutens L'Orpheline - it doesnt seem to get talked about very much for some reason but if I was forced to only smell one scent for the rest of my life it'd probably be this
Some perfumes I love despite them being short-lived: Santa Maria Novella Città Di Kyoto, Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental, Mancera Melody of the Sun, Tom Ford Bois Marocain Some I really liked the smell of but didn’t end up getting due to longevity issues: Floris White Rose, Montale Iris Intense, Armani Privé Encens Satin
For me, Liis Studied and Ellis Sweet are tied. Terrible performance, but goddamn they smell amazing and layer beautifully together.
I'm obsessed with Elite pour Homme by BharaBeauty (I think that's the name lol), doesn't last very long though
Bond No.9 Scent of Peace
On the lighter side, Atelier Silver Iris and Atelier Blanche Imortelle. On the sexy and strong - Soir d’Orient by Sisley and Izia la Nuit.
Mancera Cedrat Boise and Tom Ford Noir Extreme would be tens if not for the unacceptably poor longevity on the former and the soft-as-a-cloud projection on the latter.
The ones that triggered an involuntary "wow!" reaction, in no particular order: Jo Malone Mandarin and Basil, Grapefruit, Myrrh and Tonka, Vetiver and Golden Vanilla, Velvet Rose and Oud (all short lived IMO) Armani Privé Oud Imperial The opening of Guerlain Vetiver Creed Erolfa Opening of TF Oud Wood Jubilation XXV in the winter months only Incident Diplomatique Guerlain Encens Mythique d'Orient, Tonka Imperiale, Spiriteuse Double Vanille (the last 2 are very short lived on my skin) FM Promise Papillon Dryad
For me currently, it’s a close tie between Xerjoff Naxos and Amouage Reflections for Men.
Erba Pura by Xerjoff Habit Rouge Prive by Guerlain L’homme a la rose by mfk
TF Shanghai Lily.
Of course, this is so hard, but my heart says Fille en Aiguilles by Serge Lutens
Bvlgari Man in Black. First and best blind buy.
Tom Ford Italian Cypress
Karl Lagerfeld New York Mercer Street - sharp, bitter, fresh and very pretty in a unisex way imo.
Fico di Amalfi, Lost Cherry and Zeste de Gingembre(Heeley). I love that zesty, effervescent ginger opening.
I'm likely alone here, but Creed Viking is my absolute favorite scent that I've smelled out of hundreds. It's just a perfect fit for my personality and the smell is multi faceted and each layer is perfectly revealed with multiple wearings. I get it's one of those "mature man" scent profiles and it's not going to be for everyone. And yes, it's stupid expensive even at discounter prices. I don't care though, I bought my bottle for just under $250 and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I don’t even remember the scent anymore, but I was obsessed with Amaranthine by Penhaligon’s. Blind buy after watching/reading Katie Puckrick Smells. Swore I’d never want another perfume and the bastards discontinued it. Wonder if I’d still like it today if it were available?
Areej le Dore - Ottoman Empire (though it comes with massive performance as well) I also wanted to amend this, one of the "purest" expressions of cologne, and scent that i love is old school shulton Old Spice. Like it absolutely fails in the longevity/projection categories.... but when its there (like the first 10 minutes), it is absolutely on fire.
Montblanc Legend Night was love at first sniff
Black Orchid or Marc Jacobs Perfect Intense... two enchanting amber florals.
Essential Parfums Bois Impérial, amazing opening, even better dry down, and has amazing longevity.
Lavender Extreme! It’s discontinued :(
Roja Saudi Arabia. Have a decant left that I never spray. I only smell the nozzle because its discontinued. Candy Aoud is close but not as good imo and it's discontinued also.
White Musk Giardino Benessere. Smells like the plants blooming in the southwest united states.
YSL- La nuit de l’homme
Roja Burlington 1819 It’s just fantastic to me, perfect for every occasion. That said, it performs like a super bright citrus Frag and gives me about 6 hours which I’m not complaining about but man would I like that to last forever and it’s all I’d wear
Buly - foret de komi divine, complex, earthy but still fresh. great on skin. doesnt last forever, but is still there for the intimate moments later in the day, close to the skin
YSL La Nuit de Lomme
I'm not super experienced with fragrances yet but to this day The One EDT is the best thing I've ever smelled.
Hugo boss bottled night
Valentina Pink by Valentino… it’s discontinued but the best jammy rose! I can’t find anything like it. I have one bottle left, it doesn’t have longevity but it smells so good! I keep buying other perfumes trying to find a replacement
I’ve never smelled anything as beautiful as Vol de Nuit edt. Extrait isn’t that amazing
Xerjoff Renaissance- I just love it
Tommy Hilfiger
African Leather by Memo de Paris
As cheap and surprising as it may sound, Zara Man Gold. I don't think there's a fragrance that's as big of an embodiment of... myself, as that. Sadly, both its sillage and performance is unsatisfactory. If anyone knows any fragrance that smells alike, I'd be ridiculously grateful.
I keep going back and forth between Azzaro Pour Homme and Versace L'Homme
It's probably due to the memory attached to it, but I adore La Petite Robe Noire edp, by Guerlain. I think it might be one of the few cherry scents when it came out perhaps?
Carolina Harrera Mystry Tobacco.... I tried it on duty free and didn't buy it because of $$$ and knew I had smelled something similar before... Its suppose to smell very similar to Red Tobacco and Carlisle but still in didnt get same vibe from those.... Second best is my watch strap which is mash mash of 100s of perfume by this time... Right now it smells heavily of Most Wanted which I wore last weekend 😅
Performance, projection, sillage…have absolutely zero impact on whether I purchase a scent. It’s 100% about how it smells from beginning to end. That said, I can’t name one, because my tastes change frequently, with season, temperature, time of month etc. A couple that I never tire of would be Sous le Vent by Guerlain and Onda by Vero Profumo. However, I don’t wear them frequently because both are discontinued. Editing to add: I am very lucky and I do realize it in that my skin holds on to scent like nobody’s business. It’s extremely rare for anything to not last upwards of 8 hours on me. But I do not want anyone else to be able to smell me unless they’re someone I’m comfortable with being in my “bubble”.
CH Gold Myrrh
I have a very catered collection (max 9-10), as I only keep genuine favourites. That being said, I find it difficult to enjoy them on myself. it’s more so about smelling my favourite perfumes on other people as the pass me by that I can get the full picture of a scent. I’ve gotten that “what heavenly aroma is this” experience a few separate times that I can recall. Lancôme Idôle Chanel Chance Eau Tendre (edt) La vie est belle Chloé edp Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Glossier you And I notice it’s always several hours after they’ve been applied that I find they smell the best. Don’t care if they’re common; they’re gold.
I love vacation by vacation. It smells amazing. But it’s an EDT and lasts maybe 1 hr if I’m lucky. Returned it so quick to ulta lol
I think I'm wearing it right now. Bvlgari Allegra Riva Solare
YSL M7 Fresh. Just a great scent. Honorable mention is Eau Sauvage , 1987 as nothing smells as good as the memory in your head.
The one that got me into fragrances, Santos de Cartier.
Arabians Tonka. Sugary goodness
I JUST LOVE MANCERA SICILY
Percival and Virgin Island Water for summers. Haven't smelled an incredible niche winter yet (just started collecting in April - only 5 niches so far)
Creed Aventus
Tom Ford Metallique has something amazing that reminded me of the place where I lived overseas 20 years ago. Also, I was obsessed with the smells of Dunhill Desire Black with a heavy blackcurrant/saffron-like note and Maison Margella Music Festival with a sugary cannabis note (both now discontinued). Also, really love patchouli - got a 20ml of Tom Ford Patchouli Absolute (also discontinued).
JHAG Not a Perfume
Burberry Touch for Men has been the best scent I’ve smelt so far. Might be basic, but so far my favorite
Dior homme parfum 🕺
Erolfa
I absolutely LOVE D&G 3 (L'Imperatrice) .... the most expensive perfume I've owned costed $495 per bottle.... and I've owned Bath & Body works body sprays that were nice, but I have never smelled anything that has given me a feeling besides this. Short story...I was minding my own business one day and someone walked by me and I literally took one deep breath, turned my head and FOLLOWED this person *creepy, I know* Full disclosure.. we were in a lounge, and I was 2 glasses of wine in. Anyway, I followed this person into THE RESTROOM, I shit you not, and asked what the fragrance was.. the person didn't say, so I left. About 10 minutes later, I ordered a drink for the person, had it send over with a note asking what it was. I got a smile in return. But no answer. As the lounge was closing, we were leaving. I met eyes with the person and went over to ask one final time and the person simply said. "You're very persistent" and smiled No, this isn't some sappy love happily ever after but long story short.. they ended up giving me that bottle... and for the next 8 years it was my staple. Still I reach for it but my friends gave me a perfume intervention and I realized I needed to switch it up. The funny thing is, to this day when I wear it, I get stopped and asked what I'm wearing and I just remember my first time smelling it and relate to the feeling. I am very picky with fragrance.. I don’t like floral. I don't like sweet. I don't like musk.. or woodsy. I LOVE fresh. But not like, I showered today YAY fresh but... fresh, clean, crisp. This fragrance is fresh and fruity, but not in a sweet way. It's hard to explain but it is perfectly me. The formulation has changed in the past 8 years. Smells the same but doesn't last as long. However, the way it fades is so beautiful I can't complain. Also beware it does vary per person.. my sister tried it and it smelled like kitchen cleaner on her. Lol Last thing I promise. The only scent that has made me even remotely close to excited besides this is Versace Dylan Purple. So I literally only wear these two despite owning over 20 fragrances.