Today we’re helping Verity, who says she is not new to perfume, but has starting paying more attention as her interest has grown. She wants to find a “go-to” perfume for regular wear, something that pleases her and can be worn most of the year. She lives 40 minutes from a big city so does have access to department stores if she makes a special trip. She’s also willing to buy samples online, but she finds that sample costs add up fast. She’d like to keep the price for her new bottle to about $100. Here is what we know about Verity:
She’s in her early 30s, and is happily married with a young daughter.
She’s petite, feminine, a little classic and a little artsy. She describes herself as a reserved introvert.
Verity likes to wear skirts and dresses whenever it’s warm enough, but says her taste in perfume seems to be somewhat in contrast to her feminine image.
Verity likes scents with darker layers, some vanilla, some roughness, some woods, on the dry side. Incense is ok but can be too cold. Perfumes Verity likes at least somewhat include:
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille: great but the first hour is too strong on the camphorous cedar for her.
Marc Jacobs Oh Lola: she likes the creaminess and it’s not too sweet.
Hermès Elixir de Merveilles, it’s interesting and deep, but doesn’t quite feel like her.
John Varvatos Artisan: quite nice though it did get too masculine as it developed.
Kate Walsh Boyfriend: the mix of cedar and florals was neat and made her smile, but ultimately she didn’t love the dry down.
Tauer L’air du Desert Marocain: Suits her best on a sunny day when she feels meditative and “in the moment”. She got a decant.
Verity gardens and she loves the scent of many real flowers (freesias, jasmine and English roses) but dislikes the way they are translated into floral perfumes. She also doesn’t like fresh, clean, or sugared perfumes. Perfumes that she dislikes include:
Chanel: she dislikes all of them.
Kenzo Amour: plasticky and artificial.
Ormonde Jayne Woman: after a promising opening, it went bitter/sweet and then ended up like a department store synthetic pink juice.
Guerlain Shalimar: too soft, too sweet.
Annick Goutal Matin D’Orage: even watery greenish white flowers were too much for her.
L’Artisan Vanille Absolument/Havana Vanille: smells like sarsparilla.
Prada Candy: way too chewy and sweet and thick.
Bulgari Omnia: it had the right notes in the description yet left her cold.
Tom Ford Black Orchid: she loved the first hour, but then a sharp sweetness stabbed through the other notes and ruined the rest of it.
What say you?
Note: top image is Number 24 [cropped] by thristian at flickr; some rights reserved.
37 Comments
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Hi Verity, try Infusion d’Iris Absolue (not the EDP) for iris with roughness and benzoin huskiness that’s within your price range.
How about Jacomo Art Series #08 for a more interesting chai than Bulgari Omnia, I have also heard good things about #09 as well.
Didn’t Armani relaunch their first juice, the one in the black bottle that was named plainly ‘Armani’? If I’m not mistaken, and if they haven’t messed too much with the formula, it might suit you. Dark, it is.
Heure Exquise, Annick Goutal.
Lipstick Rose-Malle
Portrait of a Lady-Malle
Songes-AG
Impossible Iris, Ramon Monegal
After My Own Heart, Ineke
Perfumes Verity should try:
Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue
Prada L’Eau Ambree
Balenciaga Paris L’Essence
Lolita Lempicka EDP
Christian Dior Hypnotic Poison
Blvgari Black
Estee Lauder Sensuous Noir
Verity and I sound like twins! I agree with everyone who’s suggested Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue, although my my skin, it wasn’t much different than the original Infusion d’Iris, maybe just a tad sweeter. After spotting the original Infusion at a discounter for a song, I went for it instead. Love it! It’s soft and sweet but not cloying, and I’ve received many compliments on it from those who know my generally gourmand taste.
The original Hermes Eau de Merveilles might suit you, it’s better than the flankers, IMHO. Also try:
Guerlain Jicky http://www.nstperfume.com/2008/08/26/guerlain-jicky-fragrance-review/
Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise http://www.annickgoutal.com/en/perfume/annick+goutal+womens+fragrances/fragrances/vanille+exquise.html
Try the Parfums D’Empire line: Eau Suave, Aziyade, Ambre Russe…I think you might like these!
Is Verity certain about what she really likes? Channel, and Ormonde Jayne Woman would seem to have the woodiness she craves, but she dislikes them. Shalimar is vanilla, layered and deep, but she also disliked it.
For a year round vanilla, without sweetness, I’d try L’Atlier Cologne Vanilla Insensee. (Found in pricier department stores, so may be she could spritz at a counter without paying for samples).
She might want to try Seville Daube which has a sort of creaminess without sweetness and works year round
Ineyeke’ Field Notes of Flower may appeal to her desire for “roughness” and for a tobacco orange. However, this is not a good summer scent and may be too much of a statement for everyday.
Piping up to wonder if a difference on how these perfumes play on skin could account for this difference of perspective–it sounds like Verity and I might have similar skin chemistry, as her estimation that most Chanels don’t qualify as particularly woodsy or rough and that Shalimar could be a bit sweet and soft for someone not looking for girly perfume are pretty much in line with how those fragrances smelled on my skin.
To that end, I also found Seville a l’Aube too sweet to wear, personally. But it’s a beautiful perfume so I would never advise against sniffing it if one got the chance!
Ooh, just noticing her mention of incense though, in that case I def cosign Vanille Incensee. Nice non-sweet vanilla and incense.
I second the Vanilla Insensee!
[Ed note: deleted. Please don't be rude to other commenters.]
I think you might like Diptyque Volutes – I’ve only tried the EDT, but I’ve herd the EDT and EDP are pretty different, so both are worth a try.
Estee Lauder Sensuous or Sensuous Noir.
Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise (dry smoky vanilla) or Duel (smoky tea)
Yeah, cosigning Volutes and thinking also if she gets to a Diptyque counter, a number of others could be worth sniffing as well–Tam Dao, Philosykos, and Eau Duelle especially.
And try Donna Karan Woman – bonus for cool bottle as well!
Robin, that’s a lovely picture for The Monday Mail, it’s very spring like!
Fragrances Verity might like:
Tom Ford Oud Wood
Ramon Monegal Barcelona Dry Wood
Sonoma Scent Studio Forest Walk
A number of the l’Occitane men’s fragrances might be interesting in terms of having roughness and woodsiness. I like basically all of them–Eau de Baux, Eau de l’Occitan, Eau de Vetyver. They may ultimately be a little too strong/masculine, but they’re fun for really not having the edges polished down.
Non-sweet vanilla that has a little roughness, and certainly isn’t girly, but also not unmanageably masculine–Spicebomb.
Depending on the day, Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay sometimes wears as quite dry and woodsy on me. Not all the days, though, I should warn, but it could be worth a shot.
It isn’t at all what you describe, but since you’re a gardner, and mention often not much caring for florals-by-way-of-perfume, I’d be curious what you think of En Passant. To me the lilacs are photorealistic.
Spicebomb!
Also try Serge Lutens and Sonoma Scent Studio for great woody scents that are complex and not just simple/sweet.
For florals, By Kilian is awesome.
I think Sonoma Scent Studio Champagne du Bois might be a nice one to try. Also Tabac Aurea.
If you liked Tobacco Vanille, you may like Chergui (Serge Lutens) which is much softer (and I don’t get any camphor from it.)
Verity, please give these a try as we have similar tastes (and bios!)
Parfum Del Rae’s Panache
Others mentioned Diptyque’s Duelle, Bulgari Black and Vanille Insensee and I totally agree with them all.
For summer, although I don’t really like sweet fruity at all, I have found Fresh’s Hesperides Grapefruit is divine- pretty perfect and refreshing for the season.
Hmmm, you present like a violet yet want to drive motorcycles on the beach. A bit over of your budget, but if you can get a spritz of Voleur de Roses by L’artisan, it could work nicely. http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/detail.asp?itemid=15207
Diptyque’s Eau Duelle would be good to try (seconding all of the recommendations above) and you might like Estee Lauder’s Sensuous Nude or Noir scents. Donna Karan’s Woman is a very woodsy scent that also might be worth a try.
A few more ideas:
-L’Artisan Parfumeur Dzongkha: spices, woodsy notes, incense, iris, tea, unisex (possibly leaning slightly towards masculine)… a unique scent at any rate, but perhaps one you’d find intriguing
-Hermès Voyage D’Hermès: Since Omnia disappointed you, this has a similar cardamom-heavy spicy vibe, but on my skin it has more “oomph” and is more woodsy than Omnia.
-Dior Dune: another unique scent, dry, lots of nice woodsy notes, some vanilla but not overly sweet or girly at all
Try Decennial Lys Du Desert.
I am enthusiastically endorsing Spicebomb, which is very linear, so no surprises in the middle or end. Bvlgari Black and Dune are good choices as well. Have you sampled the very dry, very different Yatagan? I think you might like that as well.
Dzing! and Bulgari Black came to mind as vanilla + roughness.
Also, anyone who kind of likes Prada Candy but finds it too sweet should try Infusion d’Iris Absolue – the drydown has a whiff of Candy’s benzoin, but is much dryer.
Oh, and maybe Bottega Veneta – a bit sweet up top, but the drydown is gorgeous suede and patch.
second Bottega Veneta. Also, try Marni and Noir Epice by Edition Frederic Malle.
The Dandy will say Kelly Caleche, as the rose is quite well realised and any sweetness is offset by the signature leather note, which whilst not exactly rough brings a little robustness to the proceedings.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Not that it’s in her budget but Tom Ford Champaca might work. It does come in a huge bottle that amounts to be about $150/oz. I think it’s $650 for 6.8 oz. I have the 50 mL and I’m almost out. It’s not strong enough for me. Just like Musc Ravenger it needs a little umph!! I love these two and spray about 10-15 times maybe that’s why it’s going to be the second bottle I’ve ever finished. I just don’t want to spend that much on something that isn’t great for ME. I WANT CARNAL FLOWER. I WANT STRONG, SENSUAL, LONG LASTING
I’ll second any of Laurie’s woody scents from Sonoma Scent Studio, Bulgari Black, EL Sensuous (I find the orig less sweet than the flankers), and Prada Leau’ Ambree. I’ll add Barbara Bui Le Parfum and Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids.
If you liked but not loved Omnia and Elixir de Merveilles, Lubin Idole might be perfect, either the EdT or the EdP. I know they are out of your price range, but you could get a decant if they work out. The newish Marni might be worth a sniff and you should be able to see it at counters.
It sounds like she doesn’t like aldehydes, or musk or patchouli in the basenotes. The price point also makes this really hard. Everyone is recommending pricey scents. I’m thinking she should try the Yves Rocher soliflores since she likes clean floral scents. Or go to the Guerlain Acqua Allergorias. I also second the suggestion of Dune.
I highly recommend Marni as several had mentioned above.
Verity may also like SSS To Dream. Notes include: violet, rose, heliotrope, cedar, amber, frankincense, oakwood absolute, vetiver,tonka, orris, vanilla, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss absolute, subtle suede, cocoa and aldehydes.
Here’s Jessica’s review:
http://www.nstperfume.com/2011/04/22/sonoma-scent-studio-to-dream-fragrance-review/
Perhaps Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur, if Black Orchid was simply Too Much.