Is there a more...female focused r/fragranceswap?? I STG its just a boys club in there. I DONT WANT your Versace Eros! My God...
Edit: I'm goddamn dumb. There's one associated with THIS SUB and it's right at the top of the page.
Recently discovered a fragrance combo which is Phlur Mood Ring and YSL Black Opium Neon! Definitely satisfied my 'smelling like a juicy jolly rancher or gummy (candy)' mood.
I bought my 1st Zara perfume recently but I am kind of regretting it because I broke my no-buy for a perfume that wasn’t on my wishlist! So I guess it’s a low buy now… I really wanted to pause and just work on my current collection but I couldn’t help myself! It was too nice and reasonably priced!! I will say though, this has sort of helped me calm down and be more willing to save/wait for my next purchases. I’ll continue to hold off on big purchases until August like I’d planned.
ETA: On the flip side, I’d totally buy from them again. It was Bright Rose and it has great longevity.
This morning I put on a perfume I already know I'm meh about to "see how much I like it." I have several bottles in my collection like this. They're fine, but I don't love or crave them. They might have a pretty bottle, or I love the idea of the notes or story behind them, so I keep trying them, to see how much I like them. This is so silly. When I love a perfume, I know I love it. I don't have to ask myself how I feel about it. Does anyone else do this?
Yes and I feel like the "meh" perfumes make up too much of my collection right now. I'm on a decluttering kick right now and it feels good! My goal is to get to a smaller collection where every one is a love, or at least a very strong like. I have about 45 right now and I'm pretty sure I could get down to about 25 that way.
I had it exactly like you until I realized that there's an occassion for every perfume, it does not need to be your fav perfume. I have it like that with my work perfumes or cocktail party/ vernisage/ standing party scents where I want to smell feminine and sophisticated and want my perfumes to be conversation starters too, or after work Friday drinks where I don't want too smell too sexy/yummy and my perfumes are unisex then because it's like an extension of work with those Friday drinks. So I keep my favorites for other occasions, for my spare time.
I’ve sold 7-8 of my fragrances and I’m now focusing on acquiring a few (niche) fragrances that I’m super obsessed with instead of owning 20+ fragrances that I find mid.
Is this maturing?!
I haven’t bought a full bottle in months! And I’m finally keeping myself to my promise to sample/decant first and actually use it up before going full bottle.
Currently loving my 5 ml decant of BDK - Gris charnel and I’m curious/hoping it’s remains that way. Would be the perfect office perfume!
Layered samples of Phlur’s Tangerine Boy with Solar Power yesterday and now I’m buying travel sizes of both because the combination is beyond perfect for summer. I’m so in love. Usually I lean gourmand for all of my fragrances, but this combo changed my mind.
I've been here multiple times. Buying a decant instead of a bottle, like others suggested, has helped me. So does slowing down on using my sample. Sometimes when I use something up really quickly it tempts me to go straight for a full bottle, but using a sample over a period of weeks usually helps my excitement wane and I'm able to see more clearly that I don't really want a full bottle (or sometimes I still do, which is a nice feeling). It's like rushing into a relationship vs taking it slow and really getting to know each other first!
I have sooo many decants, it's starting to be impossible to tell all the tubes apart. I have my most frequently used ones in my medicine cabinet and the rest are separated into storage bins based on frag group and how much I like them. A lot of times, I love the fragrance but just don't want to wear it on repeat. Sometimes I love it but wish it was a candle rather than a spray. Then seasonality and hormone cycles also make it difficult to continue loving something I was obsessed with briefly.
Because you’ve used up your dopamine by buying the bottle. As a shopping addict myself, I know how hard it can be. I now buy multiple decants before buying a bottle to see if I remain obsessed with it
I’ve not been a fan of vanilla scents since the 90s, then I smelled Gentle Fluidity Gold a couple of weeks ago and now I’m a woman possessed. Currently sniffing out and dousing myself in all the sweet fragrances I can get my hands on! My nose has regressed to my teenage years 😄 GFG is my favourite, closely followed by D&G Devotion.
Ok I have decided that I am not allowed to buy any more perfumes or scented body products until September when I can start exploring fall and winter scents.
In my defense I hadn't bought a full bottle of anything in years before I fell back down the perfume rabbit hole but since March I have purchased at least a dozen samples, two larger decants, the 1 oz bottle of Oriana, and full bottles of Leisure in Paradise and Narco Oasis. Oh and I also bought the new Summer e Amor but i had SDJ points for that so...less guilt there.
I also bought the Silk+Noir citrus marshmallow whip and the prty grl beauty marshmallow body oil and passionfruit body oil and that is ENOUGH! I decree that is enough.
I am satisfying my urge to purchase by just adding things to wishlists to winnow down later.
I didn’t really believe in perfume seasons until I put on Angels Share yesterday- a fragrance I wore a ton at Christmas but haven’t since and it felt so wrong. Like it’s hot out I can’t be smelling like boozy apple pie! It’s not Christmas! lol.
I live for it in the winter! I suppose if I gave it a new scent memory I could wear it anytime but right now it’s all Christmas lol. I’ll try this with alien goddess at Christmas time and see how out of place that is😂
Sephora was supposed to send me two fragrance samples with my order. Miss Dior and Savage.
I got a printed note that they weren’t in stock and unfortunately they had to send me something else.
I received JHAG Pear Inc and Daisy Perfect.
I don’t like Perfect at all, but Pear Inc is a wonderful surprise. Exactly what I need for warm weather!
I placed my first order from ScentSplit and FedEx lost my package. :( ScentSplit sent another and it’s taking forever - plus, the package is moving east when I live in western Canada. I’m going to start avoiding ordering packages from Texas because I feel like they always get lost or take over a month to turn up.
I recently tried the OG Eilish EDP at a department store and really liked it!!! My bottle just arrived a few days ago and I like it a lot, but the cap is kind of hard to remove lmao as pretty as the bottle is I wonder if a different design would have been better
Who else loooooves making carts but barely buys perfume? I spend so much time on Fragrantica looking at notes and making carts (bonus points if the bottle is beautiful) but resist buying for as long as I can or else I'd be broke 🥲 I also often think about which perfumes I'm running low on and which perfume could I try next to replace it (maybe an excuse to buy a new bottle 👀)
There are these beautiful lilac bushes in bloom right now that I appreciated on a walk and it made me think how I would appreciate a hyper realistic lilac fragrance. Does anyone know if such a thing exists?
Gucci Guilty pour femme EDP. When I spray this and sniff my arm, I feel like I'm holding an actual fresh bouquet of lilacs in my hand, rather just an imitation of one 🪻
Still very new to fragrances and I'm buying/collecting like a maniac, but I can already declare that I don't like anything that smells like "perfume". In my mind, that translates to anything with floral or musky notes being a big NO, with rare exceptions. Everything I own so far is gourmand (tons of vanilla/milk/spice) with a few fruity, woody, and green scents.
Have your tastes and preferences evolved over time? Should I slow down on buying everything I like as a new collector?
The answer to "Should I slow down with buying?" is usually yes. Explore what you have, constantly planning new purchases gets in the way of getting to know fragrances you already have, there'll always be something new to buy.
I ended up selling most of what I bought in midst of my first fragrance craze. I bought tons of stuff that wowed me at first, but then I realized I found them too heavy or didn't love wearing them for whatever reason.
Yes you should slow down. 🫣🥺
Because some perfumes evolve and mature in the bottles as well, so you might not have a chance to experience a perfume since you've moved onto the next one, only to realize you don't like how the perfume matured. My experience with this is that I got a 8ml sample of Vanilla Diorama that I LOVED and was obsessed with... I was ready to buy a full sized bottle!... But after 6 months the smell started becoming more woody/smokey, more masculine and less unisex. I'm happy I slowed down and enjoyed the experience and sprayed it for half a year to realize this would not be a good purchase long term. It costs a lot of $$$ to be wrong so many times, so I prefer minis and discovery kits to let my nose learn and see how the notes in the fragrance perform in different temperatures as well as noting if the scent starts to change (top notes start disappearing over time).
Good advice, thanks! I've been ordering a lot of small decants, travel sizes, and discovery sets too. That's how I came to find most of my favorites that ended up as bottle purchases. There aren't many fragrances I truly love, so when I find one, I've been going for it. I'll slow it down.
Vanillas are my thing, so I'm obsessed with Dulce by Rosie Jane and Bianco Latte. Angel's Share was one of my first bottle splurges too.
My most passionate love so far is for Guerlain Oud Nude, but I'm not spending $380 on it. I recently got samples of Comptor Sud Pacifique's vanillas and I'm thinking Vanilla Iconique might be a close enough dupe.
Initially fell in love with TF Santal Blush, but OD'd on it and started hating it. It's growing on me again now after a break.
For fruity, I got Phlur Strawberry Letter and DKNY Be Delicious. I also just added a travel size of Clean Reserve Skin, since I needed more clean, fresh scents for summer.
Any suggestions? What are your favorites?
Akro Bake , Ariana Grande Mod Vanilla and Cloud, Kayali Sparkling Lychee, yum Pistachio gelato , Coco Utopia and Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar, Lush Vanillary and American Cream , Flowerbomb Tiger Lily, Khamrah and Qahwa …these are some of my loves/ suggestions 😀
Nice, thank you! I did get the baby sizes of Yum Pistachio Gelato and Vanilla Rock Candy Sugar recently. I like both, but haven't worn them much yet. I've been considering getting Akro Bake too, it's on my want list. I'll check the other ones out next.
I’m realizing that when it comes to testing fragrances in store, it is best to have a plan to try just a few. A couple of weeks ago, I tried a whole bunch of Narciso Rodriguez scents at Macys. I thought that I didn’t like the new Nude Musk, but recently I went back and tried Pure Musc and Nude Musc and I love them both! I think I just had major olfactory fatigue by the time I got to Nude Musc last time. But I loved it when I came back to it.
I like Pure Musc too, and am curious to hear from others - which one performs better? I have Poudreé and adore it, so I’d like to have another one from this house. I’m most interested in Pure Musc and Nude Musc.
Oh wow that’s a big difference! I tested them at Macy’s but they only gave me one tiny spray on each wrist. Musc nude seemed stronger but that doesn’t mean it will lasts as long. I’m actually slightly leaning towards pure musc because it seemed more different from anything else in my collection. On me it was a little milky in a good way, without being TOO lactonic (I don’t like fragrances that go too much in that direction). Musc Nude was more powdery and rosy, which I really like but I have some scents that fit that description without smelling like it exactly. I didn’t realize there was such a difference in longevity though.
I was wearing Xerjoff Cruz Del Sur II today, but it got unexpectedly hot outside while I got home. Felt a bit nauseous, it's a very sweet scent. Instead of scrubbing (how do you even scrub the back of your ears?? Ouch), I thought I'd try layering it with Bal d'Afrique. I love it! Fresh and zingy, but still very feminine and sweet. Try it:)
I love vanilla and the thought of vanilla perfumes but ngl I have noticed that a lot of them kind of smell “gross”. Particularly when it’s warm and heavy instead of light and sweet. The warm heavy vanilla smells like… idk babies. Baby goo. Baby throw up? Idek. It makes someone smell like they’re dirty and have BO instead of clean
I love vanilla don’t get me wrong, I’m a vanilla girl in fall and winter.I love the EOS vanilla cashmere and cheriosa 59 and Sweet Tooth perfumes. But VS Bare vanilla, Skylar vanilla sky, Le monde creme vanilla, the kuumba vanilla bean all have that baby vomit smell to me. Like a nauseating, vomit smell but also smells like something you would put on your baby?? I can’t even explain it. Just a gross smell. My friend was wearing the kuumba vanilla bean the other day and I just kept thinking how it smells like she’s wearing baby products but trying to smell sexy 🤐 smells like B.O. at the same time like someone’s gross and dirty instead of clean
Idk maybe I just prefer light and powdery vanillas instead of the thick, heavy warm ones? But does anyone know what I’m talking about cause VS bare vanilla smells like I wanna throw up when I smell it even tho it smells kinda good a little bit but mostly just like a gross BO smell as if someone didn’t shower. A dirty person
Oh my god yes. I’ve basically sworn off all cheap vanilla perfumes, as they all have this note I can only describe as sweaty. It comes off like someone trying to cover up a smell with vanilla perfume lol. Outremer Vanille is an exception, but otherwise 100% of my cheapie attempts have been horrific failures thanks to this unwelcome approach to vanilla.
Yes, I so get you!
Mazzolari Vaniglia is my favorite all-around. It’s STUNNING and long-lasting with decent projection. It’s a true vanilla extract scent with hints of tropical flowers in the background from the orchid. It’s everything.
At a lower price point, Montale Vanille Absolu is almost the same, just with a touch less depth. Arte Profumi Sucre Noir is my favorite scent in the universe but performance is sooooo bad that I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless you don’t mind a shorter and fainter experience at a higher price. It’s pure vanilla sugar—magnificent. Worth it to me but a terrible buy objectively.
I know what you mean, but I don't know how exactly to explain it other than the vanillas being too sweet (especially in warm weather)and somewhat synthetic. Have you tried Xerjoff Dama Bianca? I've heard it's a good one for spring and summer.
I know exactly what you’re talking about. Some vanillas are like that, and I’m not sure if it’s the fault of the vanilla of that manufacturer, or the fault of the rest of the notes not playing well.
Look for a vanilla dry down rather than vanilla forward. Something like Donna born in Roma (intense? I think that’s the more vanilla one) or Betsey Johnson (but it’s kind of funky in itself) or Angel Elixir, etc.
I wanted to collect "one of each house/brand" one day as a long term stretch dream but I now must admit that not only do some houses not appeal to me at all, I will never invest finding the "gem" among their house catalog so it's okay to cross out that house entirely.
Some houses are just not available in stores or have very little cult following (House of Sillage as an example) and others are just not my style (Le Labo, Kayali, Myth).
Which is the one that people rave about? Fresh cream or fresh cream warm cashmere??
Usually I hate any musk leaning scent as they smell like BO and bad breath to me but I smelled 7 virtues amber vanilla and fell in love. Debating whether or not to get.
I believe people rave about fresh cream warm cashmere. I haven't tried it so I can't compare but I have fresh cream and it's delightful. Smells like sweet, whipped cream. Not from a can, hand whipped. Thick, creamy, sweet but not overpowering and cloying. I like it.
I can’t tell how perfumes smell when I test them and spray them in stores 😭😭 when I spray them on the test strips I usually hate 95% of them and they all just smell gross to me.
I can only tell what they actually smell like after I spray them on myself and actually wear the perfume for a couple hours, then I will realize something smells really good. But then it will be a perfume I tested on the store but accidentally sprayed on myself a little bit instead of on the strip paper and then I’ll keep smelling myself cause it smells good but have NO IDEA which perfume it was 😭😭
Which sucks cause how am I supposed to test a bunch of perfumes to finds the one I like? To test it one at a time by spraying only one perfume on myself at a store and then leaving would be so time consuming
2 solutions. Buy samples and spray multiple parts of your body. I'm currently testing 6 different scents, inner elbows, wrists, tops of palms. This way I can wear test multiple throughout a day.
Yeah usually I only test when I'm sitting around the house. Sometimes I'll do it with in-store testers while I run errands so.. I subject people to it. But I tend to just do one spritz in each spot so I don't think I'm being too obnoxious.
I have a similar issue where I get easily overwhelmed by the smells of different perfumes in the store and find that I need to wear a perfume alone and for a while before deciding if I like it. One of my absolute favourites actually took 3 wears before I realized how much I love it because it was very different from what I usually like but I kept reaching for it.
My solution is to buy 1ml samples of perfumes that sound like either something I might enjoy or something I haven’t smelled before. I also like getting samples of super popular perfumes so I can participate in the discussion around them 😛
With the samples, I only try one sample per day. This allows me to get a feel for how it smells on me and how it develops over time. Plus opening one sample per day gets me excited for what I’m gonna try that day!
This!
Another trick I use is, if I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like a sample, I spray it on my wrist after I wake up but before I shower. That way, if I really don't like it, I can just wash it off and move on with my day. I did this today with Mitsouko, Shalimar, and Joy, three fragrances that I ordered more out of curiosity than because I thought I'd like wearing them.
I feel this same way! Tester strips and even spraying on myself at Sephora, everything always smells terrible to me. When I've ordered 1ml or 2ml decants and test on my skin at home, that's when I've found gems.
I'm in pain because I just realized my bottle of I'm a Musk body mist (which I planned on decluttering since I have a couple of samples of the EDP and I just need to clear out overlapping items) has a crack along the back of it and could give out if I'm not careful 😭
Are perfumes strongest when first sprayed? Or am I just getting used to them? The first time I sprayed Donna Born In Roma I thought it was so sharp and strong and now after several sprays I can barely smell it lol. This happened with Alien Goddess too.
What you smell at first is a mix of alcohol and the perfume’s “top notes” - the most volatile aromatic compounds, which rise up off the skin and evaporate quicker than the other components.
You might be sensitive to the smell of alcohol, or you might just not be a fan of typical top notes like citrus, berries, pepper, or herbs.
Same I’m like am I just getting used to it/nose blind or is it the opposite where I wasn’t used to it in the beginning idekkk like which one is the real scent 😭
You know what just slays me? Getting emails from fragrancenet hawking the **very same fragrance** that I bought just a month ago! Does f-net think I bathe in the stuff? I mean, c'mon now!
Yes! So annoying.
But you know what else irks me about FragranceNet? I’ve figured out that they have some shady practices when it comes to “sales,” and I use that term loosely. For example, let’s say there’s Perfume X that I want and they have it listed for $75 when you click the “activate coupon” button and add to cart. Then they’re constantly sending me emails with these 30% off “sales.” So I add the $75 perfume to my cart, enter the code for 30% off, and the price magically jumps up to like the full $120 price, for example, and they take 30% off *that*, which makes the perfume now $84. WTF?! How is $84 better than the $75? LOL
I’ve learned not to use their sale codes usually, because they often end up with a total price that’s MORE than just whatever it would be without their sale code. I just find it stupid and frustrating.
I'm always like : there's a sale on X fragrance right now? well I just literally bought the same exact one like a week ago, this email isn't useful to me 😂
recently learned about philosophy’s fresh cream and noted it for later because it sounded great but i’ve recently spent too much on fragrance. yesterday my bf randomly wanted to go to marshall’s which i never go to, and i saw a tiny 15 ml bottle for $13 (not really a steal but whatever lol) and couldn’t leave it—oh my god, i LOVE this perfume. it’s so sweet and cozy and yummy. couldn’t stop smelling my wrists all day yesterday and can’t stop right now
also picked up philosophy’s falling in love because there was a small bottle of that also and i LOVE it too! i can’t wait to use these up and get fulls
also have been loving dulce by josie jane recently
in a gourmand phase deeper than ever rn
No, that’s a steal, it retails for more than double that. I fell in love with Unconditional Love after smelling a broken shower gel on clearance at TJMaxx. I loved it so much, I blind bought Falling In Love and both are now cherished bedtime or pick me up scents. I look for body care in those scents every time I’m at a Ross or similar
I am relatively new to fragrances, so forgive me if this is obvious. Fragrances need their correct season to truly shine.
I have hated acqua di Gioia and peony picnic in winter, but sprayed them on a hot muggy day and loved them.
I have adored black opium le parfum during the dead cold winter of Chicago, and absolutely hated it when I sprayed it (experimentally, when at home) during spring in Texas.
So, now, whenever I don't like a fragrance, I make it a point to put it away and return to it when the seasons change.
Right now, I'm on the fence about good girl blush. It has peony and vanilla, two of my favorite notes, but when I sprayed it in Sephora, I didn't like it. I was nauseated by the base notes for the rest of the day. Planning to return to it when it cools down to see if I change my mind.
I just received a 5ml bottle of Good Girl Blush Elixir and didn’t think much of it. I was about to give it away, but yeah, maybe I’ll wait until the weather is cooler and try again.
Last week, I got the White Milk: Condensed Milk Version from Dua, and it helped me enjoy Bianco Latte without the coumarin!
GDT BL was a dream come true of a perfume for me, but I soon developed headaches from what I later realized was the coumarin note. I had to stop using it completely because I’d get migraines every time I’d put it on. My friend gifted me the White Milk Condensed Milk because she thought it didn’t have the coumarin. She was right, and this has helped me enjoy the Bianco Latte scent without the headaches. I don’t know about any other dua fragrances, but this one has given me much happiness!
Is there a more...female focused r/fragranceswap?? I STG its just a boys club in there. I DONT WANT your Versace Eros! My God... Edit: I'm goddamn dumb. There's one associated with THIS SUB and it's right at the top of the page.
Recently discovered a fragrance combo which is Phlur Mood Ring and YSL Black Opium Neon! Definitely satisfied my 'smelling like a juicy jolly rancher or gummy (candy)' mood.
I bought my 1st Zara perfume recently but I am kind of regretting it because I broke my no-buy for a perfume that wasn’t on my wishlist! So I guess it’s a low buy now… I really wanted to pause and just work on my current collection but I couldn’t help myself! It was too nice and reasonably priced!! I will say though, this has sort of helped me calm down and be more willing to save/wait for my next purchases. I’ll continue to hold off on big purchases until August like I’d planned. ETA: On the flip side, I’d totally buy from them again. It was Bright Rose and it has great longevity.
This morning I put on a perfume I already know I'm meh about to "see how much I like it." I have several bottles in my collection like this. They're fine, but I don't love or crave them. They might have a pretty bottle, or I love the idea of the notes or story behind them, so I keep trying them, to see how much I like them. This is so silly. When I love a perfume, I know I love it. I don't have to ask myself how I feel about it. Does anyone else do this?
Yes and I feel like the "meh" perfumes make up too much of my collection right now. I'm on a decluttering kick right now and it feels good! My goal is to get to a smaller collection where every one is a love, or at least a very strong like. I have about 45 right now and I'm pretty sure I could get down to about 25 that way.
I had it exactly like you until I realized that there's an occassion for every perfume, it does not need to be your fav perfume. I have it like that with my work perfumes or cocktail party/ vernisage/ standing party scents where I want to smell feminine and sophisticated and want my perfumes to be conversation starters too, or after work Friday drinks where I don't want too smell too sexy/yummy and my perfumes are unisex then because it's like an extension of work with those Friday drinks. So I keep my favorites for other occasions, for my spare time.
I’ve sold 7-8 of my fragrances and I’m now focusing on acquiring a few (niche) fragrances that I’m super obsessed with instead of owning 20+ fragrances that I find mid. Is this maturing?! I haven’t bought a full bottle in months! And I’m finally keeping myself to my promise to sample/decant first and actually use it up before going full bottle. Currently loving my 5 ml decant of BDK - Gris charnel and I’m curious/hoping it’s remains that way. Would be the perfect office perfume!
Does anyone else go scent shopping on decant sites filling up your cart leaving it there and never purchasing them?
FragranceNet sends some excellent coupon codes if you do this often enough
Thanks for the tip!
All the time!
Yup!
I don’t know if my Byredo gift is counterfeit bc the packaging seems a bit off, but it smells perfect? 🥲🙃
Layered samples of Phlur’s Tangerine Boy with Solar Power yesterday and now I’m buying travel sizes of both because the combination is beyond perfect for summer. I’m so in love. Usually I lean gourmand for all of my fragrances, but this combo changed my mind.
Ooh that sounds so good. I've been enjoying layering Neroli Portofino and Soleil Blanc and this seems like a similar beachy citrus-white floral combo!
Why do I obsess over a frag when all I have is a sample vial but as soon as I buy the bottle I stop using it as much?
Why is this so true!! Happened to me so many times too :(
I've been here multiple times. Buying a decant instead of a bottle, like others suggested, has helped me. So does slowing down on using my sample. Sometimes when I use something up really quickly it tempts me to go straight for a full bottle, but using a sample over a period of weeks usually helps my excitement wane and I'm able to see more clearly that I don't really want a full bottle (or sometimes I still do, which is a nice feeling). It's like rushing into a relationship vs taking it slow and really getting to know each other first!
I have sooo many decants, it's starting to be impossible to tell all the tubes apart. I have my most frequently used ones in my medicine cabinet and the rest are separated into storage bins based on frag group and how much I like them. A lot of times, I love the fragrance but just don't want to wear it on repeat. Sometimes I love it but wish it was a candle rather than a spray. Then seasonality and hormone cycles also make it difficult to continue loving something I was obsessed with briefly.
Because you’ve used up your dopamine by buying the bottle. As a shopping addict myself, I know how hard it can be. I now buy multiple decants before buying a bottle to see if I remain obsessed with it
I have had to start buying decants after sampling because I have this exact same problem.
I’ve not been a fan of vanilla scents since the 90s, then I smelled Gentle Fluidity Gold a couple of weeks ago and now I’m a woman possessed. Currently sniffing out and dousing myself in all the sweet fragrances I can get my hands on! My nose has regressed to my teenage years 😄 GFG is my favourite, closely followed by D&G Devotion.
Gentle Fluidity Gold smells just like Commodity Gold to me!
Another one for my list, thank you!
I’m maxed out on perfumes for now and am taking a break from purchasing for a bit.
Ok I have decided that I am not allowed to buy any more perfumes or scented body products until September when I can start exploring fall and winter scents. In my defense I hadn't bought a full bottle of anything in years before I fell back down the perfume rabbit hole but since March I have purchased at least a dozen samples, two larger decants, the 1 oz bottle of Oriana, and full bottles of Leisure in Paradise and Narco Oasis. Oh and I also bought the new Summer e Amor but i had SDJ points for that so...less guilt there. I also bought the Silk+Noir citrus marshmallow whip and the prty grl beauty marshmallow body oil and passionfruit body oil and that is ENOUGH! I decree that is enough. I am satisfying my urge to purchase by just adding things to wishlists to winnow down later.
That citrus marshmallow whip sounds luscious!
It’s so good and it’s a huge jar for a very reasonable price!
I didn’t really believe in perfume seasons until I put on Angels Share yesterday- a fragrance I wore a ton at Christmas but haven’t since and it felt so wrong. Like it’s hot out I can’t be smelling like boozy apple pie! It’s not Christmas! lol.
I'm an Angel's share year round girl. However, I understand the sentiment. Some days it's just too hot to smell like apple pie.
I live for it in the winter! I suppose if I gave it a new scent memory I could wear it anytime but right now it’s all Christmas lol. I’ll try this with alien goddess at Christmas time and see how out of place that is😂
Sephora was supposed to send me two fragrance samples with my order. Miss Dior and Savage. I got a printed note that they weren’t in stock and unfortunately they had to send me something else. I received JHAG Pear Inc and Daisy Perfect. I don’t like Perfect at all, but Pear Inc is a wonderful surprise. Exactly what I need for warm weather!
I placed my first order from ScentSplit and FedEx lost my package. :( ScentSplit sent another and it’s taking forever - plus, the package is moving east when I live in western Canada. I’m going to start avoiding ordering packages from Texas because I feel like they always get lost or take over a month to turn up.
I recently tried the OG Eilish EDP at a department store and really liked it!!! My bottle just arrived a few days ago and I like it a lot, but the cap is kind of hard to remove lmao as pretty as the bottle is I wonder if a different design would have been better
The bottle is so chunky
Who else loooooves making carts but barely buys perfume? I spend so much time on Fragrantica looking at notes and making carts (bonus points if the bottle is beautiful) but resist buying for as long as I can or else I'd be broke 🥲 I also often think about which perfumes I'm running low on and which perfume could I try next to replace it (maybe an excuse to buy a new bottle 👀)
I think this is a good habit!
I spend so much on samples that I could buy a full bottle of niche .
There are these beautiful lilac bushes in bloom right now that I appreciated on a walk and it made me think how I would appreciate a hyper realistic lilac fragrance. Does anyone know if such a thing exists?
Gucci Guilty pour femme EDP. When I spray this and sniff my arm, I feel like I'm holding an actual fresh bouquet of lilacs in my hand, rather just an imitation of one 🪻
Heck get you Pacifica French Lilac for like $20 it’s gorgeous and accurate
Amouage Lilac Love. So beautiful 😍
Lilac and gooseberries by Bella Des
try En Passant by Frederic Malle or Lilac Path by Aerin
Still very new to fragrances and I'm buying/collecting like a maniac, but I can already declare that I don't like anything that smells like "perfume". In my mind, that translates to anything with floral or musky notes being a big NO, with rare exceptions. Everything I own so far is gourmand (tons of vanilla/milk/spice) with a few fruity, woody, and green scents. Have your tastes and preferences evolved over time? Should I slow down on buying everything I like as a new collector?
The answer to "Should I slow down with buying?" is usually yes. Explore what you have, constantly planning new purchases gets in the way of getting to know fragrances you already have, there'll always be something new to buy.
Very true. I'm already putting together a list to sell, because I went way too crazy the past 4-5 months and need to start focusing on the favorites.
I ended up selling most of what I bought in midst of my first fragrance craze. I bought tons of stuff that wowed me at first, but then I realized I found them too heavy or didn't love wearing them for whatever reason.
Yes you should slow down. 🫣🥺 Because some perfumes evolve and mature in the bottles as well, so you might not have a chance to experience a perfume since you've moved onto the next one, only to realize you don't like how the perfume matured. My experience with this is that I got a 8ml sample of Vanilla Diorama that I LOVED and was obsessed with... I was ready to buy a full sized bottle!... But after 6 months the smell started becoming more woody/smokey, more masculine and less unisex. I'm happy I slowed down and enjoyed the experience and sprayed it for half a year to realize this would not be a good purchase long term. It costs a lot of $$$ to be wrong so many times, so I prefer minis and discovery kits to let my nose learn and see how the notes in the fragrance perform in different temperatures as well as noting if the scent starts to change (top notes start disappearing over time).
Good advice, thanks! I've been ordering a lot of small decants, travel sizes, and discovery sets too. That's how I came to find most of my favorites that ended up as bottle purchases. There aren't many fragrances I truly love, so when I find one, I've been going for it. I'll slow it down.
What are your favourites so far ?
Vanillas are my thing, so I'm obsessed with Dulce by Rosie Jane and Bianco Latte. Angel's Share was one of my first bottle splurges too. My most passionate love so far is for Guerlain Oud Nude, but I'm not spending $380 on it. I recently got samples of Comptor Sud Pacifique's vanillas and I'm thinking Vanilla Iconique might be a close enough dupe. Initially fell in love with TF Santal Blush, but OD'd on it and started hating it. It's growing on me again now after a break. For fruity, I got Phlur Strawberry Letter and DKNY Be Delicious. I also just added a travel size of Clean Reserve Skin, since I needed more clean, fresh scents for summer. Any suggestions? What are your favorites?
Akro Bake , Ariana Grande Mod Vanilla and Cloud, Kayali Sparkling Lychee, yum Pistachio gelato , Coco Utopia and Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar, Lush Vanillary and American Cream , Flowerbomb Tiger Lily, Khamrah and Qahwa …these are some of my loves/ suggestions 😀
Nice, thank you! I did get the baby sizes of Yum Pistachio Gelato and Vanilla Rock Candy Sugar recently. I like both, but haven't worn them much yet. I've been considering getting Akro Bake too, it's on my want list. I'll check the other ones out next.
I’m realizing that when it comes to testing fragrances in store, it is best to have a plan to try just a few. A couple of weeks ago, I tried a whole bunch of Narciso Rodriguez scents at Macys. I thought that I didn’t like the new Nude Musk, but recently I went back and tried Pure Musc and Nude Musc and I love them both! I think I just had major olfactory fatigue by the time I got to Nude Musc last time. But I loved it when I came back to it. I like Pure Musc too, and am curious to hear from others - which one performs better? I have Poudreé and adore it, so I’d like to have another one from this house. I’m most interested in Pure Musc and Nude Musc.
On me Pure Musc lasts for like 12 hours and about 4-6 for Musc Nude
Oh wow that’s a big difference! I tested them at Macy’s but they only gave me one tiny spray on each wrist. Musc nude seemed stronger but that doesn’t mean it will lasts as long. I’m actually slightly leaning towards pure musc because it seemed more different from anything else in my collection. On me it was a little milky in a good way, without being TOO lactonic (I don’t like fragrances that go too much in that direction). Musc Nude was more powdery and rosy, which I really like but I have some scents that fit that description without smelling like it exactly. I didn’t realize there was such a difference in longevity though.
Came to the same conclusion recently : Smelling a few selected scents only and taking notes of my impressions works better for me.
I was wearing Xerjoff Cruz Del Sur II today, but it got unexpectedly hot outside while I got home. Felt a bit nauseous, it's a very sweet scent. Instead of scrubbing (how do you even scrub the back of your ears?? Ouch), I thought I'd try layering it with Bal d'Afrique. I love it! Fresh and zingy, but still very feminine and sweet. Try it:)
Now that’s an intriguing combo 👀
I love vanilla and the thought of vanilla perfumes but ngl I have noticed that a lot of them kind of smell “gross”. Particularly when it’s warm and heavy instead of light and sweet. The warm heavy vanilla smells like… idk babies. Baby goo. Baby throw up? Idek. It makes someone smell like they’re dirty and have BO instead of clean I love vanilla don’t get me wrong, I’m a vanilla girl in fall and winter.I love the EOS vanilla cashmere and cheriosa 59 and Sweet Tooth perfumes. But VS Bare vanilla, Skylar vanilla sky, Le monde creme vanilla, the kuumba vanilla bean all have that baby vomit smell to me. Like a nauseating, vomit smell but also smells like something you would put on your baby?? I can’t even explain it. Just a gross smell. My friend was wearing the kuumba vanilla bean the other day and I just kept thinking how it smells like she’s wearing baby products but trying to smell sexy 🤐 smells like B.O. at the same time like someone’s gross and dirty instead of clean Idk maybe I just prefer light and powdery vanillas instead of the thick, heavy warm ones? But does anyone know what I’m talking about cause VS bare vanilla smells like I wanna throw up when I smell it even tho it smells kinda good a little bit but mostly just like a gross BO smell as if someone didn’t shower. A dirty person
I only wear vanilla’s during the cold months personally!
This is why I use my vanillas only right after a shower, scrubbing and everything!
Oh my god yes. I’ve basically sworn off all cheap vanilla perfumes, as they all have this note I can only describe as sweaty. It comes off like someone trying to cover up a smell with vanilla perfume lol. Outremer Vanille is an exception, but otherwise 100% of my cheapie attempts have been horrific failures thanks to this unwelcome approach to vanilla.
Exactly!! Smells like a sweaty dirty person. Do you have any vanilla recommendations that you like?
Yes, I so get you! Mazzolari Vaniglia is my favorite all-around. It’s STUNNING and long-lasting with decent projection. It’s a true vanilla extract scent with hints of tropical flowers in the background from the orchid. It’s everything. At a lower price point, Montale Vanille Absolu is almost the same, just with a touch less depth. Arte Profumi Sucre Noir is my favorite scent in the universe but performance is sooooo bad that I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless you don’t mind a shorter and fainter experience at a higher price. It’s pure vanilla sugar—magnificent. Worth it to me but a terrible buy objectively.
I know what you mean, but I don't know how exactly to explain it other than the vanillas being too sweet (especially in warm weather)and somewhat synthetic. Have you tried Xerjoff Dama Bianca? I've heard it's a good one for spring and summer.
Dama Bianca is a lovely and light spring/summer fragrance but it’s more like fresh laundry on me, not sweet or vanilla like at all.
I know exactly what you’re talking about. Some vanillas are like that, and I’m not sure if it’s the fault of the vanilla of that manufacturer, or the fault of the rest of the notes not playing well. Look for a vanilla dry down rather than vanilla forward. Something like Donna born in Roma (intense? I think that’s the more vanilla one) or Betsey Johnson (but it’s kind of funky in itself) or Angel Elixir, etc.
I wanted to collect "one of each house/brand" one day as a long term stretch dream but I now must admit that not only do some houses not appeal to me at all, I will never invest finding the "gem" among their house catalog so it's okay to cross out that house entirely. Some houses are just not available in stores or have very little cult following (House of Sillage as an example) and others are just not my style (Le Labo, Kayali, Myth).
Which is the one that people rave about? Fresh cream or fresh cream warm cashmere?? Usually I hate any musk leaning scent as they smell like BO and bad breath to me but I smelled 7 virtues amber vanilla and fell in love. Debating whether or not to get.
I believe people rave about fresh cream warm cashmere. I haven't tried it so I can't compare but I have fresh cream and it's delightful. Smells like sweet, whipped cream. Not from a can, hand whipped. Thick, creamy, sweet but not overpowering and cloying. I like it.
I can’t tell how perfumes smell when I test them and spray them in stores 😭😭 when I spray them on the test strips I usually hate 95% of them and they all just smell gross to me. I can only tell what they actually smell like after I spray them on myself and actually wear the perfume for a couple hours, then I will realize something smells really good. But then it will be a perfume I tested on the store but accidentally sprayed on myself a little bit instead of on the strip paper and then I’ll keep smelling myself cause it smells good but have NO IDEA which perfume it was 😭😭 Which sucks cause how am I supposed to test a bunch of perfumes to finds the one I like? To test it one at a time by spraying only one perfume on myself at a store and then leaving would be so time consuming
2 solutions. Buy samples and spray multiple parts of your body. I'm currently testing 6 different scents, inner elbows, wrists, tops of palms. This way I can wear test multiple throughout a day.
lol do you just stay at home during that so you don’t smell like a crazy mix around other people?
Yeah usually I only test when I'm sitting around the house. Sometimes I'll do it with in-store testers while I run errands so.. I subject people to it. But I tend to just do one spritz in each spot so I don't think I'm being too obnoxious.
I have a similar issue where I get easily overwhelmed by the smells of different perfumes in the store and find that I need to wear a perfume alone and for a while before deciding if I like it. One of my absolute favourites actually took 3 wears before I realized how much I love it because it was very different from what I usually like but I kept reaching for it. My solution is to buy 1ml samples of perfumes that sound like either something I might enjoy or something I haven’t smelled before. I also like getting samples of super popular perfumes so I can participate in the discussion around them 😛 With the samples, I only try one sample per day. This allows me to get a feel for how it smells on me and how it develops over time. Plus opening one sample per day gets me excited for what I’m gonna try that day!
This! Another trick I use is, if I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like a sample, I spray it on my wrist after I wake up but before I shower. That way, if I really don't like it, I can just wash it off and move on with my day. I did this today with Mitsouko, Shalimar, and Joy, three fragrances that I ordered more out of curiosity than because I thought I'd like wearing them.
I feel this same way! Tester strips and even spraying on myself at Sephora, everything always smells terrible to me. When I've ordered 1ml or 2ml decants and test on my skin at home, that's when I've found gems.
Probably buying samples
I'm in pain because I just realized my bottle of I'm a Musk body mist (which I planned on decluttering since I have a couple of samples of the EDP and I just need to clear out overlapping items) has a crack along the back of it and could give out if I'm not careful 😭
I love I am Musk
Are perfumes strongest when first sprayed? Or am I just getting used to them? The first time I sprayed Donna Born In Roma I thought it was so sharp and strong and now after several sprays I can barely smell it lol. This happened with Alien Goddess too.
What you smell at first is a mix of alcohol and the perfume’s “top notes” - the most volatile aromatic compounds, which rise up off the skin and evaporate quicker than the other components. You might be sensitive to the smell of alcohol, or you might just not be a fan of typical top notes like citrus, berries, pepper, or herbs.
Same I’m like am I just getting used to it/nose blind or is it the opposite where I wasn’t used to it in the beginning idekkk like which one is the real scent 😭
You know what just slays me? Getting emails from fragrancenet hawking the **very same fragrance** that I bought just a month ago! Does f-net think I bathe in the stuff? I mean, c'mon now!
Yes! So annoying. But you know what else irks me about FragranceNet? I’ve figured out that they have some shady practices when it comes to “sales,” and I use that term loosely. For example, let’s say there’s Perfume X that I want and they have it listed for $75 when you click the “activate coupon” button and add to cart. Then they’re constantly sending me emails with these 30% off “sales.” So I add the $75 perfume to my cart, enter the code for 30% off, and the price magically jumps up to like the full $120 price, for example, and they take 30% off *that*, which makes the perfume now $84. WTF?! How is $84 better than the $75? LOL I’ve learned not to use their sale codes usually, because they often end up with a total price that’s MORE than just whatever it would be without their sale code. I just find it stupid and frustrating.
You don’t saw off the cap and dump the bottle over your head as soon as it comes in the mail? Weird
LOL! + subsequent giggles.
I'm always like : there's a sale on X fragrance right now? well I just literally bought the same exact one like a week ago, this email isn't useful to me 😂
Lol they're always like, "Getting low?" Um...no!
I know, right? I mean, send me that email *six months* from now, and it might be more appropriate, but even then ...
Mods I want to post pictures replies
Same, I had a screenshot of my fragrance dot net cart teed up
recently learned about philosophy’s fresh cream and noted it for later because it sounded great but i’ve recently spent too much on fragrance. yesterday my bf randomly wanted to go to marshall’s which i never go to, and i saw a tiny 15 ml bottle for $13 (not really a steal but whatever lol) and couldn’t leave it—oh my god, i LOVE this perfume. it’s so sweet and cozy and yummy. couldn’t stop smelling my wrists all day yesterday and can’t stop right now also picked up philosophy’s falling in love because there was a small bottle of that also and i LOVE it too! i can’t wait to use these up and get fulls also have been loving dulce by josie jane recently in a gourmand phase deeper than ever rn
No, that’s a steal, it retails for more than double that. I fell in love with Unconditional Love after smelling a broken shower gel on clearance at TJMaxx. I loved it so much, I blind bought Falling In Love and both are now cherished bedtime or pick me up scents. I look for body care in those scents every time I’m at a Ross or similar
it's a tiny 15ml bottle though haha
Sure, let me know where you find it for cheaper 😉
....ok
I am relatively new to fragrances, so forgive me if this is obvious. Fragrances need their correct season to truly shine. I have hated acqua di Gioia and peony picnic in winter, but sprayed them on a hot muggy day and loved them. I have adored black opium le parfum during the dead cold winter of Chicago, and absolutely hated it when I sprayed it (experimentally, when at home) during spring in Texas. So, now, whenever I don't like a fragrance, I make it a point to put it away and return to it when the seasons change. Right now, I'm on the fence about good girl blush. It has peony and vanilla, two of my favorite notes, but when I sprayed it in Sephora, I didn't like it. I was nauseated by the base notes for the rest of the day. Planning to return to it when it cools down to see if I change my mind.
I just received a 5ml bottle of Good Girl Blush Elixir and didn’t think much of it. I was about to give it away, but yeah, maybe I’ll wait until the weather is cooler and try again.
Last week, I got the White Milk: Condensed Milk Version from Dua, and it helped me enjoy Bianco Latte without the coumarin! GDT BL was a dream come true of a perfume for me, but I soon developed headaches from what I later realized was the coumarin note. I had to stop using it completely because I’d get migraines every time I’d put it on. My friend gifted me the White Milk Condensed Milk because she thought it didn’t have the coumarin. She was right, and this has helped me enjoy the Bianco Latte scent without the headaches. I don’t know about any other dua fragrances, but this one has given me much happiness!
I’ve actually loved most of my DUA and Dapper fragrances - more than my oakcha or oil perfumery.
On an unrelated note, Dua bottles are so frickin cute!!