Fragrance Thread

[gimmegimme]

Thanks for the suggestions gimmegimme! I will have to look into them.

I don't have any real aversion to the concentrate. I haven't tried it, but going by the original scent it is probably great. I guess my reasoning is that I already have a large (250ml splash) bottle of the original Bigarade, and I would rather spend my money on something markedly different than just buy the concentrated version of the same scent.

Ah, ok...I probably would want something different too. Out of the list I gave you, I like Divine Bergamot the best...and its probably the longest lasting.

[gimmegimme]

I thought I would give some insight on obtaining samples for fragrances not always available in every city.

For some reason, getting samples from companies can be like pulling teeth, but I've had luck with the following just by emailing/calling.

1. Frederic Malle - has a section on the website for a "personality test" or something like that...but I just emailed them and received the samples that I asked for within a few days. www.editionsdeparfums.com

2. The Different Company - again, just emailed and asked. www.thedifferentcompany.com

3. L'Artisan Parfumeur - I called their store in NYC

www.artisanparfumeur.com

4. Serge Lutens - all the retailers/department stores who carry this line have samples. Try Sephora and any store that carries Shiseido cosmetics.

Many stores like Luckyscent www.luckyscent.com have a sample program...small fee gets you a few samples. If you buy one of the fragrances in the future, ask that the fee you paid for the sample gets deducted from the price. If you're in Canada, try The Perfume Shoppe [/size"]www.theperfumeshoppe.com in Vancouver. If you're in England, Les Senteurs www.lessenteurs.com. There are tons of other stores of course, these are a few examples.

Ebay also has tons of samples for sale...which I was deterred by at first, because I thought that it wasn't really worth spending money on something that I know the sellers probably obtained for free...until I bought a bottle of something without having smelled it first...which in turn wasted a few hundred dollars.

Forums like Basenotes www.basenotes.net, as well as many blogs perfumeposse.com have sample swapping between members and free giveaways.

A few tips when emailing - don't just ask for "samples"...ask for specific samples. Be polite and brief, as many of the companies are located in France and may have limited English skills (unless you speak French of course). Mentioning things like "I'm interesting in purchasing", or "as a longtime customer" gets you brownie points.

[Uinku]

Chanel's Allure Homme is the way to go.

[kritikal]

Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake gets the girls wet....

[Vitamian]

Just don't wear Aqua di Gio.

[Vitamian]

If you want to smell like date-rape, wear American Eagle cologne.

[choice_genes]

I just got a sample of Terre d'Hermes, I quite like it. Thanks again for the suggestion innA

[Heartworm]

Penhaligon's is the shit... I just bought Castile, but I really love all their scents.

[gimmegimme]

Has anyone tried Creed's newest (VIrgin Island Water)? Not for me...but great if you wanna smell like coco-butter-lovin.

[Raskol]

I'm fairly new to designer fragrances. Most of the colognes I own are generic mall brand ones that you can get at Macy's. I took some of the suggestions made here and looked them up on basenotes. Now, I am looking for online stores that will sell some of the hard to find brands. Particularly interested in Etat Libre d'Orange, Creed, and the Different Company.

Any suggestions? Please post where you guys shop for fragrances..

[gimmegimme]

I'm fairly new to designer fragrances. Most of the colognes I own are generic mall brand ones that you can get at Macy's. I took some of the suggestions made here and looked them up on basenotes. Now, I am looking for online stores that will sell some of the hard to find brands. Particularly interested in Etat Libre d'Orange, Creed, and the Different Company.

Any suggestions? Please post where you guys shop for fragrances..

I'm sure no one wants to hear any more suggestions from me...but oh well! Creed is only "okay" on my list. Many of them seem to have a very metallic scent to them that I don't like. Like you, I still have yet to try the Etat Libre...so no comment there. The Different Company is a very special house in my opinion. It started with Jean Claude Ellena as the head (and only) perfumer...he's now passed the post on to his daughter after move to Hermes to be their in-house guy. The scents themselves are mostly based on one note, but are still some of the most interestesting smells I've ever come across.

Anyway...if you want to drop a bit of cash, The Different Company has a sample pack of 9 10ml bottles. Chances are, if you like one of them, you'll like them all....but if you don't, I'm sure you could get your money back by selling them individually on ebay.

[Raskol]

thanks a lot. i'm definitely interested in trying some of those fragrances. Do you know of any online stores that sell the above fragrances? Preferably online, since I am currently living in boring Orlando.

[Autostrada048]

Bvlgari - aqva

Versace - eau fraiche

[keagan]

I've been wearing dis fer like 6 months (along with the matching deodorant, because I am a bitch). Women say I smell like a woman, men say I smell like a woman, I say I smell like a woman. Dior Homme perfume/cologne(?) makes you smell like a woman. Do not buy it if you want to smell like a woman.

[gimmegimme]

thanks a lot. i'm definitely interested in trying some of those fragrances. Do you know of any online stores that sell the above fragrances? Preferably online, since I am currently living in boring Orlando.

www.luckyscent.com

www.aedes.com

www.lusciouscargo.com

All great stores that carry various lines. You can also order directly from The Different Company's website, as well as Frederic Malle's and most others.

[Raskol]

^^ thanks

10 char

[Charlie Delta]

No one mentioned Diptique yet?

[gimmegimme]

No one mentioned Diptique yet?

I have L'Ombre Dans L'Eau by Diptyque...which is the same scent as their Baies candle. I went through a phase where everything I bought was rose-based....this was just one that I stuck with. Their scents tend to be very linear, meaning they don't smell much different at the beginning than at the end of their cycle.

I used to collect colognes...I had about 100 or so, mostly from travelling and bringing back a bottle every trip I took. Then I realized that they were all going to waste, so I gave most of them away. Now I stick with the ones that I know I'll always like, along with the occassional new find.

[Charlie Delta]

Philosykos by Diptique was my first parfum that wasn't "mainstream".

Now I swear by Cdg.

Btw, a couple posts above you mentioned that the Leaves serie was discontinued, but they started offering it again, just as my bottle of Tea was almost empty. Only the bottle has been changed a little.

[Larry Bird]

if you want a yummy smell.... run over to Barneys and get a whif of the CoSTUME NATIONAL colognes.

yeeeeeee!

my mother keeps insisting that she buys me cologne for my birthday....i must smell like mad shit.

[dave023]

I'm using

1. Bois d'Iris: the different company-summer
   
2. Eucris: Trumper-winter
   
3. Green Irish tweed: Creed-more classic

[englandmj7]

Philosykos by Diptique was my first parfum that wasn't "mainstream".

Now I swear by Cdg.

Btw, a couple posts above you mentioned that the Leaves serie was discontinued, but they started offering it again, just as my bottle of Tea was almost empty. Only the bottle has been changed a little.

Diptyque's Tam Dao is amazing; one of my favorites.

For any of you that are interested: Floris, a fantastic British parfumier, is quite liberal with their samples and will mail you out a kit with cologne vials, shaving creams, and aftershave balms free of charge if you shoot them an email. They have some excellent scents...........

[fg0d]

How's Bvlgari black. And if anyone goes to their local mall, can they try to the Ruehl scent for me? Men or womens.

[Charlie Delta]

Diptyque's Tam Dao is amazing; one of my favorites.

For any of you that are interested: Floris, a fantastic British parfumier, is quite liberal with their samples and will mail you out a kit with cologne vials, shaving creams, and aftershave balms free of charge if you shoot them an email. They have some excellent scents...........

Thanks for the tip, I'll look them up.

[gimmegimme]

How's Bvlgari black. And if anyone goes to their local mall, can they try to the Ruehl scent for me? Men or womens.

Bvlgari Black smells like rubber...and shaped like a tire...I guess that was their intention? :confused:

[gimmegimme]

Philosykos by Diptique was my first parfum that wasn't "mainstream".

Now I swear by Cdg.

Btw, a couple posts above you mentioned that the Leaves serie was discontinued, but they started offering it again, just as my bottle of Tea was almost empty. Only the bottle has been changed a little.

I was aware...that's great...I love Mint. How does the bottle look now? I wonder why Luckyscent only has the old stock still. :S

[innA]

I quite like Bulgari Black - has that 'new car leather' smell

[jpgm]

my collection...

burberry week end

bvlgari BLV

christian lacroix tumulte

clinique happy

dkny be delicious

escada magnetism

ralph lauren polo sport

versace VS

zegna Z

i seem to get given a bottle at xmas time or for my birthday almost every year, hence the number. ive only ever bought myself the versace, and that was to replace the original finished bottle that was a gift.

the burberry and lacroix are the newest. burberry is nice, light, summery. the lacroix had me a little puzzled at first, and it really takes a lot of time to settle on the skin. im really growing to like it though.

the escada i found way too overpowering at first - im not really a fan of especially strong fragrances, and am very wary of being the dude in the crowded elevator with waaay too much aftershave on. its definitely growing on me though, it just needs to be used in moderation.

[Comma H]

Currently Im liking Mont Blanc Starwalker and Dunhill Desire (Red). Both have a rather strong initial scent but I find they really come into their own after an hour or so of being worn.

I also like Issey Miyake and CK Euphoria.

[fndmybetterhalf]

been using Armani Mania for years..

even though i only use the same cologne, for some reason, i buy a bunch of different ones that never get used.