Fragrance Junkie Central

[Mochapj]

I know there are a few of us on BT that are fragrance addicts, so I thought it would be nice to have a dedicated place where we can share our thoughts.

This is not to take away from the lovely What Are You Wearing Today, Fragrance Edition thread, but more a place to post longer reviews, chat about new brands or releases, and just shoot the breeze on anything good and smelly 🙂

For me, I recently acquired 2 new decants that I've been anxiously awaiting.  Ever since Lachaton mentioned that MMM was releasing a new scent called By The Fireplace I've been itching to get my hands on it.  My decant arrived yesterday, so I'm looking forward to marinating in it this weekend.  Secondly, I recently picked up a tiny sample of Shiseido Nombre Noir.  Supposedly it is one of the most expensive failures in perfume history - made by Serge Lutens for Shiseido back in the 80s.  Of course, with a backstory like that, I was dying to get a sniff 😄

What's new on your scent radar?  Do tell!

 

[Mochapj]

I've had good luck with Twisted Lily and Luckyscent (both of which are actual brick and mortar fragrance stores) and Surrender to Chance, which is just decants.

[DaintyDiva]

Thanks. I'll check them right now 😉

BTW, I just remembered, I actually did get a couple of Neroli Porto Fino vials as free samples when it was released. Pitty they didn't keep doing it for the other Private Blends.

I'm a crazy creature that collects the vials 😄 The ones I don't like go into a box for future reference. The ones I do like, are kept in a "lipstick organizer" near the miniatures and full size bottles. 

[Sprytely]

Now I have to see if I have a sample of this...

[geekbeauty]

Hey gals, not sure if any of you would be able to help with this but I am looking for a fragrance that's similar to the Vanilla Verbena scent that B&BW used to carry in their Aromatherapy range until a couple of yrs back. I used to be in love with their body products from that range but then they discontinued it. This was a fresh & sweet scent, but not cloyingly sweet (I am bad at describing scents in general). It had a zest to it. If anyone knows what I am talking about and could suggest something similar in a fragrance version, that would be awesome!! 🙂

[MSena]

I have a fragrance related question and figured this would be the right place to ask:

Would it damage my diffuser if I mix a little perfume with my oil? I'd love to mix it up once in a while, but am unsure if that will ruin my diffuser. 

[Anonymous]

Yes it would damage it over the long term. Diffusers should only be used with 100% essential oil and nothing else to keep from harming the diffuser. It is really delicate and the extra chemicals (depending on which) can corrode or clog up the diffuser mechanism. My model even warns using anything but E.O. will void the warranty.

[MSena]

Thank you for the detailed answer! 

I figured as much 😄 

It would've been nice though

[Sprytely]

You could get one of those inexpensive wall plug diffusers that uses the pads that you add oil to. 

Spoiler

[jemly]

i totally forgot just how much i love diptyque philosykos. the past few months i've been so deep in heavy, woody, smoky scents (partly because it's my go-to preference, partly for the weather, and partly because i was researching what i wanted in my kerosene collab). but i love fresh green scents too, very much. i'm glad i gave myself a break from philosykos because i've been able to return to it with fresh enthusiasm. really looking forward to returning to it in the warmer months...

[vchotia]

I completely forgot about the custom fragrance from Kerosene. Did you get your perfume yet? I'm curious on the process and cost, if you wouldn't mind sharing details 🙂

[jemly]

john from kerosene will do custom / bespoke scents for anyone, but it was kind of a different sorta deal the way i did it since it was a collab with my shop (we're buying much larger quantities, and it will be marketed and for sale, as opposed to just something between consumer and kerosene). 

still got some in the shop !

[Adriadne]

Do you do online sales at all? It sounded phenomenal. I love all the notes you listed.

[Lynni98]

I'm finally at the bottom of my jo Malone sea salt bottle...does anyone have any ideas on how I get this for less than retail or a retailer offering a gwp with a jo Malone purchase?..

[Anonymous]

Subscribe to Saks' newsletter. They send out 10%/15%/20% coupons once in a while. Those work on Jo Malone.

[Gwenhwyfar]

You could wait until Nordstrom offers another Jo Malone GWP, or if you have a Nordstrom with a Jo Malone counter nearby you could go talk with one of their sales associates and they may very well have some minis left over and can put together a GWP for you if you buy direct through them.

[Samtian]

I got the Juliette Has A Gun's discovery kit...I tried Midnight Oud. Oh man its the worst. I smell like mosquito repellent. 

[jemly]

all the so-called old lady scents (you all know how i feel about the phrase) are coming back into fashion, and i'm all for it in theory (as my nose hasn't quite embraced all aspects of it yet). i want MMM Replica Lipstick On just for the concept alone ! the resurgence of these sorts of fragrances is just all about unapologetic (yet classic) glamor and it fills me with joy !

[vchotia]

Lipstick On smelled like cheap drugstore lipstick to me. Like a very synthetic waxy cherry. When I think of old lady perfume, I think very heavy floral, maybe a powdery rose. So this wasn't very old lady to me, but it depends on what old lady is to you.

[Samtian]

I love lipstick on. 

[amartiya]

My biggest pet peeve is when people use the term old lady scents. There is no such thing. I feel a need to educate people on how to describe scents they don't like.  I have a small collection of vintage perfumes and the craftsmanship is amazing!

Why can't people say It's too powdery, or too floral etc etc, IMO there is no such hing as old lady scents,

I've met several older ladies who wore Angel and Hermes Kelly Caleche among others, although not my type of fragrances they smelled lovely.

Sorry for the rant, although not an old lady I find the term insulting, it's like when someone says she looks good for her age-Have you seen Helen Mirran she's stunning her age has nothing to do with it.

[Mochapj]

I'm going to play devil's advocate on this, because I know at times I have described things as smelling old ladyish.

I find nothing wrong with the term, because at least when I have used it (can't speak for others), it isn't meant in a  derogatory way.  I don't believe there is anything wrong with being an 'old lady' (I look forward to it; if you were to ask those closest to me what I want to be, the answer would be an old curmudgeon).  

Ladies of a 'certain age' (as some people would say) have an air of sophistication, poise, class and worldliness about them that I think we should all aspire to.  They have lived and seen things; experienced life.  Personally, I think women like Helen Mirren and Judy Dench are much more attractive than today's crop of young-and-famous-for-not-much celebrities.  That's not in spite of their ages, but because they are intelligent, powerful women with presence.

In the same way I would describe sweet, sugary scents as being immature or 'youthful', I would describe certain powdery, floral heavy ones as old ladyish, because the reality is they often take a certain level of taste and maturity to carry off.  

But, it is interesting to see everyone's POV on this.