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What fragrance did you say,"what the heck, is this really it?"

post #1 of 19
3/20/07 at 11:04am
Thread Starter 
What fragrance(s) did you anticipate to be a hot, and was definitely not? You heard alot about it, and couldn't wait to try it out, and then you do, and your totally underwhelmed.

For me, quite a few, remember me, Miss Picky? I would say, just to name a few:

Pheromone from Marilyn Miglin (major hype when first came out) to me, a big stinker!

Destiny- couldn't hardly smell the notes (Marilyn, what's up)
Eau de Merveilles by Hermes- it smelled pleasant, (too light)
but for the money they charge, I could just walk to the beach, and get this scent on me.
I'm sorry, I know alot of people like this, but Blvgari Black, couldn't smell much of anything but
maybe a rubbery smell, don't see it.
When an expensive company, puts out a scent that doesn't last more than an a hour or so, what the heck?
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post #2 of 19
3/20/07 at 11:15am
For me it's everything I've smelled from Serge Lutens. I like Rahat Loukoum, it's nice & cozy, but it doesn't inspire me to jump through international hoops to get it. All the other scents in his line are "Meh" to me.

NOTE:
**This is not a slam towards those who worship St. Serge of Lutens. No offense is meant!!
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post #3 of 19
3/20/07 at 11:37am
ANYTHING by Jo Malone. What that line gets away with is highway robbery!
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post #4 of 19
3/20/07 at 11:50am
For me, it's been:

Angel - I've heard so many raves about it from my friend, "mmm, smells like chocolate!" and when I got to it....let's just say YUCK!!

Fracas - Countless raves about this on many boards and sad to say that the tuberose just doesn't work for me

Michael - My coworker smelled beautiful with this but on me, it's just a headache-inducing, heady floral

Shalimar - Sorry for all of you faithfuls but this just doesn't work for me...I find it way too sweet, cloying and just overhyped IMHO
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post #5 of 19
3/20/07 at 12:12pm
Let's see here,

Spring Flower -- Creed -- Just Don't Get It -- perhaps good for it's time?
Mitsouko -- Guerlain -- although I see the fascination
L' Heure Bleu -- Guerlain (I will try this over and over the rest of my life, though)
Parfum Sacre -- Caron
D'Zing -- L' Artisan -- D'Zero

Anything with oud -- I just can't warm up to this brown bottle Lysol note

Midnight Orchid -- Susanne Lang -- a true WTF sniff.


Verdict: I don't like chypres. I don't like fruit.
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post #6 of 19
3/20/07 at 2:16pm
Agent Provocateur - I was so sure to like it that I bought it unsniffed right from the shelf (didn´t even bother to spray the tester ) I found it unwearable.
Eau de Merveilles - really nothing special...
Eau de Réglisse (Caron) - liquorice candy in lemon soda.
La Chasse aux Papillons - does not smell even a bit good.
I´ve said "what the heck" about almost all scents from L´Artisan that I´ve smelled, btw. The only one I like is Mure et Musc Extreme.
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post #7 of 19
3/20/07 at 2:18pm
Marilyn Mignon Pheromone - smelled VILE on me.
Angel. Although now I am getting into patchouli with vanilla.
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post #8 of 19
3/20/07 at 3:17pm
Kingdom - I heard so many great things about it but all I could smell was lemons. I don't know why I can't smell the other notes but they're just not there for me, neither on the testing strip or on my skin.
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post #9 of 19
3/20/07 at 3:26pm
Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker...I have tried it twice and I just don't get it AT ALL!
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post #10 of 19
3/20/07 at 3:31pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vezerne View Post

Marilyn Mignon Pheromone - smelled VILE on me.
Angel. Although now I am getting into patchouli with vanilla.

I have never smelled a scent as vile as Pheromone, in my opinion. I couldn't believe that women actually like & wear this. (don't say that often) This fragrance is sold like crazy on T.V., and the testimonials are hard to believe, but it's true.
As far as Angel, I initially bought it for the color of the juice & the bottle, (I know, that's shallow) but since I did spend alot of money on it (it ain't cheap) I felt compelled to wear it & use it up. Well, after awhile I did start to like it more, and I had continuous compliments with this scent, more than with others I wear. Especially from men. I used it all up, and have gotten it out of my system. Vanilla & patchouli are a good combo, the patchouli balances the sweetness in the vanilla, & the vanilla smooths out the harshness in the patchouli. Good choice*
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post #11 of 19
3/20/07 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Indiscreet View Post

Kingdom - I heard so many great things about it but all I could smell was lemons. I don't know why I can't smell the other notes but they're just not there for me, neither on the testing strip or on my skin.

I don't even get the lemons. I can smell nothing of Kingdom beyond a vague chemical hint to show that *something* is on my hand, though heaven knows what, and I care not whether it stays or goes. I just don't get what everyone is on about.
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post #12 of 19
3/20/07 at 5:24pm
A lot of biggies, really;

Angel is one of the bigger bombs on me,
though Chergui is right up there.

Voleur De Roses' dark soulful garden is off-limits to me,
as is the mystery of Angelique Encens.

The last two I mourn, the first two I don't.

I was going to include Mitsouko on this list, except I tried the extrait today, and it underwent a total transformation on my skin in this version - no coumarin, its downfall for me in edt, just a pure, subtle, glow from another era. I am so glad to not have to include it in this thread.
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post #13 of 19
3/21/07 at 12:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arhianrad View Post

ANYTHING by Jo Malone. What that line gets away with is highway robbery!

I agree - many Jo Malone fragrances are "nice"; some are even "quite nice", and to my mind Nectarine Blossom and Honey is "very nice", but I was expecting so much more after all the raves (celebrity and otherwise).
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post #14 of 19
3/21/07 at 3:36am
Phew, Sestra, I'm glad it's not just me. I was beginning to worry about my sense of smell!

Another one is AG Eau de Charlotte. From the notes it sounds like an incredible fruity gourmand, but on me I could barely smell it, beyond the faintest whiff of something like Johnson's Baby Lotion. And that was when I went to the gym in the hope that getting hot and sweaty would get it to do something...
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post #15 of 19
3/21/07 at 5:06am
[QUOTE=Shycat;999011]
L' Heure Bleu -- Guerlain (I will try this over and over the rest of my life, though)
QUOTE]

I too feel this way about L'Heure Bleu. When I first tried it I was astonished to find that it was completely different from how I had imagined it after reading dozens of descriptions and rave reviews. I still can't make up my mind how I feel about it and I often test it, just to be sure that is really how it smells.
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post #16 of 19
3/21/07 at 5:26am
You and me both. I was really keen to try Mitsouko's pre-war "twin" and I just didn't like it. But since then, I've come to the conclusion that, aside from the Aqua Allegoria line, I actually don't like any of the Guerlains aside from Mistouko. (Of course I've not tested all, but I've tested a fair few and found them very underwhelming).
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post #17 of 19
3/21/07 at 6:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinker424 View Post

For me it's everything I've smelled from Serge Lutens. I like Rahat Loukoum, it's nice & cozy, but it doesn't inspire me to jump through international hoops to get it. All the other scents in his line are "Meh" to me.

NOTE:
**This is not a slam towards those who worship St. Serge of Lutens. No offense is meant!!

I understand completely...i expected great things with this line, and the only one I could wear was Ambre SUltan. Perhaps I expected too much, but I tend to buy the hype and set myself up for a letdown.

I was also not amazed and overwhelmed by the CdG line.

As for Pheromone...I know one woman for whom this is a signature scent and who wears it beautifully...I expected something with that name to be less of a jackhammer
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post #18 of 19
3/21/07 at 7:39am
This is great reading.
I have learned to keep my big mouth shut about fragrances I think I don't like because I always end up eating my words later.
No joke. I have bought fragrances that I initially hated.
So I'm not going to comment, but I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about other peoples experiences.

--Member of Tinker424's Scent Whores United International
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post #19 of 19
3/21/07 at 7:43am
For me, it's Narciso Rodrigues for her. According to some people, this the sexiest musk ever, clean and sophisticated.

I just don't get it, I mean, it's nice, but not THAT sexy! I really don't get this one at all!
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