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I hate womens perfume BUT... I need to know a good fragrance (Please help)

post #1 of 24
11/25/07 at 1:26am
Thread Starter 
I for one absolutely hate most women's fragrances. I cannot stand them, IMO they come off as too strong, fruity and basically give me a giant headache. The only womens perfume I like (In small amounts) is Vera Wang's Princess. I know nothing about Perfume but could easily babble about cologne for days on end.


So with that said could you pleaseeeeee pretty please help me find a scent that is lady like, soft, beautiful, sophisticated and not going to get me a headache? I really would like to surprise a special someone..

Sidenotes: The types of perfumes that make me die are like Tresor', Estee Lauders Pleasures, Be Delicious (Both of them) and anything that is spicy and lemon like..


I also have a vice for vanilla... I love it. I was tempted just to buy her Pi by Givenchy or Lomani's Ignition and say "Wear lightly.." So with that said, please help me..


- Jay
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post #2 of 24
11/25/07 at 1:45am
Hypnose. It's like a female version of Pi, imo.
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post #3 of 24
11/25/07 at 2:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Riv View Post

I for one absolutely hate most women's fragrances. I cannot stand them, IMO they come off as too strong, fruity and basically give me a giant headache. The only womens perfume I like (In small amounts) is Vera Wang's Princess. I know nothing about Perfume but could easily babble about cologne for days on end.


So with that said could you pleaseeeeee pretty please help me find a scent that is lady like, soft, beautiful, sophisticated and not going to get me a headache? I really would like to surprise a special someone..

Sidenotes: The types of perfumes that make me die are like Tresor', Estee Lauders Pleasures, Be Delicious (Both of them) and anything that is spicy and lemon like..


I also have a vice for vanilla... I love it. I was tempted just to buy her Pi by Givenchy or Lomani's Ignition and say "Wear lightly.." So with that said, please help me..


- Jay

What an absurd post. Hell, just go to the store and find the one you hate the least. You like Xeryus Rouge but women's fragrances give you a headache? If that sh_t won't give you a headache, nothing will.

All fragrances are perfumes. Perfume means "through smoke".

I'm sure there will be some recommendations for you but I can't help you out.
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post #4 of 24
11/25/07 at 2:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

What an absurd post.

LoL, chalk it down to teenage angst I guess.

To the original poster, try:

Philosophy Amazing Grace
Stella McCartney
Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely
Guerlain Shalimar EDT
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
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post #5 of 24
11/25/07 at 2:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

What an absurd post. Hell, just go to the store and find the one you hate the least. You like Xeryus Rouge but women's fragrances give you a headache? If that sh_t won't give you a headache, nothing will.

All fragrances are perfumes. Perfume means "through smoke".

I'm sure there will be some recommendations for you but I can't help you out.

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post #6 of 24
11/25/07 at 2:51am
Pure White Linen
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post #7 of 24
11/25/07 at 3:36am
So you want to buy a perfume for someone and as long as it suits your ideal its fine.

What about the person who is actually going to wear it? Do they have no say but will wear it because you like it?

Doesn't work like that!

So this someone buys a perfume for you which you don't like but will you wear it because they wanted you too?
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post #8 of 24
11/25/07 at 4:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by donna255 View Post

So you want to buy a perfume for someone and as long as it suits your ideal its fine.

What about the person who is actually going to wear it? Do they have no say but will wear it because you like it?

Doesn't work like that!

So this someone buys a perfume for you which you don't like but will you wear it because they wanted you too?

My thoughts exactly.
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post #9 of 24
11/25/07 at 5:32am
Do you consider summer breeze to be masculine or feminine? Or, plum jam? Or, pencil shavings? Or, salty sea wind in mid November? Or, mushrooms in the dark forest? Or, cocoa? Or, dewy bouquet of peonies? Or, freshly polished antique furniture?

Most perfumes are fine with me, however, Princess gave me some mild migraine.

Dunno.
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post #10 of 24
11/25/07 at 5:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by donna255 View Post

So you want to buy a perfume for someone and as long as it suits your ideal its fine.

What about the person who is actually going to wear it? Do they have no say but will wear it because you like it?

Doesn't work like that!

So this someone buys a perfume for you which you don't like but will you wear it because they wanted you too?

Quote:
Originally Posted by tigrushka View Post

My thoughts exactly.

Fingers a little singed?

J.Riv, I could see this coming as soon as I read your post.

Learn from this Grasshopper and slowly back away from the flame.

As old as I am and as considerate & empathetic as I think I am, I still find myself regularly staring into the mouth of an inferno wondering how the heck did I get here?

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post #11 of 24
11/25/07 at 5:59am
LOL

Man, you guys must have been chugging on a big glass of Haterade before posting. This guy got a first class reaming. lol

Dude, you'd probably get more helpful advice if you chose your words a bit more carefully. Telling a site full of the perfume obsessed that you hate the object of their passion won't get you far. lol

Sounds like you like vanilla, so a gourmand might be a safe bet for you. If you are near a Sephora, go try out some Comptoir Sud Pacifique vanilla scents in the women's fragrance section. Depending on how large a store it is, they might have some other vanilla gourmand scents nearby. While you are there, try Shalimar, the classic vanilla; it does have a slight citrus note at the top, but it's not a killer like Clinique's Happy. Also try Paris by Yves Saint Laurent, and Amazing Grace -- both are soft florals and very ladylike. If they have them, Miss Dior, J'Adore, and Diorissimo: classically feminine. Ask for samples of ones you like the most to test later and see if they'll give you a headache. .

Then find a department store and give Chanel No. 5 a try. Maybe Coco Mademoiselle. If Sephora didn't have them, try the Dior frags here at the department store.

Good luck
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post #12 of 24
11/25/07 at 6:15am
I have a brother who shares your sentiments about many women's scents.

How about the original Burberry for women, in that roundish bottle with the silver top? It is vanilla based and there is nothing really "spikey" about it (for lack of a better term!), some very soft peach note, I believe. It stays soft without being harsh in any way. Another vanilla is Addict or Addict II (Addict eau legere / Addict light / can't remember exactly what they named that one); Sephora used to carry both. A third option is Hypnotic Poison, by Dior. Many people like this one - I've been tempted to purchase it myself, but have not (yet!). Best of luck with your search.
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post #13 of 24
11/25/07 at 6:35am
Have you tried Narciso Rodriguez For Her, J.Riv? That one is quite soft and inoffensive, and no lemon!
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post #14 of 24
11/25/07 at 6:46am
Vera Wang Truly Pink is a really beautiful scent without all the spice, vanilla and fruitiness most perfumes now have. I also enjoy some of the Penhaligon's scents which are more subtle, like Violletta, Elizabethean Rose and Artemisia.
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post #15 of 24
11/25/07 at 7:30am
Hi! I have a suggestion that you might go for. Why not give her a unisex scent that both men and women like? I can think of some lovely ones by *Hermes* that get *rave* reviews...

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil - notes - green mango, lotus flower, aromatic rushes, incense and sycamore wood.

Un Jardin en Mediterranee - notes - fig tree, mastic tree, red cedar, bergamot, orange blossom and white oleander.

There's also Eau de Merveilles that is very popular - notes - elemi, bitter orange, Italian lemon, Indonesian & pink pepper, ambergris, oak, cedar, vetivert, Balsam of Peru and Tears of Siam.

The Un Jardin bottles are gorgeous, check them out on Imaginationperfumery.com. Eau de Merveilles has some nice limited edition bottles, too. I think there's a 15% off coupon code listed on the discount section on the board. These are much better deals than buying in stores, although you can go in one and sniff them out and stores take returns easier than online discount places.

I don't wear fragrances my husband hates just because I like them. There are many to choose from, why would I put him through that? Just gives me an excuse to go buy something else, lolol! There are some other good suggestions here, too. Good luck on your hunt!
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post #16 of 24
11/25/07 at 7:58am
Buying perfume for someone else without his/her input is pretty tricky. Even if you find something that appeals to you, there are a few perfumes recommended here that I personally would not consider light and/or inoffensive. Hypnose, Hypnotic Poison, and Chanel No. 5 are popular, but I can't wear any of them. I consider Burberry Weekend, Maybe Baby (Benefit), Feminite du Bois, and Floris Pink Grapefruit to be pretty light, but that's such a subjective thing.

Good luck!

ETA: In response to similar questions, someone has offered the suggestion of giving a collection of several promising samples (plus a gift certificate), testing them together, and learning what kind of scents appeal to both of you -- I've always thought this sounded very sweet, intimate, and fun.
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post #17 of 24
11/25/07 at 9:45am
An article from the Washington post about a guy who doesn't like most perfume, trying to pick one for his wife:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...122001093.html

Hard to go wrong with this well mannered Guerlain exclusive, but do let the lady in question test the ones you like.
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post #18 of 24
11/25/07 at 9:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyra View Post

An article from the Washington post about a guy who doesn't like most perfume, trying to pick one for his wife:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...122001093.html

Hard to go wrong with this well mannered Guerlain exclusive, but do let the lady in question test the ones you like.

Great article, Kyra! lol Plus Que Jamais, hmmmm... I was thinking of trying that myself. I have often gotten comments from DH exactly like what that writer was expressing.

Whenever I buy something for someone as personal as fragrance or clothing, I get it from a place I can do returns and then tell them not to be hesitant to tell me if it's not suitable. They seem to be appreciative of that and I do exchanges, cheerfully. If men are choosing something for me, I think it is romantic to go together and pick out a fragrance we both like. It takes them off the hook and becomes a nice memory I can look back on.
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post #19 of 24
11/25/07 at 10:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyra View Post

An article from the Washington post about a guy who doesn't like most perfume, trying to pick one for his wife:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...122001093.html

Hard to go wrong with this well mannered Guerlain exclusive, but do let the lady in question test the ones you like.

LOL Kyra - why'd you have to post that article - now I want to sniff Plus Que Jamais (for the price it had better be good) Who currently has it? Sells it?
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post #20 of 24
11/25/07 at 10:54am
I'd like to try Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille, too, I've been reading so many raves about it. I'm not sure we can buy these fragrances online, but theperfumedcourt.com may have some samples. I haven't checked.
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post #21 of 24
11/25/07 at 11:05am
Hope you consider your hand smacked, young man for asking in such a tactless way.
You great daft nelly.

That was a good article and it made me giggle with the descriptions of Montmartre Flophouse and New York Streetwalker. I can just imagine which fragrances those are referring to - ones I wear with enormous glee!

So anyway, you like vanilla? How about some of these?
CSPs vanilla series?
Guerlain's Spiriteuse Double Vanilla?
L'Occitaine's Vanilla?
Yves Rocher's Vanille Bourbon?
May I also suggest Yves Rocher's Voile D'Ambre? (Or if your SO likes florals, the Rose Absolute or Iris Noir in that same series.)

You might try using the 'search by note' facility on the directory search here on BN. Not sure what that would throw up but it might be interesting.

[later]
Ha ha ha ha! Just looked at the directory and saw that Musc Ravageur contains vanilla. Don't get her that one!

Pamplelune - oh that's a brilliant suggestion. That's the one to go for. The bottle is lovely regardless of whether she likes the scent.
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post #22 of 24
11/25/07 at 11:07am
Another one that fits your criteria is Kenzo Amour.
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post #23 of 24
11/25/07 at 11:17am
I agree with the recs for Amazing Grace, hard to imagine anyone finding that offensive.
More safe, nice fragrances imo:
RL Romance
Stella Peony
Narciso Rodriguez EDP

Two love/hate scents that men never fail to compliment:
Eternity
Hypnotic Poison (this is a gourmand)

Others with a hint of vanilla - Armani Code, and Vol de Nuit

Something soft, with vanilla - Jour de Fete

What has she worn in the past? I'd go for something in the same family.
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post #24 of 24
11/25/07 at 5:26pm
I agree with both
Hypnose edp and Hypnotic Poison,
my husband loves both!
another one you just might is
Lolita Lempicka edp
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