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Please help me find a perfume

post #1 of 13
12/21/07 at 4:16pm
Thread Starter 
Hi!

I have very little knowledge about fragrances, so I have come here for advice.

Essentially, I am looking for a perfume that smells very innocent and a little sweet, but also deeply mysterious and slightly evil. Kind of like an effiminate anti-hero, a unicorn tamed by the devil, or something reminiscent of purgatory.

Like a recent poster, even though I am a guy, I'm attracted to women's fragrances, but I don't want to go too far... maybe something unisex.

Thanks for any help!
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post #2 of 13
12/21/07 at 5:23pm
That's an unusual description, but these might be up to what you're wanting:

Frederic Malle's En Passant: a cool, moist, almost melancholic lilac scent.

Michael Storer's Stephanie: limpid green gardenia on top of a heated, slightly animalic base.

Laura Tonatto's Oltre: rather masculine and oceanic, but I'm mentioning it for the transformation of muguet ( lily-of-the-valley ) into a cool and somewhat distant fragrance.

Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower: Lush, warm tuberose cooled by a distinct green note.

Parfum d'Empire's Cuir Ottoman: admittedly not quite innocent, but certainly ambiguous in its contrast between warm, floral iris and violet and dark leather undertones.

Of course, if you want to skip the innocence and go straight for the evil I suggest:

Caron's Tabac Blond: evil seductress in bottle, inexplicably taking you out for ice cream.
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post #3 of 13
12/21/07 at 7:16pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, I'm truly amazed. Thanks for the advice. These all sound really good, especially the En Passant and Tabac Blond (if it's as evil as it sounds, I might want to skip the innocence).

Also, I've come across L'Heure Bleue or Angelique Encens. Do these fit my description well?
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post #4 of 13
12/22/07 at 1:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by heybaby View Post

Wow, I'm truly amazed. Thanks for the advice. These all sound really good, especially the En Passant and Tabac Blond (if it's as evil as it sounds, I might want to skip the innocence).

Also, I've come across L'Heure Bleue or Angelique Encens. Do these fit my description well?

I haven't tried Angelique Encens, and my memories of L'Heure Bleue are fairly faint, but they seem in the right area. You might find it rewarding to explore some of the early Guerlains, Mitsouko coming to mind, possibly Shalimar ( though the latter is on the heavy side ).
Two more "possibles":

Dior's Bois d'Argent: a dry iris slightly sweetened by notes of honey, peach and vanilla.

Heeley's Fine Leather: a violet and mimosa blend grounded with birch, and a hint of leather.
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post #5 of 13
12/22/07 at 8:15am
L'Heure Bleue was named for that moment between day and night known as "twilight." It could fit your description, but it's not really something I would think of as either innocent or evil, neither do I find it melancholy as some have said. More like that poetic space in time between all that was and all that is yet to be.
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post #6 of 13
12/29/07 at 8:44pm
Thread Starter 
Just a few more questions. Tabac Blond is great (but sadly I can't afford a bottle). After trying that and a few others, I imagine that what I'm looking for is more along the lines of the Heeley and the Cuir Ottoman, especially since the price range is pretty good (~100-150). Is there anything else like that you'd recommend along the lines of a sweet leather?
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post #7 of 13
12/29/07 at 11:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by heybaby View Post

Essentially, I am looking for a perfume that smells very innocent and a little sweet, but also deeply mysterious and slightly evil. Kind of like an effiminate anti-hero, a unicorn tamed by the devil, or something reminiscent of purgatory.

Like a recent poster, even though I am a guy, I'm attracted to women's fragrances, but I don't want to go too far... maybe something unisex.

Thanks for any help!

You need something like mixture of Naughty and Nice.

Caron's pour un homme. Sweet and very mysterious. It definitely doesn't smell positive (heroic). It has a unique composition.I think kinda like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
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post #8 of 13
12/29/07 at 11:29pm
Perhaps a bit more "naughty" than "nice," but Mona di Orio's Nuit Noire is a very sexy scent with some tuberose and orange blossom notes on top. It's unisex, and a bit gender ambivalent, but very effective on a man.
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post #9 of 13
12/30/07 at 12:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by heybaby View Post

Just a few more questions. Tabac Blond is great (but sadly I can't afford a bottle). After trying that and a few others, I imagine that what I'm looking for is more along the lines of the Heeley and the Cuir Ottoman, especially since the price range is pretty good (~100-150). Is there anything else like that you'd recommend along the lines of a sweet leather?

Hmm. I'm not as experienced as the average basenoter but the following might interest you:

Piver Cuir De Russie: This, while not being really sweet, is very mellow, green leather fragrance, greener but a little flatter than the Heeley.

Serge Lutens Daim Blond: Apricots with a leather undertone. A little on the sweet and fruity side for my tastes, but very well made and has excellent longevity.

Putain des Palaces: a heavy floral-leather fragrance which strikes my nose as very Caron-esque. Sillage and longevity are excellent, though be warned it is a more defnitely feminine fragrance than the others I've reccomended.

Knize Ten: this is an excellent leather fragrance, and while not gentle - I tend to think of it as Tabac Blond's male equivalent - it has a sweet side, especially in the heart notes, where it's warmed by some of the same ambery qualities Tabac Blond has. Be careful when applying it! This stuff is very strong, and too strong an initial burst can give a bad impression.
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post #10 of 13
12/31/07 at 3:41am
black aoud, baby. oh yeah.
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post #11 of 13
1/13/08 at 3:26pm
Thread Starter 
Here's a verdict on some of the more notable scents I've tried:

Black Aoud and L'Anarchiste are probably the nearest to what I'm looking for -- very sweet and very evil. Anything else like this?

Idole de Lubin is almost there, but it only lasts for about 20 minutes. I don't get it. Very tragic, especially since it has the leather that I like. Caron PH (which I bought blind since I liked L'Anarchiste so much) and Pomegranate Noir also die too soon on me.

Passage D'Enfer and No. 88 are two that I also like -- very evil, they just don't have the sweetness that I'm looking for.

Cuir Ottoman and Daim Blond are also good, although not as evil as I'd like. Still, I might pick them up someday.

Nuite Noire is very, very disturbing... it kind of smells like foul animal.

Speaking of animals, Heeley's Fine Leather reminds me of a cross between pho and animal.

Going to try Knize Ten and Messe de Minuit next, and although it doesn't sound sweet, Yatagan. It just sounds so daring that I can't resist.
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post #12 of 13
1/14/08 at 2:25am
Animal? You fancy some animal with your sweeties and leather?
Dzing!
You just HAVE to try it anyway, because it's great stuff - who can resist a perfume (unisex) based on circuses? And its candyfloss (cotton candy to Yanks), sawdust, leather and sweaty horses with added lion and tiger is just heavenly.
No, really.

And has anyone mentioned the musks to you? I mean, if you're talking about really interesting and sometimes strange. I hear tell that on most chaps Musc Ravageur is angelically vanillic and comforting but also wickedly sexy (sadly, on me it smells like Thomas Magnum, but hey ho).

This is a great thread - an interesting combo of wishes and you're giving us lots of feedback, which is great. Please keep telling us what you're sniffing and what you think of it!
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post #13 of 13
1/14/08 at 3:01am
Oh yes, Dzing has a real leather and zoo thing going on. I'm not sure on the longevity, though - l'Artisans often don't last too well.
Chanel Cuir de Russie is leather (cavalry officer's boots) but I get an overwhelming poop note from it. If you like poop, then you might want to give it a try too.
I love love love Creed Royal English Leather although it may not be evil enough for you. Give it a try, though.
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