Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › Which are your least favourite PERFUMES?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Which are your least favourite PERFUMES?

post #1 of 60
Thread Starter 
We've been talking a lot on here lately about smells we dislike and even hate, but we've tended to discuss this in terms of notes and general odours and 'scents' (for me, TVlampboy's pet dog's anal glands spring most vividly to mind ).

So, I'd like to know which are your least favourite *perfumes*. Naturally, this is not intended as an exercise in denigrating other people's tastes or cherished signature scents, but more a discussion of which fragrances we are desperate to like but can't, or which turn our stomachs for no apparent reason -- even (and especially) if they are adored by 'everyone else'.

I'll stick my head above the parapet here and start, and give a taster of those perfumes which, if I was offered them as a gift, I simply *wouldn't* be able to wear, no matter how hard I tried ... All, you will note, are much-loved (though often contested!) 'modern classics':

Gucci Rush -- there are no words. I just have a violent and instantaneously negative reaction to this neon nightmare
Lolita Lempicka -- icky licorice. I know! Sorry, sorry, mea culpa
Angel -- so predictable to list this, it's boring
Estee Lauder's Beautiful -- shockingly, outrageously, unspeakably, unstoppably scary.

Phew! Hope I haven't offended anyone out there! Do feel free to bash my beloved (and, for many, hideous) Cabochard!
post #2 of 60
I totally agree with you about Rush by Gucci. I' ve bought it once and cause it made me feel sick I gave it to my sister, who threw it away because she did't like it either.
Another one is Agent Provocateur. It was hate at fist smell
post #3 of 60
There is a type of perfume I don't like...a scent that is feminine and floral and nice but not distinctive....I say to myself, oh yes, this smells like perfume, and then I move on. I'd rather wear something a bit offensive with some character.That is my least favorite, and there are many of that ilk.

The very popular fruity florals haven't won me over, either. On me, they just give the scent of having used nice hair products or sun screen.

Fraise,, my first whiff of Agent Provocateur was a big "ewww!"--but it grew on me. Not really my type of scent, but I kind of love it all the same. I think I end up having a soft spot for all the scents that initially shock or annoy me!
post #4 of 60
I never have tried Rush. I have a feeling I don't need to. Thanks for that! So many of the 'weird' trendy 'must-try' frags have turned out not to be that I'm feeling quite over that stage of curiosity now.

I dislike Rose Poivree. It really smells off to me. Animalic floral? It's like , well, not nice....dog parts and daisies I suppose. I don't get that one.
post #5 of 60
I haven't sniffed many perfumes, but Clinique Happy sticks out as the worst I've ever smelled. I don't know if the bottle had been sitting for too long at the store and the perfume had started to go bad, but it smelled sour and rancid. It literally smelled like something had rottening in there. And it wasn't just me, my boyfriend completely agreed with me.
post #6 of 60
A popular fragrance that I just can't seem to find the love for--Hypnotic Poison. I've tried. Good Grief, I've tried! But it makes me feel a little nauseated, a little headachey, a lot unwell.

I also have yet to find the love for POTL Luctor et Emergo. It's right up my alley...niche, gourmand notes & prohibitively expensive, but I cannot wear it. I smell cloying benzoin soaked bandages. I guess I should, in a way, be grateful, since if I did find the love it would be yet another perfume to break the bank and force my children into indentured servitude! ^_^
post #7 of 60
- Elizabeth W Neroli and Chamomile. I love everything else they do, and I love the idea, but I can't find a single redeeming feature of this one. The chamomile eats the neroli, the neroli shrills out the chamomile, the whole thing is perfumey to the point of instant sneezing. I don't get it. Given that I usually love Elizabeth W, I prefer to assume that it's me - maybe there's something in there that I can't smell, that ties it all together.

- Ava Luxe Honey. Though this is more or less a note dislike - I dislike the honey note found in most perfumes, and this is a very very strong version of that note, without many distractions.

- Van Cleef & Arpels Feerie. The one I think of when I think of generic floral sneezy perfumes.

Crayfish
post #8 of 60
Celeb scents apart from Britney's Fantasy & Believe fragrances.The first Kate Moss scent smells like nail varnish remover to me...Channel no.5.Everyone raves about it, but i don't get it, but hey, it would be pretty dull if we all liked the same scents.
post #9 of 60
Angel and Youth Dew for me. Also had a strong negative reaction to Hermes Eau des Merveilles. yuuuuck.

I like Gucci Rush (the first one) a lot though and PoTL is my all time favourite.
post #10 of 60
I second ANGEL and YOUTH DEW. I also don't like CHANEL NO. 5 and NO. 22 on me. Or WHITE LINEN. I also can't seem to stomach many of the very sweet fruity florals out there now.
post #11 of 60
My apologies to anyone who loves Estee Lauder scents, but with the exception of Pleasures I really, truly think they smell nasty.
post #12 of 60
Keiko Mecheri A Fleur de Peau, mandarin, jasmine, Russian leather, civet and spices. Indolic jasmine is my skin's nemesis in the fragrance world - the minute they touch it's just pure torture, and never moreso than with A Fleur de Peau.
Not too keen on Youth Dew either.
post #13 of 60
I like Gucci Rush (on others) AND Rush2 (on me). I concur with Happy, though. Yikes. Agent Provocateur, Hypnotic Poison and Angel I'm no fan of, but I do see some redeeming qualities.
My 1 stars, with apologies to their lovers:
Amande Honorable, Stéphanie de St-Aignan
Black for Her, Kenneth Cole
Be Delicious, DKNY
Chypre Rouge, SL
Elle, YSL
Light Blue, D&G
Miel de Bois, SL
Midnight Poison, Dior
Milk, Ava Luxe
Molecule 01, Escentric Molecules
Omnia, Bvlgari
Poison, Dior
Un Bois Vanille, SL

Oh, and add Lann'Ael. It starts alright, if sweet, but soon evolves into an unpleasant cross between soggy cereals and the particular scent of sticky 4-year old on a summer's day, stuffed to the brim with sweets. Blegh.
post #14 of 60
Quote:
Amande Honorable, Stéphanie de St-Aignan

Did you get this in the swap with me? ITA, btw. It was horrible, wasn't it? The worst almond frag I've tried, so far. Agreed on the Lann Ael as well, especially the description of a sticky, overheated/oversugared child - that one was a huge disappointment.
post #15 of 60
Of those which are loved by many, or have a certain cult following, I would single out the following - there aren't any really that I aspire to like.... frankly, it helps me whittle the choice down to marginally more manageable levels!

Designer

Amarige
D & G Light Blue
CK One
Youth Dew
White Linen
Beautiful
Chanel No 22
Poison
Hypnotic Poison
Dior Addict
JPG Classique
Clinique Happy
Anais Anais
Hermes Eau des Merveilles

Niche

Jicky
Shalimar
Rochas Femme
Joy
POTL Luctor & Emergo
Unicorn Spell
S100%Love
TDC Rose Poivree
Lostmarch Lann' ael
All of the Mona di Orio and Aftelier lines
More Serge Lutens, Carons and Bond No 9s than I care to admit...Narcisse Noir being my ultimate Room 101!

This is by no means the definitive list, but it covers some of the main bases!
post #16 of 60
I have many fragrances I am happy to hate, but among the ones I wish I liked but just cannot come to terms with are:

Shalimar
Jicky (I hear, you VM I Hate Civet)
Fracas
Mitsouko -- this one is wonderful on others, but on me it smells of spoiled meat.
post #17 of 60
I'm glad someone mentioned Fracas! YUK.
The VERY worst, liquid emetic for me is the new Rumeur

As for fragrances I hate to confess I hate:

I cannot stand Angel or Badgley Mischka, they have the same sharp pungent,
sick-making quality. I have to hold my breath.

as for the Guerlains, I have always sort of felt like a "Love 'em or Keep it quiet" vibe.

But Shalimar is like a bathroom freshener for me and Jardins de Bagatelle is just gross like perfumed hair color.

212 is so nasty, Bvlgari Amethyste is yukily bizzare...

Yvresse stinks like Doll hair.

Tresor and Paloma Picasso smell cheap to me.

And I don't Molinard Molinard or Habanita, either....
post #18 of 60
With apologies,

FRACAS! God. Instant headache doesn't even begin to describe it! It's like chopsticks shoved up the nostrils.
D & G LIGHT BLUE as well!
MARC JACOBS
MICHAEL KORS,
ELIZABETH ARDEN SUNFLOWERS (high school girls with a waaaay too heavy hand in compact cars)
PLEASURES EXOTIC
<visibly shudders>
OOOOHHHH!
and TEA ROSE! This very terrible girl used to wear loads of it.
and worst of all...
<drumroll>
INSOLENCE!!! I took a nice deep whiff of this, being a Guerlain lover... I couldn't eat for the rest of the day.

BTW, I love Gucci Rush. On my 2nd bottle.
post #19 of 60
There are honestly too many, but if I limit it to five ( from most to slightly less offensive ):

Secretions Magnifique - ELDO

There is simply nothing worse than this. Try it and see!

Fracas - Robert Piguet

This isn't tuberose. This isn't even flowers. This is what Chanel No. 5 smells like in Hell.

Duro - Nasomatto

Hyper, hyper sweet tinned-frosting amber that makes me wretch.

Vintage Tabarome - Creed

Chlorine; nothing but chlorine. Oh joy.

Original Tiare - Comptoir Sud Pacifique

Fruity-floral sickly miasma. Another one that literally made me nauseous.
post #20 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by LedByMyNose View Post

Did you get this in the swap with me? ITA, btw. It was horrible, wasn't it? The worst almond frag I've tried, so far. Agreed on the Lann Ael as well, especially the description of a sticky, overheated/oversugared child - that one was a huge disappointment.

Ha, I had to google ITA Internet streetwiseness index just dropped.
No, I actually paid for that sample of dreck at TPC when I was seeking out almond frags. I saw someone in the Luckyscent review section describe Lann'Ael as the scent wafting from the backseat when traveling long distance with children, so we're not alone in it. *Shudder*
post #21 of 60
Rancé: Josephine - rose and turd is what I get - it makes me feel ill.
10 Corso Como - I know people love it, but I can't stand it.
Chanel no 5 - I always think I will grow to like it - but I can't.
Nasomatto: Narcotic Venus - I accidentally overapplied from my sample of this when I was trying it out - and I had to go lay down for a while.
Elisabeth Taylor: White diamonds...What can I say?
post #22 of 60
Let me just add Velvet Gardenia as today's addition to the worst of the worst pile. Cheese, mushrooms, rancid butter... this gives Secretions Magnifique a run for its money.
post #23 of 60
Bruno Acampora's Blu - I love tuberose and would dearly love to add this to my wardrobe, and I remember it is LedByMyNose's favourite tuberose fragrance. The tuberose note in this is lovely, but there is a supporting note which just does not agree with me, so sadly I've not been able to bring myself to buy it.
post #24 of 60
My dislikes come in groups: the top one is the Poison group, especially Hypnotic Poison. Then the Estee Lauder pack, led by Beyond Paradise. Right after I nominate the Etat Libre d'Orange perfumes, as all of them smell too loud, strong and artificial to me (they may be interesting as creations, but I just can't bear to wear them). Individual stinker prizes go for : Aromatics Elixir, Miel de Bois, Cuir Venenum and Jean Paul Gautier Classique.
post #25 of 60
I dislike : ( no disrespect to anyone who loves these . It's just me and my nose )

Dior - Midnight Posion ( yuck ! ) , Poison, Pure Posion
Estee Lauder - any of the Pleasures series
Montale- Patchouli Leaves- this left me dizzy, nauseous and I retched , oh yes, I did and I could not wash the damned stuff off either .Blech !
FM Musc Ravaguer ( sorry about the spelling ) - yukkity poo !
Je Reviens - maybe because my Mom sprays her dog with it !
Revlon- Charlie - ewwwww.
Sean John - Unforgivable Woman - oh horrid !
Fracas - left me dizzy.
post #26 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

Let me just add Velvet Gardenia as today's addition to the worst of the worst pile. Cheese, mushrooms, rancid butter... this gives Secretions Magnifique a run for its money.

Oh yes, I had this on my list, but edited it out as it was getting so long. Velvet Gardenia is the stench of rotting body parts getting it on. Sensual and deeply sinister.
post #27 of 60
I'm sorry if i insult anyone,but my least favourites are:

- Samsara...wanted to love this scent...but really cant!
-10 Corso Como
-Midnight Poison
-Insolence
- Britney spears Fantasy
-Hugo Boss Deep Red
-TM Innocent angel

I guess you could say I have problems with the ultra sweet scent with either Violets,berries or too much honey or Sandalwood mixed with some notes.
post #28 of 60
Scents that I can't stand the smell of on ANYONE:

Shalimar
Aromatics Elixir
Youth Dew
Charlie
post #29 of 60
Estee Lauder Sensuous = sickening
post #30 of 60
Thread Starter 
This thread has had me in stitches. I don't wish to sound negative, but sometimes there's something so satisifying (and cathartic) about saying, out loud and proud: 'Jicky smells of camel dung' (for, indeed, that is the effect it had on me. What's more, I thought I would keel over and faint right there and then in the department store).

Am not overly-startled to see Hypnotic Poison so frequently on these lists, but I *am* surprised to see those Guerlain holy cows, Shalimar and Mitsouko.

Historically, other stenches of choice for me have included:

Christian Lacroix C'est La Vie (in the organ-shaped bottle with arteries poking out of the top, now mercifully discontinued)

Joy, but for god's sake, don't tell my mother

Andy Tauer's Reverie au Jardin (creamy, rotting funeral wreaths)

Goutal's Quel Amour! (canned cherry pie filling and cheap tinned talc. Reminds me of the smell of a particular brand of bikini wax I use)

And, Hillaire, I'm hearing you on Rumeur. It's just execrable!

*Man, that felt good*
post #31 of 60
My pet hate is Elizabeth Taylor DIAMONDS! It makes me ill.
I also hate Habanita in the early stages and Noirs Epices by Malle.
Any of the new fruity/floral syrupy confections that are aimed at the
teen market I also avoid like the plague.
post #32 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nadeshda View Post

I haven't sniffed many perfumes, but Clinique Happy sticks out as the worst I've ever smelled. I don't know if the bottle had been sitting for too long at the store and the perfume had started to go bad, but it smelled sour and rancid. It literally smelled like something had rottening in there. And it wasn't just me, my boyfriend completely agreed with me.

I also bought Happy Heart by Clinique, which I initially liked quite a lot, but later the smell was no more the same.....
A friend of mine wore Happy by Clinique and it was so good on her...
I don't know what's going on.. Sometimes I am also afraid that the bottles may had been sitting for too long at the stores...
Is there an expiration date for perfumes?
post #33 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by soirdelune View Post

Goutal's Quel Amour! (canned strawberry pie filling and cheap tinned talc. Reminds me of the smell of a particular brand of bikini wax I use)

And, Hillaire, I'm hearing you on Rumeur. It's just execrable!

*Man, that felt good*

Oh, thank you for slaying my AG Quel Amour lemming. Rumeur smelled like "beauty shop" to me, the kind in the strip malls.
post #34 of 60
Hermes Eau de Merveilles has popped up a few times in this thread - my list included. What are the reasons? For me, I disliked it right off the bat, and it ended up being the too-strong 'perfumey,' heavy quality that did it (or, didn't do it) for me. Horrible.

Also agree on 10 Corso Como.

Quote:
Bruno Acampora's Blu - I love tuberose and would dearly love to add this to my wardrobe, and I remember it is LedByMyNose's favourite tuberose fragrance. The tuberose note in this is lovely, but there is a supporting note which just does not agree with me, so sadly I've not been able to bring myself to buy it.

Oh no! I was so hoping you would like this one and I feel your disappointment. What note did you dislike? I don't know if I detect anything other than tuberose in that frag, so I'm interested in your take on it. Please swap it with another tuberose-lover, I am still on a mission to get this crowd to try it!

Edit: I dislike Fracas as well, and I'm a tuberose fan.
post #35 of 60
With much respect for all the Basenoters who love it and wear it well.
I just can't have Angel. It is one of those scrubbers for me.

Anther scrubber for me is L'Air du Rien.

I was disappointed to find that I really don't like Parfum Sacre.

Jicky, oh, I tried to like it for so many years. I only like the drydown.
post #36 of 60
I am not in the least bit phased if someone doesn't like what I like, it's all a matter of personal taste and you can feel free to express yourselves. Hermes Eau des Merveilles could very well have been one of my most perfect scents, but the top notes faded too fast and I was so disappointed.
post #37 of 60
Rock'N Rose
True Star
Bond Lexington Ave.
Bond Chinatown
Coquette Tropique by Monyette
Tresor (but not the perfume, which I like)
All the CSP Vanilla scents (actually, all scents that are predominantly vanilla)
Pink Sugar
L'eau D'Issey
Nanette Lepore (the pink one)
Burberry Brit
Worth Je Reviens
Youth Dew
Cinnabar
(The new one) Cabochard
Fendi
Anne Klein ll
Rance Josephine

Probably alot more, but these stand out right now.
post #38 of 60
Oh, both Bond No. 9 WEST SIDE and CHINATOWN smelled awful on me.
post #39 of 60
I have never met a Creed, nor a Bond, nor a Goutal, nor a Miller Harris that I cared for, for that matter. Is there something wrong with me?
post #40 of 60
I like Rush, Light Blue and Rose Poivree. :P

Dzing! It's give me throbbing headache. (Though it has loads of leather I'm looking for.)

Amarige hurts my nostrils.

Cuba Gold makes me wanna vomit.

(Sorry if I offened anyone.)
post #41 of 60
Rance Eugenie!
Laura Ashley Dilys!
Coco and Coco Mademoiselle -- these smell wonderful on others, but viperish on me.
post #42 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

I have never met a Creed, nor a Bond, nor a Goutal, nor a Miller Harris that I cared for, for that matter. Is there something wrong with me?

Hillaire, I'm with you on the Creed, Bond, and Goutal - so far, anyway, but I like a lot of the Miller Harris line. So nothing's wrong with you, except that you need to give MH another look.
post #43 of 60
Since fragrance preference is so subjective, I tend to be relatively tolerant of most perfumes as long as they are not over applied.
My least favorite are the obviously cheap, plastic smelling ones.
I do not care for a lot of anise or cinnamon.
post #44 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

I have never met a Creed, nor a Bond, nor a Goutal, nor a Miller Harris that I cared for, for that matter. Is there something wrong with me?

Perfectly agree with you.....you're not alone...
post #45 of 60
Unequivocally, Demeter Suntan Lotion.
post #46 of 60
If I only count ones that I simply don't like, and not the ones with chemicals that burn my nose, give me a headache or make me ill...then there are few that I don't like. Off hand, one of my most recent scrubbers was Miss Dior Cherie. On me it smelled like a less flavorful version of a Jolly Rancher candy.
post #47 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by alba View Post

...Miel de Bois

This is the one that stands out in my mind. It's the only fragrance I've tried that actually made me nauseated.
post #48 of 60
Just thought of another very modish perfume that I do not get at all, having tried it several times - Amouage Lyric.

Oh and here's another scrubber - Lalique Le Parfum. LT calls it "faceless dreck" and for once we agree completely. Cumin-heliotrope accord from hell.
post #49 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by LedByMyNose View Post




Oh no! I was so hoping you would like this one and I feel your disappointment. What note did you dislike? I don't know if I detect anything other than tuberose in that frag, so I'm interested in your take on it. Please swap it with another tuberose-lover, I am still on a mission to get this crowd to try it!

Edit: I dislike Fracas as well, and I'm a tuberose fan.

I've been trying to figure out the note in Blu which I dislike. According to luckyscent, the notes in Blu include tuberose, orange, sandalwood, and ylang ylang. I know I like tuberose and ylang ylang so it could be the orange or sandalwood I dislike. I bought Eclair de Tubereuse recently and it is very reminiscent of Blu minus the offending note for me so you may like to try it. I actually like Fracas although it is not my favourite.
post #50 of 60
Yeah it was the tuberose + ylang that made me want to try it in the first place. I don't get orange or sandalwood either...hmmmm.

But now I want to try Eclair de Tubereuse - never heard of it so thanks for the rec!
post #51 of 60
Tresor, Poeme, Red Door... I just can't be in the same room with them.
post #52 of 60
Fracas ~ I haven't smelled it in about four years, I just know I didn't ever want to again.

Angel ~ Not really my least favorite, but if this were my only choice in perfume, I'd be very upset.
Just too sweet on me and some weird note peeks out like melon, perhaps?

E. Coudray Ambre Vanille: I tested this a couple years ago and I got really dizzy and nauseous.
It was tenacious, too.

Anything with loads of vanilla that smells candy-like is probably not going to go over well with me. I also tend to stray far, far away from any fragrance that lists cumin as a note. Most of the time the cumin overpowers all the other notes on my skin and I smell like a perspiring sumo wrestler.
post #53 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by LedByMyNose View Post

Yeah it was the tuberose + ylang that made me want to try it in the first place. I don't get orange or sandalwood either...hmmmm.

But now I want to try Eclair de Tubereuse - never heard of it so thanks for the rec!

It's my favourite at the moment. There's a good review for it on MUA. I hope you like it.
post #54 of 60
Escape is the only one that enrages me, that actually offends me.
Serge Lutens. There is an opaque quality to almost all of them that I don't care for in a personal fragrance.
post #55 of 60
Least favourite? There are a lot.

Angel, Beyond Paradise : both give me big headache
Youth Dew, Channel no.5: other people rave but not for me at all. Can' stand it
post #56 of 60
Lauder, Pleasures Exotic
Gucci, Rush
Gaultier, Gaultier2
Fendi, Palazzo
post #57 of 60
Quote:
Originally Posted by leffleur View Post

...Serge Lutens. There is an opaque quality to almost all of them that I don't care for in a personal fragrance.

Opaque! That is an excellent description, leffleur. I've had trouble with most of the Serge Lutens, too. They sort of weigh me down. I think I prefer fragrances that lift me up. Thanks for the help with the insight.
post #58 of 60
White Diamonds!
post #59 of 60
Ormonde Woman
Ormonde Champaca
Poison
Giorgio

...and I forgot Cristalle.
post #60 of 60
Moustache (Rochas)

I used to wear this years ago and seemed to enjoy it but never got a compliment on it. After a long hiatus I tried it several times a few years apart and am now sure that I can't stand it. The BN reviewer who said it reminded him of a barrel of urine-drenched rotting fruit pretty much echoed my own reaction. I was amazed at how dramatically my taste had changed.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Female Fragrance Discussion
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › Which are your least favourite PERFUMES?