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Help me pick!

post #1 of 40
2/18/09 at 4:22pm
Thread Starter 
Help me pick! I'm going to wait a little bit longer before I pop my 2009 fragrance purchase cherry, but help me dream (and budget!) in advance:

Which one should I get - I'm completely torn:

Samsara (A very good friend of mine used to wear this back in the 90s when we were happy and young. I wore it too at times and after sampling the EDP concentration I'm now newly in love with is. Some of my favourite florals over a creamy, woody base; it's gorgeous - and I would have worn it for several days running if I'd had the juice).

Tam Dao (Yes, perhaps the opening could be a bit too close to furniture polish, but that disappears so quickly that it's moot. This is so lovely, so wearable, so comforting on skin that ever since I first tried it I haven't been able to stop thinking about it).

Daim Blond (Achingly sophisticated and soft; quite different from what's in my wardrobe, but on the other hand, it suits my skin chemistry and I love the comedy surprise in the end - Cremosa Chupa Chups)

Dzongkha (This feels like an illicit love affair and sets my heart racing: I normally intensely dislike the smell of whisky, but somehow in this, the resemblance to whisky is tempered by the mesmerising presence of celeriac root/red rubber bands-type of smell, which turns this into a fascinating beast. The longer it wears, the more herbal/vegetable/rubbery/earthy and intriguing and wonderful it becomes and I've kept a blotter of this in a notebook by my desk for weeks just to re-sniff from time to time).

Now eventually I'm hoping to get all of these, but I'm in no mad rush to break the bank and have a comfortable amount of scents to choose from, plus my b-day is coming up in April, so... which one should I go for when I do my first 2009 splurge?
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post #2 of 40
2/18/09 at 4:26pm
Go for Samsara, it is intemporel (timeless)
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post #3 of 40
2/18/09 at 6:19pm
I'm very fond of Daim Blond's quiet sophistication; it is the only leathery fragrance I can wear.
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post #4 of 40
2/18/09 at 6:40pm
Of all those, I'd go with Samsara. T
am Dao seemed harsh and brittle. I can't get over the band-aid note in Daim Blond (yet I keep sniffing). Dzongkha was just meh to me, but that was tested before I quit smoking, so I may feel differently now.
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post #5 of 40
2/18/09 at 7:04pm
oh dear.
my first thought would be go with the Daim Blond as it is quite different from the rest of your wardrobe....

OR

go with Dzongka the one that sets your heart racing
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post #6 of 40
2/18/09 at 7:07pm
Samsara
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post #7 of 40
2/18/09 at 7:38pm
DZONGHKA! Of all my purchases, it was the most exciting for me. There is nothing like it!
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post #8 of 40
2/18/09 at 8:07pm
Wow, that's a tough one. Then again, I'm highly indecisive when it comes to frag purchases.

Which one are you most likely to use the whole bottle of? That's been my major deciding factor lately for when I buy a full bottle. Otherwise, I'll get it in d*c*nt.
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post #9 of 40
2/18/09 at 8:40pm
Tam Dao - pure, simple, goes with anything.
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post #10 of 40
2/18/09 at 8:55pm
Believe it or not, I have never tried Samsara. But, it is a classic, and has alot of "equity" in my mind. Tam Dao smelled like gasoline on my skin, so that is a complete "no". Daim Blonde is very nice, perhaps not a classic, but certainly enjoyable for at least 1 bottle's worth. I love the salted cashew note I get in the top and the apricots that peek out later. Dzonka, I smelled it a long time ago and do not remember it well. It struck my as particularly smoky and woody, and it didn't draw me in at all.

If it were me, I'd go for the Daim Blonde.
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post #11 of 40
2/18/09 at 9:18pm
Definitely the Samsara. Thanks to you Nukapai, I've rediscovered it and I'm halfway finished my 30ml bottle. I'm considering a large 100ml bottle purchase too... probably in a couple of months. It's comforting and a great bedtime scent for me.

The others are 'meh'.
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post #12 of 40
2/18/09 at 10:44pm
Of those four I would pick Dzongkha, but since Daim Blond is most unlike anything you have in your wardrobe, it gets my vote.
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post #13 of 40
2/18/09 at 10:54pm
Another vote for Daim Blond. Totally worth it.
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post #14 of 40
2/19/09 at 12:24am
I'm having a love affair of my own with Tam Dao, so you won't get an unbiased answer.
If I'm honest, though, Tam Dao is great for me because I have a very limited wardrobe, so far. It's incredibly gorgeous and versatile, can be adapted to every season and situation and is not too intrusive. On the other hand, it's quite linear, and with an extensive wardrobe like yours I could imagine not reaching for it often.
Dzonghkha didn't work for me, and I haven't tried the others (at least, Samsara not in the edp)
Which of them feel enough like a "classic" to you that you would drain the bottle? Do they fill a niche in your wardrobe that hasn't been taken yet?
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post #15 of 40
2/19/09 at 2:08am
Go with your heart! Personally I'd pick the Daim Blonde - so smooth and unusual.
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post #16 of 40
2/19/09 at 5:33am
I haven't tried Dzonkha and Daim Blonde before,so I can't say if those are the one to go for judging by your wardrobe.However,to me it seems like you've already decided upon Samsara.I have only tried the edt,and it was awful on me.I'm still trying to make it work for me...I must say it does seem to fit nicely in your wardrobe,though.It also seems like the scent you would reach more often to than Tam Dao. ( Tam Dao and Samsara are great together,by the way) Personally I would go for Tam Dao,but that is just because I haven't tried two of them and Samsara in the edt did not fit with my chemistry.
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post #17 of 40
2/19/09 at 5:43am
If you know you're going to get all four eventually, then my vote is for Daim Blond, because it's my favorite of the ones you listed and because you say it's so different from anything else you currently have.
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post #18 of 40
2/19/09 at 6:25am
Well, Tam Dao is the only one from your list that I've tried... and I LOVE it. :bounce: It is one of the best woody scents I've tried, very comforting and sensual in its simplicity.
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post #19 of 40
2/19/09 at 8:24am
Since you´ve given Daim Blond five stars, and the other candidates four, I would say Daim Blond.
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post #20 of 40
2/19/09 at 8:43am
When you look at the list, what does your gut tell you? That's always the one you should pick. The one that you are ever so slightly pulled to when you look at the list. I'm a big believer in intuition...so there you go!
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post #21 of 40
2/19/09 at 8:49am
Here is a slight perversion of Lizzie J's method:

Slowly imagine you cannot have each--one by one. Imagine each is discontinued and sold out forever.

Which one makes you ache when you imagine not being able to have it?

This always works for me when selecting shoes and perfume.
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post #22 of 40
2/19/09 at 9:34am
I like Tam Dao, but to me it smells slightly of gasoline
Dzongkha is a beauty, though I prefer other iris scents
Samsara has a powerful sillage!
Daim Blond is my favourite, very classy and cool.
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post #23 of 40
2/19/09 at 11:57am
Thread Starter 
Oh wow, so many excellent, insightful and friendly replies - thank you for indulging me with this - what torturous fun.

Yes, I will eventually get them all, but this could take me a year or more, so which one do I feel I must have first?

Let's see:


Quote:
my first thought would be go with the Daim Blond as it is quite different from the rest of your wardrobe....

OR

go with Dzongka the one that sets your heart racing

You see how I get torn? I think exactly like this. And I sometimes wonder whether Daim Blond would be the "obvious, sensible, pragmatic" choice and Dzongkha like running off with a Hell's Angel...


Quote:

Which one are you most likely to use the whole bottle of?

Oh, what a good question! Samsara first, Daim Blond second on that question...

Quote:
since Daim Blond is most unlike anything you have in your wardrobe...

Yes, I don't have anything really leathery and I feel there's a gap. I find myself craving a leather scent, but Daim Blond has been the first one that made me really love it.

Quote:
Which of them feel enough like a "classic" to you that you would drain the bottle? Do they fill a niche in your wardrobe that hasn't been taken yet?

I know for a fact I would not only use one, but more than one bottle of Samsara EDP.

Quote:
However,to me it seems like you've already decided upon Samsara....It also seems like the scent you would reach more often to than Tam Dao

In some ways, Samsara would be the obvious choice because it's available for reasonable amount of money in small enough a size, I've previously owned it and know it's good with my chemistry, etc, etc. But - getting it first might be the "instant gratification" thing, rather than waiting for a bit longer and getting one of the other scents. It's not like I don't have other wearable old loves in my current wardrobe...


Quote:
Since you´ve given Daim Blond five stars, and the other candidates four, I would say Daim Blond.

Good point!

Quote:
Here is a slight perversion of Lizzie J's method:

Slowly imagine you cannot have each--one by one. Imagine each is discontinued and sold out forever.

Which one makes you ache when you imagine not being able to have it?

This always works for me when selecting shoes and perfume.

Oh yikes, this is like my desert island question, hmmmmm. Okay, since Tam Dao and Samsara could be considered somewhat interchangeable (only somewhat, but still), Tam Dao could go without too much of a shock. Ok, so I guess that answers that (but I'm still going to get it one day!).

I haven't had a run with Dzongkha yet, so I don't know whether I would be desperate if it was gone - it's a sort of experimental thing and could go wrong.

So that leaves Samsara and Daim Blond.

Okay, I will probably need to toss a coin at this point!

THIS WAS FUN! THANK YOU!!!
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post #24 of 40
2/19/09 at 2:22pm
I've tried Tam Dao but can't remember what it was like and I've tested Dzongkha but it didn't work for me so that leaves Samsara and Daim Blond. Samsara I love but I know what you mean about it being so accessible. Daim Blond is quiet, sophisticated and 'enigmatic' methinks. Your dilemma is similar to the one I had a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't decide whether to go for Samsara or OJ Frangipani. First I bought Samsara and I've promised myself a bottle of Frangipani by the end of March. Of course in the meantime I've fallen for Tocca Touch, and I'm flirting with Farnesiana (maybe for Christmas!), Isabey Gardenia (maybe in my dreams!) and Datura Noir (maybe if we get to know each other better!). So the only answer really is to buy one and don't test or sniff anything new until after you've bought the others!
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post #25 of 40
2/19/09 at 3:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chaelaran1008 View Post

I've tried Tam Dao but can't remember what it was like and I've tested Dzongkha but it didn't work for me so that leaves Samsara and Daim Blond. Samsara I love but I know what you mean about it being so accessible. Daim Blond is quiet, sophisticated and 'enigmatic' methinks. Your dilemma is similar to the one I had a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't decide whether to go for Samsara or OJ Frangipani. First I bought Samsara and I've promised myself a bottle of Frangipani by the end of March. Of course in the meantime I've fallen for Tocca Touch, and I'm flirting with Farnesiana (maybe for Christmas!), Isabey Gardenia (maybe in my dreams!) and Datura Noir (maybe if we get to know each better!). So the only answer really is to buy one and don't test or sniff anything new until after you've bought the others!

Ahhhhhhh, so glad you can relate! I mean, I'm sorry that you're also struggling to choose.

I don't know, maybe I should go for Samsara so a bunch of us can have a synchronised scent-day!
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post #26 of 40
2/19/09 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chaelaran1008 View Post

... and Datura Noir (maybe if we get to know each better!).

[Off topic alert]
Ooh, so you got the sample? I remember you ordered it based on my description, that felt like quite the responsibility
And you're so right about just putting a moratorium on sniffing until you buy what you are planning to! Sniffing and sampling can be so distracting, sometimes.
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post #27 of 40
2/20/09 at 1:37pm
Samsara. Its one of my absolute favorites. It totally calms my soul. Such a beautiful fragrance. This is one I've repurchased a number of times and will continue to do so...
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post #28 of 40
2/23/09 at 5:01am
Dzongkha

Regarding Daim Blond, sometimes we need to remember we buy perfume to wear and that it´s not a pokemon game :P
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post #29 of 40
2/23/09 at 5:31am
I haven't tried Samsara yet. Out of the other three (which I've each tried at least twice), Tam Dao is the one I would buy. Daim Blond's suede note makes it a close second. With all due deference to Bertrand Duchaufour (whose work I typically love), Dzongkha never did it for me.
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post #30 of 40
2/23/09 at 8:43pm
Ohhhh.....Samsara !
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post #31 of 40
2/26/09 at 11:31am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lian View Post

Dzongkha

Regarding Daim Blond, sometimes we need to remember we buy perfume to wear and that it´s not a pokemon game :P

:toppie:

I've got to decide whether it would be a Pokemon-purchase or a "real" one, yes.

This decision will also have a little bit to do with availability. I have to be in London to get L'Artisan and Serge Lutens, whereas I can get Samsara locally. I fear it will artificially weigh up the odds in Samsara's favour
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post #32 of 40
3/5/09 at 11:54am
Thread Starter 
I thought it would be only fair to mention here too - that I finally made my first purchase of the year and based on lots of mulling over and your lovely help in this thread, I went for:

Daim Blond
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post #33 of 40
3/5/09 at 12:43pm
Congratulations!
So, are the other 3 still up high on your wish list, or do you start all over with a new group for your next purchase decision?
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post #34 of 40
3/5/09 at 1:01pm
Thread Starter 
I'll have to think about that - given that spring is around the corner (it should be anyway; had sleet again yesterday ) the scales may tip in favour of florals or citrus - but... these scents still call me!
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post #35 of 40
3/5/09 at 6:15pm
Congrats on your decision, Nukapai!

Now for a little not-so-subliminal message...

dzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadz ongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkha
dzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadz ongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkha
dzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadz ongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkha
dzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadz ongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkha
dzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadz ongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkhadzongkha
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post #36 of 40
3/5/09 at 8:30pm
Yay! Congratulations on the new bottle AND for keeping your resolve!
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post #37 of 40
3/6/09 at 1:51am
Thread Starter 
Thank you, girls

(LOL @ Haunani... )
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post #38 of 40
3/6/09 at 4:20am
Ah, sweetie-
I love them all- and I'm late, here.

I have to say-
In the warmth, you are going to LOVE what DB does, for you....
For the upcoming season, it's a great pick.

[
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post #39 of 40
3/6/09 at 4:32am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chayaruchama View Post

Ah, sweetie-
I love them all- and I'm late, here.

I have to say-
In the warmth, you are going to LOVE what DB does, for you....
For the upcoming season, it's a great pick.

[

Thank you sweetie. I'm covered in it today, but it feels like I've got a glow of fragrance around me rather than sillage, if you know what I mean. Just superb; very happy with this choice.

As an added bonus, husband commented yesterday "oh, that is nice. Sophisticated."
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post #40 of 40
3/7/09 at 4:51pm
Sounds like a winner all around. Congratulations!
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