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Early 20s Female Newbie

post #1 of 22
7/18/09 at 7:24pm
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone,

I'm so glad I found this website! I recently decided that I wanted to start wearing fragrances and I'm trying to figure out scents to try.

So far I've tried: Chanel Chance, Burberry Brit Sheer, Ralph Lauren Always Yours Romance, Versace Versense and Versace Bright Crystal.

I really liked the Bright Crystal, I had less enthusiastic feelings about the Versense, Brit Sheer, Chance and Always Yours Romance.

I'm not really sure whether I prefer floral, citrusy or spicy (or that I want to stick to a particular scent category). I would really appreciate it if anyone had any suggestions for me, I still feel like I don't know where to start.

A friend of mine suggested I try Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, any thoughts?

Thanks so much!
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post #2 of 22
7/18/09 at 7:50pm
Hi there, welcome to you! We are glad you are here, and we look forward to further posts. Good for you to find us and to start posting.
Your demographic group is different from mine (to say the least) -- so I don't have a great background in many scents that might interest you.
But a couple that I think you might enjoy trying are:
The Hermes Jardin series (Nil, Mediterranee, Mousson). They are variations on a delicate, green them. I like Nil.
Thierry Mugler Cologne. A great unisex scent, with green notes and vetiver (which is a great element).
Good luck!
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post #3 of 22
7/18/09 at 8:42pm
Welcome, Tane!

Be ready to share and to learn. Lots of things to discuss. Most of all, have fun.

I have both the Coco Mademoiselle EDP and also the Eau Scintillante. Don't be afraid to start trying some of the niche scents when you have time to sample or spend the money.

The bottom line: sniff and let the scent settle out and dry first. Don't buy while the scent is still wet on the skin--or worse--on one of those paper fragrance sticks the sales people hand you.
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post #4 of 22
7/18/09 at 8:43pm
Hello Tane and Welcome!

I too am 20 something. Still pretty new to the game, but here are a few frags I've enjoyed so far:

Bulgari Red Tea- smells like tea. refreshing and pleasant. slightly spicy.
Elle by Yves Saint Laurent- sweet fruity floral with a woodsy base
L'Eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake- aquatic floral

Also at theperfumedcourt.com, you can purchase fragrance samples at a fairly low price.
(though samples always seem expensive to me since you get so little)
Or, is there a department store nearby where you can go "sniffing"?

PS: I second Odysseus's suggestion of the Hermes Jardin series. I have Un Jardin En Mediteranee which to me smells fruity and a wee bit woody. Actually he suggested those to me as a newcomer.
And rightly so

Good luck Tane!
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post #5 of 22
7/18/09 at 9:29pm
Sexy Silver Mountain Water!

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26121487.html

+

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26121798.html

+

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26120488.html
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post #6 of 22
7/18/09 at 9:45pm
A pretty popular fragrance here in Adelaide is Miss Dior Cherie. I think its the bomb, coz i usually smell it in clubs. If you want a little more subtle floral, then try Love In Paris by Nina Ricci.

Or if u want something else then it could be Gucci Envy, Envy Me, Envy Me 2. (seductive in a sexy way)

Or if u want something younger than those, then try Stella In Two (seductive in an innocent way )
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post #7 of 22
7/19/09 at 11:32am
We're about the same demographic and I've just (relatively) recently come to the Wide World of Fragrance, too. My best advice is to get samples and sniff, sniff, test, and sniff some more. There are many fragrances that sounded perfect for me from the description, only to smell like bathroom cleaner or a dirty tiger cage on my skin

As far as department store scents go, which are easy to test over and over, almost everybody can find something they love from Chanel. No 5 eau Premiere is very popular and easy to wear, and Cristalle (the EDT, not not not the EDP) is a perennial favorite. I'm wearing Allure Sensuelle right now and although quite a few perfumistas dislike it with a passion, it smells really good on me. Coco Mademoiselle is probably more popular than Eau Premiere, and it's lovely but doesn't particularly pop on me.

Another one of my favorites is Givenchy Amarige, and there was one Tommy Bahama scent that needed more testing but I can't remember it's name.

Just spray and smell, you'll never know what you'll find!
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post #8 of 22
7/19/09 at 3:02pm
Hey there, I'm in my twenties too and am still new as well. Welcome!

I know there are so many fragrances out there that it can be overwhelming. What has really helped me is doing it category by category, or by house/brand or even perfumer. You liked Bright Crystal, try more Versace fragrances and try to compare them all. Same with Chanel -- always fun to try those, especially the variations on No. 5, etc. You may not like anything you try but it's fun to learn about what a line represents, and how the concentrations and flankers and "new editions" compare.

When doing it by category, both the Newbie forum and the Female Fragrance Discussion forum are a big help. For example, if you want to know about citrus fragrances but don't know where to start, simply search for "citrus" and read the past threads on the topic. There will be a ton of recommendations in the posts, guaranteed.

ETA totally try the Hermes Jardin series which a couple of people have recommended. Not only are they good and very wearable, but as a set their notes are more distinct and realistic than your average department store fragrances. I think realism in notes can be a help if you're trying to learn which specific notes you like or don't like.

Also, don't be afraid to cross the aisle and try guy's fragrances. Fragrances often come in "his and hers" and it's interesting to see how fragrances interpret that gender divide. Try Prada Infusion d'Iris versus Prada Infusion d'Homme.
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post #9 of 22
7/23/09 at 2:39pm
I would recommend trying the Armani Onde line. This isn't too niche, but isn't totally mainstream. I was particularly impressed with Onde Mystere. This has a nice incense note which you will not find in many more common frags. I have seen these at saks, or you can order samples online. Good luck!
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post #10 of 22
7/23/09 at 3:30pm
  • RHM
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I just wanted to welcome you to basenotes.
Since you like fresh fruity floral (Bright Crystal), you may want to try these:
Baby Doll Paris by YSL
Calyx by Prescriptives
Chance Eau Fraiche by Chanel
Cheap and Chic by Mochino
DNKY Be Delicious by Donna Karan (You might like several of these.)
Eau Turquoise by Nicolai
Ed Hardy "Women" by Ed Hardy (2008)
Have fun testing!
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post #11 of 22
7/23/09 at 5:32pm
Welcome Tane,

I am also slightly beyond your age bracket, but I have a wife that is still very young at heart (she wears and loves the Britney Spears perfumes). Anyway, I'm not fond of those, but I do love 8 by Abercrombie & Fitch on her. It may be one for you to try. For a little more upscale designer I'd recommend Bulgari Omnia Crystalline, and then as has already been mentioned, Miss Dior Cherie.
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post #12 of 22
7/23/09 at 6:42pm
Hmmm. There are so many possibilities. What stores or other resources do you have for sampling?

In the clean, fresh, bright realm, the following are worth trying, and I've seen most at Neiman Marcus, fewer at Macy's:

Chanel Cristalle
Chanel No. 19, preferably parfum, except that it doesn't seem to be possible to try the parfum in the US.
Creed Original Vetiver
Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint
Fresh Hesperides
Fresh Lemon Sugar. This is a confession; it's candylike and I'm not proud of liking it, but I do.
Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte
Annick Goutal Mandragore

And of course, once you find the Creed counter, keep coming back until you've tried them all! Same for Jo Malone, Annick Goutal, etc.

If you want to get obsessive, you could try the "100 Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try" from Now Smell This. (Now that I've remembered that it exists, I must go read it again and see how many I've smelled...)

Crayfish
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post #13 of 22
7/23/09 at 10:04pm
Welcome Tane !
Chanel Cristalle is great and the new Cristalle flanker ...and No. 19 .
Also Dior Escale a Portofino - citrus floral - fab !
O de Lancome - fresh .
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post #14 of 22
7/24/09 at 2:26am
I second Nina Ricci Love in Paris. It doesn't work for me but I gave the bottle to my daughter and she likes it a lot. She's 25 now and earlier she wore Chanel Allure Sensuelle wich smelled very good on her so I second that frag as well.
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post #15 of 22
7/24/09 at 3:49am
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone for the great advice!

I have a Macy's (two, in fact) around me and also a Sephora.

I've ordered some samples from ThePerfumedCourt which I'm excitedly waiting for (Hermes Jardin series, Silver Mountain Water, Bvlgari au The Rouge - stuff I couldn't find to sample for free.)

I only had a few minutes at Sephora last time I was there (tried Coco Mademoiselle and Elle, really like the Coco Mademoiselle but the Elle didn't quite pop on me) but I can't wait to go exploring with all the suggestions you've given me!

Thanks again.
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post #16 of 22
7/24/09 at 5:22am
Some of my recommendations to you:

Versace Crystal Black
Dior J'Adore
Insolence by Guerlain
Caleche by Hermes
Jasmin Noir by Bulgari
Cabotine by Gres
Chanel Cristalle
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post #17 of 22
7/24/09 at 7:29am
If you decide that you want to go niche, try Eau d'Amouage. It is really something. Red Fruits, Florals, and a hint of woods and incense. It was a "WOW" fragrance for me and I bought it straight away for the girl I was seeing at the time.

Silver Mountian Water is also a very good choice.
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post #18 of 22
7/24/09 at 7:43am
Welcome Tane!

May I just say that as a 20-something yr old guy, I absolutely LOVE smelling Coco Mademoiselle on you gals, but please don't limit yourself to just one scent!

Good luck with your fragrance shopping/testing, it's part of the fun and thrill of this hobby!
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post #19 of 22
7/24/09 at 7:49am
You might try samples from LuckyScent. http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/categ...d/Montale.html

I don't want to confuse you, there are only a zillion to try! Montale is a lot of fun. Patchouli Leaves, Black Aoud & Queen Roses are good ones to start with and all very different.

You can go to 'fragrance' at the top of the scroll and it will select all of one type for you. For ex.; only green florals.
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post #20 of 22
7/25/09 at 10:32am
SMW is a great choice.

Someone recommended Gucci Envy, if you haven't checked that out yet I highly suggest it. You can usually find it at nordstrom rack. Tall, thin bottle bereft of any decoration. Yellow-green juice. Floral. Outrageously sexy scent to me.
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post #21 of 22
7/27/09 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 
I just put in my order for Coco Mademoiselle, Bright Crystal, Omnia Crystalline, and Envy Me. I can't wait to get them!!

I also just received my sample order from The Perfumed Court. It's a very exciting day.

Now, my question is - how do I open these tiny 1ml samples without spilling it all over the place? I can't seem to get the hang of it

I'm keeping a running list of all the suggestions you've given me and spending all of my spare time sampling.

I believe I'm developing an unhealthy habit...
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post #22 of 22
7/27/09 at 7:27pm
Re:

"Now, my question is - how do I open these tiny 1ml samples without spilling it all over the place? I can't seem to get the hang of it."

It's definitely a Practice Required thing. I'd suggest opening and closing your lowest-priority sample a few times, in case it goes flying.

I just checked to see what I do, and found that I:

- Clutch the sample tightly inside my left fist, with the cap just barely sticking out. (I'm right-handed.)

- Brace my left forearm and that fist against my stomach/chest.

- Make a near-fist of my right hand and very firmly grip the little cap between the last joint of my thumb and the left side of the second joint of my forefinger. The front of the second joint of my forefinger is is braced against my left fist when I do this.

- Moving only the right hand and keeping the left hand braced, firmly, carefully, and slowly twist and pull up until the cap goes Pop. Even if I lose control of the cap, the vial itself is pretty well-secured inside my fist, so it's fairly unlikely to go splashing. (Though when the vial is full, a slight mist of perfume where you're gripping the vial and cap is pretty much inevitable. If you open several vials, you'll end up with freakishly fragrant hands.

- To put the cap back on, I re-brace the vial just the same way again and push it down.

I've gotten fairly good at this, but nevertheless, these vials annoy me to the point that I generally pay the price for a 1.5ml spray sample from The Perfumed Court.

Crayfish
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