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Highly evaluated here - total crap on you?

post #1 of 64
3/23/10 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
Do you have such experience? Recently I opened a rare miniature of 7th sense by Sonia Rykiel and, to my bad surprise, I couldn't withstand it at all, cloying rotten fruit on me.
Another example - Joop Nuit d'Ete - vanilla rhum backing essence. Ehm....in a not good way.
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post #2 of 64
3/23/10 at 7:21am
Hard to say, really - I can usually find ONE other Basenoter who smells what I do in a fragrance, even with some of my more unique impressions ( clean, soapy Nuit Noire, for example ).

A good recent example of a well-regarded fragrance I think is less than impressive is Malle's Une Rose. I've smelled SO many roses by now, and I really fail to experience the "wow" factor here that has folks raving about it.
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post #3 of 64
3/23/10 at 7:52am
Thread Starter 
I have to correct myself, I have meant the overall evaluation of certain perfume/ brand, etc. incl. blogs, MUA and other sources not only BN.
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post #4 of 64
3/23/10 at 8:13am
Féminité du Bois is terrible on me - sharp, linear cedar, and nothing else.

Jicky and Shalimar are both just yucky lemony-powdery poopy diapers to my nose.

Amoureuse by DelRae smells malignant, bilious and toxic to me, like some pernicious flowering vine found in a macabre fairy tale.

Kenzo's Jungle L'Elephant is just unbearable and cloying, but I haven't figured out what makes it so (although there's a similar note or accord in Raving by Etro, but I really like that scent....go figure.)

And I've recently seen a lot of love for Balenciaga's Rumba, which on me is rotting fruit and flowers, way too intense and suffocating in every respect. Same with Tocade by Rochas - it absolutely sucks the air out of the room and smothers me with sickly vanilla.
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post #5 of 64
3/23/10 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 
added - D&G Sicily - WC/ dish cleaner/ air freshener, in fact I use it for this purpose
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post #6 of 64
3/23/10 at 8:24am
That reminds me - I can't stand Dolce & Gabbana (the red cap from '94) and that always seems to get a lot of love. But I'd never use the fragrances I've selected as room sprays - I don't like them on my skin or in the air around me.
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post #7 of 64
3/23/10 at 8:37am
The new Diorissimo is utterly vile on my skin. Dry heaving just recalling the horror of it as write this....
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post #8 of 64
3/23/10 at 9:55am
Bal Ã* Versailles -- I wonder if I have an "off" bottle. I get: top notes: manure, middle notes: manure, and base notes: yes, more manure. And manure is the nice word for what I'm smelling. I put this bottle back in the box, and taped the cellophane closed. Really need to thow it away, it is a bit distressing to think it's even in the house.
Another, (not as bad as above, but...) is Angel, which has some fans here. Nauseating.
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post #9 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:36am
Fracas sorry, it's just not for me. Overpowering & linear.
Bulgari Black. I don't get this one. TMN, it is like Lily-of-the-valley & tar/rubber. Very odd.
Tabu is another one that gets a lot of attention that I feel is OTT. There are many other frags that have similar notes arranged in a more pleasing sequence. TMN, this is harsh and common. But, hey, that's just me!
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post #10 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:39am
ehm... lots... to get an ideea... from Guerlain I only like Shalimar and Idylle.

So...I dislike all Guerlains except for 2.
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post #11 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:43am
I LOVE the undiluted ravings of my scented friends !
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post #12 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chayaruchama View Post

I LOVE the undiluted ravings of my scented friends !

LOL, Chaya! I generally try not to disparage anyone's fragrant loves - I know how much it can hurt (I take attacks on L'Instant almost personally!) but sometimes I'm just compelled to speak up.
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post #13 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by C Rose View Post

Bal Ã* Versailles -- I wonder if I have an "off" bottle. I get: top notes: manure, middle notes: manure, and base notes: yes, more manure. And manure is the nice word for what I'm smelling. I put this bottle back in the box, and taped the cellophane closed. Really need to thow it away, it is a bit distressing to think it's even in the house.
Another, (not as bad as above, but...) is Angel, which has some fans here. Nauseating.

Heh. Have tried BaV for the first time not too long ago and I *did* like it. Feel free to send it my way I hear there's a big difference in civettiness (which may account for the manure angle) from EdC to EdT to EdP to extrait, though.
I'm with you on Angel. Blargh.

Also: Féminité du Bois.
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post #14 of 64
3/23/10 at 12:44pm
Theirry's Angel. *throws up in throat*
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue <~~~~~~ i wish this one did. i like it in the air, on others. *sigh*



and hello everyone, by the way!
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post #15 of 64
3/23/10 at 1:13pm
Thread Starter 
Mzendre - hi and welcome!!!!
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post #16 of 64
3/23/10 at 1:22pm
Oh boy, so many.....
Jicky, Shalimar, Chant d'Aromes and yes! L'Instant included.
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post #17 of 64
3/23/10 at 1:27pm
Ouch!! Et tu, Twolf??

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post #18 of 64
3/23/10 at 1:39pm
Et moi, Brut! :-) Sorry. L'Instant Iris was sort of bearable though.
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post #19 of 64
3/23/10 at 1:52pm
I gave Mouchoir de Monsieur a try and found too much civet and not enough florals. It broke my heart...
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post #20 of 64
3/23/10 at 2:52pm
On my skin:
Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia, sharp, shrill, piercing.
The new version of Donna Karan's Chaos, flat, dull, lacklustre.
Annick Goutal Songes I tried very hard to love but it really did not like me, it was just plain awful.
I have a friend who wears D&G Red Cap and it is really beautiful on her but on me it's not good at all.
This thread is making me even more grateful for my favourites!
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post #21 of 64
3/23/10 at 7:18pm
Bal a Versailles parfum. I thought I loved it, but it smells kinda cheap to me. It's the kind of fragrance that should be really luxurious -perhaps it was at one time...
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post #22 of 64
3/23/10 at 8:03pm
Bvlgari Black, pure mud!
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post #23 of 64
3/23/10 at 8:26pm
I agree with lots here; it's reassuring, as I thought I was the only one!

Fracas
Tabu
Feminite du Bois
Shalimar
Jicky
Bal a Versailles

and...

Amouage Lyric Woman
Bandit!
Cuir de Russie (Don't hurt me.)
Le Dix
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post #24 of 64
3/23/10 at 9:55pm
For me, it's Prada Infusion d'Iris. Vile beyond words, makes me want to have a very long very hot shower and scrub myself with a hard brush. And yet, so many seem to like it... go figure!
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post #25 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:06pm
Sorry , Samsara and I were not made for each other . Also L'Instant - sorry Evangeline !
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post #26 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:18pm
I'm still a newbie, and thankfully I haven't (yet) sampled anything scrub-worthy. Some disappointments, yes. But nothing that transforms into total crap when hitting my skin. Although there are a couple that begin to give off a barnyard vibe. I... I just... I just can't name them. <sob> I love the house too much.
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post #27 of 64
3/23/10 at 10:31pm
+1 Shalimar. It must have been grand and unique when it came out but now every cheap chemical laden vanilla scent produced in quantity reminds me of it (or the other way around) and I can't tolerate it. In addition, whenever I have read a story where the character is being typed as a slob, or a chain smoking debauchee, it usually says something to the effect of "she didn't do laundry, she just re-sprayed her worn clothes with Shalimar"

+1 Tocade. Same deal- tooooo much vanilla. Weirdly though, if I layer Shalimar and Tocade, I can bear it. Maybe using both cancels out the yucky qualities? Once current supply is gone- never again on these two.

Songes? I love the nuclear blast of TUUUUUUbeROOOOOSe which quickly fades. Songes! You're supposed to wear it, you say? I use it as a room spray, not on my skin.

I hate TABU but it was my dear auntie's favorite and my sweet cousin wears it because of that. I try not to be in the same car when that happens.

I mentioned (along with taolady and I forgot who else ) on SOTD that I was not in the Angel fan club.

However, when it comes to Jicky I LOVE IT! Anyone want to get rid of that hated scent, I'll take it in a New York minute
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post #28 of 64
3/24/10 at 4:13am
Patou 1000 - I just don't get it. I adore jasmin, but I don't recognise it at all here - nor any of the other flowers.
Joy - Doesn't smell like anything on me, not a scrubber but not far from it.
Vol de Nuit, Nahema - two other classic scents I just "don't get".
CK Euphoria - hate it, very aggressive.
L'Instant - I smell something nice but it is drenched in cloying sweetness.
Bandit and Miss Balmain - some weird leathery cigarette smoke, nowhere near pleasant.
Diorella - as if it had been left to age in a drawer until there was nothing left from the scent anymore just some powderish mess.
Paco Rabanne Calandre and Metal - nondescript, says absolutely nothing.
Madame Rochas, My Sin, Climat - again, I just don't get them - what are they supposed to smell like? I wouldn't call them fragrances, they are just some accidental smells (oh, blasphemy!)

Uh, maybe I should stop here. Just for the records: there are also tons of fumes I love! ;-)
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post #29 of 64
3/24/10 at 5:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by knit_at_nite View Post

+1 Shalimar

<ack!> One too many...

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post #30 of 64
3/24/10 at 5:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alicka61 View Post

Mzendre - hi and welcome!!!!

Hi Alicka!!! Thank you!!!
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post #31 of 64
3/24/10 at 6:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bonsai View Post

Patou 1000 - I just don't get it. I adore jasmin, but I don't recognise it at all here - nor any of the other flowers.
Joy - Doesn't smell like anything on me, not a scrubber but not far from it.
Vol de Nuit, Nahema - two other classic scents I just "don't get".
CK Euphoria - hate it, very aggressive.
L'Instant - I smell something nice but it is drenched in cloying sweetness.
Bandit and Miss Balmain - some weird leathery cigarette smoke, nowhere near pleasant.
Diorella - as if it had been left to age in a drawer until there was nothing left from the scent anymore just some powderish mess.
Paco Rabanne Calandre and Metal - nondescript, says absolutely nothing.
Madame Rochas, My Sin, Climat - again, I just don't get them - what are they supposed to smell like? I wouldn't call them fragrances, they are just some accidental smells (oh, blasphemy!)

Uh, maybe I should stop here. Just for the records: there are also tons of fumes I love! ;-)

Yes, I thought I was the only one who found this pretty aggressive. I don't HATE it though, the dry down is okay for me. But definitely not one of my faves - I feel the same about Gucci. It's really really aggressive and pungent until the dry down.
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post #32 of 64
3/24/10 at 6:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mysticknot View Post

Sorry , Samsara and I were not made for each other . Also L'Instant - sorry Evangeline !


No probs, mysticknot - I've dissed your Shalimar more than once, so we're all good! Besides, you're golden in my book due in part to your healthy appreciation for Aromatics Elixir, among others.
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post #33 of 64
3/24/10 at 6:45am
Samsara, so much love but for me has a stale body odour thing going on.
No5 turns into a plastic bag thing on me.
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post #34 of 64
3/24/10 at 8:01am
Welcome to mzendre!

Wow, I have some in common with people whose tastes often go in different directions than mine! :-)

Can't do Feminite du Bois and Bois de Violette. I was so disappointed! Can't hack that sharp cedar, either, Evangeline!

Tocade, Nahema, Lipstick Rose, and Drole de Rose aren't good on me. The rose/vanilla and rose/violet combos are mostly unpleasant to my nose.

Can't handle the aldehydes in Chanel No. 5 and White Linen.

Chinatown smells like a stale spiced sugar cookie on me.

L'Eau d'Hiver is cold and unfriendly to my nose.

And Tabu is taboo.
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post #35 of 64
3/24/10 at 8:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

Wow, I have some in common with people whose tastes often go in different directions than mine! :-)

Stinky perfumes just have that way of bringing people together!
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post #36 of 64
3/24/10 at 8:22am
I forgot about Bulgari Black. I bought a bottle about ten years ago, and probably used it twice. Rubber and vanilla are an interesting combination, but so what?
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post #37 of 64
3/24/10 at 8:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangeline View Post

Stinky perfumes just have that way of bringing people together!

:-)

Wishing you a fragrant day, Ms. E!!!
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post #38 of 64
3/24/10 at 9:03am
Bulgari Black for me too. I don't think it's terrible, but I don't want to smell like rubber.

And I'll add the new Mitsouko reformulation. It just smells almost linear, sharp and shallow to me. And then the dry-down is too masculine.
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post #39 of 64
3/24/10 at 9:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post



Chinatown smells like a stale spiced sugar cookie on me.



finally somebody detroning THE oh-so-greatest-niche-frag Chinatown.

I feel the same about it.
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post #40 of 64
3/24/10 at 9:19am
Chinatown starts out great and then turns faunky on me, too. Maybe it's the lychee note. I think it turns bad at the end.
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post #41 of 64
3/24/10 at 9:20am
Bond No 9 Scent Of Peace was so boring to me .

Evangeline - no probs too. We all can't like the same thing always !

Musc Ravageur was a bit disappointment to me too -I was expecting something sexy not sweaty .
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post #42 of 64
3/24/10 at 9:31am
Ugh, yes. Chinatown on me too. It's just muddy-sweet on me.
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post #43 of 64
3/24/10 at 9:41am
OMGosh, this reads like a list of my drobe! Tabu, Fracas, Tocade, Bal a Versailes.... The only absolute scrubber I can think of is L'Instant, but I've dissed that one enough, already....
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post #44 of 64
3/24/10 at 11:32am
of the ones mentioned here, I really looooove Fracas and Chanel 5. die-hard fan of those,and no negative review, can make me change my mind. I noticed that negative reviewn only make me change my mind about the ones I don't really care too much anyway. From my point of view... negative reviews are also positive, cause they help me a lot to decide what are me v"true loves". Cheers!
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post #45 of 64
3/25/10 at 1:16am
Unfortunately +1 more Shalimar , on me is nothing but a linear raw , scratchy , sour lemon and cedar with some lemon and cedar then some more lemon and cedar . I have always been wondering how bad can a perfume smell when reading others reviews saying " i need to scrub it off " ..well i found it out when spraying Shalimar on me ...bug spray . SIGH *
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post #46 of 64
3/25/10 at 7:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunnyfunny View Post

...The only absolute scrubber I can think of is L'Instant, but I've dissed that one enough, already....

But you seem to take such pleasure in it!

Since yesterday was your birthday and all, you go ahead and take another good swing at her - I'll even hold her still for you!
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post #47 of 64
3/25/10 at 8:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

Welcome to mzendre!

Thank you!!!!!
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post #48 of 64
3/25/10 at 9:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangeline View Post

But you seem to take such pleasure in it!

Since yesterday was your birthday and all, you go ahead and take another good swing at her - I'll even hold her still for you!

Lol, thanks for the offer, but I'll lay off. Besides, I've really got no room to diss anything when I'll defend my beloved reformed Tabac Blond edp to the death!
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post #49 of 64
3/25/10 at 9:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunnyfunny View Post

Lol, thanks for the offer, but I'll lay off. Besides, I've really got no room to diss anything when I'll defend my beloved reformed Tabac Blond edp to the death!

Har! What did you recently call it...gasoline and toe-jam, was it? I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't love that!
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post #50 of 64
3/25/10 at 12:36pm
This is so interesting. Many of the fragrances that I would never be without are on the "crap" lists...Shalimar, Mitsouko, No 5, Diorella, Joy to name a few. I was disappointed that Ivoire turned sour on me. And Aromatics Elixir is headache inducing. But I never would have tried Habanita if not for Basenotes. For me, it's a keeper.
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post #51 of 64
3/25/10 at 6:39pm
One that comes to mind is Opium. How I wished it smelled nice on me. I knew several women in the 80s that wore it well, sadly, it is not for me.
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post #52 of 64
3/26/10 at 7:21am
Long time no post, but here goes my unwanted/scrubber list:

1. Angel - too much of everything on me
2. Opium - scrubber
3. Fracas - smells like old socks on me
4. Michael - the tuberose is suffocating on me.
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post #53 of 64
3/26/10 at 12:38pm
That would be "L'Interdit" - the notes are all over the place, and it smells like a chicken farm.
Funny how good it is on some.
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post #54 of 64
4/2/10 at 11:57am
Chanel's Cuir de Russie ~ I couldn't get around the hair product-ness of it. I reeeeeeally wanted to love it but it smelled like a pomade or hair oil.
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post #55 of 64
4/2/10 at 10:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by *bloomy* View Post

The new Diorissimo is utterly vile on my skin. Dry heaving just recalling the horror of it as write this....

I have vintage Diorissimo and continue to think it smells like the water left in a vase after you've thrown the rotting bouquet out.
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post #56 of 64
4/3/10 at 12:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perfume_Addict View Post

I have vintage Diorissimo and continue to think it smells like the water left in a vase after you've thrown the rotting bouquet out.

OMG, I cannot tell you how relieved I am that I am not alone in my disdain for Diorissimo. Me, a BIG LOUD Floral girl. A die hard fan of muguet. I was so ashamed since I simply could not find the love for this classic.

Thank you Perfume_Addict
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post #57 of 64
4/3/10 at 12:37am
I forgot a big one.

EAU DE ROCHAS !!! This one is a reaaaaal stinker to my nose, I think it smells like toilet disinfectant.



Oh, and the new "fresh" thing from Issey Myiake, "A scent by Issey Myiake" is very similar to Eau de Rochas, it's a copy for sure.
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post #58 of 64
4/3/10 at 2:59pm
I'm LOL at some of my favorites listed above in the stinker column. Ouch! But then I also see quite a few 'istas think the same way I do about particular scrubbers.

My short list:

White Linen= nose hair trimmer

No 22= an even sharper nose hair trimmer

Tocade= floor cleaner

Coco Mlle= hot acetone

Diorissimo= bug spray

Coco= cough medicine
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post #59 of 64
4/4/10 at 10:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perfume_Addict View Post

I have vintage Diorissimo and continue to think it smells like the water left in a vase after you've thrown the rotting bouquet out.

LOL, this is the funniest description of a fragrance EVER, I'm literally going to wet myself.

Here are mine:

I was truly disappointed by Féminité du Bois. It smells fine, but it has absolutely NO radiance or sillage on me. I mean, you'd have to sniff my skin directly to tell I put it on. I ditched it for Dolce Vita.

I mistakenly bought an overpriced bottle of Ralph Lauren's Purple Label. Um, booooring.

I just posted this in another forum but why not say it again: I really didn't like Chanel's Sycomore. The smoky note turns the vetiver into an overwhelming minty mess on me. Maybe I need to give this one another go.

On the subject of Chanel, No. 19 has to be the most unfriendly scent in the history of perfumery.

Everyone raves about Chinatown but I found it cloyingly sweet. Ugh!
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post #60 of 64
4/6/10 at 10:05am
ah, now saw someone mentiones THE Joy

My nose and mind can't imagine how somebody can dislike this perfume even a bit. It's like some perfume of fairies from a Neverland of adults, only for inlove people. I'm refering to modern one, I have no ideea how the vintage Joy is.

A person suggested Joy as a perfume of purity in a topic. Always thought of it as to an "inlove" perfume, but sniffing it better, I think purity is also a good asociation.

To be on-topic- few more that I don't like, though they're pupular (not mentioning Guerlains...):

Angel (molasses+agressive sharp patchouli)---and all it's imitations
Jungle Elephant (mud with rotten hay in it, plus vanilla flood)
Joop homme on a woman
Vanilla Musk (smells like vanilla poured over a big bunch of chopped fresh meat)
Noa (simple original one)- it smells like a box of cardboard in wich various vegetables (is coriander giving this vegetable sensation?) were stored/transported for 2-3 days. Than you spray it with white musk, a little peach juice and spill some coffee on it ...and voila! the wet cardboard aroma dominates all the time anyway! Not "a stinker", but totally sensless. And the bottle looks terribly cheap.Dissapointing from all sides.
Onde Mysthere - medicinal, chemical,dry.
Demeter Banana Flambee- ssarts as a cinnamony banana desert, turns fast into cinnamon+ACETONE!!!
Hypnose- flavoured pills.
EDIT: I forgot--- Lancome TRESOR... no comment here. LOL


I don't find any of the above real stinkers though.I just don like them/wouldn't wear them, but I find them ok on others.
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