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Fragrances with "bite", sting, fizz? Suggestions?

post #1 of 21
5/24/10 at 7:07pm
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I still lack the perfumer's vocabulary necessary to describe what I want, so hopefully some of the more experienced here can tell me what I'm looking for. I'm hoping to buy a new fragrance, and in looking, smelling, thinking about it, I think I've figured out at least one thing missing from many perfumes I've discarded. It can best be generalized as a "sharpness", but maybe some examples of things that have this quality could help:

- carbonation: champagne in particular sounds appealing
- smoke: the kind that burns your eyes a little; campfires moreso than incense
- metal: a metallic smell would be interesting
- cinnamon, cayenne, etc: in a NON oriental context, I think. cinnamon is one of my favorite things, but I'm feeling very opposed to an oriental fragrance right now
- weird chemicals: okay, not hard to come by when it comes to perfume, but I guess I'm saying I'm open to very synthetic smelling things when it's right.

I hesitate to say what I've liked in the past because I'm not sure I want the same thing anymore. Do you have any suggestions based purely on this description?
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post #2 of 21
5/24/10 at 7:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 999 View Post

- carbonation: champagne in particular sounds appealing

I attempted to sample Parfum d'Empire's (female-marketed) Ambre Russe last night but ended up falling asleep early. The champagne topnote in this is magic, and there is a bright fizzyness that continues on for some time. (How long I couldn't tell you, seeing as how I smelled the drydown while I was brushing my teeth this morning.)

Lots of people whose opinions I respect say this is their favorite amber; certainly worth checking out.

EDIT: Also, what else do you already own?

EDIT 2: And welcome!
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post #3 of 21
5/24/10 at 7:48pm
Pepper- Poivre by Caron !
Fizz- Sushi Imperiale by Bois 1920 - also has cinnamon .
Metal - Comme des Garcons X Stephen Jones- metal,stone,violets.
Unusual scent- Escentric Molecules, Molecule 01 etc

Welcome to Basenotes !
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post #4 of 21
5/24/10 at 9:26pm
Galbanum notes often give me a sense of carbonated fizziness, because they're so sharp and brisk. So do some astringent citruses -- if you search on, say, lime and galbanum, you might find some things to sample.
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post #5 of 21
5/25/10 at 4:37am
L Eau De Issey starts carbonated to my nose
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post #6 of 21
5/25/10 at 5:19am
For a fizzy fragrance, I recommend Chanel pour monsieur. Bvlgari Black has a bit of a smoky feel to it.
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post #7 of 21
5/25/10 at 6:11am
Pine might give the bright note, but it is hard to find a good pine scent. Epicea by Creed combines pine & smoke.
I'm no oud expert but oud definitely is a piercing note.
Violet leaf also is a bright, shiny note.
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post #8 of 21
5/25/10 at 9:42am
Metalic: Caron's L'Anarchiste
Sharp bite: Beene's Bowling Green. Still makes me sneeze if I'm not careful.
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post #9 of 21
5/25/10 at 6:03pm
Bite, fizz: Yvresse YSL
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post #10 of 21
5/25/10 at 6:29pm
Smoke: Annick Goutal Encens Flamboyant and, if you get your hands on it, Eau du Fier.
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post #11 of 21
5/26/10 at 11:33am
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Thanks for your help and for the welcome. I'll be trying as many of these as possible when I go to the Perfume House here in Portland. I'll make a point of ordering samples of a few as well.
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post #12 of 21
5/26/10 at 12:14pm
For smoke, look for fragrances with birch tar, e.g. Sonoma Studios Fireside Intense (which I haven't tried) and Ava Luxe Incense Noir. Incense Noir is woodsmoke over incense, like throwing resin onto a campfire.
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post #13 of 21
5/26/10 at 12:48pm
carbonation: You need to look for aldehyde prominent scents, since most aldehydes smell like fizzy water or have that carbonated feel to the nose. Some popular and aldehyde-prominent powerhouses (off the top of my head) are: White Linen by Estee Lauder; Puro Lino by Puro Lino; No. 5, No. 19 and No. 22 by Chanel (try the Eau de Toilette formulas for the most dizzying aldehydes)

smoke: 2 Man by Comme des Garcons; Eau de Fier by Annick Goutal (hard-to-find); Lonestar Memories by Tauer Perfumes; Patchouli 24 by Le Labo

metallic: Nu by Yves St. Laurent; 3 and Odeur 71 by Comme des Garcons; Dazzling Silver by Estee Lauder

cinnamon: A great non-oriental cinnamon fragrance is Cinnamon (Series 5: Sherbet) by Comme des Garcons. Another is Splash Forte by IUNX. cayenne? Not so sure...good question!

weird chemicals: You need to try all of the Comme des Garcons scents in the Series 6: Synthetic range. All 5 are pretty weird...my favorite is Soda. Also try Odeur 53 by Comme des Garcons and Breath of God by B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful.

Good luck and welcome to Basenotes!
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post #14 of 21
5/27/10 at 6:47am
When I saw 'bite' and 'sting' the first thing I thought of was Frederic Malle & Jean Claude Ellena's 'Angelique Sous La Pluie' by Editions de Parfum.

It has a great slightly anisic Gin & Tonic lip puckering tartness to me that is interesting - at least in the early stages - then it rolls into a smart green scent of sorts . . .

I keep meaning to give Trumper's 'Eau de Quinine' a shot sometime - that should really be a G&T.
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post #15 of 21
5/27/10 at 9:33am
- carbonation/fizz: Hermes Eau de Pamplemousse Rose - it's like a grapefruit Italian soda. +1 Angelique Sous La Pluie.
- campfires: Gucci Pour Homme if you're OK with a masculine.
- metal: Caron L'Anarchiste, definitely.
- non-oriental cinnamon, cayenne: I think L'Air du Desert Marocain would satisfy you, though I don't think cinnamon is listed as a note. A very dry spicy scent.
- weird chemicals: Comme des Garcons Odeur 53, or pretty much anything from CdG Series 6.
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post #16 of 21
5/27/10 at 5:25pm
Another vote for Tauer L'Air. It dries down beautfully but the first hour or so has some serious bite.
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post #17 of 21
5/29/10 at 10:33am
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You have a good point about the aldehydes, mikeperez23. Lately I've been wearing Hermes Caleche and I think that's what first attracts me to it.
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post #18 of 21
5/29/10 at 10:37pm
Francesco Smalto (the original) starts out with a smell that reminds me of burning herbs and smoked meat. It can last quite a while, depending upon skin chemistry, etc.
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post #19 of 21
5/30/10 at 1:55pm
Elizabeth Taylor's Black Pearls perfume has pepper in it and packs a spicy punch to your nose!
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post #20 of 21
5/31/10 at 5:52am
For smokyness I would suggest Feu de bois/ firewood by Ava Luxe.Very realistic. For sharpness I suggest you seek out very aldehydic fragrances. The classic Estee Lauders and Chanels are worth a try,I think.For pepper try Nu by YSL.

Should have looked closer at the other's responses. I agree with Mike Perez, in other words
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post #21 of 21
5/31/10 at 7:37am
Sting pepper> Poivre piquant by L'artisan parfumeur

Cinnamon in non oriental - L'eau Diptyque

Smoken leather - Peau d'Espagne by Santa maria novella
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