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help me pick my first serge lutens! :D

post #1 of 73
11/25/11 at 2:08pm
Thread Starter 
so my bday is coming up and i can pick a fragrance for my bday and i decided to pick something out of the SL house,
alsoo it will be my first niche!
i did some research and right now chergui, ambre sultan and five o clock have my interest, but what would you recommend?
i will be turning 19, not afraid of the age barriers, do please give a brief description of your recommendation please, as i do not know how any of these exactly smell( i do have an idea ). dont have the option to sample at the moment! thanks in advance
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post #2 of 73
11/25/11 at 2:15pm
Do you (at least) have access to a retailer who carries testers?
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post #3 of 73
11/25/11 at 2:26pm
Everybody has his or her own favorites, so I'm sure this thread will soon cover the whole range. As alfarom was saying, I'd be a little patient and try them at the store first, though. But anyway, my (current) preferences:
Export line: Muscs Koublai Khan (musky, dirty, spicy)
Tubereuse criminelle (strong tuberose)

Paris exclusives (but available online in Europe):
La Myrrhe (bright aldehydic myrrh)
Sarrasins (leather jasmine)

Among your three, I'd go for either Chergui (more traditional if you will, hay-like) or Ambre sultan (spice cabinet, dark amber, quite different from traditional smoother ambers).

cacio
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post #4 of 73
11/25/11 at 2:31pm
Chergui
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post #5 of 73
11/25/11 at 2:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

Do you (at least) have access to a retailer who carries testers?

This.

I'm very glad I ordered a load of samples from TPC else I probably would've made a mistake or two...

As much as I love the thrill of blind buying, there comes a price point where it gets very expensive to have to buy a number of bottles to find one you love instead of just sampling.

Personally I tested Arabie, Bois Oriental, Bois de Violette, Un Bois Vanille, Borneo 1834, Feminite du Bois, Fleurs d'Oranger, Iris Silver Mist, La Myrrhe, Sa Majeste la Rose, Sarrasins, Serge Noire and Tubereuse Criminelle but found only two I loved and full bottle worthy for myself - Ambre Sultan and Chergui.

Some I thought I'd love were underwhelming or overly sweet or too feminine. Others just instantly gave me a headache!

Serge Lutens tend to be quite potent and if you don't love it you might struggle. Get some samples and good luck in your search!
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post #6 of 73
11/25/11 at 2:55pm
Another for Chergui
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post #7 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:04pm
Gris Clair
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post #8 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:17pm
I am a big Amber Sultan fan, in fact I just got a bottle today!

Lush, rich, long lasting and a great amber scent. I get amber, Myrrh and a bit of wood and spice. I don't think this one has great silage, but just enough, pretty close to perfect. After about 8 hours this is still going strong with very little change for me, but the slight change does bring on a sweeter amber accord, not too sweet, a masculine sort of sweetness that is tempered to just the right degree with what must be patchouli. the dry down is delicious and so sexy. Sort of close to the skin but I still get the feeling that others notice it because I do without smelling my arm. Is it possible to be subtle and intense at the same time? Perhaps "intense" is not the right word because this one hovers gently around me. I love this scent. Very sexy and about the best amber scent I have smelled.

Chergui has a lot of fans and that is good, it is just not for me.
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post #9 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:42pm
My first SL was Chergui and i never looked back. Honey, tobacco, burning notes - it just takes you out to the middle of the desert (in my opinion) But then again i have been poisoned with the SL gene lol
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post #10 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:48pm
Chergui as its one of the few of SL that is easy to like right off the bat.
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post #11 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:50pm
without the option to test, go with the 'Gee
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post #12 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:51pm
If you like a patchouly gourmand (dark chocolate notes) then you might like borneo 1834. I loved patchouly when I was a younger man, and still do.
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post #13 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Gris Clair

This 1!
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post #14 of 73
11/25/11 at 3:58pm
I rate Ambre Sultan and Chergui about equally highly, but Chergui seems to be more popular (at least on BN), so that makes me think that maybe you should go for Chergui. Five O'Clock I also really like, but I feel like I like it rather than love it.
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post #15 of 73
11/25/11 at 4:10pm
Get Douce Amere. Warm boozy (absinthe and vanilla). Delicious and very teenager!
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post #16 of 73
11/25/11 at 4:18pm
I pretty much agree with the above. I have Ambre Sultan and love it after a full wearing. Borneo 1834 is my next purchase from SL. Chergui I need a full wearing yet to make a real decision on it. Fille en Aiguilles sounds awesome too. There are so many Lutens to consider. I think all these posts will only confuse you.
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post #17 of 73
11/25/11 at 10:52pm
Excellent suggestions so far.

Chergui is popular on the boards, and it does smell good, so you'd be safe with that, though there are other SL's which I find personally a bit more interesting (though I do appreciate Chegui and am glad to own it).

Five O'Clock Au Gingembre is also great, and quite versatile. It would probably be one of the easiest to pull off if you had to buy it blind. Not too loud, and nothing really polarizing about it. Overall safe, and worth owning IMO.

Ambre Sultan is fantasic and is probably one of, if not the best ambers in the game. It's heavy and sweet though, and the amber is right up front, going for the throat, so I would make sure you're an amber fan before buying this one blind. I blind bought it, and personally love it, but don't recommend the same method unless you're sure about how much you're into amber. Either way, a knockout fragrance!

There was a suggestion for Borneo 1834, which I think is another winner, but if you go that route be careful, as it might be hard to grasp at first. It's pretty much a strait up camphoraceous cacao and patchouli combo, that's extremely potent and extremely refined smelling (considering the smell that it's going for). Rich and satisfying, however if you go with this one, do not test it on paper, and do not do one of those "free base" sort of scent evaluations where you sniff the spot you sprayed. This scent blends perfectly in the sillage, but can smell a little unusual if you smell it up close IMO. Well worth it, but may present a challenge to some.

Honestly though, all of the suggestions have been great so far.

In my opinion, for a TOTALLY blind buy, I would say Five O'Clock, Chergui, or in the case that you're certain that you're an amber nut, Ambre Sultan (tread with a tiny bit of caution though).
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post #18 of 73
11/26/11 at 12:34am
Go to the The Perfumed Court, LuckyScent or another online retailer that sells samples and get as many different one's to try as you can. I can't stress strongly enough that this house is not good for blind buying.
None of us can know what will smell good to your nose.
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post #19 of 73
11/26/11 at 1:17am
Sampled a lot from the SL house, only one so far I've felt compelled purchase was Muscs Koublai Khan.
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post #20 of 73
11/26/11 at 1:25am
I've only recently started to try the SL house and have much sampling still to do, but without doubt I can see more than a few bottles heading for my collecton in the future. This is a great house. Gris Clair and Fille en Aiguilles I predict will be purchases before too long.
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post #21 of 73
11/26/11 at 2:15am
Ambre Sultan
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post #22 of 73
11/26/11 at 2:28am
ambre sultan or la myrrh
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post #23 of 73
11/26/11 at 3:00am
Chergui or Gris Clair
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post #24 of 73
11/26/11 at 6:12am
I would strongly advise against a blind Serge Lutens purchase. There are several I love and several I can't abide. Gris Clair was my first one. I was surprised to find that I didn't like Chergui, given the massive acclaim it gets here. Serge Noire gets very mixed reviews, but I love it. Five O'Clock... is probably the safest blind buy, but also not one of the most exciting offerings. Again, I'd suggest getting a half dozen samples of the ones you're most interested in and start there.
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post #25 of 73
11/26/11 at 6:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by laph View Post

Go to the The Perfumed Court, LuckyScent or another online retailer that sells samples and get as many different one's to try as you can. I can't stress strongly enough that this house is not good for blind buying.
None of us can know what will smell good to your nose.

+1 ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Muscs Koublai Khan (musky, dirty, spicy)

+1 ...
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post #26 of 73
11/26/11 at 6:46am
Probably five o clock in your case.. it's not too daring and i rarely read absolute dislike comment about this one.
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post #27 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:12am
Since he said he doesn't have the chance to sample right now, my suggestion would be going along with the majority on this one - Chergui and Sultan are both big favorites and there is a reason for it. They are both quite good! Lively fragrances with unique aspects. However, Sultan comes across somewhat herbal to me, and Chergui is a bit thick on my skin. Yet, that being said, I like them both, and wouldn't hesitate to own full bottles of either (if I had the free cash to do so!). For now, my large samples (generously shared by a good friend!) work.
- Another to try when you can: I really like Fille en Aiguilles - why they name it Fille/girl seems to cause 1/2 of the population to not want to try it! It is not at all feminine! It has a woody/pine strong note, but a little sweet underneath. Not super sweet gourmand style, but just enough. A little bit of spice thrown in too!
- If you like leather, Cuir Mauresque is awesome!!!
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post #28 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:17am
Ambre Sultan
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post #29 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:30am
My first Serge Luten's was one that doesn't get too much respect here at Basenotes, but I personally fell in love with it. And that one is Rousse. But, you would have to enjoy cinnamon to like this one as its pretty much the dominant note throughout its duration. To me, it reminds me of fall/winter and the holiday season. (I get visions of potpourri, Xmas candles, and those cinnamon scented brooms and pine cones used for decorations). It certainly wouldn't be a year round signature scent, but I can't get enough of it this time of year. If you enjoy cinnamon at all, it's certainly worth a sample.
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post #30 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:56am
You can get 4 free carded samples from http://www.lamurefavorite.com/ (Mine were post-free to the UK so I expect it's the same to the Netherlands - not sure about HK though!).

OK, not an ideal test but better than a totaly blind buy of a pricey scent.

That said, my 'safety-first' shortlist would be similar to the others - Gris Clair, Chergui, Borneo 1834, Chene.
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post #31 of 73
11/26/11 at 8:33am
Sample Serge Lutens first, at least try to find a way.

Chene is my favorite fragrance (sometimes second to Egoiste), but I didn't even like it the first time I wore my sample. It got stuck in my head and I had to keep trying it, and after testing it about 4 times I realized that I love it. It just 'fits' where ever I go, any situation, but I like that it's lesser known, I don't want everyone wearing it! : )

My top 5:
Chene
Fille en Aiguilles
Serge Noir
Five O'Clock Au Gingembre
Borneo 1834

Obviously I'm big on woods and spices, but I also like La Myrrhe, Douce Amere, Encens et Lavande, and Un Bois Sepia
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post #32 of 73
11/26/11 at 11:13am
5 o'clock au Gimgembre and Ambre Sultan are better as blind buy.
But they're all great m
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post #33 of 73
11/26/11 at 1:29pm
Chergui is my recommendation.
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post #34 of 73
11/26/11 at 4:23pm
Thread Starter 
alright! thanks for all the recommendations guys! i ordered 8 of those sample cards haha, (2 addresses)
gonna snif em out and base my decision on that! thanks for the help guys, realy
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post #35 of 73
11/26/11 at 6:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xqizit View Post

alright! thanks for all the recommendations guys! i ordered 8 of those sample cards haha, (2 addresses)
gonna snif em out and base my decision on that! thanks for the help guys, realy

What have you ordered to sample?
Keep us updated later when it arrives
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post #36 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:32pm
I finally tried all the Lutens tonight at Barneys Scottsdale. I have to side with the Gris Clair recommendations and is the one I walked out with tonight and with all intentions of leaving with Chergui or Borneo 1834, Gris Clair wins. Since already owning and loving Ambre Sultan and purchasing Taste of Heaven just today I felt that Gris Clair was the most wearable to me of the Serge Lutens, what I was in the market for today, versatility. GC has to some sort of Lavender holy grail for me or something, I just cant get enough. Chergui/Borneo 1834 will certainly be my next Lutens purchase but Gris Clair was right up my alley today.

Xqizit please keep us posted !
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post #37 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:44pm
Can't go wrong with any of these, imo:

Fille en Aiguilles
Chene
Chergui
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post #38 of 73
11/26/11 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nersh View Post

I finally tried all the Lutens tonight at Barneys Scottsdale. I have to side with the Gris Clair recommendations and is the one I walked out with tonight and with all intentions of leaving with Chergui or Borneo 1834, Gris Clair wins. Since already owning and loving Ambre Sultan and purchasing Taste of Heaven just today I felt that Gris Clair was the most wearable to me of the Serge Lutens, what I was in the market for today, versatility. GC has to some sort of Lavender holy grail for me or something, I just cant get enough. Chergui/Borneo 1834 will certainly be my next Lutens purchase but Gris Clair was right up my alley today.

You shouldn't say things like this. My credit card and I are on bad enough terms with each other as it is.
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post #39 of 73
11/26/11 at 9:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Gris Clair

I would have to agree with petruccijc and suggest Gris Clair. It would fit properly with you age and it isn't heavy and demanding.
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post #40 of 73
11/27/11 at 5:54am
Thread Starter 
yeaah i was thinking about gris clair too just gotta wait till those sample cards get here haha,
i orderedd...

1 x Fille en Aiguilles Spray 50ml - Carte parfumée [CARTE-2LU227] = 0.00 €
1 x Fumerie Turque - Carte parfumée [CARTE-fumerie] = 0.00 €
1 x Ambre Sultan - Carte parfumée [CARTE-2LU213] = 0.00 €
1 x Gris Clair 50ml Atomiser - Carte parfumée [CARTE-2LU216] = 0.00 €

And 2nd order was

Chergui
five o clock
un bois vanille
and the last one i forgot LOL.

i think my gf picked that one so i dunno, i really wanted to try chene tho, but they dont offer sample cards for that one.. nor do they have borneo :[
il let you guys know what il decide on! and further recommendations and opinions are welcome !
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post #41 of 73
11/27/11 at 1:50pm
You are in Europe ?
If yes you can have all the exclusive line (included Chêne, Bornéo 1834) for free into concretes ... just ask them by mail if you have a postal adress in EU ! It's easy and free.
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post #42 of 73
11/27/11 at 2:42pm
L'eau
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post #43 of 73
11/27/11 at 2:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xqizit View Post

yeaah i was thinking about gris clair too just gotta wait till those sample cards get here haha,
i orderedd...

1 x Fille en Aiguilles Spray 50ml - Carte parfumée [CARTE-2LU227] = 0.00 €
1 x Fumerie Turque - Carte parfumée [CARTE-fumerie] = 0.00 €
1 x Ambre Sultan - Carte parfumée [CARTE-2LU213] = 0.00 €
1 x Gris Clair 50ml Atomiser - Carte parfumée [CARTE-2LU216] = 0.00 €

And 2nd order was

Chergui
five o clock
un bois vanille
and the last one i forgot LOL.

i think my gf picked that one so i dunno, i really wanted to try chene tho, but they dont offer sample cards for that one.. nor do they have borneo :[
il let you guys know what il decide on! and further recommendations and opinions are welcome !

No Douce Amere, why not???

The best lutens, for me.
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post #44 of 73
11/27/11 at 2:52pm
I have plenty of retailers near by to get samples from. I've tried a few and believe in the importance of testing, Ambre Sultan for example, not worth the hype in my opinion, I prefer to cut through the unnappetising medicinal aspects and get straight to the creamy amber, which you can find straight up in other fragrances. Jeux De Peau was also far less mouth watering than I had hoped.
However, I blind bought for MY 21st just the other day: Miel De Bois
I knew I'd love it, and it's absolutely wonderful. I think if you know what you like, and have experience with a brand, a blind buy can be a one off bit of excitement and hopefully you'll pick well!
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post #45 of 73
11/27/11 at 3:10pm
Thread Starter 
^They dont have douce amere on the site XD and i read somewhere that it smells like lolita lempicka, which i found nice, but not awesome

yaa i might email them il see xD
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post #46 of 73
11/27/11 at 8:43pm
+ 1 for Gris Clair

and because you live in Europe you should try also:

Encens et Lavande
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post #47 of 73
11/27/11 at 9:00pm
Another for Chergui
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post #48 of 73
11/30/11 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 
Okay, update yo!

went smelling/sampling most of the export line one's so heres how i felt about some

Gris clair : not really ashy, more like a moisture mist? kind of reminds me of an just ironed piece of cloth the damp that comes off.. im really confused about this one, *snif* ugh smells so dense and misty/metallicish *snif again*, hm.. its quite nice actually.. lil bit sweet with the lavender, i really think this would work better in hot weather tho,

Ambre Sultan : spices spices spices, spices, spices, 2hours later spice + tabacco/lil tad of vanilla 4 hours later Vanilla, amber, spice very smooth but daring and really awesome, BUT the top i do not find wearable and i dont feel like waiting 4hours to get to that awesomeness which lasts about 1 1/2 hours, yes its supposed to be a beast, but no its already gone.

Douce Amere : pretty nice, reminds me of something but cant quite put my finger on it.. has some cacao-ish vibe to it..

Daim Blond : on paper it smelled heavenly, on my skin? not so much.. pretty syntethic citricness imo

Louve : sharp, very sweet, and will def' get cloying in between the Dont like / like zone

Arabie : No. smells like an indian kitchen - smells good, dont get me wrong just not to smell like, and i get a very B.O scent later in the drydown

5 o clock : Honnestly, i do not remember how this one smelled like, i think it was nice? need to resniff...

Jeaux de peau smells like fried rice btw, im chinese, i know.

wel actually, none of you are gonna read what i think of each and every one rofl, so il leave it here

I went with chergui and nuit de cellophane

But im not really sure about nuit de cellophane smells very feminine imo, but i dont have a prob rocking femme scents But, its just that it doesnt really blow my mind plus it smells like alooooot of female fragrances that i sniffed, worth the 63 euros? probably, since it was 20% off(all the perfumes) if it was the full 80 bucks? Uhm, Nahhhh.... So just not to waste this 20% off sale, i might return it tomorow and trade it for something more SL like and unique, no i have not opened the box. i only gave in when my gf said it was sexy and smelled pretty masculine.. but i can get a designer fragrance for half the price which is equally nice..

so yeah might go and swap for Ambre sultan, douce amere, five o clock Or datura noir tomorow, chergui is a stay tho!
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post #49 of 73
11/30/11 at 4:13pm
Douce Amere for me opens with a delicious absinthe them dries down to a warm vanilla. Absolutely heavenly
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post #50 of 73
11/30/11 at 6:17pm
Trade it for the Sultan. It will grow on you.
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post #51 of 73
11/30/11 at 6:27pm
I'll be interested to hear what you think once your samples arrive and you have a chance to live with them for a while.

Personally I felt that Fille en Aiguilles was one of the more masculine scents among the several SL "Basenote darlings" that I've tried, and then darned if my sister didn't go and buy a full bottle for herself.
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post #52 of 73
12/1/11 at 4:05am
Thread Starter 
haha alright, i got a few samples with my purachse one of em was Douce Amere, probably one of the most wearable ones and it has a vanillic choco vibe to it, But is it just me or is it really weak? i cannot smell it unless i put my nose to my hand.. and i dont see this lasting an hour or 2 more.. is it the samples fault or is it just a weak scent? lemme know! also is it similar to lolita lempicka ?
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post #53 of 73
12/1/11 at 5:04am
Remember that Lutens are tricky beasts when it comes to olfactory fatigue. There are many times I thought a few of them were a bit lacking on longevity and sillage until I realized I had totally blown my nose when I was able to still smell it on my clothing/skin 24+ hours later. I mean, there are some that aren't as potent, but the greater majority of the ones I own stick around forever. The Tubereuse Criminelle I just got in the mail transferred from the one spray I put onto my skin, onto one of my blankets several hours later, and stayed there for the course of 3 or 4 days.

Go ultra light on the trigger somewhere on your body a bit further away from your nose when you're testing. Maybe it will help.
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post #54 of 73
12/1/11 at 11:25am
Hang on to those samples and reassess in around 6 months from now. Hopefully, after a lot more sniffing and nose edumacation, you may find that these first impressions no longer hold true. Too bad about the Borneo though.
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post #55 of 73
12/1/11 at 11:46am
Thread Starter 
haha for sure!
okay so i traded it for AMBRE SULTAN
i asked them about this one yesterday as this wasnt sample-able they said it was sold out but they did have a tester behind so she let me test it, she said shed call me if it came in again so we chatted for a little while and told me i could sample as much and as long as i like and today it came in she called i went up there she said, well we only got one of em, no idea why but there are alot more people who reserved this one but il give it to you if you want, and that it'd probably wont be coming for a while anymore so i decided to swap NdC for AS and pick up douce amere next month!
so first SL's : Chergui and Ambre Sultan

<3
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post #56 of 73
12/1/11 at 11:51am
Nice start Xqizit!! Two excellent choices.
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post #57 of 73
12/1/11 at 2:33pm
Thread Starter 
thanks!

Cuir mauresque vs fille en aiguilles?
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post #58 of 73
12/1/11 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xqizit View Post

thanks!

Cuir mauresque vs fille en aiguilles?

Fille all the way around
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post #59 of 73
12/2/11 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
Omg sampled fille today, most disgusting fragrance ever.. it turned my stomach inside out o_o might be the bottles fault i dont know the scented strip i got smells different tho o_o i dont know it smells like arabie with some weird of wet wood note in it. LBUERUBHGH X_X
Fumerie turque, smells pretty okaydont know if ima purchase
cuir mauresque is nice.. but not good enuff to pay the price for it!
douce amere here i cummm
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post #60 of 73
12/2/11 at 2:06pm
Just goes to emphasize for the zillionth time the importance of sampling.

I.e. Everyone to their own taste.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Just Starting Out › help me pick my first serge lutens! :D