Layering Frags - Page 5

Which... the Guerlain or the Caron? (I like the roundness of Yatagan when layered with a sweeter base. So Kiehl's OM would be good. Will have to try the Vetiver+KOM combo.)

(as if folks hadn't noticed I really, really love "masculines" on my skin.)

Yardley Lavender plus L.T. Piver Vetiver - it glows.

pure essential oud or patchouli oil with orientals.... just great!

Two questions:
1) According to the Jo Malone layering guide, one is two spray one scent, let it dry and then apply the other. Is this the case for layering in general?

2) Are most mass market fragrances really meant for layering? I mean how does it affect the different stages of each fragrance's composition?

Greyland + Black Tourmaline

I think it matches up real well

I don't know if I'd call that a "layering" as much as I'd call it a strangling!

Layering is a good option when you feel that a fragrance is missing something that another fragrance does well.

I layer Nicole farhi homme with Boss Baldessarini origional - it lasts all day

I once layered Michael Jordan with Diesel Green by mistake and it actually smelled amazing.

Layering is the best way to make sure you won't bump into someone wearing the same thing as you.

I've layered Gaultier 2 with Escada Homme (eau de toilette) and it was gorgeous. I've also layered Christian Dior's Eau Sauvage concentree with Christian Dior's Escala a Pondichery. Very pleased.

I think Gaultier 2 (which comes only in an eau de parfum) makes a nice base to layer with another fragrance in an eau de toilette variation, preferably within a fragrant category closely related to the rich oriental that Gaultier 2 is, either in a woody or floral oriental. I haven't yet tried layering Gaultier 2 with a citrus based fragrance. Gonna have to experiment with that.

That my friend is SOOO true. (I don't think I'll run into anyone layering Bvlgari Black and Guerlain anything, unless they're Basenoters.)

I've never layered before.

You should try it on paper at least.

Yes, Yes, I will try it on paper, Let the experimenting begin.

Good morning, fellow scentologists, scentogenarians, scentrogramarians, and other assorted Eau de Parfumians. How's it goin'? Good, good, good . . .

And if it happens to be the afternoon or evening wherever you might reside, as the old song goes, it's 5 o'clock somewhere, so drinks are on me!

Great to be back on this forum after taking a little break from the world of scent. I've been back into it lately with a new appreciation for all things in fragrante.

And yanno what? I've learned a couple of things after blowing my wad (so to speak) on lots and lots of fragrances: Never, ever blind buy anything. Get a sample first and see how it behaves on your skin. Yes, believe it or not, it took me only six months and probably close to a thousand dollars to learn that lesson. Yeesh! I'm such a dunce!

OK, so with that in mind, I've been kinda playing around with layering various scents in order to come up with a nice combination, but to no avail. In other words, I stink (literally) at layering.

It's funny, isn't it? You try a bunch of stuff, and most of the time you create a pungent mish-mash of utterly foul aromas, but every once in a while you stumble upon that magical, mystical combination that just blows your socks off -- only you can't remember what you did. So you go back into your memory banks, which are of course fried from all that bong resin built up from your ill-spent youth, and you try to recreate that magical elixir that you inadvertently layered without taking notes.

Argh.

That actually happened to me last year. I applied one particular scent in the morning, didn't really like it, and after the dry down, applied another, completely different scent. It was like magic! Only thing is, I didn't keep track of what I did, so I lost it. But it was there! I had it! I briefly created my perfect layered scent, and it worked so well on my skin, it was frightening! I shoulda written it down, but I didn't -- my bad.

And now I'm reluctant to start layering again because, as I've said, I really stink at it.

And so, I'd like to know what kind of successes or failures you've had while attempting to layer two or more fragrances into your perfect A-grade scent. What's your Scentagrade? Hah! What a great name for a fragrance, eh? Scent-A-Grade! Prolly been done . . .

Cheers!

Harry

I 'm a stiff at layering too. Most end up being a sour mess. But here are two very successful ones I've figured out:

"Balenciaga Pour Shamu" : one shot of Lapidus Pour Homme + one shot of Bijan Men (this really does smell like Balenciaga Pour Homme!)

Dark Woody Rose: one shot of Tea For Two (L'Artisan Parfumeur) + one shot of Cabaret (Gres)

Hey shamu, that sounds delicious, I`m gonna try your creation tomorrow!

I'd love to know what you think of it. Feel free to post and tell me I'm full of it.

Are you familiar with what Balenciaga Pour Homme smells like, though?

Dear grandseigneur of classics,
you`ve got me there; i`m not familiar with BpH, but will my ignorance of it diminish my enjoyment of your combo?
I`m going to review your scent cocktail tomorrow...

Well, I haven't tried layering (on purpose anyway) since high school. I mixed everything I could with Adidas Moves (LOL). I thought it gave me a signature scent backbone, or something. IDK.

yep, nice combo. I've also used Bvgari The Rouge for the tea scent with cabaret gres or Rykiel Rose.

I've seen some very daring layering combos in other threads- layering Chanels with other Chanels, and niche scents.! I'm not that adventouous yet but have had success when the layering is used to support or deepen one scent with another. Jo Malone's whole line is based on that principle, n'est-ce pas?.

this is fun

I've never tried layering multiple fragrances, but it seems like it might be a good way of generating that perfect scent.

Are there any basic rules that apply?

I am looking for simple and memorable nuggets of wisdom, if possible, along the lines of: "Don't mix grape and grain." ;-)

Thanks!

No rules per se- for me it's trial and error but i tend to keep it simple- like mixing a tea scent with a floral or fruit scent. Some folks are very adventurous with this, so they will hopefully weigh in for you.

It's a great way to generate new fragrances by mixing one another.

I am an adventurous layerer... and here's what I do:

Sometimes I find a scent I like that makes me think "ooh, THAT note is nice. What if it had a little more of it?"

So I find a scent I like that has THAT note and combine. For example:

Bandit and Bulgari Black: The sharp peppery floral OUT THERE notes in Bandit can sometimes be a bit too much... but I love the leather in Bandit. I was thinking of what might smooth out the sharpness. Sniffing Bulgari Black, the slight sweetness and the leather made me think that these two would go together well. They do. The result softens Bandit and gives BB more OOMPH... and the combo is one of my favorites. More leather, more dimension, a little less "brassy" ... and the sillage and longevity are great. (this is a combination I often get compliments on.)

I guess - trying to break that down into "my rules" - use layering to enhance notes that are not as strong in one scent as in another; Don't combine two or more scents with strong similar notes unless you're aiming for massive sillage, that can result in a big mess;

Darken or deepen lighter scents by using something like oakmoss, vetiver, patchouli, amber, labdanum or musk EO (sparingly) to do so...

Sweeten bitter scents with layers of scent containing vanilla/benzoin (also sparingly)

Lighten too-dark scents with something that has bergamot or lavender

"Butch up" scents with something resinous or woody, amberic, labdanum, oakmossy...

Anyway... that's how I approach it.

Oh... and layer on your skin, not in a bottle. The way I actually spritz is to put the layered scents adjacent to, not atop, one another.

Use your nose and your instincts and experiment! (you can always scrub a layering that doesn't work) Don't be afraid to tinker, it's lots of fun to come up with a great "custom blend" for your skin.

Thanks, actias! Really useful stuff.

I was at a Jo Malone counter yesterday, telling the woman that I want to find a rose that I liked.

So she sprayed their rose fragrance on me, and it was OK. So then she layered Black Vetyver Café on top and then a repeat of the rose... and to my surprise, it was really good. To quote the post above, the black vetyver cafe, "butched" up the rose, took it out of old lady and into sexy tom-boy.

Try one note fragrances like Demeter. Than you can see what notes you like to mix. Or just like already was written just try anything and find the pattern

Hi everyone- I've recently started layering different scents to create new smell sensations! My favourite is Vent Vert by Balmain layered with A Taste of Heaven by Kilian.

Which combinations work for you?

An incredible combination discovered quite by accident- Penhaligon's Night Scented Stock and Lorenzo Villoresi's Teinte de Neige
INTOXICATING!!

Sheglows.

............

I don't actively try and find combinations, but I, too, have found a couple nice ones by accident.. Beige + Havana Vanille, and My Sin (llp version) + Kelly Caleche edt.

........

I don't necessarily mix in the same spot. My combo's:
Louve, Lutens and Rose Oud (sample) or Cruel Intentions (sample) by Kilian.
Tiny bit of So New York, Bond 9 and more Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca by Guerlain.
Roots by Sarah Horowitz (sample) and L'eau de Neroli by Diptyque.

Encre Noir + Bvlgari Black = im not a dude, not your ordinary girl either

I like CdG Avignon with a little Anayake Miyako on top.

An effect like L'Heure Bleue, and something like Rive Gauche PH. I started with YSL Jazz--I sprayed two sprays on each arm, and let it dry down for five minutes or so. Then, on my left arm, I put about three dabs (not a spray bottle) of Bal a Versailles. It became like L'Heure Bleue! On my right arm, I added two very light sprays of Stetson Original--it became like Rive Gauche! I suppose your mileage may vary, depending on the balance, but it is fun. Has anyone else had interesting results?

guerlain vetiver (2000 edition) two sprays on top of polo explorer........it does something nice to gv

I've tried Acqua Di Gio on top of 1 Million.. its pretty good

Latest layering fave for me is Creed Santal Imperial overlaid with just a very, very small spray of Creed Original Santal. It's sandalwood heaven.

Once a long time ago I tried layering Be Bop Man with Alamo but didn't like the result. Never tried layering again.

From Bond No.9.....Central Park and Little Italy.....Cooper Square and Washington Square!!!
Giorgio Armani Gio Pour Homme and Code Pour Homme!!!
Gary

2x Kilian Pure Oud + 1x Dorissima Narziß

Love them both on their own, but even better layered.

Musc Ravaguer with Muscs Koublai Khan.

I like to layer Black Aoud after several hours of enjoyment with any scent, I´m in the mood for.

Femenine scents with strong foral top notes, I layer them with patchouly essence and it does the trick: I do so when wearing Opium, Aromatics Elixir and Shalimar, they always get compliments.

C&S Dark Rose + Heeley Cardinal

Le Labo's bergamot over their orange.

Rose squared...

Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Tobacco Vanillie

Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Black Orchid

Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Oud Wood

All are very nice.

TFord Italian Cypress with Malone's Sweet Lemon

*Takes notes*

I love a generous body spray of anything very green like Sisley Eau de Campaigne with some Diesel Fuel For Life dabbed on my pulse points. The overripe oranges in FFL sweeten the bitter grassiness of EdC and the whole thing plays like a delicious outdoor orchestra. I never, ever layer scents in the same place - in my experience this leads to disaster.

I will be layering Creed SMW with Creed VIW very soon. A Creed rep demoed the combo for me and it's awesome! I own both but I have not gotten around to trying it.

2 Encre Noir 1/2 Anice by Etro

Probably one the best scents I have ever smelled was when a Bond no 9 consultant layered Silver Factory on top of New Haarlem. He would spray one for one with Silver Factory on top. It absolutely made New Haarlem smell like the classiest scent I have ever come across. Oh, and he would spray each at around 12-16 inches away.

one of my best layerings is Obsession for Men and Obsession.

see, the girlfriend wears the Obsession, and...

well, there's a technique to it, that's all I'm saying..

dirty english on top of the base notes of mechant loup and encre noire on top of base notes of mugler cologne
Allan

Coney Island and Brooklyn by Bond No.9
Gary