Help with a B-day basket of samples...

I am planning on doing a gift basket for my SO for her b-day, and I am afraid I'm a little stumped as to what to get her to try out. She really dislikes sweet florals, and a trip to our local Dillards (about the only place to check fragrance out around here) proved fruitless, with everything being "too sweet/candy like/teeny bopper" etc. She has one perfume, Bella Belara that her mother gave her, and she wears it only occasionally because it's better than nothing. I would like to put together something for her that gives her a decent amount of choice without getting too carried away, while staying away from overly sweet fragrances. I think in the neighborhood of 10 but no more than 15 fragrances should be good. So far, I have decided on ELDO's Rossy de Palma and Delicious Closet Queen for certain, Salvidor Dali for Women (if I can find it), and Dior Poison. Hoping for any suggestions you might make. Thanks for any help!

I'll have to keep that on radar for a holiday gift, I already got her what she asked for (a tablet pc ) and that pretty much took the budget. I'm figuring that I can get what I'm looking for at around $100 from TPC or STC, thanks for the heads up on it!

Estee Lauder Azuree sounds like an excellent choice (she loves my leather fragrances), substituting in Jasmine et cigarette would work as well since it is drier. I'm tempted to get two of the Piguet Bandit so I can try one (we both love dirty fragrances and leather). She doesn't like fresh citrus, but it works out because neither do I, thanks for all the recommendations though Cacio, certainly added some choices on.


The Poison had been recommended to me by a friend, but now that I have had a chance to look it up on the directory I'm not sure why... I suppose this is a good example of why consulting with the board rather than one guy is a good idea. Out of the things I wear she adores Bogart PH, Aramis, and Yatagan. I would like to get her a heavier oriental or two for certain. I think fresh or powdery might not work out, she doesn't seem to like my fresh scents at all. Costes by Hotel Costes sounds good, she does love rose, and Lumiere Noire pour Femme also sounds good, she likes rose, and I like patchouli could work very well! Thanks for the input.

Black Cashmere sounds like an excellent choice, Thanks for the recommendations.

Tam Dao from Diptyque sounds wonderful as well as Gris Clair, thanks for your recommendations.

Well I went ahead and ordered some samples. I ended up getting ELDOs Rien and Rossy De Palma, Lumiere Noire Pour Femme, Tam Dao, Peau D'Espagne, Black Cashmere, Habanita, Bal a Versailles, L'air de Rien, Azuree, Bandit, Costas and Muscs Koublai Khan. I'll be certain to post what she ends up liking. Thanks for all the help.

Just thought I would post a quick update. The B-day was this past weekend and her favorites were ELDOs Rien (we are both enthralled with this one really), she also likes Rossy De Palma, Black Cashmere, Habanita, L'air de Rien, Bandit and Azuree is "okay". The rest were just "hmmmm" for her. Personally I LOVE ELDOs Rien and MKK. I also ADORE Bal a Versailles so much that I'm getting a bottle for myself, despite the SO thinking it smells like "old lady", though when I sampled it today without telling her what it was she was all "is that a new one? It's really good," I also really liked Tam Dao and Peau D'Espagne. Thanks to everyone for the great recommendations, they helped make the gift great!

Thanks for the tip! I blind bought a 1oz of Bijan for Men (I love it) but the first time I wore it, I hit myself with at least six sprays before I stopped. Despite having skin that usually isn't very kind to fragrance, that was a bad day


Thanks again, I had read that there were some differences, but it is good to know about the powdery-ness of the current EDT. I *think* the sample I found is a vintage (or at least some what older) mini of the EDP, but will have to check when I get home. It is wonderfully skanky, and I didn't get the "old lady" vibe that my SO did. Come to think of it I might want to find out where she spends her free time if the old ladies there smell like this stuff!