1. What was the first fragrance you ever owned?
2. What was the first fragrance you bought as a perfumista?
3. What was the last fragrance you bought?
Note: image is Pink/green tulip [cropped] by rick ligthelm at flickr; some rights reserved.
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Good morning, NST!!
The first perfume I ever bought was Escada Rockin’ Rio.
The first perfume I bought as a fumie was Bond No. 9 New Haarlem.
And the last perfume I bought was a rollerball of Narcisco Rodriguez For Her EDT. I hadn’t smelled it in years and had totally forgotten how sensual it is!
Waving at Ari! School going okay? Was thinking about you the other day.
Sweet Mals, thank you so much for thinking of me! Classes are very tough (so much for senior spring!), but they are over awfully soon- May 3!
Three quick answers!
First fragrance: Avon’s carnation
First perfumista buy: PG L’Eau Rare Matale
Most recent buy: second bottle of SL Bas de Soie
Wow, great 1st buy! Wish I had a bottle of the PG.
My first fragrance was White Shoulders. I don’t consider myself a perfumista. I am just getting back into fragrance after not using it for years. However, after reading the reviews on Now Smell This, I have bought several Demeter frangrances, I’ve ordered a Pacifica frangrance, and I’ve delved into niche perfume houses by way of samples. The trick is to find niche that I can afford. And as for the last question – again, after reading Now Smell This, I went to Marshall’s yesterday and scored several old favorites – Sunflowers, Nautica Woman, and Liz Claiborne, all of which I loved in the 1980’s and 90’s. I also bought unsniffed Ellen Tracey by Ellen Tracey, which I really like.
Sunflowers was one of the first perfumes I bought for myself from my meagre student grant. I wore it a lot during a summer in Vienna when I spent a lot of time in the city parks studying/daydreaming/basking in the sunshine. I know it gets bad press on perfume blogs but I still like it now and then for the memories of the sunny days in Vienna.
An unasked question, but Sunflowers was the first perfume I desperately wanted at about 12 years old! I wonder how I would like it now?
Happy, Happy Weekend Everybody!! It has been a challenging week both globally and personally, so I am delighted to kick back briefly and reflect on perfume!
1–I don’t know if it was the first fragrance I ever owned (I think I used to “sneak spray” my mom’s White Shoulders), but I did go overboard for Love’s Fresh Lemon.
2–I have always been aware of the scent, and its power, but the first big ticket items were Malle’s Une Rose and Lutens A La Nuit while on a trip to Paris.
3–Picked up some wonderful, beautiful bargains with two bottles from Ineke–Poet’s Jasmine and Sweet William.
Here’s hoping for a wonderful weekend and a better week ahead.
That Sweet William is really nice. Not what I expected, at all, but really nice.
So right, Mals…I found myself wearing it nearly everyday throughout this damp and cold spring.
Oh, the Loves Lemon was great. I had a Loves set that came with Baby Soft, Lemon, Jasmine, and the Rain scent. I would saturate myself.
LOL–saturate is the right word….or maybe marinate!
I keep meaning to pick up the Ineke sample set–seems like such a good deal. Are there other scents you consider worth a sniff? Does that house have an identifiable feel?
Yes, I think that there is an identifiable somethin’-somethin’ about these scents. In addition to ones above, I also have Briar Rose and thanks to the recent NST Swaparama, I have a sample of Field Notes from Paris, which I love–it does not appear to be as long lasting on me as the other three (those were from the collection sold at Anthropologie). Given the option of a reasonable sample set or trolling the sales at Anthro, I think they are worth a serious sniff.
I won an Ineke travel spray set from an NST giveaway contest recently, and the set included S. William, P. Jasmine, as well as Angel’s Trumphet and Scarlet Larkspur. The SW is potent, potent, POTENT, to me anyway. I last wore it sometime in late February and I can still get whiffs of it on my clothes. Note to self: one or two short sprays will suffice with this frag. I, too, also love the Jasmine, and have found the Trumphet growing on me.
Marjorie, do you have your eye on those in particular (Sweet William and Poet’s Jasmine)? If so, double check to make sure they’re in the sample set before you order–at least when I ordered, the set was just the house line, rather than including the collaboration with Anthro.
But now I am so curious to hear what you’d think of them–seeing you mention Gris Clair and Ubar below makes me wonder if you’ll find them a little tame. They’re very well-crafted and beautiful but I could see wishing they had a little more oompf. Also I know some people don’t care for the base. But actually the sample set could be the perfect solution for getting to enjoy them occasionally even if you don’t feel a need to wear regularly. Like the many paintings I am happy to look at in a museum without necessarily wishing they could be hanging over the couch in my living room!
Yes, I do like my scents to have some body and presence to them! I find Jo Malone universally uninteresting. Are they as light (and to my nose, lacking nuance) as that?
The ones sold under her own name and webside, as opposed to the Anthropolgie are full bodied, with Field Notes in Paris being exceptionally full bodied. I would characterize them as having a classic basis with modern expression.
I think that’s why Field Notes and Sweet William get a lot of love on this site….they are full bodied and make a statement….I like the dry down on both (actually on all of them), which is why I find them worth the investment. Jo Malone is lovely, but not my cup of tea—Ineke however has captured me.
Ah, well it def is sounding like you’ll have to try them and tell us what you think because at least on me, I’m not sure I would describe any of them as “full-bodied”, so clearly it can seem different to different skin/noses!
For my two cents, I do think they’re more complex than the Jo Malones, and don’t get me wrong, I actually really like the sample set, wept when I first sprayed After My Own Heart and have since acquired a bottle. (Snagged Scarlett Larkspur and Poet’s Jasmine on sale at Anthro, too.) But I say this while regarding my own taste as running a bit lightweight–there are several Jo Malones I do like (Blackberry & Bay, Pom Noir, Wild Fig & Cassis, Dark Amber & Ginger Lily), and by contrast I regard my Amouage sample set a bit mournfully, as I haven’t been able to make any of them really work for me. (I like Memoire fine but I don’t need it; others, really no. Haven’t tried Ubar yet though! Maybe that’ll change my mind!) So, you know, evaluate the usefulness of my rec accordingly! 🙂
CH, you should perhaps try Evening Edged in Gold which is very full bodied! It is quite a sweet fruity Osmanthus with Saffron. Definitely has presence. And (a confession) Amouage doesn’t work that well for me either. It may be that it is too sophisticated, or it may be that the perfumes are somehow too ‘finished’ and complete…
Heh, very relieved to hear I’m not the only one for whom Amouage isn’t quite .
Thanks for the rec, I’ve got Evening Edged in Gold on now next to the new JM Osmanthus Blossom as well as SL Sa Majeste La Rose. Osmanthus Blossom is definitely the lightest (and also least interesting, alas) of the three, and Evening Edged in Gold does have more presence than I remembered; but still I think maybe my skin is swallowing something there (or perhaps anosmia is another possibility?), as Sa Majeste smells like it has a lot more to it than does Evening. Or maybe I’ve got different associations with the term “full-bodied”?? Haha, I suppose it becomes sorta hard to pin down!
Oops hit reply too fast, hadn’t quite finished that first though–although to say Amouage isn’t quite [blank] for me, well, that sorta sums it up–I am really not so sure why it doesn’t work for me, but, the fact remains!
Ah have now solicited an outside opinion–indeed it must be my skin swallowing Evening Edged in Gold as the consensus here is that Sa Majeste is still playing a lot strong (even though I sprayed it about an hour early. One spritz each.)
I think the first proper perfume that I ever owned was a miniature of Trésor. I must have been about 12 and I adored that thing, it felt like such a luxury.
Not sure where to draw this particular line since I have always loved perfume. I think that the first bottle that I went and bought for myself (rather than asking my parents to buy for me) was probably YSL In Love Again.
Ahem…a set of 3 x 12 ml Philosykos travel spray refills earlier this week. They are £30 so great value already and Space.NK insisted on giving me £10 off. How was I supposed to say no to that? Can’t be done, right?
One can never say no to Philosykos – my SOTD on this gorgeous sunny day!
Ah, in that case we are SOTD twins!
1) Antelope and Vent Vert.
2) Mitsouko
3) Like This.
1) and 3) are 50 years apart.
Oh indeed I think saying no to that would just seem ungrateful 😉
And since I’d hate ever to seem ungrateful, I will now go look for these travel sprays myself. Just to be polite; would not want to hurt L’Ombre Dans L’Eau’s feelings. (In EDP?? Crossing fingers this exists?)
Just had a look on Space.NK website and they say that the available scents are Philosykos, Ombre dans l’Eau, Tam Dao, Eau Duelle and Do Son. I don’t think they come in EDP, though.
Oh thanks so much for checking–the U.S. site isn’t showing any travel sprays at all so I thought maybe I was just missing out. No I think you’re correct, maybe the travel sprays don’t come in the EDP. I’m not seeing the EDP on the Diptyque website either (any version.) Alas! Maybe a decant will need to be in my future instead.
Oh, I had a mini of Tresor too! Forgot all about that.
Good afternoon my sweethearts! Spring has finally appeared in Poland and it brought me a quick cold but I’m totally fine now with my nose ready to sniff more!
1. My first perfume was either a Puma Create Man or Oriflame S8, I can’t remember which one was first.
2. Prada Amber Pour Homme was the first fragrance I bought as a perfumista, it started my perfume adventure for good.
3. It was Carner Barcelona D600 bought for my 23rd birthday, didn’t buy anything new since then but I’m gonna purchase something new in May, maybe it’s finally time to acquire Iskander?
Today I’m in Atelier Cologne Sous le toit de Paris, which I reviewed today. Don’t know why this great perfume has almost no reviews online.
Hello Scent Twin Lucas, I’m also in Atelier Cologne Sous le toit de Paris today. I’m going to a Portuguese restaurant for dinner later today and will need to have a SOTE that would not be overwhelming in the car for a 45 minute drive along with 4 other people AND that would work in a restaurant with roasted meats smells.
Isn’t it great we’re wearing the same perfume today? Dinner at a Portuguese restaurant sounds like fun. Maybe you could go in Diptyque Volutes or Comme des Garcons Kyoto? Do they sound like a match for some roasted meat.
First fragrance: It was either Exclamation! or Electric Youth (HAHA)
First perfumista purchase: Comme Des Garcons Wood Coffee
Most recent: Jo Malone Sugar and Spice in Lemon Tart (YUM!)
Have a great weekend!
I still smell perfumes to this day that remind me of Electric Youth (and that makes me smile) – ain’t no shame!
It seems that every fruity floral on the market has an Electric Youth moment at some point in its development, yet none quite get it right. The closest I’ve ever found is the first Avril Lavigne scent.
I agree there is no shame. I wore EY and Exclamation! (I think everyone did.) I don’t care for fruity florals in general, but I would give just about anything for a bottle of Electric Youth. It was good stuff back then.
When I smelled that Justin Bieber thing in the springy bottle, Electric Youth was the first thing that came to mind.
I didn’t own Electric Youth, but I *did* go to a Debbie Gibson concert back in the day. . .
One of my college (yes, college) boyfriends was a huuuuuuge Debbie Gibson fan.
He did grow up. 🙂 Bank exec, happily married father, spends his spare time performing in musical theater productions. Still a good friend.
Oh, too funny! And how very openminded of you to date a fella who was willing to admit to being a Debbie Gibson fan! 😉
Well, now I have that song in my head, lol.
I actually have a box of my old casette tapes, Electric Youth included. I do not remember the perfume, though.
Hi everybody!
Well, I can’t see the definite borderline between my being a perfume user and my being a perfumista. I guess I have always been a frag fan deep in my soul, just didn’t use to afford to buy frags. But still…
1. My first miniature chosen by myself was Coriandre by Jean Couturier. I was a student then. It was about 20 years ago.
2. I consider Serge Lutens Sa Majeste La Rose my first “advanced” buy. It was 7 years ago.
3. I have never been to Paris but my pupil is there now. And according to my order she has already bought me Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule and Frederic Malle Une Rose.
I’m wondering how to draw that line, too (commented on it below before I saw this)! Is it interest or purchases that defines us?
#1. Was probably Emeraude
#2. Definintely Lutens’ Ambre Sultan–also my first international order
#3. Blumarine Innamorata
Love Emeraude… (Hi, Sharon!!)
Yes, Emeraude is so lovely! What a great first perfume.
In Junior High I sat next to a girl on the bus who wore Emeraude. I always liked it but have not found a modern version that smells like my memory of it. Maybe I need to try it with a base of school bus funk. 😉
That could be a big seller for Demeter…”School Bus Funk “
The first I ever bought was Maroussia (Slava Zaitsev, I think). The first I bought as a perfumista was Etat Libre d’Orange Like This, and the last one I bought was Scherrer. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
Hi Ajda 🙂 My first boyfriend bought Maroussia for me when I was 20 for my birthday in June. I didn’t understand that scent at that time. It was too strong, too overwhelming. But when autumn and then winter came I fell in love so deeply with it! Even now when I write about it it brings smile to my face.
I’m a little afraid to smell it now so many years later, but I adored it at the time! Definitely not a summer scent, though :).
I love Like This! Such a happy, interesting scent. Great choices!
1. The very first perfume I ever owned was an Avon rollerball that didn’t seem to have a name, or at least I can’t remember a name. The first one I do remember by name was Coty Muguet des Bois.
2. This is hard to answer, as I have always loved perfume, so I cannot pinpont a time when I became a perfumista. I think my first non-mainstream purchase may have been SL Bois de Violette.
3. Amouage Dia Woman.
I would like to add that the Avon rollerball was when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It had a plastic flower on the cap–a daisy I think–so Marc Jacobs was not the first to do that.
Ooh, I remember having the Avon with the daisy as well. Wish I could remember the name. 🙂
Miss Lollypop?
#1: Chanel 19 (gift from one of my first bosses – a woman)
#2: Ambre Sultan
#3: Elizabeth Taylor Gardenia (for $7.99 at TJ Maxx a few days ago) – synthetic-y, but not too bad
Happy spring everyone!
Wow, nice score at TJ Maxx.
I just got ET Gardenia too! Also at TJ Maxx. It is actually pretty nice, if a bit lighter than I would’ve expected. The far drydown gets a bit thin but overall it was worth the $8. I think it’ll be fun to experiment with layering it.
I’m going to have to take a look at my T. J. Maxx for this!
If I remember correctly, you’re in Houston too, right? I don’t know what part of town you’re in, but I got mine at the TJ Maxx on Memorial near Wilcrest. They had several bottles so I don’t think they’re in any danger of running out. I also snagged a Penhaligon’s Elixir body scrub in the clearance section there so you never know what you’ll find.
Yes I am, and thanks!
Chanel 19, wow nice boss with good taste!
#1) Some Avon solid thing for kids in a cute worm-in-apple compact. Can’t remember how it smelled. Pretty sure I was in kindergarten at the time… the first one I WORE consistently was the old Karl Lagerfeld Chloe, a gift from my grandmother.
#2) Diorissimo, a tester bottle labeled 2006
#3) Jacomo eau de parfum Sublime. Which is great, really, just what I *wanted* the No. 19 Poudre flanker to be (I was pretty disappointed in Poudre).
I had that Avon solid perfume too! Wow, as soon as you mentioned it I could picture it in my mind. Talk about a trip down memory lane!
Afternoon everybody! Such a nice and beautiful sunny day we have here in London today!
1) My first perfume was Laura Biagiotti Laura when I was around 19. Reminds me carefree teenage years and my first big love 🙂
2) First fragrance as a perfumista was Amouage Dia. At the time it was unbelievable for me to spend such amount of money on perfume but with every next time it became easier and easier!
3) Last perfume I bought was Guerlain Rose Nacree du Desert and I absolutely adore it.
4) And sorry for adding extra point but I just have to add it: next on the list is MFK Amyris. It smells like freesias to me, my ever favourite flower. So I kind of have to have it.
PS I love going through these lazy Saturday posts.
I love how scents can transport us to past loves and lusts! 🙂
Like freesias you say!? This (along with Daphne) is my very favourite flower smell and I’m yet to find a perfume that comes close to the real smell…
It’s not exactly freesia, but to me it’s very, very close, very freesia like, if I can say like that. Ok, so I just compared my fresh bunch of freesias to a paper sample with Amyris and here is my impression: under very freesia like scent of flowers on the top there is very delicate woody note in the background of Amyris that makes it deeper and also adds some volume to flowers This is as close as I can describe it! Please try it, I’m so interested if you feel the same?
PS I’ve been looking for a perfume with dominant freesia for some time now and I cannot find anything I like… Any look on your side Lizziemarian?
Beata, haven’t tried yet, but mean to: Ineke’s Balmy Days & Sundays lists freesia as the 1st note.
Hi Beata, thanks for the description I’ll definitely get a sample and have a smell. I’ve tried both Demeter’s Freesia and Diptyque’s Ofresia but did not find either to be exactly right. The one perfume I have found to have a great freesia note in it is Amouage’s Reflection. I think this perfume is disliked by most people but I have to say that when I tried it on my skin I thought wow this smells exactly like the freesias that grow in my Grandmother’s garden! It moves onto other notes after a while and of course being an Amouage it is wildly expensive but I do like to have a sample on hand so I can enjoy the freesia phase! I’ll have to try and smell the Balmy days and Sundays!
1. What was the first fragrance you ever owned?
Love’s BabySoft – I still love powdery fragrances!
2. What was the first fragrance you bought as a perfumista?
Like so many commentors, where does one draw the line between the scent nut I am today and the pre-internet, pre-perfumista-even-being-a-term era? I guess I knew I was “different” when I was 13, at Nordstrom, telling the SA I wasn’t interested in CK One (it was huge that year), but I’d like to get some Cristalle.
3. What was the last fragrance you bought?
MFK Lumiere Noire pour Femme – that was back in December. We’re under budget lockdown since we close on a house soon, and I’m being so, so good.
LNpf is really gorgeous.
I had a bottle of Love’s too – fabulous stuff in it’s day.
1. The first fragrance I ever owned was Avon’s Tinkerbell, but it was given to me as a gift when I was about three so I’m not sure it counts. The first one I owned because I asked for it was Coty’s Muguet de Bois. I’d actually like to own a bottle of that again.
2. My first perfumista fragrance was Fracas. I found it for 80% off at a closeout sale. I bought it unsniffed, but knew all the five star reviews wouldn’t steer me wrong. It seemed like a must have for a “collection.” I absolutely adore it and later found out it is my MIL’s signature scent. It opened up a great conversation and connection that I am happy I will be able to tell her grandchildren about someday.
3. My most recent purchase was Parfums Delrae Debut. I bought it unsniffed when Barney’s had it half off. (I’m seeing the pattern here…) I like it, and apprecitate the idea of its tribute to Diorissimo, but it doesn’t really do it for me. Nothing will ever compare to Diorissimo, even in its current formula. I am happy for the chance to try the two side by side, though. It was a great learning opportunity.
What a fun poll!
What a great deal on the Fracas, and I’m so glad it worked out for you! That is one I wish I could love, but we’re just acquaintances for now. 🙂
I doubt I would have bought it at full price. I appreciate it, but it wears me. It melts into my MIL’s skin in the most glorious way though. I hope someday I’ll find a scent that suits me the way Fracas does her.
1st fragrance : Ocean Dream by Giorgio di Beverly Hills
(I know GdB is not very much appreciated nowadays but
this fragrance earned me a lot of compliments during my high school
years- 1996)
2) My first “niche” perfume: Carnal Flower Frederic Malle
3) My last niche acquisition :L’artisan Parfumeur: Caligna
1. My first perfume, aside from the various Avon fragrances I had when I was 5 and 6, was probably Anais Anais or Sunflowers.
2. My first “perfumista” purchase was SSS To Dream. My husband bought me Lyric for Women before that though, so that was probably my first upscale perfume.
3. My most recent purchase was a decant of 31 Rue Cambon. I feel a FB may be in my future. I also blind bought Cacharel Amor Amor from TJ Maxx the other day. I don’t usually blind buy but it was so inexpensive and, if I don’t care for it, I have nieces who will likely appreciate it.
Happy weekend everyone!
Nicole
I LOVE SSS To Dream. Up until I bought the 17 mL of To Dream and Forest Walk, my entire SSS collection was made up of samples.
To Dream really is beautiful. It reminds me of home. When updating my spreadsheet of samples the other day, I realized I have many samples from SSS. I also love Jour Ensoleille. So many beautiful fragrances in the line. 🙂
My first fragrance (I begged my dad to get it for me when I was 14) was Halston Z-14.
The first fragrance I purchased for myself was KL Homme by Karl Lagerfeld (followed by the Body Shoppe’s White Musk and Hermes BelAmi).
The first fragrance I bought when I started collecting scents was Montale Black Aoud.
The last 2 fragrances I bought (after MUCH lemmings….) were SL Silver Iris Mist and Kylian Rose Oud.
That was a great little trip down memory lane – haven’t thought about KL Homme in years…would love to score a vintage bottle someday!
You had good taste as a young ‘un!
I think Rose Oud is totally wonderful. I’ve tried a lot of rose + oud combinations and it seems to be the best.
1) First perfume I was permitted to use was my mother’s vintage O de Lancôme. First bottle I owned was a purse spray of White Diamonds my mother gave me when I left for college – “going out” perfume as she called it (although I hardly wore it – always seemed a bit much and maybe I was not going out enough!).
2) I have always been interested in perfume and am not sure when I crossed the line into perfumista territory. First niche purchase was probably Tam Dao.
3) The last fragrance-related purchase was an Amouage sample set although the last full bottles were L’Occitane Eaux des Baux and India Hick’s Spider Lily.
!’m not too sure about my parfumista status either! I reckon I always was one, even at the age of three when I “stole” sniffs of my auntie’s perfume from her dressing table. My first purchase with pocket money was when I was about eight – Blue Nile from Woolworths – can still smell it, but have no idea who made it. Perhaps I became a fully fledged parfumista when Ifirst spent a lot of money on one bottle of vintage Infini by Caron; I think it was worth it. And my latest purchase has been a backup bottle of OJ Ta’if, which I think is heavenly.
1. First fragrance I ever owned: a little mini Cover Girl Navy that I cherished and wore for several years. LOVED THAT STUFF. I just bought a mini of it in the last year and I’ve been scared to revisit it.
2. First fragrance I bought as a perfumista: I got Estee Lauder Sensuous right when I was falling down the hole.
3. The last fragrance I bought for myself was Ineke Sweet William. Have done some gifting and receiving since then, though.
I have a soft spot for Sensuous! I don’t own it, but I’ve gone through several samples. I’ll probably give in and buy a discounted bottle some day. . .
I liked Navy too.
I think maybe my mom bought me a box set of that from the drug store many, many years ago. . . I don’t recall being thrilled, but I have no memory of how it smelled. :-/
1. I bought a tiny bottle of CK One when I was 12 or 13, on my first trip to Germany. Both the trip and the fragrance were a big thing – Estonia had only just regained its independence and perfume was something so exciting and totally un-Soviet.
2. Fracas. I wore it for months, morning, day and night, everywhere. Still love it.
3. I haven’t bought anything after my Paris haul. But everything I bought – ISM, Weekend and Le Temps d’une Fete plus the content of the Malle coffret – is getting a lot of wear.
Thats really cool – having a specific scent associated with major political change!
First perfume I owned was Sweet Honesty
First perfumista level purchase–The Different Company’s Bois d’ Iris
Most recent purchase–bought The Bug yesterday and am waiting for Sacrebleu arrive
I had a bottle of Sweet Honesty as a grade schooler, it was given to me by a classmate for my birthday. Was yours in the figural bottle of the Dutch girl done in blue plastic and glass? I thought it was the coolest thing ever!
My mom sold Avon briefly when I was young,and it was the figural bottle. I think I had a white one too that maybe contained Honeysuckle–I think that one was a shepardess
1. Must have been Brut! I keep meaning to buy a bottle at the drug store and see if it, you know, brings anything back to me.
2. EL BP for Men: The Guide urged it and it was at my Nordstrom.
3. Decants: Dzing, Timbuktu, Divine L’homme de Coeur, Ormonde Man, SSS Forest Walk, PdN New York and Odalisque, Eau d’Hermes and Bel Ami, and CdG Odeur 53. Yeah, Kevin.
What an excellent bunch of decants!
thanks-when you follow Robin’s blog, your decants start to look like that.
So true! I ordered myself a TPC care package last year after I was sick of *still* not trying about 2 dozen well-loved scents. I don’t regret it!
Brut was THE thing when I was in high school, esp as worn by a sweaty guy. One whiff and I’m mentally standing by my locker.
Lol at the ‘Yeah, Kevin!’:)
Like Marjorie Rose writes above, I was “sick of still not trying,” but I also want to give credit where it’s due for ideas about what to try.
1. The first perfume(s) I owned were Ange ou Demon Le Secret and MJ Bang. If you expand the definition to essential oils, I used to get this lovely Dragon Blood essence in high school, and later a Sandalwood Vanilla essential oil. Both were liberally dabbed on wrists and décolletage.
2. My first “perfumista” fragrance was probably Gris Clair, depending on how you define the line between perfumista and non-perfumista status.
3. My latest bottle was Ubar, purchased last month due to all you friendly enablers!
Going back to question 2–how does one define when you have crossed the line into being a perfumista? Do I say I was a perfumista when I started reading NST and learned that term? Do I say the line is when I created my first “To Sniff” list (which was a little later)? Do I say when I bought my first niche fragrance (does this even qualify as a necessity of perfumistahood?)?
Well, *I* think it’s when you first begin to think of yourself as a person with a serious interest in perfume. Self-defined. 🙂
But what about that long period when you’re really into it, but it feels so big and impenetrable? I don’t think I felt safe calling myself a perfumista until I slowed down with “newbie questions.”
Hm, yes having been in the game less than a year, I’m probably not qualified to answer this (am I even one? Maybe not!) But the closest related question I care about is just, is this person actively interested enough to have a conversation with about fragrance? An astonishing number of people have, since I caught the mania, told me they don’t even know the name of the fragrance they spritz on every morning! That can kind of bring the perfume conversation to a halt! But anyone who has a bit of interest/enthusiasm for it can be fun to chat with, regardless of how extensive their knowledge base is. (And actually one of the people who said she didn’t even know the name of what she wore has since sent me a photo of the bottle–l’Eau d’Issey–and a request that we go perfume shopping together the next time I’m in town! So, maybe there’s a perfumista in her after all!)
I like that definition–a willingness to have a thoughtful conversation about perfume!
I *have* had some folks say they’d like to go perfume shopping with me since I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole, but I don’t think I’ve “converted” anyone yet. (Haven’t “earned my toaster” as we used to say in the queer community. . . come to think of it–not sure if that phrase was popular outside the Twin Cities in the nineties. . . please someone let me know!)
Ha, I hadn’t heard that expression but it’s a great one!! Def adopting it.
🙂 I want to say that it came from Ellen Dejeneres, making a comment about the “gay agenda,” the idea being that we could earn greater and greater prizes with the more folks “converted,” sort of like Mary Kay!
Dying laughing. So there’s a pink Cadillac for the really successful recruiters among us?!
Absolutely! A pink cadilac filled with Chanel Exclusifs in the back seat! 😀
Great definition, Mals, and I totally agree!
Gosh, that sounds like discussions from another era when my brother’s friends debated how many concerts one would have attend before earning the right to call oneself a “deadhead.”
I’m in favor of self definition here. For me, I’ll date becoming a “pefumnista” as of my first trip to AEDES in NYC.
1. First fragrance I ever owned was CK One. What can I say, it was the early 90’s and I was an impressionable tween.
2. First fragrance I purchased as a perfumista back in 2009 was Frederic Malle L’eau d’Hiver. I sprang for the 100ml bottle at my local Barneys and used a gift card I had there. One of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
3. The last fragrance I purchased (and the only one I’ve purchased this year so far) is Bottega Veneta. Heavenly, I tell you! And I didn’t have to pay full price because I had a few Nordstrom Notes to put down – but I would have paid full price for the juice, anyway, it’s that fabulous.
Just to add on to #2: I have always loved and worn perfume (niche and mainstream), but it was always a signature scent sort of thing. I didn’t fall down the rabbit hole/discover NST/understand what a scent wardrobe was all about until 2008. That’s the year I blossomed into a perfumista, I think. So when I finally plunked down cash for a bottle of L’eau d’Hiver the following year, I felt changed somehow. For the better, obviously. 🙂
Love what you say about “blossoming” into perfumistahood, and L’eau d’Hiver is SOOoooo lovely and versatile!
Thanks, Marjorie Rose! Isn’t L’eau d’Hiver dreamy? So easy to wear, too.
L’eau d’Hiver was one of my first ‘ista buys. Got a sample on EBay then plunked for 50 ml at Barneys. I’d read Chandler Burr’s piece about JC Ellena in the New Yorker.
Yes, L’eau d’Hiver is what I think of first when I learn a scent is an Ellena creation. I think that I, too, heard him speak about it somewhere and his intellectualism and artistry seem perfectly combined in this one!
I don’t think CK One is a bad choice for a tween, but I am biased, of course (see above).
Happy to have company on Ck One front, Annikky! 🙂
I keep CK One in the fridge and liberally spritz it on when the summer weather is particularly oppressive. Mow the back yard, run in the house for water and a CK One spritz, mow the front yard all refreshed!
1) Cristalle, the good old iteration
2) Does 31 RC count as niche? If not, then PdN’s Odalisque
3) Vintage Mitsouko. Love the chypre genre, but not sure about this one–wanted to own as reference anyway
1. What was the first fragrance you ever owned?
This is hard to pinpoint! When I was 11 or 12 I remember having a little coffret of Victoria’s Secret fragrances, which must have been a gift from someone other than my mother, who hated perfume, but I also had a couple of Chanel mini’s from my grandmother. When I was 13 or 14 I started getting some real bottles — I remember Eternity (Escape was the one I actually wanted!) and cK One being on my dresser in junior high! I also had a big bottle of Polo Sport lotion which I can totally still smell in my mind.
2. What was the first fragrance you bought as a perfumista?
Again, hard to pinpoint the exact transition to perfumista, but one of the first things I bought after reading Perfumes: The Guide cover to cover was Gucci Envy. I think I bought a bottle of Kenzo Parfum d’Ete at the same time, in the leaf bottle (I have since given this one to a friend, though I wish I still had a little).
3. What was the last fragrance you bought?
A small bottle of Meerschaum in the Liz Zorn clearance sale.
1. Bought myself a .25 of Parure when it came out. For juice and bottle. Cost $15.
2. Always loved perfume. Pilgrimage to the Perfume House in Portland, from LA earned me my card.
3. Opardu
I am jealous of your Opardu, it’s perfect for spring.
1. Oh, dear. I think I’ve blocked out all of the horrible “designer knock-offs” I marinated myself in during the ’80s-’90s. I just hope everyone has forgiven me for scorching their nostrils with my perfume transgressions from those days. 🙂
2. Youth Dew bath oil, after reading about it here on NST. I swear, one day I had no thoughts about perfume at all, and the next I was fully down the rabbit hole. But I love it!
3. My latest purchase is winging its way to me right now (squee!). It’s a full bottle of Nostalgie from Laurie at Sonoma Scent Studios. I wanted to go FB right away on this gorgeous scent, but I made myself wait until I sampled Tableau de Parfums Miriam first to see which one I loved most. Definitely Nostalgie! I can’t wait until it arrives.
Wishing everyone a safe, safe, safe and happy scented weekend!
Wearing Nostalgie this morning! LOVE it and was just wondering how fast I’m gonna drain that bottle!
Ha! I completely understand. I was ordering the biggest bottle and wishing it was about twice that size! 🙂
Great questions!
1. My very first fragrance that was mine, was a half bottle of Trésor as a gift from my auntie Róza. I was about 11. I loooved it, it smelled like apricot jam to me then:). (I don’t like it anymore)
2. Hah, I don’t know if there was such a thing, I developed into one quite gradually. but my first visit to a niche boutique brought me a bottle of Satellite Padparadscha, and it opened a whole new world to me. It was so different from the mainstream stuff I knew before. I guess this was my gateway bottle as a perfumista if that counts:).
3. The one that I bought for myself the last time was a mini, maybe L de Lolita Lempicka. Or was it the Organza Indecence… Not sure. I only buy minis and decants lately.
Have a nice sunny weekend Everyone!
Late reader here, because I worked all weekend. Satellite Padparadscha – forgot all about that. Will have to look and see if I still have it!
1. Arpege. My parents brought it back from Europe when I was eight.
2. Comes des Garcons edt, through your influence, Robin, in 2006 when I was posting as rosarita.
3. A big decant of Amouage Interlude Woman.
1. My maternal grandmother would decant Aqua di Selva into a vintage glass perfume bottle for me whenever she was visiting us from Mexico. That was the first scent I ever owned.
2. Love of perfume was always encouraged in my family… I guess I fell down the rabbit hole when at 12 I decided that KL by Lagerfeld had to be mine. I wish I still had some.
3. Just got my first Chanel, No 19 edt.
1. I wore Ô de Lancôme and Bonne Bell Skin Musk as a teen; I don’t remember which I bought first. (And I still wear the Ô, though I’m nearly two decades out of my teens.)
2. CdG Avignon
3. The last bottle I bought was Coco, but it was a repurchase. The last new-to-me fragrance I purchased was Bulgari Black.
Ah, yes – Avignon! I love that, always intend to buy it, but then always forget to! I shall remember this year………I think it would even be nice in the summertime too.
I got a partial bottle off ebay and found that it layers very well with Lady Stetson (20 sp LS cologne to 1 sp Wrists 1sp chest CdG A) this combo is like vintage #22 but a bit peachier.
First fragrance I ever owned: Love’s Baby Soft. 🙂 I believe the first “proper” fragrance I owned was Colors de Benetton.
First fragrance I bought as a perfumista: ummm…not sure when that phase began for me…but Chanel Cristalle seems like a pretty good guess (I first fell in love with it at 16 via a scent strip in Seventeen, but didn’t buy a bottle until almost 10 years later).
Last fragrance I bought: a giant sack of BPAL imps via Ebay.
1. What was the first fragrance you ever owned?
– I think someone bought me White Linen and Chanel No5, but I was so young at the time I didn’t wear them. The first proper fragrance I owned that I chose myself was Stella McCartney.
2. What was the first fragrance you bought as a perfumista?
– Ormonde Woman. Has been a constant presence ever since.
3. What was the last fragrance you bought?
– L’Artisan Mon Numero 8. So soft and sensuous! I fell in love with it from first application!
I think Ormonde Woman was my first full swoon! When I discovered it, I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to smell like anything else! I still love it, but it isn’t an everyday scent for me. 🙂
It must have been among my first full swoons as well. A wonderful creation.
1. Tinkerbelle Cosmetics perfume back in the day. I loved that stuff and it reminds me a bit of the original Prada in the rectangular bottle, at least in my scent memory.
2. Givenchy Extravagance d’Amarige. It was odd but I liked it.
3. I just bought (and am still waiting on) Molinard vintage Vanille and Fraise partial bottles on Evilbay. I’m on the hunt for the perfect strawberry scent and while there isn’t much in the Fraise bottle, I’ll at least get to try it and enjoy a nice vanilla as well.
Oh, and a couple samples of Tom Ford Black Orchid Voil de Fleur since it gets lots of love and is getting harder to find. I love the original and can’t wait to try this version as well.
1. Preferred Stock. I think it was a stocking stuffer when i was 7 or 8.
2. I think it was Diptyque Tam Dao
3. Annick Goutal Eau du Sud
I just smelled Tam Dao for the first time today and love it!
Definitely a “gateway” scent.
1. What was the first fragrance you ever owned?
It was Love all by swedish tennis pro Bjorn Borg. First “real” perfume was Dior Poison, how I loved it!
2. What was the first fragrance you bought as a perfumista?
I wished for Angel on my birthday the year it was released. The obenI bought myself was L’heure bleu.
3. What was the last fragrance you bought…
Marni.
1. I’m not really sure whether I had a mini of Happy or a bottle of Light Blue first but both were disasters. Happy made me sneeze and Light Blue smelled like sour milk on my skin. Absent any guidance, I was totally stymied by this, and many years of potential fragrant pleasures were lost as a result! Tragic! But I’m making up for lost time.
2. Hmm, I think Jo Malone Wild Fig & Cassis. I was so pleased to smell something so unlike the department store stuff that constituted “perfume” in my mind, I took the plunge a little too impulsively. Had not yet gotten to perfumista lesson that just smelling pleasantly different doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll want to smell that way frequently enough to justify a bottle, even the 30ml! But as mistakes go, it’s not too bad.
3. I’m cheating on this as I’ve just gotten several decants at once, but to pick just one, let’s say MFK Lumiere noire pour femme. It’s a little deeper/richer than what I usually gravitate toward, so that’s kind of fun!
My first perfume was Paris Hilton’s ‘Just Me’.
My first purchase as a perfumista was Miller Harris L’Air de Rien.
My most recent acquisition was a 50 mL bottle of Jasmin et Cigarette.
How is Jasmine and Cigarette?
I love it, bought it after draining a sample. Its slightly mentholic pipe tobacco with jasmine. It reminds me of a vacation I spent a few years ago in New Orleans- the cigarette smoke and heady flowers. I quite like it and feel like it could be worn anytime.
The first perfume I ever owned was given to me for my 6th birthday. I remember the bottle distinctly (it was in the shape of an ice cream soda – hard to forget!), but couldn’t for the life of me remember anything about the juice except that I sprayed it with wild abandon and my mother had to tell me to go a little lighter! I searched Google images to see if I could find anything about it and low and behold, here it is:
My first perfumista buy was Andy Tauer’s L’air du Desert Marocain. Still one of my all -time favorites.
And the last fragrance I bought was Ava Luxe Olibanum which I just ordered this week!
Well, shoot! That link didn’t work, so if you want to see what an ice cream soda perfume bottle from the 1960s looks like just search google images for “ice cream soda perfume bottle avon” and you’ll see it – complete with straws and cupholder! And sorry, you’ll also see some truly hideous perfume bottles as well.
Oh! I remember that one. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
My “cool” grandmother gave me the Avon soda perfume for Christmas when I was 8 or 9 . . . and I am pretty certain that I still have it tucked in a box of keepsakes. It probably smells rancid now, but at the time, I was so excited to receive it.
I remember having Charlie in my middle school years, but I suspect my first perfume was probably an Elizabeth Arden or Estee Lauder small bottle which my grandmother would have received at a luncheon for a religious charity and then passed to me.
I remember, as a young adult, deciding that I needed to have “an adult” perfume and selecting (rather rackishly) Eau The Vert, which was on the men’s counter but appealed to me more than big lush florals,. Not bad taste for someone who had no idea what she was doing
Actually, I just remembered before that, during a college summer study in France, I felt it critical to acquire a “real” (ie. perfume stregnth not Eau” French Perfume from an actual French Perfume house. Madame Balmain. (I had no idea at the time that Balmain was a fashion company).
All caps intentional. I think I thought that there were companies which only made perfume and their products therefore were superior to the fragrances issued by clothes companies or make up companies.
Still have the bottle.
First perfume owned: Je Reviens extrait given to me by my uncle when I was 12.
First perfume purchased – I’m pretty sure it must have been another bottle of Je Reviens sometime after that in jr. high. I’ve always loved perfume and had a bigger collection than anyone else I knew… until I met the crazy folks on NST! 😉
Last perfume purchased: the new SSS Cocoa/Sandalwood natural
1. What was the first fragrance you ever owned?
Muguet de Bois – a gift from my father. It came in a gift set with a small, sparkly snowman figurine. I adored it.
2. What was the first fragrance you bought as a perfumista?
Kelly Caleche
3. What was the last fragrance you bought?
vintage Shalimar extrait.
Kelly Caleche was one of my early perfumista purchases, too. I thought it was so…. pretty!
KC is the fragrance I reach for most often. It is so pretty and people friendly too. I get a lot of compliments on it and never any complaints.
Same here…Kelly Caleche is my default fragrance appropriate for any occasion, any weather, anything I’m wearing. And yes, I also get compliments!
The first fragrance I ever owned was Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur, which was given to me by my sister. I hated it.
The first fragrance I bought as a perfumista was Tea for Two.
The last fragrance I bought was Eau de Pamplemousse Rose.
Oooh…good list. Tea for Two is so unique. I knew it was a must have for my collection as soon as I took the cap off the tester. Eau de Pamplemousse Rose has jumped to the top of my buy list now that the warm weather is coming.
The first perfume that I selected for myself was the original Liz Claiborne (in the cube bottle). It’s been reformulated and isn’t the same these days. However, I also wore Ruffles and the original Magie Noir, and Obsession – all given as gifts by my Aunt.
My first perfumista scent was Diptyque L’Ombree dans L’eau.
The last perfume(s) I purchased were blind buys (omg!) Houbigant Quesque Fleurs and Quesque Fleurs Royal. Love. Them. Both!
Bonus: My SOTD is Arquiste Infanta en Fleurs!
What do you think of the Arquiste? I haven’t tried this one, but I love Boutonniere and Aleksandr and like Flor y Canto.
I love Infanta en Fleur and am surprised at how often I wear nit. I’ve almost gone through an entire bottle (which says a lot) and I might rank this in my top 5 favorites.
A few months ago I was walking back to my car with a friend and we parted at the garage elevator. Another lady got on and mentioned that she loved walking behind us because someone (me) “smelled so good!” I rarely get compliments, and it was so wonderful to get one while wearing a favorite scent.
I like some of the other Arquistes – Flor y Canto is a nice tuberose and I can appreciate it. But it’s not FBW. I think the line in general is well crafted and the round bottles are adorable!
Thank you! Must, must try.
The first fragrance I bought was the Anais Anais while I was at school. Since then I have not stopped buying perfumes.
My last acquisition is the 31, Rue Cambon.
I don’t consider myself as a perfumista, but I like fragrances and I’ve been learning about it.
My first perfume was Parfum de Peau Montana, I made my father give it to me before going to high school, and I still have it! it’s because I liked it so much and used just in special ocasions, hiding it in my closet…
As I said, I not a perfumista, but my first perfume that I’ve bought with more criterio was Mamoumalia and Lys Mediterranee ( thanks to this blog) and they were also my last. I’ ve been buying samples after that purchase, but I guess they don’t count…
What counts and doesn’t count is entirely subjective:) As is the ‘perfumista’ definition, lol!
The first fragrance I got in my teens was My Melody. I was probably not a perfumista but I loved perfume and I bougt my first bottle of Chanel No 5 EdT with 19 years. My last acquisition is a sample of Lostmarch Iroaz and a sample of Perry Elvis Musc Extreme.
Ups, I mean Perry Ellis
Would that be Perry Elvis Music Extreme, maybe? 😉
😀
The first perfume I remember owning was Avon’s Pearls and Lace. Wish I had a sample of it now, as I bet I would still enjoy it. It was given to me by a friend’s mom. The first one I bought for myself was Exclamation Blush or Baby Soft.
My first “rabbit hole” perfume was L’Artisan’s L’ete en Douce.
My most recent purchase was Dior’s Dolce Vita in extrait.
What a fun thread!
The first perfume I purchased for myself (or actually took a personal interest in) was Miracle by Lancome. I don’t really consider myself a perfumista, and I haven’t done too much in the way of exploring niche perfumes (I’m trying to get samples though, so that’s a-changin’!). My last purchase was Chloe EDP, and I really like it (despite all the perfume blog hate LOL).
I’m actually trying to decide what to use my sephora gift certificate on. I’m going tomorrow (to get an additional 15% off, which is everything to us fumie adicts), and am waffling between AA’s Herba fresca and Love, Chloe. any thoughts? I definitely want them both, but my gift certificate will only go so far (my debit card, on the other hand….aaarrrrggggggghhhhhh!).
I’ll vote for the Herba Fresca – it’s the perfect splash of cool for the hot days ahead. Enjoy your shopping!
I heard that Love, Chloe was discontinued… so I’d go for that one! Enjoy your shopping trip!
Love, Chloe is available as a rollerball at Sephora…maybe you could have both?
1. Avon Sweet Honesty
2. Reglisse Noire
3. PdN Weekend
I’m wearing Weekend today, it’s genius. And perfectly named.
I did spend a long time stealing my mum’s Crepe de Chine but my first actual purchase was Rive Gauche. The first purchase I made after falling down the rabbit hole was China Town and my last buy was Marni. The Marni was prompted by Robin’s excellent review which sounded like the perfect thing for spring and summer. It was love at first sniff so I’m once again in your debt Robin. Thank you!
My older sister had Crepe de Chine, too. I’d kind of forgotten about it until you mentioned it. Will have to check it out…
The first perfume I ever owned was given to me by my great aunt Syretha from Newfoundland. When she came to visit she always brought a present for me and nothing for my sister who she disliked for some reason. She also used to smuggle two bottles of Screech over the border in her girdle. She was kind of a nasty drunk. It was a half ml. microbottle of some thing that had the word “France” on it and was held by a tiny snowman made out of syrofoam balls.
First perfume as a “perfumista” I think was called murmur by VanCleef and Arpels which reeked to high heaven and the bottle looked like a penis. I sold it on ebay.
Latest perfume just came in the mail today: Yves Rocher Neroli and as Madge would say, I ‘m soaking in it.
LOL Brilliant first perfume story!!
I’m not really a perfumista (yet), but here we go:
1. My very first perfume was Climat by Lancome, a gift from my Dad when I was a teenager. A lifelong perfume love (reactivated by a gift from a friend a couple of years ago who bought the new Climat (from La Collection) for me. Still great, not as intense as in my memory, but memories are always more intense.
2. The first perfume I bought myself was Opium. Smelled it on a friend and fell in love with the scent. Still love it, still have it. Or had actually, until recently, a bit of vintage Opium which was after all these years still a sensual dream.
Though the first perfumes I bought as a burgeoning perfumista were tiny samples of Angel and of vintage Bandit (really vintage – and for next to nothing). Discarded Angel, love Bandit to bits.
3. The last fragrance I actually bought (a used bottle bargain on ebay ) was Kenzo Flower. Adore it, want more.
Recently (around Valentines Day) I got Lush Furze, well, at request more or less (after I’ve read the review on this site), and to my surprise from another friend and a little later: Fracas, for which I could give up every man in my life just to be indulgently happy with Fracas et moi…
Can’t really compete with all your niche fragrances I’ve never heard of. But I’m happy to discover all the classics right now. It’s such an exciting world…
I believe the first perfume my mother bought for me was Coty Muguet des Bois, or possibly Yardley April Violets.
I’m not sure when to count as becoming a perfumista, but I remember the thrill of reading about Annick Goutal in Connoisseur Magazine in 1988, testing the perfumes at Nordstroms and buying Eau d’Hadrien (probably the first), as well as Passion and Heure Exquise.
Most recent FB was either Guerlain Arsene Lupin (the purple one, originally designated Dandy) or Amouage Dia.
The first fragrance I ever owned – Diorella
The first fragrance I bought as a perfumista – Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden
The last fragrance I bought – Ubar, Anne Pliska, Attrape-Cœur and Jasmine et Cigarette samples
Diorella – nice one
First: Ombre Rose, Brosseau. (after the ‘Grass’, ‘Cyclamen’, ‘Apple’, ‘Patchouli’ oils. Cyclamen and Grass were fab, actually. Wish I had them now!)
First as Perfumista: DSH Silk Road, L’Artisan Saffran Troublant , Il Profumo Musc Bleu, Bond 9 Gramercy Park – all in one lot on Ebay, all blind buys. Gramercy Park was dispatched quickly though. The others I still have.
Last Buy: several SSS: Jour Ensolleile, Wood Violet, Incense, (Love)
G de Gigli and L.Taylor Rubies and Diamonds (Perfume) after Black Narcissus’ Cherry post. A restock of Iris Nobile. Plus Adam Levine after Octavian’s rave – but I am really underwhelmed. The sons love it though, but I am not sure I can live with it wafting around me.
The first perfume I ever bought was Eau deCharlotte by Annick Goutal.
The first “perfumista” purchase was Bond #9 New Harlem
My most recent purchase was Muscs Kublai Kahn.
Hey Tora ! MKK woo Hoo , one of the greatest !
U will get many hours of pleasure with this ugly beauty.
Polo Ralph Laurent ( green bottle gold cap) pine extravaganza
Dzing was my first niche foray and
Jour d’hermes was my lastest catch and kill!
I have acquired most of my perfumes in the last 2 years. I have been very busy ! NST is solely responsible with no complaints here!
Happy wknd everyone 😉 x
Only kidding NST 😉
Oh, it wouldn’t be a joke for me! There’s no doubt in my mind that without this community, I would be pretty much ignorant about perfume, never would have explored niche to any great degree (would I even know that it exists?) and would not be so handily enabled to have such a luxurious past-time!
1. I thibk it was Chloe Narcisse or possibly Pleasures
2. Mitsouko, or first niche buy Tauer Une Rose Chypree
3. Neela Vermeire Mohurj
First purchase ever: Shiseido Zen.
First “perfumista” purchase: Lutens Féminité du Bois
Most recent purchase: Lutens Fille en Aiguilles
Late to the party…
1. Bal a Versailles. My father brought it back from Paris when I was a little girl.
2. It was probably Cuir de Russie. It’s so long ago I honestly can’t remember. But I bought it before I even knew the term Perfumista.
3. Baiser Vole Parfum Extrait.
Flawless !
How does the extrait compare with the EDP?
Sorry, I was referring to the Baiser Vole!
I think the green stem and powder aspects are more pronounced. It has the florist’s fridge feel to it. She’s the dirtier sister of Baiser Vole EdP.
The first fragrance of my very own was something by Avon which my mother bought for me when I was about six or seven years old. Previously, I just ‘borrowed’ my older sister’s. My first purchase was Yardley Liberty, when I got a Saturday job in a drugstore. As I don’t consider myself a true perfumista, I can only mention what my first grown-up (18 year-old) purchase was. After some careful consideration, it came down to a choice between EL Alliage and Fidji parfum. Fidji won that battle, and it is a fragrance that I still own today, though it is a mere shadow of its former self. It is a great reminder of some very happy and exciting times in my life. I had just moved to London and I was ready for anything that life could throw at me.
Fidji is another great one from the past! Your 18 year old self had great taste!
Oh, I forgot, my latest purchase was Chanel Coco.
1. My first fragrance was Avon’s Soft Musk. Somehow I have always had good taste in perfume (sounds immodest, sorry) because I knew immediately, and yet with little or no perfume sniffing experience, that while SM was good it was not great. So I quickly moved on to purchases of Laura Ashley No 1 and Chanel No 19.
2. So there were no pre or post perfumista times for me, but I will say that five years ago when I had an unexpected opportunity, after the early child-rearing years, to spend money on myself without feeling too guilty, I bought a bottle of Diorissimo. I’ve bough A LOT of perfume since then.
3. Most recent purchase shows that I have come full circle on the musk question: a few weeks ago I picked up a 30 ml bottle of Narciso Rodriguez for Her.
Annemarie, I think I saw a comment from you a while ago saying you hadn’t noticed samples of Marni had arrived at STC…. I have a sample of it and would be happy to pass it along if you haven’t yet ordered it.. (I am recalling correctly we are both in Australia!?)
Oh that is most generous! Could you contact me on MakeupAlley? I’m kittyc.
Hmmmm I confess to knowing very little about Makeupalley. Is it easy to become a part of? I can give you my email address if that is more straightforward (lizziemarian at gmail dot com) I’m a relative new comer (and a bit shy about it too) to participating in the online fragrance community so am still getting to know how things work…
Okay, thanks, I’ve emailed you. 🙂
1. I wore some scents from The Body Shop as a teen (white musk and dewberry) then moved onto a soft mimosa scent from Crabtree and Evelyn (can’t recall it’s name and it’s been discontinued) but I consider my very first real perfume to be JPG Classique.
2. L’Artisan Tea for Two and Malle’s En Passant. After much reading of blogs and the discovery of buying samples….
3. Last year I went on a six week overseas adventure with my 2 year old…. We spent time in the Middle East and in England and I bought perfumes in both places to commemorate our travels (and also celebrate my brave/foolish move to travel as a solo parent with a small child!!) In London I bought L’Artisan’s Vanille Absolument as an antidote to the weather. Sniffing my way through the L’Artisan boutique with Teddy was enormous fun and one of my favourite memories from London) My memento from the Middle East is an oud perfume oil in a deliciously gaudy bottle. All signs also point to me having found “the one” (in the person sense, not perfume) on this adventure too so all in all a good haul 🙂
Many congratulations on your, um, haul, in all senses. I’ve taken my daughter on many a sniffing experience (not as far afield as yours!) and she has always loved it. Kids love smelling things. And the SAs are usually pretty nice too, because they know that the way to please the parent is to please the chid. (That works when buying a used car too, and I have done that, as a solo parent.)
1. First perfume I ever owned – This would be something from Avon; not even sure what it was! First perfume borrowed from Mom’s collection – Youth Dew
2. First perfume purchased as a perfumista – Luctor et Emergo
3. Latest purchase (and SOTD) – Le Speculoos
Oh is that the l’antichambre one? I’ve been meaning to get a sample of it….
Yes, that is the one from l’Antichambre. I got the sample set from Luckyscent, when they had that offer going on, and some of the other ones were quite nice, too. I decided that I had to have a full bottle of Le Speculoos and am happy that I bought it!
Which others from the line would you reccomend? There is something about L’antichambre overall that really appeals but the sheer number of fragrances I find a bit overwhelming….
I got a sample of Le Speculoos in a swap and wow – it is everything good about chocolate and ginger (to my nose anyway).
Well that’s the final push I need to order a sample 🙂
1. CK One
2. Givenchy Vetyver
3. MPG Pour le Jeune Homme
I’m sick to try Givenchy Vetyver!
I sampled about a half dozen vetivers before settling on givenchy’s. It starts out so earthy and smooths out so nicely. It’s definitely worth trying.
1) My first fragrance was a double buy of Anne Klein and Anne Klein II. I am seriously kicking myself now because I eventually gave the bottles away.
2) After My Own Heart was my first niche purchase, and still a favorite spring scent
3) Picked up a bottle of Like This for half-price this week. Feeling pretty good about that. 🙂
Hi Dionne, hope you are well. Don’t feel too bad about discarding those AKs. I threw out some 80s vintage Magie Noire in some house move. Kick kick.
I gave away vintage Rive Gauche, Ysatis, Loulou, Eden, Paris… so regretting it 🙁
Ack, I got rid of my entire stockpile of Chanel 19 (including a one ounce bottle of vintage perfume). Why oh why did I do that?
What a big loss – No.19 is my signature scent for five years now… But I also feel a lot of pain when I remember that I gave away a bottle of Dioressence EdT and a bottle of No.5 EdC (yes it really was Eau de Cologne…) more than 20 years ago. I didn’t know I was a perfumista back then because there was no world wide web. And I have to confess that there is something trashy in my tastes. I have always been a big lover of “kitsch”. I love pink and I love SOME pink scents which have been my signature scents for years, i.e. Trésor and Coco Mademoiselle. Perhaps that is why I gave those scents away which are estimated so highly by the perfumistas of today.
I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who’s given away something they regret later (well, not glad, but you know what I mean.)
That could actually be an interesting idea for a Saturday thread. We could all commiserate and comfort each other.
1. My first fragrance (not counting the Love’s baby Soft bought in the eight grade) was a wondeful gift of Ombre Rose from my godmother given to me when I was in high school.
2. My first perfume I picked out for myself was Coco Chanel as a college student. I remember thinking that I wanted something else besides the ubiquitous No. 5. I remember reading magazine articles about the legendary guerlains but I consider myself an “aspiring” perfumista ever since I discovered the perfume blogs this year.
3. Picked up a tiny bottle of Calyx on sale. Im educating myself about old classics and happy to discover STC.
Great thread!
1. I remember getting Heaven Sent as a gift, but I think the first one I actually bought myself may have been Exclamation!.
2. I’m not sure exactly, but I think it may have been a mini of Mitsouko I got from EBay.
3. My most recent purchases were a 5ml tester of Gardenia Flower perfume from the Perfume & Skin Care Co. in Australia (recommendation from Portia at Perfume Posse), and some samples from STC, which included Arquiste Boutonniere, SSS Cocoa & Sandalwood and Forest Walk, Ormonde Woman and a couple other things I can’t remember right now.
Oh I bought Exclamation! too! I was 12 and I thought that bottle was so cool 🙂
Yep, I think that was about the age I was too. 12 or 13. I didn’t think it was still around anymore but I remember seeing it in a store not too long ago. I haven’t smelled it since I was in junior high so I wonder how it holds up. 🙂
1) Yang.
2) Burberry Touch.
3) MdO Vanille.
My first perfume when I was about 10 was Yardley Lilac
I’ve had a perfume collection ever since then, so I’ll count perfumista status as being my first niche fragrance, which I think was Lutens 5 o’clock au gingembre
Last 2 frags, bought same time online, were a backup of Seville a l’aube (I hate the idea of it ever running out!) and Apree l’ondee.
Oh I had Yardley Lavander and I think we had the lilac soaps. Yardley was pretty popular in Canada in the 70’s. We also had Pears soap.
oops, lavender
Sajini…I was thinking of you all week!
Aw thanks.
I used to love Pears soap! But then one day I noticed that it smelled differently and I saw that sage was no longer listed as an ingredient. They had been sold and that was the last time I ever bought it. Probably my first “reformulation” experience.
I’ll never forget the smell of that soap. Too bad it’s different now.
1. Cachet – early 70’s
2. Rive Gauche – 1981
3. La Petite Robe Noire EDT and Angel EDT
1. I’m sure the very first I owned was some Avon children’s perfume in the 80’s, but the first I chose for myself was Tabu in the very early 90’s…. my mother didn’t approve, so I only wore it once I got out of the house.
2. PeD Ambre Russe – and I still love it!
3. vintage Opium
1. Tommy girl
2. Tam dao
3. Fille de Berlin
I wore Jean Naté splash as a young girl. My first big girl perfume that I bought for myself was Poison. The first niche perfume I bought was POTL Luctor et Emergo. My most recent purchase was Incense Extreme by Andy Tauer.
1) My first fragrance was Max Factor Heartbeat. A local pharmacy was having a Mothers Day children’s poetry competition. I won, aged 8, and was in the local paper. The MF heartbeat was the prize, which they intended to go to my mum but she kindly let me have it. I only used it on the most special of occasions so, consequently, I still have it!
2) The first perfume I bought as a perfumista is SL Rousse, which reminds me of a sample lipstick I was given when I was 4. I must try Malle Lipstick Rose to see whether that also evokes this scent memory.
3) My most recent purchase is a partial 75ml Patou Chaldee (from the Ma Collection re-release), which I have not yet received. Before that, I bought Patou Divine Folie, which I am quite impressed with. It smells very vintage to me. Love vintage.
Going down memory lane as it comes to perfumes is not so easy so here’s my best recollection:
1. First fragrance I ever owned – a mini of Liz Claiborne perfume. It could also have been the mini of Calvin Klein Obsession.
2. First perfume bought as a perfumista – hmmm, I would have to say Hermes Voyage d’ Hermes.
3. The last fragrance I bought – I had a shopping spree on Friday at Bergdorfs…but I stopped by Henri Bendel next and bought 3 L’Artisans at 50% off – Fleur de Liane, Vanille Absolument and Coeur de Vetiver Sacre
A few shopping notes:
1. Prada on 57th St. NYC – all the Prada Exclusives were on display, including the newest one No. 14 Rossetto — this was the most expensive, priced at $235 (or maybe it was $250) but all the other ones were $178 for the 30mL. Rossetto was very sweet. I did not spend much time there and did not have lasting impressions of any of the exclusives but I will certainly stop by again when I have more time.
2. The Olfactive Studio perfumes are on promotional display at Bergdorfs, strategically placed right by the down escalator to the Beauty and Fragrance department and there was another display on the Fragrance floor (maybe even 2 displays). Anyway, I asked the rep if the Coffret was available and he said no. Will it be available in-store? He was not sure as it had not been shown to the Bergdorf buyer as yet. How much will it cost? My eyes popped when he said $48. The coffret is supposed to be 5mLs each of the 5 fragrances! I must have misheard. May 1st – maybe – I HAVE to stop by before Sniffapalooza (I’m not participating…too many perfumistas in close proximity will overwhelm me)!
I bought the Olfactive Studios coffret directly from their website, and there was no delivery charge (to the U.S.). I am sure it’s much less than that. The one I got has four bottles and they are quite a reasonable size for samplers.
Lucas just sent me a link to the coffret…set of 5 x 4mLs for 35 euros but alas, U.S. was not listed as a delivery destination, at least not yet. Anything less than $50 for a set like this (including shipping) is a good deal in my opinion 🙂
I just bought it and filled in my address and it came. I also bought a full bottle the same way and it came too. It took about 10 days.
PS And I’m in the U.S.
First perfumes were from a local soap shop called The Body Shop that opened its doors in Berkeley in the 1970s. They sold the rights to their name to the huge British company and are now called Body Time. Anyway, they had a perfume called China Rain that I liked particularly. I smelled it recently and had to work hard not to make a face which might offend the clerk… But the stuff is very very sweet. Also would buy myself some Lilly of the Valley/Muguet perfume from out local Sears….until one day I discovered DVF’s Tatiana. That was my signature scent though high school. In college I wore lots do Estée Lauder, and by the time I hit law school it was me and Coco Chanel….. Still love Coco Chanel!
First full bottle perfumista purchase would have to be Iris Nobile…
Most recent purchases? The not niche at all Calvin Klein Euphoria… The rest have all been decants…
Bought a new bottle of Tatiana recently. It was awful…. Sniff, sniff, sniff….somebody seriously messed with that formula!
Interesting about The Body Shop.
Euphoria is a recently discovered guilty pleasure of mine. Why guilty I dunno – it’s only perfume! – but sweet gourmands are not normally my lone of country. Still, sometimes Euphoria just hits the spot.
I know what you mean about guilty pleasure… I am of an age where “nothing comes between me and my Calvins” was a profound part of teen culture, and I would diligently save my sheckles to purchase just one pair of those tight blues…. so buying a perfume from a fashion house that made millions from my geration of teens hoping against hope to look remotely like Brook Shields…seems just so very far from a unique shopping experience. Just queuing up with all the other gals for the next product on the pipeline. That said, I really like Euphoria!!
As for Berkeley-based The Body Shop as it was known throughout my entire childhood–here’s their story if anyone is interested
http://www.bodytime.com/body-time-history.html… ps. I see they now call “China Rain” their signature scent.. It should be sniffed before purchasing…and that is all I am saying about it!
I enjoyed browsing Body Time’s site. How great that it is still doing what has done for so long. Not tempted by China Rain though!
I remember the Brooke Shields era very well, although no way could I have afforded a pair of those jeans. Nor would my mother have approved. Ah, memories …
The very first fragrance I can remember was a tiny-tiney bottle of a Soviet ripoff from Lancome Peut-Etre…it was called in Russian (literally) “Perfume Maybe” or it’s better to translate the ambiguity with “Maybe perfume”…
my brother was always laughing at this name:) He always asked me: “So what do you think they actually put in this bottle?” 🙂
The first bottle I bought when I became addicted to perfume was Armani Mania – I thought it was good. Now I’ve grown to realize that it’s very generic…
The last bottle I bougt was Chanel N19 – modern Eau de Toilette. I bought it as a gift for my very confident and intellectual friend. I thought she could pull it off, but I’m afraid she didn’t like it that much.
Ha ha, I love the idea of “Maybe Perfume”!
The first I owned was probably Fidji or EL Private Collection!
Before that, there was a scent I’d borrow from my mom – and most specifically the first time I went to a “dance party” – those teen parties at a cool person’s house – – – I would give everything to remember the name of it and to have it again – it made me feel a bit less awkward. Also – my mom died when I was 21, and I’d love to smell her again. It could have been L’Air du Temps … but I think it was something different.
I also don’t know when strong perfume interest blurred into perfumistahood – but I do remember some kind of epiphany when I first smelled the CdG RED range -I bought two, and also bought CdG White then — it was absurd, as I’d just started working, and I must have been eating rice that month.
My most recent purchase: Pleats Please – sometimes a good old synthetic is just cheery.
First fragrance I had was a gift of Yardley English Lavender splash.
First one I bought myself was a Coty Sweet Earth solid: Hay.
First “real” fragrance was Rive Gauche.
First perfumista was L’eau de L’Artisan.
Most recent – yesterday – was Kanon Norwegian Wood for my husband – a Beatles fan.. Saw it at Marshall’s and couldn’t resist. Checked some reviews via iPhone while I was there and it didn’t sound half bad…
1- sunset cafe company = peach fragrance 100 ml bottle, I was in intermediat school then.
2- Guerlain champs-Elysse = one of the first fragrances when I was like 14 years old.
3- zara matin = bought it last month & it smells good for casual mornings.
I was given Anais Anais when I was about 12. I was not a girly girl and had no idea what to do with a perfume – something to spray on you, to get a nice smell, and then at some time its all finished??? Don’t think I used it much!
First perfume I chose – Dune as a teenager at duty free. My mother bought it for me. Now I find it too severe, but I loved it then. I only wore it on particular occasions though.
First perfume I bought because it gave me a rush of pleasure: that was Euphoria.
First perfume I bought after reading the guide, having smelled and smelled and smelled – Bulgari Black. I would call myself an early perfumista then – I HAD to have it and there was that whole hot obsessive rapture to the experience.
First real niche fragrance: Quarzazate. Talk about hauteur exotic!
Last purchase: the mainstream Gaultier2 – but was more recently gifted with La Maroc (at request!)
This has really caused a lot of long-buried memories to rise to the surface. I don’t know when to say I became a perfumista. My family often spoke of me as “our little perfume girl”. As a small child, I would get into trouble for climbing onto the sink and balancing precariously while I sniffed at bottles on the shelf, mainly my dad’s Aqua Velva aftershave and my mom’s Cashmere Bouquet talc. My aunt used to give me her empty bottles from Evening in Paris to put in my dresser drawer. I know that the first fragrance I ever bought was Blue Waltz at Woolworth’s. I must have been about six years old.
When I was about 12, my mom got me Avon’s Daisies Won’t Tell, which I recall as being just pleasant and (on request), Yardley’s Red Lilac. When I was 14, I was madly in love with Antilope, which I’d smelled on some women. I found a very chic toiletries shop that had an ad for it in the window, but the intimidatingly sophisticated saleswoman told me it was too mature for me and sold me Jolie Madam, which was lovely.
When I was about 15, I discovered Revlon’s Intimate, and that became my signature scent for a few years. In the meantime, my mother bought me White Shoulders, which I only wore in the summer. A family friend gave me her nearly-empty (probably not that good anymore) perfume bottles, which I cherished. She also gave me a miniature of Tweed, which was wonderful, and My Sin, which I had to save my money for to eventually buy a fb.
At 18, I smelled Diorama on a woman and had to ask what it was. I spent some of my hard-earned summer money on it. By then, I had a sizable collection. I’ve never looked back! LOL
The most recent perfume I bought was Arquiste Animas Dulcis.
Wow your story is really amazing. You had a lot of great experiences. Btw, I love that Anima Dulcis–I wore it yesterday. I think of it as mostly a comfort scent but when I put it on yesterday I said to myself, “You know, this is actually sort of sexy.” 😉
Yep! You were born a perfumista!
1. Germaine Monteil Regime, now discontinued. I bought it in college when it was new. The juice was orange and the scent had tangerine blossom and was citrusy. I got a partial bottle on ebay a couple of years ago and still like it.
2. L’Artisan Premier Figuier. In my early days I went through a major fig phase.
3. Histoire de Parfums Rare Ambrarem.
Fun questions and answers!
Happy weekend everyone! We finally have sun in Stockholm, Sweden, so I have celebrated the day by cleaning windows. It really made a difference, so I feel good.
1st perfume I owned that I remember the name of: Estée Lauder Cinnabar (it was quite an eye opener to me to realize it is still around, it hasn’t been seen in Sweden since the 80’s, we really are far out in the perfume universe).
1st perfume I bought after tumbling downt the beautifully scented rabbit hole: Guerlain Mitsouko.
Last buy: L’Occitane Labdanum au Seville back in January (been resisting so many temptations, but I can see a Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud coming my way soon).
Happy Sunday (and my mom’s birthday)!
Wearing Attrape Coeur this morning. (Thank you, Rapp!) I do love this scent. I’m sure there are scents that are rare that inspires folks in part *because* they are rare, but this one is just plain lovely.
So, I have a totally non-scented question for you all. I think I’m about ready to finally have my housewarming party (the downstairs of the house is pretty much put together, anyway). But I have *never* hosted a party that wasn’t for family. What do I need to consider?
I’m worried my house is little and it could be crowded and not enough seats. I’m not sure what to do for food. And how do I deal with drinks, since I’ve never consumed an alcoholic beverage? Any suggestions/advice would be welcome!
Not everyone will be sitting at the same time. People will manage. Keep the food easy. You could always do finger foods and a variety of apps so people can eat without having to be seated at a table and need to cut things up with a knife and fork. If you’re not a drinker it doesn’t make sense to invest in a lot of liquor. I would say get some red and white wine and maybe some beer. Ive also told people if they only drink a certain beer they are welcome to bring their own if they wish. Another option is to make a punch which is easy enough. You could also do two, one with liquor, one without.
I think finger foods is a good idea–better to avoid the table (which only seats 6). How do you determine how much beer and wine to provide? Is there a rule of thumb?
It depends on how many people you have. Honestly I wouldn’t stress over it. Chances are people will show up with a bottle of wine for you as a hostess gift too. At every party I’ve had people seem to drink far less than I think they will.
Too crowded is fine for a party. If you are going to serve a meal, you can do a buffet where people can sit on floors or pillows.
House warmings are usualy informal, because everyone assumes you are still unpacking.
Assuming your guests are of age,tell you friends its a BYOB party and have plenty of ice, cups and glasses on hand (plastic is fine). This is probably the best option.
If you do not drink, I suspect that you have many friends who drink in small amounts and not all. At any rate, always be sure to have a few non-alcoholic options (soda, juice) for those who just don’t drink, those who secretly have just joined AA and those who are driving home.
As indicated, you can either have a real meal, probably buffet. A barbeque is also nice, assuming you actually have a yard a grill and can expect tolerable weather. You can have a potluck, particularily for a housewarming, but at potlocks, there is always the danger of 4 plates of brownies, three pasta salads and nothing else, Try to be sure that there are at one satisfying “main dish” in quantities for everyone to have at least a small serving. (And in this day and age, there should be at least one vegetarian option- or depending on your social circle on vegan option). Yes, this can be ordering out for pizza.
If this is going to a be stand around and chat, rather than a dinner or lunch party, you should have a number of munchie options scattered around the room. These can either be elaborate mini masterpieces of your cooking skills, or bowls of MM’s, chips and things like mini carrots, and something like salsa, guacaomole or chumas. Its nice to have at least one or two things from the kitchen to pass around, along the lines of mini hotdogs, stuffed mushrooms, chicken wings shrimp, etc. (If you don’t cook, you can get frozen hors d’oevres at the grocery store). You can also go to a gourmet store for help picking out a cheese plate.
The people you will invite are going to be friends and family so they all will be wanting to stop with good wishes, rather than rating you.
You don’t think BYOB seems cheap or un-hostlike? The reality is I have no idea how to shop for such things–I could buy some, but I won’t know what folks actually drink. And of course, I will have to give it all away at the end of the party unless the wine is good for cooking. 🙂
I love to cook, but I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to prepare things since I want to have it before the end of the school year. Maybe a mix of homemade and prepared stuff would be good, though.
No BYOB does not seem too cheap. Supplying the food, soft drinks, plates ets. is itself rather expensive.
Makes me happy that you’re happy. 🙂
I agree with Poodle and Dilana – keep the food easy munchies and apps. Let them byob and you provide the non-alcoholic drinks. Also, an open house idea would work that way people are coming and going at different times and aren’t all there at the same time. You can then relax and have fun!
I like the idea of an open house. Does that usually indicate a daytime party rather than an evening one?
No, I think it could be either. People just understand when they hear “open house” that they can come and go anytime between the hours specified.
Ok, thanks! I think that sounds like a good idea!
Sounds like fun, Marjorie Rose. I’m not much of a hostess but have enjoyed being part of informal home parties. If you are anywhere near a Costco, a party platter will give you a nice variety of food, and Cream Puffs that come in a huge tub in the frozen foods section make a no mess yummy dessert.
Good suggestions all. Keep the food simple, but pick up a few bottles of Prosecco–simple, delightful and inexpensive (don’t spend more than $10 per bottle). It goes with just about anything, and because its bubbly it’s a party in a bottle.
Is Prosecco a sparkling wine? (I guess I could just go google it. . .)
Sorry–yes, prosecco is an Italian sparking wine…the best are very light, not too sweet, and can be sipped with anything from brunch right through to dessert. Find a big discount liquor store and ask for a recommendation (or better yet, a sample!)
Thanks, Hajusuuri! I don’t have a costco membership, but those premade platters can be good for sure!
My first perfume love was Loulou by Chacharel, also loved Gabriela Sabatini and moments by Priscilla Presley.
My first niche buy was Nuit Noire by Mona di Orio, such a Great fragrance and vanille exquise by annick Goutal
Last buy stilettos on Lex by mad et len
Of course I Meca stilettos on Lex by Jul et Mad I always say it wrong 😉
1. No 5 when a was 11, a present from my mother and I adored it.
2. Cristalle and a little later Gucci Envy
3. Estee Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude
Good afternoon all. Late as usual.
1. Cabochard
2. Luctor et Emergo
3. Marni
SOTD Opus 1.
Wish Cabochard hadn’t been reformulated. Still love POTL. Not crazy about the Marni; will have to think about what to do. Reminds me of Malle’s Noir Epices; goes flat on me after an hour, very one-dimensional.
Chloe (the original waaaaay back)
Burberry Brit
L’artisan Voleur de Roses
LOVE VdR!
I love the original Chloe. My mom went through several bottles. The bottle that I really loved was the lalique one wth the frosted glass tuberoses (?) as the stopper.
1- Ho Hang by Balenciaga back when it was still marketed. No I’m not ancient y’all…I was only 12 and walked into Frost Brothers in Dallas like an adult and whipped out my $24 and some change to cover the Texas sales taxes.
Every time I smell Ho Hang from my (now vintage) bottle I remember that glorious 1984 day when the boy became a man.
2- Hermes Hermessence Poivre Samarcande as a special order before the New York Hermes boutique even stocked it.
3- Aqua di Parma Colognia Intensa “Oud” as a blind buy. And still not sure I can wear it.
Great story about your first scent. Not many 12 year olds saving their money to buy fragrance! You were a young perfumisto.
Why thank you Rappleyea.
And you taught me something new today actually. That the word perfumista / perfumisto could be adapted to gender. I used to use perfumista across the board.
I must have made a few people smile when I referred to myself as a perfumista in the past.
Much appreciated!
Well, I’m glad! I think most people do use the term perfumista for either gender, but I love the term perfumisto for males. I think we had that discussion on here a while back.
I know perfumista is the title of choice– but it always seems inadequate to me. (Despite my general good feelings towards “fashionista,” but perhaps because I am not one!) In addition to its gender connotations, it hints at skills most of don’t have–like the baristas who grind, mix, steam, and pour their elixers, and a dilettantism that doesn’t really apply, like the tourista checking out Fodors top ten scents… or some such. Do I have a better suggestion? Not really. I sort of like con-noseseurs, but come on! Or what about doscents? Or perfumologist? Or paraperfumeur? perfume warrior? perfumancer? Hmmm… today I’ll just sign off… perfumista!
1) First perfume was at 6 an Avon EdT for kids Little Mermaid (not Disney!) that was a watery muguet. (my best friend got the Little Miss from the same line). My mom had been buying perfumes for me since then.
2) First real EdP I had I picket at 12 and it was Flower by Kenzo. And it is still a favorite almost ten years after.
3) Latest perfume purchase was Lancome’s La Vie est Belle as a Christmas gift for my mom.
The first fragrances I ever wore were Windsong, Tigress and Emeraude. The first fragrance I ever bought as a perfumista (the word had not been invented yet) was L’Interdit, which I adored. The most recent fragrance I purchased was just this week–Andy Tauer’s Noontime Petals.
Oh, I forgot to mention–today I am wearing vintage Caron Nocturnes–the actual parfum, which I bought in Paris in 1981–when it first came out and Printemps Department Store had sprayed it throughout the store. I have the original Eau de Toilette as well but that has turned somewhat–at least when first sprayed. The parfum has not turned at all and it is almost 32 years old!
I’m not familiar with Nocturnes but it’s great that you have a perfume still that you bought when it first came out, and that you remember the release. There is something special about that. I bought EL’s Pleasures the year that it came out, 1995, but I don’t recall the department store release.
In my memory I witnessed the release of Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion: 1992, the fragrance floor at Myer in Melbourne was all decked out in purple, and a small army of SAs flanked the doors ready to spritz any creature that moved. All rather vulgar, but fun too. But Passion was launched in 1988, not 1992, and I was not living in Melbourne then, so what am remembering? Maybe it was not released until Australia until 1992.
1. My dad usually brought me perfume from his business trips in the early 90s, and I don’t remember which one was first, but I started out with Givenchy Amarige, Elizabeth Arden’s 5th Avenue and Gucci Envy, probably not in that order.
2. First serious purchase of perfume – Guerlain Jicky, after reading an article about Guerlain, civet and perfume legends
3. Many, many bottles of perfume, I’m still buying – latest purchase was Chanel Eau Premiere, and vintage Dioressence extrait before that.
Tippie, Can you actually wear the Dioressence in parfum concentration?
To me it’s more a study in vintage perfumes than a scent I that I can actually enjoy wearing and smelling on my skin.
I have both Mystere de rochas and Dior Dioressence in parfum concentration and when I attempted to wear either, the reaction I received was extreme. I was asked by friends to wash the Dioressence off! (30s-40s age)
Ericgmd,
Yes, and I love the Dioressence in parfum! I suppose I bought it for reference as I already had it in edp, but now I prefer the extrait concentration. It is much richer on skin and lasts longer, of course. I didn’t have anybody telling me to wash it off, but then I work with people who don’t generally notice or comment on any kind of perfume… So I just wear it to please myself!
Are you saying Rochas Mystere gets a similar reaction? I’l try to seek it out, if that’s the style of fragrance I love!
Aww, this questions brings back many memories.
1) First perfume ever Tinkerbell. First perfume that was my signature scent Lauren by Ralph Lauren
2) Serge Lutens Daim Blond
3) Split of Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
The first fragrance I ever owned was probably a cute mini from Avon. My oldest sister was an Avon Lady so I got lots of Avon Gifts.
First perfume I bought for my self – Love’s Fresh Lemon, and the Coty Sweet Earth compacts, grasses and the floral one with jasmine and honeysuckle. First classic perfume – Emeraude lotion perfume from another sister, since my birthday is in may she thought I should have it.
First perfumista bottle – L’Artisan Poivre Piquant, still beloved. Last perfume I bought was either Turtle Vetiver Front decant or a bunch of mini’s and samples. I don’t remember which was first. Perfumista score – One of my searches when I first got back into perfume was a scent match for Constant Comment Tea- a childhood favorite smell and I found it in Smellbent’s Sunshine Mama Spiced Tea. It is a match for this favorite childhood scent. I now have two bottles and hope Brent will keep it in his current rotation.
First perfume was Joy, given to me by an aunt when I was three years old.
First purchase as a perfumista was Creed Fleur de the Rose Bulgari
Most recent purchase bought not for the bottle but to actually wear was Femme (Rochas), which I am wearing the absolute heck out of. (Actual last purchase was Forsaken and one of the VS Tease flankers, I think it’s called Heartbreaker. I am completely unable to resist campy bottles; is there a 12 Step program for this?!)
First perfume – Love’s Lemon whatever it was called, not quite furniture polish but pretty close
First perfume with a more enlightened palate 🙂 Un Bois Vanille ( still sticking with the gourmand theme)
Most recent perfume FB purchase: Montale’s Sweet Oriental Dream – so apparently, I haven’t come all that far from my junior high days!! But I really do wear more than just gourmands now!
1- Antaeus.
2- Ambre Sultan
3- Muguet Blanc and Hommage a l’Homme (at the same time)
Ok new answer for #3. I went to Lush to get shampoo today and ended up with a 9ml of Lust too.
Also… I went by L’Occitane while I was there and tried the new scents. Not impressed overall. I was interested in Mure & Magnolia and Vanille & Narcisse, and I think the latter is the best of the bunch. If you like L’Artisan’s Havana Vanille (or Vanille Absolument or whatever it’s called now), you’ll probably like this one too. It’s kind of the same idea but lighter. I didn’t like the L’Artisan one, and this one didn’t work for me at first, but I liked it a little more as it dried down. Not enough to buy it, but it’s not bad. The magnolia one was ok at first but was mostly gone within about half an hour. Just a little vague something-or-other was left. So the ads say it’s for the mysterious personality. Unfortunately the mystery is “where did it go?”.
The first perfume I remember owning was Tatiana. I’m tempted to track down a bottle just for old time’s sake.
L’Heure Bleu was the perfumista gateway drug. I went to Sak’s for it, and Neiman Marcus to try SL’s Ambre Sultan. There I was, sniffing my wrists for an hour, trying to decide which I liked best.
Latest purchase: yesterday a bottle of Bronze Goddess body oil spray.
First fragrance owned: I think Body Shop White musk and Dewberry when I was sixteen
First bought as a perfumista: Bond 9 Chinatown was my ticket to the tunnel after discovering NST and the blogophere and the existence of niche
Last fragrance bought: Delrae Amoureuse, Emotionnelle and Bois de paradis. Half price. For fear of discontinuation
1) I owned a little Yardley Sweet Pea thing as a tiny child, but at the same period, I remember having a little rollerball of Lace, which I thought was just SO grown-up!
2) I bought Chanel No 19 as a twenty-year old on my first trip to Europe, and on the same trip got Emilie by Fragonard from my mom – sadly, I no longer like it at all, but then it seemed perfect.
3) Eau de Navigateur and Mure et Musc, 100 ml tester bottles but only very slightly used, each for the equivalent of just over 10 dollars – the store is discontinuing their L’Artisan stock! Score! Just before that purchase, I also got Navegar and Timbuktu – same deal!
1. Electric Youth by D. Gibson – I would love to smell it today.
2. Corso Como 10
3. Narciso Rodriguez for Her (pink) – purchasing Voleur de Roses very soon
1. Lavender essential oil, then Rive Gauche
2. L’Heure Bleue
3. Fleurs de Set