Thursday, July 16, 2009

Perfume

Current work: Medical (and trying not to stress about some real life hassles - it was this time last year that life went very dark indeed, and I would rather like a nice, quiet, peaceful summer without any worrying or having to sort out crises, please)
Listening to: Nirvana unplugged
Reading: next on TBR

I’ve been thinking about perfume, this week. (Yup, is book-related: another idea.) Thinking about it has made me realise I’m in a bit of a rut, perfume-wise.

But finding the right one is proving tricky. I know that your skin changes with age and your perfume needs to change with it; and that most people ‘suit’ one particular perfume group (the one that works for me is oriental – floral oriental, if we’re being really precise about subgroups). I also know that what suits one person doesn’t necessarily smell nice on another; Anais Anais smelled lovely on my mum but awful on me, and Rive Gauche was lovely on her but vanished on me within about 10 minutes.

In the 80s, I wore Poison (amber and honey) and Lou Lou (vanilla and bergamot); early 90s it was Opium (rose and clove); late 90s it was Gio (jasmine and rose). For the last four or five years it’s been Dior’s Addict (base note is vanilla and heart is Jamaican ‘Queen of the Night’ - I would've said rose, so that's something interesting for me to look up... when I have finished this book. Note to self, NO DISTRACTIONS until deadline done) but it’s probably about time for a change.

The question is, to what?

I did try Bulgari’s Amethyste this week (my birth stone is amethyst and the back of the bottle says it’s based on my favourite flower, iris, plus Bulgarian rosebuds). Liked it but it wasn’t quite right: I think it’s aimed at the early 20s market, so that’s probably why.

Suggestions welcome…

15 comments:

Rachel said...

Dear Kate,

after much angst (over the decadent price tag!) I have caved in and treated myself to the new Dior summer one, Miss Dior Cherie. It's been described as oranges wafting in on a sea breeze. It's scrum.

But for the evening and grown ups only nights, I still don't think you can beat a squirt of Jo Malone's Pomegranate Noir--it gets Him every time!

Happy sniffing!

Love,

Rach.
XXX

Nell Dixon said...

If Opium was a fave try Paloma Picasso. My fave summer one is Clinque's Happy. There might be something in their range that you like.

Jill said...

I don't have any perfume suggestions since unfortunately my husband is very anti-perfume :-( He certainly doesn't forbid me from wearing it, but he finds almost all perfumes unpleasant, so that spoils my fun.
I just wanted to say the pre-husband Lou Lou and Gio were my favorite perfumes!

Anonymous said...

If you like florientals, I'd recommend giving a sniff to Lancome Tresor. It's mostly rose, but it's got a very pleasant and not too sweet peach note. Very sophisticated and smooth, with a woody base.

Anonymous said...

I love Chanel No. 5... a classic. http://www.fragrancenet.com/chanel-5-perfume/chanel/womens-fragrances/wf/en_US/00482

Kim said...

Before you commit, try Mania by Armani. I went through two sample vials of it and had to buy the entire bottle. It's quite adult and everyone asks what it is.

Liz Fielding said...

I handed my bottle of Chanel No 5 to the dd on her wedding day -- she'd forgotten to take any with her. It never made its way back to my bag. :)

I do love Coco, too, but they're both too heavy for the day.

Kate Hardy said...

Thanks, Rach - I'll look out for those two and give them a try.

Sharon Kendrick raves over Jo Malone, too. Hmm. September = London... :o)

Kate Hardy said...

Nell - thanks for the rec. Will check tem out next time I'm in the city.

Kate Hardy said...

Jill - hugs, and how awful for your husband :o(

Kate Hardy said...

Anonymous I - thanks, will look that one up too. (This is brilliant because I'm being led outside my comfort zone, aka Dior)

Kate Hardy said...

Anon II - thanks, will give that one a sniff!

Kate Hardy said...

Kim - thanks, not heard of that one at all (and I did like Gio, so...) - will check it out when I'm in the city next.

Kate Hardy said...

Liz - that's such a lovely story to share! Thanks. (I have a lightbulb going, too, so thanks for that as well *g*)

Will give both of those a sniff when I'm in town next.

susan said...

Kate, think you should give a smell to Alien by Thierry Mughler everyone always asks me what I'm wearing and more importantly its in a gorgeous purple bottle!