Perfume Chat Thread

[Purses & Perfumes]

I love how we are all so different! It’s amazing to hear about how other people feel about a fragrance! +1 Borneo 1834

Agree with this. As for Lutens, there are some of his popular ones that I don't quite get along with like Un Bois Vanille or Chergui. But Lutens is overall an interesting house. I have two perfume samples sitting in my sample box to test in the near future -- Tubereuse Criminelle and La Couche du Diable. And I agree with you about 4711. I always have a bottle at home. Sometimes, when it's really hot outside, a generous splashing of 4711 is all that is needed!

@papertiger, I haven't tried Mon Guerlain yet, but I noticed it already has several flankers!
My question to others -- What are your thoughts on flankers? If you like a perfume, do you also try the flankers in the series? Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[papertiger]

Agree with this. As for Lutens, there are some of his popular ones that I don't quite get along with like Un Bois Vanille or Chergui. But Lutens is overall an interesting house. I have two perfume samples sitting in my sample box to test in the near future -- Tubereuse Criminelle and La Couche du Diable. And I agree with you about 4711. I always have a bottle at home. Sometimes, when it's really hot outside, a generous splashing of 4711 is all that is needed!

@papertiger, I haven't tried Mon Guerlain yet, but I noticed it already has several flankers!
My question to others -- What are your thoughts on flankers? If you like a perfume, do you also try the flankers in the series? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Same with Guerlain's Petit Robe Noir

I call that piggy-backing on the marketing. One scent has nothing to do with another. Bad enough between perfume, EDP and EDT.

 

[JenJBS]

I love how we are all so different! It’s amazing to hear about how other people feel about a fragrance! +1 Borneo 1834

Agreed! Scent is so totally subjective anyway, then there is how a scent reacts with each person's skin chemistry... It's incredible!

Agree with this. As for Lutens, there are some of his popular ones that I don't quite get along with like Un Bois Vanille or Chergui. But Lutens is overall an interesting house. I have two perfume samples sitting in my sample box to test in the near future -- Tubereuse Criminelle and La Couche du Diable. And I agree with you about 4711. I always have a bottle at home. Sometimes, when it's really hot outside, a generous splashing of 4711 is all that is needed!

@papertiger, I haven't tried Mon Guerlain yet, but I noticed it already has several flankers!
My question to others -- What are your thoughts on flankers? If you like a perfume, do you also try the flankers in the series? Would love to hear your thoughts.

I hear so many good things about Lutens I'll have to try some out.

As for flankers... I get the idea of flankers from a business perspective - take advantage of the name recognition, and popularity of the original. If a flanker is clearly related to the original, I have no problem with it. But if the flanker is totally different from the original, then just give it a new name and see if it's good enough to stand on it's own.

I actually much prefer Hypnotic Poison to the original Poison. Are there any flankers you guys like better than the original?

 

[880]

An interested view on flankers from bois de Jasmine site

Perfume Flankers 101

Perfume Flankers 101 and how it all started.

boisdejasmin.com

Quote:
Every now and then, I find a flanker I like even more than the pillar fragrance. Mugler’s flankers are reliably well-done, and if you like the originals, you’ll almost certainly like at least some of the flankers. In fact, A*Men Pure Malt blows A*Men out of the water, skipping the original’s fun but weird mint-chip ice cream accord and adding smoky peat and fruity tobacco notes to the burnt-sugar, amber, and patchouli base – a delicious unisex gourmand for cool weather.

Lauder has also released its share of buy-worthy flankers. To my mind, Sensuous is a pretty but ultimately uninspiring soft woody oriental. Sensuous Noir, on the other hand, is a distinctive statement-maker, with a Chambord-like boozy fruit note and a long drydown that reminds me of much pricier scents from niche lines like Serge Lutens and the Tom Ford Private Blends. Similarly, Youth Dew Amber Nude is a very attractive version of the spicy oriental idea that came first in a bath oil many decades before; true to its name, the update has the sheer weight and golden coloring of nude stockings.

@Purses & Perfumes, I loved tuberose criminelle

 

[Purses & Perfumes]

Same with Guerlain's Petit Robe Noir

I call that piggy-backing on the marketing. One scent has nothing to do with another. Bad enough between perfume, EDP and EDT.

Agree, and good point about the marketing. As for Petite Robe Noir, I tried their very first one, and then kind of gave up. When there are so many flankers (in addition to EDP, EDT and parfum), it gets a bit overwhelming for me.

 

[papertiger]

Agreed! Scent is so totally subjective anyway, then there is how a scent reacts with each person's skin chemistry... It's incredible!



I hear so many good things about Lutens I'll have to try some out.

As for flankers... I get the idea of flankers from a business perspective - take advantage of the name recognition, and popularity of the original. If a flanker is clearly related to the original, I have no problem with it. But if the flanker is totally different from the original, then just give it a new name and see if it's good enough to stand on it's own.

I actually much prefer Hypnotic Poison to the original Poison. Are there any flankers you guys like better than the original?

My mother bought me a J'dore Summer a loooong time ago. I preferred it to the original (and no alcohol)

 

[Purses & Perfumes]

As for flankers... I get the idea of flankers from a business perspective - take advantage of the name recognition, and popularity of the original. If a flanker is clearly related to the original, I have no problem with it. But if the flanker is totally different from the original, then just give it a new name and see if it's good enough to stand on it's own.

I agree with this! I always thought Shalimar Parfum Initial was quite different from original Shalimar. I like Parfum Initial but they could have made it a stand alone perfume and not a flanker. Then there are flankers of flankers -- Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau and and Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau Si Sensuelle, both variations of the original Parfum Initial! Likewise with Dior and Poison. Hypnotic Poison is very different from Poison, and has its own flankers.

Flankers I prefer to the original: I prefer Sensuous Noir to the original Sensuous. Dior J'Adore L'Or over original J'Adore. These are the ones that come to mind first. I am sure there are more and I will add them later as I remember them.

An interested view on flankers from bois de Jasmine site

Perfume Flankers 101

Perfume Flankers 101 and how it all started.

boisdejasmin.com

Quote:
Every now and then, I find a flanker I like even more than the pillar fragrance. Mugler’s flankers are reliably well-done, and if you like the originals, you’ll almost certainly like at least some of the flankers. In fact, A*Men Pure Malt blows A*Men out of the water, skipping the original’s fun but weird mint-chip ice cream accord and adding smoky peat and fruity tobacco notes to the burnt-sugar, amber, and patchouli base – a delicious unisex gourmand for cool weather.

Lauder has also released its share of buy-worthy flankers. To my mind, Sensuous is a pretty but ultimately uninspiring soft woody oriental. Sensuous Noir, on the other hand, is a distinctive statement-maker, with a Chambord-like boozy fruit note and a long drydown that reminds me of much pricier scents from niche lines like Serge Lutens and the Tom Ford Private Blends. Similarly, Youth Dew Amber Nude is a very attractive version of the spicy oriental idea that came first in a bath oil many decades before; true to its name, the update has the sheer weight and golden coloring of nude stockings.

@Purses & Perfumes, I loved tuberose criminelle

Great article! Thank you for sharing. Mugler is a house I have not really clicked with (after initially testing a few of them). Agree that Sensuous Noir is better than the original. And I would love to try Youth Dew Amber Nude. Actually, I think both are discontinued (Sensuous Noir and Youth Dew Amber Nude).

It's interesting that we mostly only see flankers in the mainstream lines and not in the niche or exclusive lines (at least to my knowledge). Sometimes we will see a "series" in the exclusive range (like Guerlain's now discontinued Les Deserts d'Orient series). Of course we also have the Aqua Allegoria series which I think is more mainstream. I feel like there is an overarching concept linking the different perfumes in the series, so it's quite a different notion when compared to a flanker.

I am looking forward to trying Tubereuse Criminelle.

 

[JenJBS]

I agree with this! I always thought Shalimar Parfum Initial was quite different from original Shalimar. I like Parfum Initial but they could have made it a stand alone perfume and not a flanker. Then there are flankers of flankers -- Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau and and Shalimar Parfum Initial L'Eau Si Sensuelle, both variations of the original Parfum Initial! Likewise with Dior and Poison. Hypnotic Poison is very different from Poison, and has its own flankers.

Flankers I prefer to the original: I prefer Sensuous Noir to the original Sensuous. Dior J'Adore L'Or over original J'Adore. These are the ones that come to mind first. I am sure there are more and I will add them later as I remember them.


Great article! Thank you for sharing. Mugler is a house I have not really clicked with (after initially testing a few of them). Agree that Sensuous Noir is better than the original. And I would love to try Youth Dew Amber Nude. Actually, I think both are discontinued (Sensuous Noir and Youth Dew Amber Nude).

It's interesting that we mostly only see flankers in the mainstream lines and not in the niche or exclusive lines (at least to my knowledge). Sometimes we will see a "series" in the exclusive range (like Guerlain's now discontinued Les Deserts d'Orient series). Of course we also have the Aqua Allegoria series with regular releases that is more mainstream. I feel like there is an overarching concept linking the different perfumes in the series, so it's quite a different notion when compared to a flanker.

I am looking forward to trying Tubereuse Criminelle.

I really like the idea of series. Some of the niche series sound intriguing.

Thanks for the article @880 Very informative.

Forgot to add : I love Chanel Coco Mademoiselle L'Eau Privee, and don't like it's original Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.

 

[ultravisitor]

I have never tried the original vintage bel ami or Dior Eau sauvage. The current interactions of sauvage smell like department store chemicals to me.

Which Sauvage smells like chemicals to you? The Johnny Depp Sauvage line smells atrocious.

Eau Sauvage, though, is still very readily available and smells nothing like the cheap chemical monstrosity that is Sauvage.

 

[ultravisitor]

My three favorite houses are Christian Dior, Frederic Malle, and Profumum Roma.

I used to really hate Le Labo, but I've come to learn that I seriously love some of them. The house is just very hit or miss for me, like Ex Nihilo.

I think Guerlain is very much underappreciated. I feel like so many people overlook them, but their classics can be found at such amazing prices and they're easily better than many of the perfumes they inspired that cost ten times as much.

I really appreciate Chanel, but something about most of those that I like from that house makes them feel too elegant for me.

I'd like to explore more Eric Buterbaugh.

I think Roja Dove is just plain laughable.

I find MFK highly overrated as a house, for the most part.

Oh, and I really like the conceptual nature of Akro's fragrances. Very interesting house with one of my favorites.

 

[880]

Which Sauvage smells like chemicals to you? The Johnny Depp Sauvage line smells atrocious.

Eau Sauvage, though, is still very readily available and smells nothing like the cheap chemical monstrosity that is Sauvage.

I tried the Johnny depp one. Will look for Eau Sauvage and will be trying some Dior!
Thank you for this info!

 

[ultravisitor]

Thanks for the info. I tried the Johnny depp one. Will look for Eau Sauvage

It should be really easy to find. Sephora carries it.

 

[880]

It should be really easy to find. Sephora carries it.

May I ask what you think of FM cologne bigarade? I know it’s bitter orange as opposed to Eau sauvage, but somehow I have in my mind that they may occupy a similar place in my fragrance wardrobe. (I adore FM CB around this time of year).

 

[ultravisitor]

May I ask what you think of FM cologne bigarade? I know it’s bitter orange as opposed to Eau sauvage, but somehow I have in my mind that they may occupy a similar place in my fragrance wardrobe. (I adore FM CB around this time of year).

I prefer Eau Sauvage between the two, though I think Eau Sauvage Parfum is better than the Eau Sauvage EdT. Unfortunately, Eau Sauvage Parfum is trickier to get since it's only officially sold overseas. I considered getting it last time I was abroad, but I already had five other bottles of perfume that I was bringing back, so I had stop myself.

I love how Cologne Bigarade opens like you're biting into or peeling a fresh orange, but beyond that, it loses me a bit.

 

[JenJBS]

My three favorite houses are Christian Dior, Frederic Malle, and Profumum Roma.

I used to really hate Le Labo, but I've come to learn that I seriously love some of them. The house is just very hit or miss for me, like Ex Nihilo.

I think Guerlain is very much underappreciated. I feel like so many people overlook them, but their classics can be found at such amazing prices and they're easily better than many of the perfumes they inspired that cost ten times as much.

I really appreciate Chanel, but something about most of those that I like from that house makes them feel too elegant for me.

I'd like to explore more Eric Buterbaugh.

I think Roja Dove is just plain laughable.

I find MFK highly overrated as a house, for the most part.

Oh, and I really like the conceptual nature of Akro's fragrances. Very interesting house with one of my favorites.

Never heard of Profumum Roma, but will check them out. Interesting how our tastes/reactions change over time.

Guerlain has a few I'd like to try. Akro is another one I want to learn more about.