With anything Lattafa, allowing them to sit for a while (at least a month) make a great difference! Dismissing them after first few sprays might be a disservice 😅 Try houses like Rasasi, Afnan, Swis Arabian, Fragrance World, Ahmed al Magribi. Lattafa is 'just' very popular because of the frequency of releases but they do have some amazing gems. Do not let the ones that did not work for you scare you. With that being said, I would love for you to try these 6 middle eastern beauties: Infini Rose Ishaq al shuyukh gold Quasamat Ebhar Ansaam Gold Madawi Gold Roses d'emotion ❤
Yes, I let Sheikh al shuyukh luxe edition, opulent oud and my samples sit for over 15 months before revisiting them for a final time because I've heard that letting them sit is a thing to try! I did try with them all periodically too because I really wanted to smell the joy that others smell and I was eager to love them. Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud I do like but there is something niggling me with it in the background and stopping me wearing it often. I know now that I also just often dislike fragrances with saffron as it comes off as harsh for me or plastic when it's done badly, this was part of the issue with some Lattafa fragrances that I've tried. I've not tried Fragrance World at all actually, I would like to sample from them. ☺️ I did try a number of Afnan fragrances though, I bought one to try and I also sampled a lot of others as there is a stall in my local city with about 40 different fragrances available, I've tried about 10 now when walking past it, I think Afnan were worse than Lattafa for me so far, but I'll keep trying them. I waited 10 months before decluttering Rare Tiffany, but it just wasn't for me. Swiss Arabian I've tried two from and they seemed ok but extremely strong, I'd not mind trying some more ☺️ Ahmed Al magribi I've tried 6 from. I got samples but all weirdly smelt of fish 🤷♀️ I wondered whether the glass sample vials had some issue? They were from the brand though and not decants, so there was clearly some systemic issue with their samples maybe? Another UA-camr sent them to me after she was sent them as pr and didn't love them. From Rasasi I tried Jasmin wisp but that is all. I didn't like it as it smelt very very sweet and had something that made it smell chemical in the background, but I didn't try Erba Pura which it is compared to, so maybe I also wouldn't enjoy that either? I'd be open to trying more from Rasasi. I tried Armaf club de nuit intense a few weeks ago and I did like that. For the price difference, I don't mind that it's linear and a little flatter than noir de noir, it's a great dupe and I would consider buying it 😊 I will note your suggestions for future reference ☺️ I may have one last go at some point. I've spent about £70 trying stuff I've decluttered though so I'm hesitant to buy full bottles. Hopefully I can sample somehow! Thanks for your suggestions and for watching ❤️
Just on this topic of letting it sit. Claire I just watched your video, the one where you reviewed Bianco Latte. I was also disappointed and found it as you described. But i was having a very low period a few weeks back, I thought after a bath I would put on something bright and zesty for a lift of mood. After the bath I had a rare gourmand craving, went through my samples and tried a few. But I was absolutely taken aback by how it transformed. I finally have experienced what people were raving about. I was not expecting this at all. Need to find my Borabora sample and see if I like that more now!
I need to try that one! I do think Amouage stand out. Lovely that you can share a fragrance. I think Amouage should just market everything as unisex, I find it odd that they don't 🤷♀️ thanks for watching 🥰
I've only tried Honour Woman. I have a travel spray from Scentbird. That was one I scrubbed off and even took the blotter out of the room. But..I could tell, immediatly, that it was a very well-crafted fragrance with volume and projection. I'd like to try Lilac Love.
the differences in ability to smell different musks is so interesting to me, because theres a particular smell that i grew up associating with fragrances...more specifically, a man who has sprayed too much. i never knew what it was but i knew it was way too strong. when i was looking into what i should include in my first purchase of perfumery materials, someone said iso e super and galaxolide. the moment i smelled iso e super, i knew i had found the source of that offensively strong, generic masculine perfume smell. same with galaxolide, to a lesser extent. so the smell has always been super strong for me. i would like to see more research about what causes musk anosmia
Yes, iso E super can really ruin fragrances for me and galaxolide in Trésor to me makes it smell like a cleaner version of cigarette ash. It's not for me 🤣
I've tried Instant Crush, but not Aoud Mint. I will give that one a try. I think out of all the brands here, Montale and Mancera are the ones that I need to try more of, the others I'm pretty convinced are not for me. Thanks for watching 🥰
I am a woman. My love with Amouage started with total hate of Interlude Man. Now it’s my favorite of all the collection. I adore Epic Man and Enclave Man. I use all of them. Just so much my taste and incredible story to listen every time I wear them. Love ❤ Complexity and incredible quality and longevity 🎉
Wow Interlude Man if I remember is the really smokey one! I actually like it now too but wasn't sure to begin with. I think the older Amouages are where it's at! I only have opus III so far, but I'm sure that more will come into my collection. Thanks for watching 🥰
I like getting your impressions on these brands. Lattafa fragrances get better with time. I totally agree that they have so many clones, that it ends up overwhelming...😅 I'm a big Xerjoff fan, but the line with velour bottles is challenging to me, from what I've tested so far. Very potent and loud (Erba Pura and Accento). I've never had a miss with Serge Lutens...😊
Yes, I heard that with Lattafa which is why I waiter 15 months before I decluttered any, but it didn't change my mind sadly. I'm open to sampling a few more though, there has to be one that I appreciate. I've only tried the Rasasi dupe of Erba Pura and that was more than enough for me 🤣 I've not tried anything to do with Accento though. I agree, I've liked all of the Serge Lutens fragrances that I've tried (baptême du feu, dent de lait, un Bois vanille and another one that I forget). Thanks for watching 🥰
Thanks, I have tried quite a few, but I probably do need to try a few more. I just feel totally overwhelmed with how many fragrances they have out, I don't know where to start. I worry I will end up spending £150 on 8 fragrances and decluttering the lot. 🤷♀️
From Mancera I own a whole bottle of roses vanille. Amazing scent to me. If you don’t want to commit, they also have a great sampler kit for men and women although most are unisex in my opinion. I started buying their 8ml 5 packs where you pick the scent and they send it to you. Like little travel vials with sprayers but you chose what goes into them. So far I like: Vetiver sensual Intense cedrait Boise (not the regular) Intense red tobacco (not the regular) Jardin exclusif And of course roses Vanille. These are the ones that don’t have that screechy synthetic loud Mancera backbone that’s super off putting and found in the base of most of them I tried. These actually smell like well blended stand alone fragrances. P.s Mancera full bottle atomizer sprayers are some of the best in the game along with Dior, creed and Chanel atomizers. Just a luxurious spray and very controlled. I think I they are pressurized. Worst sprayers have to be bvlgari. Like a camel spitting at you.
That sounds a fab idea! I didn't realise they did those 5x 8ml packs! That's the perfect size isn't it? I might get one and do some more reviews 😊 I do have a small decant of roses vanille which is nearly gone... Thanks for your list, I know they have a lot of fragrances so it's useful! 🥰
I've sampled Eau Capitale and Eau Duelle but I didn't try the others. I do really like Orphéon still, I tried it again the other day cos I'm mega indecisive 🙃🤣 but I think I will get it. Thanks for watching 🥰
My favourites from Lattafa are from the Pride line. They are all a bit 'dupey' but have added their own spin on other fragrances. Ansaam gold is a good dupe of Oriana or Love Dont be Shy. ( this is hard to get at a decent price now) Nebras is nice for an everyday chocolate based scent and Thawah Gold is a dupe of Libre (but I think much nicer). They do 20ml samples of the pride series but the larger bottles are around £30.00 or so. I also like a Lattafa called Azeezah which i think is similar to CH Good Girl. Oh and Mohra. That one I like alot in the Autumn. It's quite festive and spicy to me.
Thanks for the tips! I've heard a lot about Ansaam Gold, I guess that kind of DNA is very likeable ☺️ someone else recommended the Pride line. If I try more Lattafa, I will try one of these. I didn't realise they were all dupes! Mohra I will look up and read about, it sounds like something I might enjoy. Thanks for watching, have a fab Sunday 🥰
If a person likes Mancera/Montale, I assume our tastes aren’t aligned in the least. Also, studies show people who like these brands are terrible people. Citation forthcoming. Great video.
Ok, I'm going to write these all down and investigate, because I have been so hesitant and also slightly overwhelmed with how many fragrances Lattafa have out! They are loved so that have to be some good ones 😊 thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume I love lattafa but did not like the ones you listed either, except for khamra I like it. Some easy reaches that are my favorite ME are from Matin Martin fragrances, I have several and love them all. Miral, Jameela, Silky Saffron and Lady Roza. Also the mystique bouquet, violet bouquet and floral bouquet by Afnan are some easy to wear middle eastern fragrances. Edit I just realized this video is 7 mnths old. Hopefully you have found some middle eastern loved during this time.
Thanks for this, Claire. It's interesting to hear what you like/don't like and the reasons why. I agree with you on Juliette has a gun. I was very excited to try their fragrances and didn't really like them. I will say there is one that I enjoy so I bought a travel spray and it's Vanilla Vibes, but none of the others were to my liking.
Amouage is worth the money imo ❤️ Guidance, Journey, The Library collection, etc... Kalotinis is lovely as well & so is Diptique.. Fleur De Peau & the new Papier = enchanting, atmospheric & transparent feel 🤍 Frederic Malle is another one I'm alright to spend my money on 😅
Thanks for the suggestion! I've tried one from them, but it wasn't the right scent profile for me, I need to try one that suits me better, for what it was though, it did smell pleasant. I would love to try some more from that brand ❤️
The case of the missing comment -- again. I'll just summarize. if you're looking for a pear fragrance, you might check out Pear by Perfume H (Lyn Harris of Miller Harris). Lipstick/Makeup scents I have and enjoy are 1889 Moulin Rouge by Histoires de Parfum and Lipstick Rose by Frederic Malle.. I have Dark Purple by Montale and Hindu Kush by Mancera, but otherwise the fragrances from these houses I have tested seem to be rose, vanilla, chocolate, coffee or variations thereof with a heavy patchouli and/or oud background. The two I have are more complex. Re Amouage,, the originals I have are Journey, Figment and Myths, all bought on sale at really reduced prices. The others I have are Duas of: Portrayal, Overture, Memoir, Interlude and Fate. I checked them against a sample set I found at a good price on Mercari, and the Duas are satisfyingly close to the ogs. The only drawback is that you don't have the lovely Amouage bottles.
I did just check the UA-cam filter but there's nothing there 🤷♀️ I don't know why it seems to just delete stuff 🤷♀️ it's annoying! Ok, I am interested to try some Perfumer H, I do really like the older Miller Harris fragrances. I think my favourite makeup fragrance is probably Misia from Chanel, but I do really like lipstick rose and violet Ida too. I love the name of the histoires de parfum fragrance! I think Gabi, the fragrantician had dark purple, and I've heard a few people mention Hindu Kush as being as interesting one. I agree that the Montale scent profiles are often quite samey, they feel like they are almost duping their own fragrances sometimes! With Amouage, I can see a clone being enough for me, the prices are insane 🤣 Dua seems to do some good ones, it's always reassuring to compare them to the originals too! Thanks for watching Kat! Have a good week 🥰
Good morning! Thanks for another great video. I’d love your opinion of Guidance. I love it, but will have to wait until it eventually goes on sale to even think of purchasing a bottle!
Mancera coco vanille is a love for me and what I would recommend trying from that house. I also was caught off guard at velvet vanilla being a tuberose scent, but I love it anyway. Thanks for sharing your experiences testing out these brands!
Hi Lauren, yes I think you might be right with that one, I heard Joss Jane said that one doesn't have the DNA as strongly as the others she'd tried. I didn't dislike velvet vanilla at all, as I do enjoy tuberose, but it was just not expected 😂 it's almost fizzy feeling to me, quite an interesting one! Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi Claire 😊 nice to see you again … right mancera for me I like roses vanille 😊 I like to wear it in freezing winter nights it’s very feminine I love it 🥰
In terms of Mancera, I've loved Red Tobacco, Vetiver Sensuel, Intense Cedrat Boise, Black Gold and French Riviera. Some other the others do share a similar DNA to each other and the oud and rose seems to be reused a lot. My skin absorbs fragrances like kitchen towel absorbs liquids, so I enjoy having strong fragrances that even last on my sponge-like skin.
You're right! Oud and rose is a very classic combo that they seem to use a lot! Red Tobacco seems to get mentioned a lot and Cedat Boise Intense makes a lot of top 10s... The only one I've tried here is French Riviera. Thanks for your suggestions! I feel like Mancera is the one brand here that there is probably one for me out there, I just didn't find it yet. 🥰
Claire, I completely respect your opinion and ofcourse fragrances are subjective, but if you ever want to give Lattafa another shot, just make sure you dont chose anything with "Oud" in the name.. May I suggest Emeer? It smells almost like Sugared Lemon with some Clary Sage, but in a classy way (if that makes sense) inspired by Clive Christian Town and Country, not loud at all, Very nice and NO wierd plastic/rubber smell whatsoever, I promise 😊.. Ive heard a couple of reviews saying its "beast mode", but its not really imo, decent 6 to 7 hr longevity, and I think you'd get a kick out of the packaging, lol. Sorry for the long read, Great review!
Thank you! I will try it if I see it. There is a stall near where I work that has a lot of Afnan, but also Swiss Arabian and sometimes Lattafa. I tried Shaghaf Oud Tonka a few weeks back. I've never tried the Clive Christian, but I like clary sage. 🥰
Yeah, I'm so wary of trying any more because of my experiences with them. Even with Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud there's something harsh there that I'm just not sure about, despite the fragrance overall being pleasant to me. I feel like Armaf might be a better brand to try more from but something along the same lines. I haven't tried any Maison Alhambra but I'd be open to checking them out. Thanks for your suggestion ❤️
Pear inc never attracted me! As a matter of fact I smelled it and there was a new one for the summer as well something with sun, nah I don’t feel left out of that brand at all!😂😂😂
Yes, I was attracted by the branding of the JHAG, but having tried them, it's been a big no so far. I didn't try Lust for Sun, but at that stage, my previous experiences had created a lack of interest in the release. 🤷♀️
I just came across your this channel - completely agree on Amouage and also Theodore's Kalotinis. I picked up a sample set from a perfume retailer recently. Beautiful perfumes! I purchased Aegean Sea Salt Citrus for a summer freshie, and I think I will circle back to Alluring Fig. It's so unique, yet wearable!
Amouage, especially the slightly older fragrances, are wow! And Theodoros Kalotinis is really affordable and nicely done in the main. 😊 Thanks for watching 🥰
I keep going to try it. I tried to get those vouchers and still haven't got them. When I do and when there is then a sale at the store, it's coming home with me 😊 thanks for watching 🥰
This was such a fun topic. I really related to what you said about wanting to smell certain scents from the bottle but not wanting to smell like them all day. I feel like that with many niche fragrances that I sample. That they are great for somebody but I am not that someone. Mancera Holidays is a go to in the summer for me though. Might be worth a sniff.
Thank you! ❤️ I know a lot of people love that one, I think it's worth me sampling it 😊 I'm torn between that and Coco vanille. Yes I try so many samples and think wow and then I wear them for a few days and I just realise they aren't me. It's a lesson to learn that what appeals from the bottle doesn't necessarily translate to a wearable fragrance. 🥰
Just found this channel. It's nice to see this type of content in the fragrance community, definitely a breath of fresh air! For me Mancera is hit or miss. I think they have way too many releases and some of them smell quite similar. My favourites are: Vetiver Sensuel and Wind Wood, and I'm sort of on the fence with Hindu Kush. I can completely understand why most people don't get along with the brand. Most releases are fairly synthetic, with a emphasis on loud projection and longevity. In terms of the other brands you don't like, I can't say I'm a fan of those either.
I feel like Mancera/Montale are probably the brand I least feel deserves to be on this list as ones I'm not keen on, I think I do need to try a few more but so far, I've not found anything I've really enjoyed. I've not tried any of those three that you list though! I agree, they are loud and synthetic but are definitely not the worst offenders in that category from the brands on the market 😂 thanks for watching 🥰
Hi, thank you for the beautiful video, from all these brands I owe only diptyque and Juliette has a gun. Juliette has a gun seems so synthetics, i bought a box of samples at Sephora, so I really have the same opinion as you plus for the synthetics note you have to spend a lot of money, its kind of expensive Diptuque I owe: eau duelle (I love it for fall), phylosykos as figue beautiful fragrance, eau de sens that is about orange blossom i like it , do son is very interesting and also I have Tam Dao its beautiful about sandalwood note: I really like this brand brings me in different places. Here in Montreal is associated with a card that explains where is the inspiration coming from
Thank you ❤️ I'm happy that you enjoyed this ☺️ I will try a few more JHAG that people have suggested to me in this video as I have a store nearby where I can try a few sprays for free, so I've nothing to lose. So far, yes I agree, quite synthetic and expensive! Wow, you own quite a lot of Diptyque fragrances! They are really beautiful from the ones that I've tried. Of yours, I did not try Eau de Sens, I will spray that one when I am next in store. Thank you for the description of what you have tried and your experiences, it is very helpful. 🥰
Such a fun video! My 1st fragrance from Juliette has a gun was MMMM... which I loved/love so much that I immediately bought a backup. The other one that I recently tried and like is Lust for Sun. Vanilla Vibes is OK too, but similar to other beach-y vanilla scents. (Sadly, the others did not work out for me, lol. The "pear" one opened so beautifully and then within a minute turned into a disgusting Ambroxan bomb, lol. )
Thanks ❤️ Yes! A tonne of ambroxan with Pear Inc! I will try a few more JHAG and see if I find a love, people do seem to love a few of them ☺️ thanks for watching 🥰
Hello! First time commenting on a video, but I've been watching for a while now. I think your approach to fragrance and reviews is different than a lot of fragrance channels, and i really like it! I also appreciate that you give your honest opinion. Like you, I really love Amouage. I have been wanting to try both Protrayal and Lilac Love- your review is inspiring me to get samples! I just got decants of Guiadance and Crimson Rocks (gorgeous!!) and will be wearing them this winter for sure!! I used to struggle with sweet fragrances including sweet gourmands- but a few years ago Sunshine Woman changed that for me. I still wear that fragrance in the winter and absolutely love it. I am a rose addict, and love both Lyric Man and Woman. On my decant list to get is Material- such a beautiful amber vanilla, and Memior Woman. I could see Memior being a struggle for some- but it is one of my all time favorites. Its an rose incense fragrance. Stunning, and on me it's rather formal- so i wouldn't wear it everyday just for formal occasions- which is why i haven't gotten it before as i don't have a lot of formal occasions to wear it to. I will end this long comment to just say thanks for the videos and keep them coming!!
Thank you so much for that! ❤️ I really appreciate it! I try to be really transparent and I deliberately don't do affiliate links / marketing as I consider it a massive conflict of interest so that's lovely to read 🥰 Amouage are stunning aren't they?! I really didn't try very many but I'm so intrigued and interested to try a few more ☺️ I really want to try Guidance and Crimson Rocks now! And I've heard so much about Memoir but yes, I would just be happy to sample more of them in general. Thanks for watching 🥰 have a fab Sunday!
Lust for Sun by Juliette has a gun got me a compliment in work. I also really love Mmmm. I only got a small discovery set but I would buy those two again.
That's weird! I almost bought a discovery set secondhand yesterday just to try out some more or retry the ones I'd already tried! Lust for Sun seems to have a lot of fans. I think Pear Inc has a LOT of ambrox or some similar ingredients in it judging by what I smelt, that might be why some people can't smell it. To me it was mainly whatever that is and not pear. 🥰
Loved this video! I agree with your assessments. I recently decluttered four Mancera fragrances. Can't wait to try Theodoras Kalatonis. I blind bought Lipstick Rose and really don't care for it. If you want it let me know.
Thank you ❤️ I'm happy that you enjoyed it. I have since tried two more from TK, I should make a review video maybe 🤔 that's a shame about Lipstick Rose. Thank you for the kind offer but I won't take your fragrance, I hope you can resell it and recoup some of your spend and find something else that you do enjoy instead. Thank you for watching 🥰
I love Orpheon to me it’s a bit more special occasion and you are right, it can smell different at certain times eg vintagey or rosey. Smells like an old wooden side table that my grandma had so very nostalgic for me. Thanks for video ❤
Amouage fragrances are very unique. I love Guidance and to my own surprise, I am so intrigued by Material, that I just purchased a larger sample to wear it more to confirm I do love it 😂
Amouage are fab ❤️ I really need to check out both of those! People are recommending both to me and I feel like so many can't be wrong 😊 thanks for your suggestions 🙂
Hi Claire, your videos upload late on Saturday here in Australia, so I save it and watch you while having my Sunday morning breakfast🥐☕️. I love Alluring Fig and have just bought Murmure d’ete by Plume Impressions. Another lovely fig. I enjoy some JHAGs but not all. I now won’t do any more blind buys. (She says) Samples are the best. I can’t remember if you have reviewed Blanche Bete by Liquides Imaginaires. Tried the sample and it was an instant Yes! for me😃🇦🇺
I love fig fragrances! They are great for spring and even summer if they aren't too creamy or sweet. I think I've only tried one Plume Impression fragrance and that was a boozy plum one, I've forgotten the name, is it Imperiale? I'm not sure. Anyway, it was so nice but reminded me a lot of Kayali Invite only. Gosh yes! I nearly blind bought a travel spray of Pear Inc, when I finally tried it I was so relieved that I didn't go for it in the end, because I would just have had the hassle of reselling it. I've not tried Blanche Bête, but I would love to, all but two reviewers I've watched have been head over heels in love with that fragrance, it sounds very lovable! Thanks for watching, I hope you've had a fab Sunday ❤️
I can see that, from comparing intense café to roses vanille, for me, intense café is the more interesting fragrance. I feel I should probably try some more Montale, I will add those to my list, thanks for the suggestions ☺️
Hello dear Claire 🌹 I've been fortunate to be able to smell most of the Amouage fragrances during my travels and I will say I like many of them. I especially like the ones that are supposedly for men, but have noted like tobacco and liquor. Portrayal is one of my favorite 😍
Portrayal is gorgeous 🤩 unfortunately I've never seen any Amouage in any shops near me. I will look when I go to London or a big city. You've definitely seen some fab fragrance stores. I've been looking at your gorgeous photos with immense interest and slight jealousy 🤣
I think when I try something hyped, my expectations are sky high and I'm probably easily disappointed. Very few hyped brands seem to live up to my expectations. 🤷♀️
I've had the exact same experience with the Iso E Super frags. Something medicinal like distant pencil shavings and alcohol, then... nothing. I've heard I can learn to smell it over time, but I've been working on it for years and not making any headway lol. Good to know I'm not alone
@@JetPackDino yeah it's weird, I can definitely smell it when it's in a fragrance with other notes. But on its own from my tries of it in store, I couldn't smell it. I didn't ever have a sample of those Molecule fragrances so out of a smelly perfume department, I'm not sure! Thanks for watching 🥰
I adore Lattafa Nebras. I highly recommend it if you like gourmands and it’s a cheapie. It’s said to be a dupe of Eilish, but I think it’s better. Reminds me of chocolate mousse with whipped cream and a sprig of mint on the top because the opening has a slight minty note. Many say that Middle Eastern fragrances need to sit and develop for awhile. But I also know that fact in itself can annoy people.
I let mine sit for over a year before I decluttered them. They didn't change into something that I enjoyed sadly. I can't say that I like Eilish, but I do like Eilish no2! I haven't tried Nebras though, it sounds nicer than Eilish. Thanks for the suggestion ☺️
Right now my most intriguing brands that got me in a bind is: Sora Dora, Akro for sure, Une nuit Nomade 💁🏽♀️but you already know that!…Argos, Bdk, Mula Mula is decent, room 1015 got my attention, atelier des ors and I’m still skepticcal about the one that I’m intrigued by. I’m overwhelmed with all the new scents and recently hyped up fragrances but it makes me excited, like reignites my inspiration for trying new fragrances.
I'd love to try Escentric Molecules, I think it 01+ black tea. The idea of molecular perfume is interesting. I love Juilette Has a Gun's Vanilla Vibes and the new Juliette. I think the house is very hit or miss. THey certainly have a distinctive DNA. Diptyque I want to try. They have a cult following. Btw, you have access to some marvelous shops. There are no shops near me except for Macy's, and most of their fragrances are Clinique, Gucci, etc. (I love Gucci Bloom and have full bottles.)
I still haven't tried the combined escentric molecule fragrances, I need to! I tried one of JHAG's more expensive line and it was much more something for me, I haven't found any from their main that I really enjoy sadly. I did go and try the ones people suggested after this video too. With Diptyque I think I will eventually buy, I am still quite enamoured with Orphéon! But I also really like Do Son which is compared to Bloom. I would really love a bottle of the ambrosia flanker, I love that one! 😊 Yes I have some good shops in the city where I work, but near my house, not so much 😂 thanks for watching 🥰
Watching. . Always very entertaining. . And then you talked about Lipstick Fever 😂😂😂. Have to laugh as I've just sent you that thinking it would be up your street. Oh well, maybe second times a charm? 😅 . . Will continue to watch
Thanks Lizzie, I know it's ironic, someone had sent me babycat and cafe rose recently too, I guess things go in cycles! Lipstick Fever I retried today, it's still a no unfortunately. I also tried Black Rain, which is not as I expected, for a colour, I'm saying smokey purple - grey. 💜
Hi Claire! I’ve been binge watching a lot of your videos and just love your content. And thanks for being so engaging with your subscribers! It’s refreshing, honestly. So for me, I initially detested the synthetic DNA of Montale fragrances..but as I evolved along this journey, I sort of pushed myself outside of my usual comfort zones. With that being said Roses Vanille is one I really like (not a love) and I find it pairs so lovely with lighter rose scents. On the opposite side of that coin, I absolutely detested Femininity .. it was so bad on me, the leather made me nauseous. Roses Musk by Mancera is nice, seems a lighter more wearable version of Roses Vanille. Also layers well with Delina.. really pretty. I know a lot of people don’t like any JHAG fragrances, but for me Vanilla Vibes is perfectly suited to my chemistry and it’s one of my most complimented fragrances by strangers..oddly enough it’s usually after I’ve gone anosmic to it; radiates beautifully. I like Ode to Dullness, but usually reserve it for a cozy bed time scent. Couldn’t smell Not a Perfume and what little I could detect was unpleasant! Lattafa has a few I like, one being their flanker for Khamrah called Qahwa, I didn’t care for the original but enjoy the more nuanced coffee note in Qahwa. Definitely less sweet. Also like Nasheet which is a lighter version of Ani Nishane. Fakhar Rose is a powdery L’interdit to my nose, I like it. Nebras needed time to blossom and is very similar to Eilish if you like that one. Not a fan of Ajwad, very screechy and metallic. I am currently debating trying Mazaaji and Qaed Al Fursan.. possibly Mayar.
Mancera I think are probably the one I just need to try more of on this list, I just don't think I've tried enough of them, even with trying 12ish, as they do have loads! With Montale, I've come around a bit to Intense cafe, I didn't really enjoy it at all when I first tried it and since then only honey Aoud has been a mild like. JHAG do really work for some people, they must do, because the brand is really genuinely loved! I wish I could find one I enjoy because I love the aesthetic and the bottles 🙂 Qahwa does interest me. And lots of people have recommended Nasheet too. I was just looking at the Mango one, Ajayeb Dubai... 👀 Let me know if you try more Lattafa and what you think of them. 🙂 Thanks for watching 🥰
I have been wearing the ever loving sht out of Mancera’s Fig Extasy, it’s become my spring workhorse-IMO interesting and versatile. The refreshing green notes are appropriate for daytime, but with an unexpectedly voluptuous figgy sillage that makes it fun for evening. That said my skin chemistry tends to make the slightly sweet go full on diabetic, so that lets the figginess stand out against the green and leathery notes. As a lover of unisex scent profiles with a lot of oomph, Mancera has been a fun house for me to play with. But admittedly the world would be a better place if Red Tobacco were never invented 😂
Haha! You know what? I smelt Fig Extasy a while back, I remember liking it. 😊 I do think I need to try more Mancera, I probably just didn't find the right one for me yet... Red Tobacco I've not got to, but I heard it's an everlasting beast! 🤣
I understand not loving JHAG but I highly recommend trying the newest release called Juliette. It's quite a strong fragrance IMO. It has a beautiful dark cherry note in it. It's a warm fragrance, perfect for cold weather. I love it. Also I really enjoy Ode to Dullness too. It's an easy reach fragrance, perfect for year-round. I have yet to try Miss Charming but I've heard good things about that one as well and hope to get my nose on it soon.
Thanks, I will keep trying them! I did go sniff Vanilla Vibes and a few others after this video, Magnolia Bliss and Sunny Side up, but none were for me sadly.
I have only one Lattafa fragrance called Mohra. It is a fresh, sweet, musky rose. It is a crowd pleaser that I love and recommend to you to sniff, Claire.😊
Agree with you on most of these brands. The only Juliette has a Gun fragrances that I like are Miss Charming and Mmmm... I also like Mancera Roses Vanille. I’ve never tried Theodoros Kalotinis, I’m curious to pick up some samples!
I think I need to try more JHAG, I have a list of which to try now and I will add these to it, thanks for the suggestions ☺️ roses vanille is a nice one, I did like that. Yes, definitely try some TK if you get the chance, they are fab value and lovely fragrances. 😊
I love a lot of Amouage fragrances and you can get them steeply discounted here. 🙂 I did have to buy Guidance at full retail, which killed me, lol, but I love it. Great video, Claire!
🤣 I bet! Sheesh! Yes Amouage are sometimes a little cheaper on certain sites here, but not as well discounted as they used to be 🤦♀️ thanks for watching 🥰
I only discovered your channel recently but I do really feel aligned with your views! I recently got 6 Lattafa samples and I did *not* 5 of them, there was one I did/do love and will be buying a FB of, Ana Abiyedh Poudreé. But the rest I do not get. Honour and Glory is eh, okay sometimes. Idk how Yara is compared to Sol De Janeiro 62, or a strawberry milkshake 😬 Shay & Blue I feel the same, such a shame. I HATE Salt Caramel, it's like stale af popcorn to me :( I havent liked anything Mancera/Montale but want to try Melody of the Sun and Holidays, Blue Matcha smelt nice on the blotter and I wanna try on skin. I only liked the Molecule + Ginger and Molecule + Black Tea but the rest 🤷♀️ but I do enjoy Commodity Paper and Book and one of both of them are Iso E Super based and I love that. Amouage - Sunshine is something I really want to get a FB of but when it's discounted.
Oh welcome! Yeah Lattafa has been more hit than miss for me, I will try more in time I think, my curiosity is returning! Ana abiyedh poudrée sounds like one to try 😊 my curiosity is gone over Yara, the reaction has been so mixed! Shay and blue I'm done with. After owning 9 of their fragrances and only liking one, I'm just not interested. Same with Holidays! I feel like that one could be different somehow. Amouage I've tried a few more EOF since this video and I've enjoyed even more of them. I would like some more bottles but they are sooo expensive 🤦♀️ thanks for watching 🥰
Hi Sunny! Yes they are a little offbeat. Not a blind buy brand 😂 I think my favourite so far is opus III but that's discontinued sadly. Which did you try so far? 🥰
I don’t like several fragrances by Mancera and Montale either, but I can genuinely recommend Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale and Black Vanilla by Mancera. Can’t get enough of those two.
Thank you for the tips! I do want to try some more for sure, I feel like there must be one out there for me from these brands! They have so many fragrances! Thanks for watching 🥰
My favorite JHAG is magnolia Bliss. It’s nota very popular one but I like it for the summer is a nice freshie with some floral and it actually lasts on me. I have not had good experience with the rest from the brand.
I've not tried that one, I will check it out though, thanks for the suggestion! I've got quite a list to sniff when I next go to the store near me that stocks this brand. Thanks for watching, have a good week! 🥰
Amouage smells expensive and long lasting but the scents can be challenging sometimes. The concentration of extraits in the perfume is unusually high. I like reflection 45 and rose oud. King blue is also nice. Molecule 1 and 2 for me are meant for layering. Iso E Super is like a skin scent. If you spray molecule 1 on top of other perfume it will hold the scent to your skin a little bit longer. It is like to have scent bubble around you. It is not about projection but intimacy. For molecule 2 , it will fixates other scents to your skin a little bit longer but in the same time enhance the muskiness and sweetiness or sensuality of the fragrance which lead me to Baccarat Rouge 540. Baccarat Rouge contains Hedione and Iso Super E which is good for layering. It makes the scent play hide and seek with the wearer. Sometimes you will get a waft of the smell before it dissappear. After few hours then the smell will reappear again to your nose. But to other people, the fragrances will leave a scent trail and make other people want to follow you. I love your description about one way bridge top shelf. I think I need to find it. I suspect the anomalic notes in the top shelf must be interesting. For dyptique, I like Do Son, L'ombre Dans L'eau and Tempo. Do Son smells like white flowers in the garden inside a Buddhist temple. Minimalistic design of Frederic Malle fragrances appeal to those who love simplicity in modernity. I love the smell of Portrait of a lady, Carnal flower, Musc Ravageour and Uncut Gem. The scent of the rose in the Portrait of a Lady is addictive and long lasting. However I don't find Musc Ravageour long lasting. Carnal flower smells seductive and may cause any heart to beat faster to surrender to its feminity. Suitable to wear at night time in spring or summer. Cannot imagine the effect it have if its layered by Baccarat Rouge on top. If you live in a Victorian Era, this fragrant will cause a scandal. Uncut Gem for me is irresistibly virile, masculine, rough but yet refined. Well done to both Dominique Ropion and Maurice Roucel who created those fragrances.
Yes I agree that Amouage can be challenging. I just tried Interlude Woman and whilst I think it's lovely in a way, I'm not sure the sort of smokiness would be something I'd reach for more than once a year. I also tried Fate and that one was really not for me, but again, a very striking fragrance. I guess I should retry the Molecule fragrances and later then? Maybe a discovery set is needed for that. One Way Bridge can be found on Instagram, the brand owner is very accommodating, for example, when she travels to Europe or even the UK, she brings orders with her to save people money on postage. Elise is worth a chat to, if you would like to try anything. I haven't bought the Diptyque, but I keep trying them when I see them, there's something that makes me keep coming back to them. I agree, Musc Ravageur does fade a little and that's disappointing for the price point, but I do also love the fragrance. Carnal Flower, well yes, tuberose! Those Victorians would be clutching their pearls 🤣 I've tried Uncut Gem, it's one of the newer ones I think? I think that's a great description of it! Do you have any other brands that you really love?
For me ERIS Parfums can do no wrong. I’ve sampled 4 so far (Night Flower, Ma Bête, Mxxx, and Delta of Venus). Night Flower is obsessive arm sniffing territory and the rest ranged from lovely to intriguing. Hilde Soliani has been a mixed bag but might be on me for picking the more experimental scents to try (e.g. Hot Milk).
I have the complete set of those. I haven't tried them all, maybe three so far, but I started with Ma Bête and 😱. I will try Night Flower 🙂 thanks for watching 🥰
Molecule series: the Iso e Super is definitely skin-nose variable and while I can smell it, it just smells like a soapy citrus white musk and it’s very light projection but very long lasting. My favorite is the Black Tea + 01. The tannins accord is like a dry black tea, not creamy, and so good combined with the citrus clean musk. I’ll have to give Lilac Love another try …. Maybe next Spring. Love Mimosa is an easier powdery floral for me as lilacs are often soapy. Great video as always ❤
Hi Jackie! I think I will for sure try the M+ line, a few people have said how good certain fragrances are so I will test them in store and see if I love them 😊. It's weird because I can smell what I think is iso e super when it's with other things, like in PDM Herod, iso e super is the most dominant note to me! Lilac love definitely wasn't instant love and I'm not sure I'd want a bottle of it as I'm not sure how often I would wear it would justify the price, but I do think it's interesting and artistic. I didn't try the mimosa but I do love mimosa so if I get the opportunity, I will try it. 😊 Thanks for watching and have a fab week. 🥰
I love that you mentioned at the beginning how we're all so different because that's one of the first things I learned when I got into perfume! I feel like no two people smell the exact same thing.. we all have different noses! I do tend to enjoy Juliette has a Gun as a rule, but then again I can smell those molecular type fragrances, for example I own a decant of molecule O2 and a partial bottle of molecule 04 and I love them. The only one I can think of that you might like from JHAG would be Vanilla vibes, and possibly Mmmm. Mancera can be hit or miss, but you may enjoy Sicily and Aoud Orchid from them ☺️ When it comes to Theodoros Kalotinis- in my sample sniff part two video I tried 3 from that brand and disliked them all very much, and I concluded that this probably wouldn't be a brand I could go for, since each sample smelled very artificially sweet to my nose. Hopefully I conveyed that tactfully, although it was a little bit comical 😂 But I wonder if I would like that fig one? 🤔 As of now, the only 2 brands that I really cannot find anything I can tolerate from, are Vilhelm and The 7 Virtues, and I have sampled around 10 from each brand. But some people really love them! We all have to find our way on this perfume journey! 😊❤️
I think the fig is very much like the cool green feeling if the leaves and the tree itself but it's also milky and a soft vanilla. I think in really hot weather it can be too overwhelming but in spring it's good. I agree that coffee addict is a sweet one though. I didn't try more of the main line, only the pricier line, of which tobacco maniac is my favourite with the sandalwood and the iris leather close seconds. I'm going to go try those JHAGs, because so many people have suggested those two in particular, it makes me think they are safe bets. L Mancera I really do think I will eventually find one for me too. I don't know, it's weird, because I can smell ambroxan and iso e super when they are mixed with other things (e.g. Herod mainly smells of iso e super to me) and I clearly enjoy ambroxan in certain contexts, e.g. Kenzo world was love at first sniff! But I guess too that the aromachemicals such as ambroxan come in different small tweaked versions and I know some ambroxan fragrances I love and others I just cannot even like. It's very odd 🤣
@@dr.claire.perfume It sounds like the pricey line from Theodoros would be more my taste, I hope I get to smell them someday! I do hope you like Vanilla Vibes or Mmmm, they are definitely on the sweeter side, but VV is balanced with salty notes and Mmmm is balanced with florals in my opinion and reminds me of Gucci Bloom several hours into the drydown. I know what you mean about notes smelling different when they are singled out vs blended with other notes.. they really are whipping up some interesting combinations in those perfume labs 🥼😅😂
Shay & Blue had a lot of hate and dislike for how they handled the shipping issues for the US customers. They are mostly comparable to something within the #sephorasquad influencer pushed brands (Phlur, Kayali, Maison Margiela, Nest) as they are all fairly 'low hanging fruit' style. What I mean by that is that I highly doubt many of these will be talked about ten years down the line. I can smell Iso E Super and I love making my own homemade version as it is SO easy and inexpensive to do. That is, for us in the USA and I'm not sure how it is for the rest of the world. If you need to dupe any of their mixtures just add a bit of essential oils. I love their combo of +Mandarin, but to be fair it is quite expensive for where it falls as a layering fragrance. I've got you covered when it comes to Montale/Mancera! These aren't as strong with typical DNA of these brands. For Mancera: Gold Prestigum creamy vanilla/orange blossom and suede leather - Pink Prestigum grapefruit/citruses and rose. Montale: Dark Vanilla is wonderful and .... dare I say someone took this one and saw some major success(side eye to Silky Woods). Tropical Wood is all about beachy/tropical tiare flower. Starry Nights is another lovely one that isn't the typical Montale. Apple, bergamot, dried rose petals and powdery musk. People seem to be a bit torn on this one if it leans too far masc for women, but give it a go. These have all been Clara approved 🐿 Please do have a look at my page as I live over on IG(much like our pal Jon). Claire - I am glad you popped up and saw you on Jon's channel. An absolute breath of fresh air!
Thanks! I've tried Pink Prestigium, and you're right, that's definitely a bit different to their others! The grapefruit is lovely. Not tried Gold though I don't think 🤔 With Montale I had a sample of Tropical Wood from someone who was decluttering their sample collection and by the sounds of your description, it must have been off because it didn't make me think of beachy / tropical vibes at all. 🤣 In fact I'm now convinced it was off... I should probably try it again with a new sample. I will also check out Starry Nights if I see it, but I often struggle with apple in fragrances so who knows! I will check you out on IG, I may already follow you actually! I will check 🙂 thanks for watching 🥰
Great vid. There are def brands on here I want to try (Lipstick Rose by Frederick Malle), I found for me, Juliette has a Gun brand DNA does not go with me, I can not smell them and they are so weak. I have been looking for replacement for discontinued Lipstick On by Replica and tried Lipstick Fever and smelled the opening and literally nothing a few seconds after, immediately returned.
Thank you! ❤️ Yes lipstick rose is lovely! I never got to sample lipstick on, I would love to try it but it's long gone now. I have no idea why it was discontinued 🤷♀️ it was popular! Maybe it was an ingredients thing? I also tried lipstick fever thinking it would be very makeup like and it just wasn't... Just a lot of iso e super. Thanks for watching 🥰
I'm really intrigued by Amouage. I'm just dipping my toes into niche territory, other than Middle Eastern fragrances, which are also considered niche. But Amouage is the house I'm most interested in right now. Lilac is my favorite flower so I'm always intrigued by a lilac note. Lilac Love sounds so lovely! Have you tried Guidance? I've heard such mixed reviews. I know DUA does a dupe of Guidance but I'm not sure how similar they are. I did just order a sample of Guidance and I'll get DUA "The Guide" AKA Guidance dupe from DUA tomorrow so I'm looking forward to comapring them very much. I've also heard good things about Sunshine Woman. Arlene from Delicious Delights always raves about it so it has me wanting to try it too! Portrayal Woman sounds beautiful too. So many I want to try!! 😂❤ I am a blind buyer at heart but Amouage is one I will sample before purchasing. The bottles from Amouage are really nice as well. I love the shape of them and all the different colors as well as the magnetic cap. It's display worthy (not that I display my fragrances but if I did!). 😂😂
I have tried Guidance once at a friend's house. I can't say I have enough of an impression of it to judge as I was covered in fragrance at the time. I also tried Material and remember more about that one. I think the older Amouage can be quite challenging. I tried one (I don't remember which, it was an 80/90s one) that really did smell like urine for the opening but it did calm down, it was extremely animalic. OG fans of Amouage love that risk taking though. Really the traditional makeup of their fragrances was resins, frankincense was often used. I think they are moving away from that a little now and becoming an easier going more mass appealing house, as evidenced by them being eyed up by L'Oréal for purchase. I do worry that their unique feel and their heritage will become masked in future. The newer collections are already going that way. I didn't try Sunshine Woman but I would love to, I know Arlene loves it 🙂 and I'd be interested to see what you think of the Dua Vs the original!
Yhhh so Theodor kaloris is JUST getting on my radar! Far from aware of this brand. Don’t have a designated scent from the brand that I want to try. Then again COFFEE ADDICT, I wasn’t sure if that’s the brand it came from BUT I would definitely try that one for sure. But it’s not high on my priority. You know what these days the niche brands are a lil cheaper then designer! It’s actually worth exploring niche fragrances. It’s crazy!
Yes, for sure, €45 for a TK fragrance is a great deal (sadly tobacco maniac is more 😭) but gosh the postage on them from Greece was astronomical. Coffee addict has a UK distributor now and I'm tempted, I loved my sample, but I want to try the other fragrances from the cheaper line and make sure I'm getting my favourite when I buy one 😊
I was never interested in the molecule fragrances either. That is until they came out with M + Iris. Truthfully, I don’t love the opening but the dry down is heavenly for me. It’s one one of my less expensive fragrances but it is one of the few that I get complimented on when I wear it. I’ve heard others who like M + Mandarin as well but I haven’t tried it. It’s worth a sample if you like Iris. It must be worn on skin and I think it shines in warmer weather.
I have a store with these in, quite close to where I work, I will try them 😊 thanks for the suggestions, they are helpful. I do really enjoy iris! Thanks for watching 🥰
A fab video. Yes Amouage is not for all. I'm not a huge fan the prices have recently shot up even more. I've not bought one at retail price. There's one insane priced one I cud do 🙊 I have to say to me they are worth it. Even with their "more mass appealing" newer ones they stand head and shoulders above most out there in terms of being original and interesting and bloody good. I like it that they aren't for all. It's a house you will find a love tho. Even an easier one like Lilac Love just isn't like what's out there. Shay and Blue, I've not minded a couple. I think they are a good starter house. Yes sadly the aroma chemicals have certainly become the option for more affordable and less affordable houses sadly. Yes FM isn't all about bling bling it's all about the perfume. I am quite fond of the Moon and Night 🤣 of course. They are a brand that do things well and beautifully. There are so many more I'd wanna own. Classy beautiful and well made. CF and MR are both beautiful ❤️ I have the travels of them. I think Noire Espices or however it's smelt is the next I'd probably get. The Molecule ones... I can't smell iso E super either and o2 was not my jam 🤣 I could smell. It though. I appreciate the idea and concept tho. The Theodoros are absolutely fantastic I really have to say. It was our Tim who got me intregued. The fig was the first I'd smelt too thanks to some posh doctor. You're right they smell like what they are supposed to smell of. JHAG I will be polite... They are not for me. The Pear one... I just don't have the words for it 🤣. I don't have the words for any of them. However, I know these molecular ones are very popular and loved. I like my brain not melting out my nostrils tho. Moscow Mule... Wow again erm in a word... No. Again Sam was one of the best noses I've ever come across and our tastes were soooo alike and she loved these... Diptyque, I've liked one. And they are pleasant to me as room sprays. Like not the real Jo Malone things. I do get the appreciation tho.. They are beautiful. Mancera Montale... I'll leave it there 🤣 Black to Black I did like too but was ridiculously strong. I think Mancera Montale BDK Initio and PDM all have the same DNA to me. Just some are more joke priced. And actually I find the more affordable ones ironically more "refined" I use the word loosely. OWB have so many beautiful ones. Apart from maybe one that I couldn't love I'd own them all. I wish it was easier for Elise to spread her wonderful perfumes. Yea Pitching Woo really blew me away. And the new one Amoure is so unique and damn good. They are also ridiculously well priced. Top Shelf... Well I'm a hairy man 😉 you had to ruin it with a man who works with his hands 🤣🤣. Lataffa, back in the early days were cool to smell. Midnight Oud which maybe from them? Probably not I still love it's very good. Generally I don't think they are the brand for me. And yes the price is always important when we judge. A great fair video. It's not possible we will love and get on with everything. It's so very subjective. And we all do love different things which keeps it exciting. I suggest you try no more of them 🤣
Gosh that's an essay! Amouage are an interest purely down to you. For me the price of the official samples is insane, I wouldn't have tried them had it not been for you. I did go back to M&S and try more Shay and Blue and I have to say they weren't the terrible experience that I had with the ones that I bought, but they were completely different fragrances being sold there. I didn't love any, but they weren't off putting either. So the jury is out. I guess trying in store is not quite the same experience as sampling though. FM are lovely, I hope you get your decant and it's real 🤣 or at least smells right! Escentric molecule stuff just wasn't for me. I get that it's maybe for layering... I just don't have the time or budget for messing with those trying to make them work for me. 🤷♀️ TK rock, the pricepoint is reasonable and they are good 😊 I honestly thought I might love JHAG. I was so shocked when I finally tried them 😱 Diptyque I get your opinion on. I think there is something stopping me buying somehow with them and I can't work out exactly what that something is. 🤔 I think out of you little list, I prefer Montale and Mancera. BDK has shocked me and not in a good way. I need to try initio properly, but so far it's a big no. OWB I feel funny talking about because they are something that is really you. I didn't buy any and have only tried them because of you. My opinion is likely influenced by yours too. I do want to spread the word though and help Elise because they are so beautiful ❤️ even the hairy Top Shelf 😉 Lattafa I think might just be a no from now on. I am not sure I can put myself through it 🤣 I think midnight oud might be ard Al zafaran? I'm not sure. I will look it up 😊 Exactly! This is just an opinion not fact and other points of view are entirely valid 😊 Thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume well anytime, always such great videos. Yes OWB definitely deserve more attention. I do hope they stop being hidden gems. I think people would love them. Well you're very welcome, where would the fun be if we didn't share them ❤️
I too would really like to try some Frédéric Malle fragrances as well, especially carnal flower or portrait of a lady. Mancera is a very good house for me because they have amazing sillage and I just love roses vanille. It's my happy fragrance. I've heard that mmm ftom Juliette has a gun is a good fragrance and personally I'm intrigued by one named mad Madam but I've had this house has a weak performance so I'm not willing to spend the money on something I'm not able to smell. You were right about fracas by the way. Now I'm able to smell that buttery tuberose I bought it for. One of my colleagues said that it reminded her of vintage anais anais that her mum used to wear and also lilacs. Personally, I don't smell lilacs in it but I like them anyway, so why not? The most hilarious comment was my daughter's. She said it smelled basic. I'm glad at least one of my daughters inherited my live for fragrance, even if we rarely agree.
🤣 basic! That's hilarious 😂 I know in a way what she means but it's supposedly, or notorioisly, one of the best tuberoses isn't it? I get that if you don't love tuberose, you might just think it's boring. I will try a few more JHAG fragrances. People do seem to love some of them, but yes, from what I've smelt, they are incredibly weak. Lipstick fever fades very quickly. Mancera there are a few I do like and roses vanille is one, but I think I prefer siren and sailors for something along a similar line, I just didn't find a love yet with Mancera but I'm sure there must be one for me. Have a fab week 🥰
Yes! A few people have suggested raghba! I should probably try that one. The Yara line really does intrigue me, just so many people really love it! Thanks for watching 🥰
Montale try black oud intense 😊 I really love it so much that I will buy it again . The oud is cambodi oud which is my fave rose and patchouli 😊 it’s very regal rich Arab women smelling 😊 I can imagine a Sheika Arab lady coming out from Harrods looking absolutely stunning . That’s the image I get . This perfume is wonderful for winter nights ❤😊 let me know if you try it 🥰 sending you much love darling and I love your content 😊
I haven't heard anyone talk about that one! Buying it again sounds like a very strong mark of approval. Oud definitely gives off that kind of vibe. If I get to try it, I will let you know what I think 😊
@@dr.claire.perfume yes darling one must becareful getting ouds .. I don’t like the animalic ouds it’s just not for me . I like Cambodian they are it a lot in Qatar … so this is my favourite oud it’s fresh smelling mixed with rose and patchouli it’s just WAW 🙏🙏🙏 every time I went shopping in Harrods I always see an elegant Arab lady coming out and living just this trail of this perfume . 😀 it’s super Harrods and Seifridges sell it. .. so yeah let me know I’m curious about your ideas 😀 have a great Sunday darling lots of love 🥰🙏🕊 GOD BLESS 🙏
I'm not sure I know enough about oud to comment, but I've noticed there are some I enjoy and some I don't. Also some that are clearly synthetic and others that are more enveloping and rich smelling.
I've been very careful at sampling Amouage and most I got second hand. So far, the winners for me are: Guidance, Sunshine, Lineage, Crimson Rocks, Epic W, Material ❤
I think Escentric Molecules is a very interesting brand. I bought the discovery set, and I couldn’t smell molecule 01 either. I had to train my nose to pick up the scent, and now it’s very clear. I think these are great for a minimalistic mood or for layering🤍
Yes! Layering is definitely their strength I think! Trying in store is probably a bit different to sampling. You are less concentrated on one scent. I should probably go back... I also want to try the M+ range. 🙂
Hi ! I have the same approach to top hyped " niche" brands . In my case , Xerjoff / Casamorati ( testing right now Bouquet Ideale ) , BDK ( on my skin, most of their perfumes are splendid only for 1 h30 and then they get boring ) , Parfums de Marly ( I already have sth similar with rose / juicy vibes) and MFK ( happy I bought Grand Soir some 3 yrs ago before its reformulation ) . Greetings from Paris
Hi Joanna, I've not tried any Xerjoff, but I'm curious. I've tried the other three and BDK has massively underwhelmed me, they use a LOT of ambroxan and it takes over with a few of their fragrances. PDM also uses a lot of ambroxan and also iso e super, I guess if you aren't used to it, it makes everything smell quite unusual. MFK I've not tried much from, maybe 3/4 fragrances, but no loves found so far. Thanks for watching 🥰
Thank you for this video! I enjoy hearing your opinion on niche fragrances. I felt the same about Lilac Love! At first it was too strong but on second try, I was madly in love. I was lucky enough to purchase the perfume second hand for 1/3 the price! It remains my only Amouage. I have liked some others but not enough to purchase yet. After a year, I have almost finished a 9 ml decant of Musc Ravageur. I think that was enough to scratch my itch so I won’t get a full bottle. However, I am strongly considering saving for En Passant. Oh my…heavenly. Unlike Lilac Love, this is a more realistic, watery lilac. It reminds me of spring walks with my sister, who adores lilac. I’m trying to justify a purchase by telling myself I’ll share the perfume with her 😁
Thank you ❤️ oh wow, you were so lucky with Lilac Love 💜 what a deal! 😊 Yes, I think musc ravageur is one I'd wear sporadically, not something for everyday. I can see that a small amount would suffice. I think I tried En Passant once in the summer and I remember liking it but I tried a lot of fragrances that day 🤣, I will go try it again and remind myself. Thanks for watching 🥰
even when Lattafa is cheap i still try to decan samples when possible, 4eur for 2ml seems bad deal if I could get 100ml for 25 but if it doesn't fit my nose it's literally saved money some are so heavy on incense it's hard to wear I bought their premium PRIDE line and one is ok second one not so much problem is those samples rarely available so most of time it's risk of blind buy, and even OudForGlory is great but it took me couple try to get used to it and still it's not everyday scent more of a special ocasion when i'm in mood for it as a contrast Lalique is almost always perfect and very few people make videos about them
Lalique have some lovely fragrances from the few I've tried. ☺️ I agree with sampling, even for very affordable fragrances, it's the way to go to avoid waste and to find something that you truly love. 👍
I have JHAG Vanilla Vibes and Lust for Sun. I feel like the former is easy to go nose blind to but I really love the latter and would suggest that to anyone feeling at odds with JHAG fragrances.
Thanks for the suggestion! I actually tried one of my friend's bottles that was from JHAG's slightly more expensive line and I liked that one. I am still not sure that brand is for me though, but I will keep trying them. Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi Claire! This was an interesting video. I don’t own a lot of niche fragrances but I have sniffed many. The only two I own are Nicolai Solange Cologne and Miller Harris Rose en Rose. I enjoy both of these very much. Very strange experience when I sniff Juliette has a Gun perfumes as none of them are appealing. Some are simply not discernible to my nose. And the Glossier “You” which everyone seems to like- I have tried multiple times but I cannot detect any odour. That’s ok as I have just saved myself a lot of money!
Same with me too, my collection is mostly designer but I like trying them 🙂 That's really interesting! I can smell Glossier you very clearly, although I do get used to it after a while (or it fades 🤣). But not a perfume I just couldn't smell at all. There's clearly something about ambroxan and iso E super that makes these peak a boo fragrance molecules. 😊
Thank you for the recommendations ☺️ I will add them to the list to try! It's such a weird name isn't it?! 🤣 I also just want to try it. I will check it out in store. 🥰
Hi Dr.Smith❤ Your lipstick is beautiful. Thank you for the informative video. Thank goodness for more video content like this that isn't "love this, love that". Impossible and unrealistic, imo. As subjective as fragrances are, there is clearly shared negative opinions. I read all posts, and value the feedback greatly. You engage with subbies; much appreciated. I rely on samples whenever available, as I have disliked so many FB purchases in the past. I donate a lot, and niche purchases are not often feasible. I recall when TK was $28 (shipping) for my purchase and I declined. Now, available and samples are here USA. I tried several. The fig, coffee, vanilla, all good. The Lemon tart disappointed me. It has a butter note, I believe that is off-putting. It made me nauseous 🤷. However, I cook and bake with Butter, and it makes me queazy. So it could be me. I didn't like LT at all, and I love lemon, anything! Mancera, oh those names are random for sure. Tonka Cola will be a sampler for me, by year's end hopefully. JHAG is a headscratcher. I have never tried, as I have lots of reservations on cost AND performance. * Veronica reviewed ODE TO DULLNESS, and liked it. I'm going to sample. It's a clean, sorta soapy wear anytime scent. KEROSENE, I have some pics on a sample wishlist. I really want to try😊. Francine 🙋🌹
Thank you! ❤️ yes, the postage and packaging for TK put me off my purchase for sure. It was more than half the cost of a bottle of fragrance, I found it unacceptable. I had some people tell me to buy two or three bottles, but if I only want one, why would I spend more for free shipping? I didn't try lemon tart, but yes, I've heard that about it, I don't think it's as popular. Honestly I rare love a fragrance, I like a lot, and dislike an awful lot but love is rare! I feel weird on UA-cam because I can easily test 10 fragrances and feel ambivalence towards most or all of them, and that's not the general hit rate here for others. Maybe there is a coincidence that I don't use affiliate links? 🤣 Tonka cola has sounded an interesting one. I think I do want to try more Mancera and Montale. There must be one out there for me. JHAG has been a complete no so far, but I will try the new one. I've seen only one review from an influencer who was gifted a bottle. I wasn't around this weekend, so I'm sure there are more reviews out about it now and I'm curious to see what people who weren't gifted a bottle say. It does sound easy-going for sure. Kerosene fascinates me too! Such a divisive brand that I would love to try! Thanks for watching 🥰 have a fab week ❤️
I haven't. I try lots of brands but never from Etsy. I will eventually do a video talking about smaller brands I've enjoyed I think 😊 it's truly where the magic is! I do put indie in my seasonal videos, e.g. my spring video has 2/10. Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi Claire - what a great topic and conversation! I am aligned with you on most of these, although I have only really tried one Diptyque. I have several Amouages in various sizes from FB to 10ml and minis…and they are intriguing. Not always easy reaches but artistic for sure. One house I have 10+ full bottles from is Serge Lutens. Not for everyone and some are quite challenging, but they are also excellent examples of early niche artistry. I also love Lush and have a dozen or so bottles. Again, not for everyone and not always mass appealing. I just got a full bottle of Lattafa Nebras and so far so good, but it’s a little too soon to know if it’s a love. Hope you have a terrific week! 😘
Hi Jill! Wow 😮 I have tried I think 4 Serge Lutens and I've liked, but not loved them all. I've tried baptême du feu, dent de lait, un Bois vanille and l'orpheline. I really want to try fils de joie, are there any that you would recommend in particular? I've had a few people recommend the Pride line, it seems that people enjoy Ansaam Gold and Nebras! Thanks for watching ❤️
I have L’orpheline, and I find it extremely challenging. Five o’clock au Gingembre is an easy wear ginger tea scent. Arabie is wonderful for the winter - a sultry amber with delicious dried fruits. Fils de Joie is my favorite, but it is truly a VERY heady Jasmine and not for the faint of heart!
They are crazily pricey I agree 🤣 £25 for a sample is horrendous! They are challenging I know, I'm sure I'll try one one day and hate it, it's just a matter of time.
Aw, this video is 6 months old… which perfume did you buy with the voucher? Dying to know! 😊 Diptyque was my gateway perfume to indie brands although they aren’t technically indie-niche. Their perfumes introduced me to accidental accords which are the resulting fragrance you get from combining other accords. My favorites are Florabellio (apple tree and coffee), Eau Moheli (pink pepper & tropical floral), and Oyedo which has a pithy bitter citrus opening that turns sweet-woody and has an accidental raspberry accord.
Hi Jackie! I know what you mean about Diptyque, they have unusual scent profiles! I am so confused by Diptyque, I seem to like nearly all of them 🤣 you know what? I never bought one because I struggled to order the vouchers that I needed, there was a log in issue, I will have another go, you've reminded me... I need to make sure they don't expire! I need to try Florabellio and Oyedo, I tried Eau Moheli... I am really struggling to decide which I should go for, can I get more than one?! 🤣
With anything Lattafa, allowing them to sit for a while (at least a month) make a great difference! Dismissing them after first few sprays might be a disservice 😅
Try houses like Rasasi, Afnan, Swis Arabian, Fragrance World, Ahmed al Magribi. Lattafa is 'just' very popular because of the frequency of releases but they do have some amazing gems.
Do not let the ones that did not work for you scare you.
With that being said, I would love for you to try these 6 middle eastern beauties:
Infini Rose
Ishaq al shuyukh gold
Quasamat Ebhar
Ansaam Gold
Madawi Gold
Roses d'emotion
❤
Yes, I let Sheikh al shuyukh luxe edition, opulent oud and my samples sit for over 15 months before revisiting them for a final time because I've heard that letting them sit is a thing to try! I did try with them all periodically too because I really wanted to smell the joy that others smell and I was eager to love them. Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud I do like but there is something niggling me with it in the background and stopping me wearing it often. I know now that I also just often dislike fragrances with saffron as it comes off as harsh for me or plastic when it's done badly, this was part of the issue with some Lattafa fragrances that I've tried.
I've not tried Fragrance World at all actually, I would like to sample from them. ☺️ I did try a number of Afnan fragrances though, I bought one to try and I also sampled a lot of others as there is a stall in my local city with about 40 different fragrances available, I've tried about 10 now when walking past it, I think Afnan were worse than Lattafa for me so far, but I'll keep trying them. I waited 10 months before decluttering Rare Tiffany, but it just wasn't for me. Swiss Arabian I've tried two from and they seemed ok but extremely strong, I'd not mind trying some more ☺️ Ahmed Al magribi I've tried 6 from. I got samples but all weirdly smelt of fish 🤷♀️ I wondered whether the glass sample vials had some issue? They were from the brand though and not decants, so there was clearly some systemic issue with their samples maybe? Another UA-camr sent them to me after she was sent them as pr and didn't love them.
From Rasasi I tried Jasmin wisp but that is all. I didn't like it as it smelt very very sweet and had something that made it smell chemical in the background, but I didn't try Erba Pura which it is compared to, so maybe I also wouldn't enjoy that either? I'd be open to trying more from Rasasi.
I tried Armaf club de nuit intense a few weeks ago and I did like that. For the price difference, I don't mind that it's linear and a little flatter than noir de noir, it's a great dupe and I would consider buying it 😊
I will note your suggestions for future reference ☺️ I may have one last go at some point. I've spent about £70 trying stuff I've decluttered though so I'm hesitant to buy full bottles. Hopefully I can sample somehow! Thanks for your suggestions and for watching ❤️
@@dr.claire.perfumehey Claire, I have 5 Ahmed Al Mahgribi and none smell fishy, it definitely sounds like a sample issue.
That's what I thought, I think it was the plastic sprayers. It smelt like a chemical I use at work called TEMED.
Just on this topic of letting it sit. Claire I just watched your video, the one where you reviewed Bianco Latte. I was also disappointed and found it as you described. But i was having a very low period a few weeks back, I thought after a bath I would put on something bright and zesty for a lift of mood. After the bath I had a rare gourmand craving, went through my samples and tried a few. But I was absolutely taken aback by how it transformed.
I finally have experienced what people were raving about. I was not expecting this at all. Need to find my Borabora sample and see if I like that more now!
I’m a man and i really love the house of Amouage. One of my favourites is Epic Woman. Me and my girlfriend use it both.
I need to try that one! I do think Amouage stand out. Lovely that you can share a fragrance. I think Amouage should just market everything as unisex, I find it odd that they don't 🤷♀️ thanks for watching 🥰
Amouage is challenging but I love so many. I was surprised too. Sunshine woman, lilac love, and love Tuberose are my current favorites.
Lilac love is such a stunning fragrance 🤩
I need to try more ❤️ they are much easier to love than I ever imagined.
I've only tried Honour Woman. I have a travel spray from Scentbird. That was one I scrubbed off and even took the blotter out of the room. But..I could tell, immediatly, that it was a very well-crafted fragrance with volume and projection. I'd like to try Lilac Love.
Agreed on a challenge. It’s like with a great partner: you have to grow your standards to be easily settled in a top tier.
the differences in ability to smell different musks is so interesting to me, because theres a particular smell that i grew up associating with fragrances...more specifically, a man who has sprayed too much. i never knew what it was but i knew it was way too strong. when i was looking into what i should include in my first purchase of perfumery materials, someone said iso e super and galaxolide. the moment i smelled iso e super, i knew i had found the source of that offensively strong, generic masculine perfume smell. same with galaxolide, to a lesser extent. so the smell has always been super strong for me. i would like to see more research about what causes musk anosmia
Yes, iso E super can really ruin fragrances for me and galaxolide in Trésor to me makes it smell like a cleaner version of cigarette ash. It's not for me 🤣
I totally agree with you about Thoedoras kalotinis. I have lemon tart and coffee addict and alluring fig. All great!
Ooh I really want to try Lemon Tart 😋
Mancera is absolutely one of my favorite brands. Oud Mint and Instant crush are a staple of what I wear.
I've tried Instant Crush, but not Aoud Mint. I will give that one a try. I think out of all the brands here, Montale and Mancera are the ones that I need to try more of, the others I'm pretty convinced are not for me. Thanks for watching 🥰
I am a woman. My love with Amouage started with total hate of Interlude Man. Now it’s my favorite of all the collection. I adore Epic Man and Enclave Man. I use all of them. Just so much my taste and incredible story to listen every time I wear them. Love ❤ Complexity and incredible quality and longevity 🎉
Wow Interlude Man if I remember is the really smokey one! I actually like it now too but wasn't sure to begin with. I think the older Amouages are where it's at! I only have opus III so far, but I'm sure that more will come into my collection. Thanks for watching 🥰
I like getting your impressions on these brands. Lattafa fragrances get better with time. I totally agree that they have so many clones, that it ends up overwhelming...😅
I'm a big Xerjoff fan, but the line with velour bottles is challenging to me, from what I've tested so far. Very potent and loud (Erba Pura and Accento).
I've never had a miss with Serge Lutens...😊
Yes, I heard that with Lattafa which is why I waiter 15 months before I decluttered any, but it didn't change my mind sadly. I'm open to sampling a few more though, there has to be one that I appreciate.
I've only tried the Rasasi dupe of Erba Pura and that was more than enough for me 🤣 I've not tried anything to do with Accento though.
I agree, I've liked all of the Serge Lutens fragrances that I've tried (baptême du feu, dent de lait, un Bois vanille and another one that I forget). Thanks for watching 🥰
You realllllly have given Lattafa a fair try. The struggle was real with that brand 😂 A+ for effort, Claire!
Thanks, I have tried quite a few, but I probably do need to try a few more. I just feel totally overwhelmed with how many fragrances they have out, I don't know where to start. I worry I will end up spending £150 on 8 fragrances and decluttering the lot. 🤷♀️
From Mancera I own a whole bottle of roses vanille. Amazing scent to me.
If you don’t want to commit, they also have a great sampler kit for men and women although most are unisex in my opinion. I started buying their 8ml 5 packs where you pick the scent and they send it to you. Like little travel vials with sprayers but you chose what goes into them.
So far I like:
Vetiver sensual
Intense cedrait Boise (not the regular)
Intense red tobacco (not the regular)
Jardin exclusif
And of course roses Vanille.
These are the ones that don’t have that screechy synthetic loud Mancera backbone that’s super off putting and found in the base of most of them I tried.
These actually smell like well blended stand alone fragrances.
P.s Mancera full bottle atomizer sprayers are some of the best in the game along with Dior, creed and Chanel atomizers. Just a luxurious spray and very controlled. I think I they are pressurized.
Worst sprayers have to be bvlgari. Like a camel spitting at you.
That sounds a fab idea! I didn't realise they did those 5x 8ml packs! That's the perfect size isn't it? I might get one and do some more reviews 😊 I do have a small decant of roses vanille which is nearly gone... Thanks for your list, I know they have a lot of fragrances so it's useful! 🥰
I go to diptyque for my florals.
St.germaine 34 edt and edp is great.
Eau capital
Benjoin Boheme
Eau duelle is amazing
I've sampled Eau Capitale and Eau Duelle but I didn't try the others. I do really like Orphéon still, I tried it again the other day cos I'm mega indecisive 🙃🤣 but I think I will get it. Thanks for watching 🥰
My favourites from Lattafa are from the Pride line. They are all a bit 'dupey' but have added their own spin on other fragrances. Ansaam gold is a good dupe of Oriana or Love Dont be Shy. ( this is hard to get at a decent price now) Nebras is nice for an everyday chocolate based scent and Thawah Gold is a dupe of Libre (but I think much nicer). They do 20ml samples of the pride series but the larger bottles are around £30.00 or so. I also like a Lattafa called Azeezah which i think is similar to CH Good Girl. Oh and Mohra. That one I like alot in the Autumn. It's quite festive and spicy to me.
Thanks for the tips! I've heard a lot about Ansaam Gold, I guess that kind of DNA is very likeable ☺️ someone else recommended the Pride line. If I try more Lattafa, I will try one of these. I didn't realise they were all dupes! Mohra I will look up and read about, it sounds like something I might enjoy. Thanks for watching, have a fab Sunday 🥰
If a person likes Mancera/Montale, I assume our tastes aren’t aligned in the least.
Also, studies show people who like these brands are terrible people. Citation forthcoming.
Great video.
😂 thanks for keeping it light hearted
😂
😊
LOL I've only tried roses vanille and don't like It a bit. Boring and loud....
Hiiii Claire! 💖 I agree, the Theodoros Kalotinis line is really good and well-priced.
TK is a great deal for the quality and beauty of the fragrances. One of the best value brands. 👌
all great except Plumeria. I like florals, but that one was just headache trigger.
Thanks for the warning 🙂
Ooo the choco violet note structure looks interesting!
It's a very interesting fragrance, gives me Nutella, cocoa pops and sweet violet candies. 😋
Lattafa has a lot of gems in their collection, I would suggest trying from their pride line of fragrances.
Ok, I'm going to write these all down and investigate, because I have been so hesitant and also slightly overwhelmed with how many fragrances Lattafa have out! They are loved so that have to be some good ones 😊 thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume I love lattafa but did not like the ones you listed either, except for khamra I like it. Some easy reaches that are my favorite ME are from Matin Martin fragrances, I have several and love them all. Miral, Jameela, Silky Saffron and Lady Roza. Also the mystique bouquet, violet bouquet and floral bouquet by Afnan are some easy to wear middle eastern fragrances. Edit I just realized this video is 7 mnths old. Hopefully you have found some middle eastern loved during this time.
Thanks for this, Claire. It's interesting to hear what you like/don't like and the reasons why. I agree with you on Juliette has a gun. I was very excited to try their fragrances and didn't really like them. I will say there is one that I enjoy so I bought a travel spray and it's Vanilla Vibes, but none of the others were to my liking.
That's interesting! A few people have suggested Vanilla Vibes! I will go try it in store 👍 thanks for the suggestion 🥰
Amouage is worth the money imo ❤️ Guidance, Journey, The Library collection, etc...
Kalotinis is lovely as well & so is Diptique.. Fleur De Peau & the new Papier = enchanting, atmospheric & transparent feel 🤍
Frederic Malle is another one I'm alright to spend my money on 😅
Yes, I think with trying all of these, you either get the hype or you don't and you quickly realise which brands are for you and which might not be ☺️
If you like very unique perfume you may like scent of woods. I have hazelnut in oak. Very long lasting and unique
Thanks for the suggestion! I've tried one from them, but it wasn't the right scent profile for me, I need to try one that suits me better, for what it was though, it did smell pleasant. I would love to try some more from that brand ❤️
From dyptique the fig one is very nice
I dont think I can spell it either 🤣 but yes, I know it means, "he who likes figs" 🤷♀️🤣
The case of the missing comment -- again. I'll just summarize.
if you're looking for a pear fragrance, you might check out Pear by Perfume H (Lyn Harris of Miller Harris).
Lipstick/Makeup scents I have and enjoy are 1889 Moulin Rouge by Histoires de Parfum and Lipstick Rose by Frederic Malle..
I have Dark Purple by Montale and Hindu Kush by Mancera, but otherwise the fragrances from these houses I have tested seem to be rose, vanilla, chocolate, coffee or variations thereof with a heavy patchouli and/or oud background. The two I have are more complex.
Re Amouage,, the originals I have are Journey, Figment and Myths, all bought on sale at really reduced prices. The others I have are Duas of: Portrayal, Overture, Memoir, Interlude and Fate. I checked them against a sample set I found at a good price on Mercari, and the Duas are satisfyingly close to the ogs. The only drawback is that you don't have the lovely Amouage bottles.
I did just check the UA-cam filter but there's nothing there 🤷♀️ I don't know why it seems to just delete stuff 🤷♀️ it's annoying!
Ok, I am interested to try some Perfumer H, I do really like the older Miller Harris fragrances. I think my favourite makeup fragrance is probably Misia from Chanel, but I do really like lipstick rose and violet Ida too. I love the name of the histoires de parfum fragrance!
I think Gabi, the fragrantician had dark purple, and I've heard a few people mention Hindu Kush as being as interesting one. I agree that the Montale scent profiles are often quite samey, they feel like they are almost duping their own fragrances sometimes!
With Amouage, I can see a clone being enough for me, the prices are insane 🤣 Dua seems to do some good ones, it's always reassuring to compare them to the originals too! Thanks for watching Kat! Have a good week 🥰
Good morning! Thanks for another great video. I’d love your opinion of Guidance. I love it, but will have to wait until it eventually goes on sale to even think of purchasing a bottle!
Oh I really want to try it! I will let you know when I've tried it, hopefully in a video ☺️
Mancera coco vanille is a love for me and what I would recommend trying from that house. I also was caught off guard at velvet vanilla being a tuberose scent, but I love it anyway. Thanks for sharing your experiences testing out these brands!
Hi Lauren, yes I think you might be right with that one, I heard Joss Jane said that one doesn't have the DNA as strongly as the others she'd tried. I didn't dislike velvet vanilla at all, as I do enjoy tuberose, but it was just not expected 😂 it's almost fizzy feeling to me, quite an interesting one! Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi Claire 😊 nice to see you again … right mancera for me I like roses vanille 😊 I like to wear it in freezing winter nights it’s very feminine I love it 🥰
Hello ☺️ I've tried that one, it's very likeable, I have a decant. Good sillage too.
@@dr.claire.perfume yes ☺️☺️☺️ I tried it in the summer very cloying … winter is perfect 🤩
Yes I can imagine! It's a sweet strong one.
In terms of Mancera, I've loved Red Tobacco, Vetiver Sensuel, Intense Cedrat Boise, Black Gold and French Riviera. Some other the others do share a similar DNA to each other and the oud and rose seems to be reused a lot. My skin absorbs fragrances like kitchen towel absorbs liquids, so I enjoy having strong fragrances that even last on my sponge-like skin.
You're right! Oud and rose is a very classic combo that they seem to use a lot! Red Tobacco seems to get mentioned a lot and Cedat Boise Intense makes a lot of top 10s... The only one I've tried here is French Riviera. Thanks for your suggestions! I feel like Mancera is the one brand here that there is probably one for me out there, I just didn't find it yet. 🥰
Claire, I completely respect your opinion and ofcourse fragrances are subjective, but if you ever want to give Lattafa another shot, just make sure you dont chose anything with "Oud" in the name.. May I suggest Emeer? It smells almost like Sugared Lemon with some Clary Sage, but in a classy way (if that makes sense) inspired by Clive Christian Town and Country, not loud at all, Very nice and NO wierd plastic/rubber smell whatsoever, I promise 😊.. Ive heard a couple of reviews saying its "beast mode", but its not really imo, decent 6 to 7 hr longevity, and I think you'd get a kick out of the packaging, lol. Sorry for the long read, Great review!
Thank you! I will try it if I see it. There is a stall near where I work that has a lot of Afnan, but also Swiss Arabian and sometimes Lattafa. I tried Shaghaf Oud Tonka a few weeks back. I've never tried the Clive Christian, but I like clary sage. 🥰
@dr.claire.perfume As always, thanks for engaging with your subscribers.☺️. I hope you like it when and IF you do try it.. Many Blessings!
@@YoTratoYTrato you too! Happy Sunday 🥰
Hey Claire. I’m glad I’ve loved both of my Amouage fragrances I’ve smelled which is Love Tuberose and Lilac Love
Hey Liz ❤️ Oh I really want to try more of the Garden collection, especially Love Tuberose! Lilac love is beautiful 💜
Lattafa has been a real hit or miss. When they’re bad they are REALLY bad. I do love Maison Alhambra Kismet Angel (a dupe of Angels Share). Gorgeous.
Yeah, I'm so wary of trying any more because of my experiences with them. Even with Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud there's something harsh there that I'm just not sure about, despite the fragrance overall being pleasant to me. I feel like Armaf might be a better brand to try more from but something along the same lines. I haven't tried any Maison Alhambra but I'd be open to checking them out. Thanks for your suggestion ❤️
@@dr.claire.perfumehey Claire, not sure if you realise but Maison Alhambra are a subsidiary of Lataffa.
Yes I looked this one up, I'm afraid I'm not blind buying anything, even cheapies. I'm going to sample if possible. 🙂
Pear inc never attracted me! As a matter of fact I smelled it and there was a new one for the summer as well something with sun, nah I don’t feel left out of that brand at all!😂😂😂
Yes, I was attracted by the branding of the JHAG, but having tried them, it's been a big no so far. I didn't try Lust for Sun, but at that stage, my previous experiences had created a lack of interest in the release. 🤷♀️
I just came across your this channel - completely agree on Amouage and also Theodore's Kalotinis. I picked up a sample set from a perfume retailer recently. Beautiful perfumes! I purchased Aegean Sea Salt Citrus for a summer freshie, and I think I will circle back to Alluring Fig. It's so unique, yet wearable!
Amouage, especially the slightly older fragrances, are wow! And Theodoros Kalotinis is really affordable and nicely done in the main. 😊 Thanks for watching 🥰
I LOVE ORPHÉON!!!!!!!!!! ❤️ I have Eau Duelle EDT, Fleur de Peau, Orphéon, and Eau Moheli is on my wish list, but Orphéon is my favorite.
I keep going to try it. I tried to get those vouchers and still haven't got them. When I do and when there is then a sale at the store, it's coming home with me 😊 thanks for watching 🥰
This was such a fun topic. I really related to what you said about wanting to smell certain scents from the bottle but not wanting to smell like them all day. I feel like that with many niche fragrances that I sample. That they are great for somebody but I am not that someone. Mancera Holidays is a go to in the summer for me though. Might be worth a sniff.
Thank you! ❤️ I know a lot of people love that one, I think it's worth me sampling it 😊 I'm torn between that and Coco vanille.
Yes I try so many samples and think wow and then I wear them for a few days and I just realise they aren't me. It's a lesson to learn that what appeals from the bottle doesn't necessarily translate to a wearable fragrance. 🥰
Just found this channel. It's nice to see this type of content in the fragrance community, definitely a breath of fresh air! For me Mancera is hit or miss. I think they have way too many releases and some of them smell quite similar. My favourites are: Vetiver Sensuel and Wind Wood, and I'm sort of on the fence with Hindu Kush. I can completely understand why most people don't get along with the brand. Most releases are fairly synthetic, with a emphasis on loud projection and longevity. In terms of the other brands you don't like, I can't say I'm a fan of those either.
I feel like Mancera/Montale are probably the brand I least feel deserves to be on this list as ones I'm not keen on, I think I do need to try a few more but so far, I've not found anything I've really enjoyed. I've not tried any of those three that you list though! I agree, they are loud and synthetic but are definitely not the worst offenders in that category from the brands on the market 😂 thanks for watching 🥰
I do think that amouage is spectacular! It’s really different and I like different, I LOVE different! It’s a very complex and interesting brand!
Yes Amouage stand out for being off beat and high quality for me. 👍
Hi, thank you for the beautiful video, from all these brands I owe only diptyque and Juliette has a gun. Juliette has a gun seems so synthetics, i bought a box of samples at Sephora, so I really have the same opinion as you plus for the synthetics note you have to spend a lot of money, its kind of expensive
Diptuque I owe: eau duelle (I love it for fall), phylosykos as figue beautiful fragrance, eau de sens that is about orange blossom i like it , do son is very interesting and also I have Tam Dao its beautiful about sandalwood note: I really like this brand brings me in different places. Here in Montreal is associated with a card that explains where is the inspiration coming from
Thank you ❤️ I'm happy that you enjoyed this ☺️ I will try a few more JHAG that people have suggested to me in this video as I have a store nearby where I can try a few sprays for free, so I've nothing to lose. So far, yes I agree, quite synthetic and expensive!
Wow, you own quite a lot of Diptyque fragrances! They are really beautiful from the ones that I've tried. Of yours, I did not try Eau de Sens, I will spray that one when I am next in store. Thank you for the description of what you have tried and your experiences, it is very helpful. 🥰
Thanks for sharing Clare
Hope you have. A great weekend
❤❤❤
Thanks Frances ☺️ you too! Thank you for watching ❤️
Hi beautiful Claire! Amouage has some challenging ones 😅 Blossom Love and Sunshine have been really good to me. I want to get my nose on Guidance
Me too! Guidance really intrigues me, but I am interested by all Amouage that I've not yet tried! They are interesting and different 😊
Such a fun video! My 1st fragrance from Juliette has a gun was MMMM... which I loved/love so much that I immediately bought a backup. The other one that I recently tried and like is Lust for Sun. Vanilla Vibes is OK too, but similar to other beach-y vanilla scents. (Sadly, the others did not work out for me, lol. The "pear" one opened so beautifully and then within a minute turned into a disgusting Ambroxan bomb, lol. )
Thanks ❤️ Yes! A tonne of ambroxan with Pear Inc! I will try a few more JHAG and see if I find a love, people do seem to love a few of them ☺️ thanks for watching 🥰
Hello! First time commenting on a video, but I've been watching for a while now. I think your approach to fragrance and reviews is different than a lot of fragrance channels, and i really like it! I also appreciate that you give your honest opinion. Like you, I really love Amouage. I have been wanting to try both Protrayal and Lilac Love- your review is inspiring me to get samples! I just got decants of Guiadance and Crimson Rocks (gorgeous!!) and will be wearing them this winter for sure!! I used to struggle with sweet fragrances including sweet gourmands- but a few years ago Sunshine Woman changed that for me. I still wear that fragrance in the winter and absolutely love it. I am a rose addict, and love both Lyric Man and Woman. On my decant list to get is Material- such a beautiful amber vanilla, and Memior Woman. I could see Memior being a struggle for some- but it is one of my all time favorites. Its an rose incense fragrance. Stunning, and on me it's rather formal- so i wouldn't wear it everyday just for formal occasions- which is why i haven't gotten it before as i don't have a lot of formal occasions to wear it to. I will end this long comment to just say thanks for the videos and keep them coming!!
Thank you so much for that! ❤️ I really appreciate it! I try to be really transparent and I deliberately don't do affiliate links / marketing as I consider it a massive conflict of interest so that's lovely to read 🥰
Amouage are stunning aren't they?! I really didn't try very many but I'm so intrigued and interested to try a few more ☺️ I really want to try Guidance and Crimson Rocks now! And I've heard so much about Memoir but yes, I would just be happy to sample more of them in general. Thanks for watching 🥰 have a fab Sunday!
Lust for Sun by Juliette has a gun got me a compliment in work. I also really love Mmmm. I only got a small discovery set but I would buy those two again.
By the way, I couldn't smell Pear Inc at all. But pear seems to disappear on me. Or maybe it's something other people can smell and I can't?
That's weird! I almost bought a discovery set secondhand yesterday just to try out some more or retry the ones I'd already tried! Lust for Sun seems to have a lot of fans.
I think Pear Inc has a LOT of ambrox or some similar ingredients in it judging by what I smelt, that might be why some people can't smell it. To me it was mainly whatever that is and not pear. 🥰
Loved this video! I agree with your assessments. I recently decluttered four Mancera fragrances. Can't wait to try Theodoras Kalatonis. I blind bought Lipstick Rose and really don't care for it. If you want it let me know.
Thank you ❤️ I'm happy that you enjoyed it. I have since tried two more from TK, I should make a review video maybe 🤔 that's a shame about Lipstick Rose. Thank you for the kind offer but I won't take your fragrance, I hope you can resell it and recoup some of your spend and find something else that you do enjoy instead. Thank you for watching 🥰
I love Orpheon to me it’s a bit more special occasion and you are right, it can smell different at certain times eg vintagey or rosey. Smells like an old wooden side table that my grandma had so very nostalgic for me. Thanks for video ❤
Thank you ❤️ yes! Ophéon is a shape shifter! I get the nostalgic vibe too from it ☺️
Amouage fragrances are very unique. I love Guidance and to my own surprise, I am so intrigued by Material, that I just purchased a larger sample to wear it more to confirm I do love it 😂
Amouage are fab ❤️ I really need to check out both of those! People are recommending both to me and I feel like so many can't be wrong 😊 thanks for your suggestions 🙂
Hi Claire, your videos upload late on Saturday here in Australia, so I save it and watch you while having my Sunday morning breakfast🥐☕️. I love Alluring Fig and have just bought Murmure d’ete by Plume Impressions. Another lovely fig. I enjoy some JHAGs but not all. I now won’t do any more blind buys. (She says) Samples are the best. I can’t remember if you have reviewed Blanche Bete by Liquides Imaginaires. Tried the sample and it was an instant Yes! for me😃🇦🇺
I love fig fragrances! They are great for spring and even summer if they aren't too creamy or sweet. I think I've only tried one Plume Impression fragrance and that was a boozy plum one, I've forgotten the name, is it Imperiale? I'm not sure. Anyway, it was so nice but reminded me a lot of Kayali Invite only.
Gosh yes! I nearly blind bought a travel spray of Pear Inc, when I finally tried it I was so relieved that I didn't go for it in the end, because I would just have had the hassle of reselling it.
I've not tried Blanche Bête, but I would love to, all but two reviewers I've watched have been head over heels in love with that fragrance, it sounds very lovable!
Thanks for watching, I hope you've had a fab Sunday ❤️
Frederic Malle 'Vetiver Extraordinaire' is one I keep buying for my man. Absolutely wonderful and worth every penny.
I will go to try it. I do love vetiver. 🥰
Totally agree with Alluring Fig
It's gorgeous if you love fig 😍
I seem to like Montale more than Mancera. Tobacco Oud, Chocolate Greedy, and Roses Musk are some of my faves
I can see that, from comparing intense café to roses vanille, for me, intense café is the more interesting fragrance. I feel I should probably try some more Montale, I will add those to my list, thanks for the suggestions ☺️
Hello dear Claire 🌹 I've been fortunate to be able to smell most of the Amouage fragrances during my travels and I will say I like many of them. I especially like the ones that are supposedly for men, but have noted like tobacco and liquor. Portrayal is one of my favorite 😍
Portrayal is gorgeous 🤩 unfortunately I've never seen any Amouage in any shops near me. I will look when I go to London or a big city. You've definitely seen some fab fragrance stores. I've been looking at your gorgeous photos with immense interest and slight jealousy 🤣
Good topic. Some brands that are really hyped are off putting to me. Not sure why.
I think when I try something hyped, my expectations are sky high and I'm probably easily disappointed. Very few hyped brands seem to live up to my expectations. 🤷♀️
I've had the exact same experience with the Iso E Super frags. Something medicinal like distant pencil shavings and alcohol, then... nothing. I've heard I can learn to smell it over time, but I've been working on it for years and not making any headway lol. Good to know I'm not alone
@@JetPackDino yeah it's weird, I can definitely smell it when it's in a fragrance with other notes. But on its own from my tries of it in store, I couldn't smell it. I didn't ever have a sample of those Molecule fragrances so out of a smelly perfume department, I'm not sure! Thanks for watching 🥰
I adore Lattafa Nebras. I highly recommend it if you like gourmands and it’s a cheapie. It’s said to be a dupe of Eilish, but I think it’s better. Reminds me of chocolate mousse with whipped cream and a sprig of mint on the top because the opening has a slight minty note. Many say that Middle Eastern fragrances need to sit and develop for awhile. But I also know that fact in itself can annoy people.
I let mine sit for over a year before I decluttered them. They didn't change into something that I enjoyed sadly. I can't say that I like Eilish, but I do like Eilish no2! I haven't tried Nebras though, it sounds nicer than Eilish. Thanks for the suggestion ☺️
Another great topic! Let's see ☕
Thanks ❤️
Right now my most intriguing brands that got me in a bind is: Sora Dora, Akro for sure,
Une nuit Nomade 💁🏽♀️but you already know that!…Argos, Bdk, Mula Mula is decent, room 1015 got my attention, atelier des ors and I’m still skepticcal about the one that I’m intrigued by. I’m overwhelmed with all the new scents and recently hyped up fragrances but it makes me excited, like reignites my inspiration for trying new fragrances.
I really want to try Une Nuit Nomade 😊 and Akro was fab from the one I tried, I am interested in their discovery set 👌
I'd love to try Escentric Molecules, I think it 01+ black tea. The idea of molecular perfume is interesting. I love Juilette Has a Gun's Vanilla Vibes and the new Juliette. I think the house is very hit or miss. THey certainly have a distinctive DNA.
Diptyque I want to try. They have a cult following. Btw, you have access to some marvelous shops. There are no shops near me except for Macy's, and most of their fragrances are Clinique, Gucci, etc. (I love Gucci Bloom and have full bottles.)
I still haven't tried the combined escentric molecule fragrances, I need to! I tried one of JHAG's more expensive line and it was much more something for me, I haven't found any from their main that I really enjoy sadly. I did go and try the ones people suggested after this video too.
With Diptyque I think I will eventually buy, I am still quite enamoured with Orphéon! But I also really like Do Son which is compared to Bloom. I would really love a bottle of the ambrosia flanker, I love that one! 😊
Yes I have some good shops in the city where I work, but near my house, not so much 😂 thanks for watching 🥰
Watching. . Always very entertaining. . And then you talked about Lipstick Fever 😂😂😂. Have to laugh as I've just sent you that thinking it would be up your street.
Oh well, maybe second times a charm? 😅
. . Will continue to watch
Thanks Lizzie, I know it's ironic, someone had sent me babycat and cafe rose recently too, I guess things go in cycles! Lipstick Fever I retried today, it's still a no unfortunately. I also tried Black Rain, which is not as I expected, for a colour, I'm saying smokey purple - grey. 💜
Hi, I recommend Mancera Red Tobacco or Aoud Lemon Mint.
Aoud Lemon Mint is one I really think I might enjoy. Thanks for the suggestions! 🥰
Hi Claire! I’ve been binge watching a lot of your videos and just love your content. And thanks for being so engaging with your subscribers! It’s refreshing, honestly.
So for me, I initially detested the synthetic DNA of Montale fragrances..but as I evolved along this journey, I sort of pushed myself outside of my usual comfort zones. With that being said Roses Vanille is one I really like (not a love) and I find it pairs so lovely with lighter rose scents. On the opposite side of that coin, I absolutely detested Femininity .. it was so bad on me, the leather made me nauseous.
Roses Musk by Mancera is nice, seems a lighter more wearable version of Roses Vanille. Also layers well with Delina.. really pretty.
I know a lot of people don’t like any JHAG fragrances, but for me Vanilla Vibes is perfectly suited to my chemistry and it’s one of my most complimented fragrances by strangers..oddly enough it’s usually after I’ve gone anosmic to it; radiates beautifully. I like Ode to Dullness, but usually reserve it for a cozy bed time scent.
Couldn’t smell Not a Perfume and what little I could detect was unpleasant!
Lattafa has a few I like, one being their flanker for Khamrah called Qahwa, I didn’t care for the original but enjoy the more nuanced coffee note in Qahwa. Definitely less sweet.
Also like Nasheet which is a lighter version of Ani Nishane. Fakhar Rose is a powdery L’interdit to my nose, I like it. Nebras needed time to blossom and is very similar to Eilish if you like that one.
Not a fan of Ajwad, very screechy and metallic.
I am currently debating trying Mazaaji and Qaed Al Fursan.. possibly Mayar.
Mancera I think are probably the one I just need to try more of on this list, I just don't think I've tried enough of them, even with trying 12ish, as they do have loads! With Montale, I've come around a bit to Intense cafe, I didn't really enjoy it at all when I first tried it and since then only honey Aoud has been a mild like.
JHAG do really work for some people, they must do, because the brand is really genuinely loved! I wish I could find one I enjoy because I love the aesthetic and the bottles 🙂
Qahwa does interest me. And lots of people have recommended Nasheet too. I was just looking at the Mango one, Ajayeb Dubai... 👀
Let me know if you try more Lattafa and what you think of them. 🙂 Thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume Oh the mango scent sounds right up my alley! If you test it please review, I’d love to see it! Thanks Claire!
@@justjulia8007 👍
Great idea and video Claire!!!🤜💥🤛I have a similar experience with JHAG - I keep wanting to love them but keep being disappointed 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you! ❤️ Which have you tried Joss? Is it nearly all?
@@dr.claire.perfume Mmmmm, Not a Perfume, Romantina (that one I liked but didn’t love), Pear Inc, Vanilla Vibes
Ok, thanks! I'm trying to work out which to try next so this is helpful 🙂
I have been wearing the ever loving sht out of Mancera’s Fig Extasy, it’s become my spring workhorse-IMO interesting and versatile. The refreshing green notes are appropriate for daytime, but with an unexpectedly voluptuous figgy sillage that makes it fun for evening. That said my skin chemistry tends to make the slightly sweet go full on diabetic, so that lets the figginess stand out against the green and leathery notes.
As a lover of unisex scent profiles with a lot of oomph, Mancera has been a fun house for me to play with. But admittedly the world would be a better place if Red Tobacco were never invented 😂
Haha! You know what? I smelt Fig Extasy a while back, I remember liking it. 😊 I do think I need to try more Mancera, I probably just didn't find the right one for me yet...
Red Tobacco I've not got to, but I heard it's an everlasting beast! 🤣
My choice as well. Love this fig fragrance.
I understand not loving JHAG but I highly recommend trying the newest release called Juliette. It's quite a strong fragrance IMO. It has a beautiful dark cherry note in it. It's a warm fragrance, perfect for cold weather. I love it. Also I really enjoy Ode to Dullness too. It's an easy reach fragrance, perfect for year-round. I have yet to try Miss Charming but I've heard good things about that one as well and hope to get my nose on it soon.
Thanks, I will keep trying them! I did go sniff Vanilla Vibes and a few others after this video, Magnolia Bliss and Sunny Side up, but none were for me sadly.
I have only one Lattafa fragrance called Mohra. It is a fresh, sweet, musky rose. It is a crowd pleaser that I love and recommend to you to sniff, Claire.😊
Thanks, do you mean the original or the silly rose flanker? Have a good week! 🥰
Agree with you on most of these brands. The only Juliette has a Gun fragrances that I like are Miss Charming and Mmmm... I also like Mancera Roses Vanille. I’ve never tried Theodoros Kalotinis, I’m curious to pick up some samples!
I think I need to try more JHAG, I have a list of which to try now and I will add these to it, thanks for the suggestions ☺️ roses vanille is a nice one, I did like that. Yes, definitely try some TK if you get the chance, they are fab value and lovely fragrances. 😊
I love a lot of Amouage fragrances and you can get them steeply discounted here. 🙂 I did have to buy Guidance at full retail, which killed me, lol, but I love it. Great video, Claire!
🤣 I bet! Sheesh! Yes Amouage are sometimes a little cheaper on certain sites here, but not as well discounted as they used to be 🤦♀️ thanks for watching 🥰
I only discovered your channel recently but I do really feel aligned with your views!
I recently got 6 Lattafa samples and I did *not* 5 of them, there was one I did/do love and will be buying a FB of, Ana Abiyedh Poudreé. But the rest I do not get. Honour and Glory is eh, okay sometimes. Idk how Yara is compared to Sol De Janeiro 62, or a strawberry milkshake 😬
Shay & Blue I feel the same, such a shame. I HATE Salt Caramel, it's like stale af popcorn to me :(
I havent liked anything Mancera/Montale but want to try Melody of the Sun and Holidays, Blue Matcha smelt nice on the blotter and I wanna try on skin. I only liked the Molecule + Ginger and Molecule + Black Tea but the rest 🤷♀️ but I do enjoy Commodity Paper and Book and one of both of them are Iso E Super based and I love that.
Amouage - Sunshine is something I really want to get a FB of but when it's discounted.
Oh welcome!
Yeah Lattafa has been more hit than miss for me, I will try more in time I think, my curiosity is returning! Ana abiyedh poudrée sounds like one to try 😊 my curiosity is gone over Yara, the reaction has been so mixed!
Shay and blue I'm done with. After owning 9 of their fragrances and only liking one, I'm just not interested.
Same with Holidays! I feel like that one could be different somehow.
Amouage I've tried a few more EOF since this video and I've enjoyed even more of them. I would like some more bottles but they are sooo expensive 🤦♀️ thanks for watching 🥰
Good morning Claire 🤗 grabbing a quick coffee ☕️, I saw Amouage and I got nervous 😂 there’s just something strange in each one I’ve tried!
Hi Sunny! Yes they are a little offbeat. Not a blind buy brand 😂 I think my favourite so far is opus III but that's discontinued sadly. Which did you try so far? 🥰
I don’t like several fragrances by Mancera and Montale either, but I can genuinely recommend Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale and Black Vanilla by Mancera. Can’t get enough of those two.
Thank you for the tips! I do want to try some more for sure, I feel like there must be one out there for me from these brands! They have so many fragrances! Thanks for watching 🥰
My favorite JHAG is magnolia Bliss. It’s nota very popular one but I like it for the summer is a nice freshie with some floral and it actually lasts on me. I have not had good experience with the rest from the brand.
I've not tried that one, I will check it out though, thanks for the suggestion! I've got quite a list to sniff when I next go to the store near me that stocks this brand. Thanks for watching, have a good week! 🥰
Amouage smells expensive and long lasting but the scents can be challenging sometimes. The concentration of extraits in the perfume is unusually high. I like reflection 45 and rose oud. King blue is also nice.
Molecule 1 and 2 for me are meant for layering. Iso E Super is like a skin scent. If you spray molecule 1 on top of other perfume it will hold the scent to your skin a little bit longer. It is like to have scent bubble around you. It is not about projection but intimacy. For molecule 2 , it will fixates other scents to your skin a little bit longer but in the same time enhance the muskiness and sweetiness or sensuality of the fragrance which lead me to Baccarat Rouge 540. Baccarat Rouge contains Hedione and Iso Super E which is good for layering. It makes the scent play hide and seek with the wearer. Sometimes you will get a waft of the smell before it dissappear. After few hours then the smell will reappear again to your nose. But to other people, the fragrances will leave a scent trail and make other people want to follow you.
I love your description about one way bridge top shelf. I think I need to find it. I suspect the anomalic notes in the top shelf must be interesting.
For dyptique, I like Do Son, L'ombre Dans L'eau and Tempo. Do Son smells like white flowers in the garden inside a Buddhist temple.
Minimalistic design of Frederic Malle fragrances appeal to those who love simplicity in modernity. I love the smell of Portrait of a lady, Carnal flower, Musc Ravageour and Uncut Gem. The scent of the rose in the Portrait of a Lady is addictive and long lasting. However I don't find Musc Ravageour long lasting. Carnal flower smells seductive and may cause any heart to beat faster to surrender to its feminity. Suitable to wear at night time in spring or summer. Cannot imagine the effect it have if its layered by Baccarat Rouge on top. If you live in a Victorian Era, this fragrant will cause a scandal.
Uncut Gem for me is irresistibly virile, masculine, rough but yet refined. Well done to both Dominique Ropion and Maurice Roucel who created those fragrances.
Yes I agree that Amouage can be challenging. I just tried Interlude Woman and whilst I think it's lovely in a way, I'm not sure the sort of smokiness would be something I'd reach for more than once a year. I also tried Fate and that one was really not for me, but again, a very striking fragrance.
I guess I should retry the Molecule fragrances and later then? Maybe a discovery set is needed for that.
One Way Bridge can be found on Instagram, the brand owner is very accommodating, for example, when she travels to Europe or even the UK, she brings orders with her to save people money on postage. Elise is worth a chat to, if you would like to try anything.
I haven't bought the Diptyque, but I keep trying them when I see them, there's something that makes me keep coming back to them.
I agree, Musc Ravageur does fade a little and that's disappointing for the price point, but I do also love the fragrance. Carnal Flower, well yes, tuberose! Those Victorians would be clutching their pearls 🤣 I've tried Uncut Gem, it's one of the newer ones I think? I think that's a great description of it!
Do you have any other brands that you really love?
For me ERIS Parfums can do no wrong. I’ve sampled 4 so far (Night Flower, Ma Bête, Mxxx, and Delta of Venus). Night Flower is obsessive arm sniffing territory and the rest ranged from lovely to intriguing. Hilde Soliani has been a mixed bag but might be on me for picking the more experimental scents to try (e.g. Hot Milk).
I have the complete set of those. I haven't tried them all, maybe three so far, but I started with Ma Bête and 😱. I will try Night Flower 🙂 thanks for watching 🥰
Have you tried Mancera's Hindu Kush? Not sure if I'd like it but I'd sure like to try it.
I've not tried it, but yeah same, I've been curious too. Please let me know what you think if you get to try it 😊 thanks for watching 🥰
Molecule series: the Iso e Super is definitely skin-nose variable and while I can smell it, it just smells like a soapy citrus white musk and it’s very light projection but very long lasting. My favorite is the Black Tea + 01. The tannins accord is like a dry black tea, not creamy, and so good combined with the citrus clean musk. I’ll have to give Lilac Love another try …. Maybe next Spring. Love Mimosa is an easier powdery floral for me as lilacs are often soapy. Great video as always ❤
Hi Jackie! I think I will for sure try the M+ line, a few people have said how good certain fragrances are so I will test them in store and see if I love them 😊. It's weird because I can smell what I think is iso e super when it's with other things, like in PDM Herod, iso e super is the most dominant note to me!
Lilac love definitely wasn't instant love and I'm not sure I'd want a bottle of it as I'm not sure how often I would wear it would justify the price, but I do think it's interesting and artistic. I didn't try the mimosa but I do love mimosa so if I get the opportunity, I will try it. 😊 Thanks for watching and have a fab week. 🥰
I love that you mentioned at the beginning how we're all so different because that's one of the first things I learned when I got into perfume! I feel like no two people smell the exact same thing.. we all have different noses! I do tend to enjoy Juliette has a Gun as a rule, but then again I can smell those molecular type fragrances, for example I own a decant of molecule O2 and a partial bottle of molecule 04 and I love them. The only one I can think of that you might like from JHAG would be Vanilla vibes, and possibly Mmmm. Mancera can be hit or miss, but you may enjoy Sicily and Aoud Orchid from them ☺️ When it comes to Theodoros Kalotinis- in my sample sniff part two video I tried 3 from that brand and disliked them all very much, and I concluded that this probably wouldn't be a brand I could go for, since each sample smelled very artificially sweet to my nose. Hopefully I conveyed that tactfully, although it was a little bit comical 😂 But I wonder if I would like that fig one? 🤔 As of now, the only 2 brands that I really cannot find anything I can tolerate from, are Vilhelm and The 7 Virtues, and I have sampled around 10 from each brand. But some people really love them! We all have to find our way on this perfume journey! 😊❤️
I think the fig is very much like the cool green feeling if the leaves and the tree itself but it's also milky and a soft vanilla. I think in really hot weather it can be too overwhelming but in spring it's good. I agree that coffee addict is a sweet one though. I didn't try more of the main line, only the pricier line, of which tobacco maniac is my favourite with the sandalwood and the iris leather close seconds.
I'm going to go try those JHAGs, because so many people have suggested those two in particular, it makes me think they are safe bets. L
Mancera I really do think I will eventually find one for me too. I don't know, it's weird, because I can smell ambroxan and iso e super when they are mixed with other things (e.g. Herod mainly smells of iso e super to me) and I clearly enjoy ambroxan in certain contexts, e.g. Kenzo world was love at first sniff! But I guess too that the aromachemicals such as ambroxan come in different small tweaked versions and I know some ambroxan fragrances I love and others I just cannot even like. It's very odd 🤣
@@dr.claire.perfume It sounds like the pricey line from Theodoros would be more my taste, I hope I get to smell them someday! I do hope you like Vanilla Vibes or Mmmm, they are definitely on the sweeter side, but VV is balanced with salty notes and Mmmm is balanced with florals in my opinion and reminds me of Gucci Bloom several hours into the drydown. I know what you mean about notes smelling different when they are singled out vs blended with other notes.. they really are whipping up some interesting combinations in those perfume labs 🥼😅😂
I'll definitely go try the JHAGs you suggest. 👍
Diptyque has the most beautiful presentation to me. I also like their lowkey, chic, botanical scent profiles
Yes 👌 they are a bottle that I would love to display 🤣 but yes, apothecary-esque fragrances!
Shay & Blue had a lot of hate and dislike for how they handled the shipping issues for the US customers. They are mostly comparable to something within the #sephorasquad influencer pushed brands (Phlur, Kayali, Maison Margiela, Nest) as they are all fairly 'low hanging fruit' style. What I mean by that is that I highly doubt many of these will be talked about ten years down the line. I can smell Iso E Super and I love making my own homemade version as it is SO easy and inexpensive to do. That is, for us in the USA and I'm not sure how it is for the rest of the world. If you need to dupe any of their mixtures just add a bit of essential oils. I love their combo of +Mandarin, but to be fair it is quite expensive for where it falls as a layering fragrance. I've got you covered when it comes to Montale/Mancera! These aren't as strong with typical DNA of these brands. For Mancera: Gold Prestigum creamy vanilla/orange blossom and suede leather - Pink Prestigum grapefruit/citruses and rose. Montale: Dark Vanilla is wonderful and .... dare I say someone took this one and saw some major success(side eye to Silky Woods). Tropical Wood is all about beachy/tropical tiare flower. Starry Nights is another lovely one that isn't the typical Montale. Apple, bergamot, dried rose petals and powdery musk. People seem to be a bit torn on this one if it leans too far masc for women, but give it a go. These have all been Clara approved 🐿
Please do have a look at my page as I live over on IG(much like our pal Jon).
Claire - I am glad you popped up and saw you on Jon's channel. An absolute breath of fresh air!
Thanks! I've tried Pink Prestigium, and you're right, that's definitely a bit different to their others! The grapefruit is lovely. Not tried Gold though I don't think 🤔
With Montale I had a sample of Tropical Wood from someone who was decluttering their sample collection and by the sounds of your description, it must have been off because it didn't make me think of beachy / tropical vibes at all. 🤣 In fact I'm now convinced it was off... I should probably try it again with a new sample. I will also check out Starry Nights if I see it, but I often struggle with apple in fragrances so who knows!
I will check you out on IG, I may already follow you actually! I will check 🙂 thanks for watching 🥰
Great vid. There are def brands on here I want to try (Lipstick Rose by Frederick Malle), I found for me, Juliette has a Gun brand DNA does not go with me, I can not smell them and they are so weak. I have been looking for replacement for discontinued Lipstick On by Replica and tried Lipstick Fever and smelled the opening and literally nothing a few seconds after, immediately returned.
Thank you! ❤️ Yes lipstick rose is lovely! I never got to sample lipstick on, I would love to try it but it's long gone now. I have no idea why it was discontinued 🤷♀️ it was popular! Maybe it was an ingredients thing? I also tried lipstick fever thinking it would be very makeup like and it just wasn't... Just a lot of iso e super. Thanks for watching 🥰
I'm really intrigued by Amouage. I'm just dipping my toes into niche territory, other than Middle Eastern fragrances, which are also considered niche. But Amouage is the house I'm most interested in right now.
Lilac is my favorite flower so I'm always intrigued by a lilac note. Lilac Love sounds so lovely! Have you tried Guidance? I've heard such mixed reviews. I know DUA does a dupe of Guidance but I'm not sure how similar they are. I did just order a sample of Guidance and I'll get DUA "The Guide" AKA Guidance dupe from DUA tomorrow so I'm looking forward to comapring them very much.
I've also heard good things about Sunshine Woman. Arlene from Delicious Delights always raves about it so it has me wanting to try it too! Portrayal Woman sounds beautiful too. So many I want to try!! 😂❤
I am a blind buyer at heart but Amouage is one I will sample before purchasing. The bottles from Amouage are really nice as well. I love the shape of them and all the different colors as well as the magnetic cap. It's display worthy (not that I display my fragrances but if I did!). 😂😂
I have tried Guidance once at a friend's house. I can't say I have enough of an impression of it to judge as I was covered in fragrance at the time. I also tried Material and remember more about that one. I think the older Amouage can be quite challenging. I tried one (I don't remember which, it was an 80/90s one) that really did smell like urine for the opening but it did calm down, it was extremely animalic. OG fans of Amouage love that risk taking though. Really the traditional makeup of their fragrances was resins, frankincense was often used. I think they are moving away from that a little now and becoming an easier going more mass appealing house, as evidenced by them being eyed up by L'Oréal for purchase. I do worry that their unique feel and their heritage will become masked in future. The newer collections are already going that way.
I didn't try Sunshine Woman but I would love to, I know Arlene loves it 🙂 and I'd be interested to see what you think of the Dua Vs the original!
Just love your information and appreciate you so much. Brilliant ❤
Thank you 😊 that's so lovely of you to write that! You have made my day 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfumeI speak for many, I assure you. Keep up the good work. ❤
Thank you 🥰
For e so far DIA, and overture woman is the one that I’ve got my eyes on!
Yes! I've had a few people tell me that Dia is old school glam. I'm intrigued 🧐
From Amouage I tried Guidance only.
I highly recommend.
I am curious about Material as well
I do really want to try it ☺️ Material also I've heard so much about and it's made me super curious! Thanks for your suggestions 🙂
Yhhh so Theodor kaloris is JUST getting on my radar! Far from aware of this brand. Don’t have a designated scent from the brand that I want to try. Then again COFFEE ADDICT, I wasn’t sure if that’s the brand it came from BUT I would definitely try that one for sure. But it’s not high on my priority. You know what these days the niche brands are a lil cheaper then designer! It’s actually worth exploring niche fragrances. It’s crazy!
Yes, for sure, €45 for a TK fragrance is a great deal (sadly tobacco maniac is more 😭) but gosh the postage on them from Greece was astronomical. Coffee addict has a UK distributor now and I'm tempted, I loved my sample, but I want to try the other fragrances from the cheaper line and make sure I'm getting my favourite when I buy one 😊
I was never interested in the molecule fragrances either. That is until they came out with M + Iris. Truthfully, I don’t love the opening but the dry down is heavenly for me. It’s one one of my less expensive fragrances but it is one of the few that I get complimented on when I wear it. I’ve heard others who like M + Mandarin as well but I haven’t tried it. It’s worth a sample if you like Iris. It must be worn on skin and I think it shines in warmer weather.
I have a store with these in, quite close to where I work, I will try them 😊 thanks for the suggestions, they are helpful. I do really enjoy iris! Thanks for watching 🥰
A fab video.
Yes Amouage is not for all. I'm not a huge fan the prices have recently shot up even more. I've not bought one at retail price. There's one insane priced one I cud do 🙊 I have to say to me they are worth it. Even with their "more mass appealing" newer ones they stand head and shoulders above most out there in terms of being original and interesting and bloody good. I like it that they aren't for all. It's a house you will find a love tho. Even an easier one like Lilac Love just isn't like what's out there.
Shay and Blue, I've not minded a couple. I think they are a good starter house. Yes sadly the aroma chemicals have certainly become the option for more affordable and less affordable houses sadly.
Yes FM isn't all about bling bling it's all about the perfume. I am quite fond of the Moon and Night 🤣 of course. They are a brand that do things well and beautifully. There are so many more I'd wanna own. Classy beautiful and well made. CF and MR are both beautiful ❤️ I have the travels of them. I think Noire Espices or however it's smelt is the next I'd probably get.
The Molecule ones... I can't smell iso E super either and o2 was not my jam 🤣 I could smell. It though. I appreciate the idea and concept tho.
The Theodoros are absolutely fantastic I really have to say. It was our Tim who got me intregued. The fig was the first I'd smelt too thanks to some posh doctor. You're right they smell like what they are supposed to smell of.
JHAG I will be polite... They are not for me. The Pear one... I just don't have the words for it 🤣. I don't have the words for any of them. However, I know these molecular ones are very popular and loved. I like my brain not melting out my nostrils tho. Moscow Mule... Wow again erm in a word... No. Again Sam was one of the best noses I've ever come across and our tastes were soooo alike and she loved these...
Diptyque, I've liked one. And they are pleasant to me as room sprays. Like not the real Jo Malone things. I do get the appreciation tho.. They are beautiful.
Mancera Montale... I'll leave it there 🤣 Black to Black I did like too but was ridiculously strong. I think Mancera Montale BDK Initio and PDM all have the same DNA to me. Just some are more joke priced. And actually I find the more affordable ones ironically more "refined" I use the word loosely.
OWB have so many beautiful ones. Apart from maybe one that I couldn't love I'd own them all. I wish it was easier for Elise to spread her wonderful perfumes. Yea Pitching Woo really blew me away. And the new one Amoure is so unique and damn good. They are also ridiculously well priced. Top Shelf... Well I'm a hairy man 😉 you had to ruin it with a man who works with his hands 🤣🤣.
Lataffa, back in the early days were cool to smell. Midnight Oud which maybe from them? Probably not I still love it's very good. Generally I don't think they are the brand for me. And yes the price is always important when we judge.
A great fair video. It's not possible we will love and get on with everything. It's so very subjective. And we all do love different things which keeps it exciting.
I suggest you try no more of them 🤣
Gosh that's an essay! Amouage are an interest purely down to you. For me the price of the official samples is insane, I wouldn't have tried them had it not been for you.
I did go back to M&S and try more Shay and Blue and I have to say they weren't the terrible experience that I had with the ones that I bought, but they were completely different fragrances being sold there. I didn't love any, but they weren't off putting either. So the jury is out. I guess trying in store is not quite the same experience as sampling though.
FM are lovely, I hope you get your decant and it's real 🤣 or at least smells right!
Escentric molecule stuff just wasn't for me. I get that it's maybe for layering... I just don't have the time or budget for messing with those trying to make them work for me. 🤷♀️
TK rock, the pricepoint is reasonable and they are good 😊 I honestly thought I might love JHAG. I was so shocked when I finally tried them 😱 Diptyque I get your opinion on. I think there is something stopping me buying somehow with them and I can't work out exactly what that something is. 🤔
I think out of you little list, I prefer Montale and Mancera. BDK has shocked me and not in a good way. I need to try initio properly, but so far it's a big no.
OWB I feel funny talking about because they are something that is really you. I didn't buy any and have only tried them because of you. My opinion is likely influenced by yours too. I do want to spread the word though and help Elise because they are so beautiful ❤️ even the hairy Top Shelf 😉
Lattafa I think might just be a no from now on. I am not sure I can put myself through it 🤣 I think midnight oud might be ard Al zafaran? I'm not sure. I will look it up 😊
Exactly! This is just an opinion not fact and other points of view are entirely valid 😊
Thanks for watching 🥰
@@dr.claire.perfume well anytime, always such great videos.
Yes OWB definitely deserve more attention. I do hope they stop being hidden gems. I think people would love them.
Well you're very welcome, where would the fun be if we didn't share them ❤️
They do need more attention for sure! And yes, it's always lovely to share stuff you enjoy with someone else who appreciates it. 😊
I too would really like to try some Frédéric Malle fragrances as well, especially carnal flower or portrait of a lady. Mancera is a very good house for me because they have amazing sillage and I just love roses vanille. It's my happy fragrance. I've heard that mmm ftom Juliette has a gun is a good fragrance and personally I'm intrigued by one named mad Madam but I've had this house has a weak performance so I'm not willing to spend the money on something I'm not able to smell. You were right about fracas by the way. Now I'm able to smell that buttery tuberose I bought it for. One of my colleagues said that it reminded her of vintage anais anais that her mum used to wear and also lilacs. Personally, I don't smell lilacs in it but I like them anyway, so why not? The most hilarious comment was my daughter's. She said it smelled basic. I'm glad at least one of my daughters inherited my live for fragrance, even if we rarely agree.
🤣 basic! That's hilarious 😂 I know in a way what she means but it's supposedly, or notorioisly, one of the best tuberoses isn't it? I get that if you don't love tuberose, you might just think it's boring.
I will try a few more JHAG fragrances. People do seem to love some of them, but yes, from what I've smelt, they are incredibly weak. Lipstick fever fades very quickly.
Mancera there are a few I do like and roses vanille is one, but I think I prefer siren and sailors for something along a similar line, I just didn't find a love yet with Mancera but I'm sure there must be one for me.
Have a fab week 🥰
The yellow yara, is very pleasant and raghba from lattafa is a nice vanilla.
Yes! A few people have suggested raghba! I should probably try that one. The Yara line really does intrigue me, just so many people really love it! Thanks for watching 🥰
Montale try black oud intense 😊 I really love it so much that I will buy it again . The oud is cambodi oud which is my fave rose and patchouli 😊 it’s very regal rich Arab women smelling 😊 I can imagine a Sheika Arab lady coming out from Harrods looking absolutely stunning . That’s the image I get . This perfume is wonderful for winter nights ❤😊 let me know if you try it 🥰 sending you much love darling and I love your content 😊
I haven't heard anyone talk about that one! Buying it again sounds like a very strong mark of approval. Oud definitely gives off that kind of vibe. If I get to try it, I will let you know what I think 😊
@@dr.claire.perfume yes darling one must becareful getting ouds .. I don’t like the animalic ouds it’s just not for me . I like Cambodian they are it a lot in Qatar … so this is my favourite oud it’s fresh smelling mixed with rose and patchouli it’s just WAW 🙏🙏🙏 every time I went shopping in Harrods I always see an elegant Arab lady coming out and living just this trail of this perfume . 😀 it’s super Harrods and Seifridges sell it. .. so yeah let me know I’m curious about your ideas 😀 have a great Sunday darling lots of love 🥰🙏🕊 GOD BLESS 🙏
I'm not sure I know enough about oud to comment, but I've noticed there are some I enjoy and some I don't. Also some that are clearly synthetic and others that are more enveloping and rich smelling.
I've been very careful at sampling Amouage and most I got second hand. So far, the winners for me are: Guidance, Sunshine, Lineage, Crimson Rocks, Epic W, Material ❤
Ooh I've tried Guidance and Material but only briefly at someone's house. I need to try the others 😊 thanks for watching 🥰
Theodoros Kalotonis, Akro and Kerosene perfumes are top of my list to try next asI want photorealistic fragrances.
Yes! I want to sample some Kerosene! They sound so divisive! Akro I've been stalking discovery sets for too 🤣 Dark was instant oooh! 🥰
I think Escentric Molecules is a very interesting brand. I bought the discovery set, and I couldn’t smell molecule 01 either. I had to train my nose to pick up the scent, and now it’s very clear. I think these are great for a minimalistic mood or for layering🤍
Yes! Layering is definitely their strength I think! Trying in store is probably a bit different to sampling. You are less concentrated on one scent. I should probably go back... I also want to try the M+ range. 🙂
Hi ! I have the same approach to top hyped " niche" brands . In my case , Xerjoff / Casamorati ( testing right now Bouquet Ideale ) , BDK ( on my skin, most of their perfumes are splendid only for 1 h30 and then they get boring ) , Parfums de Marly ( I already have sth similar with rose / juicy vibes) and MFK ( happy I bought Grand Soir some 3 yrs ago before its reformulation ) . Greetings from Paris
Hi Joanna, I've not tried any Xerjoff, but I'm curious. I've tried the other three and BDK has massively underwhelmed me, they use a LOT of ambroxan and it takes over with a few of their fragrances. PDM also uses a lot of ambroxan and also iso e super, I guess if you aren't used to it, it makes everything smell quite unusual. MFK I've not tried much from, maybe 3/4 fragrances, but no loves found so far. Thanks for watching 🥰
Thank you for this video! I enjoy hearing your opinion on niche fragrances.
I felt the same about Lilac Love! At first it was too strong but on second try, I was madly in love. I was lucky enough to purchase the perfume second hand for 1/3 the price! It remains my only Amouage. I have liked some others but not enough to purchase yet.
After a year, I have almost finished a 9 ml decant of Musc Ravageur. I think that was enough to scratch my itch so I won’t get a full bottle. However, I am strongly considering saving for En Passant. Oh my…heavenly. Unlike Lilac Love, this is a more realistic, watery lilac. It reminds me of spring walks with my sister, who adores lilac. I’m trying to justify a purchase by telling myself I’ll share the perfume with her 😁
Thank you ❤️ oh wow, you were so lucky with Lilac Love 💜 what a deal! 😊
Yes, I think musc ravageur is one I'd wear sporadically, not something for everyday. I can see that a small amount would suffice. I think I tried En Passant once in the summer and I remember liking it but I tried a lot of fragrances that day 🤣, I will go try it again and remind myself. Thanks for watching 🥰
even when Lattafa is cheap i still try to decan samples when possible, 4eur for 2ml seems bad deal if I could get 100ml for 25 but if it doesn't fit my nose it's literally saved money some are so heavy on incense it's hard to wear I bought their premium PRIDE line and one is ok second one not so much problem is those samples rarely available so most of time it's risk of blind buy, and even OudForGlory is great but it took me couple try to get used to it and still it's not everyday scent more of a special ocasion when i'm in mood for it as a contrast Lalique is almost always perfect and very few people make videos about them
Lalique have some lovely fragrances from the few I've tried. ☺️ I agree with sampling, even for very affordable fragrances, it's the way to go to avoid waste and to find something that you truly love. 👍
I have JHAG Vanilla Vibes and Lust for Sun. I feel like the former is easy to go nose blind to but I really love the latter and would suggest that to anyone feeling at odds with JHAG fragrances.
Thanks for the suggestion! I actually tried one of my friend's bottles that was from JHAG's slightly more expensive line and I liked that one. I am still not sure that brand is for me though, but I will keep trying them. Thanks for watching 🥰
I love sweet vanilla from Montale and fig extasy from mancera is great.
I've tried fig extasy! I didn't try sweet vanilla though. I definitely need to try a few more Montale ☺️
Hi Claire! This was an interesting video. I don’t own a lot of niche fragrances but I have sniffed many. The only two I own are Nicolai Solange Cologne and Miller Harris Rose en Rose. I enjoy both of these very much. Very strange experience when I sniff Juliette has a Gun perfumes as none of them are appealing. Some are simply not discernible to my nose. And the Glossier “You” which everyone seems to like- I have tried multiple times but I cannot detect any odour. That’s ok as I have just saved myself a lot of money!
Same with me too, my collection is mostly designer but I like trying them 🙂
That's really interesting! I can smell Glossier you very clearly, although I do get used to it after a while (or it fades 🤣). But not a perfume I just couldn't smell at all. There's clearly something about ambroxan and iso E super that makes these peak a boo fragrance molecules. 😊
I am intrigued by JHG latest perfume by the name alone 😅 'Ode to Dullness'. I highly recommend Mancera's Amber Fever & Montale's Amber Musk 🙂
Thank you for the recommendations ☺️ I will add them to the list to try!
It's such a weird name isn't it?! 🤣 I also just want to try it. I will check it out in store. 🥰
Hi Dr.Smith❤
Your lipstick is beautiful.
Thank you for the informative video. Thank goodness for more video content like this that isn't "love this, love that". Impossible and unrealistic, imo.
As subjective as fragrances are, there is clearly shared negative opinions.
I read all posts, and value the feedback greatly.
You engage with subbies; much appreciated.
I rely on samples whenever available, as I have disliked so many FB purchases in the past. I donate a lot, and niche purchases are not often feasible.
I recall when TK was $28 (shipping) for my purchase and I declined.
Now, available and samples are here USA. I tried several. The fig, coffee, vanilla, all good. The Lemon tart disappointed me. It has a butter note, I believe that is off-putting. It made me nauseous 🤷. However, I cook and bake with Butter, and it makes me queazy. So it could be me. I didn't like LT at all, and I love lemon, anything!
Mancera, oh those names are random for sure. Tonka Cola will be a sampler for me, by year's end hopefully.
JHAG is a headscratcher. I have never tried, as I have lots of reservations on cost AND performance.
* Veronica reviewed ODE TO DULLNESS, and liked it. I'm going to sample. It's a clean, sorta soapy wear anytime scent.
KEROSENE, I have some pics on a sample wishlist. I really want to try😊.
Francine 🙋🌹
Thank you! ❤️ yes, the postage and packaging for TK put me off my purchase for sure. It was more than half the cost of a bottle of fragrance, I found it unacceptable. I had some people tell me to buy two or three bottles, but if I only want one, why would I spend more for free shipping?
I didn't try lemon tart, but yes, I've heard that about it, I don't think it's as popular.
Honestly I rare love a fragrance, I like a lot, and dislike an awful lot but love is rare! I feel weird on UA-cam because I can easily test 10 fragrances and feel ambivalence towards most or all of them, and that's not the general hit rate here for others. Maybe there is a coincidence that I don't use affiliate links? 🤣
Tonka cola has sounded an interesting one. I think I do want to try more Mancera and Montale. There must be one out there for me.
JHAG has been a complete no so far, but I will try the new one. I've seen only one review from an influencer who was gifted a bottle. I wasn't around this weekend, so I'm sure there are more reviews out about it now and I'm curious to see what people who weren't gifted a bottle say. It does sound easy-going for sure.
Kerosene fascinates me too! Such a divisive brand that I would love to try! Thanks for watching 🥰 have a fab week ❤️
Have you done any reviews of indie brands on Etsy? I’m new to your channel! Love your videos
I haven't. I try lots of brands but never from Etsy. I will eventually do a video talking about smaller brands I've enjoyed I think 😊 it's truly where the magic is! I do put indie in my seasonal videos, e.g. my spring video has 2/10. Thanks for watching 🥰
Hi Claire - what a great topic and conversation! I am aligned with you on most of these, although I have only really tried one Diptyque. I have several Amouages in various sizes from FB to 10ml and minis…and they are intriguing. Not always easy reaches but artistic for sure. One house I have 10+ full bottles from is Serge Lutens. Not for everyone and some are quite challenging, but they are also excellent examples of early niche artistry. I also love Lush and have a dozen or so bottles. Again, not for everyone and not always mass appealing. I just got a full bottle of Lattafa Nebras and so far so good, but it’s a little too soon to know if it’s a love. Hope you have a terrific week! 😘
Hi Jill! Wow 😮 I have tried I think 4 Serge Lutens and I've liked, but not loved them all. I've tried baptême du feu, dent de lait, un Bois vanille and l'orpheline. I really want to try fils de joie, are there any that you would recommend in particular?
I've had a few people recommend the Pride line, it seems that people enjoy Ansaam Gold and Nebras! Thanks for watching ❤️
I have L’orpheline, and I find it extremely challenging. Five o’clock au Gingembre is an easy wear ginger tea scent. Arabie is wonderful for the winter - a sultry amber with delicious dried fruits. Fils de Joie is my favorite, but it is truly a VERY heady Jasmine and not for the faint of heart!
L'orpheline seems to get stronger 🤣 it's an interesting one though! Those three all sound good. I hope to find some samples 😊
Hey darling! Amouage is a house I cannot do. I've never liked anything of theirs. Those prices are disrespectful as well. Lol
They are crazily pricey I agree 🤣 £25 for a sample is horrendous! They are challenging I know, I'm sure I'll try one one day and hate it, it's just a matter of time.
Aw, this video is 6 months old… which perfume did you buy with the voucher? Dying to know! 😊 Diptyque was my gateway perfume to indie brands although they aren’t technically indie-niche. Their perfumes introduced me to accidental accords which are the resulting fragrance you get from combining other accords. My favorites are Florabellio (apple tree and coffee), Eau Moheli (pink pepper & tropical floral), and Oyedo which has a pithy bitter citrus opening that turns sweet-woody and has an accidental raspberry accord.
Hi Jackie! I know what you mean about Diptyque, they have unusual scent profiles! I am so confused by Diptyque, I seem to like nearly all of them 🤣 you know what? I never bought one because I struggled to order the vouchers that I needed, there was a log in issue, I will have another go, you've reminded me... I need to make sure they don't expire! I need to try Florabellio and Oyedo, I tried Eau Moheli... I am really struggling to decide which I should go for, can I get more than one?! 🤣