Went to the store. Any recs based on what I liked ?

Hello, 

I went to the store (mostly designer / mainstream fragrances) and smelled almost every fragrance available there.  

What I noticed is that I dislike most fragrances I tested. Obviously, I couldn’t test every fragrance  on skin. But in my experience, I never liked on skin a perfume I disliked on paper.

Could you please recommend me some perfumes based on my description but also on fragrances I liked / disliked during my tests ?

Things I like and dislike 

- I love mandarin, peony, bergamot,  ylang ylang, iris, tonka bean, strawberry, whipped cream, caramel, raspberry, vanilla, pink pepper 

- I am not looking for complexity. In fact I dislike very long pyramids and usually find perfumes with too many notes chaotic and overwhelming

- I am opened to any fragrance, niche, designer

- 200e max

- absolutely opened to French recs because I live there. 
- something I can find in France, in stores (I can go to Paris, Grasse… ) or online (Nose, Jovoy, Nocibé, or small websites / houses)

- I like fresh, clean scents, but I like some sillage and longevity. Glossier You was like wearing nothing for me.

- I live in very warm weather

- I hate ginger, clove

- I tend to avoid black pepper and most spices 

- I dislike kiwi, guava, peach.

- I like modern roses 

- a lot of lactonic fragrances smell sour to me

- About gourmands : I love some gourmands (I love whipped cream, strawberry, anything chocolate especially with orange) but some gourmands also disgust me 

Fragrances I tested and disliked 

- Prada Paradox. I was pretty sure I was going to like it and I just didn’t. I wasn’t disgusted by it but I prefer the scent of my own skin …

- I tested a few « Le Monde Gourmand » : Pistachio brûlée, miel bébé, crème vanille, lait de coco, fraise fouettée. Disliked all of them especially Pistachio brûlée. There was something I liked about Fraise fouettée but the smell also made me sick, it smelled quite sour

- Kayali. It was the first time and I really, really dislike what I smelled. Kayali Marshmallow one (don’t remember the name) and Pistachio Gelato. I had a strong negative reaction, like a natural aversion to it ?

- Gucci Flora Gardenia : like Prada Paradox I was really surprised because I thought I would like it but no !

- Guerlain Mandarin Basilic : the mandarin note is gorgeous, but I dislike the other notes 

- Guerlain Florabloom : dislike everything about this perfume 

- Guerlain Nerolia Vetiver : same, dislike everything 

- Guerlain Santal Royal, liked the top notes dislike the others 

- Guerlain Bosca Vanilla 

- Glossier You : I really dislike the top notes and then it smells like … nothing. 

- Chanel N 5 : Never liked it. Still hate it years after. I didn’t smell Coco Mademoiselle because I don’t think my opinion will ever change. Dislike it. 

Fragrances I tested and loved as an experience but not sure I could wear them on a daily basis (but I see myself buying them)

L’Heure Bleue 

Shalimar 

Shalimar Essence 

It wasn’t my first time smelling Shalimar and L’Heure bleue .  I think L’Heure Bleue is a masterpiece but I dislike the clove. It was the most interesting fragrance of the store. 

Perfumes I tested and loved (and see myself wearing)

- Chanel Chance Eau Splendide EDP (Really love that one)

- Chanel Chance Eau Tendre EDP

- Chanel Chance  Eau Fraîche EDP

- JHAG Not A Perfume

- La Bastide des Aromes Framboise Caramel (Raspberry Caramel) 

My holy grails so far 

- Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet (I drink the bottle) 

- Lancôme Pivoines Printemps (it feels like me. like a second skin)

- Soir d’Orient Sisley (slightly dark but it feels like sun at the same time. beautiful)-

- Oriflame Gold Essenza 

- Oriflame Divine

I think I discovered Soir d’Orient and Pivoines Printemps because the same seller gave me samplers and it felt like magic. But I want to find something else and I can’t? Any idea ? 🫶

You seem to like chypres; I think you may like Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum, a chypre build around the rose, but it's a bit outside your budget. An alternative could be Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum (170 euro's). A beautyful rose perfume with quite some strength and projection is Nahema Eau de Parfum starts of a bit green, the peach was not very noticable to my nose, but ends like a true, beautyful rose! Online it is relatively affordable, but it smells expensive. But ofcourse: sample first.

@Ringtale Thank you so much ! 
Portrait of a Lady has clove, but I’m still writing it in my notebook. 

Eau Capitale : there’s a Diptyque store nearby so I will probably be able to smell it

Don’t think I ever smelled Nahema so that’s a good advice too.

Of course I will sample or test in store and not blindbuy.

@velvetunder have you tried any Fragonard yet? They're a highly-regarded French brand (available to test in some French stores), with really realistic floral-forward blends (that can be a bit "simpler" or not as overwhelmingly-complex, as you said you're trying to avoid).

A couple more to potentially try, based on the notes you enjoy:
La Vie est Belle L'Elixir
Meringue Magique

You're welcome. Something else very flowery and at the same time green and great for spring/summer and affordable online often is Private Collection Eau de Parfum (actually called 'Eau de private Collection').

Might Iris Medicis Intense fit your tastes? I'd recommend going to one of her boutiques and seeing if her fragrances do it for you. Though it has pepper in its top notes, maybe Saint Honoré.

Did you try L'Heure Bleue Eau de Parfum or L'Heure Bleue Eau de Toilette ? I find the EDT to be airier and more suitable for every day.

I highly recommend Dopamine Rose. I recently sampled it, and I think it's such a lovely example of a modern rose. It also features several of your favorite notes.

I also agree that Eau Capitale Eau de Parfum is worth a try. (I prefer it to Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum) I also think you might like their Eau Rose Eau de Toilette.

I think Odette Parfums is a house you should look into. Especially Moulin Rose. Their Rose Adage is also nice. (I purchased a sample pack a few months ago.) Odette's gourmands are, to my nose, whimsical while still being sophisticated and not cloying.

Some others available in France I think you might like:

III-III Love Kills

III-I L'Attesa

L'Iris - SMN is an old, traditional house but L'Iris is quite modern. It's a favorite of mine.

Pure eVe - Just Pure

https://www.parfumo.com/Perfum...

Insolence Eau de Parfum or Insolence Eau de Toilette

féminin Pluriel Eau de Parfum

Lust In Paradise

@JSO60@JuliaGhoulia@Ringtale@Gourmandgrl 

Wow I have plenty of fragrances to try now, I am definitely curious about all of them. 

@JuliaGhoulia I tested the EDP!

I also have a SMN sample and while the fragrance doesn’t suit me (Magnolia) I like the quality, so why not ! 
wow the pyramid of these Odette fragrances make me very curious !

@Gourmandgrl not yet for Fragonard but I wanted to test in store during holidays !

@JSO60@Ringtale thank you for the recs !!!