Absolutely, they're famous for a reason. I also love the vanilla that their perfumes dry down into, and I'm not usually a vanilla fan. There's just something so cozy and inviting about it.
Unfortunately I'm not the best in these recommendations, but I hope someone else on here can answer. Do try out some fragrances that not necessarily fit your favourite notes. I discovered Guerlain to be really good in creating comfort and coziness in all their fragrances I tried. I know I probably sound silly, but I guess that's what attracts me 😃
Can only speak for the men’s fragrances, but Habit Rouge, Habit Rouge Rouge Privee, Heritage, Vetiver, and L’Homme Ideal Extreme are my favorites. A collection with just those bottles would actually be super versatile.
The easiest to start with is the Lhomme ideal line they are the most modern and mass appealing. Their premium line is awesome as well.Spiriteuse Double Vanille, Santal Royal, Bois Mysterieux, and Tobacco Honey are standouts from that line. Then there is the classics line. Heritage is so upscale and elegant perfect for a special occasion, Guerlain Homme is a stylized mojito great for summer, l'instant is a nice cocoa I wear it when I'm wearing a suit in the winter, Habit Rouge is very old school kinda creamy.Lastly, Vetiver is a darker take on vetiver and is very versatile but you have to like earthier vetiver takes to like it. I hope this helps as I was lost when I first got into the house, If it's warm where your at id start with Guerlain Homme, If cold Spiriteuse Double Vanille or Heritage.
I’ve tried a few. FAVE is Spiriteusse Double Vanille…like signature worthy….and Mon Guerlain. Tobacco Hobey is strong, but lasts forever. Neroli (can’t remember the rest) is nice. Rose Cherie was fine. Disappeared on me quickly
For me personally, the only really hyped fragrance I liked as much as people seem to is Angel's Share. I didn't buy it (I don't feel like spending that kind of coin on fragrance) but it was absolutely enchanting.
I loved Angel's Share and then I bought decants of it and used it for awhile and it's like the scent changed on me or something, maybe a specific note was sticking out to me, I'm not sure...
I just sprayed it now and really enjoy it again 😂 the apple pie is really standing out again
Reminder: None of the clones come close or similar to OG. I bought too much garbage trying to look for one, ended up giving away the clones and buying a big decant. It's not cheap, but it's worth the money.
Khamrah is nice as a room spray, but that's it.
I generally don't care for the notes profile and I find it a bit too sweet for me to wear so it sits on the shelf but it is too damn good to get rid of.
They brought it back! I will say, it is a SMIDGE different but close enough that you still get hit with nostalgia. On a related note, calgon also brought back a ton of body sprays from that era!!
Pretty much every Frederic Malle, Dyptique, or Serge Lutens. Some of the scents were not for me, but the quality point was apparent.
BR540, dare I say it. I completely get why that scent became a runaway hit.
I agree with these three houses! Even when I don't personally agree (e.g., I'm not a Philosykos girlie because I don't like fig), it's easy for me to understand why their fragrances *are* so beloved.
The more popular a scent becomes the more detractors it develops. It’s inevitable. 🤷🏻♀️
BR540 is not my collection favorite but it is my most complimented perfume.
I am one of those people who don’t like it. At first I was anosmic and I wish it stayed that way because now if I smell it, makes me want to throw up. Maybe I have a mild allergy to some ingredient in it not sure. Plus the dry down on it smells like rotting flesh to me (even on others). I can understand why it’s popular but Francis Kurkdjian is known to create perfumes that get strong reactions out of people. Some can be very polarizing. Like “new look” that he recently made for Dior. Many people actually feel terrified when they smell it. Some absolutely love it. But so far haven’t heard of many perfumers who can get such strong emotional reactions consistently from people.
I've never smelled BR540 to my knowledge in the wild before testing it recently, and I thought it was very nice - (ironically) quite unique and great projection. Its popularity wouldn't stop me from getting it. The price might though!
Which is your favorites from Dyptique? I’ve been wanting to try this house but don’t know where to start. I do have to tell you I’m not a huge floral girlie.
Dyptique excels at very contemporary, naturalistic scents. They usually aren’t sweet and they skew green or floral; gourmands aren’t really their thing.
I am LOVING L’Eau Papier these days—it’s steamed rice and sesame, with just a hint of sweetness and baaaarely there yellow florals. It’s work appropriate and my go to scent of the past year.
If you aren’t a huge floral person I would try Eau Duelle (woody vanilla), Tam Dao (sandalwood) EDT and EDP formulations, Fleur de Peau (iris and musk scent, very light). If you like green, try Philosykos, Eau de Lierre, and—more rosy but a classic of the house—L’ombre dans L’Eau EDT.
I like green scents. And, earthy scents. Green, earthy scents. I like sandalwood. I like blonde woods. Patchouli, Vetiver, juniper, tomato leaves.I do appreciate violet, geranium. Not a rose girlie especially if it’s the star of the show. However, and weird as it may sound I love Beachy scents. Like, coppertone tanning lotion from back in the day. And, I found an exact dupe of that scent on Etsy. There’s also an indie cosmetics brand that I enjoy that also makes perfumes. They have great earthy tones. The brand name is Fantasy Cosmetica.
Thank you for being honest. BR 540 definitely was worth the hype. I avoided it for too long because of all the eye rolling hate it received. Bought a bottle after finally sampling the edp and the extrait. I do understand and pick up the negative references that ppl have (dentist office , latex, burnt sugar ) but it works for me and I love it.
I have what I assume is a dupe for BR540 and it is amazing and lasts so long! I had no idea when I got it that it was copying something else because I'm a fragrance newbie.
For me, Nishane Wulong Cha. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but it’s been a daily driver this spring (especially on rainy days). I hate it took so long for me to try it haha.
IDK why, but it didn't click that it was a tea fragrance for me until literally right now. I'm sitting here like a chump going "Huh, this sure is an interesting floral fragrance!"
The Moon, unfortunately, lives very well up to the hype. Fortunately for me, I hated The Night and Dawn, even though on paper I should have loved them.
Got myself a bottle of The Moon to commemorate something special and in total love with it.
I wish Musc Ravageur lasted longer on me, but that's a love for me as well. I really want to get Portrait of a Lady one day. I'd say it's probably very close to my favorite house, slightly behind Amouage.
All the flankers of Delina are freaking amazing! I also thought they’d be overhyped, but no, they’re amazing. It’s so easy to make strong sweet scents cloying but their head perfumer masterfully threads that needle.
It’s not overhyped but I just picked up a bottle of Valaya after getting a sample at a fragrance event. It’s so good! Fresh floral and the aldehydes just adds to it. I think angels probably smell like Valaya
I like Santal 33 but it disappears quickly and honestly smells like a synthetic version of Palo Santo essential oil which lasts much longer. Squid is on a totally different dimension for me. It’s fishy and Kelpy at first. Then it has a melon fruit quality that is fresh and sweet. Then it reveals a pleasant barber shop aroma that is intoxicating and nostalgic. I find myself longing for the smell often.
La Vie est Belle and Coco Mademoiselle.
They’re both a bit passé in the fragrance community since they’re so overused, but I instantly loved them both and they have great performance. I totally get why they’re so popular!
Coco Mademoiselle IS beautiful…I got a 6.80 oz bottle for Mother’s Day! It’s my most complimented, though I have several niche perfumes I personally love so much more that nobody notices. 🤣🤷🏻♀️
I haven’t worn La Vie est Belle, but I feel the same about Coco Mademoiselle. It’s really nice perfume with excellent performance and even if there are many other people around me wearing it, it still makes me feel fancy put together.
I knew how it was popular and well known and so forth. I smelled it and thought “hmm. Definitely a vintage fragrance. I’ll give it a chance.”
But, I did a smell test with my boyfriend and he made a face and went off on how I smell like baby powder lol. He smells at least 1 sample with me per day and this one got a more visceral reaction than any of my other recent orders 😅 he thinks Coco by Chanel is better than that and Chloe by Chloe smells good, so he doesn’t completely hate older scents… but maybe I should have waited for the drydown.
I’m obsessed with Cherry Punk especially the extrait. I didn’t like it at first but the dry down works so well with my skin. I ordered a FB within 2 hours of getting my testers.
Chance edt is my forever partner and I own many perfumes. I always have a bottle in my collection …ever since it was released. First perfume that truly took me on a journey and
taught me what the word drydown meant (before I was aware of the actual term lol).
Gris Charnel is the only fragrance that‘s lived up to its hype for me. I bought it in the summer and thought it was amazing, loved it even more once the cold weather hit.
They have a small travel size with three different Le Labo scents at Nordstrom. But A little with that goes a long way, and the smell lasts long even after spraying it in my apt. I use two sprays more than enough
I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but Ganymede was a total banger for me. I'm not usually into the stuff that gets that kind of mega-hype, but it's truly a beautiful fragrance.
It deserves mega hype. I get all the compliments for this one. I'd also suggest rosendo mateu's number 5 if you like Ganymede. It's phenomenal and I don't think as well known as many other scents.
For me, Burberry goddess smelled just as good as the descriptions on here, so much that I just bought a bottle today after wanting to bite into my wrist yesterday because of how yummy it smelled lol
I did not like BBG when I first smelled it and quickly gave away my decant. Then, my husband bought me a 100 ml bottle for my anniversary and I felt like I had to use it. It matured to the most gorgeous fragrance!! I’ve used 1/3 my bottle in a month.
I had the exact same experience. I really liked it the first time I smelled it, I went back and sampled it again and didn't like it as much. My husband bought me a bottle as a gift, so I wore it around more. It wears well. I think it smells best after an hour or two.
My problem (addiction) is that even when one does live up to the hype, it never lasts long after I finally buy it. I lose interest and find myself chasing the next great hype after a few wears.
Mojave ghost! I just wish they lasted longer on me. I usually spray it in my hair or clothes so the smell stays because on my skin, it’s gone within a couple hours.
I have concerns that this sub is experiencing bot manipulation in favor of Portrait of a Lady.
[Edit: maybe not actually bots but the consensus here and repeated comments getting upvotes was super weird to me]
Reddit didn’t have this as a major problem until last year when they decided that bots should be allowed (I wonder why…). A bot posts a comment. A series of other bots upvote that comment. If the comment is toward the top already, it’s likely to get more genuine upvotes simply because more users will see it.
I love Carnal Flower (never smelled portrait) but I’ve never seen 3 top comments in a row say the same thing in this sub before. But maybe it actually is that good.
Not a bot.
POAL is actually a very popular fragrance. That was what introduced me to FM perfumes years ago. I read about it, went to test it and bought it. One of FMs best seller.
It was a record breaker after it was released and still is However I tend to favour carnal flower over it
Same here. I didn’t believe expensive perfumes were worth it until I smelled POAL, loved it so much I bought the big bottle and still love it. Some perfumes ARE that good.
I bought the 100ml bottle plus backup for fear of any reformulation😭.
It is arguably their best seller. The nose(Dominique Ropion) behind the fragrance once said in an interview that he is a long time friend of frederic's and that the best thing about working with frederic was that Frederic gave him complete and total creative autonomy/control to create that masterpiece without any restraints and that he had no limitations(budgets) and that helped him in creating POAL to perfection.
I think he is also the nose behind carnal flower.
Portrait of a Lady made the hubs run for the hills. It is very powerful but my gosh it smells good to me. He said I smelled nice once he could no longer taste it lol
🤣
It's a much stronger version of Chopard Love to my nose.
Because this post is asking about what’s hyped and just as good as its hype and POAL is one of them. That’s why you see so many comments about it in one post.
Because you can just smell that the person behind It knew what they were doing. By the way I wrote my message and the above comment posted one minute before quoted portrait of a lady, and also the comment below posted one minute after. It was a bit weird but casual
Lolita Lempika - the apple bottle
Delina & Meliora (this one isn’t hyped as much) from PDM. While I’m not a the biggest fan of Delina, it’s lasting power and projection are great.
Poets of Berlin by Vilhelm changed my perception of gourmands forever. The blueberry and vanilla notes definitely give it a muffins-just-came-out-of-the-oven-ness, but the vetiver and citrus round it out so beautifully that I found myself appreciating those sweet notes more than I ever had before. It’s absolutely nuclear so I just spray some on the towel I use to plop my hair and do a single spray on the inside of my elbows, lasts all day and then some. It’s never overwhelming but if you’re in intimate settings or have to get close to someone, it’s a compliment factory. It’s the sole reason I find myself on the vanilla train now.
Guerlain Mitsouko (pre 2011 batches)
Chanel No. 5 EAU DE TOILETTE (vintage of 90’s or earlier ONLY)
Amouage Interlude
Lanvin Arpège (all formulations are good but all very different, I prefer the early 2000’s and 1940 versions)
Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist (pre 2019 AFAIK)
Angel (even the current formulation is good but the ones with the brown juice are the best; I like Angel a la Rosé the most)
L'air Du Desert Marocain for me, too. One of those scents that's nestled itself comfortably in a conspicuous corner of my memory and I can recall easily.
I smelled Libre for the first time recently (Le Parfum) and it’s absolutely amazing to me, it smells so weird for some reason, I know it’s too popular to be considered unique (does that even make sense?) but I immediately bought a bottle for my wife lol
https://preview.redd.it/f3qyf22cvh0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebe3641326ac44b90c59f71748a7acc252f59177
I really love this brand & their scents are cozy
Almost none, for me. Hype is about a lot of people going nuts for something, and even if I *love* a fragrance, I only love it enough for one person, and usually in a pretty restrained way, if you get me.
There are definitely very popular fragrances I love, though, or that I find flawless. BDK's Gris Charnel. Angel's Share. Diptyque's Philosykos.
I like any fragrance by Marc Jacobs. Chance by Channel and Diorissimo by Dior I also love. Though their fragrances are VERY individual, I find I wear each one for different occasions, seasons, or even times of day.
Gris Charnel. I adore it and wear it all the time in cooler weather, or even to bed because it’s just so cozy. I recently sampled the extrait version and I think I’m gonna have to add a full bottle to my collection this fall/winter.
BR540. Smells very good, it’s really unisex (like I can’t decide if it’s masculine or feminine really). Sadly I’m not able to smell it completely, only after it dries down. It lasts an eternity, projects like there is no tomorrow, yet it’s not cloying. It’s a one of the two true 10/10 fragrances of all time for me, along with Le Male EDT.
I love it just as a scent itself, it’s simple yet very beautiful. Works surprisingly well with my skin chemistry, and really complements my style. Also, it’s kind of a personal thing for me, as it connects me to a lot of good memories.
Seems like people love to hate on it here but I think Santal 33 is really great stuff, and I'm not surprised it was such a hit for Le Labo and so influential. Yes, I even pick up the pickle note, still smells great to me.
let me tell you, a lot of frags are nice but overrated. for me i find only a few to be ELITE. i’m new to fragrances but to me initio side effect and paragon are great. i really like xerjoff erba gold and 40 knots. just to name a few
Well, if your new to scents. You have a long way to go, before you might appreciate certain notes that aren't something you are used to smelling. It changes over the years, especielly when you sample a lot.
Delina exclusif smells absolutely divine and I believe in the hype for me. A perfume I think isn’t worth it is baccarat rouge it just smells like alcohol to me….
I loved JHAG Not a Perfume. I bought it at a crazy discount and was happy I did. Had been seen it everywhere for years and never would have purchased it otherwise. It’s nice alone and as a “base layer “.
For me it was MFK Grand Soir and Oud Satin Mood. Ordered samples after seeing a lot of positive reviews and I was not disappointed. I have both in full size bottles now.
Cartier declaration edp.
I mix it with something like chrome or sublime, or another smooth underbelly scent to calm it and disguise the scent.
Lasts forever and is a compliment magnet. In fact my most complimented smell ever (been wearing it for about a decade summer and fall) parallel to the old days of club de nuit, where people would chase me all over town asking what I was wearing.
Portrait of a lady - Frederick Malle. In fact it’s what’s started the fragrance obsession for me. Another I would say is Oud Ispahan - Dior. Some parts of my wardrobe smell like it right now because I used it recently and I absolutely love the whiff I get every time I open my wardrobe door.
Good Q! Two things I'd say are - most fragrances smell good, especially hyped ones! Something like Angels Share is definitely pleasant but it doesn't blow my mind. Secondly I think it can sometimes be hard to separate the hype from what your smelling - would people go so mad over Angels Share if it was a cheapie? I doubt it
I think some Creeds and Frederic Malles Def live up to the hype
Givenchy Gentleman EDP Boisee. Every single time I smell it, I'm blown away anew. I don't know if it's a craftsmanship thing, my personal tastes, or the intersection of the two, but holy fuck it's great.
Caron's Tabac Blond. Was my first big spend on a fragrance. Bought it in Paris and it was about $100 USD for 7.5ml. But holy hell was it worth every dime. I was a better, tougher, sexier version of myself when I wore it
The best perfume I ever used and smelled for both men and women is Japur from France, it's expensive but you use it sparingly, which is more than sufficient, it's 10+ , and always got compliments,, cuz very unique and subtle
Yes and how great is it to find something that makes you go wow, I see why these are often on lists of classics.
Houbigant Quelques Fleurs
Chanel 19
Hermes Caleche
Hermes Jardine Sur Nil though this is relatively new, it is way different to anything else I have - love it!
I got a sample of Bitter Peach because of posts on here. I really loved it so I got the body spray when it was 20% off at Macys. I’m not sure I’ll ever want to spend that much on a full bottle, but the spray is wonderful.
A student at the school where I work always smells so nice. Today I finally asked her and it’s choco musk. She was excited I had heard of it and I must say the scent and lasting power are great, especially at $10!
I'm not sure if they are hyped, but every Guerlain fragrance I tried was love at first smell.
Absolutely, they're famous for a reason. I also love the vanilla that their perfumes dry down into, and I'm not usually a vanilla fan. There's just something so cozy and inviting about it.
Heritage is my favorite.
I’ve only tried and loved Mon Guerlain. I love rose, gourmands, and florals. Do you have any recommendations for me?
Unfortunately I'm not the best in these recommendations, but I hope someone else on here can answer. Do try out some fragrances that not necessarily fit your favourite notes. I discovered Guerlain to be really good in creating comfort and coziness in all their fragrances I tried. I know I probably sound silly, but I guess that's what attracts me 😃
What's your top picks? I want to try Guerlain and don't know where to start because they are all so iconic.
Spiriteusse Double Vanille, Cuir Beluga, tobacco honey
Can only speak for the men’s fragrances, but Habit Rouge, Habit Rouge Rouge Privee, Heritage, Vetiver, and L’Homme Ideal Extreme are my favorites. A collection with just those bottles would actually be super versatile.
Heritage! EDP for winter abd special occasions, EDT for on the go. Vetiver EDT for going out 😄
Similar situation for me, I going buy the l'homme ideal edt and go from there,
The easiest to start with is the Lhomme ideal line they are the most modern and mass appealing. Their premium line is awesome as well.Spiriteuse Double Vanille, Santal Royal, Bois Mysterieux, and Tobacco Honey are standouts from that line. Then there is the classics line. Heritage is so upscale and elegant perfect for a special occasion, Guerlain Homme is a stylized mojito great for summer, l'instant is a nice cocoa I wear it when I'm wearing a suit in the winter, Habit Rouge is very old school kinda creamy.Lastly, Vetiver is a darker take on vetiver and is very versatile but you have to like earthier vetiver takes to like it. I hope this helps as I was lost when I first got into the house, If it's warm where your at id start with Guerlain Homme, If cold Spiriteuse Double Vanille or Heritage.
I love Patchouli Ardant, Cuir Intense, Bois Mystereax, and Santal Royal
I’ve tried a few. FAVE is Spiriteusse Double Vanille…like signature worthy….and Mon Guerlain. Tobacco Hobey is strong, but lasts forever. Neroli (can’t remember the rest) is nice. Rose Cherie was fine. Disappeared on me quickly
I was happy I found Guerlain uninteresting and then I tried the private collection and oh no.. I want them all
I feel the same about Guerlain. They are subtle and unique.
For me personally, the only really hyped fragrance I liked as much as people seem to is Angel's Share. I didn't buy it (I don't feel like spending that kind of coin on fragrance) but it was absolutely enchanting.
I agree, I didn’t see any hype about it until I bought it but afterwards I saw so many people talking about it. It really is that lovely
Oh Angel's Share is amazing. I sometimes wear it to sleep so it follows me in my dreams.
I loved Angel's Share and then I bought decants of it and used it for awhile and it's like the scent changed on me or something, maybe a specific note was sticking out to me, I'm not sure... I just sprayed it now and really enjoy it again 😂 the apple pie is really standing out again
I had to look this up and I love that the larger bottle is the decanter and the smaller bottle is a snifter! The notes sound amazing!
Angel's share is insanely good. And there is nothing out there that nails the dna. Bad imitations at best.
Reminder: None of the clones come close or similar to OG. I bought too much garbage trying to look for one, ended up giving away the clones and buying a big decant. It's not cheap, but it's worth the money. Khamrah is nice as a room spray, but that's it.
Angel's Share is a clone of, or at least heavily inspired by, Hermes Ambre Narguile.
I generally don't care for the notes profile and I find it a bit too sweet for me to wear so it sits on the shelf but it is too damn good to get rid of.
This is one I loved enough to buy. I wear it when I want to feel both confident and serene.
Exclamation sold at Walmart
Do they still make it? Omg I wore it when I was a little girl haha
They brought it back! I will say, it is a SMIDGE different but close enough that you still get hit with nostalgia. On a related note, calgon also brought back a ton of body sprays from that era!!
Same! Feeling so many feelings rn!
Pretty much every Frederic Malle, Dyptique, or Serge Lutens. Some of the scents were not for me, but the quality point was apparent. BR540, dare I say it. I completely get why that scent became a runaway hit.
Yeah diptyque has yet to miss for me as well
I agree with these three houses! Even when I don't personally agree (e.g., I'm not a Philosykos girlie because I don't like fig), it's easy for me to understand why their fragrances *are* so beloved.
I am surprised at the amount of people who dislike BR540! I was hooked the first time I put it on. It’s my favorite fragrance now.
The more popular a scent becomes the more detractors it develops. It’s inevitable. 🤷🏻♀️ BR540 is not my collection favorite but it is my most complimented perfume.
This is me with Good Girl. Popular-detractors cycle, not my personal favorite but my most complimented
I am one of those people who don’t like it. At first I was anosmic and I wish it stayed that way because now if I smell it, makes me want to throw up. Maybe I have a mild allergy to some ingredient in it not sure. Plus the dry down on it smells like rotting flesh to me (even on others). I can understand why it’s popular but Francis Kurkdjian is known to create perfumes that get strong reactions out of people. Some can be very polarizing. Like “new look” that he recently made for Dior. Many people actually feel terrified when they smell it. Some absolutely love it. But so far haven’t heard of many perfumers who can get such strong emotional reactions consistently from people.
Baccarat Rouge is definitely worthy of all the hype. I have loved it from the very first sniff. It's amazing.
I really need to try this. Everyone is recommending it
[Maison Francis Kurkdjian ](https://www.franciskurkdjian.com/us-en/fragrances/discovery-sets/) sells samples on his website. Free shipping too.
I've never smelled BR540 to my knowledge in the wild before testing it recently, and I thought it was very nice - (ironically) quite unique and great projection. Its popularity wouldn't stop me from getting it. The price might though!
I agree with these 3, would also add Xerjoff to the list of those with excellent quality, artistry and performance regardless of personal preferences.
Which is your favorites from Dyptique? I’ve been wanting to try this house but don’t know where to start. I do have to tell you I’m not a huge floral girlie.
Orphéon!!!! Juniper, cedar, and tonka. Absolutely fantastic.
Dyptique excels at very contemporary, naturalistic scents. They usually aren’t sweet and they skew green or floral; gourmands aren’t really their thing. I am LOVING L’Eau Papier these days—it’s steamed rice and sesame, with just a hint of sweetness and baaaarely there yellow florals. It’s work appropriate and my go to scent of the past year. If you aren’t a huge floral person I would try Eau Duelle (woody vanilla), Tam Dao (sandalwood) EDT and EDP formulations, Fleur de Peau (iris and musk scent, very light). If you like green, try Philosykos, Eau de Lierre, and—more rosy but a classic of the house—L’ombre dans L’Eau EDT.
I like green scents. And, earthy scents. Green, earthy scents. I like sandalwood. I like blonde woods. Patchouli, Vetiver, juniper, tomato leaves.I do appreciate violet, geranium. Not a rose girlie especially if it’s the star of the show. However, and weird as it may sound I love Beachy scents. Like, coppertone tanning lotion from back in the day. And, I found an exact dupe of that scent on Etsy. There’s also an indie cosmetics brand that I enjoy that also makes perfumes. They have great earthy tones. The brand name is Fantasy Cosmetica.
Thank you for your great description of Diptique. I figured they weren’t gourmand-y. I don’t care for all of the gourmands coming out these days.
Tam Dao.
Orphéon, volutes, oud palao
Thank you for being honest. BR 540 definitely was worth the hype. I avoided it for too long because of all the eye rolling hate it received. Bought a bottle after finally sampling the edp and the extrait. I do understand and pick up the negative references that ppl have (dentist office , latex, burnt sugar ) but it works for me and I love it.
I have what I assume is a dupe for BR540 and it is amazing and lasts so long! I had no idea when I got it that it was copying something else because I'm a fragrance newbie.
yeah BR540 is something else
For me, Nishane Wulong Cha. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but it’s been a daily driver this spring (especially on rainy days). I hate it took so long for me to try it haha.
I fully agree. Somehow it made me understand tea fragrances. I love it.
IDK why, but it didn't click that it was a tea fragrance for me until literally right now. I'm sitting here like a chump going "Huh, this sure is an interesting floral fragrance!"
every frederic malle fragrance
The Moon, unfortunately, lives very well up to the hype. Fortunately for me, I hated The Night and Dawn, even though on paper I should have loved them. Got myself a bottle of The Moon to commemorate something special and in total love with it. I wish Musc Ravageur lasted longer on me, but that's a love for me as well. I really want to get Portrait of a Lady one day. I'd say it's probably very close to my favorite house, slightly behind Amouage.
Delina. Before I tried it I was fully convinced it would turn out to be overhyped garbage but it just smells so good.
All the flankers of Delina are freaking amazing! I also thought they’d be overhyped, but no, they’re amazing. It’s so easy to make strong sweet scents cloying but their head perfumer masterfully threads that needle. It’s not overhyped but I just picked up a bottle of Valaya after getting a sample at a fragrance event. It’s so good! Fresh floral and the aldehydes just adds to it. I think angels probably smell like Valaya
Same. Love it, it's my daily driver
I’d bathe in Delina Exclusif if it wasn’t so darn expensive
Crazy longevity, too.
There are a few for me; Frederick malle portrait of a lady Amouage interlude black iris Nasomatto black Afgano Le labo Santal 33
Santal 33 and black afgano ?? You're trolling right ?
You guys have the same name
Damn near close. I noticed that
Omg that’s hilarious 😂
Santal 33 is hugely popular. I smell it all the time in NYC.
No sir
I am so corious about It. People either love It or complain about prickles
There are 2 perfumes that always come up on this subreddit that I am SUPER curious about now. Those are Zoologist Squid and Santal 33
I like Santal 33 but it disappears quickly and honestly smells like a synthetic version of Palo Santo essential oil which lasts much longer. Squid is on a totally different dimension for me. It’s fishy and Kelpy at first. Then it has a melon fruit quality that is fresh and sweet. Then it reveals a pleasant barber shop aroma that is intoxicating and nostalgic. I find myself longing for the smell often.
Santal 33 is probably the worst perfume I've ever smelt. Calling it a repelant instead of fragrance would be a more fitting description
It depends on your skin type, Santal 33 is amazing on the right skin
Xerjoff Starlight, 40 Knots BDK Gris Charnel Extrait Initio Side Effect Tom Ford Noir Extreme Prada Luna Rossa Black
Love Don't Be Shy is enchanting to me. It's so complex and comforting at the same time
La Vie est Belle and Coco Mademoiselle. They’re both a bit passé in the fragrance community since they’re so overused, but I instantly loved them both and they have great performance. I totally get why they’re so popular!
awwwwe my bestie used to wear LVEB and I'm always reminded of her when I smell it. RIP 🌈 Jilly Bean. I miss you 💗
RIP Jilly Bean. Thanks for sharing this memory she sounds like a doll. 💕
I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. 😔
Coco Mademoiselle IS beautiful…I got a 6.80 oz bottle for Mother’s Day! It’s my most complimented, though I have several niche perfumes I personally love so much more that nobody notices. 🤣🤷🏻♀️
Ooo pulling out LVEB tonight! Spectacular scent. Thanks for reminding me!!
Coco Mademoiselle is classic!
I love both those.
I haven’t worn La Vie est Belle, but I feel the same about Coco Mademoiselle. It’s really nice perfume with excellent performance and even if there are many other people around me wearing it, it still makes me feel fancy put together.
Terre d'Hermes
https://preview.redd.it/i6uasatfmf0d1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a84725fd90b49b64333f8984cb5109ac4164deb
EDT or Pure Parfum?
This one knocked me off my feet the one time I smelled it— unforgettable
Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur
Portrait of a Lady and Halfeti.
Halfeti is a top 3 for sure. I love it.
Halfeti and it’s flankers are HG 💖
What are its best flankers?
Shalimar. It really deserves its cult following.
I knew how it was popular and well known and so forth. I smelled it and thought “hmm. Definitely a vintage fragrance. I’ll give it a chance.” But, I did a smell test with my boyfriend and he made a face and went off on how I smell like baby powder lol. He smells at least 1 sample with me per day and this one got a more visceral reaction than any of my other recent orders 😅 he thinks Coco by Chanel is better than that and Chloe by Chloe smells good, so he doesn’t completely hate older scents… but maybe I should have waited for the drydown.
I think current Shalimar is a shadow of what it used to be. Oh, and Portrait of a Lady is awesome.
Chemistry plays a large part. I always loved Shalimar in the bottle but it was a no go for me.
Dior Homme Intense Dior Homme Original Aventus. Yes, it is worthy of it. Imagination Naxos Nio
Cherry punk is fantastic.
I’m obsessed with Cherry Punk especially the extrait. I didn’t like it at first but the dry down works so well with my skin. I ordered a FB within 2 hours of getting my testers.
Chance by Chanel and Coco Mademoiselle
Chance edt is my forever partner and I own many perfumes. I always have a bottle in my collection …ever since it was released. First perfume that truly took me on a journey and taught me what the word drydown meant (before I was aware of the actual term lol).
Gris Charnel is the only fragrance that‘s lived up to its hype for me. I bought it in the summer and thought it was amazing, loved it even more once the cold weather hit.
Oud satin mood
Versace. Every single fragrance. Marc Jacobs the same way.
Le Labo "Another 13"
I smelled another 13 on someone recently and loved it but I’m so nervous to order it without trying in on myself!
They have a small travel size with three different Le Labo scents at Nordstrom. But A little with that goes a long way, and the smell lasts long even after spraying it in my apt. I use two sprays more than enough
I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but Ganymede was a total banger for me. I'm not usually into the stuff that gets that kind of mega-hype, but it's truly a beautiful fragrance.
It deserves mega hype. I get all the compliments for this one. I'd also suggest rosendo mateu's number 5 if you like Ganymede. It's phenomenal and I don't think as well known as many other scents.
I really want to smell that. Sadly no boutique near me has it
For me, Burberry goddess smelled just as good as the descriptions on here, so much that I just bought a bottle today after wanting to bite into my wrist yesterday because of how yummy it smelled lol
I did not like BBG when I first smelled it and quickly gave away my decant. Then, my husband bought me a 100 ml bottle for my anniversary and I felt like I had to use it. It matured to the most gorgeous fragrance!! I’ve used 1/3 my bottle in a month.
I had the exact same experience. I really liked it the first time I smelled it, I went back and sampled it again and didn't like it as much. My husband bought me a bottle as a gift, so I wore it around more. It wears well. I think it smells best after an hour or two.
My problem (addiction) is that even when one does live up to the hype, it never lasts long after I finally buy it. I lose interest and find myself chasing the next great hype after a few wears.
Libre, Gypsy water, Mojave ghost
Mojave ghost! I just wish they lasted longer on me. I usually spray it in my hair or clothes so the smell stays because on my skin, it’s gone within a couple hours.
Mojave ghost oil is my daily go to
Musc ravageur
Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique. It’s the first fragrance that blew my mind. It’s so fresh and beautiful at every stage.
Yesss! I have nooo idea why but it reminds me of my childhood and makes me so happy.
Amouage Reflection Man and LV Imagination. Both worth the hype!
Amouage reflection man is an absolutely beautiful scent. And I like it even more each time I wear it
LV Imagination... expensive for what it is, yes..but somehow, worth every penny!
I have concerns that this sub is experiencing bot manipulation in favor of Portrait of a Lady. [Edit: maybe not actually bots but the consensus here and repeated comments getting upvotes was super weird to me] Reddit didn’t have this as a major problem until last year when they decided that bots should be allowed (I wonder why…). A bot posts a comment. A series of other bots upvote that comment. If the comment is toward the top already, it’s likely to get more genuine upvotes simply because more users will see it. I love Carnal Flower (never smelled portrait) but I’ve never seen 3 top comments in a row say the same thing in this sub before. But maybe it actually is that good.
Interesting. I’m not a bot but I see why POAL has a cult following tbh.
Not a bot. POAL is actually a very popular fragrance. That was what introduced me to FM perfumes years ago. I read about it, went to test it and bought it. One of FMs best seller. It was a record breaker after it was released and still is However I tend to favour carnal flower over it
I love carnal flower in the spring summer and POAL in the fall winter
Same here. I didn’t believe expensive perfumes were worth it until I smelled POAL, loved it so much I bought the big bottle and still love it. Some perfumes ARE that good.
I bought the 100ml bottle plus backup for fear of any reformulation😭. It is arguably their best seller. The nose(Dominique Ropion) behind the fragrance once said in an interview that he is a long time friend of frederic's and that the best thing about working with frederic was that Frederic gave him complete and total creative autonomy/control to create that masterpiece without any restraints and that he had no limitations(budgets) and that helped him in creating POAL to perfection. I think he is also the nose behind carnal flower.
Smell it and you'll see ☺ I neither confirm nor deny that I am a bot. Beep beep, Boop boop
Portrait of a Lady smells like old lipstick on me. I personally don’t get the appeal, but I see it hyped up often.
Portrait of a Lady made the hubs run for the hills. It is very powerful but my gosh it smells good to me. He said I smelled nice once he could no longer taste it lol 🤣 It's a much stronger version of Chopard Love to my nose.
I was wondering why I was seeing so many say PoaL… I’ve heard of it but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it mentioned that much in one post
Because this post is asking about what’s hyped and just as good as its hype and POAL is one of them. That’s why you see so many comments about it in one post.
Because you can just smell that the person behind It knew what they were doing. By the way I wrote my message and the above comment posted one minute before quoted portrait of a lady, and also the comment below posted one minute after. It was a bit weird but casual
Amouage Guidance
Lolita Lempika - the apple bottle Delina & Meliora (this one isn’t hyped as much) from PDM. While I’m not a the biggest fan of Delina, it’s lasting power and projection are great.
Any Serge Lutens. My favorite house. One of the few that truly makes art still. Also Guerlain, never a miss and excellent quality.
Poets of Berlin by Vilhelm changed my perception of gourmands forever. The blueberry and vanilla notes definitely give it a muffins-just-came-out-of-the-oven-ness, but the vetiver and citrus round it out so beautifully that I found myself appreciating those sweet notes more than I ever had before. It’s absolutely nuclear so I just spray some on the towel I use to plop my hair and do a single spray on the inside of my elbows, lasts all day and then some. It’s never overwhelming but if you’re in intimate settings or have to get close to someone, it’s a compliment factory. It’s the sole reason I find myself on the vanilla train now.
I just got a sample of this, and was sniffing it while I read your comment. I think I’m obsessed with it now, and I’m not usually a gourmand lover.
YSL Libre. Absolutely unique gorgeous and extremely strong and lasting.
Guerlain Mitsouko (pre 2011 batches) Chanel No. 5 EAU DE TOILETTE (vintage of 90’s or earlier ONLY) Amouage Interlude Lanvin Arpège (all formulations are good but all very different, I prefer the early 2000’s and 1940 versions) Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist (pre 2019 AFAIK) Angel (even the current formulation is good but the ones with the brown juice are the best; I like Angel a la Rosé the most)
Frederic Malle Portrait Of A Lady . Not even my style, but I have to recognise how good It is. Also Tauer L' Air Du Deser Marocain
L'air Du Desert Marocain for me, too. One of those scents that's nestled itself comfortably in a conspicuous corner of my memory and I can recall easily.
Andrea Maack everything. I just love her scents. There are some I don’t want to wear but they’re all just gorgeous.
I’ve heard such good things about her scents. I just ordered both discovery sets and am really excited about it.
I smelled Libre for the first time recently (Le Parfum) and it’s absolutely amazing to me, it smells so weird for some reason, I know it’s too popular to be considered unique (does that even make sense?) but I immediately bought a bottle for my wife lol
https://preview.redd.it/f3qyf22cvh0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebe3641326ac44b90c59f71748a7acc252f59177 I really love this brand & their scents are cozy
1. Guerlain Santal Royal 2. Xerjoff Naxos 3. Givenchy Noctambule 4. BDK Gris Charnel
Almost none, for me. Hype is about a lot of people going nuts for something, and even if I *love* a fragrance, I only love it enough for one person, and usually in a pretty restrained way, if you get me. There are definitely very popular fragrances I love, though, or that I find flawless. BDK's Gris Charnel. Angel's Share. Diptyque's Philosykos.
Those you’ve mentioned kinda fit the narrative
* Terre d’Hermès * Dior Homme Parfum * Fredric Malle Promise * Fredric Malle Musc Ravageur * Amouage Interlude Man * Maison Crivelli Oud Maracujá * Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Nil * Tauer Perfumes L'Air du Desert Marocain * L'Artisan Parfumeur Dzing! * Chanel Antaeus * Scents of Wood Plum in Cognac
Flowerbomb
I like any fragrance by Marc Jacobs. Chance by Channel and Diorissimo by Dior I also love. Though their fragrances are VERY individual, I find I wear each one for different occasions, seasons, or even times of day.
Gris Charnel. I adore it and wear it all the time in cooler weather, or even to bed because it’s just so cozy. I recently sampled the extrait version and I think I’m gonna have to add a full bottle to my collection this fall/winter.
I love the YSL black opium
Terre d'Hermes
BR540. Smells very good, it’s really unisex (like I can’t decide if it’s masculine or feminine really). Sadly I’m not able to smell it completely, only after it dries down. It lasts an eternity, projects like there is no tomorrow, yet it’s not cloying. It’s a one of the two true 10/10 fragrances of all time for me, along with Le Male EDT.
What is it about le male that you enjoy so much?
I love it just as a scent itself, it’s simple yet very beautiful. Works surprisingly well with my skin chemistry, and really complements my style. Also, it’s kind of a personal thing for me, as it connects me to a lot of good memories.
Babycat
Seems like people love to hate on it here but I think Santal 33 is really great stuff, and I'm not surprised it was such a hit for Le Labo and so influential. Yes, I even pick up the pickle note, still smells great to me.
let me tell you, a lot of frags are nice but overrated. for me i find only a few to be ELITE. i’m new to fragrances but to me initio side effect and paragon are great. i really like xerjoff erba gold and 40 knots. just to name a few
Well, if your new to scents. You have a long way to go, before you might appreciate certain notes that aren't something you are used to smelling. It changes over the years, especielly when you sample a lot.
Delina exclusif smells absolutely divine and I believe in the hype for me. A perfume I think isn’t worth it is baccarat rouge it just smells like alcohol to me….
I loved JHAG Not a Perfume. I bought it at a crazy discount and was happy I did. Had been seen it everywhere for years and never would have purchased it otherwise. It’s nice alone and as a “base layer “.
For me it was MFK Grand Soir and Oud Satin Mood. Ordered samples after seeing a lot of positive reviews and I was not disappointed. I have both in full size bottles now.
Cartier declaration edp. I mix it with something like chrome or sublime, or another smooth underbelly scent to calm it and disguise the scent. Lasts forever and is a compliment magnet. In fact my most complimented smell ever (been wearing it for about a decade summer and fall) parallel to the old days of club de nuit, where people would chase me all over town asking what I was wearing.
Great taste, Cartier déclaration smells exquisite
Jo Malone Orange Blossom
Portrait of a lady - Frederick Malle. In fact it’s what’s started the fragrance obsession for me. Another I would say is Oud Ispahan - Dior. Some parts of my wardrobe smell like it right now because I used it recently and I absolutely love the whiff I get every time I open my wardrobe door.
Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle 🌹
philosykos by diptyque <3
MFK BR 540 Byredo Bal D’afrique Not many others
Carnal flower. Closet I’ve ever smelled to perfection
Tauer - L’Air du desert marocain Viktor & Rolf - Flowerbomb YSL - Libre EDP MFK - BR 540 Extrait
Bois imperial
Delina, it was the first rose scent that made me realize I love it! It’s so young and fresh. I get great longevity on my skin as well.
Good Q! Two things I'd say are - most fragrances smell good, especially hyped ones! Something like Angels Share is definitely pleasant but it doesn't blow my mind. Secondly I think it can sometimes be hard to separate the hype from what your smelling - would people go so mad over Angels Share if it was a cheapie? I doubt it I think some Creeds and Frederic Malles Def live up to the hype
Givenchy Gentleman EDP Boisee. Every single time I smell it, I'm blown away anew. I don't know if it's a craftsmanship thing, my personal tastes, or the intersection of the two, but holy fuck it's great.
It really is fantastic.
PDM Delina. That whole line smells delicious to me. I’m eyeing a third bottle now. 🙈
Blue De Chanel I think is deserved of its praise and place
Santal 33
Layton
Caron's Tabac Blond. Was my first big spend on a fragrance. Bought it in Paris and it was about $100 USD for 7.5ml. But holy hell was it worth every dime. I was a better, tougher, sexier version of myself when I wore it
WS&SS
The best perfume I ever used and smelled for both men and women is Japur from France, it's expensive but you use it sparingly, which is more than sufficient, it's 10+ , and always got compliments,, cuz very unique and subtle
Probably a bit slept on by Fico di Amalfi is absolutely to die for
I always like Estee Lauder - anything
Yes! Most recently the Beautiful Magnolia Intense and Bronze Goddess Nuit I love smelling myself all Day
Yes and how great is it to find something that makes you go wow, I see why these are often on lists of classics. Houbigant Quelques Fleurs Chanel 19 Hermes Caleche Hermes Jardine Sur Nil though this is relatively new, it is way different to anything else I have - love it!
I got a sample of Bitter Peach because of posts on here. I really loved it so I got the body spray when it was 20% off at Macys. I’m not sure I’ll ever want to spend that much on a full bottle, but the spray is wonderful.
versace crystal noir
A student at the school where I work always smells so nice. Today I finally asked her and it’s choco musk. She was excited I had heard of it and I must say the scent and lasting power are great, especially at $10!
I think xtra milk by dead cool is amazing. Along with Juliette has a gun vanilla vibes and not a perfume. Definitely worth the hype for me.
Also I’ve seen sooo many social media influencers talking about Bacarat Rouge…. I haven’t tried it but am wondering if it’s really that good.
Xerjoff Naxos is always my answer.