no clue about perfume, help!

Hmm if while linen is no-go then other not-too-sexy suitable for daytime perfumes you could check out would be

L'eau par Kenzo (totally spring fragrance for me thing, can't wear it at any other time of the year)

Gucci Envy

cK One, Truth..Eternity Summer maybe

Burberry Weekend

Herrera 212

DKNY Delicious, different versions

Ha, this thread is nice. I will die for anything pleasing my nose ..

That said, I just had to get on medicine trying to combat a horriffic allergy reaction all over me becauce I put my beloved and very old Clinique on me, so I think I know whatcha talkin' about - Fall cleaning, I threw out all the old ones.

I like French odd perfumes sold in pharmacies there, they are mysterious, elegant and daring, nobody really has them. Signature smell, you know? They are quite unusual, some floral, some woddy, some more patchuli and oriental oils.

I have perfumes for work ( Aquawoman by Rochas ) and then ones for fun times.

Then, despite the allergic reaction, I still love Clinique . Happy heart or Simply . In the summer I enjoyed Be Delicious by DKNY, so strudely yummy.

And then I will be a lifelong fan of Lush . Their Karma is lovely (not chick and sappy like a lot of soapy smells, kinda tiny bit manly), so are other things by them, soaps, body butters, massage bars, etc. Perfumes are carried by nasty chemicals, even the oils aren't so healthy and Lush tries to limit these chemicals (petroleum based things, parabens, etc.) to a minimum. So, sometimes it is nice to not wear perfume but ask your significant other in the morning to spread warmed evilly good smelling body butter on you instead..

Go perfume hunting with you SO, as sometimes some smells can kill their nose or remind them of their old wenches or weird memories. I would take it slow too, three different smells and your nose goes numb.

You can't win 'em all!

I can only recommend Moschino - I love love.

I can not explain why. there is just something about it.

It is not the most expensive perfume either, so I think it is worth to give a try.

Where's Al Pacino ?

You might ask for the testers that the shops normally have .I have never asked for one but I have been given several testers after buying perfumes.I think this is a costless way of finding what type of perfumes suit your body.

You mean Colonel Frank Slade you mean? He comitted suicide eventually!

Hi Mathnut,

One of my favorite topics... perfume shopping! I'd be happy to give you advice anytime...no need to invite me for lunch.

The scents I always come back to no matter what new product comes out:

- Bulgari pour femme

- Bulgari Eau de Jasmine

- Bulgari Rose Essentielle

(They sell a box of small sample bottles with the entire Bulgari line so you can try all of them.)

- Armani Acqua di Gio

- Hermes Un Jardin En Mediterranee

I tend not to like woody, spicy, oaky, musky smells. I am drawn to fresh, clean, slightly florally scents. If you think that might be your personality, then I suggest one of these.

Ahhh..... a little trick to avoid that overpowering perfume smell is to spray a bit lightly on your brush and comb through your hair. This leaves a nice, discreet scent.

I second this suggestion... Lolita Lempicka is very nice (and the bottle is unique ). Again, the key is to not over-do the amount used. A light spray on the hairbrush works wonders!

This seemed like a really rather spiffing idea, until I read it again and realised I'd misunderstood...

It's still not a bad idea, though. Really, it's not.

Honest.

I have a hard time with fragrances, ones that are too spicy or something give me a headache. I had a bottle of jean paul gautier that I had to toss. Same with stuff like poison, angel, etc. But different things for different people.

Some others to try...

Jo Malone French Lime Blossom

I second the Kenzo recommendation (l'eau par Kenzo), and I used to be very fond of Armani Aqua di Gio.

Some of my favorites are from L'Occitanne (in the Zurich train station, for example). They have some nice green tea, lavender, verbena fragrances, and I like their iris very much, and my favorite is roses 4 reines, which is a mixture of roses. I've had some really cloying rose fragrances, but this is just different, and smells good on me.

I find that a lot of fragrances are just too complex, too much going on, or too cloying. I like stuff that's more simple, floral or green.

Good luck though...

I shouldn't give away my secret perfume but i love it so much- i'll spread the love. shisheido's feminite du bois. so delicious. it's like a woody, soft leafy flower scent. so good. but i can only find it in paris or online. honestly, other than that i just like an essential oil of jasmine that i get from the indian store. it lasts forever and it's sweet but not too much. everyone seems to like it but i'd say try a few scents before picking them out- things smell different on different people.

also if they are available here, the bond street perfumes have something for everyone. they are so good and long lasting too!

mmmmm there dear, I must agree. Never give away your secret perfume.

I couldn't do it

Suggesting perfumes to try won't help the OP at all: we'll be here for a hundred pages as everyone names some product and she'll still be none the wiser.

(Personally, I like the smell of freshly showered woman, with a hint of cashmere pullover and silk-clad leg. In the forest )

Careful Uncle Max, your proclivities are showing.

I'm not at all sorry. And free until 16.00 today...

Haven't you seen this thread? Ticks in the forest, and vaccination

I always do the same thing when an assistant asks me anything...I say I am buying for some whom's taste I have no idea of, and I ask if they have any cheap perfume/5 different kinds of lotions etc baskets on promotion. They see that I am cheap, and hard to deal with. OR, I start speaking in another language. Unfortunatly at most perfume shops they do speak some english so I feather into something a little more exotic-Portugese esque Turk. Make anything spanish-ish sounding with a harsh and brash accent. I have noticed unfortunatly when I do make the make-believe langauge, some older Swiss nod and continue talking, this causes for a world un comfortable escape routes. I still smell and buy whatever I want. AND ALWAYS ASK FOR THE FREE LITTE SAMPLER BOTTLES!!! This helps you build your future buying portfolio.

My personal favorites (not for me to wear-to smell btw) Flower Bomb, Poem, L'Instant Magic, Dolce Vita, and Chanel N 5-not the eau de toilette the actual parfum...now you know what not to wear if I see you again...

My luck, I'd get the only Irish-speaking sales assistant in the whole of Switzerland. (Hm, might actually try that!)

Nice to hear about everyone's favorites - and it does help, as at least I'll recognize a few names now when I go shopping. What a composite recommendation I'm getting though: green floral with top notes of cashmere, silk and wet dog...!