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I've been trying to locate an oil fragrance I used to wear. The local company I used to purchase it from is no longer around, so I purchased a few online by the same name (Mecca). None of these are the fragrance I used to wear. I'm still searching but will stop foolishly purchasing online in hopes I land the right fragrance
I remember when my mother stopped wearing her signature fragrance. She said the reason was because it no longer smelled the same as she's gotten older. I assumed she meant it didn't smell the same on her due to body chemistry changes. Now I wonder if she meant that it didn't smell the same to her also. With these purchases, I smell a faint hint of what I'm looking for, but once it settles...WRONG, yuck! The power of suggestion and anticipation is deceptive.
What's been your experience with perfumes? As you've aged through life, do your favorite fragrances (or fragrances in general) land differently when sniffing or wearing? If so, are there any tricks to alter the fragrance to make it fit, so to speak? Ever had a hard time finding a fragrance? Ever created a scent for personal use? Is there a fragrance museum that I can visit and locate what I'm looking for? If so, let me know.
My spouse has some not sure of the name but it smells like Dr. Pepper.
I used to wear Princess Marcella De Borghese but they haven't made it now in a long time. It really smelled good with my body chemistry.
Same. I once got a sample size of it for Christmas & it was wonderful, although, too pricey to afford with my teenaged wages. I saved the bottle & tried to buy it years later & no one at the counter had even heard of it before.
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That's the key, I believe - to find a fragrance that "works" with your body chemistry.
Very true & a good learning experience. I had a bf who smelled awful in every single fragrance he put on. He also was offensively ripe when he came home from the gym to the point that I'd almost gag if near him.
I read later from one study or another that if you don't like someone's scent, they're not a good match for you. I wish someone screamed that at me from a rooftop with a bullhorn when I was a 20-something... would have saved me decades of anguish.
I'm still awaiting a good smelling lad. Fingers crossed.
I lost my sense of smell from Covid in late 2020. It mostly came back. I have some oddball issues with scent. It took a while for me to find an anti-perspirant that did not smell really rank in three days. It didn’t really, it’s just how I interpreted it. And it was so bad I couldn’t wear it anymore.
I figured out that it was very probably the man-made scents that were used. If you look, even things that are marked unscented frequently have fragrance in them. Because the chemicals that are put together to create something may have their own odor that’s not pleasant. So manufacturers use a masking fragrance to make it smell like nothing. I discovered Ban unscented also uses a masking fragrance, but natural ones. I can’t remember what they are — it’s something weird like basil and myrrh. All I know is I can use that product and not get the bad illusionary odor that I get. Everything that smells bad to me smells the same way — like rancid frying oil. Weird.
So, that same sort of thing is happening with perfume. More than likely what happens is I miss certain notes of the perfume. And what’s left frequently does not smell that good. I understand, this is just for me. It’s not for you. So if I wear a common scent with roses, citrus and sandlewood, I might not get the sandalwood and the citrus, but you get everything when it’s on me. Which is sad, I really miss perfume.
There’s one that I can wear and I’ll be getting it again soon — it’s turning into fall. It’s Fresh cream and warm Cashmere? That still smells really nice and I get the whole fragrance. But there was another one that I really loved called Sensuous from Estee. I loved that scent — boy does it smell bad now. Once again just my interpretation due to Covid.
I am thankful for one thing. All of chocolate scent and taste came back. For a very long time all I could smell was sweet. I couldn’t discern chocolate versus cinnamon versus maple. It all just smelled sweet.
Years ago I started wearing Body Fantasies fragrances because they don’t seem to bother people like perfumes can. Generally I have Vanilla on hand with a few other scents that I like.
Thank you for the links and suggestions.
I’ve wasted too much money purchasing online and now have about 4 versions of ‘Mecca’. None of them even close to what I used to wear lol. I’m actually nauseous and tossing them all out ewww!
I guess I thought perfume and their names were patented or copyrighted? Silly me
If I ever find it again, I’ll be sure to learn the notes and tones.
Fortunately the other scents I like are still alive and easily found. I usually only scent up in cool weather, not year round.
ETA: Did any of you have the Barbie perfume maker as a kid? That was one of my favorite toys. I made a different scent for everyday of the week. Good times!
Thank you for the links and suggestions.
I’ve wasted too much money purchasing online and now have about 4 versions of ‘Mecca’. None of them even close to what I used to wear lol. I’m actually nauseous and tossing them all out ewww!
Maybe it won't work for you but, I do have a suggestion for unwanted perfumes. Maybe I'm an old prairie woman, but for any clothing I wash out by hand, I like to put some perfume in the water as my clothing will take on the slight fragrance. I do the same with the washer.
I've also used up a few I thought I liked in the store & brought home & thought burnt toast smelled better, so they became air fresheners. Sometimes it smells different in the air or on clothing than on skin.
Lastly, I do spray my hair with perfume & again, it smells different than on my skin.
I've done the same when I've gotten gift sets & there's a shampoo or conditioner or body moisturizer that not only burn my sensitive skin cuz they're filled with alcohol but are just too bloody strong. But, a squish of any of the above in water I'm washing out something in is a nice way to use it up & it's not too strong as it's diluted.
Good luck. I'm in the same boat searching for my scent... I'll find it someday.
My work environment is fragrance free. So no one I work with wears any fragrances. We had an email about it. It makes sense not to use fragrances any all, it can make others sick causing headaches and wheezing. If you are concerned about your odor, take a bath or shower each day with fragrance free products.
Estee Lauder's Pleasures and Sensuous were favorites of mine along with Ralph Lauren's Safari for Women. Chanel's Mademoiselle Noir and a scent from Jo Malone were the last perfumes I had the pleasure of wearing regularly. Now so many people complain of being sensitive to smells that I feel like I really can't enjoy them anymore.
I do believe the people who complain are sincere and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes but I have to say I miss wearing beautiful perfumes so very much. They were a part of self expression but I just can't do it knowing it might bother other people.
I so agree with you. It's hard to believe that every other person on the planet is now 'sensitive' to perfumes. But I will give them the benefit of the doubt. I had to while I was still working because we were doing the 'fragrance free' environment (body odor seemed to be the exception. LOL) but I do wear my old Coco every now and again because I want to use it up. Sometimes before bed, like Marilyn.
Long long ago in a place far far away, my first real fragrance was Paco Rabanne, the men's fragrance. That was my intro. I loved it and have loved fragrance pretty much ever since. In my younger years, I wore musk, too and an oil called "Rain." I've worn Royal Copenhagen, too. Seems only certain fragrances last on me.
I was gifted 'Magie Noir' by Lancome and wore that for years. They still make it but I don't see it in stores.
I wore Angel for a number of years, too. That always got me compliments. Always. That, to my knowledge, was a synthetic fragrance. You could refill the star shaped bottle.
Then I went Chanel. Any of them. I find them all beautiful.
I also found a perfumed cream - literally in a tin - called "Library of Flowers." different botanical/floral fragrances but very light. Small batch, hand crafted. divine. but doesn't last too long. I love the name.
I spritz on my decolletage - lightly - and then on the back of my neck (hidden by my hair). Spraying and then walking through the mist is a time-honored tradition with perfume
I prefer woodsy, somewhat masculine scents.
I do think fragrances have changed over the years and that perhaps the more costly brands are better but not necessarily. Fragrance is really different on everyone due to body chemistry.
How easy is it to find shampoo & conditioner, and body wash that's unscented...I've found it to be a seemingly impossible task.
Health food store?
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Solly says — Be nice!
Fragrance free
