What is your favorite, not too strong, perfume/fragrance?

14 years ago

I would love to know what your favorite perfumes/fragrances are to wear that aren't too strong or overpowering. I realize that this is all subject to each person's nose. I am very sensitive to perfumes, but would love to try something new. I have been wearing the cheap stuff, Jovan Musk, for 30 years I guess. I can't smell it anymore, but people always compliment me and ask what I am wearing, so I guess it still smells good to others! lol As I said, I would love to try something new, but I can't just go up to a perfume counter and start sniffing everything they have or I will have a headache for days. So I thought maybe I could narrow down my choices through some of your ideas. So lets hear em please.

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Comments (41)

newdawn1895
14 years ago
I love Issey Miyake, it smells clean and I just love it.

I buy it off the internet a good source for all perfumes is Scentimentments.com. You can buy perfume at a fraction on this site. Try checking the testers on this site for a real deal in this economy.

....Jane
morton5
14 years ago
I like Paris by Yves St. Laurent, but only use it for special occasions. I use the eau fraiche, which contains less essential oils than perfume and is thus lighter. It's flowery and feminine. If you don't wear fragrance often I believe it should be kept in the refrigerator to preserve the essential oils (though I don't do that).

I've also always like Oscar by Oscar de la Renta, but have never owned a bottle as it is my friend's perfume. It's another flowery, feminine fragrance.
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tinam61
14 years ago
Juicy Couture. I also like Oscar de la Renta. I wear perfume almost every day.

tina
THOR, Son of ODIN
14 years ago
Reminds me of a 2008 thread:
Your Favorite Perfume? A Survey

Still 4711 for me:
"...fragrance of citrus fruits underlaid with lavender and rosemary..."

-Lena
roobear
14 years ago
I like a casual perfume so mine is Liz Sport, it's light and clean smelling. It contains orange blossom, jasmine, patchouli and is accented with citrus, peony and vetiver.
Ideefixe
14 years ago
Tommy Girl, which despite the lame name, and the general image, is surprisingly fresh, yet sophisticated.

I indulged in the book linked below, which really gave me some new ideas for scents. Turin and Sanchez aren't snobby about drugstore scents.

Tommy Girl has the advantage of being easy to find at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

Here is a link that might be useful: Perfumes: The Guide
kismet08
14 years ago
I always got a lot of compliments on Estee Lauder Dazzling Gold. I think fragrance can be so personal. The same scent can smell so different on different people.
enmafromva
14 years ago
Another vote for L'Eau d'Issey
excessfroufrou
14 years ago
People always compliment me on my Happy by Clinique, it is pretty light, I wear it everyday and have for several years. It is not totally over priced and fairly easy to find.
housewitch
14 years ago
I still wear the Ormonde Jayne Champaca that I mentioned in the thread lenam linked to above. I also wear Bulgari Black, DK Black Cashmere and Parfums d'Empire Ambre Russe. All my selections tend toward the warm and rich end of the spectrum.

For lighter fragrances, Cashmere Mist is nice. Bulgari also makes several tea scents - The Rouge, The Vert, The Blanc - that pretty and not overwhelming (at least on me).

Philosophy's scents, while they don't work for me at all, are very popular and are all fairly light. The Clean fragrances - Clean Laundry, Clean Ultimate, etc. - are also, well, clean smelling. Both Philosophy and Clean seem to specialize in what I call "soap but better" scents.

Inis and Inis Or are both light and clean smelling and a lot of people really enjoy them.
harriethomeowner
14 years ago
I've been wearing Elizabeth Arden Fifth Avenue for some years now. It's a clean, nonflowery scent -- like a nice soap. I don't know if other people notice it or not; no one has ever commented. It's available most places. I have been buying it at Perfumania.
Oakley
14 years ago
My favorite for the past few years has been "Pink Sugar." It's a very light, feminine, floral scent. I have asthma and can't wear anything heavy anymore, but I put Pink Sugar on every time I leave the house, and even when I'm staying home.

Okay, here's a good scent. Be prepared. When I order from Sephora I always get to pick out several sample bottles of their perfume. Just for the heck of it one day I chose "Britney Spears." lol. I could not believe how nice it smelled! I kid you not! I was tempted to buy it and keep the bottle hidden. lol.

Thiery Mugler (sp) has a nice scent, I forget the name of it but the bottle is star shaped. I wore it for years until I switched to Pink Sugar.

I might have to try Philosopy's Clean line. Their Amazing Grace does nothing for me and it's their most popular scent.
User
14 years ago
Oakley - LOL at the Britney Spears comment! That's kind of my thinking about the colognes bearing the names/logos of Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson. Even if I liked the scents, I think I'd be too embarrassed for anyone to see the bottles. ;-)

The Mugler scent you mention is Angel, and it's long been a favorite of mine.

Ya know what I wish about this thread though? I wish everyone had said what the particular scent they recommend smells like! Or what it reminds them of. Is it too late for folks to go back and do that? FWIW, Angel reminds me of fresh pineapple. Mmmmmm! (But it's not so overpowering as to make one smell like a fruit salad.)
yborgal
14 years ago
I like Chance by Chanel. It has a light, fresh scent to it.
les917
14 years ago
I like 'green' fragrances, nothing heavy or floral. Estee Lauder Aliage, which I have been wearing for over 40 years. Estee Lauder Pure White Linen (not the White Linen). Calvin Klein has some great ones that are fresh and clean, not floral.

Also consider trying men's fragrances. Many of them are lighter and fresher than the version for women.

No matter what, never try more than three fragrances at a time. Your nose goes on overload.
laxsupermom
14 years ago
My every day fragrances are Estee Lauder Pleasures and Mary Kay Bella Belara. They're both very light and fresh florals.

My going out on the town evening fragrance is Le feu d'Issey by Issey Miyake.
imsoconfused
Original Author
14 years ago
You guys are great! But I am soo clueless to any of these things that you have mentioned. I mean I buy mine now from Wally World. Where would I find some of these to try? Dillards maybe? Gonna have to make me a list and put it in my wallet to keep handy!

Please since I am so out of the loop, educate me about Brittany's bottle!! I'm realllly curious now...=)
Oakley
14 years ago
Imsoconfused, do a websearch on Brittany Spears cologne and I'm sure it will come up at various stores online.

A nice place to get cologne is Sephora.com. They sell almost everything under the sun, and you get free samples of perfumes!

Jen, I remember the sales lady told me that Angel also has chocolate in it. I bet you wore Patchouli like I did back in the days? :)
tomorrowisanotherday
14 years ago
I have to second the recommendations of Tommy Girl and 5th Avenue. I got some of each at our Marshalls or TJMax at a VERY reasonable price. I also like Chanel #5, but not every day. My only complaint about the above fragrances is that they don't last all day long. Only Estee Lauder stuff lasts all day for me. IMO, Pleasures smells just like 5th Avenue, but lasts 3 times longer!

Now, for something more heavy and dramatic, I LOVE Dolce Vita. Fragrance is sooo much fun!
OllieJane
14 years ago
I just bought the fragrance Pure Grace by Philosophy. The Amazing Grace didn't do much for me either. However, I can't hardly smell the Pure Grace on me, but, maybe that's the point-LOL! I do know the first night I put on Pure Grace lotion after a bath and it made me cough, so I washed it off-weird, I know!

I'm still looking for that perfect scent to call my signature scent. Whenever I find it, I am going to buy the pure perfume, not cologne. That's my plan anyway.
bellaflora
14 years ago
I love Acqua di Parma Colonia . I have worn this the longest (since HS). I go through phases trying/liking other scents but always come back to Acqua. Iris Nobile is wonderful too - - albeit a bit more feminine.
enmafromva
14 years ago
Auntjen - this is a very matching description of L'eau d' Issey. I am drawn to it since it was first released in the early 90's - my (German) aunts who had this beautiful old cottage garden would always bring peonies and lilies of the valley (German name is May-bells) for my birthday at the end of May - so it reminds me of that garden, and crisp spring evenings...

L'eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake Perfume for Women

L'eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake Perfume for Women is "as clear as spring water", combining the spray of a waterfall, the fragrance of flowers, and the scent of springtime forests.

Fragrance Notes: Lotus, Freesia, Cyclamen, Melon, Peony, Carnation, Lily, Lily of the valley, Cedar, Musk, Amber, Sandal

Here is a link that might be useful: Website with description of scents...
marybeth1
14 years ago
V.S. Heavenly is a nice light sent to wear in the summertime. For an even lighter scent I use the body mist.
mitchdesj
14 years ago
bellaflora, I buy Aqua di parma for dh, but also for myself, I adore that scent.

oakley, I bought the Pink Sugar rollon shimmering perfume, it's a size you can tuck in your handbag and I roll it on my neck and forearms for a quick refresher scent, the creme formula is nice and absorbs fast. The shimmer is very subtle,
I do my arms with it when I'm wearing sleeveless. I also bought the body lotion but I don't find it scented enough.

My basic cologne is Spring Fever from origins, they have been phasing it out for the last 2 years but I always manage to find a few bottles at different origins locations in Dallas. It's a crisp fresh lemony scent. I'll be lost without it, been using for over 10 years.
newdawn1895
14 years ago
Oh Emmafromva I love love love that colone and perfume.
marthaelena
14 years ago
This is one of my forever favorite subjets.
I have several fragrances, most of them 1/2 the way :)

the one that is LIGHT and I love the most is:

Infusion D'Iris - by Prada - I get many compliments.
I was not sure about the spelling, looked it online and found this description:
Infusion D'Iris is clean, fresh and light and at the same time sophisticated and elegant. It is an intimate and personal scent that envelops you.

I also like:

Miracle by Lancome - I am using my 3rd bottle. My boss complemented me on this one lol (and he hardly talks)

Light Blue by Dolce & Gabanna
I was in Vegas last year and suddenly I smelled something so nice that I had to ask the lady (my hubby was like: what are you doing :) The first time I smelled this fragrance I was embarrassed to ask.

Presence by Mont blanc. This one is stronger and I use it at night.

I got to free tiny samples of Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere and I love it. I do not like the original #5.
haley_comet
14 years ago
I have yet to find "my scent" or my favorite perfume. I like Simply by Clinique and also Gardania by Dans La Jardin.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
14 years ago
I really like it when we list our favorite perfumes and I need a new one right now.
Last time I wrote down every perfume listed except for the ones I knew I hated and headed off to the mall. Between department stores and the perfume shop I found most of them to sniff.

L'eau d'Issey sounds exactly like my favorite scents: water lily, freesia, bamboo, lily of the valley, but I don't know about the musk which I usually dislike.
I'm definitely going to check it out.

My favorite old stand by is Diorissimo and at a much lesser importance, Romance.

Finding one dh likes is hard though! He doesn't like florals yet I adore them and although he does think I don't smell too terrible- a compliment coming from him, he is unwilling to take any time to buy me what he likes.
ummm
14 years ago
Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Women
jaybird
14 years ago
Chanel #5
the original Charlie

yep, I'm old :^)
artlover13060
14 years ago
I'm a Light Blue by Dolce & Gabanna fan. I'm a teacher and I wear it to school almost every day and get lots of compliments. Unfortunately DH who gave it to me can't smell it unless he sticks is nose on my neck right after spritzing.
Sueb20
14 years ago
I sort of envy people who find a scent that works for them and becomes their "signature" scent. I rarely wear any perfume, only because I don't think of it, but a good friend just gave me Jo Malone's grapefruit perfume for my birthday. I love it! I've been wearing it every day.

I also have Chanel Allure, and Sarah Jessica Parker's first perfume (I think she may have come out with another one after the one I have, not sure). I also have a good "everyday" light spray called Fresh Cotton? or something like that, from Bath & Body Works. I like it in the summer when you just want a spray of something light.
mitchdesj
14 years ago
"Jo Malone's grapefruit perfume"

this is one that I am lusting for, one of these days I'm going to get it.
susan209
14 years ago
Two of my most favorites are: Happy by Clinque and also
Jessica McClintock and there is no name on the bottle, it just has a JMC on the front. Infact, I am out and need a new one, it is divine and people always comment on both of them.
natal
14 years ago
I hardly ever wear perfume anymore. Used to love essential oils ... especially the amber and musk blends. Now I like body creams in lieu of perfume. Origin's Ginger Souffle and Votivo's Blackberry Basil. When I want a light spritz I'll use Trish McEvoy's #9 (blackberry & vanilla).
newdawn1895
14 years ago
I like to use fig & brown sugar lotion and body spray at home by Bath & Body.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
14 years ago
I ordered a sample of L'eau d'Issey off ebay- and had to look up the pronunciation.
I also like Happy, Tresor, Eternity Moment and lately Body from VS.
This is one of my favorite subjects ever too, I love browsing Basenotes and Makeup Alley fragrance reviews.
I ask people all the time "what are you wearing?"
newdawn1895
14 years ago
I love L'eau d'Issey and ask for it for Christmas. It is so hard to cough up $82 bucks for colone. Even on the internet it is high I wonder if men pay that kind of $$$$$$ for their colone, it is doubtful.

....Jane
bodiCA
14 years ago
Antonia's Flowers
decor64
14 years ago
I get a headache from anything very sweet or very floral, but of course everyone's different. I do like Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely and the original Tommy Bahama.
bellaflora
14 years ago
mitch: you are the only woman I know who wears Acqua! :-) It's something you either love it, or hate it.

Guerlain makes some very beautiful scents too -- Like Apres l'ondee or (the older) L'heure bleue.

What is your favorite, not too strong, perfume/fragrance?

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