Viewer Mail: A Perfume to Inspire Lustful Regret









Hi, Katie,

I just turned 60, and for the past 40 years my perfume habit has been one dab of No. 5 on my neck for special occasions. Yeah, I know -- boring. I am ready for a change.

I have a big reunion coming up this summer and with it comes a perfume goal. I will be seeing the only guy who ever dumped me and when I hug him hello, I want him to think: what was I thinking? I can take care of the looking good part. Can you help me with the smelling good part?

I do not like anything really sweet, fruity, or that smells too bright or clean. I used to use a sandalwood shower gel I liked by Caswell Massey or maybe it was Crabtree and Evelyn or...someone, but I ran out and couldn't remember who made it.

I like musk too, but not the overpowering kind. I want to tread the fine line between sexy and slutty.... I'd like to provoke the reaction: is that perfume or does she just smell that good naturally?

I have been sniffing some things lately that smell too sweet or give me a headache (omg, La Vie est Belle! Just godawful on both those counts), or are generic (J'Adore), or can be smelled from 20 paces!

Can you help me?

Julie



Julie, I have a feeling that in your case, the perfume will merely be the icing on the cake -- and oh, what a cake! But let's roll up our sleeves and get forensic.

Off the top of my head, my thought is to keep you with Chanel and sandalwood, and direct you to the pure parfum version of Bois des Îles. It's warm, pulsing, insinuating, sensuous, rich. (Bois des Îles EDP will do the trick, too, it's just that applying and wearing the parfum, with its crystal stopper and special depth, feels more "special occasion".)


I really love this concept for you, and am tempted to stop right here. But I just had a brainwave.

It's Escentric Molecules Molecule 01. Molecule 01 is all the rage with modish fumies, and here's why: it's a subtle yet incredibly persistent sandalwood/cedarwood/musk haze that glows in the air around wearer and smeller alike.

It's legendary as the scent that is guaranteed to make people around you cry out in helpless paroxysms of ecstasy, "Who smells so GOOD?" and then abandon their former lives as they dedicate themselves to following you around forever. (I feel that its reputation is more than a tad hyperbolic, but there's no denying that it's a very pleasing smell.)

It's creator, Geza Schoen, has this to say:
You don’t want to get on someone’s nerves with your scent. You want them to come closer and undress you instantly, because of it.
Reading between the lines, Julie, I think that's the effect you're angling for.


Now, I've just zinged between beplushed opulence and linear minimalism with my Chanel-to-Escentric Molecules wrinkle in time. The first is undoubtedly a perfume, while the second registers more as what Mr. Schoen calls "a feeling".

But there is a connection between the two (sandalwood and musk), and both will suit your needs. Read my review of Molecule 01 here to find out more.

That's my tuppence-worth. And now KP Smells readers, possessed as they are of fine sensibilities, will surely chime in with winning suggestions.

Let's make Julie the belle of the reunion ball, y'all!

76 comments:

  1. bois desl iles - wonder what might happen if he's wearing it too, though!

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  2. My first thought was actually Molecule 01 too! They're very different though. I would recommend test driving Molecule 01 for a few days before the reunion. The wearer doesn't really notice it, but you definitely get noticed by everyone else.

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    1. Oh yes, good point! Test driving is a good notion whatever the choice.

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  3. I think her attitude to perfume is wrong: spraying yourself with perfume in order to attract someone else is a turn-off: it makes her passive, and doesn't suggest she will be good in bed. I say she should wear whatever perfume gives her the most pleasure. Making him the passive witnesss to her self-pleasuring is what is most likely to get his juices going (by engaging in an act that is a metaphor for masturbation will more likely show she enjoys her body and her sexual response) As such, I cannot advise on perfume choice beyond go find something that gets you off, Julie.

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    1. But Julie *is* looking for something that gets her off first and foremost, because she established that she likes and wears sandalwood and musks. That makes her active, not passive.

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    2. well, my advice still stands: forget about what the guy might think, and what his reaction might be, and what reaction you might provoke, and what the perfume might portray you as being- i.e. sexy or slutty- and wear what gets you off, Julie: the only factors in the equation here are you, the perfume, and the pleasure you are giving yourself with the perfume. And if the guy is lucky, you might (and I mean might) let him be part of that equation!
      Anyway, Bois des Iles- top perfume!

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    3. I disagree with anonymous 100%. I'm a guy. When I go in for the hug, I always notice if a woman smells good. And if she smells RAWR, I re-eeee-eee-eally notice. RAWR indeeeeeeed.

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  4. I really love Molecule 01 and yesterday layered it with a tiny spritz of Paris by YSL: very nice!!!!
    But on her/his own : NICE

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    1. Mol 01 is very handy for layering. I've met so many people whose "secret signature" is Mol 01 + X.

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    2. I completely agree... If I have a perfume that isn't "complex" or "deep" enough, I add Molecule 01 to it. It's also a great perfume to transfer from day to night... If I wear something lighter during the day, I deepen it in the evening with Molecule 01. It's a great layering scent but amazing on it's own as well. :)

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  5. Bois des Iles edp and parfum are two of my very favorites. Julie, you will smell lovely and exotic. The other two I might try would be By Killian Pure Oud or Rose Oud. Both of those are likewise lovely. But whatever perfume you chose, have fun!

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  6. Hi Julie, try Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens, I think it will do the trick. If you want it a little more perfumy, Chanel 31, Rue Cambon is one of those scents that just smell very good.
    Cybele

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  7. So many choices! I'd advise an online trip to Lucky Scent.com so you can have fun test-driving lots of samples.

    I like how they give you categories to choose from, such as "boozy," "herbaceous," or "smoky."

    My recs:

    Divine

    http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/section/1/item/22700/brand/Divine/Divine.html

    Odalisque

    http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/section/1/item/31303/brand/PARFUMS_DE_NICOLAI/Odalisque.html

    Back to Black:

    http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/section/1/item/42522/brand/By_Kilian/Back_to_Black.html

    I hope you post your findings!

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  8. I am sure at his age he has smelled a ton of Chanel 5 by now. Why don't you change the dynamics and smell like fun, exciting, and travel wise, like you vacation in exotic lands and live a life of luxury? To not be obnoxious and memorable, keep that scent on the back of your neck or maybe on your hair or lightly on the backside of your clothing so that you have a trail of scent rather than a scent that hits someone from the front. It is more alluring. I suggest a nice scent with some mimosa or orange flower...Remember, less is more...

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  9. Bois des Iles would definetely a great choice. Also, 10 Corso Como came to mind. It's sexy, it's sandalwood, musk and it's not bright or loud at all. It smells very personal in a way and very unique.

    Good luck, Julie!

    Cheers
    Safran

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    1. Safran, I was toying with that 10CC idea, too.

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  10. I love Bois des Iles, I have the EDP but it doen't last on me more than 2hrs. so try it first. Katie I'm surprised you didn't suggest Musc by Bruno Acompora ? I think it would meet her needs, I didn't get to try yet unfortunatily but your review was that it was one of "your skin but better" kinda of perfume. Hessa

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  11. Thanks for the great suggestions! A number of these are ones I have read about over the past few weeks and thought looked interesting so now I feel I am definitely on the right scent trail!
    I need to start a cart at LuckyScent. I noticed they do not seem to carry the Chanel Bois Des Iles. Where do I go to buy a sample ?

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    1. I googled it & found this site: theperfumedcourt.com you can check ebay or Amazon for that too. Hessa

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    2. surrendertochance.com is a good place to look too. That and The Perfumed Court are good places to look if you want to find samples of harder-to-find scents from mainstream houses.

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    3. Thanks! I am going to use one of these for the ones I cannot get from LuckyScent.

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  12. Somehow Musc Ravageur came to my mind although this might be a little bit overpowering.

    She loves her Chanel No. 5, so maybe new Andy Tauer Perfume, Noontide Petals might be good? I love the way it smells, and it has that kind of "wow" effect.

    Good luck!

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  13. Given that Julie doesn't want an overpowering musk, I thought best to steer clear of heavy hitters like Musc Ravageur. For that reason, Cybele's Clair de Musc suggestion is a goodie.

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  14. I agree that Musc Ravageur is a bit much; wondering if Narciso Rodriguez for Her would be too little? Or just right?

    I like your Escentric Molecules idea, though my brain also went straight to the splurge: Ormonde Jayne Woman, or, what I think is a great inexpensive pinch hitter for it, Ava Luxe No. 23.

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  15. I'll jump on the Bois des Iles and 10 Corso Como bandwagons and also suggest Guerlain Vol de Nuit or Ambre Noir, Winter Woods or Sienna Musk from Sonoma Scent Studio. Also, I think Caswell Massey's Sandalwood might be what you had worn in the past. It's still available in shower gel, cologne, lotion and soap and is quite reasonable. All of these are among my own favorites.

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  16. I don't think I've ever commented here before (but I visit often!) so I'll make this my first ever-- I've had many compliments when I've worn Chanel 31 Rue Cambon. It's classy, well made and just plain smells good. I once had a man lean in and take a long sniff at my neck while seated next to him at a restaurant bar. A little creepy, yes, but it was a nice compliment, too! Give 31RC a try, it might be just the thing....

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    1. After the 31 RC comments here, I'm inspired to give it another try.

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  17. Flower Kenzo can do some amazing things too...
    Cybele

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  18. Why not try "Not a perfume" By Juliette has a gun? It's supposed to be subtle, but softly musky. It's going to smell like YOU but more, and make him wonder if if you just naturally smell so great :D

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    1. This is another I had my eye on.

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  19. Did you wear Chanel when he 'dumped' you? Smells are evocative of a time and place..so I would wear what your wore at the time he knew you...you will look fantastic, he will smell you and remember back....and you will have the last laugh...

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    1. I was probably wearing Imprevu or Tabu.

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  20. Liking the scent psychology, here.

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  21. I too am hoping to cause a stir with an ex, by which I mean I want him to feel nostalgic, envious of my husband, and still a little in love with me. I will either wear Molecule 01 (great suggestion!) or La Femme Bleue by Armani Prive. La Femme Bleue is iris, soft musk and suede, beautiful when worn lightly. And nobody else will smell like it. Molecule 01 always gets me compliments as well. It really merges with your own body scent, doesn't project too much, a very personal up-close kind of scent.

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    1. Iris, musk and suede does sound very insinuating, Ketra.

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  22. Hey Katie, what do you think of Lavin's Éclat d'Arpege? I'm not really into florals but there's something about this one that I simply enjoy. It's actually a very affordable EDP and to my nose it smells better than a lot of very popular perfumes out there.

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    1. And on the "les exclusifs" line 31 Rue Cambon is also another one that I love...as much as Coromandel at least :)
      Have you reviewed it?
      Sorry, I talk (and ask) too much :P

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    2. Oh, and how do you feel about Arpege itself? I love it, to me it's a pumped up, more floral and less aldehydic version of Chanel 5.

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    3. Hi Yom, I've not yet reviewed these. 31 Rue Cambon never spoke to me when I've tried it, but it's just a personal preference thing. I will resmell Arpege with a No.5 comparison in mind.

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  23. I'm making a list. I'm checking it twice. I'm gonna find out which of these are naughty or nice...I am starting with the Chanel, Molecule 01, the Bruno Acampora musc, the Lutens musc and Back to Black. There is another I am kind of interested in called Tobacco and Tulle.

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  24. Second Serge Lutens' Clair de Musc and Narciso Rodriguez For Her although the latter could be a tad girlish... (And the Lutens a bit too clean for her purpose as I come to think about it)

    Hm, what about leather instead? Cuir Ottoman or Cuir de Lancome might fit the bill as they are both classy, sensual and they sit on the fine line between aloofness and femme fatale.

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    1. Marie you genius, I *love* the Cuir de Lancome recommendation! That's a subtle, floral leather that doesn't read as "perfumey".

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  25. Katie - you know what I'm going to say before I say it:

    Byredo Accord Oud. You know how this scent makes me get all growly and pheromonal. It's perfect for her. One whiff of this on her neck and that hapless cad will beg on his knees for redemption.

    I have spoken.

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  26. Bois des Iles would be very classy - more wearable than No 5, I'd even say. Cuir de Lancome is another fave. Wait till it is a whisper. Then OJ Ta'if if my 'business' scent (if I have one!) but there is no sandalwood in there I don't think. And I am partial to the darkly moody Kenzo Flower Oriental though it is more about the pepper and patch than woods.

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  27. Too many 'if's in there - I blame Ta'if for setting a bad example.

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  28. Bois des Iles is so lovely. It is a civilized Egoiste woven with the signature Chanel DNA of No. 5 or Cuir de Russie, etc. The parfum must be even more delicious. My love affair with Chanel burns strong.

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  29. o.k., just catching up/ jumping in on this...what great advice...JULIE..you must report back what you end up going with-...AND, of course...if you feel the goal was achieved!! go get 'em, girl!!!

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  30. Katie is so astute. The parfum Bois des Iles gives more of the No. 5 vibe (is it the aldehydes?) than EDT. Both are completely lovely though.

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  31. My first batch of road testing has been done, and I think we have a winner though I am going to try a few more just to be certain.
    The first scent I tried was Molecule 01. I smelled nothing. Absolutely nothing. No one else seemed to notice it either even though I wore it for a number of days.
    I then tried a musk a friend gave me- Kiehl's musk oil. I got some compliments on this one. I liked it too- it is a little "skanky" as they say, but settles down after awhile. I could see wearing this on a regular day but not for my big event.
    I tried Narciso Rodriguez for her. It was pretty but not quite it. I then tried some freebies Nordstrom sent and was meh on all of them- Valentina, something called Dahlia Noir. There were a bunch and none were remarkable.
    I got out my No 5 and said, Well, nothing so far even comes close to you.
    Then the Bois de Iles arrived. I got a sample of the perfume version. I liked this, but it disappeared quickly on me and seemed perhaps a bit too gingerbready. Then I got an idea. I put on the molecule o1 and the Bois de Iles over it. On my other wrist , I put the Kiehl's musk and then Bois de Iles over it. The Molecule 01 made the Bois de Iles last longer and seemed to tone down the gingerbread. I really liked it. The musk made the Bois de Iles heavier. It was pretty but a bit heavy for summer. It kind of smelled like Christmas morning to me.
    I liked the Bois de Iles /Molecule 1 layering, but I am going to try a few more, and if I am ever meh on them I will try layering.
    The reunion draws nigh!

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    1. Thank you for the update, Julie. Oh wowie wow! I'm excited that a combination of the suggestions is working. And Molecule 01 is a wonderful layering tool. I've heard from several people that their secret weapon sig scent is their favorite perfume plus Molecule 01.

      Hmmm, if Bois des Iles parfum is too gingerbready, maybe you should try the edp. It will be less thick, have a bit more white space to it.

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    2. is there such a thing as Bois des Iles edp? You keep on mentioning it, but I can only find BDI available in parfum and edt concentrations, as named by Chanel.

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    3. The concentration available in Chanel Boutique is Edp, the les exclusive line, At least at the one that I bought my edp from in Frankfurt. Hessa

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    4. I see the Les Exclusifs line listed as EDT everywhere: boisdejasmin, thenonblonde, perfumed court listings. On the chanel.com page for Bois des Iles the URL calls it eau de toilette but on the page it doesn't mention it http://www.chanel.com/en_AU/fragrance-beauty/Fragrance-Les-Exclusifs-de-CHANEL-BOIS-DES-ILES-EAU-DE-TOILETTE-SPRAY-113123

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    5. Hessa, does zerstaueber mean EDP?

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    6. hessa, forgive my laziness: I googled and it just means spray. Seems like the German website for Chanel does calls the parfum and edt bottles just flacon and verstaueber, but in English the les exclusifs version of BDI is def. called an edt as Darin said.

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    7. Oh sorry, my mistake I just got the box out, cos its not written on the bottle, it is Edt & I dont speak German, I went there last year for medical reason. Hessa

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    8. hmmm are we to assume that the edp concentration Ms Puckrik keeps talking about doesn't exist?

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    9. Ms Puckrik stands corrected. Chanel's Les Exclusifs are eau de toilette concentration, not edp. I forget because my Coromandel packs such a wallop, I assume the line is edp. Sorry for the misdirection.

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    10. Yeah, the edp/edt categorisation has absolutely no meaning with regard to perceived strength or even actual strength, and has no consistency across brands; but thanks for clearing that up. I did note that in the recent interview of Christopher Sheldrake on Basenotes that someone asked if Chanel were going to produce an parfum version of Sycomore. CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!

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  32. AAAHHH!!! MORE SAMPLES!!

    Thanks for keeping us posted!

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  33. This might seem like crazy talk but how bout No. 5 parfum layered with Molecule 01? That way you don't have to abandon the No. 5 that you love, but you zing it up a bit with 01. I like it on me at least. Well, actually I have the parfum, EDT and 01 on and it's nice :) I need Chanel rehab.

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    1. I actually did this before i read your comment, Darin! It was lovely.
      Today I tried the Molecule01 on its own, and I actually smelled it this time. It is nice- a bit woody and balmy. No wonder it made the Bois de Iles more woody and less gingerbready.
      I am going to try some of the musks mentioned up thread, but after sniffing a lot of stuff recently (including some vintage Detchema) I have come to the conclusion that 1) I might just like good old classic French perfumes and 2) I may have a thing for Chanel or Ernest Beaux.
      I went to Lucky Scent and typed in classic French and 3 jumped out at me as maybe something I'd like. Has anyone tried:
      Amouage Gold

      Maitre Parfumier et Gantier Cuir Fetiche

      Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud?

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    2. Julie, Amouage Gold is an orchestrally perfumey number, a bombastic Chanel No. 5. It's too much for what you say you're going for re the amplified skin scent.

      MFK Oud has its fans (I know Nathan Branch likes it), but I find it a little odd. (I've got a review on the blog.)

      Haven't tried Cuir Fetiche, but if you're looking at leathers, and you're a Chanel girl, why don't you try Cuir de Russie from Les Exclusifs?

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    3. I haven't tried Gold Woman yet, but Gold Man is so wonderful. It is pure No. 5 and I give it a rating of to . . . die . . . for.

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    4. I tried Cuir de Russie yesterday. As soon as I opened my little sample I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I actually gasped ! The day before I'd tried Coromandel which I thought was amazing , but Cuir de Russie was "OMG! Where have you been all my life? "

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  34. I wholly concur with your recommendation of Bois des Îles for Julie. To me, it's as if the all the aldehydic, lovely powderieness of No. 5 sort of accordioned out into an extra dimension. This one doesn't have to shriek for attention with such a comely, throaty whisper. Yummy. I will probably buy a bottle when I grow up one day.

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  35. So I had a little spray of Molecule 01 and I smell... nothing?! Not on the tester strip, not on me, not on my clothes, not on a piece of tissue paper, nothing.

    So after dousing, I literally sprayed my arm till it dripped, myself with molecule 01, it smells my skin but... soapy? None of the lovely woody musky softly floral thing that I've heard about going on. What went wrong :((

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    1. Hi Nancy, it seems the factory settings of your nose preclude the reception of Molecule 01's woodsy little hum. I will say that Molecule 01 is pretty subtle, but once you click into it, it's unmistakable, and unmissable. Perhaps experiment with spraying it on someone else, and see if you can grab a whiff off them after half an hour...

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  36. I've heard that Molecule 01 is notoriously tricky in that regard. I've decided to spare myself the disappointment. There are so many things that "disappear," to my nose as it is, for some reason. I love both Bulgari Omnia and Bulgari Black, but I smell them for only a few minutes when I wear them.

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  37. I wanted to let you all know how my reunion went and to thank you all for your help. The reunion went wonderfully well. We had so much fun. The old boyfriend and another mutual friend stayed at my home so we had a lot of time together. It really was perfect. I believe I came as close to my original goal as I think possible.
    Along the way I smelled some wonderful fragrances. My favorites were my old standby Chanel No. 5 but others emerged as contenders for the number 1 spot on any given day. Of those I tried my favorite was Bois de Iles. When I first tried it I felt it a bit gingerbready but on subsequent tries it seemed more woody. I really love it. I liked the Molecule01 too, both on its own or layered with other scents. I liked the musk scents I tried too.
    I tried something not on anyone's list that I also liked - Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere. What a pretty perfume!
    I am almost out of Bois de Iles ( I only had a small sample) perfume and will order more as well as the EDT of this. I am going to give the vintage No5 extrait a try too as well as Cuir de Russie and perhaps Coromandel.
    The one thing I noticed in all my sniffing was that I always gravitated to the Chanels. That may be from years of wearing No 5 or perhaps that is why I stuck with No. 5 all those years.
    The days are turning cooler here and leaves are beginning to turn. I put the Bois de Iles on today- no reason, no occasion. It just seems to go with this weather.
    Katie, I am sending you a picture from the reunion.

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    1. Julie! I'm so happy you didn't leave us with a cliffhanger! And perfume/schmerfume, that is just the icing on the cake for you - I saw your photo, girl! You are gorgeous - you really resemble Debbie Harry from Blondie. And not Debbie Harry now - Debbie Harry *then*. I'm sure the ex was most intrigued....;)

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    2. Congratulations, Julie! That sounds like quite a memorable experience. I hope that you find even more perfumes that you adore.

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    3. Katie, Thanks for the lovely compliment. I am a great admirer of Debbie Harry's talent and style.
      Nora, Thanks! I will probably go a bit crazy in making up for lost time.

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  38. I was so tempted to recommend the Eau Premiere but I thought it would be like going backwards. No. 5 florals seem so much deeper to me than the Eau Premieres, but I was wondering if you would like it layered. It's so nice hearing a happy ending. Congratulations on a successful reunion :)

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    1. Darin, I understand your thinking there, but feel free to recommend anything you think I might like. We seem to have similiar tastes.

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