How have your fragrance preferences shifted in the last five years?

I’m definitely more into high-end, niche brands and less into mainstream brands! I don’t think my note preferences have changed that dramatically, but I can appreciate a few florals more than I used to.

— Christine

12 Comments

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Heather Avatar

Surprisingly, they haven’t changed much! I still don’t care for heavy or sweet florals—floral notes need to be either brightened and lifted with bold citrus notes, or used as an accent in something dark/dirty or gourmand for me to handle them. Still struggle with patchouli (on my skin, even a light patchouli note will end up drowning out everything else in the blend). And I still like darker fragrances heavy on the oud, amber, vanilla, or musk for winter; and lighter, more “sparkling” fragrances with citrus, cedar, pink pepper, etc for the hot and humid months.

I suppose one change (although it was more a discovery than a change) is that I really enjoy fragrances that pull “cold”—such as Zadig & Voltaire’s “This is Her” which has a cold, almost metallic vibe, or citruses that are balanced with colder notes instead of warmed up with spices, for example. I’d like to sample some icier, mintier fragrances in the next couple of years (I’m not in a rush, I enjoy what I do have!).

Seraphine Avatar

As my knowledge of fragrances has expanded lately, my note preferences have changed quite a bit. Notes I used to hate are now some of my favorites, such as the powdery and animalic notes in classics like Shalimar, Jicky, and Chanel. No. 5. And I’ve developed a distaste for very sweet fragrances, and gave some away to friends, including Black Opium and Good Girl. But my deep love of citrus fragrances has not changed at all.

Deborah S. Avatar

I am not particularly knowledgeable about fragrances and generally just smell it and if I like it, I buy it. I don’t really do any investigating or reading to improve my knowledge. I am pretty much a straight up floral person and like to be able to distinguish the floral notes in my fragrances. I like musky floral scents, tobacco and chocolate. I use to work with a physician who smoked a pipe and his favorite tobacco was a chocolate tobacco. I think my love of that particular scent has played a large part in my preferences. My mother was not a scent person and I don’t associate any particular scent with her. My first high end scent was Joy and it definitely played a part in my preferences. As for changing, no I don’t think so. I will wear a particular scent every day for months on months and then I am bored with it and rotate to a different one but always within my preference.

CL Avatar

No, my fragrance preferences haven’t changed over time. I still prefer orientals, florientals, and some florals. Don’t care for so-called ozone or berry scents. Lancome scents are particularly repulsive to me.
Now that the price of perfumery is staggeringly high, I wish people would boycott anything that costs more than $65.00 for a 3.4 oz. bottle until they bring the price down to a reasonable level. We could all easily not buy ANY perfumes for the next couple of years, I think.

WildDove Avatar

I’m less interested in niche than I was 5 years ago, as mainstream has improved its offerings a lot since many chems were taken off the market about 20-25 years ago and the mainstream fragrance industry was forced to regroup. Mainstream has regained its footing and now features many winners. Both my skin chemistry and my nose have changed and continue to change over time, and I’ve got a constantly changing set of most worn fragrances for any current season. What I was wearing last year at this time may not be what I’m wearing most this year. I can count favorites in niche, mainstream, celebrity, dups, and bath shop brands.

Genevieve Avatar

No, I don’t think my perfume preferences have changed that much over the past 5 years – I still love my old favourites of Lancome’s Poeme, EL’s Knowing, D & G The One, Clinqiue’s Aronmatics and I still like spicier scents too. But really good quality niche perfume is so extremely expensive here.

Patsy Avatar

Hi! I’ve stayed loyal to Marc Jacobs’ Daisy for a number of years and I’m told it suits me. But very recently I tried my granddaughter’s Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush 40 Perfume Mist and just fell in love with it. It’s a very tropical, exotic scent. I left a doggy bag of chicken overnight in my purse during a recent vacation, ugh!. I hated the smell …..saturated some tissues with the mist and left them in all the compartments. Smell totally gone! Also became enamored of their Bom Bom Cream which is luxurious-feeling and has a WONDERFUL scent! I’m warning you, do not take a whiff of this unless you plan to buy it. You won’t be able to walk away…
pqc

Halawa Avatar

I’ve always enjoyed your fragrance reviews. IMO you taste in fragrances is sophisticated. Can you tell us some of your current favorite fragrance houses/brands? I prefer non-mainstream fragrance notes and absolutely adore oud BTW.

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