What do posh perfumes smell like ?

Given I have to watch at least one of these daft fantasy adverts every 15 minutes, I was wondering if people could help me out and save me trying to dress respectably enough to convince the salesgirls on the cosmetics counter ...

Kalvin Klein
Dolce and Gabana

etc ..

so is it flowers, spices, tortured tree exudates, civet cat anal excretions ?

Old ladies bicycle saddles and cricket balls.

Well that's a start. I can see why men might like to smell of leather and cork.

Why do you want to know? You hate perfume.

I'm just curious. A lot of them do indeed smell very unpleasant to me - but then I don't like cognac or whisky while others do ...

It varies and cba to give you a crash course in aromatics & perfumery.

The one I'm wearing atm has a definite hint of dog shampoo but once that's worn off it's not so bad.

Presumably there must be a website somewhere ?

They seem to be selling a contrived emotion / lifestyle rather than a smell ... in that sense a bit like car adverts ..

I've always found it amazing that people can buy fragrances for others ..

The images are supposed to help - more soft focus/romantic ads are for light floral, young playful images are for fruity fragrances, elegance usually is linked with aldehydes (Chanel No 5), wood & water for light herby/fresh smells etc.

How can anyone describe what a perfume smells like though?

And people should only buy fragrance for others if they know it's the one they wear.

i wear jo malone red roses. it is posh. it smells like red roses. HTH.

Mostly based on whale vomit. HTH.

I think that Flower by Kenzo smells like parma violets.

It's sort of codified (eg lemon is "bright, fresh, and zingy" while vetivert is "dark, heavy, smokey and woody"), but even so, IMHO it's like describing colour to somebody who's never seen it by mapping it onto texture or sound. Throw in how differently the same blend smells on two different people and it becomes very difficult to guess which one will work well on somebody else.

posh people

Chanel Crsitalle ( which is the one I favour when I haven't lost it somewhere in the house ) smells a bit like lemons and sugar.

oh yes, ambergris..



Floating gold: Sean Kane and Ian Foster with some of their haul of vomit which could net them £500,000

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-526465/Rare-whale-vomit-net-dog-walkers-500-000.html#ixzz1guFDgLqk

I prefer citrus based perfumes myself - CK One, L'eau de Issey etc.

Citrus smells like what rind tastes like on me.

If you're actually interested look it up. It's a load of bizarre industrial chemicals. If not, just carry on hating it.

"Ugh, that female smells fake. And look at her shoes!"

I quite like a temporary whiff of citrus after my morning ablutions - grapefruit shower gel early in the week, mandarin later on when I need it more. I use mango in my Sunday/ Monday bath ...

DECEITFUL WHOOOOOOOOOOORES.

The men usually smell worse than the women - horrible minty smells like another family's poorly maintained bathroom ...

the smell of most women's perfumes really does not appeal to me, though I go crazy over men's colognes. been trying to figure out for a long time if there's a perfume for me out there that is spice-y and earthy yet won't make me smell like a man and not like a hippy either(i.e. patchouli or "midnight amber queen" or something)

All that lark has always passed right over my head - except when it looks uncomfortable / dangerous.

Whereas the smell of damp and rat piss is well maintained, is it?

Don't start this again. You must be bored.

My bathroom is supremely well-ventilated...

I'm home for 3 weeks now.

Friend of mine wears a Gucci Pour Homme and its nice and spicey and sandlewoody. I've worn it too. It's warm and deep. Can't remember which one though so you'll have to test a load

Kouros? Hermes terre?

check Hermes, Terre or Eau des Merveilles