perfume - to buy or be given

Jo Malone earl grey & cucumber is my favourite at the minute

I use Marc Jacob's Daisy. A couple of years ago DH said he would buy me some for my birthday. He found the perfume in a white box and a gift set where the perfume was in a black box. This confused the poor man so he bought me both. I haven't even opened the second one yet.....

I try them out in department stores and nearly always regret it - I don't like any of them.

I would happily buy perfume to give as a gift, but only if I knew the recipient liked it.

I don't often wear perfume but I love Dune so husband has been instructed asked to buy me some for Christmas as my bottle (had it for years) is done. That's my night time perfume, for day time I wear Light Blue, or whatever the one from Next is called that smells exactly the same.

Bit of a risky gift perfume I think unless you know what they like.

I have taken to using replicas of the perfume I love as can't afford it anymore, it is fine..........not quite but fine.

I wish I could afford the real stuff it does give me a boost and I don't us any other enhancements (and OMG does that show) but to know that you smell sublime is lush.

Ask the girls what they wear otherwise you may become locked into a cycle of re buying the wrong thing forever...........

I tend to stick to Chanel No 5. My DSD bought me a handbag spray and refills a couple of years ago. I'm on the last refill now, and have just looked up the price to replace - ouch!

Greyduster, I love Cool Water Woman, lovely and light and fresh and doesn't give me a headache. They all smell different on different people, my daughter's expensive one, the one shaped like a corset, con't remember the name, smells like camel's p** on me.

I keep trying different perfumes, but they are all vile on me, so stick with Poison which is about the best of a bad choice. MIL tries the same ones and they are all great on her. Some years ago was in one of those "fragrance shops" in shopping malls and quite liked one with Posh Spice's label, but couldn't afford it, but probably would have beenn equally horrible by the time I got home.

Have tried a plethora of perfumes...but all smell of wet dog after a few minutes...OK with perfumed shower gels, so buy really lovely ones. Anyone else have this problem?

I don't even put the dustbins out without wearing perfume! Don't go if for makeup much, so scent is my signature. I once telephoned a male friend, it's Anni I said. I know he said,I can smell your perfume! Omg I thought I must smell like a tart's handkerchief.

I have worn Lanvin Arpege for over 45 years, trying others along the way. I like van Kleef and Arpels First, Opium, Balenciaga Le Dix, Miss Balmain, and Lidl Suddenly Madame Glamour for putting out the said dustbins as cash flow doesn't allow the aforesaid for .'at home' nowadays. But always a bottle of Arpege to hand.

I buy my own and have worn Eden by Cacherel for years.

I usually lust over a perfume for ages, keep spraying a bit in Debenhams (pretending it's first time I've tested it) then when I'm at airport buy myself gorgeous scent of choice. HOWEVER OH picks up 'pour homme' anything going and always smells better than lotsa wonga pong I've bought. I use his now

Molecules 01
Wear everyday
And at least once a day a get a comment about how lovely it is
( usually be handsome strangers )

I bought my self a large bottle of Opium recently as I had run out of perfume and there wasn't a birthday or Christmas in sight so its part of my kit I wear it perfume every day. Yesterday I bought myself some Paris because I had done all the Christmas shopping within budget so I fancied a treat. Usually DH buys me perfume for my birthday and Christmas he favours Chanel No5 which I always love but this year I have left a little hint about Black Opium and a Jo Malone Lime and Basil.

The one I used to love (as did most of my female relatives) was Ma Griffe which sometimes turns up on Ebay, but could be years old, having languished in a drawer for its whole life.

Always wear Lou Lou by Cacharel :-)

And always get DH to buy me 3 bottles each Christmas which makes us both happy!

I like to buy my own perfume, cos I know what I like. Although I appreciate being given a Jo Malone product. I like Channel No. 5 a lot I think it's a classic. I'm also very fond of Hermes Eau de Merveilles. As much as I hate Amazon, I sometimes go there for non available perfumes, I recently bought Femme by Rochas which I loved years ago and is quite reasonably priced. Another, as metioned by Janeainsworth, Jolie Madame, I loved it too, is no longer available, but it can be bought on Amazon but at a very extortionate price which sadly is just too much, for me at any rate.

My skin tends to make most perfumes smell as though there's some rotting fruit about and as I also have asthma, I stick to the one perfume that I know smells good on me - Ysatis...! I've used it for years, and have no idea what I'd do if it's ever discontinued...! . I'd probably opt for no perfume at all...

It's been opium for many years now.

I use Angel and people often comment on it and say how lovely it is!

When I was young I used to wear Sea Jade by Yardley. Such a lovely fresh perfume which unfortunately has been discontinued for many years.
Also love Madame Rochas which is an old classic (my mum's favourite) also on it's way out.
Now wear Eden by Cacharel which I discovered quite by chance and loved.
Jo Malone's Amber & Lavender for when special spoiling is required!

I have been fortunate enough to win Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. It is a lovely perfume and after entering a competition I was so pleased this arrived in the post and all done up in a Cracker. Dior Pure Poison is another favourite but more suitable for evenings. I love going in to larger department stores and see what new perfumes are like and have a quick spray sometimes. Most of them are not in my price range so if Im lucky enough to get a sample I am happy these last a while and gives me the chance to decide if it's worth spending the money.

I know I'm at risk of being called some sort of something, but I buy MrsP Channel5 because I like it (and luckily she says she does as well) When I say I like it, I mean I like her wearing it.
Last years empty bottle was left on the side for recycling, so I guess that might have been a hint for the coming Christmas.

I am often given perfume as gifts, my friends and family have very good taste. If I see a perfume I fancy I buy it myself. Favourites, at present, are Pomegranate noir by Jo Malone and Magnolia and mure by L'Occitane but also love Serge Lutens and Tom Ford perfumes.