Saturday Question: Serge Lutens, Guerlain or Amouage?

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

Every Saturday we have a Question, an idea purloined from Olfactoria’s Travels. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it is a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a $10 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Over 200 responses I will draw a $20 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Friday.

Last Weeks Winner: Only 74 Responses

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

 

Saturday Question: Serge Lutens, Guerlain or Amouage?

Three of the most revered houses in the Mass-tige line up. Most large department stores have a pretty good line up of all of them with a counter to themselves. Most perfumistas have a couple or a few from each of these houses and almost all of us lament the dumbing down of their products. They all have though inspired, frightened, delighted and made us question ourselves at different times in our journey.

This answer is just for today. You can change your mind at many time and no one will think twice about it. We are perfumistas, the most mercurial herd on earth.

Serge Lutens was the defining change for many perfumistas. The perfumes that really took us and shook use by the neck. Fragrances that changed the way the world smells perfume and one of the earliest radical niche brands. This awesome collection creative directed by one of perfumes most mythical creatures, Serge Lutens himself.

Guerlain has the history and though now owned by LVMH have the longest lineage. They also have some of the best stories focused around their products. Marketing jargon that has now become indelibly linked to out psyches and the way we smell the scents. The story of the Guerlain perfumers as interesting as the products.

Amouage also has a stellar history. The King of Oman wanting his country to again be the centre of the world for the best smelling perfumes, known for exquisite ingredients and a Middle Eastern/Asian focus that had only been dabbled in before. Suddenly the East, the real scents of the East, were being made available to the wealthy and perfumistas the world over.

My Answer:

Today I choose Guerlain. It has been with me since my Mum and some of her friends wore Shalimar in my childhood. The first perfume I bought her was Samsara.
My own deep love for Shalimar, Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleu and even many of the newer releases like Paris to Moscow, Mahora, AA Lys Soleia, Champs Elysees, Vega, Terracotta and even the current Mon Guerlain.
If I had to choose only one fragrance house it would probably be Guerlain but PLEASE don’t make me.

My Saturday Question to you is: Serge Lutens, Guerlain or Amouage and Why?

 

 

101 thoughts on “Saturday Question: Serge Lutens, Guerlain or Amouage?”

  1. Serge Lutens’ style doesn’t agree with me. Almost everything I tried from them is soaked in a cloying honeyed sweetness. I can’t stand it.
    Guerlain, I love their classic stuff. But what they make (and keep making) today, those insufferable LVEB-ish Petites Robes, those Petites Robes for men (L’Homme idéal), diluted Petite Robe (Mon Guerlain), diluted Petite Robe for men (Lui), I dislike them (restraining myself from using the H word).
    Amouage: there are two or three that I liked, but most of them are just not quite of my taste. (And they are expensive.)

    So my choice? I could easily give up all three of them as long as I have the real Guerlain: Patricia de Nicolaï. If I had to choose one among these three, I’d take Guerlain, but pre-LMVH please.

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    • Yay!!! JH, I agree with you completely on everything! Do not like any Serge Lutens, think a couple of Amouage are OK but do not want to own one, love some from Patricia de Nicolai, and absolutely adore Guerlain when it really was Guerlain. dnem.

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    • Lui is nothing like Petite Robe? Lui is actually a great fragrance and if you try it on skin MORE THAN ONCE and really try to get to know it, it’s actually a great perfume. I felt the same way about it when I first tried it on skin. Actually the first few times I was not impressed at all, so I understand where you’re coming from.

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  2. Yesterday, today and tomorrow: Guerlain.

    My favorites stem back from the early XX century, they look amazing in their ornate crystal bottles and smell beyond fabulous: rich, complex, comfortable, interesting, womanly. I have many favorites, and Serge Lutens was really an exciting entry point, but Guerlain is just magic. I love all the classics (with two notable exceptions: Nahema and Apres l’ondee – which I hate, yes, both). They always feel right. They make me feel special. They *are* special.
    Today I’m wearing bois d’armenie – a modern Guerlain; it’s not vol de nuit but I am shamelessly enjoying it!
    Smoke, vanilla, tonka bean, something bitter and something resinous. Great for the glorious golden colors of autumn!

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    • Lovely Zazie,
      You smell great. Interesting that you don’t like Nahema and Apres l’ondee. Do they turn nasty or is it something else?
      Portia xx

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      • Nahema was doomed from the start: I enjoy very very few rose-centered perfumes: Mohur by NV, Rose secret by PdR, Safran Troublant by L’AP… I don’t dislike Epic… but these are really exceptions.

        Après l’Ondée is odd to my nose: a thin anisinic clean powdery scent that didn’t get its share of Guerlinade! Like if l’heure bleue went on a heavy diet and lost all joie de vivre… whereas I like my perfumes well fed and opulent and smiling! 😉

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  3. Being newish to perfume, I would also choose Guerlain. For the classics. I can appreciate Lutens, have sampled many but not found many that work for me. Amouage- sampled fewer because the style of those I sampled didn’t suit me. I would gladly own a number of the classic Guerlains and would die to have more vintage.

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    • Hey there MmkInPA,
      New or old, Guerlain is a good choice. I think as you move along in the perfumista life that the other two will throw a couple of loves your way.
      Portia xx

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  5. Nope. Nope, no way …I could live without Amouage, but not Guerlain or SL. I guess at the farthest longest stretch I could not live without vintage Mitz…so Guerlain it is…

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    • Oh Marion,
      Vintage Mitsouko, yeah, it is so special. So wearable yet utterly glamorous. mmmmmmm
      Portia xx

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  7. Based on my personal collection, I’m going to actually say Amouage here.
    I adore Guerlain, and can’t imagine my fragrant life without Shalimar, L’heure Bleue, Tonka Imperiale, and Spiritueuse Double Vanille.
    However, I simply own more of a variety from Amouage. Memoir Woman, Fate Woman, Lyric Woman, Journey Man, Opus VI, and Ubar are some of my dear favorites. Each composition amplifies the intensity and stormy complexity that I see in myself. I haven’t tried everything from Amouage and it is such a pleasure exploring. (They aren’t easy for me to sniff locally, I have to drive over an hour to find a counter that is accommodating with their testers.)
    As for SL, I have enjoyed many of the samples I have tried, but I found most to be a bit too simple on me and similar to other scents. The only SL that has stolen my heart so far is Douce Amere, which I consider to be an absolute miracle. ❤
    Ask me tomorrow and I will change my mind to Guerlain, but today it's Amouage!

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    • Great choice Erica,
      Amouage is a super deluxe house. I also love that Christopher Chong is trying these freaky new directions. It’s making Amouage a one stop shop.
      Portia xx

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  8. This is hard. Guerlain has Shalimar, one of the greatest loves of my life, but other than Nahema I’m not thrilled with anything else. I have only scratched the surface of Amouage and really enjoy what I have, but they are pricey and there are so many I haven’t sampled so I can’t choose them. For this round, I have to choose Serge. Once I got over my disappointment of how awful Chergui smelled on me, I found others to love. I have a huge crush on Gris Clair right now.

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    • Hey Rosarita313,
      Gris Clair is lovely. Did you do a bit of shopping in the FragranceNet sale? I did rather a lot.
      Portia xx

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  9. For me there are a couple of considerations…when I first started getting excited about fragrance I sought out Amouage, and own a few which I love. But when I look at my collection now, and think about the ones which just fit me, it would be Guerlain. Not necessarily vintage, but not any Robe of any colour thank you!

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  10. Ach I can’t answer this question because I -head-down-in-shame – don’t care about Guerlain, have a couple of SL and Amouage that I love, but don’t adore any of these houses. I came to perfume after a lot of reformations and regulations so feel like I haven’t fully smelled the Guerlains. Ok based on importance for introducing me to good things, I’ll go with SL.

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    • Hey Amy,
      You’re never too late to love fragrance. Sure you missed some good shit but there’s PLENTY of sparkle yet left for you to enjoy.
      Serge is a great house, it will be interesting to see where it’s taken in the next few years.
      Portia xx

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  11. Guerlain as I am more familiar with the old classics. I haven’t tried enough of Serge to form an opinion but what I have tried I have liked so that would be second place.

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    • Hi CM,
      Do yourself a favour and sniff a few from both other houses. I think you might find some new friends.
      Portia x

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  12. Today I choose Guerlain based on their heritage, and despite the fact that I cannot come to terms with either Shalimar or Spiritueuse Double Vanille. I adore Chamade edp and many from the AA- line and would love to try Vol de Nuit at some point. I haven’t sampled Amouage, so SL is a sure second ( seriously thinking about a second bottle of Five o’clock au gingembre and would love a bottle of Daim Blond).

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    • Hey Ingeborg,
      VdN is seriously lovely but much less in your face than most of the Guerlain blockbusters. I think you’ll like it, I do.
      Five O’Clock is one of my saves and definitely my most worn Serge.
      Portia xx

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  13. Serge Lutens. That was easy. While I’m a Mitsy fan, I fave little of the older (good) stuff. I fear the classic SL will be gutted soon but I do have some back ups.

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  14. I love them all three but the choice is easy: Amouage.
    The richness, the diversity, the quality… both in male and female perfumes.
    Guerlain is a close second.

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    • YAY! I think you’re our first Amouage Fanny,
      Cool choice. They do have an excellent cross section.
      Portia xx

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  15. If I can’t have my 60’s and 70’s Guerlains, The forever Shalimar, L’Heure Bleue, Nahema, Mitsouko, hating the modern trash that has that revered name on it, I choose SL. I love and wear SL much more then I do Guerlain. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll tell you a lie.

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  16. So hard to choose, because each house has different strengths! I’ll take SL off my list, just because they don’t seem to have as many of the fresh florals that I really do love. I’ll go with Guerlain over Amouage, just because Guerlain has such a wide range: florals, greens, Orientals, chypres, etc. And Guerlain has Muguet, and I lust after some of their limited edition bottles of that!

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    • Hey OH,
      All good reasons.
      Serge has a couple of pretty florals with a twist. Have you tried Datura Noir, Bas de Soie or Un Voix Noire? Not department store fresh but very beautiful florals.
      Portia xx

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  17. I have a ton of all three, but I guess I would go with Guerlain simply because they are easier to wear on a day to day basis. A lot of the Amouage and Lutens I love require me to be in a certain mood and are more of a commitment, if you know what I mean.

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    • TaraC,
      I 100% know what you mean. It’s all well and good to love the challenge of new & weird but mostly I want to smell good.
      Portia xx

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  18. Definitely Serge Lutens. It was one of the first lines I discovered after falling down the rabbit hole, and the line from which I own the most bottles. It’s so diversely beautiful, from the dry spiciness of Arabie to the lush sweetness of Fille de Berlin. That was easy 🙂

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  19. Out of the three, no question it’s Amouage and my favorite Homage. I also have Lyric Woman; I find their perfumes rich and long lasting. My second favorite is SL, but I’ve only sampled a few. His Datura Noir is my bestie. No Guerlain for me.

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    • Hey Elaine,
      Interesting choices, Homage! You know I had a shower gel of it and I loved it so much but the fragrance I can’t remember ever having. I’ll rectify that immediately.
      Portia xx

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  20. Serge Lutens. For me, there is a kind of quirkiness that I loved. The other two are marvelous in their own ways, but are almost always recognizable for that even though the product is different. I loved that Serge Lutens dared to be mysterious when others did not. I also love that many of this house are avoidable and continue to be.

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  21. Funny seeing all the Guerlain love–for me the easiest part of this choice was to knock Guerlain out of the running first thing. Yuck!

    I’ve tried more Lutens than I have Amouage, so I want to choose Lutens, but that doesn’t seem entirely fair. I’m wearing Jubilation 25 today, and it’s glorious, so I’m slightly inclined towards picking Amouage. Can’t decide…

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    • Hi MIssionista,
      Your decision here is not eternally binding. No real need for a decision.
      Why is all the Guerlain yuck? Does it not smell good on you or on everyone?
      Portia xx

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      • No, no, Guerlain is great for everyone else. I just don’t seem to get along with it. I love Vetiver, and everything else I’ve tried has just not worked–Shalimar, Mitsuoko, Chamade…

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  22. Serge Lutens for me. I love the variety although not every one works for me (or anyone) but each does something different, often very different.
    Personal favourite is l’incendiaire, I get the comments that it reprises earlier perfumes but to me this is the ultimate Lutens. It’s as if all the others have sketched out different fragments of a haunting melody and then, bam, l’incendiaire plays the whole thing and pulls all the threads together in a shatteringly beautiful way.

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    • Hi there SHMW,
      Interesting. I’ve not spent real time with l’incendiaire but you make me want to.
      Thank you.
      Portia xx

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  23. Amouage has fallen hard so it was easy to dismiss it. I wanted to choose Lutens for its creativity and variety but there are few from Guerlains I really love though overall Guerlain has been a disappointment for me, especially, the releases over the last decade and a half. I cannot imagine life without vintage Mitsouko parfum, vintage Heritage edp, and vintage Samsara (in all concentrations) so it would be Guerlain among these 3.

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    • Hey Fazal,
      You don’t like the new direction Amouage has taken? Fair enough. I quite liked Beach Hut Man and was expecting not to, the name though….. BLEAUGH.
      Portia xx

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      • I think the new direction Amouage has taken is mainstream or overly weird. Their compositions used to be novel yet also beautiful. Now they are either overly weird or too safe. The new focus is overly commercial. Gone are the days we used to see Gold, Epic, Memoir, Lyric, Jubilation etc. If you do a poll among Amouage lovers of the best ever from the house, even you know the winners will be the ones from the past era, now the stuff liek sunshine, beach hut, bracken etc. I concede some may like it but I don’t think many Amouage fans really believe the latest releases surpass the originals, not even close

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  24. SL because the early style makes up such a big part of my collection. Chergui blew my mind the first time I tried it way back in the day – who knew I would love smelling like bug spray? I have an appreciation for certain Guerlains, but have yet to quite grow into most of them. Also, I haven’t tried many Amouages (is that cheating?).

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    • I have Chergui and keep not getting rid of it and trying it again and hoping I will like it but can’t. Cannot. Must sell or swap. I have about 30 Serge Lutens and hate them and love them. It’s a sick relationship.

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    • Loads of Serge love today. No surprise Nemo, he has been instrumental in so many of our journeys.
      I love Chergui too.
      Portia xx

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  26. Another Guerlain fangirl if these are the only choices. I love some SLs and intend to buy a large bottle of Fleurs de Citronnier one of these days. I haven’t tried an Amouage yet that I like or that remotely agrees with my skin. So Guerlain as far as this group goes.

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  28. I have been a Guerlain fan since I was a little girl and my mother let me wear her perfume. I also like Serge Lutens… except not the most recent ones. Amouage has a couple that I like, but I could live without them.

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  29. For me it would be Guerlain, almost by a process of elimination. I’ve never really warmed to Serge, and the ridiculous price of L’Incendiaire was enough to turn me off them for good. I have tried quite a lot of the Amouage lines, but to be honest I think you have to like incense to really like this house. I feel a sameness there and a lack of versatility.

    My go-to Guerlains are Cologne 68 and Vetiver, and both are stellar examples of their genre. I also have Mitsouko, Homme, L’Instant, L’Instant Extreme and L’Heure Bleu. They get less of a run but are still very good. And nothing is ever going to replace my pre-WW1 bottle of Jicky.

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    • HA Gina. Hilarious! Maybe once upon a time but Caron seems to have been dancing wildly in the light of their burning bridges lately.
      Portia xx

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  31. For me it would be Amouage, miles ahead any other brand. Then, probably, Lutens. If both Guerlain perfumes would have completely disappeared from the Earth, I would have hardly noticed. Currently there are just 2 Guerlain perfumes that I love and 2-3 more that I like, so I’d be fine.

    Not related to the question, where are those department stores that carry all these brands? 🙂 Around here, only Guerlain is ubiquitous (Saks and Neiman Marcus carry it); SL you can find only in Barney’s; and none of the stores carries Amouage. And it’s San Francisco!

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    • WOW Undina,
      That’s interesting. We have a couple of stores in Sydney that have them, and a few that have at least one. Amouage is in 3 stores in Sydney city that I can think of. Interesting that San Francisco, with your much larger population, has less.
      Portia xx

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      • It’s not like there are no places to buy Amouage – either online or in special perfume boutiques. I was remarking on the absence of that brand in department stores in the U.S. If we’re talking about New York, Twisted Lily is not the only boutique where one can try Amouage. Unfortunately, in San Francisco/Bay Area there are no big places that would carry the brand. I know that ZGO Perfumery has some perfumes from the brand (though a very limited selection), and Jacqueline Perfumery has some but the latter one isn’t a place where one would casually go to test anything new 🙂

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        • Righto, that makes sense Undina. Yeah, we have two department stores in the heart of town but no other department stores keep it.
          Portia xx

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  32. Argh! Tough choices! But today, my answer would be Serge Lutens, if only because I’m in Europe and they’re the most “affordable” on a student budget! 😂 I own no full bottles of Amouage (although I lust with a fury for at least 5!) and can’t afford any anyway. With the exception of online, there are no Guerlains to be had in DK at all any longer – why, I don’t know, but there are rumors of Guerlain boutiques on the way. But Oncle Serge’s perfumes satisfy all my perfumista cravings, so – Serge Lutens it is! ❤️

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    • If you have to have one readily available, and you’re a perfumista Tarleisio, then I reckon the Serge lineup is pretty spectacular.
      So nice to see you here Sheila, I hope your studies are going well.
      Portia x

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  33. As the TV ads say “As a busy mum….” I do not get out enough. Hence have yet to try Serge Lutens, although I strongly suspect they may be a bit OTT for me. Amouage since reading of it, intrigues me, but it has to be Guerlain. As a green overconfident seventeen year old I saved up and bought Chamade. Swoon! Shortly thereafter I was wafting Parure, then Shalimar, each in EDT, my then being a student. Mind you I did also have Jontue, Ambush by Dana and Bat Sheba, so my
    scent sophistication was sketchy. 😉

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    • Hey there Bernadette,
      ALL of those frags are special.
      How sophisticated of you to choose Chamade. So elegant. I bet you wafted it with aplomb.
      Portia xx

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  34. OK, today I HAVE to say Guerlain because of wearability and choice. How could I ever ignore or do without Metalys, Bois d’Arménie, Shalimar, Oriental Brulant, Songe d’un Bois dEté and many others?!… (insert smiley smoking a pipe, please)

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    • HA! Wish In knew how to insert a pipe s,owing smiley Fanny,
      Nice to see you, thanks for joining in.
      Portia xx

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  35. What a difficult question! You have picked my favourite houses. Saturdays (yesterdays) pick was Amouage. I love how their fragrances take you on a journey, their power, how they envelop you like a favourite piece of clothing. Today I picked Guerlain, more specifically Cuir Beluga as I needed something warm and comforting.

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    • Hey Marianne,
      YAY! I’m glad someone loves them all with me. Interesting it wasn’t a harder decision for more people.
      Portia xx

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  36. Hi Portia. Serge Lutens for me – my gateway into perfume and there is enough in the range to keep me reasonably happy. I do like Guerlain and Amouage but only have a few Guerlains and no Amouage so I wouldn’t be very well stocked picking either of these. I did try vintage Shalimar recently though and that was a revelation. xx Megan

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    • Hey Megan,
      I’m so surprised you don’t have even one Amouage. That is really interesting to me. Were there ever any that came close?
      Portia xx

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  37. I thought this would be easy, but I’ve been dithering back and forth between Guerlain and SL. I keep thinking “well *obviously* it’s Guerlain because Mitsouko. But…Chergui!” And then later, “it has to be Lutens because Boxeuses and FdB..but: Lhb, and Shalimar, and Jicky and and but and arrrrrrgh.”

    Amouage is third only because I’ve has so little exposure to the scents ( except Jubilation 25 which I love). Probably just as well, given the price.

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      • It’s probably just as well. I *love* Jubilation, and managed to score a nicely-discounted bottle on Ebay. But, as far as I know, there’s not a single retailer in Scotland that stocks Amouage. Or anywhere in the UK north of Manchester.

        (I do have a bottle of Bracken, which was a gift. I probably need to find a good swap for that, with someone who can love it.)

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  38. Guerlain for me please! I’ve managed to sample a handful of Amouages and SLs but not one worked for me.

    I love Apres l’Ondee and L’Heure Bleue, Eau de Guerlain and Cologne du 68, Vol de Nuit and Terracotta. Something for every mood and occasion. I would sell my soul if Guerlain would bring back Ylang & Vanille. It is beautiful.

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    • Snap Tiffanie,
      HA! I sold my should early on but I too would be extremely happy for a Ylang & Vanille re-release.
      Portia xx

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  39. Serge Lutens for me, please. We became one when we first met- Fleurs d’Oranger. Lutens sends me into a whole other world. Most suit me. I smell magnificent and feel divine. Utterly gorgeous fragrances. ❤

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    • Hey Jyotsna,
      Serge Lutens was gateway for so many of us and I think he has kept his house interesting. Good choice.
      Portia x

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  40. Not an easy question Portia, but I’d go with Amouage. Ever since I’ve tried this house some years ago, they did not disappoint me. Their creations have strength and character and offer a big diversity. My favourites are Epic Woman and Opus I. Serge Lutens would be my second choice because of my all time favourite Feminite du Bois and because it was the first niche brand I have disovered. Guerlain is the least appealing to me.

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  41. Hi Portia,
    Interesting question! I quite like them all but my collection reflects Guerlain the most. I love several SL – La Fille de Berlin that you’ve got depicted there, Sa Majeste La Rose, Rahat Loukoum, Fleurs d’Oranger, and some other intriguing ones like Jeux de Peau. Amouage is great, I wish I could rock them. That Opux X is a really memorable one that got me up late thinking about. The metallic bloody rose accord…oh my. I admire Lilac Love but don’t think it suits the Sydney climate. Really rich, voluptuous scents that I don’t think is quite ‘me’… yet?? Ha.
    I love or really like most Guerlains. My ultimate is L’Heure Bleue and nothing’s better during the rainy winter days. EDT, EDP both great. I also love Mahora, Lys Soleia, Insolence, Idylle Eau Sublime, Lavande Velours, Ylang Vanille, and lots more. I’ll take Guerlain for sure! 🙂

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    • Hi Angela,
      You seem to be picking some of my faves from each brand too. Nice collection.
      Sorry about the Amouage, one day it will feel more right.
      Portia xx

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  42. I would choose Guerlain hands-down. Some of my most favorite fragrances are from this house. I have worn Guerlain as long as I can remember, starting with Champs Elysees back in the day. My Aunt, who I adored, wore vintage Shalimar. To date, I have only found one Amouage I like at all and SL has some that I find OK but doubt I’d ever buy. Perfume is precious to me, and considering the cost I’m only going to spend money on those scents I really love. For me, a lot of those come from Guerlain.

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