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Portia
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Hello Fellow Fumies,
At APJ we have a Saturday Question. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it’s 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 youโll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back regularly and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them. The aim is to generate real conversation and connection even though we are scattered around the globe.
Saturday Question: What Was Your First Niche Purchase?
Remember? It might have been an accidental find of a shop while on holiday. You found a blog online and it fascinated you. One of your buddies is a fragrance enthusiast. Could be you read about niche in a magazine. You read, or tested, or smelled someone walking by and you HAD TO HAVE IT! The lemming was so strong that you laid down an flabbergasting amount of cash for something that is basically 100% glamour.
My Answer:
I came to niche late. It was around the 2010 mark, maybe 2011, when I discovered the online community on the scentbloggosphere. My first blog was Olfactoria’s Travels (now defunct) and the bug bit hard. Always fragrantly oriented since my mother always smelled amazing and was given bottles by the various reps in Mum & Dad’s Jewellery, Watch and Gift Shop. They knew that if Mum (the friendly glamour girl) was wearing the fragrance then the men who came shopping would buy that amazing scent for their loved ones. (Did you know that cheating men would often buy the same fragrance for their wives and lovers so they wouldn’t get caught by scent!)
Anyway, It’s early November 2011 and I decide to buy my BFF Kath and myself niche fragrance for Xmas. I went to the Tauer Perfumes site, having ordered samples beforehand and tested and decided, and ordered a bottle each of 02 L’Air du Desert Marocain (for her) and 12 Eau D’Epices (for me). They arrived about six weeks late but when they got here she was so excited, as was I. In the pack even came a hand written apology for the lateness of the delivery from Andy Tauer himself. Amazing! The whole thing was utterly addictive. the rest is VERY EXPENSIVE history.
12 Eau D’Epices Tauer Perfumes
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Spices, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, coriander, red mandarines
Heart: Orange blossom, jasmine, orris root, incense
Base: Wood, cistus ladaniferus, ambergris, Tonka beans, vetiver
I think I came to fragrance via soapmaking. I was stuck on finding an amber scent and my husband went online and found Perfumed Court, hello Tom Ford Amber and Ambre Fetiche. Went to Paris and Annick Goutal. Got the bug, and …well, you know!
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A lot of AG fans! This line helped turn a friend into a perfume fan.
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HA! Yep, we know. Thanks to your husband you are part of the APJ family JackieB, that’s a big bonus for us. Thank him please.
Portia xx
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Ditto this ๐๐๐
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My really first niche bottle was actually a partial one bought from a facebook group, Tonka Imperiale from Guerlain. Wow, i remember i was simply shocked on the first sniff ๐ i could not belive it exist such a exquisite -refined smell in a fragrance. I was blown away ๐…so there it was the beggining of my story ๐
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Excellent first fragrance Alen, you were very precocious.
Portia xx
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I came to fragrance in the late 60s via stealing from my mum’s collection on a daily basis….started collecting around 1970ish. I don’t think niche existed then but someone can correct me if I am wrong.
Not sure if Antonia’s Flowers is considered niche but I had the pure perfume around 82 or 83. Otherwise it was mostly drugstore, dept store, Avon and the designers such as Chanel, etc. and whatever was exclusive (like Giorgio) at the high end stores in NYC.
My first trip to Paris in 1994 I discovered Annick Goutal. Then I found it at SFA in NYC which was the only store that carried the brand. I always did the BOGOs that went on several times a year. So essential 200 ml of Annick Goutal for a whopping total of 90 USD. Needless to say, I must have had 10 or more bottles in my collection. I will always view AG as my first niche love.
I moved out of the city in the late 90s so I no longer had access to a lot. And I think Malle and Serge Lutens and Lartisan appeared on the scent after that so I could not get my mitts on any of the stuff. Keep in mind there were no online decanters at that time.
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On the scene!!! Not on the scent!!!! Oy Vey! This autocorrect is killing me!
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And I forgot to mention that I went to the AG flagship store in Paris with the intent on buying a bottle of H’Adrien because our hotel gave us the toilettries in that scent and I fell in love. But when I sampled the other offerings I ended up purchasing Eau de Ciel. I managed to snag H’Adrien later on in the city.
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Iโm positive that Antoniaโs Flowers is a niche brand. And Iโm surprised that they are still around but Iโm glad.
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Sadly Undina I think the business has shut down. I know that you and Neva are fans of Tiempe Passant so cherish your bottles!
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๐ฆ I hope they will re-appear one day.
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Hey Brigitte,
I love that Antonia’s flowers and Annick Goutal were your first true loves. AG was one of my first niche brand loves as well.
Portia xx
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I’ve been a long-time perfume lover, since my teen years and always had Chanel, and many of the newest mass marketed releases during the 90s and early 2000s. I thought I had a lot of perfume back then LOL! I came to niche when I discovered Luckyscent in 2007. I would read their fragrance descriptions for hours, completely captivated. And then started my sample buying! So technically, my first niche purchase was many samples (I looked at my Luckyscent order history and the first purchase included samples from Montale, Isabel, Indult and Il Profumo in 2007. My first niche bottle of perfume purchase was Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum in 2008. How I loved (still do) that perfume!
Fun question Portia, I enjoyed looking back through my early years Luckyscent orders!
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I’ve been a long-time perfume lover, since my teen years and always had Chanel, and many of the newest mass marketed releases during the 90s and early 2000s. I thought I had a lot of perfume back then LOL! I came to niche when I discovered Luckyscent in 2007. I would read their fragrance descriptions for hours, completely captivated. And then started my sample buying! So technically, my first niche purchase was many samples (I looked at my Luckyscent order history and the first purchase included samples from Montale, Isabel, Indult and Il Profumo in 2007. My first niche bottle of perfume purchase was Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum in 2008. How I loved (still do) that perfume!
Fun question Portia, I enjoyed looking back through my early years Luckyscent orders!
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I also started from samples but it was, I think, TPC.
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A couple years after being obsessed with Luckyscent, I discovered TPC and STC. What a fragrant world opened that up with the availability of samples for sale!
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Fabulous answer Kathleen,
Those sample stores were also a BIG part of my early perfumista years.
How cool that your first buy wa Keiko Mecheri!
Portia xx
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My first niche was Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise. I was starting to be interested in perfume and vanilla was a gateway note. I think I found it on fragrancenet (very little of interest to be found locally!). The first thing that blew my mind with the idea of perfume as art was LโAir du desert marocain, though. Thatโs the one that cemented my slide down the rabbit hole. (I still only have a sample and a mini, surprisingly!)
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LDDM is so potent that Iโm not sure when youโll need to replenish it ( Iโm using my mini while not touching a travel spray).
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I am laughing hysterically at this because the mini that hajusuuri gifted me got thunked in no time. It was frequent applications throughout my stressful work day in the winter. Aromatherapy! One day a full bottle will live Chez Marzipan.
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Judging by the speed your skin drinks perfumes, itโll be a short life ๐
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Ha!!! This is true!!!!
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Hiya MMKinPA,
Vanille Exquise is so beautiful, yummy first choice.
LDDM is so yum! What an excellent rabbit hole slide.
Portia x
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I guess I need to revise my answer, I didn’t realize Annick Goutal was considered niche! I had Eau d’Hadrien in the early 2000s. I purchased from a department store, where I typically shopped for fragrances at that time, and therefore didn’t think it was niche.
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Hi Kathleen! If I am not mistaken the first Annick Goutal fragrance was Folavril which came about in 1982, I think. Annick Goutal was not easy to come by in the 80s and 90s so this is why I considered the brand niche and also because the fragrances to my nose were different. Looks like we both loved to same one, H’Adrien.
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I love to learn, and the history of Annick Goutal is interesting. I had to research, and per fragrantica Eau L’Hadrien, Folavril, Eau de Lavande were 1981. The oldest I see is Eau de Monsieur in 1980. Eau de Ciel was 1986.
The SA at the time in Neiman Marcus showed me the Annick Goutals, and I was smitten with the bottles. Eau d”Hadrien was so fresh and pretty. Soon afterwards I purchased Petite Cherie, and I’ve added a few more Goutals to my collection over the years. Now I am coveting Songes.
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I read an article about Annick Goutal years ago. The first product she sold was a face cream and women loved the smell so much that the first perfume was born from that and it was Folavril ! I loved the bottles too and at one point had 30 empties in my basement! I had Folavril, eau de Ciel, Petite Cherie, H’Adrien, eau de Camille and let Chevrefeille and probably more that I am forgetting now. Songes is beautiful too! And I also love Passion .
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Oh how I would love the experience of sampling all the Annick Goutals at the department store again! Perfume shopping was fun. Many years ago the Neiman Marcus in Denver carried many perfumes, now the fragrance department is a ghost of what it was. The last time I went in, it was a 1/4 the size, and featured mainly Creed, Tom Ford, Francis Kurkijian, and the current releases of Dior, some Guerlain’s. Nothing I was really interested in, and the prices were prohibitive.
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I know it’s really sad that the department stores have cut back on their offerings. I live in a relatively rural area now but in the 1990s before Chanel began their exclusives line I could purchase Chanel no 22 and No 5 at my local Macy’s…. even the extrait!!! Not anymore ๐ญ
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I’m very sad as well that more exclusive fragrances are not available at department stores. Denver Neiman Marcus now has very little square footage for fragrance, and features Tom Ford, Creed, Francis Kurkijian, some of the current reformulated Diors and Guerlain’s and a small variety of others. And the prices are much higher on most than you can find elsewhere.
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I know. The high prices are very discouraging. I remember buying no 22 EDT for around 37 dollars at my local Macy’s. Now that it’s an exclusive it’s completely out of my comfort zone for cost with two in college! But on the plus side, the online discounters have amazing deals on great fragrances! I was just looking on fragrancenet for their Annick Goutal offerings and I noticed that they are selling travel sprays .27 oz of many niche offerings like Serge Lutens for around 12 dollars with the coupon code!!!! Happy shopping!!
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Petite Cherie was my first AG love, and I went through, I think, three bottles of it. Still like it though donโt wear too often.
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I loved Petit Cherie and currently don’t have a bottle. I’m getting nostalgic now, may have to add a bottle in the near future!
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Get that Songes soon, as there are still some in the original bottle to be had. In fact, I’m wearing it today, and lots of it as I now have two backup bottles of it, loads to last me the rest of my life.
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Ditto this. And get Petite Cherie too. You can still find both heavily discounted.
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Oh yes, another little beauty.
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Okay. Me now searching the fragrance websites………….xx
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Oh dear, and LOL! Now I’ve got Songes and Petit Cherie on my mind and researching where to buy for best price! I love those original bottles!
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GET THEM ๐
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Hee hee! Researching and working on it! Isn’t it fun how discussions like this remind us of perfume loves?
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Yes!! I love our conversations and also how we are reminded of old loves!!
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I consider it a niche brand as well, even though I could buy it in an upscale department store. And I can buy Malle, Byredo and a couple of others at an even more upscale department store. So I donโt think department store availability automatically relegates AG to non-niche.
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I agree with you. But back in the days I wasnโt classifying perfumes, I just knew that I could easily access those – thatโs why in my mind they werenโt โniche.โ
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I donโt think the term โnicheโ in relation to perfumes even existed then. I just thought they were perhaps more interesting or different.
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I also didnโt consider Annick Goutal niche since it was readily available in both local Nordstrom stores (not any more! ๐ฆ ).
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Itโs still available here in a department store. A very extravagant store, but a dept. store nevertheless.
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I don’t think it’s really considered “niche”, but my first true foray into less common fragrances (after having worn Chanel and other designer scents for decades) was Hermes’ Un Jardin Sur le Nil and the other Jardin fragrances, after reading Chandler Burr’s book “The Perfect Scent.” And down the rabbit-hole I went! Penhaligon’s and Amouage followed soon thereafter. Penhaligon’s really suits me, though I haven’t pursued the “Portraits” line. I like their fragrances in the classic bottles, especially the sadly discontinued Ostara.
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Un Jardin Sur le Nil was my first Hermรจs perfume, and I almost finished the bottle of it. Since then Iโve got several travel sprays of Hermessence line and a couple of colognes but I barely use them: Hermรจs isnโt โmyโ brand.
Penhaligon overwhelms me with the number of perfumes I donโt know, so I just stopped trying (and then they closed the store we had close by for a couple of years). But I do like Ostara.
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The only two Hermessences I have are a travel spray of Santal Massoia, which I like but won’t rebuy, and a tester of Muguet Porcelaine, which I love. I have a cute gift set of Penhaligon’s minis, which has allowed me to try a few without feeling overwhelmed. I received Blasted Bloom and Elisabethan Rose 2018 as gifts, and I like both very much.
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I cannot read Blasted Bloom without thinking of you! The last time I went into the city I was intent on testing it but Saks did not have a tester. Next visit I will go to the Penhaligon store at Rockerfeller Center.
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I really need to figure out how to make samples and decants. I’m very clumsy, and the one time I tried, it was a mess.
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@OH, teensy funnels help, I find…
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๐
No worries, the juice WILL hit my skin during one of my NYC visits.
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You and me both OH!
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Hey there OH,
No, Hermรจs is designer but some of their fragrances so far outstrip a lot of the modern niche that I always want to give them a Hall Pass into the Niche Crew.
How good was Chandler Burrโs book โThe Perfect Scent?โ I loved it so much that I’ve reread it a couple of times.
Portia xx
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Love the idea of a Hall pass! Welcome back from your amazing honeymoon! The photos were great.
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2014. I wanted a new perfume and bought Wood Sage and Sea Salt from Jo Malone. I always loved reading the perfume blurbs in magazines and wanted to learn a bit more about the perfume. Found NST and Bois de Jasmin and a whole new world opened up. Olfactorias Travels and APJ were early favorites as well!
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I dont remember my first niche scent its a bit of a blur ๐ but sample frenzy first and then either Passage dโEnfer or Bois dโIles.
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Wood Sage & Sea Salt is one of my favorites as well.
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Wood Sage and Sea Salt was my first Jo Malone purchase.
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Oooo!!! I like that one too!!! Another shared love ๐คฃ
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Hey Mariann,
I’m surprised you’re the first to mention Jo Malone. In my mind it was always a gateway brand that lured people to the perfumista trough.
I really miss Olfactoria’s Travels. That was such a great blog.
Portia xx
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I miss OT too!
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So do I!!!!!
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Olfactoriaโs Travels was my entree into niche perfume also. And my daughter live in Dubai then, so there were many opportunities to try niche scents, I believe Equistrius by Parfum dโEmpire was my first niche purchase, but I really am not sure. It was certainly an early purchase, that sent me on my way of collecting perfume.
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O M G ! Nancysg, Equistrius is such a fabulous scent. What a forward early purchase, so intricate and beautiful.
Portia x
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My love of perfumes started when I was around 5 (or at least thatโs how early I remember) and went through my life, but the first perfume that I classify as โnicheโ was Antoniaโs Flowers Tiempe Passate. I first tried it in 2003 and got in 2010. Here (https://undina.com/2013/01/31/my-first-niche-perfume-tiempe-passate-antonias-flowers/) is a story of it and an extremely cute picture of Rusty (he was even โfluffierโ in his younger years than heโs now).
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HA! That Rusty is a scene stealer Undina.
Give him an extra pat and treat from me please.
Portia xx
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I honestly can’t remember! Could be Lutens La fille de Berlin or Clair de musc, I don’t think I even own more than twenty niche bottles now: while there are a lot of pretty good scents, I only want to keep those that take my breath away (figuratively, of course).
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Wow Diana, Lutens La fille de Berlin or Clair de musc are gorgeous perfumes. You chose well early on.
Portia xx
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Thank you, Portia ๐
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Mine was Tauer LโAir du Dรฉsert Marocain. I have a bottle from the very first batch he made!
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I knew it would be a Tauer!!! And that’s my favorite one!!! Was the bottle different from what it is now? I remember reading somewhere that the first Tauers had different bottles.
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Yes, it is a tall rectangular bottle (100ml) with a silver matte plastic cap. That was the only scent he released in that bottle. Then he went to smaller rectangular bottles (50ml) with shiny gold caps. Finally he went to the cobalt blue pentagonal bottles. I have every bottle style heโs ever made. LOL. ๐
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I LOVE that you have every style of his bottles. I also LOVE that you have the very first batch of LDDM in the original unique and different bottle……you are a true perfumista in my eyes!!!!
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I love the frangrance! And very special you have the original bottles and perfume from the very first batch.
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You were a VERY early adopter TaraC,
Amazing. I love that you were there right at the start of Andy’s journey.
Portia xx
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Beautiful perfume and a true niche one! I donโt think Iโve ever seen old bottles from this brand.
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I tested a lot of niche scents after discovering a new niche perfumery only a few blocks away. Around 2012? Sadly that shop didnโt survive long term roadworks in the adjacent high street. Anyway, I think Teint de neige by Villoresi was the first one, but I quickly fell out of love with that one. Then my sister and BIL brought me Tauer Une Rose Chyprรฉe, bought in London at Les Senteurs. While many Tauer perfumes are not for me, I love several of them. Just wish I found one in a BLUE bottle to really love now.
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Hi there Ingeborg,
Teint de neige by Villoresi is so loved by the hardcore perfume crew. It was your first? What a grown up nose you had.
Portia xx
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I cannot say what my first niche perfume was, though I can remember my first bottle of my very own, it was Avon Charisma, and I was all of five or six years old when I got it. I do know that NST was my first perfume blog, and that was what started the perfumemania. I even remember how I hit on the blog, I was looking online for a particular essential oil, and among the results Now Smell This popped up. I’m thinking this was about 2006-or-7 but can’t swear to it. It was like I had found a little corner of heaven. So many of the comments and articles were about perfume houses I hadn’t even heard of until then. And upon further snooping I came to find the Perfumed Court, where I purchased my first set of samples, but as I said, can’t remember for the life of me what they were.
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OMG!!!! My very first perfume bottle was also an Avon!! I think I was all of five or six. After that a demanded a perfume wardrobe lol ๐.
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Oh, oh, oh โ My first perfume was an Avon too! Canโt for the life of me remember the name.
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Mine was Field Flowers. My mum bought it for me because she got tired of me sneaking spritzes of her perfume LOL ๐คฃ ๐
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The Perfumed Court was so amazing back in the early years, it still may be but I haven’t been there for a while. I remember spending HOURS trolling all their offerings. What a wonderful gateway it was.
Portia xx
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I always liked scents, but my early options were limited to drugstore availability. I bought zillions of samples from STC, with Smell Bent being my first truly new to me house, but I think they are considered indie.
I remember buying a FB of Philosykos and Guerlain Idylle Duet during a wonderful trip to Montreal.
I knew I was in deep trouble though when I purchased a PB of Tihota from the Perfume Shoppe – simply a goner…..
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Tihota will do that! Very gorgeous fragrance. Tihota was one of my early niche purchases as well.
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Hi Tena,
Smell Bent are so outrageous. Yes, I’d classify them as Indie too but they’re also niche. Brent was a real way with quirk and a sense of humour that fragrance so often lacks.
Portia xx
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And I also appreciate that his fragrances are so affordable and he does regular 40 percent off sales a few times a year and he sells smaller sizes….all good in my book ๐
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Public Service Announcement
Just looked on the Smell Bent website. Huge sale going on.
Buy 2 Get 1 free on select scents that are already reduced to half price. Other fragrances are also on sale. I think the sale ends tomorrow.
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You are the devil in a pink tutu๐
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You know it
๐๐๐
But seriously, those prices are outrageously cheap!!!
Each bottle ,1.7 oz, ends up being $20 USD if I have done my math correctly.
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๐ฏ in that case she should buy two of each!
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For many years I had Dioressimo and Cristalle and that was it. There’s a niche perfume store near work and the owner spritzed on some Parfumerie Generale L’Eau Rare Matale on me at lunch – at coffee break I went back and bought it. Alas, I soon had perfume heartache when I bought a backup bottle and it was smaller, more expensive AND much fainter. Fortunately I have found many, many other perfumes to love.
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Hey AnnieA,
I never smelled LโEau Rare Matale but did you get your nose on his Le Croissierre (yes, I really did a job on that spelling, sorry. Too lazy to check) line? They didn’t get a lot of good press but I really enjoyed the offerings.
Portia xx
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The croisiรจre range has made my sister interested in trying niche perfume (she has previously used some Un bateau pour Capri by Eau dโItalie and various French and American perfumes mainly). She has nearly emptied a bottle of Paris-Seychelles, so now looking for something less floral and more woody, for use in the office and on a long train commute. Any ideas?
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I hate the fact that I do not really remember which was my first niche purchase but I have a feeling (not very reliable) that it was an L’Artisan creation.
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WOW! You are the first to say L’Artisan Fazal,
That’s a big surprise for me seeings they have been at it since the 1970s.
Portia xx
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Iโm also surprised: I was positive that I was in the minority to find this house that late in my perfume journey.
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I think Iโve got you beat. I didnโt try any of them until about 5 years ago. Probably missed all the good stuff too. Late to the party.
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I started collecting perfumes in 2001, took a little break between 2008 and 2010 before resuming. I did not really touch any niche brand until I resumed hobby in 2010 and I think my first niche acquisition was in 2011.
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First came Antoniaโs Flowers on holiday in Naples, Florida. Probably around 1987. Then the floodgates opened in 1991/2 with loads of Annick Goutals. I think Eau de Charlotte came first. Quickly followed by Eau de Ciel, Folavril, Eau dโHadrien, Gardenia Passion…..and the rest, as they say, is history.
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Oh my goodness! We have identical experiences and the same decades too!!! Maybe you aren’t my evil scent twin after all? LOL ๐คฃ ๐๐ ๐
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Only evil when I want to be ๐ฟ
All though we disagree on several, Brigitte is not one of them ๐
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So glad you’re enjoying it!! It’s a very feminine scent, right? It’s quickly become my favorite lilac.
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Itโs the right kind of feminine. Not exaggerated with frills, flounces and bows.
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Yes and I love how you described it… it’s soft but it has a presence and excellent longevity even on my scent devouring skin. The next time I might just order the extrait bottle.
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Iโd give that a try, for sure. Iโve never tried any DSH perfumes, but given what she has done with Brigitte, Iโm suddenly much more interested. I have a theory that if one or two of a given house suit me, chances are good there will be several others that click as well. I was sooo tempted to finish the entire vial, but restrained myself. I want to send some off to Cassie. See if sheโs as impressed as I am
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IT’s actually NOT DSH it’s Sarah Horowitz Perfumes. Yes, please send it off to Cassie! I was already planning on sending you some more in the next go round ๐
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I found Portia’s post!!!
http://perfumeposse.com/2018/11/28/sarah-horowitz-parfums-american-perfumer-interviews/
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More? Miss Greedyguts here is not complaining!!
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Loving reading all these memories of places and perfumes Marcella,
I didn’t even know there was a Naples, Florida. Is it a resort town?
Portia xx
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Yes, on the Gulf Coast and away from the spring breaker madness.
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Hmmmmm. LUSH Karma the week it came out. 1995. HdP 1969. 2001. LโArtisan Patchouli Patch. 2002.
I need to try the Patchouli Patch again. Bet it has changed. I loved that stuff.
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WOW! I didn’t even hear of LUSH till well into this century Val. So cool you were an early adopter.
Portia xx
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LUSH opened in 94 or 95. I think it was their second store, in Bath, that I bought it in. I bought it on a visit home, I think when Blondeswunder turned one. Way early yeah. I am pretty sure I was the only one in Austria, maybe Europe, wearing it. I still love LUSH, and have used their Celestial Cream for years. Knocks spots off of so many high end brands. ๐
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Youโre ahead of the curve, Val!
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Sacrebleu by Nicolai Parfumeur Createur bought in a small perfumery in a Stuttgart in the middle of a terrible winter for the last penny. An unforgettable moment to me. Then Premier Figuier by L’Artisan Parfumeur.
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WOW Margo,
Sacrebleu is a wonderful first purchase. How fabulous is Patricia Nicolai? I love her and quite a lot of her range.
Portia xx
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Update: Had a revelation at around 4 a.m. Further to finding NST, within the articles for Sampaguita I discovered Ormonde Jayne. Purchased the discovery set almost immediately and loved many of them. First fb was Frangipani, bought by hubby for Christmas, and Followed by Sampaguita, Champaca, Zizan and Orris Noir, not necessarily in that order. So Iโm thinking that Frangipani was my first full bottle niche. I may have further recollections at 4 a.m. tomorrow morning. ๐ณ
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HA! Keep ’em coming. I’m loving it.
Portia x
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Ha!!!
Good one Cassie!
Looks like you are my insomnia twin. ๐ด๐ด๐ด
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Itโs such a p.i.t.a.๐ Iโd say you know what Iโm saying. Then I canโt get up when Iโm supposed to.
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it really is a PITA!!! For me what happens is that I am beyond exhausted at 6pm and passing out while watching TV with Mr Marzipan. IF I was retired and did not have a long drive to work I would not mind so much. But having to drive when sleep deprived is NOT fun.
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OJ was the brand that actively sent me down the rabbit hole of niche perfumery. Before then I was just a perfume enthusiast ๐ Taโif, Tiare, Frangipany, Champaca, Orris Noir, Tolu, Woman – and I donโt think itโs the complete list of what I wear from the brand (mostly, from their convenient travel sprays but I have couple of bottles as well).
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My sister was an early fan of Eau de Ciel, and dragged me to Barney’s (I think they had AG exclusively in the 80s in the US). I fell in love with Eau de Camille – can’t remember the exact year, I wore it for so long. We are so competitive, but luckily I was never tempted by Ciel nor she by Camille.
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I loved them both! You and your sister had good taste!
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Thanks! I miss Camille so much. AG has really discontinued some classics. ๐ฆ
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And I wore Eau de Ciel. Miss it too. Iโd love to get a whiff of it.
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I agree. Eau de Camille was so unique and just sublime. I wish it would be brought back.
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I bought about $70 worth of manufacturers samples from a local perfumery. A few months later I went back and bought my first niche bottles, Montale Jasmin Full and Nicolai Eau Soleil.
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Hey there SunnyDay,
I never smelled Jasmin Full but I love Eau Soleil, lovely choices.
Portia xx
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My first niche perfume purchase, if I remember well, was a set of DSH minis: Cafe Noir, Au Lait, Powder, Pamplemousse and Menthe Modern. Loved them insanely at that time, since they opened a new olfactory experience to me.
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Wow! First mention of DSH! I am interested in the Au Lait and I have never heard of Powder.
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I got them like 10 years ago. Not sure if all or some of them are still in production. At that time DSH didn’t have so many perfume offers. Now, the variety is amazing!
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Yes I always find perusing her offerings to be a challenge! so many perfumes ๐
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Hello my dearest fragrant family! I have missed you all soooo much. ๐๐
Mine was SL Tuberose Criminelle. I freaking love tuberose and this was amazing!
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Jyotsna!!!! Welcome home! We missed you too! So happy to have you back where you belong. You are smelling superb, so nothingโs changed in that department ๐
Iโve thought of you frequently, especially your love of rain ๐คฃ๐คฃ
Stick around for a bit, wonโt you ๐
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Marcella!! ๐ I have missed you! I hope the summer is beautiful & warm & that you are having a glorious time. I am going to binge read the APJ archives all week.
Feels so good to be back here.
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Oh my goodness! Welcome back, Jyotsna!!!! We missed you!!!!
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Thank you, Brigitte ๐๐ I have thought of you all pretty much non-stop. Iโve also made a couple of my own oil blends- jojoba & ginger oil and jojoba & rosehip. Youโd be proud of me.
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Nice ๐๐
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