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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 you’ll 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.
Over 100 responses I will draw a Secret Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
Last Weeks Winner: FAZAL
eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with your address please
Saturday Question: What Cheapy Do You Wear?
So many ways you can find a cheap. It might be a Drug Store fragrance, or a Celebrity Perfume. Maybe it used to be expensive but now it’s dirt cheap at the Discounters? Did you get a really good deal from a Sales Doc on FaceBook? No matter why it’s cheap, please tell us, and when you wear this Budget Beauty!
This question is SO ME! Really, I love to get a bargain. Sure, I buy a bunch of full price perfume but when something is deliciously discounted, has super bang for negligible price or is being sold on a Doc for peanuts I’m a goner!
Just recently there was a Libertine Parfumerie half yearly clearance sale. I didn’t go in person but got a phone call from my mate Tim telling me what was available. I couldn’t help myself, the price was TOO GOOD for a 100ml lidded tester bottle. Who can resist? So my cheap is a cheap because it was on SUPER SALE!
My Answer:
Patchouli Patch by L’Artisan Parfumeur
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Star anise, Violet, Plum, Fennel
Heart: Patchouli, Osmanthus, Vetiver
Base: Musk, Oakmoss, Cedar, Sandalwood
This 2002 release signed by Bertrand Duchaufour and Evelyne Boulanger is very in keeping with the L’Artisan credo of keeping it ultra smoothly blended, pretty and elegant. No one will be skunked, scared or even mildly challenged by Patchouli Patch. A slightly sweet, fruity chocolate version of patchouli that hums away quietly, giving little huffs through the day.
The opening is quite patchouli/plum centric and the heart softens considerably with the addition of lightly green white flower, osmanthus. Vetiver is named as a major note but doesn’t show much for me. The woods and patchouli are softened by a lovely vanilla feeling sandalwood and a little something that is reminiscent of oak moss but doesn’t smell like our old fashioned scent image of it.
A lovely, lightweight patchouli that is very spritz and go. Hopefully I’ll be getting loads of wear from it in the near future and beyond.
I am most definitely not a BD girl – But I looooooove Patchouli Patch and am deadly jealous and now I want another bottle. I rarely look at any sites for perfume. Maybe I should.
Hmmmmmm. Cheap? I guess would be my 30€ EdC Shalimar. Found by chance on Ama**n when hunting for a book. Bussis xxxx
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I think Patchouli Patch is one of those L’Artisan fragrances that has its fair share of hardcore fans. Some of them lament it has changed a lot and they anxiously browse ebay to hoard older bottles.
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Yes. Correct. The current one is not a patch (pun intended) on the original.
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It’s a really good fragrance Val, so wearable yet still has the earthy vibe of patchouli. Friendly patch, as it were. A little less refined than Coromandel. Yeah, go hunting. Sometimes that’s half the fun.
I remember when you found that affordable Guerlain! I wear mine quite a bit too. It’s my current go-to Shalimar.
Portia xx
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Patchouli Patch sounds amazing Portia!
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Yeah, it’s good. Solid frag, very wearable.
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When I think of cheap fragrances I love, one of the first names to come to mind is almost always Grey Flannel. I think even the reformulation was pretty good at least until 2010 when I last smelled it and it goes without saying it was magnificent in original formulas.
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OOOOH! Good choice Fazal.
I remember Grey Flannel being very popular last century among my school buddies.
Very nice.
Portia xx
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Grey Flannel!!!!! Wore that one in the early 80s when I was a teen!!! Such a unique fragrance!!! Loved it!
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and Congrats, Fazal!
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Thank you Brigitte 🙂
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Good question Portia, and one that I have so many answers to. I prefer to use the term “affordable” vs cheap! I love a quality perfume for an affordable price. My most recent purchase was Boucheron, both ept and edp are gorgeous to my nose and such a please to wear.
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Oh yes, affordable sounds infinitely more appealing, sorry Kathleen.
Those Boucherons are still fabulous. I might have a stash here, SHHH!
Portia xx
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I prefer to use the term affordable as well.I’m in the Uk and All beauty are selling Boucheron at a very good price. Without looking through my boxes of perfume….off the top of my head I can think of these affordable perumes I like.
Adam Levine for her. Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights. britney Spears Fantasy. Madonna Truth or Dare. Most of the perfumes from Next.
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YAY! Some of my favourites too Matty,
I need to pull out my Fancy Nights for winter wearings. Thanks for the reminder,
Portia xx
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Fancy Nights is such a lovely perfume Matty, I purchased a bottle a while back after reading all the positive comments.
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That’s why I bought mine, same with Adam Levine X
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The Boucheron smells like a million bucks!!!!
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SJP Stash..and O de Lancome…
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You always smell so good in Stash Anna Maria, so sexy on you,
Portia xx
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That would be vintage 4711 cologne. Nice to apply after showering in the gym. Another one I wear quite frequently during summer is the minty Lush Dirty.
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Excellent that you wear 4711 a lot Jac, what a superb cologne. So simple yet perfect for multiple situations. If you ever have baths it makes a beautiful fragrance if you add a teaspoon or so just before you plunge.
Portia xx
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Will give that a try 👍
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I need to get my nose back on 4711. That was a staple in my childhood home.
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Easy peasy answer for me. Caron Pour Un Homme. And I have you to thank for this Portia. You sent along a sample in the first PPP I won. It didn’t take me long to buy a FB for peanuts. A great fragrance. Goes anywhere, anytime. Also a pleasure to wear at bedtime.
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AMAZING Marcella,
I love that story. So happy that you love it so much, I do too and am making my way through a bottle very rapidly considering how much choice there is around here. SNAP!
Portia xx
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Oh yess!!!!!!! and after you sent me a sample and I went gaga over it I got a very large bottle from my BPF (bestie perfume friend) and now it sits in the bedroom and we all know why 😉
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Welp, I left a comment and wordpress ate it! I love CPuH too!
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ha! and like magic it appears LOL!!!!!
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Mostly summer perfumes are my “cheapies”! Bath and body works Forever sunshine, Origins Ginger essence, C.O. Bigelow Lime and coriander.
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You know Bath and Body works has some great stuff. I could kick myself for never getting Brown Sugar and Fig when they sold the EDT
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I bought it and am wearing it today. I like it! Not typical of them.
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Ceil, I forgot about my Origins until you mentioned it. That is a brilliant hot weather scent.
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Hey Ciel,
I had that C.O. Bigelow Lime and Coriander Shower Gel! It was freaking gorgeous. I imagine the fragrance is a perfect summer spritz.
Portia xx
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I don’t pay much attention to prices when something is less than $100, and I have quite a few of those from the discounters: Alien Essence Absolue, Guerlain Insolence and most of my Serge Lutens 50ml bottles are in this category. I really want a bottle of that Patchouli Patch though!
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TaraC, I just recently purchased a bottle of alien essence after reading Fragrantica rated it as one of the best jasmines of 2019
and it is stunning! The scent and longevity are remarkable for the price.
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Alien Essence Absolue is discontinued, so it’s good you got it now!
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I found a new bottle in perfect condition on ebay for a very good price. There are not many bottles available and I’m looking for a back up bottle already!
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😁😁😁
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Hey TaraC,
You guys are having a real bonanza with the US dollar at the moment. It’s so strong that buying from the discounters is becoming less affordable for us over here at the ass end of the world. LOVE that you get your Serge for bargain prices though, lucky duck.
Portia xx
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The cheapies that are currently in rotation are Courreges Blanc, Safari, Niki de Saint Phalle, Noa and Azur Riviera. and of course, Caron Pour un Homme but I see that more as Mr. Marzipan’s fragrance that I get to “borrow”.
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I am also a fan of Niki de Sainte Phalle Brigitte. So much better than the price reflects.
I’ve purchased a back up bottle because I feel that as it becomes less available, the prices will skyrocket.
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You better believe that they will skyrocket! Smart to have a backup 😉
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And how could I forget Heaven!!! I think I paid 22$ for my backup.
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Worth every penny and so much more!
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Yes, for various reasons 💛💚💙💜
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Woo Hoo! That Niki de Saint Phalle is punching so far ahead of its price. I have about six lifetimes worth here but it is getting harder to find and yes, the prices will go crazy.
Portia xx
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My collection is liberally salted with adfordable scents, mostly finds from TJMaxx. Some of my favorites: SJP Stash and Covet, Adam Levine for Her ($6!), Alaïa. All found for less than $25 US.
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WOW! Those are some excellent buys MMKinPA,
Adam Levine for $6 is unbeatable. Love the frag too.
Portia xx
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I have a few affordable, but not dirt cheap perfumes I like to wear, but they don’t really get a lot of wear. One is the fig scent from 100Bon, another the Y. Rocher Neroli (essence de fleur or something?). Other than that, my partial bottle of Ostara came with a very reasonable price tag (it was “too much” for my friend, so he quickly sold it).
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Woo Hoo! On the Ostara Ingeborg, That’s another one that will go through the roof when it becomes scarce.
Portia xx
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I always go with Stash from Sarah Jessica Parker, incredibly good cheapie 👌🏻
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Stash seems to be getting a lot of love here! I was gifted a 30 ml bottle and I loved it cause it smelled of pickles to me. I wore it daily for three and a half weeks last winter and thunked it. Definitely niche quality.
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I’ve read you say pickles about Stash before but it never smelled like that to me brigitte, Don’t you love the way fragrance hits different buttons for everyone?
Portia xx
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Yeah Alen, excellent choice. So wearable i almost every situation.
Portia xx
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The first one that comes to mind is Gap Dream! I have worn it since the 90s and will never stop loving it. Also I am still into Ralph Lauren’s Ralph perfume, in the blue bottle. And Burberry Brit. And B&BW Sun Ripened Raspberry for life!
I also have a huge perfume oil collection, they aren’t “cheap” per mL but they are small volume bottles which makes them inexpensive. BPAL, Nocturne Alchemy, and Solstice Scents comprise the majority of my oils.
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OMG!!! Gap Dream!!! those Gap scents were so amazing and so affordable! Burberry Britt I had too as well as the two flankers Britt Gold and Britt Red (such a great rhubarb scent).
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Hey Erica!
So good to see you over here at APJ.
Burberry Brit woman is a staple of mine too. I need to haul it out for some winter wearings. Did you ever grab the extract? It’s even deeper and richer. Wearing it with the EdT gives the whole lot an extra burnish.
Portia xx
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I have lots of cheapy/affordable perfumes in my collection. Quite difficult to mention them all. The cheapest ones that I am enjoying now in summer are the Pacificas, like Mediterranean Fig, Persian Rose and French Lilac. Others that come to mind are from Bath & Body Works like Cherry Blossom, Cotton Blossom, White Citrus, Coconut Lime Breeze. Also Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose, Yardley Iris, Dolce& Gabbana Light Blue. I don’t want to make the list too long, but definitely I enjoy them all.
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Pacifica!!!! yes!!! I had at least 20 of their fragrances in my perfume lifetime! such a pity that 99 percent of them have been discontinued. Their candles were also amazing and ridiculously affordable. And I love Light Blue too (even if it gets a bad rap!)
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Hiya PL67,
Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose is such a great rose for almost no money. There’s a drag queen in Sydney who wears it and rocks it like a boss.
Portia xx
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One of my first perfume loves was Outspoken by Fergie. It’s still a pretty solid fruit/leather/floral.
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Hi there Tom…
That Fergie frag was an Avon, yeah?
It was pretty and super wearable. Avon are the unsung heroes of affordable yum stuff.
Portia xx
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I’m going to say Miss Dior and Jolie Madame EDTs because I’ve paid less than 50 pence per ml for them, and Eau Fraiche, half that. Lush/Gorilla perfumes aren’t all as cheap as they used to be, but my friendly comfort scent What Would Love Do is pretty bargainous at £19.
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Woo Hoo! That’s very reasonable pricing Crikety, I reckon we can cal that affordable.
I don’t know What Would Love Do, who’s it by?
Portia xx
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Lush
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As B says: it’s one of the Lush perfumes so Mark and/or Simon Constantine, and it’s an easy lavender and benzoin mix, with a kind of cheerful tangerine-citrus shine in there.
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I actually found one of my favourite cheapies for a great price yesterday: Gucci Pour Homme II, 50mls for $40, score.
Besides that I regularly use L’Occitane Eau Des Baux (paid $50 for 100mls) and Carven Homme (paid $40 for 100mls)
Now I need to try Caron Pour un Homme and L’Artisan Patchouli Patch!
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Hey jD,
WOW for the Gucci PH II. That’s a fabulous price.
Did you know that Brad Pitt wears L’Occitane Eau Des Baux? They close the shop for him to go buy it. Cool eh?
Portia xx
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I did not know that, that’s awesome!
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I rarely buy really cheap perfumes: being a perfume snob, I know that I won’t wear them often enough to justify shelf space. I’d rather spend the same sum of money on 5 ml decant of something expensive that I’ll love wearing.
But whenever I plan to buy something, I’m a merciless deal hunter: if I know that it’s possible not to pay full price for something (which is not always possible), I might wait 6 months or more – it’s not like I’m short on what to wear.
Three inexpensive perfumes that I really like, own and wear are Bvlgari Black and mentioned by others above Pacifica Lilac and SJP Stash.
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Heya Undina,
That makes a lot of sense. A 5ml decant of something can last me years.
Bulgari Black is an excellent affordable choice. Remember when it got DCd for a while and we all went dooolally getting back ups before they were all gone. Then it came back about a year later in a slightly more accessible, less tarry rubber version of itself?
Portia xx
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I’m not going to count my good deals for this, just the ones that are usually available at affordable prices. Some of my faves for myself are Adam Levine for her, Jessica McClintock, Cabaret, Stash, Salvador Dali. I like Grey Flannel and Old Spice on my hubby.
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Salvador Dali has some amazeball scents. Hardly get discussed.
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Remember when Cabaret was affordable OH? OMG! Now it costs an arm, leg & kidney.
The original Salvador Dali and Laguna are so good, also the Pour Homme in the kooky black bottle. Their exclusive line wasn’t bad too but SUPER pricey.
Portia xx
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I recently purchased Salvador Dali, Dali parfum de toilette after reading reviews and I love it very much. I wish I had it in 1985! So happy that it is still available and at the discounters great value.
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Try the parfum, which you can easily find online in mini bottles for reasonable prices! It’s lovely.
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I have the pdt in the clear glass bottle. Is the parfum in the black bottle? Fragrancenet only has the pdt. I’d love to purchase the parfum if you have any insight where it is available?
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Yes, parfum is in the black bottle. I have found the minis on eee bay. The regular size bottles (I’ve only seen one ounce) seem to be hard to find and pricey.
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OK, got it! I’ve seen the mini black bottles on ebay, and will look for one in good condition. I recall that you mentioned you preferred the parfum over the parfum de toilette. I love the pdt, and no doubt will love the parfum version. Thank you for your responses!
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Happy hunting!
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I think if “cheapie” is going to include expensive stuff found at unbelievable prices, then it’s hard for me to go past my pre-WW1 era Jicky that I found in a flea market.
In terms of general cheapies, Monsieur Balmain, Mugler Cologne and Eau de Rochas are great summer scents that can always be found cheap. I’ll always have at least one of them on hand, I think.
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Oh yeah Greg,
That Jicky is the find of the century. You can dine out on that srtory for the rest of your life. It makes me so happy when my buddies find exquisite bargains, jealous as all hell too.
Portia xx
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Good call on Mugler Cologne, great scent for the price
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Easy. Paloma Picasso edp.
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Oh yeah Kate!
Paloma Picasso original is MONSTER good stuff. Excellent call. Did you ever get your sniff n the extrait? O M G!
Portia xx
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No. Not sure I want to. I might love it. Then what…!?
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HA! Yeah, fair call. I smelled it once. Thick and rich beyond belief.
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Unopened Caron Nuit de Noel and Tabac Blonde parfums, along with Narcisse Noir, Habinita, and one other I can’t remember the name of. ….at a garage sale! Bought them all for about the cost of one of the parfums retail. It was a good shopping day 🙂
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Sweeeeeet day indeed! The sort of thing that happens once a lifetime.
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Hello Gorgeous.
It looks like I’ve been outed for procuring that bottle of L’Artisan…
I love myself a bargain and I have plenty to choose. Thx latest from that sale was Seville A L’Aube and I should have grabbed the other less full bottle of patchouli patch. Damn!
Others bargains I wore recently are Bvlgari Black, Yatagan, Tom of Finland (£10 at Harvey Nics years ago) and Futur (which I was so lucky to get for $10 for a 50ml bottle).
XXX… T
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Seville…swoon! Superb choice.
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Im not a great bargain hunter but like some of the others above I have 2 Pacificas, Spanish Amber and French Lilac, that I adore and my eye on Lush.
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Hey Mariann,
Pacifica used to do a fragrance with the word temple in the title. I loved it so much. Gone forever, so sad.
Portia xx
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Tibetan Mountain Temple. I have half a bottle left. Middle Marzipan owns a solid AND full bottle. It was the first candle they ever made and then later was turned into a fragrance. So sad it’s discontinued.
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Portia, this naughty question had me up for three hours in the wee hours of the morning during one of my insomnia bouts looking on fragrancenet and fragrancex….Oh the things i found!!!! Old old loves from the past that are selling for a song! 4711, Trouble Legere (how is that one, btw? similar to Trouble?), Brit Extrait!!! for dirt cheap, a mini sampler of eight of the Prada Infusions….Oh I could go on and on….luckily I did not whip out my credit card!
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Hey Brigitte,
I do that too. ALL THE TIME!
Trouble Legere is beautiful, just a little less powerful and a slight juice accord to soften everything else. My Legere even has a shimmer through it, GORGEOUS! Burberry Brit extrait is SO GOOD! You’ll love it.
Those damn mini samplers are NEVER spritz, it makes me so annoyed.
DIDN”T pop out your card. Woman, you are STRONG!
Portia xx
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I am trying SO HARD to be good and not whip out that credit card……not easy when you are trolling the online discounters at 1am in the morning-LOL!
Thanks for the info on Trouble Legere….sounds like something I would definitely wear. Brit , because of the name, has significance to me, and given that I already thunked full bottles of Britt EDP, Britt Gold and Britt Red I think eventually I will NEED to have the extrait in my collection.
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When I think of cheapie, I’m talking really cheap. 🙂 Usually these are reserved for weekend runnings about. My fave is Love2Love Fresh Rose + Peach (Calice Becker!) and Auric Oils One Love and Honey Almond.
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OOO I don’t know either one of these brands…off to research!
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EEK!!! They are such a great price!!!
and now i want an Egyptian Goddess soap-LOL!
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The oils are really good quality for the price, I really love them Egyptian Goddess is one I really need to try. I get mine through Luckyvitamin.com. They are listed for $7.13 each for the 10 ml rollerball but I always get them for less with an online coupon.
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WOW! That’s like FREE Otamom!
Portia xx
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Ditto what Portia said!! That’s just about free!
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I’m writing my reply to this unhinged persons demand letter for one of my Queens turning up late to a gig. This stuff makes me so sick in my stomach. Unfair demands, bullying tactics, time and outcome fabrications have all set my teeth on edge.
Wearing good old Shalimar to help me cruise through the drama.
Portia xx
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I sort of hope it is the same episode you told us about rather a while ago, hope you manage a fair settlement now!
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Wearing Le Labo Iris 39 today, just like yesterday. I’m not sure I can smell properly today, there’s straw high as bushes in front of the cabin, so my hay fever has reached a peak. Weather is 21C, which is a normal summer’s day here.
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