Perfume newbie looking for some help

[lunabee34]

Several people in my DW circle are really into perfume, and I've been reading and enjoying their posts for a while now. One of them mentioned this community had started, and I figured this was a good place to ask some questions.

I have been to the BPAL website, and I have to admit that I find the descriptions of the perfumes kinda intimidating and confusing. I'm not sure where to start.

I also have the added issue that my husband reacts poorly to some scents. He can't abide anything heavily floral which has limited my perfume choices over the years.

I was wondering if I could get some BPAL recommendations from those of you who are more familiar with the perfumes there based on my scent likes/dislikes that I've listed below the cut. :)



Likes

All citrus
Herbal scents like rosemary, basil, parsley, clary sage
Grass
Green plants
Lavender
Fresh Cannibas Santal (Top Notes: bergamot, Brazilian orange, black plum; Middle Notes: patchouli, cannabis accord, rose: Bottom Notes: chocolate, vetiver, vanilla musk)
Church incense

Beyond that, I'm not really sure what I like. :)

No-Gos

Anything overly sweet
Anything floral, particularly tea rose, gardenia and honeysuckle


I would appreciate any recommendations y'all can give me.

Comments

[lunabee34]

Oh, wow. Thank you so much for the recs and for the tips. :) I really appreciate it.

All those you listed sound fantastic, particularly Embalming Fluid.

I am getting excited for payday!!

What's your favorite BPAL scent?

[teaotter]

I can't possibly pick just one. Actually, I can't even pick just two -- have four: :D

From the General Catalog, my favorites are The Curator (Mysterious herbs and ancient resins. Dust settled on ancient relics, both holy and malevolent) and Dracul (Black musk, tobacco, fir, balsam of peru, cumin, bitter clove, crushed mint, and orange blossom).

Limited Editions, my favorites are The Montauk Project (shagbark hickory, sassafras, black gum, bald cypress, pine, dogwood, wild comfrey, swamp sunflower, and trumpet creeper) and Mopsfledermaus (Brown sugar and ginger root with smoky clove, bourbon vanilla, cardamom, and Indonesian musk).

[lunabee34]

Heeeeee. I just went to your journal and started reading your review posts that were on the first page. Curator sounds really neat.

I worry that I don't have a discerning enough nose to appreciate all the nuances of these fragrances. But I am going to try!

[teaotter]

The thing is to enjoy it. It doesn't matter if you appreciate the nuances or identify all the notes -- or any notes at all. If you enjoy the way you smell with something, that's the important part.

My tastes changed quite a bit over the years, some of which is probably having a more discerning nose, but some of it is just realizing that I can enjoy smelling like all kinds of different things.

In other words: Have fun!

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

thank you. This is indeed wise advice. :)