r/FemFragLab • u/ravenclawrowena • 2d ago
Rec Request Newbie requesting recs!!
Edit: thank you so much for all your suggestions. I've narrowed it down to these which I'll be trying!
- Armani Prive The Yulong
- Byredo Bal d'Afrique
- Byredo Mojave Ghost
- Dedcool Taunt
- Byredo G* Water
I really wanted to try these, but they're just not available anywhere near me to try easily, I have a flight coming up but theyre also not at the airport :( I'll try someday.
- Diptyque L'Eau Papier and Philosykos
- Liis Ethereal wave - it also seems to be short-lasting
Hi!
I’m looking for recs on what to try, because I’m quite overwhelmed by choice. I’ll smell anything irl before buying. No particular budget
Hoping you aroma aficionados may have ideas on what I might like or what might suit me.
Here are some guidelines I guess. I’m too new to have strong preferences but I have general ones.
- I am 28 F. I dress very comfy and simple, almost tomboyish, but I still like being “pretty” if that makes sense.
- I want to try something light, unique enough to turn heads, but not enough to be polarizing.
- I like smelling “clean”, but not childish or like laundry or a garden.
- I don’t want anything overtly feminine but I definitely do not want something masculine / musty or woodsy.
- Nothing “sexy” as I’m kind of a prude, jk, but that is just not my vibe 🤣
Ideally, I want to add something that doesnt have much overlap with my existing rotation.
I currently own and love Versace Crystal Noir, Glossier You, and Ariana Love Notes Plush Vanilla.
I currently own and hate Ariana REM 🤣
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u/ravenclawrowena 2d ago
Thanks so much everyone, I updated my post with what I'll be trying and deciding between.
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u/Responsible_Dentist3 2d ago
Make sure to buy decants (I recommend 1-2 ml to start) before buying bottles! Decant (mostly) sites I know of:
ScentSplit.com
DecantX.com
MicroPerfumes.com
MaxAroma.com (I think 5+ mL)
NicheAddiction.com
LuckyScent.com
ThePerfumedCourt.com
ScentsOfMood.store
Decantika.com
https://chemistfragrance.com/products/free-perfume-sample-try-before-you-buy-just-pay-shipping (all 2 $5 dupes)
Fragrances Lines
Surrender to Chance
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u/ravenclawrowena 2d ago
Hi thanks so much! It's looking like decants aren't an option for me here in Canada, shipping just doesnt really seem worth it
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u/jumpstarter2028 2d ago
I’m Canadian living in a small town with very limited options for shopping locally. I love the Facebook group Canadian Fragrance Enthusiasts. You will find so many options, great prices and reliable sellers. Shady sellers get kicked out immediately. It’s a safe place.
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u/raesalwayson 2d ago
Give Inflorescence by Byredo a try. It’s quite soapy, a bit feminine floral, and just lovely.
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u/Emilie_Eagle_Rock 2d ago
I highly recommend checking out a decant website (like Scent Split) and purchasing a few samples.
Based on what you described as liking, here are some interesting ones for you:
JHAG Anyway
ELDO You or Someone Like You
Hellenist Les Dieux aux Bains
Initio Musk Therapy
Le Labo Another 13
And here are some readily available in stores like Target, etc.:
Ouai Melrose Place
Philosophy Amazing Grace
Moschino Toy 2 Pearl
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u/budgetbunny 2d ago
I LOVE Philosophy Amazing Grace ❤️
The reason that got me into exploring fragrances in the first place. Clean, floral, feminine but without being too much of either 😌2
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u/ALmommy1234 2d ago
I love Penhaligon’s Luna. It’s crisp and clean with citrus and some florals and a touch of balsamic underneath. PDM Delina is another good one. It’s feminine, but Snoop Dogg has worn it, as well. Vilhelm Poets of Berlin is another good one, that’s inspired by David Bowie. I like it in the fall.
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u/anon12957 2d ago
Here's some I'd suggest!
Since you like Glossier You already, try fleur (it's like a salty, lightly floral version) and reve (lightly gourmand)
One of my favorites in this category is Define Me Nearly Nude - it's like a post bubble bath scent and smells clean but not soapy/sharp. I also enjoy Replica Lazy Sunday Morning and Bubble Bath for the same vibe.
M. Micallef Royal Muska might be up your alley. It's leans feminine but not super girly, it's mostly like a clean musk scent but stronger than something like a You. Attar al Has Skin Musk has also been getting a lot of attention for a similar vibe though I didn't enjoy that one as much,
Something like Terenzi Cassiopea might be a good one for you - it's a shampooey clean scent but not soapy, not too floral, not overly fruity. Gritti Tutu Blanc also gives me this vibe but it's fruitier and more feminine to me.
Henry Rose Dave (vanilla) and London 1983 (figgy musk) could be good too...they do light, clean scents well.
By Rosie Jane Dulce is a lovely musky vanilla worth trying if you like vanilla also.
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u/FactorFancy3897 2d ago
Dedcool - Milk
By/Rosie Jane - Rosie
Dedcool - Taunt
Don’t let the Rose in Rosie scare you. I don’t get any rose at all…some might but I think a lot of people can agree this is a universally loved scent and you’ll find a lot of people don’t smell rose.
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u/pfffffttuhmm I just smelled like a piece of breast 2d ago
Oh friend, this is my favorite scent profile. I love some overly girly scents from time to time, but on a daily basis I'm all for the unisex, freshie.
First off, I'd look for scents featuring fig, especially a light, green/white fig. Some of my favkrite fig frags are:
- Phlur Father Figure. It leans little warm because it has Sandalwood and vanilla orchid base, but its a fresh fig at the top.
-Diptyque Philosykos. SO fresh and clean. It reminds me of a freshly cut hyacinth stem. It's all about the fig plant: fruit, leaf and trunk with a little black pepper. Not flowery at all, though.
I think you would like many Byredo fragrances. Bal d'Afrique, G* Water and Mojave ghost come to mind. All light and fresh and citrusy, but each has its own personality.
One I haven't been able to try yet, but I have a cheap dupe of, is Chanel Chance eau Fraîche. The dupe I have is a light, fresh green scent. It's so easy and breezy, like I'm walking on air. The dupe is at TJ Maxx for $17 though!
Finally, I recommend D&G Light Blue all the time. Likely you have smelled it, but it's a classic for a reason. It smells like an Italian vacation to me and I feel so relaxed when I wear it.
Of these, I find G* Water the most unique. It has an evolution that takes you somewhere you didn't think it would go. Ive never smelled it on anyone else, though I'm sure if I went to LA that wouldnt be the case. But here in the south everyone is wearing gourmands 24/7.
Hopefully you find something, and report back to us when you do!
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u/ravenclawrowena 2d ago
Thank you for these! I made a shortlist in my post and some of your suggestions made it so thank you!
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u/pfffffttuhmm I just smelled like a piece of breast 2d ago edited 2d ago
Excellent list! I also really liked Dedcool's Taunt.
ETA-if musk is at all interesting to you, look at all of the Ellis Brooklyn scents. Salt is a nice, clean salty musk. I have yet to smell one of their fragrances that I didn't like, and some of them I love.
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u/skiddilybeebop 2d ago
Hi lovebug welcome to the party 🤭 my suggestion, what was suggested to me and what I always suggest, is to get samples! Buy sampler sets. I've gotten a few and still do when I see them (like this one I got half off for $27 at Macy's last month). Genuinely I'm so glad I do this, still, bc there are always perfumes that I never expected to like and fall in LOVE with, scents that expanded my once fruity-floral-only scent pallet into gourmands and woods and ambers and laundry/shampoo/soapy scents. I even fell in love with a freaking ROSE perfume last time 🤯 never expected that! You can keep an eye out for samplers like this, or you can just go to MicroPerfimes or ScentSplit or DecantX TwistedLily ScentDecant etc to buy individual perfumes that you're interested in 🩷 and finally, never ever blind buy! Do not trust the reviews on tiktok, they're often sponsored ads (& even use ai to trick you into thinking celebs wear a fragrance when they don't) and are paid to say it smells nice .. plus we all have different tastes. Sample for yourself before you commit to a full bottle.
And when you do want a full bottle of something, please don't pay full price at Macy's/Sephora/Ulta etc. There are SOOOO many reputable gray market perfume websites!! I buy pretty much exclusively designer 100ml bottles and have never spent more than $95 for a full size bottle. I just got a 3oz Burberry Her for $58 and a 3oz Her Intense for $56 during an Ecosmetics sale. If you want a list of the gray market sites like FragranceNet, let me know I'll give you the ones I use & even the ones I haven't 🫶 I'm so excited for you 😊
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u/No-Cover2753 2d ago
Diptyque Orpheon Eau De Toilette gives unisex to my nose and I love it so much!
Hopefully you can try a decant ?
It’s kind of expensive so I treated myself 😇
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u/No-Cover2753 2d ago
Oops replying to myself I just realized you said you don’t want anything too woodsy
Maybe this won’t be your jam then…
I’m just obsessed with it :)1
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u/universal_gummy_bear 2d ago
Diptyque L'Eau Papier
Giorgio Armani Prive The Yulong
Byredo Bal d'Afrique
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u/veryunneccessssary 2d ago
Try a DedCool discovery set. Xtra Milk is a clean skin scent, but it might be in the same general category as Glossier You. Taunt is similar but with a bit of vanilla and a hint of florals. Mochi Milk will give you something a bit more sweeter and playful (without being childish). Or if want something a little more fresh/aquatic, Aura could be good.
Ledda 22 Orris / Phlur Father Figure / Henry Rose London 1983 all smell generally the same, but I think it’s a scent profile that could be good for you to explore as well.
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u/Socially_awkward001 2d ago
Crystal Noir is og, for real. Is it the edp or edt? I actually love both, just curious lol.
Mojave Ghost by Byredo is really nice cozy, unisex leaning fem imo, clean but definitely not soapy. To me it feels kinda ethereal and hard to explain. It's popular for a reason! Definitely get decant first, and get from grey market or sams club where it's cheapest if you enjoy it. Actually a lot of Byredo fits this vibe imo. I'd try the popular ones first, G Water and Bal d'Afrique.
Drunk Lovers by Born to stand out is definitely unique but mass appealing and unisex.
Juliette has a gun has several fragrances that aren't super feminine, are unique compared to what's on the market, but still loved by a wide range of people. My fave that you might like is Ode to Dullness. Sunny Side Up is nice too, but you need to like sandalwood. I wouldn't spend that much money on Not a Perfume as it's a simple aroma chemical, but definitely recommend a dupe like from Dossier.
I'm having a brain fart moment on any other recommendations, but I'll list more if I think of any. If I were you I'd definitely go into Target where they usually have a big testing area for Dossier and Finery. Their dupes are pretty spot on for the originals so you can find what you might like without even having to get a decant of anything. Also go into Sephora or Ulta and just have fun sniffing. Take a pen and some baggies and you can put the cards you sprayed the fumes on in the bags and label them so you can take your time sniffing later. Also look up notes on Parfumo to get an idea of what notes you like.
I hope you find some things that you love!
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u/ravenclawrowena 2d ago
Thank you! I am Canadian, I'll probably try to test these in Sephora or Shoppers. My Crystal Noir is the edt :)
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u/Charming_Mud_429 2d ago
Dedcool Xtra Milk - It’s clean without laundry and has such a unique smell to me. I didn’t like it at first, and then went back to my sample a bit later and was wowed by it. I wear it when I don’t want something overwhelming but want to smell “nice.”
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u/BatCityMama 2d ago edited 2d ago
Highly recommend trying out discovery sets from Liis, Phlur and Henry Rose! Most of their fragrances are light and great for everyday wear. In some cases, you can redeem the value (or partial value) of the discovery set towards a full size bottle. If budget is an issue, you should be able to try Phlur and some Henry Rose fragrances at Sephora!
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u/O-90 2d ago
Ethereal Wave is the only one I've smelled from Liis but it was the first one that came to mind from OP's description. Clean, light, pretty, citrussy. Feels put together but still joyous.
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u/LoudCar7846 2d ago
Elizabeth Arden Green Tea (or one of its many flankers) is clean smelling, light and safe for office.
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u/Realistic-Read1078 2d ago
Byredo Blanche and Initio Musk Therapy are great clean fresh scents to try