To Dis or Not to Dis

Hi, everyone. I have a question. Recently I ordered samples from a niche house and found myself repulsed by every single fragrance. I mean, really repulsed. My nose smelled some sort of horrible synthetic and just closed. I waited, tried again and got the same result. I was going to write a sniff fest of the line, but what to do? If it were me, I'd hate to be so badly reviewed. OTOH, I can't possibly recommend them. What would you do?

I would like to see your reviews. So, if I were you I would write them. Ha ha.

I think it would be helpful. If I found the same problem with one of the perfumes then I would know to splash my cash on some other samples.

There are a few artificials that play havoc with my nose. Fantasy raspberry notes, grapefruit, some of the musks, all overpower so I can't smell anything else.

I know if anyone had the same experience with Teint de Neige as I do (the most astonishingly powdery, musky, sucker punching bombshell I have ever smelt) then if they also had that same experience with another perfume it would be very useful to me so that I could go smell something else. After all, I am not particularly looking for a new purchase (but one never knows) but am in it for the experience.

Review them. I had the same experience with the Atelier Des Ors.

I can understand your hesitation, ScentFan. I wouldn't be eager to trash an entire line, especially if we're talking about a small niche house that's just starting out. However, if there are already positive reviews of the line out there in the perfume community, you'd be helping to provide some balance.

Thanks, DorothyGrace, ScentedSalon and Cryptic. For me this is troubling, but I've thought about it and realized I can't review the samples because, at the slightest whiff, my nose starts its defensive shut down process. The new line is from Sylvaine Delacourte and consists of Dovana, Florentina, Helicriss, Lilylang and Smeraldo. Suffice it to say that if you liked Guerlain's L'Instant Magic which she designed then give her new offerings a try. They're nicely packaged and come with already-labeled test strips. Also, there's some sort of tutorial about testing perfumes on her site.

However, if like me you didn't enjoy L'Instant Magic because it assaulted your nose with synthetics, then stay far, far away from these new ones.

Aha, I see what you mean. I personally liked Florentina for it's iris note but it may be that you are averse to musks, as I am, and that is why you are shutting down with these. Give the samples another try when the weather changes. There are so many perfumes and even notes that I could not stand only to end up loving them later.

What a shame, ScentFan. I was hoping this line would be a runaway success, prompting SD to leave Guerlain forever, but I fear it will suffer the same fate as Tom Ford's white musk line.

Have you heard any news about Jean-Paul Guerlain's exclusive line? It was all over the perfume blogs last year but I haven't seen any mentions recently.

I think a review of this line would be very helpful. I follow a few people who seem to have the same kind of nose I do and I always appreciate it when they put out how they perceived different things. It helps me to know what pitfalls I may find in a particular line. I'm sure you have similar followers. I would just suggest that you try to keep the review more focused on the particulars and specifics of what you don't like (ie. synthetic overtones, or sharp notes etc.) and avoid the bashing of the scents generally.

I'm not into being negative here. However if I really, really hated something I'd try to find a way of making it into a positive. There are niche houses where the nose is so intrinsic, that one will love or hate and entire line, I've experienced a couple of those. For me this is what makes perfumery more interesting, when balanced against the overwhelming torrent of mass market blandness.

Yes, I did, Cryptic. I was going to the unfolding of the new line, had my ticket in hand, and actually boarded the flight when I suddenly felt terribly ill and had to get off. My bag made it to France without me. I've been tempted to write a blog entitled: "How I missed a Genius, a Prince and a Soirée in Versailles." Now I'll have to wait until they go on sale in November, I think it is.

I would, Briarthorn, but I physically can't tolerate them enough to detect anything and write a review. One sniff, and I'm anosmic.

Oops, missed multiple replies. Thanks for them. I'll try the Delacourte line again in case they fare better when the climate's warm.

Hubby and I just tried the Deco line out of London and their six offerings. For men: Ernest, Lawrence, Quentin and for women Constance, Loretta, Millicent. Synthetics alert. I am literally now gasping for air. Thus this dis. In the few moments I could still breathe Quentin and Loretta seemed the best which isn't saying a lot. Read a promotional article somewhere that they're all the rage of fashionable London. I seriously doubt it.