...Great thought topic! Currently my olfactory happy places are:1. Derek Lam 10 Crosby- "Silent Saint"- wispy cottony musk2. Tom Ford- "Portofino Neroli"3. Jo Malone- "Lime, Basil and Mandarin"These are not necessarily my favorite fragrances all the time, but I wear these for that boost and to ward off the blues. This Spring I am looking for a new suggestion in the citrus, Mango or jasmine family to keep a smile plastered on my face. And so the quest continues!

...I have a bottle of Chloe's Fleurs de Capucine that is actually growing a milky residue. Fortunately, it is replaceable for a reasonable price. I got it as a trade so I can't say how it spent the first part of it's life, but it's been stored in a dark cool cupboard for the past year. It smells O.K....I think-but white milky floaters spells an easy way to get MRSA infections to my Microbiologist-Mind. Not worth it. So sad, it's still nearly full. Any one else have a visual deterioration issue?

...ScentFan:I have major problems with some scents, too: all of PK Perfumes and Tauer Perfumes, for instance, and some Oriza L. LeGrand, beautiful though they are. Lines or houses that never seem to bother me are: AmouageBijanCaronClive ChristianCotyCreedDior Private CollectionD. S. & DurgaGrèsGuerlainJoop!JovoyL'ArtisanPaco RabanneParfums de NicolaiPerfumer's WorkshopRamon MonegalSalvador DaliSerge Lutens (except L'Eau Froide, Nuit de Cellophane, and Sarrasins which swiftly close my nose)SlumberhouseOMG! Bingo on the Nuit de Cellophane for me too. I have sampled almost all of this house, love quite a few...but Nuit de cellophane I blind bought a 50 ml bottle and it smells wonderful but immediately causing my sinuses to close up and sneezing! So weird!!!

...My non-sinus irritating fragrance list is quite small...my collection gently weeps...but here are some that I have found tolerable in this phase (it is jut a temporary phase, right?!):1. Le Labo- Ambrette 9 (Alcohol-free/water based "baby formulation") requires layering with body wash, fragrance oil...to get decent longevity- but I love the peachy musky scent.2. Chanel Cristalle Au Verte3. Il Profvmo- Musc Bleu4. Helmut Lang- Men's cologne (which is actually very unisex on me)5. Honore de Pres- Love Coco- you must love coconut, carrots and sandalwood to wear, but...6. Santa Maria Novella- Muschio7. Ava Luxe- everything I've sampled seems fine from this line (LTBL, Cafe Noir, Figuier, Nude Musc)

...Cincy:No way would I wear fragrance when walking my dog. Many marshes where mosquitoes breed and swarm are attracted to the smell. :twisted:I used to save my "With Love" by Hilary Duff for walking in the swampy forest behind my house...I think it has a natural bug repellent in it (cedarwood oil, most likely).

...Wow, Cryptic...that is so true! I never really considered my dogs or cat's feelings about my "stinky obsession"- it's must be totally overwhelming for them to be in the same room with all those different testers when we're trying 4 or 5 different fragrances in a day at such high intensity. I'm going to test cheese and bacon fragrances next just to give them a treat.

...Yep! Having made the same discovery recently...oh, the irony! My Ambrette 9 water based fragrance (for babies) doesn't bother me at all- down side it last for all of 5 minutes- tried to "booster" with the alcohol based version- massive headache...ugh! Not sure what triggers it for me- it seems not just alcohol but some other oils or fixative really exaggerate the condition. I love Aqua Di Parma Colonia- but this one really causes problems along with Serge Luten's Nuit De Cellophane, Carnal Flower and my beloved signature scent Peau De Peche (which does have a large dose of aldehydes in the base). The biggest offenders are Eternity Calvin Klein and my Sensi sample. The least offending- Penhaligon's formulations, Not sure which direction to turn now- tried just pure oils but "Child" perfume oil and Saffron James "Punono" oils also trigger sneezing fits and vicious sinus pain/ migraines. The problem runs across era, class, price, notes formulation for me.

...In the US- Pacific Region, because it may be different else where- still D&G Light Blue- yawn, Ralph- by Ralph Lauren, La Vie est Belle, Stella EDT, Dolce Vita, Creed Spring Flower, Marc Jacobs Dot and Versace Yellow. For Men I see a lot of Fahrenheit 0, John Varvatos cologne, Molecule 01 (Escentric Molecules) and Creed Green Irish Tweed

...I don't even always wear pants when I walk the dogs in the morning! They wake up at about 5:30am these days ready to rage-pee on the nice creamy colored carpet. But if I did have time to spritz/dab something- I think it would be Ava Luxe- Cafe Noir

...Tubereuse Criminelle- Serge Lutens- a most unique menthol take on Tuberose!Bvlgari Black- If that one is discontinued...several people will cry molten rubber tire tears!Tom Ford- Tobacco Vanilla

...Love Musks!Like wine, it keeps me awake at night worrying that I will never be able to try them all before I die!My holy grail musk, so far is Santa Maria Novella Muschio followed closely by Musc Bleu by IL Profvumo. These two will always stay in my collection.I have a range from the Jovan White Musk/Body Shop classic clean White Musk to Le Labo Musc 25 which is clean and weirdly like a certain male bodily fluid at the same time, yet oddly wearable and business appropriate. I also love my Bruno Acampora Eau de Musc- which last 24 hours and goes from a vintage floral musk to a super clean soapy light musk after several hours- it actually gets cleaner over time (?). I have a sample of Mona di Orio D'Or Musc- which I was scared to try- I was expecting super dirty and skanky and it turns out to be shockingly soft and J&J Baby powdery almost like a loukhoum scent. Scary and brilliant musks that I have tried are both by Nasomato- Black Afghano (or as I call it 'Khal Drogo'/'the Wrath of Khan' musk) and Silver Musk- which to me starts of light and fresh and becomes a vegetal galaxolide wave and then becomes a spicy cardamom tigress lasting 12 hours easily.Does anyone want to comment on Royal Muska by M. Micallef or Al-Rehab or Montale Musks? I smelled all of the Montale line in one day so I can't really remember any thing but I know there are a lot of them!

...Had to work half a weekWorking from home in my stinky glory...Wed: Imperial Tea by Killian (Indoles!!!)Thurs: Musc 25 by Le Labo (other bodily fluids...)Fri: Shalimar EDP- I only wear this about once a year and always in the Summer!

...Hi Gardenia- Send me a message if you are able to ship to US. We have had lots of regulations in the past. But they keep changing!Thanks!

...Needed something to push my order up into "free shipping" and stumbled upon this beauty- lovely spicy lily and carnation- went back and ordered another bottle and the room diffuser immediately I'm lovin' it!Casa by Apothia

...My hot pink/fuchsia roses peeped out this morning and I was caught off guard by their exuberance. Here in the Pacific Northwest US- we have just survived another neon-golden hued yellow-vicious Ginestra/Scotch Broom outbreak (considered and invasion weed here-most people are allergic to it- everyone's sneezing and crying... but Santa Maria Novella makes fantastic Cologne called "Ginestra"). The other thing that popped out yesterday on the roads is beautiful pastel pink Lupines. So we're "Pretty in Pink" here, you might say!

...Briarthorn:I just tried the new formulation of the Laura Ashley no.1 It wasn't bad at all. It had a nice 80s vibe. Very Molly Ringwald in "sixteen Candles". I can't recall the original scent perfectly but the new one is at least has the same feel as the original (thanks to the peach). Here in the states the new version is in the discount stores like Ross, TJMaxx and Marshalls for a song (and in a pretty bottle). Perhaps you can find it affordably in the UK too. I don't think giving it a go would be amiss. I can say for sure that the new version isn't as deep or complex as the original, but if you don't put them side by side I think you may be satisfied with this new interpretation (especially if you get it affordably).Ooooh! Thanks so much for this input! I live near a TJ Maxx- so I'll be on the look out for it! I find it fascinating that seemingly totally different formulations can lead to similar "scent memories". I am excited to try it now!

...Halston "Z-14" or "Lagerfeld" by Karl Lagerfeld are timeless classics-sort of sweet/powdery daytime appropriate, for men that are still fairly easy to find and within budget.

...1. Carriere by Gendarme= Pure Grace by Philosophy2. Perfect Veil by Sarah Horowitz= Nude Musk by Ava Luxe3. Artemesia by Penhaligon= Cashmere Mist by Donna Karan4. Philosykos by Diptique= Mediterranean Fig by Pacifica5. No.9 Blackberry Musk by Trish McEvoy= Falling In Love by Philosophy

...I recently discovered my "gold star" floral notes are Lilies (Stargazer, in particular), Neroli, Freesia. Hawthorne shimmers on my skin. This is very different from what I imagine I like (Tuberose, Jasmine). What doesn't work on my skin at all are Violets in any form. For foody notes, I am always attracted to vanilla fragrances, but honestly, vanilla turns boozy, candy-like and cloying on me- even the driest vanillas. Grapefruit is a no-go- totally rancid within 20 minutes, consistently. Rum intensive fragrances such as Frapin's "1697" and Guerlain's "Spiritueuse Double Vanille" just unwearable, except for one week in late December- although in theory, I love the idea. Mushroom/ truffle notes such as TF's "Noir de Noir" become hyper truffle- like a country bistro in the South of France in mid-January. Berries turn bitter and green fig fragrances which I adore smell so over the top green and herbaceous- it has blown some SA's minds... what always works- and it is ironic since I am allergic to the actual fruit is Peaches/ Nectarines (?!). Petigrain, Cyclamen and Vetiver are equally poor on my skin. The biggest stars are Galbanum, Cardamom, Hinoki and anything in the musk category...smells fresh and at home on my skin- even if it is not a "clean white musk". Go figure!

...Been testing and would like to add "Rose Oud" by Illuminum and Serge Lutens' "La Fille de Berlin".