Perfume doesn't seem to last

Oh thank you, nightowl, I thought it was just me. My son and his partner bought me some Jo Malone cologne for Christmas and I thought exactly as you do. The one they got for me would, I think, smell OK on a man, but I'd rather be identified as a woman. Although it's very kind of my family to buy perfume for me, I'd really rather choose my own as their choices very often don't suit me - though my sister did get me some duty free Chanel no 5 for which I was very grateful!

Loving this thread! Well done overthehill! As for Jo Malone - have tried a couple now and find that they wear off in no time and no one can smell them on me, but strangely as I have now started to leave it on the shelf it is starting to smell stronger. Just wondering do perfumes 'mature' (I always thought the opposite)? My favourites are Dolce Vita (my son always buys this for me on Christmas/birthdays when I run out), Youth Dew (in a moment of nostalgia I bought a bottle, but it doesn't smell the same as when I was in my 20s), Aromatics Elixir and the new (to me!) Flower Bomb by Viktor Rolfe. I spray on the nape of my neck, carotid and radial pulses and my decolletage! Apparently, one should spray on all pulse points on your body (not your clothes) as the smell mixes with your own body chemistry to smell unique on you. On your clothing the perfume wears you, not the other way round!

I must be one of the few people that doesn't get the general love for Jo Malone perfumes. On me they all smell like cat wee.

I have at last found my perfect scent, from an independent perfumer (is that the correct term?) who uses pure ingredients and, most important of all, is completely cruelty free. The first time I put on my favourite it was like coming home.

Oh Jo Malone perfumes are lovely. My son and Dil gave me Pomegranete Noir for Christmas.

I used to wear L'eau d'Issy until I couldn't smell it anymore so I didn't know how much I'd put on. My DD2 has bought me some Jo Malone (bluebell) which I love and stays fresh and true.

Thanks annodomini, one of my friends at art school used to come in reeking of Memoire Cherie & me ditto of Blue Grass,& we sprayed ourselves frequently during the day,I had a Saturday job at Boots ( other chemists are available) to pay for my " habit "!

Yes - you mean Blue Grass? Those were Arden fragrances. I have a bottle of Blue Grass bought in the fairly recent past - probably from Ebay.

I've had a love of perfume since I was about 14 years of age. I have been using L'Eau de Issay Miyake for a number of years. Does anyone remember Memoire Cherie & it's sister perfume Blue? something or other? They were around in the sixties, they might have been made by Elizabeth Arden.

Try the Fragrantica website - it's a mine of information on all aspects of scent. Lovely to browse

Some of the Avon perfumes are very good [others less so] I really like Percieve and the bottle is a work of art for the dressing table too.A good day perfume.

Oooh,I used to love AquaManda and one called Sea Jade too.There was also one called Tabu that was great for nights out!
Getting back to the original question,someone told me to rub a little vaseline or unscented lip balm onto your pulse points first.Then,when you spray on the perfume,it clings and lasts longer.I've found this works for me,best on neck and cleavage.
These days I love Lady Million and Diesel's Loverdose,which last well.However,I often buy cheaper Avon scents which last just as well with the vaseline.My current fave is Incandescence Blossom.

Aqua Manda used to smell of my mother's compost heap....think it must have been the orange element which made me think this! Probably much nicer now I have forgotten about the compost heap. I think the one with Blue in its title would have been Blue Jade maybe?

I think the answer is to choose a few different perfumes that you love and then alternate them. Your nose stops noticing smells after a while so you need to trick it into still taking notice. Also spraying on bra is a good plan. As it warms up the smell is directed up towards you yourself and less towards others I think. I am a perfume addict and feel naked without it. In recent years I have become a big fan of Miller Harris stuff and that is very long lasting. Might be too strong for some people but definitely worth giving it a try if you find other perfumes fade fast. smile

I just Googled Aqua Manda. It has been reintroduced and is now available again as a 'retro' perfume!

I used to have Aqua Manda in the 60s it was fab! (Everything was fab in the 60s)
I also had something with Jade in its name but I can't remember who made it, and once some body lotion called 'In Love'.

Aquamanda! Wasn't it orangey?

D oes anyone remember Aqua Manda from the 60,s.? I read a while ago that it was being brought back although ive not seen it. Not sure if I would like it now anyway.

Years ago I used to catch a bus to work. Each morning without looking up from my book I knew a particular woman had got on the bus. Her perfume was so strong and I could smell it even seated half way down the bus. It really was overpowering and very annoying.

Recently my daughter and I worked out one of the reasons she got a headache each morning. She would put her perfume on just before she left the house, get in her car and immediately have a headache. Perfume is made from chemicals and many people are allergic to it. I haven't worn it for about ten years.

nannyfran I remember Pagan [maybe even bought it] certainly the name appealed.
Soutra not a good memory for you.

You brought back memories of my mother, roses, she always wore Coty L'Aimant. I used to wear something called Pagan, by Picot, who no longer exist. I also started on 4711, perhaps it was considered suitable for young people. AH, those were the days!

Er, speaking as one on the lower end of the financial scale, Marks and Spencer's "Florentyna" is lovely and does last quite well.

The first 'scent' I ever bought myself was 4711 cologne , and the first DH ever bought me was Coty L'Aimant [1969] what were your first perfumes?I was easily pleased in those days.

I like Obsession as well and have a half bottle of it which does seem to last if you walk through a mist of it. I prefer to do that rather than on skin and it doesn't seem to harm any of my clothes.We all have different skin chemicals so we all smell a bit different even wearing the same perfume.

I normally wear Chanel, Coco but I recently bought Lalique, Encre Noir which could become a favourite.

I spray on to my clothes at a distance which I think lasts longer as opposed to on my skin.