Today’s question is, again, courtesy of Brigitte.
Saturday Question #95:
Which Perfume Gets You The Most Compliments?
I realize that the last two years weren’t the best in terms of sharing your olfactory presence with others, but maybe you remember from before our “new normal”: do you think one of your perfumes prompts positive reactions more often than other perfumes in your collection?
Bonus question: Do you choose to wear that perfume for some particular occasions because of that?
My Answer
If it weren’t for my database, I would have told you that Tom Ford‘s Violet Blonde was my mostly complimented perfume (which makes me regret not buying a bottle of it when it was available: my decant has probably a couple of applications left in it). But I would have been wrong.
After running some calculations, to my surprise, I discovered that perfume that over the last 10 years got me twice as many compliments as the next contender (Violet Blonde, so I wasn’t that off) is… my second all-time favorite Ormonde Jayne Ta’if.
If to think about it, it’s not a complete surprise: as my special occasion perfume, I wear it to those occasions where people are more inclined to compliment me. But still, it didn’t come to my mind on its own, intuitively, without involving dispassionate numbers.
Undina's Looking Glass 
Thank you Undina for using my suggestion!!
I would say Ganymede recently. Even the employees in my local supermarket have given me compliments.
But I also wore Hippie Shit to work recently and got a compliment.
And historically Parfum de Couer’s Fresh White Musk, Reglisse Noire and Gap Heaven garnered me many compliments among coworkers who appreciate fragrance
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I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that conversation! “You smell great! What are you wearing?”
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Lol
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Before I retired late October, i worked in the fragrance dept. at a major retailer for beauty products. During my 10 years there, the perfume that most reacted to was Ormonde Jayne Woman. The double black hemlock is just intoxicating and so mysterious. The other was a vintage Lancome Majie Noire. I have very eclectic taste in perfumes, though. But these evoke a very intriguing and positive reaction.
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Ormonde Jayne’s perfumes are easy crowd pleasers, and Woman is a great perfume, I can see how it would be appealing in a drydown even to a “civilian” nose.
Magie Noire is a classic perfume, no wonder people react to it.
I wonder though: weren’t you “encouraged” to wear perfumes from the brand(s) you represented?
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We were encouraged to wear one of available fragrances, but not limited to them. Management was grateful to have someone on board with a wide range of knowledge and experience. They never doubted my loyalty to the products in the store. I engaged the customers in the olfactory experience and they came back again and again.
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I don’t get compliments very often. If I do, it’s usually from my friends. However yesterday I was getting gas at a gas station and some 20 something worker guy in a truck with his construction gear on told me that my cologne smelled great. LOL. I was wearing a sample of La Perla’s “About That Night”. Made me smile :)
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Nice :)
I did think of people who know us, strangers rarely engage into perfume conversations in general :)
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When I worked in an office, I used to get regular compliments, now if I get one it’s likely from my husband. Back in the day Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Profumum Vanitas and AG Encens Flamboyant got regular compliments. Lately, the only compliment in public was on SL Bois de Violette. My husband complimented 4160 Tuesdays Red Queen. So there is no one scent that is the overall winner.
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I keep hearing about that Red Queen. I should try it!
Since perfume compliments are rare, I mark all compliments – from family members, friends, co-workers, etc. :)
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The most complimented by men was JPG2. Much maligned by Turin & Sanchez in The Guide but apparently it’s catnip to men!
Most complimented by women is another violet, ELDO Putain des Palaces. Women have more refined noses apparently
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Aha, another vanilla-centric scent! I think vanilla is the catnip, based on my purely anecdotal and limited experience!
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There were research papers published in the 90’s measuring “blood flow response” in men to certain smells. Vanilla had the greatest response in over 40s. I can’t remember what the biggest response was in the under 40s 🤣🤣🤣
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Pumpkin I think
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People don’t tend to comment on my perfumes. A couple of years ago, one coworker really liked my Santal 33 on separate occasions that I wore it to the office, and then said she could never wear it now because she associated it with me – which is funny because I don’t associate it with me!
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I heard it was a very popular perfume in NY, so maybe it was for the best that she decided against it :)
I think if I were to like someone’s perfume, I would have gotten it even if I couldn’t wear it to the same places as the original wearer – I’d still want to have it.
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So would I! And I don’t think I’d even mind clashing or twinning with them… is that shameless? Lol
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Most recently, Montale’s Intense Café. I find I mostly get compliments when whatever fragrance I’m wearing has some vanilla notes. I think many people find vanilla irresistible!
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I thought so too, until my coworker strongly disliked my Mona di Orio vanilla perfume (he wasn’t mean, and usually he didn’t mind my other perfumes).
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That’s interesting, was he able to identify what he disliked about it?
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Well… He mentioned something about a relative whose scent it reminded him of causing a headache… I preferred not to investigate too much not to get the “old lady” reference ;)
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So true!
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My collection is large and this is a somewhat difficult question to accurately answer, but I’ll give it a go. I would say that Lumière Noire Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian is probably the most commented on fragrance. It appeals to both men and women alike for its floral-spicy nature. I find myself reaching for this more often in the summer months. True confession, if I had to choose only a few fragrances to own, this would be one of them.
Bonus Question: Yes, I’ve taken Lumière Noire Homme with me on trips. First, because I love it and second, because it is well received.
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I’m not too familiar with MFK’s fragrances for his own brand, but judging by how popular they are, I’m not surprised the one that you like gets all that attention.
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My reply ended up after RIckyrebarco’s reply. Sorry.
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Don’t worry, I found it :)
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Nobody ever gives me compliments on my perfume, haha, so I can’t answer this one. Perhaps I need to be a bit more free and easy with my application. ;)
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Try hajusuuri’s approach (8 sprays), and I guarantee that people will start complimenting ;)
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This is such an interesting question Brigitte and Undina,
There are a few that I KNOW people will notice and ask about.
Lately I by Costume National has been getting loads of attention every time I wear it.
Caron pour un homme, Mancera Red Tobacco, Guerlain Mitsouko, Pekji Odoon all seem to generate discussion, often compliments or asking to know what it is.
I’m sure there are a few I’m missing here and probably the glaring winner but it just got hot and humid here in Sydney and my mind has taken a leave of absence while my body adjusts.
Portia xx
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Pour In Gimme!! Yes!! I would compliment you on the lavender lollies too
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Un….blasted autocorrect
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HA! Yes. You wear it too, don’t you?
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I did until middle one took my bottle
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HA! Bummer!
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I so should get me some Pour un Gimme! I always think of you, Marcella, and the rest of the APJ fam when I think of that perfume :D
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I know me too! I miss the old gang, you included.
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Stay cool, dear (for all those suffering from cold in this hemisphere ;) )!
The only one from your list that I know if Mitsouko, but it definitely doesn’t work for me (but I’m sure it smells divine on you! :) ).
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My iris fragrances, generally, garner the most compliments, especially Heeley’s Iris de Nuit and McQueen ‘My Queen.’
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That’s interesting because irises, in my opinion, are more sophisticated scents, an acquired taste, so to speak.
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I own only two, Absolute Pour Le Soir and Lumière Noire Homme. I have one other Francis Kurkdjian on my want list, which is Masculine Pluriel. You should samples them sometime, Undina.
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Those who liked them said they smelled clean and fresh.
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… which is not necessarily a compliment :) (Joking)
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SL Fleurs d’Oranger (honestly I smell AMAZING when I wear it) and vintage Daim Blond. When I was muuuuch younger it was my adored Anais Anais.
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Oh my gosh!! Anais Anais!! I would compliment you too!!
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Anais Anais was so popular! I bet you smelled great!
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Oh, and Undina, I’d love to know how many of us keep records and spreadsheets of our perfumes! I wonder if that would make a good Saturday question?
Hope everyone here is looking after themselves through this weird, festive season. Have a beautiful holiday!
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That’s a good idea. I’ll check if we had anything similar recently and if no – we’ll do it soon.
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The only time I have ever gotten compliments from adults have been times at work when I doused myself in gourmands–I believe Hilde Soliani Crema di Latte, Lavanilla Coconut Vanilla, and Solstice Scents Maplewood Inn were the scents. However, I am about to boast in my frag groups… Last night, my cranky teenage daughter sat next to me, leaned over and sniffed my blouse, and softly admitted that she liked what I was wearing (Arabie). <3 There is hope for the future!
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Ooh, nice! My son likes Arabie!
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I think that’s amazing that she liked it: it’s such a complex scent! I like it too but prefer it 30+ minutes in development.
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ha, my receptionist commented on my Aromatics Elixir that it reminded her of her psychotherapist… And my male collegue liked Chypre Mousse that much, that i gave him a small decant
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That was somewhat unusual comment from the receptionist. I hope it was a good reference :)
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I always wonder when someone says, “You remind me of my mother”…??
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I’m a bit late to the party, Saturday being long past, but I really do have to ask this: Undina, am I to understand that you keep a database of how many compliments you get? Wow. I have an obsessive-compulsive streak myself, but that’s going pretty far.
Anyway, the only person (except close friends) who ever compliments me on perfume is the receptionist at the office where I work. (No, not the same as Tanya’s.) I always bring samples and we chat a bit. When I wear something, she likes green and herbal stuff on me, like Pegwell Bay (Haeckel) or Fathom V (Beaufort).
I guess I live in a culture where compliments don’t come easy.
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I was wondering whether anyone would pause at my mentioning cataloged compliments ;)
I guess, most of my current readers are regulars who’s been reading my blog for a couple of years and seen my explanation. If you’re curious, here’s a link to that post: https://undina.com/2018/01/07/entertaining-statistics-2017-year-round-up/ but in short – compliments (as well as complaints) is just a check box on the daily entry form I use to document perfumes I wear and test.
I laughed at your comment about the receptionist :)
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The most recent perfume compliment I can recall was alas about three year ago: a perfume acquaintance took one sniff of my wrist adorned with Montale’s Arabians Tonka and…purred, for want of a better word, and added, “Now THAT is a sexy scent”. I only have a decant of it, for the clouding of men’s minds, but since it’s quite strong that should last a good while…
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THAT is a nice compliment! :)
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