While talking about oil-based perfumes last week, we confirmed once again that most respondents preferred spraying their perfumes. So, this week’s SQ is about spray atomizers (and some ranting).
Saturday Question #232:
What Brand Has The Best Atomizer?
Do you even think in these categories? If yes, what aspects of that distribution mechanism are the most important to you? Fineness of the mist? Spray distribution? Pressure sensitivity? Durability? Leak/evaporation prevention? Design? Something else?
My Answer
For a long time I didn’t even think about this part of the perfume bottle: as long as it worked, I didn’t notice anything else. Later, I started paying more attention to aesthetics and started noticing that some atomizers complemented the design of the bottle (think about Mugler‘s Angel). And then I bought my first bottle of Chanel. I still remember that first “Wow!” moment of realization of how incredibly smooth was the action, how amazingly fine was the burst of Coco from that beautiful bottle and how well-made the atomizer looked.
I am sure that my collection has many other perfumes with good atomizers. But all these years, every time I used one of my favorite Chanel perfumes, I would again and again mentally pay tribute to this iconic brand for the pleasure I felt gently pressing the nozzle and getting an evenly distributed finest mist exactly where I planned to apply it.
So, until very recently, I would have answered “Chanel” without thinking twice. What has changed? I gave up and bought a limited edition bottle of No 5 L’Eau. On the positive side: I like this perfume and will enjoy wearing it. And a friend got it for me in the duty-free in Paris, so the price was quite right. On the negative side… First of all, while that egg-shaped bottle (I’m not sure whose idea was that it’s a “drop”!) is pleasing to look at, it is extremely awkward when you try opening it. I even thought that my bottle was defective, or that I clever enough to solve the puzzle that held that cap in place. Nope. It was just hard to grip the cap firmly enough to apply the necessary force. I managed to do it eventually, but since then I struggle with it every time. But what upset me even more was the atomizer. It is not bad by any measure. It works. It doesn’t leak. It distributes perfume evenly without spewing. But it doesn’t have that… je ne sais quoi, so to speak, that made Chanel atomizers special. And it is sad because I don’t think it happened for any good reason but in the name of greed – in order for some executive to smugly report up-the-chain that they saved 25 cents per bottle without anyone even noticing the difference. I noticed. So, while for now I’ll keep the highest spot for my older Chanel bottles (as recent as Paris – Venise they were still superb), I will start taking notice of how my other favorites’ pumps work.
And I welcome your thoughts on which brands deserve praise.
Undina's Looking Glass 
I’m not sure I have ever thought much about atomizers except when they don’t work. I have an older bottle of Hiris which has to be decanted as the sprayer is kaput. Aesthetically I enjoy the Lolita Lempicka Apple bottles with the stem atomizer – for creativity at least. I’m not a fan of my old bottle of Bvlgari Omnia – I wonder how many people tried to get the (nonexistent) cap off before realizing there wasn’t one?
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I would have been really upset if a bottle of Hiris would not spray: it is so beautiful! I have only a mini bottle, so no danger there :)
I’ve never had Omnia, but even I remember trying to “open” that bottle!
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Hermés is another brand with a high quality atomizer.
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I thought Hermes might be the one but didn’t test my hypothesis.
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L’Artisan is the best I have found so far. Boo to Frederic Malle. Their atomizer makes you have to push really hard, and then a big blast finally comes out. Not good if it’s a powerhouse scent you’re trying to apply sparingly.
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I have a couple of older L’Artisan bottles: I need to test their atomizer.
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I had not thought about this consciously, but I do have some atomizers that drive me nuts because they are so bad! I’m thinking about Diptyque’s special limited rose fragrance in the black bottle with a puffy atomizer. You have to twist the whole sprayer mechanism to get it to spray. It’s so maddening I wear this fragrance less because of it.
I’d say the older Chanels and Hermes have the best atomizers. Mine always work well. My Chloe Atelier fragrances also have good atomizers that spray evenly and well.
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That BLOODY ATOMISER on the Diptyque rose RR! I had to decant the juice. It was crap.
Portia xx
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Yess!!!
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I’m less demanding when it comes to indie or “budget-friendly” brands. But I expect more from luxury brands, no matter how expensive particular product is.
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I really enjoy when a bottle puts out a super fine mist and find that the Zoologist bottles do an excellent job of this! I also appreciate a good sprayer on a sample bottle – nice ones give an overall positive impression of the brand!
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True!!! Especially if I had to pay for a sample, it annoys me when I can’t spray it evenly and with ease.
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What an interesting question! One I hadn’t really considered before, but I agree that Chanel sprays usually work very well, as do the Hermès sprays. The one sprayer I’ve truly despised in my experience was the one on the Bvlgari Omnia line that MMK mentioned. Ugh! Impossible to figure out, and then likely to dribble.
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P.S. It didn’t help that I thought those bottles were ugly. In contrast, I love the small Bvlgari Omnia “charms” bottles.
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If I’d had to pick one or two without revisiting my collection, I’ll say Guerlain and Mona di Orio.
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The best one for me was Masque Milano – such a long, fine, gratifying mist… before one of the nozzles got clogged and I had to replace it with one from a different bottle.
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GOSH! Good question Undina,
I love the DIOR Prive sprayers but they have a habit of stopping working. It’s very annoying to have 200+ml left in a bottle that does not spray.
Agreed on CHANEL & Hermès, and that super cool apple stalk of Lolita Lempicka that now they don’t make (assholes)
Le Galion does a lovely mist, perfectly placed.
Portia x
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Wow that’s really bad with the Dior Prive! What do you do about those? Is it the spray pump mechanism that stops working or the nozzle that gets clogged? When my Masque Milano sprayer stopped working, I replaced the top part with one from another brand’s bottle that fit similarly and it worked…
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It’s the pump system, so annoying.
So far I’m ignoring the problem but one day I’m going to have to crack it open and put it in a glass decanter jar/bottle.
GAH!
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Hello!
I’m surprised no one mentioned this brand yet: Goutal Paris. It’s a fine spray that goes exactly where you need it to, every time. I also like the bulb atomizer for my Guerlain Myrrhes et Delirs scent. It feels totally indulgent.
In contrast to some other comments here I dislike the Hermes Galop sprayer: it come out in a stream and since it’s a parfum I’d rather a fine mist.
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I agree with you on the difficulty of uncapping the egg L’Eau!
The best atomizers belong to, no surprise, Chanel. There are exceptions, of course, like the Chanel No.19 EDP which I love love love but the atomizer infuriates me.
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My post must have gone to spam.
Papillon Artisanal Perfumes spray is perfect. Fine mist that sprays the perfect amount just where it’s needed. Excellent from an artisanal house.
The worst in my experience are the Malle atomisers, especially on the travel sprays. Both Carnsl Flower & Musc Ravageur now have tubes that have become stuck to the bottom of the bottle. Pressing the mechanism just produces a dribble on my hand. Getting the atomiser off to rescue to juice has failed too
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I don’t think in these terms at all(!), but like others before me, will notice when something doesn’t behave. The worst offenders are swivelly nozzles which make decanting a fraught undertaking. As soon as you press down, the nozzle turns 90 degrees and the jet goes everywhere! Can’t remember what brand I last had this issue with though.
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