Cheap Smell-alikes - Cheaper alternatives to Expensive Perfumes

pattycake

I have had the Perfume Parlour version of Miss Dior Cherie (Charm) in both the oil and the spray version. It is absolutely lovely. On a trip through the airport, I had a spritz of the real thing in Duty Free and did not like it all! Why do they change something that is great? This is a case where cheap is actually better!

pattycake

sarlouben wrote: »

does anyone know if the perfume parlour is going out of business? as they seem to run out of alot of perfumes lately and it takes many months for them to come back in stock if at all

I certainly hope not! I placed an order last week-end to replace some oils which I had run out of and that I particularly like. They were Gold Lady (Lady Million, Simple (Clinque Simply) and Vertigo (Vera Wang). The order was on my mat on Tuesday. Excellent service as always.

Perhaps my tastes are for the less popular smells?

jenniewb

I can't believe I've done it again!!

I have this stupid heat seeking antennae which manages to locate all the expensive perfumes without realising the price before I decide I really like the scent. I have overly fussy tastes and so rarely find anything I like so its very frustrating to hear a perfume I like is way out of my price tag!

Some past favorites have been Diptyque (most of them) rrp £60+, Wonderwood (£60+) now I've decided I like the new Hermes Voyage which I have just found out is a whopping £83!

I have no idea if there is a cheaper version of this and if there is, where I get it. Can anyone help?

autumngirl

On Perfume Parlour's Facebook page:

"Just read a comment on the Money Saving Forum about things being out of stock for prolonged periods...Just wanted to clarify that, its quite a juggling act getting the right stocks in, when something runs out we cant order it straight away, we need to be out of stock of enough items in order to get an order in....like now we are waiting for an order to come in so should arrive in the next week.....We are not going out of business....:)"

Personally I'd be extremely surprised if they were going out of business as they've put so much effort into developing new products recently and they clearly have a very loyal fan/customer base. You don't hear of many people trying out PP's products and not being very impressed / converted.

I'd not heard of Perfume Parlour before I joined MSE and I'm so glad I did because I've never smelt so gorgeous!!!

sarlouben

well at least hes confirmed hes not going going out of business il just have to stop asking when things will be back in stock and wait lol has anyone ordered from the perfume oil boutique on ebay? and if so what did you think of the oils i had a few oils delivered from them today and i dont rate them at all shame really they had a few different alien and angel perfumes i would have liked to try

autumngirl

Just thought I'd add.....I tried the new 'Royal Diamond' fragrance from Yardley and found it similar to Tommy Hilfiger's 'Tommy Girl'. Tommy Girl isn't hugely expensive anyway but Royal Diamond sells for only around £10 for 50ml EDT and is really worth a try

And while you're at it, if you like Marc Jacobs 'Daisy' but haven't yet tried Yardley's Royal English Daisy fragrance then do, because that's also lovely!

Ishy_2

Hello everyone, I was wondering about something and curious about it so I thought I'd ask.

When we use Perfume created by big brands, be it EDT,we experience a pyramid of notes, top, middle, and bottom. I can't help but to think that you don't really experience this in the majority of perfume oils. Does anyone else feel like this too.

In the very expensive Arab ones you do feel the scent changing and progressing but other perfumes... I don't know. When I say feel the pyramid of notes I don't mean actually experiencing it the same way a professional nose does because I am not one but what I mean is generally being able to tell that the smell is changing, this seems to be obvious in brand names, but in alot of perfume oils its not that obvious at all.

Please share what you know.

GothicPrincess87

Ishy wrote: »

Hello everyone, I was wondering about something and curious about it so I thought I'd ask.

When we use Perfume created by big brands, be it EDT,we experience a pyramid of notes, top, middle, and bottom. I can't help but to think that you don't really experience this in the majority of perfume oils. Does anyone else feel like this too.

In the very expensive Arab ones you do feel the scent changing and progressing but other perfumes... I don't know. When I say feel the pyramid of notes I don't mean actually experiencing it the same way a professional nose does because I am not one but what I mean is generally being able to tell that the smell is changing, this seems to be obvious in brand names, but in alot of perfume oils its not that obvious at all.

Please share what you know.

yes i do know what you mean i have tried some really yucky oils in the past they were weak and the smell didnt change at all but i have found with the perfume parlour oils most of the time the oil does change on your skin and i have tested nearly all the pp oils i own (alot) lol against the originals and they are 9 times out of 10 very close to the original i dont waste my time trying other oils anymore i always stick to pp cause i know they are the best quality and most value for money i have just put in a new order today here is what i ordered cant wait to smell them hehe

happiness similar to joy
chances similar to chanel chance
chances light which i believe is either chanel chance eau tendre or chance eau fraiche
aluring sense which again i believe to be chanel allure sensual
glorify similar to gloria
hint of water similar to tender poison
jade similar to jadore
vault similar to very irresistible
simple similar to clinique simply
fancy similar to feminine
just mine similar to bvlgari jasmin noir

oh and also i read a few days ago not to rub your wrists together when you have applied perfume let it dry naturally as it breaks down the molecules and you miss some of the top notes i dont know what truth is in it if at all just thought i would mention it

Ishy_2

Thank you gothic princess. To be honest I've only tried one perfume from Perfume Parlour, and that was meant to be a copy of Issey Miyake for women.It smelt more like L`eau D`Issey Florale than L`eau D`Issey, it seemed to retain the overall fragrance but I never seemed to experience the pyramid effect.

It goes without saying I can't judge them all from one perfume that's why yesterday i ordered Vera Wang Night Princess. I'll have to see when it arrives.

Out of curiosity I also ordered Baby Powder and Frankincense and Myrrh. I usually don't tend to order alternative to designer fragrances as I prefer Eastern/Oriental Perfume oil and I've been using them since I was 5 lol, but they're not always appreciated in non eastern countries, as sometimes they're over powering (yet still great) and very strong ; I live in the uk.

I think in different cultures people's expectations of perfume are different, here in the west I don't think people like it when a perfume lingers but in the eastern part of the world people like this and expect this, my perfume for this reason was complimented upon.

To be honest I love it when a perfume's scent lingers on long after someone leaves but that's personal preference and culture. Then again my experience may just have been an individual experience at the most.

GothicPrincess87

i have been thinking of ordering some of the single note oils from pp for some time but never get around to it do let me know if the baby powder one is nice as that is one i was thinking of ordering myself.
personally i like a mixture of subtle and strong perfumes, my partners father got me a perfume oil from egypt many years ago it was a lovely rose fragrance and was long lasting i have also been tempted to order some of the al rehab oils but wouldnt know which ones to pick and pp have more than enough oils for me to choose from. i think it is nice when you can smell a hint of someones perfume when they are not around i find it somewhat comforting especially if your missing that person