Question:
Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I have so much to learn!! Moondeva, your suggestion that vanilla might be more pleasing if it were teamed with a wood is really appealing. Vanilla + cedar sounds rather beautiful. Time for me to do a bit of basenotes directory searching....
Meanwhile, keep the vanilla suggestions coming! *sigh* Why did I have to pick such an expensive obsession?!

Answer:
Hi Ozkat!

What you describe makes a lot of sense! There is actually hardly any widely marketed frag that uses real vanilla absolute, due to it's very high price, but they all list vanilla as a note. The sharp and sickly sweet smell can be caused by synthetic vanillin when used in a high dose - to me this happens with Goutal's Vanille Exquise
My favourite vanillic perfume is Must de Cartier, but if you want the real vanilla deal, get some absolute. Neroliane carries an amazing one that I use myself, and it's beyond brilliant. Some other absolutes I've had were much weaker and not worth the price.

Answer:
The oils from India are for making incense, burning or using with a light bulb ring, or for massage. I found them in Indian markets in big European cities- they have a little English on them, a lot of what I think is Hindi. They are inexpensive and mostly what I call "soft" vanillas, without the caramel or harsh chemical notes. I suspect they are made of a mix of synthetics, other flowers, and resins. Probably some real vanilla, too. Definitely worth experimenting with!

Answer:
Quote: Originally Posted by Elf The oils from India are for making incense, burning or using with a light bulb ring, or for massage. I found them in Indian markets in big European cities- they have a little English on them, a lot of what I think is Hindi. They are inexpensive and mostly what I call "soft" vanillas, without the caramel or harsh chemical notes. I suspect they are made of a mix of synthetics, other flowers, and resins. Probably some real vanilla, too. Definitely worth experimenting with! Elf, that sounds intriguing, will definitely check on that the next time I'll pass by such a store.

Answer:
I like the scent of a vanilla bean, or a tonka bean - that naturally sweet woody scent. I enjoy vanilla in perfumes, but not if it's an ultra sweet desserty one. I agree about pairing vanilla with woods - sandalwood & vanilla also go well together. Givenchy's Organza Indecence (sp?) is a nice woodsy vanilla, though unfortunately discontinued so hard to find now. I completely understand what you mean about scents that get stuck up on the top of your nasal passage and irritate, and others that glide smoothly down. Makes perfect sense to me. Dior Addict irritates me in that way, otherwise I could have loved it. Boucheron Trouble goes down more smoothly with me.

Answer:
I prefer a smokier vanilla vs. a sweet or foody vanilla, but that's me. The only two vanilla fragrances I have are Hypnotic Poison & Molinard Vanille. The Molinard Vanille is sweeter & more gourmand, which is not my favorite kind of scent. The Hypnotic P WAS good when I first bought it, but now just makes me nauseous. (has almond note in it) Like I said, I would like something more spicy or woody with Vanilla.

Answer:
Quote: Originally Posted by jazztweety Hi Ozkat!

What you describe makes a lot of sense! There is actually hardly any widely marketed frag that uses real vanilla absolute, due to it's very high price, but they all list vanilla as a note. The sharp and sickly sweet smell can be caused by synthetic vanillin when used in a high dose - to me this happens with Goutal's Vanille Exquise
My favourite vanillic perfume is Must de Cartier, but if you want the real vanilla deal, get some absolute. Neroliane carries an amazing one that I use myself, and it's beyond brilliant. Some other absolutes I've had were much weaker and not worth the price. Thanks so much for the advice and recs! I will definitely check out the Neroliane absolute if I can (finding it might be the problem). I will check out Must de Cartier as well. I really am dying to wear a beautiful vanilla, but it might be a years-long epic search. I'm willing to pay to smell great though!

Answer:
I bought SL Un Bois Vanille a couple of days back, and on me it is all vanilla and burnt sugar - my oh said i smelled like a creme brule. I find it gorgeous, not too foody, and not at all like "something that should be plugged into an outlet" I don't get a lot of woods in it at all, and it completely beats me as to where the licquorice is hiding.

Other vanillas that I like - L'Artisan's Jour de Fete, which is very very light and smells like sugared almonds, and also the drydown to Bvlgari Black with is vanilla with a hint of dominatrix-style black rubber.

Answer:
[quote=ozkat] I will definitely check out the Neroliane absolute if I can (finding it might be the problem). quote]

Oh, Ozcat, just realized you're located in Australia. That might be expensive shipping :0(
I already pay 13€ only from France to Germany.
I don't know Australian etailers - the trouble with Vanilla absolutes is that a lot of stuff is marketed under that name, but it isn't.
In the USA Edenbotanicals is extremely trustworthy - because there is no vanilla perfume that smells like a good essence, it is just the highly concentrated complex smell of real vanilla beans.

Answer:
Do you have Sephora? The Sephora here stocks all the La Maison de Vanille and Comptoire Sud Pacifique vanilla scents. They are not a priority with me, so I haven't tried, but I noticed a grand layout of them just yesterday. All the vanilla one could want, it would seem.