Question:
I'm new here and have been lurking awhile. I really enjoy this site and the forums, such a wealth of information I was hoping that I could get some help finding a fragrance.
I'm looking for a fragrance and have been searching basenotes for fragrances with ingredients I like (vanilla, sandalwood, bergamot) and have also been in several shops trying out different scents. I'm 26 years and want a scent that's "me", independent, ambitious and not too girly. I like wood notes, vanilla, violet, hints of rose and bergamot. I don't like too flowery or overly sweet smells.
My current wardrobe consists of one (!) perfume, Dervish by GothRosary, which is a simple, but in my opinion wonderful, smell of vanilla, sandalwood and musk.
I haven't been able to find _the_ scent yet and I was hoping that someone here could give me some suggestions. Perfumes I've tried and liked so far:
* Calvin Klein, Euphoria - very nice smell, liked it a lot, but didn't fell for it completely
* Dolce & Gabbana, The one - very nice at first but became to "thick" and heavy after a while, too much musk and made me nauseous after a few hours
* Calvin Klein, Truth - after the initial cooldown, very nice, sweet and woody, but a little to simple, only smelled wood and vanilla after a while
After two days of sampling perfumes, I've realized that I don't like too much musk and that most perfumes with a woody tone have a very strong musk tone and I would like something a little more "fresh".
Pefumes I tried and didn't like:
* DKNY Be Delicious was nice but too flowery for my taste.
* Lacoste Inspiration was ok, but a little boring and too simple.
* Lacoste Touch of Pink was too sweet.
* Chanel Chance smelled too much like my mother
* D&G Light Blue was too citrusy.
I hope this post wasn't too long and boring, I just wanted to give as much information as possible. I would very much appriciate any help you could give me. I hope to be able to contribute to this forum in the future and get to know you guys!
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I forgot to add... In the past my perfumes have been:
* Dewberry from Body Shop was my favorite in my teens (Top: Cassis, Grapefruit, Apple, and Pear. Heart: Freesia, Muguet, Rose, and Jasmine. Base: Peach, Apricot, Cedarwood, and Musk.)
* Calvin Klein one, but I got tired of it very soon.
* Jean-Paul Gaultier, summer scent, the flowery bottle, can't find it's name.
* Calvin Klein Contradiction body lotion, the perfume was too strong, but I loved the scent o the body lotion.

Answer:
Hi there Wearw and welcome to Basenotes!
Bearing in mind the notes that you love (Vanilla, Bergamot and Sandalwood)
may I suggest you try the following:-
Cristobal (one of my favourites with fig and all the other notes you love)
Prada (the new one)
Roma (Lovely bergamot opening with blackcurrant buds and a woodsy/vanilla drydown to die for)
Diorella - just because....
Happy sniffing.

Answer:
I wonder if you might like Samsara by Guerlain.It's a lot of Sandalwood in that one.Another woody scent you should try is Shiseido's Feminite du bois.

Answer:
One of the Serge Lutens should suit you - there are many woody delights.
Rousse is the new one. It's a little cinnamonish, a touch of floral, and very woody, but light and fresh (at least one me).
Miel de Bois is very woody and very sweet. It lives up to its name: honeyed wood. It is also remarkably tenacious.
Bois de Vanille may be perfect for you (woods and vanilla plus a touch of coconut) but I found it didn't live long on my skin, so I bought Miel de Bois instead.

Answer:
I also believe one of Serge Lutens woody scents will be perfect for you.
Rousse by Serge Lutens is a non gourmand cinnamon, violet, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, it 's very elegant, has depth and personality and it 's very sexy too
the second best would be Bois Oriental; cedarwood, soft spice and vanilla balm
(Bois Oriental is only sold at les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido in Paris, you can order it or ask for the wax samples at:
http://www.salons-shiseido.com/angla...arfums-eb2.htm
Un Bois Vanille is also a possibility but I m afraid this one might be a little too sweet for you although it 's a dry wood and a non foody vanilla
Santal de Mysore is a stunning straight-up sandalwood; also available at les salons du Palais Royal Shiseido:
http://www.salons-shiseido.com/angla...arfums-eb1.htm

Answer:
I'm 'thirding' (?) the Serge Lutens suggestions, and adding an oddball one of my own: Bois Farine, L'Artisan (It's totally different from anything out there, IMHO, but you may like it).

Answer:
I'm a woody person, here.
By "woody" do you mean patchouli or sandalwood?
Many (if not most) of the fragrances in my wardrobe contain one or both of these substances because they make a perfume smell "great" as opposed to merely "good" on me.
All of the following fragrances are sweet:
Patchouli (earthy, like leaves in autumn) - Ayala Moriel Palas Atena, and Film Noir, Caron Parfum Sacre, Estee Lauder Knowing, Les Parfums de Rosine Une Folie de Rose, L'Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Rose, Montale Patchouli Leaves, Mauboussin, Yves Rocher Rose Absolu
Sandalwood (dry, sometimes a bit smoky) - Diptique Tam Dao, Etro Sandalo, Lorenzo Villoresi Sandalo, Guerlain Samsara, Montale Attar
Myrrh - (full, resinous, incensey) - Madini Sahara
Oud (which is bitter, perhaps too challenging) - Montale Black Aoud, and Aoud Queen Rose, Guerlain Mitsouko
Vetiver (which is woody but grassy) - Montale Vetiver des Sables, L'Artisan Parfumer Vetiver, Editions de Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire
Cedar (aromatic wood) - Serge Lutens Un Cedre, Gres Cabaret
Take a look at my wardrobe. PM me.

Answer:
A big welcome to you, Wearw. It sounds like you're on the right track, isolating which notes you favor and which you don't. As my husband reminds me, the journey is the joy, so even if you don't find your holy grail scent right away, enjoy your exploration and be open to new things.
I second ineespene's suggestion for Shiseido's Feminite du Bois. Don't be put off by its being out of production, it's still available.
Hope you continue to share your thoughts and wishes with us.

Answer:
Hi Wearw. I second Feminite du Bois too but it is not so accessible in Asia anymore, you may to consider Bois des Îles, this is very well made and I fell for it as soon as I smell it from the Chanel boutique. It is woody (from the sandalwood), gourmandy (from the tonka beans and vanilla) and yet tangy spicy note to it.
Good luck with your scent search!

Answer:
Dior Dolce Vita. I don't know if it has woods, but to me it's cedary and sweet. Love it though