u/pastalass

I'm looking for a simple gourmand vanilla.

I've tried a few different vanilla decants (Bianco Latte, Fire At Will, Althair, Vanilla Powder, Dulce). The only one that doesn't give me a plasticky, waxy, artificial, and/or playdough scent is Black II by WIDIAN. Unfortunately, it's very expensive: well over 300$ CAD for 50mL, which I just can't justify right now.

I should mention that although it's slightly synthetic (and yogurty) I do like the EOS Vanilla Cashmere lotion.

I despise super ambers, so if you can also actually smell them like I can I’d really value your input! Nothing by JHAG, Initio, Matiere Premier, Goldfield & Banks, or BTSO please; every fragrance I've tried from these brands contains super amber(s).

I'd love some suggestions for what decants/samples I should try next!

TL;DR: I’m looking for a relatively inexpensive (ideally under $150) gourmand vanilla that doesn't smell like plastic, playdough, or super ambers.

I hear people refer to fragrances as "your skin but better" or "skin fresh out of the shower". Does skin have a smell?

I've been assuming people are just referring to the smell of clothes fresh out of the laundry or the faint smell of the soap you used in the shower. White musks (which people describe as smelling like skin) remind me of laundry soap. But my skin doesn't have a smell I can detect apart from that.

I'm wondering if I can't smell certain chemicals that make skin smell like skin!

I’ve figured out what to layer with my cold weather fragrances to make them last longer.

But I'm at a loss at what to layer with my summery fragrances. I'm looking for anything citrusy, tropical, beachy, solar, green, fresh, etc. Bonus if it's inexpensive and/or easy to get in Canada!

The specific summer fragrances I want to last longer (if possible) are:

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 48

Jeanne en Provence Verveine Cedrat

Lattafa Opulent Dubai (God of Fire dupe)

Viktor&Rolf Flower Bomb Tiger Lily

Maison Margiela From the Garden

As you can see I'm not really into soapy, aldehyde, clean laundry type scents. I find them pleasant but boring. So if you think a lotion/oil with this profile would help my perfumes last longer feel free to suggest.

I'm really curious if anyone here has ever smelled a realistic tulip fragrance. Have any come close or captured the "feeling" of tulip even if they aren't exact?

I'm assuming it's difficult/impossible for perfumers to extract natural scent from tulips, so I guess they'd need to simulate it with other florals and chemicals. 

To me tulips smell very fresh and light, like pure spring. They always smell green, and some tulips also have a somewhat faint floral note. It’s a light honey-ish floral that I can't really compare it to a specific flower (well, aside from tulips). 

I've tried Nest Black Tulip, and while I love that perfume, it doesn't have anything to do with an actual tulip!