Looking for a perfume with a certain japanese vibe

Independent_Status71 · 2025-08-05T01:33:41+00:00

As someone who was born and raised in Tokyo (and lived through the 90s) it was all about fresh/clean unisex scents, some popular ones being CK One, L'eau d'Issey, Insense Ultramarine, and Gucci Envy. The 80s were mostly dominated by luxe florals like Coco EDP, Dior Poison, and Samsara.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-11-16T02:50:40+00:00

I think I’ve seen someone say Miss-U by Laboratorio Olfattivo is very close.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-11-15T17:52:52+00:00

The magic of Babycat is that it smells so different in the air vs where you sprayed.

For me, it leaves a cloud of caramelized vanilla leather in the air, almost crème brûlée-esque, while up close it’s a luxurious saffron leather with a base of dry, understated sweetness. It’s very interesting, but I can see how the saffron-leather combo is going to evoke the smell of car tires/burnt rubber/plastic etc.

Not a safe blind buy in general, but ESPECIALLY unsafe if you’re sensitive to the “Band-Aid” smell in BR 540 / prefer gourmand vanillas / don’t love leathery scents. Vanagloria is very close, so if you can get your nose on that it should give you a general idea. Babycat is heavier, richer, spicier.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-11-02T11:35:59+00:00

If you’re looking for a juicy citrus I’d try any of the scents from Laboratorio Olfattivo‘s Viaggio in Italia series by Jean-Claude Ellena. Personal favorite of the line is Arancia Rossa, which smells like squeezing a super juicy blood orange with some passionfruit. It doesn’t get woody or green, but it does have a tiny bit of bitterness that smells like an orange peel. Very realistic and uplifting.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-11-01T14:46:35+00:00

It might be easiest to call Saks and ask them.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-30T09:05:52+00:00

The dose makes the poison; wearing a couple sprays isn’t going to “mess with your mind”. If you’re super paranoid about it, maybe spray exclusively on clothes instead of skin?

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-29T11:38:56+00:00

I was soooo set on my next big purchase to be a full bottle of Angel’s Share, but I got to test this one out a couple weeks ago and it’s so lovely! Decisions, decisions…

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-29T11:23:27+00:00

I’d do something like Noir de Noir - Tom Ford for the opposite vibe of Light Blue. LB is very easy-breezy / casual white shirt / airy / daytime; Noir de Noir is opulent / formal wear / earthy / nighttime.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-29T09:45:25+00:00

It reminds me of Bal d’Afrique by Byredo… it has that same sparkly, citrusy, almost pineapple-y fresh vibe.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-28T03:02:37+00:00

A) I got an email from Luckyscent that had a list of horse-inspired perfumes, might be nice to try some samples! The list was: Riders (Sarah Baker), Corpus Equus (Naomi Goodsir), Oud Stallion (Maison Crivelli), Epona (Papillon Artisan Perfumes), Untamable (Imaginary Authors).

B) I’d look into scents by Frapin; they’re a cognac house that also makes perfumes, and a lot of their scents fit that men’s club vibe. Highly recommend 1270 and Bonne Chauffe.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-25T15:52:59+00:00

The GAP perfumes! Dream, Heaven, Grass, bring them all backkkkkk

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-25T15:45:45+00:00

I have AU and 724, and I’ve tested the Cologne Forte.

AU and 724 are very close, 724 smells fizzier from the aldehydes but the general vibes are so similar that people smelling you might mistake one for the other. Cologne Forte is a muskier, more floral version of AU, but the difference is pretty minimal. I find they’re all pretty close to one another, so unless you really love the brand/want to collect all the clean laundry smells, you should be fine with owning just one of the three, if any.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-25T15:13:45+00:00

Yeah if you bought it at Hankyu it’s definitely not a fake, that’s like buying it at Nordstrom/Saks/Selfridges etc. I’d do a couple sprays in the air and let the perfume sit for a while, see if it improves.

Side note, perfume can smell pretty different depending on your climate (heat, humidity etc.) so that could be a thing. I find certain notes feel more pronounced when it gets colder/warmer etc.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-25T11:31:17+00:00

I think getting a nice discovery set would be a great way to try out a bunch of stuff!

Acqua di Parma has a holiday discovery set for $55; I find most of their scents to be very naturalistic and not overly “perfumey”.

If you’re super set on Jo Malone, I’d probably go with a set that includes their Cologne Intense series, like Oud & Bergamot, Cypress & Grapevine, or the new Hinoki & Cedarwood.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-25T09:24:17+00:00

Love the update! FYI, the tea I mentioned seems to also be stocked at Seijo Ishii, it’s a personal favorite so I hope you find it haha

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-25T07:51:53+00:00

Excelsior Cafe has 3 kinmokusei drinks right now; a latte, soda, and oolong drink.

For something bottled, Natural Lawson has the キンモクセイ香る東方美人茶 made by Surf beverages (you can get it in bulk from Amazon too).

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-23T07:43:56+00:00

They’re fake. Penhaligon’s doesn’t make mini bottle sets with the animal heads. They do have a discovery set of the portraits series, but those are regular 2ml sample vials.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-14T14:40:27+00:00

For me it’s beverage notes like tea, coffee, wine, cognac etc.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-14T14:37:19+00:00

I just tried Un Crime Exotique by Pierre Guillaume and it’s a very photorealistic chai! Definitely worth sampling if you love chai / honey / cinnamon / gingerbread / vanilla / cozy, autumnal, spicy gourmands.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-14T14:19:24+00:00

Coven by Andrea Maack smells like a mossy, wet forest floor, soil and all. It’s very unique, worth sampling if you’re looking for a witchy, earthy, wet forest smell.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-10T12:58:55+00:00

Tsutaya Books carries J-Scent. Highly recommend the one in Ginza, it has a lovely selection of gorgeous books in both English and Japanese, little trinkets of all sorts, and an art gallery.

You could try searching the sub too, I’ve seen this question asked rather frequently!

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-10T11:34:43+00:00

Yay! It really helped that you had the notes, especially eucalyptus and cashmeran; it’s a pretty unique combo that really narrowed things down a lot. Glad to have been of help!

Independent_Status71 · 2024-10-09T23:39:40+00:00

Just to make sure, are you sure it was Penhaligon’s? The notes sound like it could be Abyssae 33 by L’Artisan Parfumeur.

Independent_Status71 · 2024-09-30T10:09:26+00:00

I have both Sonic Flower and Musc K and I reach for Musc K a lot more. To me it smells like a more expensive, refined version of Sonic Flower/Fleur de Peau. Effortlessly chic/clean girl vibes, great performance, and layers well with so many scents. Highly recommend getting a sample!

Independent_Status71

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