Can I cast ten million votes for Musc Ravageur? For me, this is liquid lewdness...I am a Brazen Hussy when wearing it!

To DH, Satellite Padparascha is the great Olactory Invitation on me. Drives him nuts.

Everybody loves Musc Ravageur but me...it just doesn't suit me at all! But everyone else says it is sexy so it must be :-)

Padparadscha is an interesting choice -- your husband has good taste!

MR does not like me, either. Possibly the lavender note... smells like cheap men's hair oil to my nose.

I rarely like lavender myself, although I do like Guerlain Jicky, which come to think of it is another sexy perfume...

You're not alone, R. I hate it. (I know looly dislikes it too.)

Well, we can be our own little cult -- sometimes it seems like everyone else in the world thinks MR is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I can hardly stand to have it on my skin.

It's just another musk on me.

I am not a fan of Musc Ravageur either...... I guess its an "aquired taste"......?

Can I just add that I think the new AP, Maitresse, is likely to be thought Sexy? To me, it smells kind of like sheets...after. (But then Rose Poivre smells like feet...after. ) And I think the sexiest SL is Rose de Nuit, which I would never wear in polite company.

Haven't smelled Maitresse yet, but am interested...and impressed if they managed to pull off 2 sexy scents. You'd think they'd fall flat at some point.

Rose de Nuit -- yes, it didn't come to mind but it is way sultry, and agree, you'd have to give some thought to when & where you would wear it.

Fun!

All out sexy: Tom Ford Black Orchid

Runners-up for in-your-face sexy: Fracas, Maitresse, Musc Ravageur, Fifi

Sexy in an at-home-in-front-of-the-fireplace kind of way: again Musc Ravageur (it can go both ways), Ambre Narguile, Safran Troublant

Understated sexy: Parfum des Merveilles, Le Parfum de Therese (haha), Blue Agava & Cacao, Miss Dior

And lastly, a category that you might call crisp-sheets-and-money** sexy - Chanel 19

M, Great votes, and of course we disagree, LOL...Therese understated sexy?? Agree on the Fifi though, and the Miss Dior.

The Tom Ford Black Orchid isn't striking me as sexy. It smells like ice cream to me. But it is a "statement" kind of perfume, I'll give you that. I need to give it a few more tries...

Yessssssss, Ambre Narguilé for me, no doubt!!!!!!Sexy and much more!!!!!!!!!!!I also agree with Eau des Merveilles, fantastically sexy AND understated. And Safran Troublant. Also Narciso Rodriguez, Dior Homme on a woman, Ambre Russe (Parfums d´Empire), and one of my dearest: Cologne Bigarade (J. C. Ellena for Frederic Malle), terribly sexy on summer...

That is the second mention for Safran Troublant, which I wouldn't have called sexy although it is a great scent. Will have to revisit it now!

In front of the fireplace sexy = Rochas Femme. Love it love it love it.

There is definitely a link between Femme & Therese (both Edmond Roudnitska)...I need to pull out my sample of the vintage Femme, can't remember just how close they are. Have you tried Therese?

Yes, I really like Therese, too, but the melon steals the show on my skin, which lowers the sexiness factor. Therese and Femme both have leather and fruit, but I think Femme's plums and peaches are more subtle and warm. Femme seems voluptuous, while Therese is chic and mysterious. At least it seems that way to me. (I don't know the vintage Femme--I only have the bottle I picked up at Marshall's, so it could be really different!)

Funny, I find Femme way fruitier, at least in the new version....or at least, that is how I remember it. And don't have a good memory. Will have to do a little test this weekend!

The vintage is most definitely a better scent though.

I feel bad for the new version because people always pooh-pooh it. I like the cumin, actually, and find Therese intially fruitier, but there you go. May I also humbly suggest Gucci's Rush?

Now see, I hate cumin if it is recognizeable -- so I'm prejudiced right off the bat. Guessing there is a touch of cumin in the Therese, though, just not enough to bother me.

The cumin in Therese must be smaller than a molecule because I detest cumin and love Therese.

The old Femme was unbelievable - why did they change it? Made me ignore the entire Rochas line.

Perhaps there isn't any -- it is just a suspicion of mine.

They probably had to change it -- between allergens and changing costs of raw materials -- but why they changed it so much, I couldn't say. Perhaps it wasn't selling any longer?

Tigs, I think I discovered your blog today--"emergency backpack"?--but was unable to leave a comment. In any case, I'll be checking back for updates!

I can only imagine how fabulous the old Femme was. I adore the new Femme. A real Marilyn Monroe of a scent.

Yikes, Angela, I didn't know anyone knew that blog existed (except my brother)! I have major formatting and comment issues... think I'll talk to Marina and see if she can help a technophobe like me get the thing running properly. I love the new Femme too, and often dream of getting the old stuff.

Top choice for sexy: Agent Provocateur. It's my go-to scent for parties.

Other ones: NR for Her, Fracas, Coco Mademoiselle (flirty), and Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige (boudoir sexy).

All great votes, and should have though of Vivienne Westwood Boudoir, which appropriately enough is another boudoir sexy.

Sex on the Couch: Parfumerie Generale Musc Maori
Sex on the Beach: Pilar and Lucy Exact Friction of Stars
Sex in the Snow: Creed Love in White
Sex in Paris: Annick Goutal Eau de Charlotte
Sex in Italy: Aqua di Parma Mandoloro di Sicily
Sex in a Cab or Bathroom: Musc Ravageur
Sex in the Country: L'artisian Musc et Mure Extreme
Sex Anywhere: Hypnotic Poison

Sexiest of All Time: Still Searching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL...that is a very specific list! Going to have to give some thought to what fragrance fits sex in a cab :-)

A couple to add!

Sex in a jazz club: FM Une Rose OR Nahema
Sex in a library: FM l'Eau d'Hiver (hehe)
Sex at the Plaza: Diorissimo

Good calls!

I love AdP Mandorlo. It's almost like HP's more sophisticated sister.

I too, like Mandorlo di Sicily!! I put it to the side from the rest of my fragrances because I was thinking about giving it away to my sister! Maybe I better give that a second thought. The body cream is to-die-for!

10CC is a great choice. What about Lea?

It is sometimes a fine line, but I think of Lea as a comfort scent and not as something sexy. Although have to admit that I don't adore it as so many people seem to...it is nice enough, but I've never wanted to own it, and am not a big almond/vanilla fan in general -- maybe if I loved it, I'd find it sexy :-)

Sexy for me: Clinique's Chemistry.
Sexy on a woman: Chanel N5 is as sexy as it gets for me.... Runner up: Paloma Picasso...I CAN'T tell you what the smell reminds me of...well ok... sex with a Woman.
Sexy combo: One partner wearing M7, the other Eau de Campagne de Sisley... The mix of the two when you get it on... BOOOM!

Personally I think that perfumes that on some people are inocuous, can get sexy as hell on the "right" person's body. (or perhaps the word I should have used is "wrong" ;-) ) i.e.: CK one is as inocuous as it gets, but in an ex of mine... it is Irresistible.. Body chemistry makes or breaks a frag everytime.

Very intrigued by the M7/Eau de Campagne, love both of those scents. Have never tried Paloma Picasso! And completely agree, and the opposite is true as well -- you can take the sexiest perfume in the world and on the wrong person, it won't be sexy in the least.

Great poll. Here are my answers:
all out sexy: Paloma Picasso (well, essentially I see it as the inspiration for Agent Provocateur and scores of other 80s style chypres). Samsara. Shalimar.

Sexy in an at-home-in-front-of-the-fireplace kind of way: Double Black, Hypnotic Poison, Black.

Understated sexy: Orris Noir

Crisp-sheets-and-money sexy: Diorissimo; 24, Faubourg.

Another Paloma Picasso vote -- have never smelled it, now I'll have to! Agree on Black. And now I'll really have to try that Double Black again :-)

Love all the crisp-sheets-and-money suggestions, but otherwise I find a lot of the names that have come up too sugary and floral to be properly, carnally sexy, especially Agent Provocateur. Though I do like the bottle.

Sexy smells, for me, are definitely the animalics rather than the comestibles or the florals. Anything that smells of leather and musk is intensely physical and confident. On that basis, I'll put in a vote for the following old-school, European sexy scents:

L'Artisan's Dzing!
Serge Lutens' Daim Blond
Creed's Bois du Portugal
Caron's Tabac Blond (plus, if I may suggest a sexy floral after having said I don't really find them sexy, their Narcisse Noir is amazing)
Guerlain's Jicky (and I definitely second their fabulous Vetiver. Though not the female version of Vetiver - it's deeply disappointing.)
Acqua di Parma (original version, in summer only)

And can I just add that the right man wearing Serge Lutens' Ambre Sultan or Un Bois Sepia is well nigh irresistable? Or Christian Dior's Fahrenheit, which is basically identical to Un Bois Sepia, and a lot easier to get.

What do people think of the notorious smells that actually smell of - er, how to put this delicately? - intimate situations? For instance:
Schiaparelli's Shocking
Caron's Fleur de Rocaille
Eau d'Hermes
Serge Lutens' Muscs Koublai Khan

I'm sure there are many more that should be on that list...

I adore this website, btw - have been reading it for ages, but just had to emerge from lurkage to comment on this thread. Great poll!

Welcome, and so glad you commented today -- that is a great list! Sorry to say that I haven't tried the most of the ones that smell of "intimate situations", except SL MKK which is a great scent, maybe beyond sexy into some other territory. I hear it layers beautifully but haven't tried that myself.

And surprised this is the first anyone has brought up Tabac Blond, another great scent.

Thanks!

I really recommend giving Eau d'Hermes a try, though not necessarily on your skin - try it on a spill first, because you might well think it's disgusting. I think it is, but at the same time, it's so immensely, appallingly rude that you just have to sniff it to marvel at its boldness. Also, it's Roudnitska, which means you just have to anyway.

I had a very funny experience recently in the Haute Perfumerie at Harrods, which is one of the poshest place to buy perfume I've ever seen, with the well-dressed and very embarrassed assistant trying to explain to me in the most delicate possible terms that Eau d'Hermes smelled like a particular part of a person's private anatomy. Bless him - he kept blushing! I'm pretty unshockable, but it did make me laugh.

Your comment that it was a Roudnitska shook my memory...checked my notes, I have tried it. It is beautifully done, but way too much lavender & leather for my taste, although the cumin I found pretty much under control. Evidently at the time I didn't associate it with private parts, LOL, or at least didn't bother to include that in my notes ;-)

What a great topic!

Double Black is hot! Another vote for Musc Rav (oil).
My other favorites are Jicky, Bal a Versailles, CB Musk ... not your idea of heaven, I know! ;-)

CB Musk is a great scent, even if not my idea of heaven :-)

Yes to Jicky, hmmm to Bal a Versailles. That is fancy sexy, maybe, LOL...

And I've got to try that Double Black again, I completely missed the boat on a test strip.

This is dating me: Krizia Teatro alla Scala. Brand-spanking-new and worn with black eyeliner by my best friend during our senior year of high school.

Good times.

I also find dirty scents sexy. By dirty I mean dirt-y. Cumming, for example (despite the name). And SL Iris Silver Mist.

I also like the so-new-it's-still-crackling black leather scent of DSH Erotica.

And I think there is no sexier scent for a man than Chanel Egoiste. Regular, not Platinum. It oozes both warmth and authority, just as a grown-up man should.

Cumming is absolutely sexy. ISM is in my all time top 5 perfumes, but not sure I find it sexy, although I know what you mean about dirty, and I find Vetiver Extraordinaire sexy for the same reason.

Have been trying to find the regular Chanel Egoiste without luck -- will manage to smell it some day!

I love Erotica, and Iris Silver Mist, and even Demeter Dirt.

I love this topic. I've had a great time reading all the different replies.

For me - Estee Lauder's Spellbound.

On men *and it has to work with their chemistry*, my vote goes for SL Ambre Sultan.

Oh, Dior Fahrenheit, YUM! Every morning I am lucky enought to smell it going right out the front door!
And don't get me started on Chanel's Egoiste, not on a man but on me! In the 10th grade! I wore it till it got discontinued. (FU*KERS!) I guess I should of known then that I was gonna be a fragrance whore!
I guess for me the Sexiest Discontined would have to be Todd Oldham.... remember that?! So amazing. I've been buying from discount stores all these years but now it just smells like old, BAD wine. I'm going to cry now....

As I said above, have not yet managed to get my hands on the original Egoiste, so can only commiserate in theory...and never tried the Todd Oldham either. Don't cry though, there are SO many other fish in the sea :-)

Spellbound is another I haven't even tried -- will have to look for it!

You really do have to try Spellbound; it's colossally sexual. It smells like hot skin, as if you've been sitting (or, y'know, whatever) close to the fireplace.

But then, any ambergris-heavy scent just says "sex" to me. MPG's near-miraculous Ambre Precieux is at the top of the list, but also (the overly sweet) Jaipur Homme by Boucheron, Calvin Klein Obsession (the woman's version--too obvious and yet so very very sexy), Le Baiser du Dragon by Cartier, Liz Claiborne Spark for Men, Chanel's Coco, and, to name just a couple of drugstore-cheap but still disgracefully sexy scents, Tabu by Dana and Stetson by Coty.

I'm not going to try to divide that list up into the different kinds of sexy. They're all just warm, sweet, sticky sex.

Great description -- will definitely look for Spellbound now, although amber-heavy isn't always my idea of sexy, especially sweet *and* amber-heavy.

Also on my never-tried list: Spark for men & believe it or not, Stetson by Coty.

Le Parfum de Therese? It kind of smells like a lighter version of those Serge Lutens rich oriental super sweet sugar bombs. Too much melon and plum in this one. For a melon note with a marine accord done right, check out Millesime Imperiale. If the no. 1 has to be a Malle, I would vote for Musc Ravageur - superior to Muscs Koublai Khan in every way.

Oh dear, a Creed over an Edmond Roudnitska? We shall have to politely agree to disagree :-)

LoL, your loss then - I prefer it Diors' Eau Sauvage too, another "Roudnitska" :D

Heresy!!

the original aqua di parma on a man is sexy...i'm giving my bottle to my boyfriend b/c i just want him in it! and any perfume that's on your pillow the morning after...is sexy regardless.

I assume you are talking about the 1916 release. Its pretty good - another high quality somewhat similar fragrance is GFT by Trumpers Cologne: tart lemons, with a herbal drydown. Not very unique, but it is an extremely well made fragrance and quite long lasting too.

Ah, GFT is one we agree on!

Quite so!

The only one for me is Coty Wild Musk Oil - but that's just because of memories, I suppose.

Now, I'm post-menopausal so I don't do sexy. LOL!

Ouch, that isn't much of an advertisement for post-menopausal, LOL...

Is there *anything* good to be said about being post-menopausal? Apart from the FREEDOM, of course. LOL!

I don't know...but I will soon enough, LOL!

Let me know when it happens: we can compare notes. ;-)

I second the Agent Provocateur and Bandit (which I sometimes wear to bed). Another favourite for me is My Queen by Alexander McQueen, which is not so much "in-yer-face" but more seductive.

I tried MyQueen on a card but not on skin...will have to get to a store and give a real whirl.

Hmm... For just night out on a date sexy: Agent Provacteur.
By the fireplace sexy: Lolita Lempicka Midnight.
And just innocently minding your own business sexy: Bvlgari Femme (my fave is the eau fraiche which is no longer in the market!!!!)

LOL -- I like "innocently minding your own business sexy"!

ROBIN, LOOK HERE!
I posted a comment on P. Picasso and Egoiste below Victoriaf's today, but I guess I should have done it at a more conspicuous place, LOL! Seems you haven't seen it...

LOL -- sorry, I have seen it -- I get email notifications of all comments, otherwise I'm sure I'd miss half of them. I didn't reply because I thought it would be best to remove that comment after I emailed you, which I will do shortly :-)

LOL, should have guessed about the notifications. Talk to you soon then!

Hee hee... Thanks. Scents like those are usually my everyday fragrance. Like right now, I'm loving Child perfume oil by Susan Owens. I know its a bit exotic floral for this time of year (remember, I'm a fanatic for seasonal scents! I guess not anymore...) but I just love it...

I can't believe it, but I've never tried Child, although I have tried Terranova Pikake, which I've heard is pretty much a dupe.

And I am big on off-season scents: always looking for something summery to cheer me up when it's cold out.

I bought Child on a whim. Never smelled it before but I said, what the heck! I can always give it to someone else.. Its definitely a lush fragrance.. I like the sensuality of perfume oils!

Parfum de Therese, my Precious.

L, glad to see another vote for PdT, it didn't exactly get lots of love in the comments here! Ah well, I wouldn't want to smell it everywhere, I suppose.

For old time, no longer made sexy scent, I would nominate "Shocking de Schiaparelli". This scent was a cat in heat put in a bottle! A total Va-Va-Voom scent from the past. I'm glad I have a good 1/2 bottle of this stuff to enjoy it here. I just sniff it from time to time like aromatherapy. There is NO other scent that comes close to this one now at all. Maybe Kingdom by Alexander McQueen but this one is pure sex, IMO. Dirty panties and everything, LOL!!!!

Ah, sorry to say that Shocking is another I've never smelled. Will have to start haunting ebay -- cat in heat in a bottle sounds worth seeking out, LOL!

I know I've smelled Kingdom but it was some time ago and need to give it another shot.

What a great article, so many great new ideas of things to try; i am afraid i will love them all! May I suggest the next poll? Best BoardRoom no nonsense business scents. I am always tending to wear something too sexy sexy to the office. I believe I have a reputation!

Great idea, although something tells me it won't get the same response as a poll about sexy, LOL! Will see if I can do a business poll over the next couple weeks...

My vote: Le Baiser Du Dragon by Cartier. Dangerous stuff.

That makes 2 votes for Le Baiser, P. Looks like I'll have to drag out my sample, I didn't remember it that way!

Therese didn't work for me but Musc Ravageur did (must be chemistry differences). Still, I revere your suggestions and will have to try some of your others. Here are my humble suggestions:
Sex with James Bond - Jicky
Sex with Jack Bauer - Musc Ravageur (he can handle it)
Sex with Elvis - Ghost Deep Night
Sex with Bill Clinton - Sand and Sable
Sex with Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitski - just Crabtree & Evelyn's Goatmilk Soap
Sex with Hugh Jackman - KL
Sex with Hugh Laurie - Ombre Rose (He needs it gentle)
Looking forward to reading more suggestions . . .

LOL -- perfect list, thanks for commenting! Great recs especially for James Bond & Hugh Laurie (needs it gentle, indeed).

on men: chanel egoiste platinum. meoooww!

sex in the office: TF black orchid
sex on the beach: D&G light blue

for me TF is sex in the bottle. there is one in his luxury range which is even more sex in the bottle, patchouli? i forgot, but i still cry i did not spent the 142€ (!!) on that. worth going an hour by train to the next department store :-)

I still haven't tried all the TF Private Blends -- will have to try patchouli!

from the TF private collection gardenia is really sexy... though is has developed strangely on my skin, like a perfume for men. ist smells like sin, though.

on me my all out sexy would have to be Tom Ford Black Orchid too. For in your face sexy I would choose JPG Le Male, sprayed very lightly. In cold weather Demeter's Gingerale would be great, because with my skin it develops a note of clean sweat, which in hot weather is gross, but in cold weather it's sexy to be reminded of heat. For all out feminine sexy I would choose Philosophy Falling in Love, but the drydown is very fickle on my skin. Sometimes it calms to amazing musk and blackberries and sometimes it stays chokingly white and floral. BO Voille de Fleur is more predictable as a super-feminine sexy scent.

Great picks, and Gingerale is an unusual one!

I always get stopped when I have on Nirmala from Molinard, Tea for Two by L'A. P., or surprisingly enough a good dousing of Florida Water!

LOL at Florida Water -- just goes to show you!

I'm new to fragrances,but I've become really interested in perfumes since trying to find a fragrance I like. I wore jpg classique for a couple of years, I liked it, but it was too sweet and sickly as a sexy fragrance. I'm looking for something which says "I might look innocent, but I can be very naughty"
does anyone have any ideas? I'm currently trying agent provocateur, but even that's a bit too nice and innocent!

Givenchy Organza Indecence comes to mind, don't know why. More clues would help: what other scents do you like or not like?

I did like gucci rush, because it was comforting. I then realised that it was comforting because I was smelling it everywhere. I like semi-sweet scents, with bitter leather and musk undertones. I wear Marc Jacobs Gardenia as a perfume during the day, and I was hoping that the agent provocateur would be my new fave to wear in the evenings, but it's just not naughty enough. I'm only 23 so I don't want anything that smells like my grandma. Thanks for your comment, I will try and get a sample of it to try.

Other possibilities: Annick Goutal Songes might be another you'd like, although not sure if you'll find it naughty enough. Another possibility: Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, although that one is only at Barneys.

Thanks so much for the suggestions, I'm going to do my best to get samples of them. Thanks.