Well, a couple of nights ago I spent less than $30 for a bottle of Marc Jacobs Grass (ebay). And am waiting for my Aqua Motu to be delivered from Beauty Cafe and it was less than $30.

I'm obviously very anxious for spring!

Good deal on both counts, and forgot you could get those little CSP bottles!

Well, I still have the nail marks in my palms where I forced myself not to hit the Buy button for Baldessarini Ambre yesterday...only £19.99 on FragranceDirect (a bit more than $30, given the state of the dollar). But a man's scent, after all, and I've never sniffed it, and buying something Ambre just because I want Ambre Fetiche and can't have it is plain silly. Isn't it?

I only sniffed the Baldessarini once, and very quickly on a card, but guessing it will not kill your lemming for Ambre Fetiche!

Excellent! (She says heartily, eyes flickering towards the shopping cart which still, inexplicably, has the Baldessarini in it...) Will. Not. Hit. Buy.

LOL -- let me know how you like the Baldessarini ;-)

Did you buy it? I thought it was very un-ambery, and unlike most oriental scents, it isn't very long-lasting, only a couple of hours on my skin. I am crazy about amber scents, and I thought this one was a huge disappointment. (Obviously some people love it, as you can see on Basenotes, but if you love amber, I don't think this is the one for you.)

Not sure if you're asking me or VanillaGirl -- I didn't buy it, just sniffed quickly on a card. Didn't love it.

No, I resisted temptation. Actually, that's not true - I redirected temptation to a new object, and ordered Black Cashmere! In the back of my mind, I know the Baldessarini would be a disappointment, and then I'd pass it on to my son, who'd have to be polite although he'd never wear it...

I bought this last year on a return flight from Tel Aviv.

I really, really like the drydown on this, it lasts for ages and smells fantastic. It's warm and sensuous, my wife always notices when I wear this.

It's very easy to buy decent fragrances for under $30 at places like Marshalls, so I'd probably just go there and look around :)

An 8ml decant of Comme des Garcons Avignon with change to spare!

Good pick!

With a very few exceptions, I seem to do better online than I do at TJ Maxx

Easy-peasy!

I either get 3.3 oz of Hiris Perfumed Liquid Powder Spray (whatever the heck that is) for $29.90 at perfumebay.com, or an ounce of Meteorites for $25.90. Whichever I have less of.

C'mon ... gimme a harder one!

Oooh, the liquid powder spray is very tempting. I've never tried it.

Ok; a harder one: your best pick for an unsniffed $30 purchase?

Still not hard ... I go to TJM or Marshall's and finally pick up a bottle of Paloma Picasso, which I HAVE NEVER SNIFFED.

There.

LOL -- ok, can't stump you today. I've never smelled it either!

I used to wear Paloma Picasso in high school! I have no idea why, but I remember really liking it. Maybe I'll hit TJMaxx on the way home from work...

I think I can vouch for Paloma as one of the best of those big '80's fragrances. When I was a teen, all of my brother's art student girlfriends wore it, so it has a bit of a "edgy" quality in my mind. Actually, it is pretty edgy. Also, it has one of the richest, best patchouli drydowns of any perfume out there.

Best under $30 buy "unsniffed" purchase???
Halston Z-14

It was actually only $15 for the 50ml. I knew the name and figured that for that price, if I didn't like it I could use it outside. (strong perfumes keep racoons and ants away--I've used a whole bottle of White Diamonds that way...)

LOL -- never hurts to have another weapon against racoons & ants! And $15 is a deal either way.

Sending vitamin-laden get-better-pronto wishes your son's way!
30 bucks, eh? Well right now, it's a toss between Third Man and Rochas Lui but ask me again tomorrow, hell, in two hours, and I'll come up with something else. :-)
As an aside, I'd like to put in a good word for Ferragamo's F pour homme, which I tried a few days ago on a test strip -- really nice for a dep. store fragrance, lots of pepper on a warm sweet, but not too much so, base. Will skin-test it over the w/e.

Thank you!

Haven't tried the Ferragamo F Pour Homme -- what else is new, LOL -- but I'll see if I can find a tester.

Well, I think I'd buy a bottle of Caron Aimez Moi, which I keep swearing I'm going to buy because it's so darn cheap and wonderful, and then I always forget. BUT - I might forget again and accidently spend my $30.00 on a NARS lipstick at Sephora and a ginger coconut bubble tea and then curse myself. That could happen, too.

I'd hit Marshall's or TJXX and look for something old-school.

My TJ Maxx doesn't have a great old school collection, unfortunately.

Yes, you must have Aimez Moi!! Way better deal than the NARS lipstick, although I get sucked in by lipsticks at Sephora too.

30 USD are about 20 Euro - that's really not much. I guess I wouldn't spend them at all and rather put them into a money box.
If I *had* to spend them I would buy a set of 2 Philosykos soaps.

I hope your little one will get well soon!

Love Philosykos soap, good pick! And thanks :-)

I'd probably get GAP Grass or an interesting Demeter - too many of the latter to choose from:)

It is true, $30 goes a long way at Demeter...

Gap Grass is still available? Where, or where?

I'm told there is lots at the Gap Outlets, and can confirm there's lots at eBay again.

I think I might buy some Brut. Maybe an old vintage bottle of Brut if I could find it. Brut was my first great fragrance love when I was little. It's probably over twenty years since I have smelled it, and I wonder what I would think of it now...
Hope your child is feeling better Robin.

Brut, good for you! I am sorry to say I can't remember what it smells like, although the smell of Old Spice is etched on my brain.

So sorry to hear your child is sick again - it seems to be going around (one of my customers had to shut down his entire shop - everybody has the stomach flu!) Hope he gets totally well soon!

Perfume.........$30.......

well, I'm with you on the Sur la Nil body lotion but I think I will spend it on some Coty Muguet des Bois. I mean, it's not like I can get M de Bonheur for that price!

or else I will go over to PC and indulge in some vintage Coty and Balenciaga samples!

Thanks. It is really going around here -- lots & lots of sickies.

Coty Muguet des Bois is a great pick, and you can more than one bottle w/ $30 :-)

$30? I would go to Victoria's Secret. Heavenly, a oriental floral is touted as "America's best selling fragrance". .5oz. for just under $30. Believe what follows-I really don't work for them!
Also there are several without a trace of "fruity floral": Rapture, a vanilla oriental in a classy heart shaped purse spray, Pink edp .5 oz. a green floral, Body by Victoria, a woody, musky floral, though OsMos says it's a water scent. And you can get 3 for a $24.00 of their Garden moisturizing scents. I would buy Divine in the in the $29.00 body spray ,a floral with notes top to bottom: lotus, rose-muguet, waterlilly-sandlewood, blonde wood and amber.
There are no reviews for V.S. But they have won fragrance awards. I hope they come up in the world. Mainstem, but a least as well done as the beautiful Muguet des Bois...and then there's Bath and Body works.... ;o}

Oh come on! Some of you sneak in there.

I do go into VS, but even their non-fruity-floral stuff is usually sweeter than I like -- same is true for Bath & Body Works -- they know what their customers like, and their customers like sweet. I do like BBW Coconut Lime Verbena lotion, but that is the only one I've ever bought.

I was wondering what your definition of "sweet" is? I think tuberose and jasmine can smell too sweet, like Fracas full on (I like it in small doses). Fracas seems a little cloying straight on. So I'm not sure what your definition of sweet is? I didn't list any of their Fruity ones. V.S. Heavenly is just peony and musk...a lot of musk.America's best seller (reportedly). My sister used to love Tabu, now she likes Heavenly, she hates "sweet" scents. I'd love to understand where you're coming from in you reviews, for clarity.
Joy,
Becca

It is quite true that Fracas is sweet, but it isn't foody-sweet, and I suppose that was the generalization I was making about VS & BBW -- but of course it is just a generalization, and not meant to dismiss all of their fragrances because I certainly haven't tried them all. And, it is also just a generalization to say I don't like foody-sweet, because there are some foody-sweet scents I do like.

I'd love to hear what fragrances you layer with UJSLN body lotion - I have some at home and I never thought of layering it, I always wear it with the UJSLN scent. Do tell, Robin! :)

My $30 - Perry Ellis for Men (the original in that tacky brown wonky bottle)...it is as good as a Serge Lutens oriental and it can be had for less than $20 last time I checked. Don't let the 'For Men' in the name fool you - this smells wonderful on women.

I am seriously not kidding when I say "almost anything". Anything citrusy, anything w/ incense, anything by JCE, light florals, you name it. It is interesting w/ a little drop of Terre d'Hermes. Will try to think of more specifics later but at the moment too tired...

And will have to check the Perry Ellis, hard to believe I've never smelled it, but can't remember it.

Well, now you did it - I've never tried layering, but have wanted to, and I love JSLN. So in honor of leap year I ordered a bottle. Otherwise, I could easily blow thirty bucks at Luckyscent or PC. Here's hoping your kiddo gets better soon and you yourself don't catch it.

Hope you will love it as much as I do! And he is already much better this morning, thanks.

Hey, my husband wears Perry Ellis for Men (when I remind him to). It is very nice, unusual, with a lovely smokiness and basil notes. It's a bit strong for me but would be fine on a woman, I agree.

Hands down, the lotion for Un Jardin En Mediterranee...

Sorry to hear your little one isn't feeling well.

We agree! And thanks :-)

One item? I can't get six Humongous Minis from Demeter?

Okay, I'll have Perry Ellis 360 Black, $28.50 from Amazon.com. It is wonderful (spicy licorice tobacco). I'm still kicking myself for not having bought it in Ottawa in 2006. I've never seen it since, and I could mail-order it...

...maybe I will.

Ok, get the Demeters -- we're not strict!

But another Perry Ellis pick, I'm surprised! Need to try that one.

If you had asked me a week ago, I'd have said a bottle of Jacomo Silences, but a marvelous MUAer RAOKed me with a bottle yesterday (perfume people are the BEST). Also in yesterday's mail was a sample of Ungaro Diva, which somehow I've never smelled before. It is gorgeous, and it's at imaginationperfumery for $17...verrrry tempting. Or I'd go over to TJMaxx & see if they have a bottle of Bulgari Au The Vert lying around. As it is, I stopped by a tag sale on my way home today and bought two pairs of extremely cool vintage earrings...so no new perfume this weekend :). BTW, have you smelled Silences? I did a side by side test and it's a dead ringer for Chanel 19 - it just has a trace more moss in the basenotes. Hope your son gets better soon!

Sorry, one more - a bottle of L'Or de Torrente. The bottle is gorgeous, and it has a coffee note that I can actually smell. Lovely.

For spring -- and going for the unsniffed gold:

A 25 ml bottle of Annick Goutal Le Jasmin -- on it's way already.

Get well wishes to your son! I hope you are all stoked up on Vitamin C, etc. with all those squirmy germies, nursing duties and all...

Great price on the AG, congrats! Perfect for spring.

I'm shocked I'm not sick yet. I've hardly been sick all this winter, and my son has hardly been well. I'm drinking lots of echinacea tea, which works even if only because of the placebo effect.

The other day I found a tiny perfume shop hidden somewhere in town. Well it is a perfume shop but they have all kinds of fragrances very new till oldies and their prices are much lower than those hi-end stores. I looked at a 100 ml Hermes, Terre d'Hermes bottle for abt. 27 Euro's! If I would buy two fragrances I might make myself a deal and buy the Hermes for 20 Euros :-)

Hope your son gets well soon again !!

Always good to stumble upon a cheap perfume store, M, and thanks -- I'm sure he will :-)

I have not tried Silences, although I hear it is lovely. But I do love tag sales, congrats on your find!

And thanks, I'm sure he will :-)

Well, at the moment I think I'd go for the 30 ml bottle o Nicolai New York, but have bought just a few days ago 100 ml Habanita on ebay

Congrats on your Habanita, that is a worthy pick :-)

I'd get a bottle of M. Balmain for $10 or so and, even tho it's not nearly as good as the original, I'd also get a bottle of Vent Vert for $18. I'd wear them together & I'd wear the separately for Spring & Fall. Here are the notes: Vent Vert = Limette, Neroli, Basil, Lilly of the Valley, Ylang-ylang, Tagete, Amber, Cedar wood, Oak moss and M Balmain = Bitter orange, mint, petitgrain, rosemary, rose, ginger, sandalwood, sage, vetiver.

At $28 I've beaten the budget & have $2 to fling about madly. Prices are from Imagination Perfumery.

Hey, that is good shopping! M. Balmain for $10 is unreal.

The great thing about NYC is you can get a bottle of perfume for a great price on the street BUT my cheapie pick for $30 is Jesus del Pozo DUENDE, or CORIANDRE two I never get tired of and are my cheapies...

I have never tried Duende, but Coriandre was my signature scent many moons ago.

Ha! I put this into action earlier today (and I see your $30 limit doesn't include S&H, so that helps...). Just bought 50ml of Terre d'Hermes on eBayfor $30.75.

With another $30, I'd buy 50ml of Jardin sur le Nil or maybe 20ml l'Occitane Green Tea w/ Jasmine for about $18 (plus some soap or shea cream with the remainder).

Good buy on the Terre d'Hermes! And wouldn't have thought you could get 50 ml of JSlN for $30? Or maybe you're talking eBay again?

Molinard de Molinard. Just as fabulous as the $185 M de Molinard at Aedes. My bottle arrived this week from 1st in Fragrance. Set me back a whopping $17.99.

(Gonna send you an eye-candy pic, Robin, to compensate you for your mommy nurse-maid duties.)

Hey, that is a bargain!

And got it, thanks, very very cool!

Preparing for spring, I feel like I need a bottle of Calyx. A fresh, fruity, sweet green scent. Yum!

I love Calyx! I wish its shelf life was longer, I'd keep some around.

Hmmm... thirty dollars? That could be a shower gel or shaving cream for Terre d'Hermes or Dior Homme at the local fragrance shop for me... I'd probably go for the Dior, just for lasting power on the skin (really makes the spray stronger) but I love the smell of the Hermes so much that I am going through bottles quite quickly... decisions decisions.... good thing we have this extra leap day Friday to think of such important and ground-shaking matters :->

LOL at "such important and ground-shaking matters" -- that is what Fridays are for in general :-)

Scenteurs, now you've done it--sent me off to the Imagination Perfumery site. I think I'd buy Miss Balmain at $23.99 for a friend, and two samples of Hinoki for myself at $3 each.

I need that Hinoki too!

30u$s buys me a nice bottle of Chemistry by Clinique.
A frag that is great for me and MY skin chemistry, and also on a huge 100ml size.

Or perhaps Lanvin L'Homme, Armani White He or Montana For Men (all under 30u$s at scentiments)

If I were a girl, I'd go for the smallest Chanel Cristalle, and then I wouldn't ever have to worry about money again, as surely that would get me a refined and rich sugar daddy pronto :-)
That perfume smells like a mix of class and seduction to me.

I'm with Erin T; I'd get Caron's Aimez Moi.
That deadline is midnight Eastern time, right?

Yes! You have a few hours left.

P, I tried that with the Cristalle & had no luck ;-)

I would go to Lucky Scents and order some really weird samples.

Always fun to do!

I know exactly what I'll buy.... Chanel No5 bath soap. Its about 18 bucks but whenever I use it in the shower or bath, my entire bathroom smells luxurious! And I still have money left over.

You know, that sounds lovely -- I've never tried any of the Chanel bath soaps.

Just bought (another) bottle of Sur Le Nil lotion. Was not smart enough to hunt for it online--am taking notes of places here. It was STILL worth it. I wore it with Mandragore and that was fine, too.

So, if I had $30, I would (in fact, just DID) order as much Bois Des Iles perfume as I could--which was about 1 ml. Worth it!

The first time I bought it, I paid full price in a dept store and agree, it was still worth it.

Seriously, is that all you can get for $30, 1 ml??? Ah well, it's lovely stuff.

I'd get right over to Ava-Luxe and get a bottle of Love's True Bluish Light

Not bad but neither fully to my taste but I thought that Aigner In Leather Women (30% discount) for 17 Euros was worth mentioning.

Aigner I found at another drugstore where they have all kinds of fragrances, hi-end and celeb and frags unknown-to me.
Also tried Rochas Absolu there, which was ok but a little above the 20 Euro budget ;)

The Aigner scents are really hard to find here! Rochas isn't all that easy either, for that matter.

Z, what a cool name -- I hadn't heard of that Ava Luxe. Is she back in business?

Not quite still selling on Etsy for now but lists requested frags as "reserved" items. I was able to get a few ALs I'd been missing

Hi everyone,
I think I would get 1 or 2 mini parfums (depending how much each one is--I might only be able to get 1 with $30) at this one online discount perfume store that sells alot of fabulous fragrances in minis. Many hard to find ones...
Good poll!
Molly

Robin why don't you try Montale "Ginger Musk" first before you buy "Five O'Clock Au Gingembre" unsniffed.
That way you distract yourself for a while.
Maybe you will end up not liking both or loving one but then you'll know it is you truly money's worth. ;)

I am not that easily distracted, LOL -- but did just read a review of the SL at basenotes, and it doesn't sound like something I would love.

Molly, I love buying minis. Which online store do you like for minis?

I know this is really for comments on the friday poll, but I just want to use a little space here to tell you how much I love your blog! I am quite new to the world of perfume but the information here is so great and wellwritten that I'm becoming a perfume-addict.

To answer your question: If I had 30 dollars to spend I would get samples, samples, samples! I'm at that stage where I want to try everything!

Thank you so much Anna, glad you like it! And if you're new, samples are definitely the way to go. I regret quite a few of my early "full bottle" purchases.

I was in BBW the other day and spritzed Caudalie's Fleur de Vigne (sp?). It was so fresh and lovely, and $30 for 50 ml.

FdV is a really nice summer spritzer -- didn't know it was that cheap!

For 30 $ ... let s say 21 Euro ^^ ...
I move miself to Parfum de Nicolai (6 metro station from my home) and buy a 30 ml of "New York"

Concerning Five O clock .. i just sniff it this morning. Just 5 seconds in order to have a first opinion.
So WAIT .. it is an unusual Lutens in my opinion.
It is really a "Candy" Parfum, full of sugar, The only other "gourmand' from Lutens was Rahat Loukum .. it is really a Ginger Cake .. it is 5 o clock .. but 5 o clock for the kids :)

Oh Benoit, Nicolaii is nowhere to be found here. Nicolaii has been high on my list to try!!! You are so lucky to live so nearby their store and in Paris for that matter for also I would love to try more parfums by Frederic Malle and Montale !! Montale I think will be a great love in the near future. I am saving money already..-)

Have a wonderful nose-happy weekend!!

Marianne.

Benoit, boy, would I love to be 6 metro stops from PdN! Lucky you.

I love Rahat Loukoum, but 5 O'Clock was described on basenotes as something like Bois Oriental w/ lots of candied ginger -- would you say that's accurate? Does sound, either way, like I'd best not buy unsniffed!

to be honest with 5 o clock I have just sniff it a few seconds to determine the smell.
I am not a strong lutens fan, so to compare with Bois Oriental is difficult for me :) ... I have to smell 5 o Clock better in order to answer you.

But according to what I found as component and what I have smelled, I would certainly prefer to compare it with other Honey based Lutens ... (Rahat Loukom, Mandarine Mandarin or even Chergui). Because Patchoulli, Honey and Cacao doesnt fit well with Bois oriental :)

Concerning Paris .. yes I am lucky, but remember also that Paris is the worst place to find discount on Parfume. And i was thinking for Nicolai because it is a very good quality/price ratio ...

Ok, I will console myself with my easy access to online fragrance discounters :-)

Thanks so much for the descriptions of 5 O'Clock, even if you just got a very quick sniff -- I do think I'd best not buy it until I smell it!

I will try to sniff it again today when I come back from works.

Know what you made me do? Just go and order a 30ml bottle of Black Cashmere, that's all. I think I'm going to have to tie my right arm to the chair next time you run a feature like this...

LOL -- I am sorry! But hey, what a great pick. Wish Black Cashmere was easier to find at the discounters here.

Not that easy to find here, in fact, but I got a great deal. Hope your son is feeling better - it's one thing to be sick on a school day, quite another to be under the weather on a Saturday.

Then congrats on your deal!

And that is so true -- why mess up a weekend? He is much better this morning.

Glad your son is feeling better! For 30 bucks, I'd probably buy a patchouli essential oil (usually around $16) and some frankincense resin (the other $14) and mix them together. Does it count if I have, say, sandalwood, vanilla (Holy Expense! on both) and top it with some beautiful lavendar? I 'd have to toss them in a veggie oil, too... and a container. But, I have all of these, so it reeeeeeeeeealllly shouldn't count against me. (I have the patch and the frank too., but I love buying different ones)

$30 bucks....if I could find a mini of the original Poison (back in the day) I would do that.

Off to make some fumes. :)

Thanks!

And gosh, if you're mixing your own, we can't count anything against you :-)

I would go trolling at TJ Maxx for large bottles of good stuff - I don't think I have ever seen anything there for LESS than $30.

Etat Libre d'Orange, discovery kit with 16 miniatures 2 ml for 20 Euro, that is what I would it spend it on. I have just acquired the taste of buying and getting the samples that really interest me, so this would be the definite choice for me :-D.

Hey, that's a good buy!

Hi Flora, you mean for MORE than $30, right? I troll mine regularly, but have only made about 3 good finds in as many years :-(

it is so hard to find something for 30 dollars,unless i am a terrible shopper *lol* but I did order a mini of NR for 15 dollars,looking forward to sampling it. :-)

Tons of good stuff for under $30 at the discounters, really! And hope you'll love your Narciso.

I love your blog and have been reading it for over a year. You introduced me to some great fragrances!
My recent $30 purchase: Fendi Theorema- $29.99.

Thanks!

And great deal, congrats -- Theorema is one of my all time favorites.

Great suggestions - thanks everyone! For me - probably Lovely body lotion, although you're making me want to try the Jardin sur le Nil one too...BTW, I found Theorema and Theorema Esprit d'Ete both for under $20 online recently.

I still have never tried the T. Esprit d'Ete -- did you buy it?

On impulse I stopped at the Maxx on Friday night on my way home. I spent $40, not $30, but for my money I got two LARGE bottles (3.4 oz) of Max Mara and DK Gold, both of which I really like. (Doing the happy dance and smelling good doing it! lol)

DK Gold!!! Ok, I'm going to have to hit TJ Maxx this week, thanks!

I obviously need to find another TJ Maxx. The one closest to me has a plethora of Liz Taylor scents, and not much else. I did get both Jolie Madame and Ivoire de Balmain there last year, but the pickings have been pretty slim since then.

A little hint on shopping at TJ Maxx...

I cozied up to one of the floor managers one cold night when I stopped and there wasn't much business. I asked her if she could divulge on what day(s) they got fresh supplies of fragrances. She told me it's different for every store, but in the case of the store I use, it's Friday. So every once in a while i drop in on my way home from work on Friday evenings and I've found some real treasures!

To share a purchase I actually did make recently: 15ml of Daim Blond on eBay, $19.99 + $10 shipping. (And bah! Your $30 limit precludes me from mentioning the full bottle of Douce Amere I won on eBay yesterday for $34, although that price doesn't include shipping.)

Hey, that's a decent price for a great scent! And a disgustingly decent price for a whole bottle of Douce Amere -- congrats! Shocked the price didn't get bid higher than that, was there a misspelling in the ad or something?

I think what happened was the seller erroneously listed it as being available only to Canada, so it was only showing up if you searched on ebay.ca - not on the normal ebay.com. :D

Aha -- well good for you for spotting it!

Well, it's Friday, but quite some time after this poll.

I was surprised to see Ivoire above. Goodness, I thought I was one of the few who admitted to this guilty pleasure. Not sure what the original was like, I've only smelled this one that floats around in bargain bins and on eBay, but I adore it. It was recommended to me by a perfumerie who knew I was a chypre lover.

To my nose, it is absolutely divine and complex for the price point -- the combination of amber and the greens makes for quite a contradiction and hypnotic. "Hypnotic" is not what one would expect at this price, even if it is an old classic type, no doubt it is far from the original.

Also indulged in a real bargain on eBay this week, that falls into your category: Gaultier 2, two of the 1.3, for about 22.00. The excessively sweet amber and vanilla that simply won't go away makes it a personal favorite, even though I think it is much better suited for winter with it's warmth and introspective sensuality.


I could probably pick up an ounce of Ivoire for about 7 or 8 dollars, so I think those two would make me happy and feel like a million bucks for not too many dineros.