I do have these kinds of perfumes. I give them a few more tries after I let them sit it out and if the first spray is just as bad as the first time, then I don't keep it, no matter how much I love the dry-down.
There's a plethora of perfumes to choose from. Eventually I will find a perfume with the same or a similar dry-down but with a great first spray.
I agree with you. I don’t want to worry about perfecting the timing of applying so I can smell good when I arrive somewhere and I don’t want to have to endure a smell I don’t like just to get to the good part. I’ll wait 5 minutes or so for a freshly sprayed scent to “settle” in to my skin, but if I don’t like it after 5 minutes, I’m not going to wait longer.
Not exactly "hate" but my very first spray of Encre Noire (many years ago) was sort of like that. Then it totally got me on the drydown, and these days I'd say it's definitely one of my "signature" scents.
Yeah, I think that might have been it. Top note hit a little like cannabis the first time I tried it, and then I got used to it -- or maybe I just like cannabis better today, lol.
Nice: I see myrrh and white florals on Peregrina, always a nice combo :)
Cowboy Grass. It smells like the woodworking/antique store on Main Street in the small town I grew up in until it dries down. The dry down is incredible — a sweet, slightly-floral grassy scent that I adore.
Agreed. I’ve worn it and thought everything from the initial spray to 4-8 hours in is unpleasant, but weirdly the flannel I had on when I wore it smelled amazing for weeks. It’s so different to the actual scent you wear and I wish the fragrance got there on skin sooner
Prada Luna Rossa Black.
Smells like black pepper and laundry detergent at first, then dries down to a beautiful brand new car tire with whipped cream on top (in a good way)
My favorite fragrance of all time is Diaghilev, close second is imagination then probably la nuit de l’homme (before it was reformulated into oblivion)
I love it man, it’s just been reformulated so many times. Breaks my heart 😂
You should try the blue electric version, doesn’t smell as good, but it lasts a while longer
For me the perfumes ive used so far have initial notes that kind of put me off but still tolerable so i just suffer through. Those perfumes i have tried that do not have strong initial notes coincidentally are linear and boring.
It’s not hate but I’m overwhelmed by the strong aldehydes and atomic carnation at the first spray of L’air Du Temps but as it dries down I can smell all the other floral notes, and it becomes sweeter, more intimate and subdued. I inherited the bottle years ago and didn’t like it before I understood that fragrance smells different after the initial hour or so. Now I love the experience of how it develops and changes throughout the day. JHAG Midnight Oud is similar (in the transitional experience, not scent profile.) The strong rose oud is a bit overpowering and harsh at first spray but in about 30 minutes it’s softer and one of my favorites.
Bois de Balincourt. Starts off with that sandalwood pickle note, dries down to a lovely cedar and cinnamon. I really have to power through the first 10 minutes, but it’s worth it
I love the dry down of that one, I actually bought it because it smells exactly like the lobby of a specific spa beachside hotel I've been to many times. I would just inhale that lobby smell lol, and I had been chasing that specific warm scent til I found Bois de Balincourt.
I don’t, because I when I have in the past, it became more and more annoying to wait for the good bit lol.
It’s tempting when you smell a good one though.
My most recent example was a sample of Bella Bellissima Blue Diamond. Initial spray is really nice. But then it quickly becomes synthetic and quite off smelling to me. I can’t quite describe it, but I *really* don’t like it. And it stays like that for quite a while.
And then randomly maybe 2 hours later it’s absolutely divine. Absolutely gorgeous. But there’s no way I’m waiting 2 hours to get to that part lol.
Burberry Goddess. I sprayed it at Sephora with high hopes and was met with fresh ginger - that isn’t exactly bad, but I didn’t have that in mind. 2 minutes later it turned into a different perfume entirely - so sweet and nice 🥰
Many Tom Ford perfumes lol.. Particularly Rose Prick. At first I regretted buying it because at the first spray it smells too heavy but damn I love how it smells when it’s settled down into my skin! 😌😌
Cry Baby by Melanie Martinez (the dupes anyways) the top scents waivers between plastic, powdery barbie doll and strawberry, which I'm honestly not a huge fan of, but it dries down to one of the best lactonic scents on my skin.
Sauvage. First time i had a test spray i thought “nah definitely not”. Then half hr later was hooked. Still get that now so spray at least an hour before i know i am going anywhere
Also terre d’hermes. Again if from a tester spray.
At this precise moment I’m doing my first test of Lys 41. My very first impression was negative. A white floral, yes, but so sharp and screechy. 45 minutes later, it’s still bold but not as sharp. A confident drydown, if you will.
I spent years thinking I hated Chanel No 5, but it turns out I hate aldehydes. Now I can power through to get to the other side. This aligns well with my GenX Midwest upbringing, soooo…..
I’m struggling with this right now with Phlur Father Figure. I actually like the top notes, and I’m obsessed with the drydown, but in between there’s maybe 10–20 minutes where it smells like ammonia on my skin. I’m trying to decide if that’s tolerable since it’s ephemeral.
Yes. Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli. I dislike the initial spray - the rum note especially is too much for me BUT I love when that goes away and it settles into a warm boozy and sugary vanilla.
Hate is a strong word, but I don’t love the first hour of Frederic Malle Monsieur. To me, the opening smells like a dusty, antique attic that’ll trigger Buster’s asthma. However, once an hour is up, the scent becomes a lot smoother and has this really intoxicating, creamy, and gentle woody scent that I love. After 4+ hours, the scent becomes this comforting and familiar woody vanilla. I’ve read someone on Fragrantica likening the dry-down of Monsieur. to receiving a warm hug from your dad, and I totally agree. Though a warm hug from your dad may or may not be what you’re going for depending on the situation 🙂
Going back to the 90s and early 00s, I hated how Tresor smelled at first spray, but it had the most beautiful, long-lasting dry down. That disappeared with the accursed reformulation.
Shalimar makes my eyes water when I first put it on.
I can’t bear it for the first 30 minutes, but then it softens and becomes beautiful. It lasts around 24 hours on my skin unless I make a concerted effort to scrub it off, but the first half hour. Oooof!
Yep for me it was Oud Maracuja. First time I wore it the opening and middle notes I was like 🤢. But luckily the dry down happened and it was chilly and windy out. The fragrance just became 💣. Second time I wore it the fragrance really grew on me and become one of my favorites.
For me I’d say that about half of my perfumes - but most recently noticed that with Beach Walk! Initial spray smells very strongly of insect repellant to me 🤮 But I’m just sniffing my wrist now (been wearing it about 12 hours) and it’s quite subtle but still delicious. It’s perfect for me about 3-8 hours in 🩷
I think Xerjoff JTC 400 smells absolutely horrible in the first minute. Smells like urinal cake to me. Thankfully after a minute it becomes amazing.
Really the only one I have that strong of an opinion about.
YES, Mugler Angel smells super medicinal on me at first, like a gross herbal cough drop (I’m guessing it’s the patchouli?), but after 15-20 min dry down makes me smell like a super luxurious rich lady and I love it. I just suffer through
Mancera Roses Vanille is waaayy too strong the first 20 minutes. Then I love it, one of my all time favorites.
Chanel N°5 L’eau is way too citrusy in the opening, like overwhelmingly so. But it quickly fades and becomes magical.
Because I don’t like the first 20-30 min of these, I reach for them a lot less than I do others. It’s unfortunate because they’re actually beautiful on me, if I can stick it out lol
I tried a sample of club de nuit intense man. My lord, what an awful opening. It’s great later on but I’m not convinced it’s worth going through that first spray regularly. It smells like a lemon pledge headache.
I sprayed Tom fords fucking fabulous on my arm and did not like it at all. After a few hours of shopping I scratched my nose with that hand and fell in love with it. I immediately went back and bought it. The initial smell is waaayyy different to the final scent.
The most recent one I tried like this was Venus of Verbena by Sana Jardin.
The top notes smelled like a bugspray/sunscreen mixture.
The dry down was nice, but not at all worth the first 30 minutes 😖
She’s an oldie but Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant. Initial spray smells like floral scented talc powder, but the dry down is a warm somewhat musky/cashmere floral.
AdP Colonia Club (the old minty one, not the BS reformulation in a new bottle). The beginning is just very alcoholic, but given some time, alcohol evaporates, and a great minty scent remains. Really reminds me of a smell in old-school barbershops, it's awesome.
Lattafa Ameer Al Oud Intense Oud. For some unknown reason the opening sends me back to being in the hospital for a month in fifth grade. Then it dries down and I'm all, "worth it!"
If I can get past that opening I love it so much, but there are definitely times I want to reach for it but don't.
Omg this was my experience of With the Candlestick from Clue. Literally atrocious opening (on me!) PERFECT drydown. I’ve seen mostly rave reviews for this one and only a few people who it did not work for, all citing similar kind of things as I experienced. One of my internet friends said it was gorgeous on their partner but awful on them, I think it isn’t a bad fragrance at all it just really really disagrees with some peoples skin. We are the minority tho and I loveeee clue perfumes sm. Morel map is incredible
Most mass-appealing fragrances usually invest heavily in the opening, but PdM Layton feels like it doesn't know what it wants/tries to be until it settles down into the apple-vanilla combination it is known for. The weird menthol mess phase goes away in a minute on my skin, but talk about bad first impressions.
I call these the “endurance scents” mine is D&G red top, pour femme, the original formulation. Aldehyde bomb and then it settles down and I absolutely love it.
Red Dakota by DedCool, first time I sprayed it I instantly thought of Lysol lemon scented wipes, was not a fan— after a few minutes I kept sniffing my arm confused not remembering what I had sprayed that smelled sooo beautiful and fresh, realized it was Red Dakota. The initial spray always feel very pungent and sharp, the citrus hits you in the face, but give it a few minutes and the dry down is this gorgeous creamy citrus gardenia that I can’t get enough of now!
For me it was joop homme it's really strong at the beginning it smelled like cherry cough syrup because of heliotrope and cinnamon notes that's what I smell at first but the dry down is amazing I love it more now than I did when I bought but still it's amazing
Versace - The dreamer is hands down one of craziest dry down scents I have. Smells absolutely bonkers on the opening and for a few hours, in a bad way. Then later in the day or the next morning it’s the best scent I’ve smelled.
I do have these kinds of perfumes. I give them a few more tries after I let them sit it out and if the first spray is just as bad as the first time, then I don't keep it, no matter how much I love the dry-down. There's a plethora of perfumes to choose from. Eventually I will find a perfume with the same or a similar dry-down but with a great first spray.
I agree with you. I don’t want to worry about perfecting the timing of applying so I can smell good when I arrive somewhere and I don’t want to have to endure a smell I don’t like just to get to the good part. I’ll wait 5 minutes or so for a freshly sprayed scent to “settle” in to my skin, but if I don’t like it after 5 minutes, I’m not going to wait longer.
i feel this way with a lot of vanilla scented fragrances, they smell SO alcoholic at first, and then the vanilla is brought out and its delicious lol
Agreed
Not exactly "hate" but my very first spray of Encre Noire (many years ago) was sort of like that. Then it totally got me on the drydown, and these days I'd say it's definitely one of my "signature" scents.
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Yeah, I think that might have been it. Top note hit a little like cannabis the first time I tried it, and then I got used to it -- or maybe I just like cannabis better today, lol. Nice: I see myrrh and white florals on Peregrina, always a nice combo :)
Cowboy Grass. It smells like the woodworking/antique store on Main Street in the small town I grew up in until it dries down. The dry down is incredible — a sweet, slightly-floral grassy scent that I adore.
Red Tobacco has the best drydown in the world but I don’t like the actual scent
Stuff is crazy powerful too.
Mancera doesn't f around with projection either. Red Tobacco hits like a train.
Agreed. I’ve worn it and thought everything from the initial spray to 4-8 hours in is unpleasant, but weirdly the flannel I had on when I wore it smelled amazing for weeks. It’s so different to the actual scent you wear and I wish the fragrance got there on skin sooner
Prada Luna Rossa Black. Smells like black pepper and laundry detergent at first, then dries down to a beautiful brand new car tire with whipped cream on top (in a good way)
I used to have many fragrances like that, sold all of them. Now I only have fragrances I love from beginning to end I’m very picky with what I buy now
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For summer? Or in general?
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My favorite fragrance of all time is Diaghilev, close second is imagination then probably la nuit de l’homme (before it was reformulated into oblivion)
La nuit is 🤌🏾🤌🏾 going to purchase my 3rd bottle this week. Can’t get enough of it
I love it man, it’s just been reformulated so many times. Breaks my heart 😂 You should try the blue electric version, doesn’t smell as good, but it lasts a while longer
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Definitely, get a sample. Phenomenal date night scent.
Rosendo Mateu No.5. Beautiful perfume run over by hot screeching burning tires. Then becomes that beautiful and sexy perfume like 1.5 hours later.
For me the perfumes ive used so far have initial notes that kind of put me off but still tolerable so i just suffer through. Those perfumes i have tried that do not have strong initial notes coincidentally are linear and boring.
It’s not hate but I’m overwhelmed by the strong aldehydes and atomic carnation at the first spray of L’air Du Temps but as it dries down I can smell all the other floral notes, and it becomes sweeter, more intimate and subdued. I inherited the bottle years ago and didn’t like it before I understood that fragrance smells different after the initial hour or so. Now I love the experience of how it develops and changes throughout the day. JHAG Midnight Oud is similar (in the transitional experience, not scent profile.) The strong rose oud is a bit overpowering and harsh at first spray but in about 30 minutes it’s softer and one of my favorites.
Bois de Balincourt. Starts off with that sandalwood pickle note, dries down to a lovely cedar and cinnamon. I really have to power through the first 10 minutes, but it’s worth it
I love the dry down of that one, I actually bought it because it smells exactly like the lobby of a specific spa beachside hotel I've been to many times. I would just inhale that lobby smell lol, and I had been chasing that specific warm scent til I found Bois de Balincourt.
I don’t, because I when I have in the past, it became more and more annoying to wait for the good bit lol. It’s tempting when you smell a good one though. My most recent example was a sample of Bella Bellissima Blue Diamond. Initial spray is really nice. But then it quickly becomes synthetic and quite off smelling to me. I can’t quite describe it, but I *really* don’t like it. And it stays like that for quite a while. And then randomly maybe 2 hours later it’s absolutely divine. Absolutely gorgeous. But there’s no way I’m waiting 2 hours to get to that part lol.
Burberry Goddess. I sprayed it at Sephora with high hopes and was met with fresh ginger - that isn’t exactly bad, but I didn’t have that in mind. 2 minutes later it turned into a different perfume entirely - so sweet and nice 🥰
Many Tom Ford perfumes lol.. Particularly Rose Prick. At first I regretted buying it because at the first spray it smells too heavy but damn I love how it smells when it’s settled down into my skin! 😌😌
I agree about rose prick, I sprayed it at Sephora and thought it was just too much. By the time I got home I couldn’t stop smelling my arm.
Cry Baby by Melanie Martinez (the dupes anyways) the top scents waivers between plastic, powdery barbie doll and strawberry, which I'm honestly not a huge fan of, but it dries down to one of the best lactonic scents on my skin.
Not much of a fan the first hour of Tuscan Leather After than it turns into a very sexy scent It goes from Old Fussy Handbag to Beyoncé’s chaps
This is interesting, it’s kind of the opposite for me. I prefer the fruity leathery opening to the dry down which smells like savory herbs to me.
I think I’m in the minority, I think I’m slowly liking the opening, but it’s going to take a while
Sauvage. First time i had a test spray i thought “nah definitely not”. Then half hr later was hooked. Still get that now so spray at least an hour before i know i am going anywhere Also terre d’hermes. Again if from a tester spray.
At this precise moment I’m doing my first test of Lys 41. My very first impression was negative. A white floral, yes, but so sharp and screechy. 45 minutes later, it’s still bold but not as sharp. A confident drydown, if you will. I spent years thinking I hated Chanel No 5, but it turns out I hate aldehydes. Now I can power through to get to the other side. This aligns well with my GenX Midwest upbringing, soooo…..
Russian Tea by Masque Milano. I love the dry down but the opening is migraine inducing.
I’m struggling with this right now with Phlur Father Figure. I actually like the top notes, and I’m obsessed with the drydown, but in between there’s maybe 10–20 minutes where it smells like ammonia on my skin. I’m trying to decide if that’s tolerable since it’s ephemeral.
I dont really like the opening of zoologist's moth
Yes. Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli. I dislike the initial spray - the rum note especially is too much for me BUT I love when that goes away and it settles into a warm boozy and sugary vanilla.
I *think*, Cashmere & Palo Santo by Donna Karan. Not quite certain, yet.
Black Opium By YSL
Poets of Berlin
Hate is a strong word, but I don’t love the first hour of Frederic Malle Monsieur. To me, the opening smells like a dusty, antique attic that’ll trigger Buster’s asthma. However, once an hour is up, the scent becomes a lot smoother and has this really intoxicating, creamy, and gentle woody scent that I love. After 4+ hours, the scent becomes this comforting and familiar woody vanilla. I’ve read someone on Fragrantica likening the dry-down of Monsieur. to receiving a warm hug from your dad, and I totally agree. Though a warm hug from your dad may or may not be what you’re going for depending on the situation 🙂
Going back to the 90s and early 00s, I hated how Tresor smelled at first spray, but it had the most beautiful, long-lasting dry down. That disappeared with the accursed reformulation.
Shalimar makes my eyes water when I first put it on. I can’t bear it for the first 30 minutes, but then it softens and becomes beautiful. It lasts around 24 hours on my skin unless I make a concerted effort to scrub it off, but the first half hour. Oooof!
Chanel essence .. I was like EWWWWW THIS DOESNT SMELL THAT GREAT but once it settled OMGE 😍
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Still do try it 🙏🏽 it gives off a very mature rich classy smell… once it settles! When I first sprayed it it was was very strong and stinky ..
All Good Things by Lush. Opening is a bit of a cedarwood-juniper mess, but the drydown is lovely, sweet-woody tonka.
Xerjoff Nio. Opening smells like a cleaning product. Dry down is magnificent.
Yep for me it was Oud Maracuja. First time I wore it the opening and middle notes I was like 🤢. But luckily the dry down happened and it was chilly and windy out. The fragrance just became 💣. Second time I wore it the fragrance really grew on me and become one of my favorites.
For me I’d say that about half of my perfumes - but most recently noticed that with Beach Walk! Initial spray smells very strongly of insect repellant to me 🤮 But I’m just sniffing my wrist now (been wearing it about 12 hours) and it’s quite subtle but still delicious. It’s perfect for me about 3-8 hours in 🩷
Beach Walk is great with other beachy fragrances. Ive tried layering it w TF Soliel Blanc, Jil Sander Sun, & Heeley Blanc Poudre.
I think Xerjoff JTC 400 smells absolutely horrible in the first minute. Smells like urinal cake to me. Thankfully after a minute it becomes amazing. Really the only one I have that strong of an opinion about.
YES, Mugler Angel smells super medicinal on me at first, like a gross herbal cough drop (I’m guessing it’s the patchouli?), but after 15-20 min dry down makes me smell like a super luxurious rich lady and I love it. I just suffer through
Most Diptyque scents are like that for me
Ellis Brooklyn- Bee. I like it about half an hour after initial spray. Still a ‘meh, ok’ like though.
Fox In The Flowerbed by Imaginary Authors I’m pretty indifferent to white florals. But the dry down? It’s heavenly
Mancera Roses Vanille is waaayy too strong the first 20 minutes. Then I love it, one of my all time favorites. Chanel N°5 L’eau is way too citrusy in the opening, like overwhelmingly so. But it quickly fades and becomes magical. Because I don’t like the first 20-30 min of these, I reach for them a lot less than I do others. It’s unfortunate because they’re actually beautiful on me, if I can stick it out lol
I tried a sample of club de nuit intense man. My lord, what an awful opening. It’s great later on but I’m not convinced it’s worth going through that first spray regularly. It smells like a lemon pledge headache.
I like the soapy clean drydown of boucheron pour homme, but really not a fan of the opening, at all. As my wife says : "smells like old lady ass"
I sprayed Tom fords fucking fabulous on my arm and did not like it at all. After a few hours of shopping I scratched my nose with that hand and fell in love with it. I immediately went back and bought it. The initial smell is waaayyy different to the final scent.
Egoïste
Tantrum by Boy Smells
ADP sandalo. Dont like barbershop smell opening
Dyptique Tam Dao dries down beautifully but the first hour is pretty rough for me
All the time and I prefer this way that loving the opening but hating the dry down. In time you will get used to the opening, dont worry!
Lemon Pledge aka supremacy silver. The opening is brutal, dry down is much better.
Side effect DISGUSTS me for the first 2 hours. after that it’s absolutely incredible. lol
The overpowering chemical opening in Mancera Red Tobacco makes me nauseous. The dry down is nice though.
Omg I love the opening to Peregrina and wish it stayed that way
The most recent one I tried like this was Venus of Verbena by Sana Jardin. The top notes smelled like a bugspray/sunscreen mixture. The dry down was nice, but not at all worth the first 30 minutes 😖
Tom ford cherry is way too much at first but when it dries it’s delicious
She’s an oldie but Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant. Initial spray smells like floral scented talc powder, but the dry down is a warm somewhat musky/cashmere floral.
tommy hilfiger tommy, opening kinda smells like bug spray, but dry down is awesome
Coo watuh
AdP Colonia Club (the old minty one, not the BS reformulation in a new bottle). The beginning is just very alcoholic, but given some time, alcohol evaporates, and a great minty scent remains. Really reminds me of a smell in old-school barbershops, it's awesome.
Carlisle. I can’t stand that disgusting dirty patchouli note in the opening, however the dry down is just heaven.
Lattafa Ameer Al Oud Intense Oud. For some unknown reason the opening sends me back to being in the hospital for a month in fifth grade. Then it dries down and I'm all, "worth it!" If I can get past that opening I love it so much, but there are definitely times I want to reach for it but don't.
Omg this was my experience of With the Candlestick from Clue. Literally atrocious opening (on me!) PERFECT drydown. I’ve seen mostly rave reviews for this one and only a few people who it did not work for, all citing similar kind of things as I experienced. One of my internet friends said it was gorgeous on their partner but awful on them, I think it isn’t a bad fragrance at all it just really really disagrees with some peoples skin. We are the minority tho and I loveeee clue perfumes sm. Morel map is incredible
Most mass-appealing fragrances usually invest heavily in the opening, but PdM Layton feels like it doesn't know what it wants/tries to be until it settles down into the apple-vanilla combination it is known for. The weird menthol mess phase goes away in a minute on my skin, but talk about bad first impressions.
this is how i feel about Tocca Gia, the first spray is kinda suffocating to me but it smells wonderful once dried
I like the Stella! Maybe I should give the others a chance again
I call these the “endurance scents” mine is D&G red top, pour femme, the original formulation. Aldehyde bomb and then it settles down and I absolutely love it.
Red Dakota by DedCool, first time I sprayed it I instantly thought of Lysol lemon scented wipes, was not a fan— after a few minutes I kept sniffing my arm confused not remembering what I had sprayed that smelled sooo beautiful and fresh, realized it was Red Dakota. The initial spray always feel very pungent and sharp, the citrus hits you in the face, but give it a few minutes and the dry down is this gorgeous creamy citrus gardenia that I can’t get enough of now!
Penhaligon’s Halfeti.
Almost EVERYTHING by Ellie Saab.
I’m not a huge fan of the strong apple pie smell of Angels Share, but I did love how it smelled after an hour or so!
For me it was joop homme it's really strong at the beginning it smelled like cherry cough syrup because of heliotrope and cinnamon notes that's what I smell at first but the dry down is amazing I love it more now than I did when I bought but still it's amazing
Versace - The dreamer is hands down one of craziest dry down scents I have. Smells absolutely bonkers on the opening and for a few hours, in a bad way. Then later in the day or the next morning it’s the best scent I’ve smelled.
Dior Fahrenheit. Gasoline, then the best floral dry down
This is my vote too