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To start you off, here are some recommendations by acclaimed perfumer Francis Kurdjian as they first appeared in French Marie-Claire, Dec 2005. Kukdjian recommends a starter perfume of proven popularity/classic status (below, in capitals) and then offers suggestions on what to layer it with, according to occasion/time of day. It's interesting to note that he regularly offers suggestions involving his own compositions...which would negate the often quipped argument that layering is only meant for "mending" a fragrance lacking in some way.
SHALIMAR
Day : Cologne de Mugler or Eau d’Hadrien or Eau de Cologne Bien-Etre verte
Night : Musc Ravageur (Malle) or B*Men de Mugler
L’AIR DU TEMPS
Day : Eau parfumée au thé vert Bulgari
Night : Eternity (C.Klein)
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Day : Un jardin en méditerranée d’Hermès
Night : Voile d’Ambre (Y.Rocher) or Nu d’YSL
CHANEL NO.5
Day : Colonia d’Acqua di Parma
Night : Musc Ravageur (Malle) or Féminité du bois (Lutens)
JOY
Day : Blush de Marc Jacobs or Rose barbare de Guerlain
Night : Original Musk de Kiehl’s
CHANEL NO.19
Day : Mure et Musc or Hiris (Hermès ) or Déclaration pour homme de Cartier or Eau de Cartier
Night : Lolita Lempicka or L’Eau Ivre No.03 de Iunx
YSL OPIUM original
Day : Un Jardin sur le Nil d'Hermès
Night : Poivre Samarcande Hermessence d’Hermès or Féminité du bois
YSL PARIS
Day : Rose Ikabena Hermessence d’Hermès or Sa Majesté la Rose (Lutens)
Night : Cuir Améthyste d’Armani Privé
GIORGIO BERVERLY HILLS
Day : Rem de Reminiscence
Night : L’Instant de Guerlain
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DIORISSIMO
Day : Cologne de Thierry Mugler
Night : Mandarena de Sicilia d’Aqua di Parma or Le Parfum de Castelbajac
FÉMINITÉ DU BOIS
Day : Eau d’Orange Verte d’Hermès
Night : Angel or Rush de Gucci
EAU D’ISSEY
Day : Anais Anais
Night : Rem de Reminiscence
NARCISCO RODRIGUEZ
Day : Fleur d’Oranger de L’Artisan Parfumeur
Night : Aromatics Elixir
AMBRE SULTAN
Day : Eau d’Hadrien
Night : Gaultier2
MURE et MUSC
Day : Dior Diorella or Pleasures (Lauder)
Night : Rahat Loukoum (Lutens)
LOLITA LEMPICKA
Day: Violette de Maison Berdoues
Night: Angel
TRÉSOR
Day : Promesse de Cacharel or Lovely de SJP
Night : Vanille Passion de Comptoir Sud Pacifique
The info comes from French Marie-Claire, Dec 2005 print edition (I believe I was notified of this snippet ages ago by Bela/MUA, if I recall correctly)
Other perfumers also recommend layering.
Here are some of the recommendations of Serge Lutens of Palais Royal de Shiseido. Serge even goes as far as suggesting you combine three scents of his famous powerhouses (!) or just combine two mantioned in the same line:
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| via lenoma.ru |
Ambre Sultan, Daim Blond, Arabie
Ambre Sultan, Un Bois Vanille, Douce Amère
Ambre Sultan, Fleurs d'Oranger, Datura Noir
Ambre Sultan, Daim Blond, Clair de Musc
Fleurs de Citronnier, A la Nuit, Sa Majesté la Rose
Fleurs de Citronnier, Clair de Musc, Santal Blanc
Fleurs de Citronnier, Fleurs d'Oranger, Datura Noir
In "The Emperor of Smell" by Chandler Burr there is this info on "primaries" of smell, as used by perfumer Jean Claude Ellena :
Banana +Lemon = Jasmine
Mint + Rum = Black currant
Also there is this professional shortcut used by Jean Claude Ellena in his fragrances (more difficult to replicate at home):
isobutyl phenylacetate + vanillin = chocolate
You can also experiment freely with the Jo Malone collection, which was initially specifically designed to be layered. This is most agreeable with the older scents in the line, but they all offer their possibilities. The same can be said about the single note Diptyque candles or room sprays, for some fragrance layering for the home (or on yourself, most room sprays by Diptyque are safe for use on skin, though you need to do a patch test first just to be sure).
As with everything, have fun and if your experiment ends up not satisfactory, take refuge in the idea that it's only perfume; you can always wash it off and start anew the following day!
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