I now inspire a relaxed awareness and a soothing nature.
When I was in the sixth grade, I received a bottle of Love's Baby Soft for Christmas. It was my first experience with perfume, and I didn't really like the smell. According to the link, "Love's Baby Soft was the fresh scent of baby powder for the girl with a budding sexuality and a desire to be adored." Maybe the scent was inappropriate for me because I wasn't quite ready to bud. Bud.
In junior high school, I received a bottle of Wild Musk. Again, good, but not really me.
High school? My grandma gave me a bottle of Beautiful. It was the strongest smelling stuff I've ever sprayed, and I soaked in it. Especially after first hour gym class. Imagine what an assault to the nostrils I must have been. Sweat! Cheap deodorant!! Beautiful!!! No prom date!!!!
In college I mostly smelled of beer and incense. Let's move on.
When I first met Jeff, I was a CK One girl, because I will buy anything that looks like a bottle of rum.
In the past few years, I haven't worn any type of fragrance because of the breastfeeding thing. I know how much I hate smelling non-food-related things when I'm trying to eat, and I firmly believe that no one should have to inhale musky pineapple when they're at breast. (I believe I once read that on a bumper sticker.)
Anyway, I've provided all of this olfactory history just so I can tell you that I've Finally Found My Scent.
It's Bath & Body Works Jasmine Vanilla Sensuality.
Sensuality!!!
Carnality!!!
Concupiscence!!!
And every time I put this stuff on, I can't help but believe that I'm the best smelling girl in town.
Or maybe the best smelling girl on my street.
Today, at least.
(Apparently, Cinco de Mayo coincides with Mulch Day on Pudding Avenue.)
Anyway, we can all sleep soundly tonight.
Because I smell superfine.
At last.
Submitted by
kara
at 5/5/2007 7:03:01 PM- I love the scent of the B&BW Jasmine Vanilla. It's very nice. :)
I remember Beautiful, although I feel like it was in a much less obnoxious package when it originally came out. Then again, I was 10 in 1985. :)
Submitted by
jana
at 5/5/2007 7:46:13 PM- I went through the Love's Baby Soft stage...I even had the four-pack with alternative Love's scents (I think lilac was one). But after Love's I moved on to Sunflowers...like every other high-school girl in the nineties, I think. Every once in a while I smell Sunflowers on someone and it brings back memories of awkward high school anxiety.
Submitted by
Kristen
at 5/5/2007 8:41:14 PM- I'll have to remember to sniff the Jasmine Vanilla the next time I head to the states for a homesickness fix.
I don't really get homesick. I just get sick of living with my MIL, so I tell her I have to go stateside for a day and give the excuse of homesickness. The mall in Massena, NY, is better than the one in Cornwall, Ontario. That's for sure.
Once I had a vial of Jasmine-flavored essential oil, and I accidentally dumped half of it on my sleeve as I was leaving the house for work. I received many compliments that day, even though I was swooning in my own cloud of jasmine. I'm trying to figure out what it would have smelled like with vanilla added in, since that fragrance is pretty much etched into my memory (oil doesn't wash out right away).
Submitted by
Dooley
at 5/6/2007 8:44:51 AM- I will check out the B&BW stuff. Sounds cuddly and cookie-like.
Jean Nate anyone? I won a MONSTER bottle of it for selling a lot of candy for the YWCA in my hometown. Ugh.
I've got really strong smell memories, as does my older son. I'm a sucker for anything almond, so if anyone's got any recommendations?
I've been wearing Miss Dior since about 1970 -- my sophisticated 5-year-old self watched the Mike Douglas show with my mom. Mike told Zsa Zsa that she always smelled wonderful, and she said she was wearing Miss Dior. Dahling. That being said, around the same time I had the hots for Jack LaLane. So there's that.
Decade favourites:
70s - Miss Dior and Oscar de la Renta
80s - White Linen and Paco Rabanne (I kid you not), but not together!
90s - DK Cashmere Mist
Aughts - any Jo Malone
Thanks for invoking flashbacks...
Submitted by
BOSSY
at 5/6/2007 11:35:31 AM- When Bossy was in her late teens she was one of those obnoxious people spraying scents near the makeup counter in the department store. This ruined Bossy's olfactory system for life. She now strives to live in a scentless world, although finds it's often senseless instead.
Submitted by
Dawn
at 5/6/2007 2:23:03 PM- Love's Baby Soft and CK One. That brings back memories. In fact, our perfume history is eerily similar. I went through the sunflowers phase along with Jana, though. I like B&B Works Moonlight Path now, but only have any because my mother-in-law seems to think I should smell more feminine. Maybe I will check out the jasmine when she comes back to town.
Submitted by
Lee Anne
at 5/6/2007 5:10:37 PM- There was no hope for me as a teen - my mom wore Georgio, Red Door and Poison and such. And so did I, in large, nose-bleed inducing amounts. Now? The musky Banana Republic fragrance. It's a little more subtle [hell, what ISN'T?!] and still pretty. And it causes fewer migraines for me and people in close proximity.
BTW - concupiscence? Awesome word. I totally had to look it up, but intend to use it correctly at least once a week. Preferably while at work.
Submitted by
Kimmiekat
at 5/6/2007 6:26:03 PM- Ahhh, Love's Baby soft. Memories. I had oodles of Avon's Sweet Honesty in all the cool bottles. Little Miss Muffet, the Tooth Fairy (with a handy purse to hold your tooth and put your .25$)kitties on pillows and other neat porcelain figures. You had to splash most of the bottle on you to have any scent while your skin burnt from the alcohol.LOL. Then I graduated to lady stetson and vanderbuilt in the mid 80's and in 87 I took all my paycheck and b-day money and spent 90$ on a bottle of Poison. I sprayed myself everyday on my way to work cause i couldn't afford it and made that bottle last! I only just changed and started wearing Light Blue by Dolce gabbana.
Plus, everytime I smell Yardleys Lace, I remember by G Granny's house, great memories.Perfumes a powerful thing.
Submitted by
Amy in KC
at 5/7/2007 9:38:48 AM- Who knew so many of us were susceptible to olfactory migraines? I was a Clinique Happy girl for a year, until everyone else was, too (and everyone else seemed to need ten pumps to my one, so UGH). Then I just went scentless (and often senseless). But now I have found Caswell Massey's "Elixir of Love."
Submitted by
No One of Consequence
at 5/7/2007 11:08:50 AM- Perhaps they will rename it "ode d' pudding"
Submitted by
Amy in StL
at 5/7/2007 12:46:52 PM- I skipped Love's and went to Anais Anais in college. My mom is allergic to perfume and wearing anything scented made my dad grumpily proclaim, "You smell like a french whore!" Hence my skipping scent until college. I've since scent hopped from Coco to Amarige to Elixir of Love to CKTruth to Innocent. I think I like the last one just for the name, if ya' wanna know the truth!
There aren't many fragrances I can wear without getting a migraine. I'd been sticking to Kiehl's musk (it's hippy, but sexy hippy) for a few years, but I've lost my tolerance for it.
I don't remember Beautiful. It can't be any worse than Taboo.