Hello, All!
It has been a really long time since my last post- in that time there has been quite a few changes in Chickadeeland; a new job for the hubs, which meant a move from my beloved Arkansas to surprisingly pleasant Iowa last June, a lot of new writings in the works, and most recently I completed all the necessary credits for my Bachelors degree!
I will be walking the stage in June but am still tempted to rush that diploma so I can have it, framed and on my wall, sooner rather than later.
I have missed our chats, however, friends! I hope this post finds all of you healthy, happy, and thriving!
One of the elements of life that I tend to cling onto when I am under any type of extreme stress is perusing a perfume database called Fragrantica; for me, there is nothing more entertaining (and oddly soothing) than reading reviews that other “Fragranticans” write, see who shares my likes and dislikes, and read some of the hilarious descriptive words people use when they think a scent is gross.
It also has helped me to trade out perfumes that I didn’t love for things I like much better, build a wish list, and have moments of fun bonding over decades gone scents that were well loved, regardless of how embarrassing it is that we wore them while taking ourselves too seriously (I am looking at you, Electric Youth.)
In the time since my last fragrance wardrobe post nearly everything I was wearing has been traded out, used up, and they have all been discontinued.
Ah, well- such as life.
It has given me a chance to find some new loves and build a fun wardrobe from swaps and good deals stumbled upon on Fragrancenet and picked up at TJ Maxx (seriously, TJM is a great place to find good deals on fragrances- I have heard Ross Dress for Less is as well, although I haven’t checked it out).
Without further adieu, here is what you can find in my fragrance library these days;
So, I was a huge fan of the original Pink Sugar– it was over 10 years ago, and I was having a last flirtation with the cotton candy, burnt caramelized sugar kind of smell that Pink Sugar is famous for before I felt I had outgrown it. Then I went through several bottles of it and got tired of it, retiring it into my cache of fragrance has-been’s. Around November TJ Maxx filled up their fragrance shelves with tons of fragrances they don’t usually carry and that was where I found a bottle of Gold Sugar, a fun flanker of the Sugar line.
It is all mandarin, orange blossom, creme brulee and there is the definite DNA of Pink Sugar somewhere on the mid-stages of the perfume. It dries down into a pretty musk that is more modern than some of the 70s associations that come along with that fragrance note. If you like orange-y perfumes I would deem this a safe blind buy.
And the bottle is really fun!
Let me just start by telling you guys what a fan I am of anything that could be classified as a big, white floral perfume; if it smells like in your face, audacious hothouse flowers I am all over it and it is usually a love for me (with the rare exception of when it, you know, isn’t a love at all).
Anais Anais has always been a scent that I loved but as a younger woman I felt very uncomfortable wearing it; it was too big, too attention grabbing (you will notice that a great deal of additions to my wardrobe in this post meet that descriptive- something I always liked and wanted, but had to come into my own to feel comfortable wearing).
It is made up of fresh, cold smelling lily, hyacinth, and honeysuckle (although I don’t pick up the honeysuckle at all, which is ok as it tends to be loud to my nose); in the dry down Anais Anais goes dry, soapy, and a little earthy but throughout the life of the scent it stays a pretty white floral that, if you use a bit of discretion, could be appropriate in many situations including work, church, or any other occasion where you find yourself in close quarters with others. (This is less true of the vintage formulation which you will see is busier, with more fragrance notes, and polarizing reviews from those who have worn it).
I have always loved Obsession, ever since it first came out when I was a mere 8 years old; I was very conscious of how grown up the scent is and through time just kind of forgot about it.
Fast forward to current time and I am huge on perfumes with any kind of amber notes; I remembered the peachy, amber-y, spicy gorgeousness that is Obsession and decided to pick up a .5 oz bottle on Amazon for under 10 dollars to see how I like it now.
Oh my goodness, I love it and am sorry I waited so long to snap up a bottle; it is very sweet, and amber, and the spice notes on Fragrantica are listed as “spices” but I am convinced that the principal spice in this brew is cinnamon as that’s all I smell in the dry down. Dark, cinnamon and amber- perfect for winter. It is one of my new favorites.
Gucci Flora Glamorous Magnolia;
I got this in a trade with a fellow Fragrantican and was unsure what to expect based on the reviews; it sounded like it would be very light and floral with a powdery cacao finish, but I made the mistake of reading down the list of reviews and by the time the box was delivered to my door I was a bit terrified of what I would be getting. (“I tried this in a department store recently, well in fact I covered myself liberally as I was about to meet some friends for a drink and my perfume I’d applied about 8 hours earlier had all but disappeared. It smelled like something vaguely familiar but didn’t put much thought into it. When I met them shortly afterwards one immediately said “Oh my God, you smell like a Porn star Martini!” And then another agreed. And then we ordered Porn star Martinis.”, said one reviewer. “This is very special and interesting. It’s like a fresh, powdery watermelon but it’s also sharp and somewhat heavy? It keeps tickling my nose. Some have told me it smells awful and some loved it. I think you should only spray a tiny bit. It has a summery vibe but the heaviness of it makes it too much for me to wear when it’s hot and sticky outside. I wear it rarely but happy I have it.” said another. Neither review inspired a great deal of confidence to me).
It is a tad fruity on the initial blast but it dries down quickly to a fairly nondescript musky floral with only the tiniest hint of any kind of cacao or chocolate; I bumped up the effect of that note by layering this with Al-Rehab Choco Musk, which turned this scent into exactly what I hoped it would be when I initiated the trade and also improved the scent’s wear by a few hours, which is significant.
Elizabeth Taylor Diamonds and Emeralds;
I know. A lot of us go straight into the head space of associating anything by Elizabeth Taylor, particularly in the Fragrant Jewels collection, (which includes the oft maligned White Diamonds scent), as being for a much older crowd but you guys this is way different than that grande dame we tend to view as more, ahem, mature.
Diamonds and Emeralds starts off with a blast of peachy goodness but quickly dries into what it predominantly is throughout the life of the scent which is big white flowers- lily, jasmine, magnolia, water lily, tuberose, and gardenia (I mainly pick up the tuberose which is my absolute favorite floral perfume note followed closely by gardenia) and muskiness, and the most seamlessly blended patchouli I have ever come across in my million years of loving scent.
It is lovely and was the best trade I have made so far- TJ Maxx carries the Fragrant Jewels collection in 3.3oz bottles priced at 12.99. I picked up Diamonds and Rubies recently but have only worn it once so far, although it is pretty smashing for something spicy and powdery- I may write about it when I have gotten to know it better. They’re not niche but they are definitely worthy of being in anybody’s fragrance wardrobe, and are a true affordable luxury.
This is tied with Diamonds and Emeralds as the scent I reach for most often; it is a musky, salty patchouli and because it wears so close to the skin is very silky and appropriate for a diverse array of occasions.
One of the top notes listed is green apple martini but I only smell the freshness of green apple and not a discernible note that screams apple. It is very pretty and effeminate and is a great take on patchouli for those who don’t like the heavy patch of throwback Orientals and head shop roll-on oils (incidentally, I do like that kind of patchouli but some folks don’t).
Lovely is aptly named; a beautiful, inoffensive musky patchouli for those who don’t want to throw their scent at people whenever they enter a building.
Honorable Mentions;
This is a sweet, true chocolate scent that lasts for absolute hours, is good for layering and is a steal at 3 dollars on Amazon. You can not beat that price tag (and the vendor ships quickly as well).
This is the cleanest, softest, prettiest white musk I have ever smelled. I even sometimes put it on before I go run on the treadmill. It lays close to the skin but sticks to everything you wear- coats, scarves, t-shirts. Not in a cloying way, but in a nice way.
I have legit gone through a few bottles of this just since fall- it is one of the nicest scents I have come across and it is very inexpensive at just 3 dollars a bottle like it’s chocolatey counterpart listed above.
So that is what you can find in my frequently worn fragrance wardrobe! All the links will take you straight to the Fragrantica database page about the listed scent and there you can find user reviews, links to purchase- all the entertainment and financial ruin one could ever ask for in one place.
What scents are you guys wearing and loving this winter? Let me know in the comments section here or on our FB page!
Until next time!
Love,
The Chick and her Chickadee