Fragrance

I’m not a big fragrance person.  I remember one class I was taking years ago in Ohio, the girl sitting behind me had such a strong scent on.  I think it was a shower gel even, something from Bath & Body Works, very fruity and fake smelling.  It was very distracting and I wasn’t a big fan.  And it gets me thinking about how many fragrances we have, especially women, I think.  One morning I counted and I had over eight different fragrances I was applying before I even sat down for breakfast:

-       Shower gel

-       Face scrub

-       Shampoo/Conditioner (assuming they are the same)

-       Shaving gel

-       Body lotion

-       Face lotion

-       Hair gel

-       Make-up - foundation, lipstick, etc.

-       Hand lotion

 

Which, even if I was a big fan, makes no sense since they are all competing with each other and most likely not complimenting each other.  I’m a big fan of Clinique so that knocks off most of the make-up scents. I do try to buy the scent free stuff. 

 

And don’t get me wrong, I do believe fragrance is an essential accessory and polishes your “look”.  I remember picking out a perfume when I was a teenager.  Mom took me to the store and we tried a bunch before deciding on the final pick.  I forget the name, and I just put it in the donation box since I wasn’t using it anymore.  I also had a Lily of the Valley perfume that I got in my college years.  It’s one of my favorite flower scents and will wear it occasionally.  But for the last several years, I have been looking for a more grown-up, professional fragrance.  Something in the realms of Chanel No. 5.

 

I will peruse the discounted perfumes at TJ Maxx, and even visit the perfume counters in Macy’s.  But at TJ Maxx, the perfume is packaged up, so you can’t test it first.  And Macy’s seemed to have a limited selection.  So I spend most of my time at the duty free stores in airports searching for the right perfume.  Every time I have spare time, I will pop into the stores and smell all the different samples, deciding on a final one to trial that day.  I have tried everything from Chanel to Burberry to Dolce & Gabbana to Christian Dior and everything in between.  I think I’ve been doing this for a good five years, and hadn’t even narrowed it down to top contenders.  I like the idea of Chanel No. 5, but couldn’t find something that was “me”.  I realize, it is one of those “purchases”.  Something I want to buy but can’t make a final decision so it stays on my “to purchase” list forever (right now I have: sofa, car mats, and all-in-one computer - I did just cross off sneakers - bought some finally this weekend).  Generally anything over $100, is hard for me to pull the trigger on.  I want to get it exactly right.  I can easily drop over $100 at the grocery store or other shops, but a single purchase in triple plus digits really seems to give me pause and slows things down on my end.

 

Well, earlier this month, I was at Home Goods, looking at the perfumes, all boxed up and sealed in plastic.  My master plan was to research and try different perfumes at airports or other perfume counters, until I found the right one (or at least several top contenders), and then keep a look out for a discounted version at TJ Maxx/Home Goods or online.  Spending over $100 on perfume seems a bit too much.  But that wasn’t working and here I was standing in front of a bunch of perfumes.  I liked the graphics/packaging for this one perfume, but had never tried it, or even heard of it, so put the box back on the shelf.  Although it was heavily discounted, it was still not cheap.  I didn’t want to risk it.  I kept perusing, but came back again at the end of the shopping, wondering if I should just risk it and try it.  My mind said the odds were bad - what’s the likelihood, that I’d like this perfume, when I didn’t like the others I’d been trying.  But I was just tired of this quest.  I looked the perfume up online and read the reviews (luckily my smartphone worked in the box store).  One review I liked said it was not overpowering - a nice subtle scent.  Well, that’s promising.  But still, not enough to pull the trigger.  I’m standing there, trying to sniff the perfume through the plastic (there was nothing) when all of a sudden I see it!  On the bottom shelf are some special gift packages of perfumes.  You know, where it’s perfume and some other stuff too.  And there it was, the perfume, in this box set, and it’s not sealed!  It’s just got a plastic cover that you can slip off.  I’m in luck because it’s the same thing -  both are “L’Essence Eau De Parfum” and not something else like Eau de Toilette.  Who knew there were so many varieties - Eau de Perfume, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne, Eau Fraiche, the list goes on!

 

I take a whiff and not bad.  Nothing super memorable, but also not obnoxious or something I don’t like.  I give it a squirt and smell it again on my wrist.  Still good.  Of course, I have time to give it to see what it smells after wearing it for awhile since I have to be somewhere else, so I figure, good enough.  It’s not perfect, but it’s good and is what I’m after.  A nice multi-layered, not-too-floral, subtle scent to add to my work week attire.  I go for it and buy it.

 

And boy am I happy!  I’ve been wearing it almost every day and I really like the smell.  It’s one of those purchases you buy and don’t realize until later how much you really like it.  I think it’s good that it’s not too much of a “signature” scent.  That would be distracting.  It’s just right - it sets the mood, the person I am and want to represent.  In Maguire terms, “it completes me”.  Which is what I was looking for originally.  So, I’m happy to report that after five years of hunting, I found MY perfume.   And only after about a week, did I get into the routine of actually putting it on every morning.  It was annoying at first, because I’d be on my commute into work and realize I forgot the perfume.  It’s now part of my routine.  Although, as I write this, I just realized I haven’t figured out what to do when I travel.  I guess I need to see if they make a travel size.

 

And I know you’re dying to know - what was the final, magical, scent?  Luckily this is a blog and not a vlog, because I have no idea how to pronounce the name.  It’s Balenciaga, Paris, L’Essence Perfume!