I was thinking about what to post about and I realized I don’t think I’ve ever written a post about my favorite perfumes. Until now. I tend to be very attracted to perfumes that have notes of vanilla, orange blossom, gardenia and/or rose, and most of these perfumes have one or more of those notes, with the exception of the perfume I happen to be wearing the most right now. (I went rogue.)
My current favorite perfume is Glossier You ($60). This is a tricky perfume to sample, as Glossier is mainly an e-commerce site, with the exception of a showroom in NYC, and now LA. But I regularly purchase from Glossier and I was able to select it as a sample. This is the perfume I alluded to where I went rogue because it doesn’t have notes of those fragrances I’m usually attracted to. In fact, I honestly don’t know what most of these notes even are, so I don’t really know how to describe them! However, I really, really love it. I also get a ton of compliments on it whenever I wear it, which is really nice. I definitely encourage you to get a sample if you are ever placing a Glossier order so you can smell it for yourself. They also offer a solid version ($22) of this which I am considering purchasing so I can have something a bit more portable.
Here is what the Glossier site says about Glossier You:
You’ll find that You makes a good first impression, and lives up to it as time goes on. Each note was chosen and balanced to allow the juice to be both long-lasting and true to how it smells at the beginning, without changing as it dries down. In other words, it’s heavy on the base notes. Mostly it smells like you: that familiar human-y note that makes up the body of what you’re smelling. Creamy, sparkling, clean, warm. That’s You.
*please be advised that the formula comes incomplete; You are the first ingredient*
(listed in order of emphasis)
The three base notes melt in with your skin…
- ambrette: comfy, warm
- ambrox: smooth, salty, animalistic
- musk: long-lasting, addictive
And a mix of top notes say “nice to meet you!” without overpowering the base…
- iris root: earthy, green, woods
- pink pepper: spice, sparkling
My next favorite perfume is Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon ($28-110). At one point, I described this scent as “grown up vanilla,” and I stand by that description. Vanilla is one of my all-time favorite scents but it can sort of smell a bit generic. I think that the Elizabeth and James version is a bit richer than your typical vanilla scent. I tend to wear this more during the winter, but I do really, really enjoy this one.
Intoxicating and ever-so-sexy, Nirvana Bourbon takes you to a warm and cozy evening. With a blend of vanilla bourbon, oakwood, and tuberose, this eau de parfum is a full-bodied glass of your favorite. Smoky with a hint of sweetness, this provocative fragrance brings passion to life’s little moments of nirvana.
TOCCA Stella Travel Spray ($46): Sephora got me with this one, because I am pretty sure they included this in a Play! by Sephora box, so I thought I would ask for it for a birthday/Christmas present. I remember my mother-in-law bought this for me, but I can’t remember the exact occasion. I really like this scent in the spring and summer specifically, because it sort of smells floral/fruity. Like, it kind of smells like what I imagine the French countryside smelling like. I have no basis for this, as I’ve barely left the US, but this just feels like a really nice scent to wear in the warmer months. The key notes are Blood Orange, White Freesia and Sandalwood. Here’s what Sephora said:
A warm breeze flows through Milan as Stella, Prosecco in hand, enchants and beguiles with an uncompromising magnetism. Stella is infused with the slightly sweet, never bitter, and always fresh scent of blood orange.
Kate Spade Live Colorfully ($28-98) is a scent that I wore a lot a couple years ago, and while I still have a little bit left, I don’t wear this as regularly as I wear the others I’ve mentioned before. This does have a very strong gardenia scent to me, but it also has those notes of Tahitian Vanilla, so it checks some of those boxes of notes I mentioned that I tend to gravitate to. I still love the whole Kate Spade aesthetic even though I haven’t purchased anything from her in probably over a year, so I’m not sure if I’m outgrowing it? Probably a little bit. However, I was heartsick to learn what happened with Kate Spade herself. You really never know what someone is going through – someone can have all the success in the world and still be affected by mental illness. It’s just so, so sad. I know she wasn’t really involved in her namesake brand as much anymore, but I still think of her fondly for designing accessories that have made me so happy through the years. Back to the perfume tho, it has notes of: Mandarin, Pink Water Lily, Star Anise, Golden Gardenia, Tiaré Flower, Coconut Water, Sheer Amber, Musk and Tahitian Vanilla. Here’s what Sephora says:
Live Colorfully is for the woman who lights up every room she enters. The subtle notes of the fragrance—layered with a complex spectrum of bright florals, citrus, and musk—remind her to step into the world of color around her. The notes shift playfully throughout the day to delight and surprise. The key note of gardenia is at the heart of this uplifting fragrance, but it’s the unexpected mix of classic vanilla and musk, along with exotic touches of coconut water and tiarè flower, that lend Live Colorfully its complexity and lasting depth.
Bottled in a rainbow-hued prism and capped with a shiny lucite stopper in the shape of a bow, the sparkling, modern floral fragrance embodies Kate Spade New York’s penchant for bringing a hint of whimsy to the everyday.
Tory Burch by Tory Burch ($30-128) is the perfume I wear when I want to be a Fancy Lady. Like if I am trying to be taken seriously for something or another (like a job interview), this is the perfume I wear. It’s not my favorite out of the perfumes I own, but it’s sort of my “classic” scent. I don’t love it for every day or special nights out but it’s definitely one that I go back to for various occasions. Tory Burch as notes of Neroli, Grapefruit, Cassis, Bergamot, Peony, Tuberose, Jasmine Sambac, Vetiver and Sandalwood. Sephora says:
The first fragrance from Tory Burch captures classic elements in unexpected ways: feminine and tomboy, easy and polished. Floral peony and tuberose blend with crisp citrus notes of grapefruit and neroli anchored by earthy vetiver—a bright and complex mix. The fragrance comes in a super-chic glass bottle with a signature fretwork top.
Below are a few scents that I’ve either worn before or received in boxes, and they are on my radar to buy the full-size version when I run out of some of the scents I described above.
Stella by Stella McCartney ($52-96) is one of my all-time favorite scents. I have purchased so many bottles of this and this is one that I know I will buy again at some point because I do love it so much. When I described Nirvana Bourbon as “grown up vanilla,” I would describe Stella as “Grown up rose.” I imagine that Lisa Vanderpump probably smells like Stella. Or a much more expensive rose scent that I am too poor to know about. It has notes of Rose, Peony Flower, Mandarin, Rose Absolute and Amber. Sephora says:
The first scent from Stella McCartney, STELLA, is a homage to the English rose, and an effortless expression of femininity. The refined floral evokes a rose in full bloom in a traditional English garden with a sultry amber contrast. Beautiful and unapologetically feminine, STELLA’s scent composition is approachable and enduring.
Soft rosy floral top notes drive the fragrance, subtly balanced with sharp, fresh mandarin essence and light peony flower. Intensifying and elongating the opening notes, the heart is pure rose, to represent absolute femininity. Stella’s base notes give a strong, sensual finish. Resonating up through the rose accord, the masculinity of the amber contrasts the floral side, making it bold with a sensual finish.
My Burberry Blush ($29-120) is one that I have never owned, but I did own the original, My Burberry. I believe I received this My Burberry Blush sample in a previous Play! by Sephora Box, and I held onto it because I really loved it. The key notes are: Pomegranate, Rose and Jasmine. Sephora says:
My Burberry Blush steps back into a London garden as it awakens in the first light of day. Capturing the senses, blossoming flowers open with a burst of energy, while dapples of glowing light weave, twist, and turn through the flora. Created by perfumers Francis Kurkdjian and Christopher Bailey, the fragrance opens with sharp pomegranate fused with vibrant lemon. Delicate rose petal notes are lifted with crisp apple, while a base of jasmine and wisteria round off the scent for an intensely feminine touch.
I’ve received the Chloé eau de parfum by Chloé ($28-180) in several subscription boxes and I always hoard the little samples. This is a pricier perfume and I haven’t been able to rationalize getting it yet, but I’m sure it’s one that I will own at least once in my lifetime. It has notes of Peony, Rose, Honey and Cedarwood, and I just think it smells So. Freaking. Good. And I feel like it would make me feel like an effortless Cool Girl. Chloe is a huge fashion brand, and they are famous for their saddlebag purses, and so I feel like this perfume would bring me one step closer to being That Girl. It’s all an illusion, but you know – that’s the fun of scents. Here’s what Sephora says:
Chloé Eau de Parfum captures the creative, confident individuality of the Chloé woman. It is a fresh and feminine fragrance suited to a free spirit with an utterly innate sense of chic.
The scent takes the classic rose and ingeniously translates it into a vibrant perfume, intimate and sensual. Chloé Eau de Parfum begins with a combination of floral powdery notes: hints of peony, lychee, and springtime freesia. The airy, flirtatious head notes drift away to reveal the richer and more sensual side of the rose. The distinctive character of this unique rose is accompanied by magnolia and lily of the valley, as well as subtle intimations of warm amber and elegant cedarwood.
Not pictured, but I also have Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium ($28-145) on my radar as well. I received this in a recent box but it was more of a one-time use kind of thing, so I didn’t hang onto the little bottle. However, it made such an impression that I went ahead and added it to my Sephora Loves List so I wouldn’t forget about it. It has notes of Coffee Accord, Orange Blossom, Cedarwood Essence and Patchouli Essense. Here is what Sephora says:
Black Opium is the highly addictive feminine fragrance from Yves Saint Laurent. Fascinating and seductively intoxicating, the opening notes of adrenaline-rich coffee and the sweet sensuality of vanilla recline into the softness of white flowers for a modern, young, and vibrant interpretation of addiction. Get your dose.
As you can see, the description mentions vanilla in addition to notes of orange blossom, which are two things I gravitate towards a lot. This perfume is very pricy but I might go ahead and get the rollerball version the next time I feel like making a fragrance purchase. Time will tell.
So that’s it! I also have the bottles of perfumes I’ve worn in the past if you are interested in hearing about the different things I’ve worn over the years. Let me know what you think!
xo,
Lauren
laurenelectro
A self-proclaimed beauty junkie/hoarder with a serious Sephora problem. This blog is a total rationalization of that problem. Everything is TOTALLY fine. Her free time is a mixed combination of making fun of reality TV with her husband, hanging out with cats and finally trying to figure out how to do her hair.