I was in a store the other day and a lady walked by wearing Estee Lauder's Spellbound. Thought I'd share my opinion of this particular fragrance. Warning: Its not a positive one.
"Oooh, you just HAVE to try Spellbound! I know its a little sweet for your tastes, but its sooooo gorgeous!" This is what I was told by a couple of folks I know. So on my next excursion to the local mall, I exited through the Dillard's store. Spritzing on one shot of Spellbound on the way. Took me approximately three seconds to realize I'd made a bad choice. A VERY bad choice! By the time I made it out to my automobile I also realized that I recognized it. I knew that tooth enamel curdling scent from somewhere. But where? "What is that smell? My brain was yelling at me! This has a few more notes mixed in there,but other than that its almost identical to........ WHAT???" After ten minutes of sitting in my vehicle (with all the windows down, of course) it hit me! ORIENTAL WOODS!!! THATS IT!! Oh my God, that was one of those super condensed, astoundingly potent potpourri oils I used to get. Way back in the early 80's, heck maybe even the 70's, when everyone had bowls and baskets of dried plant and fruit matter sitting around their homes. We'd buy those little bottles of oil to "refresh and revitalize" the bone dry concoctions. Some of them were SO VILE!!
Good grief. Some Estee Lauder employee took the potpourri oil and had it converted into a perfume. That was a dastardly deed! Sad part is, I used to put a drop of the oil into either jojoba or grapeseed oil and wear a little as a fragrance. And it smelled a LOT BETTER!!!
*Found my old bottle! The scent has weakened a lot over the years, but I can still smell the connection.
Blossom here. I remember when Mama came home wearing that. Good God! I thought I'd faint. The cats ran for the back room and hid in the fabric on the shelves by the sewing machine, and Aunt Rory headed into the depths of her crate and curled up really tight back in the shadows. She may have lost her hearing, but NOT her sense of smell!
Good Morning! I just HAVE to say something! Sometimes I'm just so appalled at Mama's way of thinking. To celebrate her one year anniversary she couldn't decide whether to go and buy a nice perfume at the store or go online and purchase several for the same amount of money. My canine sensibilities stress that quality is very important to a truly happy life, and that applies to fragrances as well. I feel that she has plenty of those "bric a brac" perfumes and that she should have gone out and bought a nice classic! L'Heure Bleue would do just fine. Or better yet, her beloved Coco. She really must begin assembling a "proper" fragrance wardrobe.
Of course, after my protests on the subject she refuses to tell me what she finally decided upon! Just says that I'll be surprised. And since there isn't a new bottle in her room, that means I'll have to wait and see what shows up in the mail delivery. Whatever am I going to do with her?
Well, thank you everyone for allowing me to vent some of my anxiety! Hope y'all have a lovely and pleasantly fragranced day.
Hugs and Kisses, Blossom
Some of my friends have found my "obsession" to be quite amusing! But when they heard that I was going to attempt to organize my fragrances and my opinions of each, the reaction was "I HAVE to read that!" So to simplify, I've decided to journal it all in this blog.
Other than just wearing perfumes for pleasure, my other main intent is to find fragrances that will assist and/or facilitate dreaming and meditation. And enhance prayer and ritual.
One example of this would be finding a scent that matches up energetically with a specific Spirit guide. Improving my receptivity and making "communication" easier. I guess you could say that I'm looking for "keys" among something that is regarded as just another everyday item.
And last, but definitely not least, I sincerely believe that Life should be happy and fun whenever possible! So I've asked Blossom to join me in this endeavour. We felt it to be very appropriate considering her keen sense of smell. She is a "nose" in the truest sense of the word. Most canines are!
So here we are, just two Southern ladies sharing our thoughts and opinions about fragrance and other things. ENJOY!!!
If memory serves me correctly, then the 3rd of June is the one year anniversary of my being able to wear and enjoy fragrance again. After seventeen years of "perfume deprivation" I set out on a quest of sorts! I've spent quite a bit of time over the last year learning whats out there on the market now. What scents I've missed over that seventeen year span. And what oldies are still available.
On the first point: There have been HUGE numbers of perfumes created and released. Obviously the days of a Fragrance House taking their time and creating masterpieces that are only released every few years is long gone. Though I'm sure there are a few exceptions.
On the second point: A freaking hell of a lot!!!
And the third point: Not as many as I would have liked. And of those, there seems to be a large number that are reformulated versions. And from what I've been hearing they aren't nearly as good as what I remember from back in the day. And I'm being extraordinarily kind with my words. (I'll get on my soapbox about the whole oakmoss tragedy at a later time.)
Anyway, I've been acquiring as many fragrances as was financially feasible. My initial plan was to aim for quantity so that I have a broad spectrum of scents as my new foundation. Unfortunately that meant that some of my beloved perfumes will have to wait a bit longer to grace my dressing table once again! I've found that some of my "old loves" have been discontinued and are, sadly, no more. Others have undergone the dreaded reformulation, (don't get me started!!!) and lack the depth and quality that I remember. But everything is energy so their true Essence lives on forever!
At this point I have some where close to one hundred bottles of perfume, plus fifty three, or maybe its fifty six, mini bottles and vials. Now you see why I need to get a bit more organized! ha ha ha That isn't counting a few that were sooooo bad I immediately dropped them off at the Hospice Thrift Shop. I wouldn't even take them to the Women's shelter.... those gals have been through enough all ready!
So, lets see what this year holds. I have a lot more information under my belt... and up my nose! I'm even starting to incorporate the bottles into some of my artwork. But then, thats what a good "obsession" does. It brings happiness and beauty into most every aspect of one's life. And thats a wonderful thing! Hope everyone enjoys the lovely full moon. I'll be talking at y'all later.
