I seem to be going through a mid-life crisis, but instead of flashy sports cars, I'm finding myself drawn to sweet perfumes that young girls might wear. Maybe this is just my natural evolution as a perfumista? I started my perfume obsession loving spicy, woody, and incense perfumes. It took me a while to enjoy white florals and even longer to appreciate roses. I even starting liking fruity florals that I would have turned up my nose at previously. Now here I am, four years into this olfactory hobby, and I've fallen in love with Love, a sugary sweet perfume that I would have judged as way too young for me just a short time ago.
Maybe it's the heat. We're in the middle of a hot, sticky summer in Toronto and I've always had a thing for creamsicles, that vanilla ice-cream and orange treat on a stick. Love, (full title: Love, don't be shy) is mostly an orange blossom perfume, dipped in vanilla and covered in powdered sugar. As it wears on the skin it gets richer and more animalic. The sugar turns into caramel and the base feels thick and resiny.
I may have to save up for a bottle of Love. By Kilian perfumes aren't cheap, and I suspect that there are many other sweetie vanilla, orange blossom perfumes out these that I could try, but I do love the By Kilian line. Nothing ever smells cheap in a By Kilian perfume and the strength and lasting power is amazing. Just the tiniest drop of Love on my wrist lasts all day.
So what do you think, is my new love for the sweet perfume just the natural progression of my nose as I lose my early perfumista prejudices and broaden my palette? Or am having a second childhood? How do you feel about sugary perfumes?
Nose: Calice Becker
Notes: bergamot, neroli, pink pepper, coriander, honeysuckle, orange blossom, jasmine, rose, iris, civet, caramelised sugar accord, vanilla, cist labdanum, white musk
I vote for evolution. I'm only two and a half years into this hobby, but it sounds like I'm following the same perfume arc: started with the spices and incenses, now getting into the BWFs. And lately I've been investigating the heliotropes, and it's a bit surprising how much I enjoy the fluffy, marshmallow-y ones. Didn't see that coming.
ReplyDeleteK, you sound just like me!! I'm so getting into girly fragrances now, having been dyed-in-the-wood oriental/woodsy gal.
ReplyDeleteI'm having a midlife crisis and have dove head first into HUGE white florals and fruity notes. As the kids say, WTF?
ReplyDeleteI think you are broadening your palette, not regressing into childhood.
I've been noticing & loving how you have strayed back to the scent of orange blossom more than once lately. I don't think it's a mid-life regression-- just a desire for the uncomplicated happiness that orange blossom seems to bring. This is an all-ages joy. May it keep finding you, and may you keep writing about it! :)
ReplyDeleteHello Meg. Yes, I have been really into orange blossom. Lately, I've been spraying my sheets and pillows with Penhaligon's Orange Blossom. It's such a nice way to sleep. And I was thinking about writing on 2 more orange blossom perfumes. Not niche, more mainstream, just for fun.
DeleteI love (no pun intended) Love by Kilian. To me it's a comfort scent: more musky caramel than sweet.
ReplyDeleteI like sweet floral scents, and very musky/leathery ones. And nothing in between.
Hi Joan. It IS very comforting, isn't it? I am out of my sample and still jonesing for it. It also seems very popular with the opposite sex, if the number of comments I got was any indication.
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