Common Scents

Funny how the simple things in life can give us the happiest of feelings. Lately I smile inside everytime I see this...

I don't know what it is. The charming little tray? The interesting bottles? Or just the simple femininty of it all? But I love it and I love choosing each day which one I will wear.

I used to not be a perfume lover, or even a perfume liker for that matter. I'm sensitive to smell and many perfumes give me headaches. But as I've matured I've found what works for me and my husband now has a well-trained sniffer and has surprised me with a few fragrances that I never would have thought I could tolerate let alone love! This is the most perfume I've ever owned at one time and I've decided I want to know just exactly what is in each one that draws me to it. Let's break it down from the oldest to youngest.



This is the first perfume I ever purchased. After hugging a family friend I could smell her the rest of the day and I had to know what it was. I'm not crazy about how it smells straight from the bottle but when sprayed on your skin it smells different. It is a combination of honeysuckle, spicy carnation, citrus, warm musky notes and rose.

This perfume by Bob Mackie is no longer being made but fortunately can still be found if you (or your husband) know where to look. It is the first scent that I could wear everyday and not get tired of. I can't even remember how I found it. A magazine ad, perhaps? It has notes of oriental flowers combined with the softness of woods and musk.

I'm definitely not a fan of Paris Hilton but I am a huge fan of her Can Can! I first started wearing this scent in oil form from when I hosted a perfume show for my sister in law. The oil is what's in the adorable Peacock perfume bottle that I just had to have. It's a fun and flirty combination of cassis, clementine flower, wild orchid, nectarine, musk, orange blossom, woods, and amber.

This was another find from my sister in law's perfume oils. I have to admit that I need to be in the right mood to wear this one but it is of moderate strength so it's won a spot on the tray. It's a mix of honeysuckle, gardenia, jasmine, praline, amber, caramel vanilla, and sandalwood.

A few years back our women's group had a "favorite things" exchange. Each of us was to bring some item that we love and share it with the person whose name we drew from a basket. When I saw my friend, Martha that evening I gave her a hug and commented on how good she smelled and asked her what it was. She whispered it was Brittany Spears' Fantasy and that it's what she brought to give away. I secretly hoped it would be my name she pulled from that basket and what'd'ya know?... It WAS!!! She handed me the cutest little bottle of this stuff and I blew through it faster than Brit shaved her blonde locks from her head. This year Martha suprised me with a gift set for Christmas so not only do I now have a bigger bottle but the shower gel and bubble bath to boot! Thanks Martha! We both love the soft blend of kiwi, white chocolate, musk, lychee, jasmine, orchid, and quince.

I was surprised with this bottle of Flowerbomb for Christmas this year by my hubby. It's the most expensive bottle of perfume I've ever owned and I will now be on the hunt for it at discount stores such as Marshal's and Ross because I cannot see myself ever living without it. I jokingly say that it's "liquid lingerie". It smells so good that if asked to put on something "pretty" (read "sexy"... sorry moms) I think I could get away with just wearing this and call it good. I am amused by the juxtaposition of the feminine, pink-tinted liquid in a bottle that looks like a glass grenade. I purposely don't wear this everyday. Not because I don't want to but because I want it to last and I like to wear my other perfumes, too. But even on the days that I don't wear it I take off the cap and smell it so I can get my daily fix of tea, bergamot, freesia, jasmine, and rose orchid. Viktor and Rolf put the BOMB in Flowerbomb!


This is another one I can't live without. It's a men's fragrance so it's obviously not one that I wear but one that I try to keep constantly stocked for my man. I was flipping through a magazine one day and could barely focus on any of the articles as this tantalizing scent was distracting me from, well, EVERYTHING! I became under it's spell as I could think of nothing else but to find a bottle and find it quick. He I had to have it! I went out that day and purchased some. When he wears it (which is almost daily) I seriously want to just nuzzle into his neck and stay there all day. It's the Happiest Place On Earth as far as I'm concerned. I think it's the male counterpart to my Flowerbomb. (They have a women's version but I haven't sampled it yet.) This is a very masculine combination of sandalwood, cardamom, amber, grapefruit, nutmeg, bergamot, violet, patchouli, and star anise.

A few others worthy of mention is Victoria Secret Halo (which I don't think is available any longer) and Burberry Brit. In the end it looks as if I'm a fan of honeysuckle, woods, musk, among other things and all things Flowerbomb!

What kind of common scents do YOU have?