This is supposed to be a beauty blog, right? Damn. All of this politricks is raising my blood pressure right now. I had planned a pissed-off rant about Geraldine Ferraro, but I might blow a gasket if I really start to analyze her comments… and Keith Olbermann said it all better than I ever could. So let’s keep it light and positive. I’m way behind on product reviews. So today I’m gonna write about perfume instead. YAY, perfume!
I’ve revealed my reluctant fondness for celebrity perfumes — sometimes even if they’re by celebrities I can’t stand. Like J Lo. I can’t even name a song of hers that I’ve enjoyed. Ever. But I gotta admit, Live smells like heaven on me. As does M by Mariah Carey. As much as this might horrify a singer’s singer like Mizz Mariah — her perfume kinda reminds me of J Lo’s. Just a tad. It’s the sweet base notes that cling to my skin so warmly — Live features a caramel base, M is a base of marshmallow. Both scents are feminine and seductive with an inner core of sweet deliciousness.
So because I put myself out there as the beauty blogger who loves celeb scents, I was asked to review another one. And all I can say is, oh Britney. Britney, Britney, Britney. Why do you make your PR people work so hard?
In 2004, Britney was still the most covered celebrity, but more or less she was a pop star known for her songs and dancing talent as well as the inescapable paparazzi presence. She kicked off the year with a quickie marriage to Jason Alexander. She was coasting on the success of songs like Toxic, and about to release a greatest hits album and her (completely unnecessary desecration) of Bobby Brown’s My Prerogative. KFed and Chaotic wouldn’t hit the fan for another year. In 2004, people definitely wanted to smell like Britney Spears. In fact, when she released Curious, the fragrance made more than $100 million in sales, and was the best selling fragrance of the year!
Since 2004, Britney has been through a LOT. Is it even worth adding to the list of articles that have gleefully recounted her downward spiral? I ride with Chris Crocker — leave Britney alone! Seriously! I’m kinda sick of hearing about her!
For a long while it was Brit Brit overkill, and she seemed poised (and willing) to be America’s Next Anna Nicole Smith. I didn’t want to write about her perfume just yet and kick a girl when she was down, so I sat back and waited. And waited. Now Britney’s life shows some positive signs of turnaround. She’s got a better weave, her daddy’s got her on lock down, and she’s guest starring on How I Met Your Mother. Good for her! Finally, I feel ready to speak my mind about her latest scent reincarnation. In my opinion, there’s nothing special at all about Curious ♥ Heart. Sorry, Britney. I gotta call it like I see it.
Curious ♥ Heart is Britney’s 2004 fragrance, repackaged in an adorably pink, VERY Betsey Johnsonesque atomizer bottle that would look perfect on a teenager’s dressing table. (note — the readers of Now Smell This vehemently disagree). I am a sucker for bulb atomizers, so even though the bottle still looks like an alien chick’s spaceship, the packaging enthralled me — two thumbs up for atomizers! Two thumbs sideways for Curious itself. The scent smells like… perfume. It didn’t do anything for my body chemistry. It’s sweet, summery, and lasts slightly longer than your average Bath & Body Works spritz. The scent is so light that it needs to be reapplied midway through the day, and it makes me smell pretty but doesn’t get me that “wow you smell awesome” reaction that I get when I spritz on Mariah. It’s a white floral, accented with Louisiana magnolia and vanilla. There’s nothing distinctive or memorable about the scent for me, which I imagine would be what Britney would want of herself — to have everything she touches be thought of as memorable. Having said all of that, just because it didn’t grab me by the nostrils and make me beg for more, doesn’t mean it won’t do the same for you. It’s worth stopping by your neighborhood department store for a spritz before you splurge, especially if you’re seeking a light summer scent.
However, there’s added incentive to spring for this spray — each Curious ♥ Heart EDP comes with a membership card which contains a secret password. Go to the official website, and every month you’ll be eligible to win prizes like Nintendo Wii Game Systems (OMG I would KILL for a Nintendo Wii, they are so fun), travel/hotel packages to New York City that include a visit to TRL, Britney gear, and Apple gift certificates, among other things. So for $50, you get the perfume and a chance to win these prizes. Not a terrible deal, right? I guess. I dunno. Shrug.
For me, I’m back on the hunt for the next amazing pop star fragrance. Which will I try next? Hillary Duff’s With Love? Halle Berry’s? Celine Dion? Jesus take the wheel!
The only celebrity fragrance I am honestly intrigued by is Erykah Badu’s upcoming collaboration with Tom Ford. According to my girl Najwa Moses’s videopodcast, the scent will be a response to Black Orchid, and they’re calling it White Petunia. Love that already. And like everything Erykah touches, I am sure it’s going to be just extra, beyond, and stop-in-your-tracks notable. Can’t wait! And in honor of that, here’s one of my favorite Erykah Badu videos. I hope her new fragrance smells like Didn’t Cha Know looks — out there and fabulous.
Happy weekend, bellas! I’ll be back soon with the Creme of Nature giveaway winners — I got so many birthday wishes and responses, I haven’t even had time to read ’em all yet!
Have you tried any AMAZING fragrances lately? I’m always on the hunt, so tell me about it!
don’t know if it counts but baby phat goddess (the pink one) works well with my chemistry and smells fresh and clean. A friend put it this way: it’s like you’re perpetually stepping out of the shower.
J.LO’s “Live” is bootleg version of Escada’s discontinued “Sexy Graffti.” I just wore it (SG), yesterday. When I smelled “Live,” I was like you got to be kidding me, she’s sampling fragrances too? But, if she is, she is not the only one. Most “new” fragrances smell like my grandma’s favorite classics, but whatcha gonna do?
I HATE Mariah’s “M.” But I don’t like sweet scents. I like more citruisy (lemongrass) and light floral (gardenia) and clean scents. I LOVED the original Curious by Britney. It was so funny, I was in the mall with my mom and I was like I don’t see the big deal about this perfume and then I sprayed it on myself. OMG, I was in LOVE! So, my mom bought it for me for Christmas. But I am waiting for the guys on the streets of Harlem and Brooklyn to do a body oil version, because I am too Crunchy Granola to wear perfume all the time. That Sexy Graffti gave me such a headache even though I love it.
Wow, I am really rambling. Anyway, thanks for the review Bella!
I as a Britney fan loved Curious and used it all the time,
then later my Boyfriend got me Fantasy…that is my favorite fragrance
you should try that one..also Juicy Couture smells Glorious!!
But I do see your point, the hype things up and then its like oh..thats it?!? lol
I just can not go one day without my signature scent J-Lo “Live”.I turn heads with this scent,but during the summer I use neutrogena sun screen that has this slight orange scent to it ,and these two together gives my skin the best scent in the world.
I just want to add that this was the only scent that my husband actually would not complain about it being to strong.
Mariah’s M smelled just okay on me…my body chemistry, I guess. I really like Rock-N-Rose by Valentino.
I’m a fan of “Amazing Grace” by Philosophy and “Rain” by Marc Jacobs. I like really clean scents and both of these fragrances are up my alley.
I normally lurk around on your site, but since I am a perfume maniac I just had to respond. As far as celebrity sents go. I don’t normally patrionize them. But, LAMB by Gwen Stefani is heavenly. I am quite picky with my perfume selections, simply because I love love love to smell good, and if the scent doesn’t agree with me I just don’t buy it. What I normally do is find the nearest Sephora if I know I am going to do the mall thing. Get a few samples (on the strips not my skin) and walk the mall, once done I do the sniff test. Perfume scents change after being exposed for a while as I am sure you know. So which ever has the strongest scent (and still smells good of course) is the one I pick…But if you want a suggestion to good scents..try Very Irrestible by Givenchy (Excellent, lasts all day on the skin). I also recommend, Armani Code another scent that starts off a little strong but changes subtly throughout the day.
I caught a whiff odf Brit-Brit’s terrible perfume and it smelled way too sweet. Did not like it.
I tried J-lo’s and Britney’s scents and I wasn’t feeling them. I love Dior Jadore for the night life, it just a sexy and powerful but not strong scent. For the day I like Donna Karan’s Cashmere Mist it is how the name suggest with its light, sophisticated florals. I always have what is my classic fav Tommy Girl, however I did not like the new one Beyonce promoted and I really wanted to. Another one I liked was Gucci Rush, another sexy one.
Thank you for posting this. I don’t have an army of pretty perfume bottles at the ready. I gots two: a bottle of good old chanel numero cinco and the final molecules of a B&BW spray.
I know. Pathetic. Just like the state of my pocketbook right now.
Bella, (or anyone else, for that matter) can you suggest any other drugstore/affordable perfumes for the grown woman on a budget? My finances prevent me from hitting the fragrance counter at the lux dept. stores, yet seemingly all that’s available down-market are super fruity sprays aimed at tweens or your grandma’s powdery old standby scents.
I really like Diors Addict Shine and Ms.Cherie Dior…
My Insolence by Guerlin
Feminine by Dolce and Gabana-this is a staple of fragrance wardrobe
Beautiful Summer in Bloom by Estee Lauder- LOvE this its hard to find
Tiffany- very nice also
Hey Bellas,
I love the Emporio Armani (gold bottle), chanel n0 5 is a fav and euphoria by calvin klein. my daughter wears britney’s stuff and it smells so good on her but it doesnt work with my chemistry. I tried to switch to my insolence to try something new but it didn’t smell good on me and that’s a bummer because I love the way it smells. for something inexpensive that still smells delightful, try the body oils at the body shop…Satsuma is now for the body and not just home fragrance and the vanilla….women and men stop me when I am wearing the vanilla and ask me what is the scent. It’s not really sweet like most vanillas. and they are only $12 and will last you LONG time.
All this perfume talk sparked a flurry of questions in my mind! The things that make me go “hmmm.” Does body chemistry change, or does the same scent that smelled good on you as a teen smell just as good on you when you’re 30-something? Of course, tastes change, but I used to love Benetton. I just wonder if it be too “young?” Also, how do you determine which one smells best on your personally — hubby? coworkers? strangers’ comments? that last one could definitely be a little weird… I’m always REALLY BAD at picking scents for myself!
oops… sorry for all the grammatical errors. I’m a J-school grad. I’m so ashamed!
My favorite of all favorite perfumes is COCO MADEMOISELLE!!! This stuff smells divine on me. I think perfume comes to finding what is right your body. For instance I love how the original Marc Jacobs smells, but on me it stinks. I went as far as buying a bottle and still trying to wear it, but I was making my own self sick. Another one that works for me is Lolita Lempicka. Sooooooooooooooo good.
i adsolutely love Paris Hilton’s perfume
am i the only one?
it smells like a slightly sweeter Perry Ellis America, which is my favorite everyday perfume so thats a downfall cus i felt cheated when i first bought it, but if i were to choose now i’d go with Paris.
Hmmm. . . don’t know if I’ll be trying this one. I just started wearing perfume this year – I’m challenging myself to wear scent every day. Anyhow, my favorites so far are Marc Jacobs and Beautiful. Can’t wait to see what else I discover along the way.
” Still” by J Lo smells amazing..
I tried to like Britney Spears perfumes, but they just smell weird to me. I like JLo’s Live and Live Luxe which both have a tropical scent and Glow which is a clean scent. I’m having a hard time liking Sean John’s Unforgivable Woman. It’s supposed to sexy and seductive scent, but it sometimes just smells powdery to me. Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline does the trick for me better bacause it’s a nice light floral scent that’s noticeable while not being overpowering. I want to try Mariah’s perfume, and I definitely plan on getting Erykah Badu’s when it becomes available. I have several perfumes, but my favorites are Carol’s Daughter Mango Melange, Fresh Lemon Sugar, Comptoir sud Pacifique eau de voyage Vanille Peach, Musk by Jean Guy Paris, and Dior Bronze Sweet Sun Treatment. Bronze Sweet Sun Treatment is great for the summer because it’s more like a long lasting alcohol free body spray that moisturizes your skin leaving behind a very nice orange scent. Kharma by LUSH is also a nice perfume if you like spicy orange and patchouli. I would recommend Demter Fragrance Library for Bellas on a budget with a price range of $5-$20 you can pick from a wide range of scents. I know you can find some of the scents at Sephora, but you have a better selection by ordering through their website.
People always laugh when I tell them what it is, but honestly….Tommy Hilfiger’s “True Star” [the one that Beyonce did/does the ads for] smells amazing on me, and doesn’t hurt my wallet. It might just be the body chemistry, but it definitely lasts all day and is a great scent for spring/summer. I wear it pretty much year round though.
Don’t know if it counts but the pink one works well and smells fresh and clean. Perfume is the thing which counts what is best for our body.
Heyhey, there are quite a few name brand perfumes that are moved to drugstores or places like Target. Lucky has some nice scents at Target. I think Dolce and Gabbana’s Light Blue has been moved too. You can also go to department stores and ask for samples of new fragrances, they are usually thrilled to give you samples, because it’s a potential sale. Also, I don’t know if all Sephoras do this, but they have little vials and can give you individual samples of a fragrance you like. I got one for one of the CLEAN brand fragrances and it lasted weeks because a little goes a long way.
I tried Sarah Jessica’s first fragrance and didn’t like it on me but loved it on my sis-in-law, so I do think body chemistry plays a huge role. I don’t do well with scents that have jasmine or gardenia, but my body seems to love citrus and clean scents… Go figure.
My signature sent is the classic Clinique Happy. but i dont really buy mall perfumes anymore because they are too strong for my sensitive skin. If i have to buy something, I go to (im kinda embrassed to say…. Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works) because my skin doesn’t break out that much from them.
oh yea, as far as the stars go… I like Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker.
My boss purchased all of the ladies at my job a Victoria’s Secret Dream Angel perfume gift set with all of the Dream Angel fragrances. They are all different, but my favorite is Dream Angels Divine. It was oddly enough the last one I picked out of the five in the case. I say oddly b/c it’s pink and I adore pink. But once I spritzed it on for the 1st time? I was deeply in love. I am much more of a B&BW body splash person, and had never really found a perfume that fit my body chemistry before until this one.
All of the ladies have offered a lot of interesting suggestions…I might have to check them out! Thanks Bella! Thanks ladies!
i never actually purchased a celeb cologne…i dont know why.
Heyhey, if you have a Marshall’s or a TJMaxx in your area, you must hit it to get fragrances on the cheap…Daffy’s and Loheman’s are great too. Out here in NY, I go to Sephora to sample the scent and head to 28th and Broadway (the perfume district) and buy it out there wholesale; it is such a huge savings. Some of my favorites (and there are soooooo many; I am ashamed to say how many bottles of perfume I have)are Covet, L by Gwen Stefani, Hanae Mori, Marc Jacobs and Kors. I could go on for days about perfume but anyhoo…..great post Bella.
Thank you for the advice, bellas! I finally set foot in a Body Shop @ C’s suggestion. Those perfume oils are great. Affordable, and the fragrance is crazy long-lasting. Dragged my man along, bless his patient heart. I mean, shoot, he’s going to be smelling often, might as well get some input! Thanks Trinichica & Sumutra77 (I’m going to check out D&G’s Light Blue @ Target, turns out I’m a “clean”/citrus gal, too!)
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