About five years ago, I played a game of Trivial Pursuit with some friends of mine. We played in teams, and one of the questions put to my team was What is the sense most closely associated with memory?
The answer to that question is smell. I was outvoted by my teammates, and they chose sight, and we lost, and I’m totally not still bitter about it, Luke and Jack, not at all.
Board game injustices aside, that’s why I like perfume so much. I like to smell nice, and I like that different perfumes can change the way I feel. Someone walked past me the other day smelling like Oscar de la Renta and therefore like my granny, which was lovely, and Hugo Boss always makes me think of my mum. I used to be a one-fragrance type of girl (Body Shop vanilla oil, thanks for asking), but I’ve branched out over the years and these are a few of my favourites.
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER CLASSIQUE
If I had to choose one scent for the rest of my life… and budget wasn’t an issue, I’d choose this. I love everything about this perfume – its soft, fruity sort of scent, the boobs on the bottle, the sort-of-inconvenient can shaped packaging. I wear this for special nights out and it always adds a little something special. Even if my hair looks awful or I've buggered up my mascara or I decide I hate my outfit, I always love this perfume, so it's a magic little saving grace.
BODY SHOP MORINGA EAU DE TOILETTE
OK, so I’ve not branched out completely. You have to remain true to your roots. This little spray comes in loads and loads of scents (other favourites are vanilla and shea) and it's super cheap and lasts for ages. They make great everyday perfumes - I keep one in my handbag for when I forget to put anything on or when I'm leaving a dance class and want to avoid offending the general public. The moringa scent is subtle, a little bit floral and just lovely - one of those ones that makes people say, "ooh, what have you just sprayed?"
I had a sample of this in a Birchbox a few months ago and fell instantly in love. I've got a bit of a thing about sweet scents, which I know some people don't like, so this one might not be up everyone's street. For me, though, I knew I had to have the full-size, whatever the price. The price, though, was actually really great - it's a mid-range perfume, and you can get all sorts of gift sets including their body lotions and soaps, so if you're struggling for Christmas present ideas, this might be a nice touch. The bottle is beautiful, too, a lovely vintagey floral design. If a perfume can smell like it looks, this one definitely does.
CALVIN KLEIN REVEAL
This is a recent find - if the Jean Paul Gaultier is my long-term boyfriend, Reveal is my latest fling. I found a sample in a magazine, and, while I often like perfumes I find in magazines, they very rarely stick with me enough that I go out and buy them. There's something about Calvin Klein perfumes, though; I recently finished a bottle of Euphoria, so I knew it was a pretty safe bet. This one isn't as sweet as the others on this list, so if you prefer a spicier, woodier scent I'd definitely recommend giving this a go. The bottle is gorgeous, a thick, solid little square and really great for travelling because it just tucks into the corner of a bag.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Thierry Mugler Angel - such a recognisable scent. I've been known to smell this on people I don't know very well and then aggressively ask if they're wearing it.
Christopher Wicks English Laundry - another Birchbox sample find. It smells, as you might expect, lovely and clean.
Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia - my friend Ellie owns this and it smells like cake in the springtime. Beautiful.
So, there you have it. Go forth and smell beautiful, and let me know if I missed off your favourite!
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