find my signature fragrance(s)

i love(d) Tranquil Moments by Avon, but i’m now personally boycotting Avon because of a near-poisoning incident with my toddler.

he may or may not have ingested some Avon brand hair product (my fault, not Avon) and the Poison Control operator recommended taking him to the emergency room because there were no records of that product in their database.

when i got to the hospital, the staff made several phone calls to different Avon offices to obtain the produce toxicity information, but were given the runaround, excuses and just right out weird responses. the hospital staff told me that they’d never had an experience with such a negligent company, and ultimately, got no toxicity information.

my son was fine by the way.

but, i no longer make any purchases from Avon.

back to the point though, Tranquil Moments is a really nice mix of bergamot and floral, but i’m hoping to find something better to replace it.

http://www.fragrantica.com/

this site isn’t focused on selling perfumes, (they don’t sell at all) they just share great info and consumer opinions. i really like that they outline the top, middle, and base notes of fragrances – that saves my nose a lot of trouble at the perfume counter.

the search tool is fantastic. not only can i check out all that i brand line has to offer, but i can do a search of a scent that i love, (like coconut) and then cross-reference it with other loved scents (like pineapple, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon) to find a perfume that i want to know more about.

i’ve always been attracted to fruity, edible smells. my favorites are tropical; especially coconut, pineapple & other exotic fruits. i’ve noticed that the fruity perfumes are geared toward a more youthful market, and florals and musks are intended for the mature consumer. i’m trying to find a nice combination of them all – lots of intermingling & complimentary top, middle and base notes.

i’ve never liked perfume, i’ve always found it stinky and overwhelming. i’ve associated it with old ladies – i could debate it forensically: i’d argue that the older the lady, the tighter the perm, and the more polyester worn per inch of skin mass = the nastier the perfume. and honestly, i still can argue this confidently.

but, with age, people develop a refined palate. i never thought this really pertained to smell, but i now realize it does. i guess i got confused by the rediscovery of smells i loved from childhood – it makes you think that once you love a smell, you always love it. i thought that counted in regard to yucky smells too – i guess not.

i compare my new appreciation for perfume to most people’s experience with coffee: as a child, you taste coffee and think it’s nasty, but you were curious because adults seem to enjoy it so much. and with the knowledge of what it taste like, you are quite confused as to why adults drink such an offensive liquid and swear you’ll never drink it again.

of course, we grow up and become coffee-aholics and rather welcome a good cup.

not me though, i still hate coffee. but i love coffee ice cream – what’s that about?

but that’s beside the point. all i’m saying really is that i like perfume now – it’s no longer repulsive, and i believe that i can now wear it and not feel matronly.