I started my retail career when I was 19. My first real job was Bath and Body Works… I loved it but boy did it ever create some bad habits! I wish I could be one of those one (or even two… maybe three) fragrance girls but that’s proven to be difficult for me. I actually added to my 101 in 1001 that I would like to find my “signature” fragrance by the end of the project. I currently have way too many fragrances so in an effort to not get bored of the same old smell and to use up my collection I try to use one fragrance per month (or until it’s gone). This month’s picks include one of my favorites.

The left is Ralph Lauren Romance. I fell in love with this fragrance back last summer and can’t get enough of it… yet, as you can see, I’ve used very little. I blame that on the fact that I do really enjoy it so I try not to use it too much. I have no idea why. Its smell is described as velvety woods, extravagant florals, and seductive musk with notes of rose, marigold, ginger, chamomile oil, yellow freesia, white violet, lotus flower, day lily, patchouli, oakmoss and musk. I’m not typically a lotus or lily fan – at all! Actually, I usually find lily fragrances to be absolutely horrible but I blame the rose, patchouli and musk for my love of this fragrance. If you love a nice floral then definitely give this a try! I’m not usually big on floral fragrances but this just won me over!

The right fragrance is Sea Island Cotton from Bath and Body Works. It originally took the place of Cotton Blossom a few years ago. When this first launched, I hated it. I mean hated it. I thought it was disgusting… years later and I enjoy it but it’s still not a favorite of mine. It’s the perfect clean cotton scent and reminds me a lot of CK One (although I also have that fragrance and prefer it). Broken down by notes it includes: Top Notes (Floral Accord, Clean Cotton Accord, Drenched Air Accord, Fresh Linen Effect, Wet Green Pear, Blood Orange, Tangerine), Mid Notes (White Muguet, Crisp Orange Flower, Watery Cyclamen, White Freesia, Cotton Blossom Headspace, Dewy Jasmine) and Base Notes: Clean Powder, White Musk, Sandalwood, Vanilla Absolute).

What’s a note? (Oh, my BBW history is really showing today! haha) A top note is the original scent that you smell when you spritz a fragrance. If you simply smell a cap or stray a fragrance in the air you will smell the top note (and usually a hint of alcohol). The middle notes are the fragrances you will smell upon applying a fragrance to your skin. The base note (the most important) is the smell that will be created no later than 30 minutes after it’s applied to your skin. (I stress this because it’s important that fragrance is applied to your skin since everyone’s body chemistry is different and what smells amazing on your friend may smell horrible on you. Also, if you apply the fragrance to a blotter card it will not be able to react with your body and therefor you will not have a true fragrance sample either.) So, with all of this said, I highly recommend when testing new fragrances that you do so when you’re on a longer shopping trip. Make the fragrance bar your very first stop, spritz away and then go shopping. After an hour or so, smell your hand or arm where you strayed your fragrance… still smell absolutely wonderful? Then go buy away! You’d be surprised how many times I’ll LOVE a fragrance, spritz it, shop and then later realize it’s absolutely horrible! So, happy fragrance shopping! Not that I should even ask… or need to ask but I have to … what’s your favorite fragrance(s)?!