One of my first posts on Essences & Reveries was about the cheap goodies I found at the drugstore when I was young and had almost no money to my name. In the nine years (!!!) since that post, I have encountered quite a few more cheapie favorites. Remember, just because something is inexpensive does not mean that it will smell cheap. I encourage you to stop by your local Walgreens, CVS, Whole Foods, etc. and have a look at what can be found for under $20.
Revlon Ciara
There is nothing quite like Ciara. A 1970s favorite, it's still available in drugstores today and it's a surprisingly smoky-sweet oriental. You will be noticed if you wear Ciara, it is not for the shy. Something about this one brought back a memory to me of being a child in the early 80s and maybe an older cousin or aunt was wearing this. I see tooled leather purses, macrame belts and feathered hair as one of them leans in close to me. There is a very distinct sweetness of synthetic raspberry and amber, but also a grownup smokiness from incense and resins.
I will never forget later in life wearing a spritz of Ciara to an ill fated job interview. "You may not wear perfumes if you work here!" the joyless interviewer told me. But I believe Ciara stirred up a memory for her as well. She became very testy and went off on a tangent asking if I was an honest person and would I tell my friend if her husband was cheating. I cut that interview short but Ciara is memorable for sure!
Dana Tabu
Widely available and cheap as chips, people tend to overlook Tabu. It tends to sit on the bottom shelf with other classics, not attracting attention to itself but still being regularly purchased by it's loyal followers and curious perfumistas. This perfume, which has been around since the 1930s, holds a special place in my heart. My mother wore a number of different perfumes when I was a child, but the one she wore most often, that I will always associate as "the Mom smell" is Tabu. It unfolds over many hours, in many layers of warmth... amber, clove studded oranges, root beer spiked with Southern Comfort.... but mostly it's mom. It's the smell of poking around in her top dresser drawer, it's the smell of her sweater when you sat close to her, it's the smell of someone who will take care of me, it is the smell of someone who will punish me. It's mom all the way and when I once tried a sample of this on my own skin, it felt weird. Like I was wearing someone else's pantyhose.
Jovan White Musk
A clean, simple white musk and an unbeatable price. Can be compared to the scent of high end musks. This is a great perfume for people who are shy about wearing a perfume at all. The effect is like wearing a soft knit cashmere sweater and speaking in a gentle tone. Very cuddly and soothing, like a hug from a dear friend. Soapy but in an earthy bohemian sort of way, not crisp but creamy. This does not project but lays close to your skin, to be enjoyed only by those you allow in close enough.
Bijan
An 80s oriental that is soft enough to not smell like "an 80s oriental". A woman who I used to babysit for wore this on her date nights and it was perfect for her, a flower child turned career woman. Her house was decorated in handcrafted art from around the world, her family ate organic foods and her demeanor was as sweet as the honey note in this perfume. I was surprised to find that Bijan was relatively inexpensive and available at drugstores. It's a balmy summer afternoon sitting in a field of warm wildflowers, heavy with pollen. The wind blows and on the breeze you catch a waft of nag champa incense burning somewhere down the road.
Pacifica French Lilac
The Pacifica line can be found at all Whole Foods grocery stores. They are natural ingredients, which is perfect if you're around someone who is sensitive to aromachemicals. Pacifica doesn't test on animals, which is always a bonus when a company's products are ethically sourced. French Lilac was my introduction to the line, and it is a VERY REALISTIC lilac. It's like sticking your face into a bush of white lilacs in early May. When first sprayed, it's a bit heavy but give it an hour or two and it dries into something light and breezy. While it's very much lilac-centered, I detect other florals like heliotrope and magnolia giving it even more green creaminess. And even though it's listed nowhere in the notes, I keep feeling a hint of patchouli leaves underneath it all. I'll have to try this layered with vintage White Shoulders and see how they play together. I have tried a few other scents from Pacifica and was very pleased. I recommend the Spanish Amber, Island Vanilla and Hawaiian Ruby Guava as well.
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