A tribute to some of my favorite juicy berry scents...
BCBG by Max Azria
This one was fun! Normally I'm not a big fan of fruity scents or gourmand type, but whenever I find a nice one I think "Gee, I really need more fun fruitys in my wardrobe!" and then I use up the whole bottle and go back to vintage oakmoss things as if my dalliance with the Big Sweets never happened. BCBG Max Azria is a very playful strawberry and cherry syrup, like grenadine in perfume form. The drydown is light powdery florals and woods, which keeps the whole composition just on this side of mature. It's still young at heart, but you won't smell like you just walked out of grade school. This makes me think of strawberry Starburst candies or maybe a fizzy cherry soda. I used up an entire bottle rather quickly. It was inexpensive enough that I didn't mind wearing it just lounging around the house or running errands. It makes me feel young and happy.
Ciao by Vince Camuto
This does in fact, smell exactly like the Strawberry Shortcake dolls from the 80s. It is a very specific strawberry accord. The top notes are bright and sunny, the middle notes are sweet and rich and the drydown is silky and musky. It really does smell like that doll. What a scent memory! There is an underlying amaretto liqueur accord in this that gives it a bit more depth. The bottles of this line are really beautiful, I think I like this so much partly because of the bottle design with it's gold filigree Rococo swirl patterns. I wore this on my trip to Boston the day we walked the Freedom Trail and visited Granary Burying Ground, so there are some fun memories all around for me with Ciao.
Ocean Lounge by Escada
Almost every modern scent from Escada is a tooth achingly sweet fruit cocktail and this is no exception. Ocean Lounge is the ideal strawberry syrup. I wanted to hate it because it's a Barbie doll but I ended up loving it for that very reason..plastic and salted strawberry with a whiff of cherry grenadine syrup. Oooh I bet this would be fun to layer with my BCBG Max Azria. Strawberry ponies and boardwalk fun! There are some tart lychee berries present in here as well. "The snozberries taste like snozberries!" (Fun reference from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)
Cast a Spell by Lulu Guinness
I remember buying a bottle of this years ago one weekend visiting with friends in Chicago. I thought it was sooooooo amazing, dark blackberries and woodsy patchouli. The tiniest hint of lavender giving it a smooth coolness. I wore it all the time and probably too much of it. I wore this during the time period when I started dating my son's father. It seemed sexy and mysterious, perfect for seduction. Well, that relationship fell apart in less than two years. I can't wear Cast a Spell anymore, because for me it now smells like broken dreams and immature decisions. But for someone without my associations, this is a nice "cool" scent of dark forest and berries on the bush and just a little bit boozy.
Framboise Noir by Shay & Blue London
Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries and... OUD WOOD?? I was skeptical that these could make a good mashup and was pleasantly surprised to be so very wrong on my assumption. The oud wood (agarwood) is definitely the star player here, no doubt about it. It turns what could have been an overly sweet berry mix into glass of fine red wine, aged to perfection.
Hot Couture by Givenchy
Hot Couture is unique and sexy. Not a sweet raspberry but a tart raspberry mingles with a sharp bitter tobacco note and fiery black pepper. It reminds me of a delicious expensive cigar bar and the high maintenance ladies who frequent these lounges. It feels of drama and confidence and ever so slightly bitchy. Smoky and erotic. When first applied, it's over the top pepper. The longer it wears and dries down, the more the berries come front and center and the scent becomes much softer. This is not shy, it takes huge personality to pull it off successfully.
