Thursday, June 15, 2006

Scents and Sensibility

Every now and then, I go in search of a new perfume to buy. I never seem to be able to find a scent that smells right on me. There are many that smell wonderful to me in the bottle, but when I try them on, they all seem too sweet, or too strong or just plain awful.

There was once a perfect scent. It was remarkably inexpensive. It was called Eau Fresh, and it was made by Jovan. It was sold in drugstores everywhere. It is not to be confused with Eau Fraiche by Elizabeth Arden. Sadly, Eau Fresh was discontinued more than a decade ago. Had I known in advance, I would have bought a lifetime supply and stored it in a dark, temperature controlled closet. Tragically, I found out the hard way that Jovan no longer produced it.

For all of these years, I have hoarded a shaker of Eau Fresh talcum powder. It carries the scent, which is reminiscent of freshly baked snicker doodles. I broke it out this week, and I've been using it. I still love it. The aroma of the talc doesn't last as long as the cologne's did, but it's essentially the same. You know how some smells can shoot an electric charge through you, and send you back to relive bits of the past? This scent holds that power over me. It brings back memories of some of the best years of my life, and it makes me yearn for those times.

When the talc runs out, the search will begin anew. I've had brief affairs with Chanel Allure and another perfume called Goldleaf and Hydrangea, and I've flirted with a few other brands, but I have yet to find something that could be my new signature scent.

Any suggestions???

23 comments:

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Well darling, my mama always wore one of three, "Joy", "Shalimar" or "Bal A Versailles", I still have several half bottles and once in a while I give them a smell, it takes me back.

I usually wear "Grey Flannel" when I remember to put it on.

Does Pax still wear "Evening in Paris" ???

Darling, I've found you a bottle of "Eau Fresh" on e-bay, go to the e-bay site and put this # into the search box 9530931724 you'll find a vintage bottle, unused, that should last you for a while.

Zelda Parker said...

Magnolia, You are great! Guess you knew that. As a friend of Merci's I thank you.

My fav's Sung (Alfred Sung), "Image" by Ceruti gets the most compliments. Also getting hard to find...Sometimes I stroll along "Champs- Elysee'. That one is a little sweet. I try to but small bottles as it seems I get bored darlings before I'm through with them. Like MT with her men, just kidding. XOXO

Anonymous said...

Love that "spirit" of Antonio Banderas that pax wears. Or is it the spirit of Pax channeling AB?

Virginia Gal said...

I wear Burberry, it's nice and I got it as a gift (could never afford Burberry on my own).

Perfumes are a tricky business I've come to learn - my sister is an avowed Clinque Happy girl, it smells delightful. Perhpas give that a go?

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Thanks Miss Zelda, it's a pleasure to assist. The sale has 4 days left to run, it's also on a "buy it now", also, if you type "Jovan Eau Fresh" into the e-bay brouser you'll also get a listing for bubble bath and bath powder.

Anonymous said...

I am always driven crazy by L'eau de Rose. Every once in a while a woman walks by scented like the Roses of Attar, and I just love it. When I was in grad school one of my fellow students wore it and I once asked her where she got it, thinking she was going to tell me it was from an obscure "parfumerie" in Paris. Alas, it came from a drug store. Rose water. There is something so clean and fresh about that. I'm also partial to lavender and gardenia in the early summer...fresh, yes.

Hmmm...and if I ever catch a waft of roses walking by, maybe it could be you.

Cheers,

Frank

Pax Romano said...

Just do like Mags does, dab a couple of drops of Seagrams 7 behind your ear-lobes and you will be set for the night!

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Humph! Paxina should talk, she always reeks of Moth balls, Sambucca and Massingil, just how he got a man I'll never know, unless blackmail entered the picture.

Merci said...

Miss Magnolia-
Thanks so very much! I'll check it out ASAP. I must confess - though I've browsed ebay, I've never shopped there. This might make me do it!

My hubby wears Grey Flannel sometimes, so it's a favorite of mine.

Zelda-
I think small bottles are the best way to go until you know for sure that you love a scent. Thanks!

Anonymous-
AB is a good thing anyway you look at it!

Virginia Gal-
I'll have to check Burberry out. Clinque Happy doesn't work on me, unfortunately. I've had free samples, the old 'gift with purchase' deal.

Frank-
My mom likes rose scents. I'll have to check out a few. I like lavender, but my hubby does not :( I think perhaps one note scents are best on me. The complex scents seem to do battle on my skin.

Intriguing, isn't it - the thought that we could all pass one another by on the street and never know it? Like the time Pax and Just Rose were in the Rittenhouse Square area at about the same time as Virginia Gal. They might have seen one another and not known it!

Pax-
My mom says to skip the perfume and dab some vanilla or a little beef gravy behind your ears, if you want to drive men wild!

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Or in Pax's case, darling, attract flies! ;)

Merci said...

Miss Magnolia-
Done! I bought the bottle of Eau Fresh you found for me. Thank you so much! I had searched ebay for it, but I only found a bottle of lotion, and I really wanted the cologne.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Honey, I'm just thrilled to pieces but wasn't the auction for cologne, I hope so. Please let me know it's OK, when you get it.

If you had it delivered to work, keep it away from Pax, he'll drink it.

Merci said...

Yes, this was the cologne. I'm thrilled, too! I'll let you know when it arrives. It's coming to the house, so no worries about Pax consuming the goods.

Thanks oodles!

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Oh Good! Darling, I'll check e-bay from time to time, if I find more I'll let you know, by Christmas you should wallowing in the stuff.

Merci said...

And I'll think of you (with a smile) each time I wear it!

Karl said...

Is that the great smelled I smelled in the office?

Merci said...

Karl-
Considering where your office is located, I'm not sure how to take that, especially given the oderiferous condition the office has been in over the last few weeks!

I'll soon sweeten things up, once my Eau Fresh arrives.

Merci said...

Whoops - make that odoriferous!

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Anonymous said...

You have tested it and writing form your personal experience or you find some information online?

Anonymous said...

I love Eau Fresh - I will always remember and love that scent....

Anonymous said...

Please can you describe the smell of Eau Fresh? I love vintage Jovan scents from the 70s, and I'm debating whether to buy a bottle of Eau Fresh to try. Is it sweet? Citrusy? Could you please describe, and maybe compare it to another scent? Thank you!