A fashion editor and I were talking about fragrances, when the topic rolled around to celebrity fragrances. She immediately made a face and said: “celebrity fragrances? Ugh, NO! I would never wear one!” I countered that there is something for everyone, and there are plenty of celebrity fans who enjoy feeling a bit more connected to their favorite celebrity when they wear anything the celebrity supposedly endorsed. I reminded her that many of the fragrances with celebrity names attached are created by some of the most celebrated noses in the entire world who know how to create beautiful scents at just about any price point. Finally, I gently suggested that not everyone has a pot of money available to finance a fragrance splurge, and still, everyone wants to pamper themselves with something that looks pretty and smells nice.
Beauty editors like me are able to sample fragrances of all types and at all price points. I don’t like to judge a product on label or cost, and while I’m not personally swayed to purchase something because a celebrity has endorsed it, I can’t speak for everyone else.
Celebrities love to have their name on consumer products, and they profit from that, but most don’t really have a huge part in creating a fragrance with their name on it. They’ll let the professionals do the actual crafting of the scent, and maybe they’ll have a vote on the testers. Really, this doesn’t matter. In my opinion, no matter what the name is on the package, the product has to stand on it’s own merits. And while some people collect fragrance solely for the bottle, the name and the packaging really don’t’ matter much once that fragrance is on your skin. What matters is whether or not you like the scent, and it if works with your body chemistry and smells good to you and those around you.
With that in mind, I’m reviewing three new fragrances that have big celebrity names attached to them. Each has something unique to offer. Which will be your favorite?
Alison Blackman, Editor in Chief, Advicesisters.com
 American singer Taylor Swift has had quite a banner year both as an artist and influencer in the music industry. Her latest fragrance is (relatively new, launched in October 2014) called Incredible Things. It’s not her first fragrance rodeo either. There’s Wonderstruck from 2011, its flanker Wonderstruck Enchanted from 2012 and Taylor from 2013.Incredible Things is a fragrance that will surprise you. It’s not a typical fruity floral that you might assume a young woman like Taylor Swift would choose to wear. It’s a floriental, but a soft one. Florientals can be heavy on the nostrils, but this one is light enough for warm weather and for younger women, so it works as a cross-generational scent. This one is described in the press literature as: ‘An intriguing composition of velvety petals and creamy woods, wrapped in a soft veil of vanilla and musk.” It opens with sparkling accords of pink pepper and grapefruit. The heart of the composition features floral tones of vanilla orchid, wild passion flower and suede flower. White amber, creamy musk, vanilla from Madagascar and vetiver from Haiti form the base of the perfume.
In reality, the first sniff is redolent of vanilla, gourmand and creamy, but soon the florals arrive in your nostrils, and then the drydown of amber and musk, plus a hint of vetiver (for those who don’t know it, reminiscent of patchouli but with a bit of lemon to perk it out and smooth it out). But mostly, it’s a creamy vanilla-centric fragrance that is pleasant and flirty. One of my Advice Sisters’ “sniffers” described it as smelling like “vanilla Dairy Queen.” Milky-white, the bottle is opaque glass, a slim rectangle splattered with a with watercolor print of Taylor’s silhouette profile (in mint green). I’m not loving the presentation, but for those who are fans of Taylor Swift, they’ll recognize her signature “13” in the gold cap. Taylor Swift Incredible Things Eau de Parfum Spray is one size and one price: $39.50 for 1 fl. oz. It’s available at Kohls.
The first thing you’ll notice about Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition is that the presentation is beautiful. Britney looks lovely in a soft-focus glamour shot showing just a hint of pink lingerie and highlighting the truly pretty, round, white, glass flacon. The bottle is a stunner, sprinkled with sparkling pink crystals and a rose gold collar on the spray diffuser, plus a pristine, round, white ball topper. I know collectors will purchase it just for the bottle. Britney has had her ups and downs, but she’s put her name on a lot of fragrances. “fantasy” of a more mature Britney, still sexy but less obvious. Britney has had a lot of success with fragrance. We have reviewed some of these and they’re not all the same: Believe 2007, Curious 2004, In Control Curious 2006 Curious Heart 2007,Fantasy 2005, Midnight Fantasy 2006, Hidden Fantasy 2008, Circus Fantasy 2009, Fantasy Anniversary Edition 2013 for women, Fantasy Island 2013, Rocker Femme Fantasy 2014, Fantasy Stage Edition, 2014, Fantasy The Naughty Remix 2014, Fantasy the Nice Remix 2014, Fantasy Intimate Edition Fantasy Intimate Edition 2015 and Radiance 2010, Cosmic Radiance 2011 for women Fantasy Intimate Edition is the latest in the “Fantasy” class, and follows the same round bottle shape as the other fantasy fragrances. The smell of the fragrance? It’s pretty nice. At first sniff – it’s very citrus-y. It didn’t work very well with my body chemistry, but how it smells on you and others is largely dependent on a number of factors, so your experience with it will differ. Still, it’s kind of enchanting, and it is long lasting. Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition is supposedly intriguing, sensual and romantic, aimed at girls and women who “celebrate their beauty and cherish their fantasies. Sweet fruity and irresistible floral notes of the new edition cuddle the skin and make fantasies come to life.” The description is fanciful, indeed, but let’s get down to reality: what Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition really is would be a fruity floral that starts with a very pleasant burst of fruit in your nostrils. The actual notes include juicy litchi combined with violet leaves and Italian lemon, with a romantic, floral heart of lily of the valley, jasmine, and a bit of brown sugar . The bottom notes are vanilla, heliotrope and white musk. Like the other fragrances, there is something “beachy” and slightly gourmand about it, but not over the top sweet either. It works in hot weather and doesn’t turn all sorts of “wierd” in the heart. You will feel that romantic “intimate” vibe when you spritz it on your body….definitely a man-catching scent. Buy it for your bridesmaids and let love come to them, or at least the “Fantasy” of attracting their perfect partner! Britney Spears Fantasy Intimate Edition is available for $37.50 in a 1.0 fl. oz. size at Kohl’s |
