Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Looking For Me.

First post of the new year!! Yay :)
I've been on a search to find my signature scent. For a couple years, I thought it was Gwen Stefani's perfume line in the Harajuku Lovers collection called "G". I loved that scent like no other. It reminds me of marshmallows, and I love scents that remind me of food. When I was in my teens, I wore Yves Rocher's Vanilla Bourbon perfume until it was discontinued. However, I wanted something different and a bit more grown up. A fragrance I would go to forever, that I would be recognized for. So I started my search.

The thing I like most about perfume browsing is getting to sample before buying. I did have tips beforehand though which I read in a magazine (can't remember it's name). I wanted to make sure I knew what I was looking for. The first was not to be swayed by designer labels or beautiful ads, just focus on the scent. I don't want to wear something just because it has a glamorous name attached. Second was to wait at least a day before deciding for sure, so it's not an impulse purchase. With the many samples I had, I wore each fragrance around and let them adapt to my body chemistry so I could get how it would smell on me. Everyone's body chemistry is different, therefore, the same fragrance would smell different on everybody.

Mariah Carey's M, didn't work for me; I found it too floral. Clinique Happy was too "rubbing alcohol-y" smelling for me as well. The majority of the Body Shop's fragrances was a no. I thought I found the one with "Bodycology's Coconut Lime" body mist. Again, a scent that was food based. I just want to smell good enough to eat I guess, ha ha. Anyways, I wore it for a good couple months but got tired of it and now the almost finished little bottle sits on my dresser.

Then, on a whim during a trip to the mall mid-December, I went inside Lush Cosmetics. I've been there a few times before, but was overwhelmed every time by the tons of scent explosions going on, that I couldn't focus on what I was there for in the first place. Another thing about shopping at Lush, other than having "Fresh Handmade Cosmetics" and constant scent bombs, is the staff. It's impossible to walk in and not get noticed by a sales associate, ready to ambush you with a huge smile, introduce themselves and start the questioning on why you were there. On this occasion, I had the answers and a few questions of my own.

The sales associate/interrogator that was with me was very helpful. After telling her I was looking to find a signature fragrance, I was brought over to the Gorilla Perfume station (I wonder what was behind that name being chosen...). The next part was like being at an optometrist. With my eyes closed, scents rotated under nose. Did I like 1 or 2? 2 or 3? 2 or 4? And so on, going through the complete collection. My instincts/nasal preference kept going back to two scents: Karma (also their best seller), and Tuca Tuca. I was surprised because I thought the one I would like, based on visuals, would be the food based fragrance, Vanillary. My nose just didn't like that one at all. I told the associate that I was torn, so she suggested wearing my picks on each arm and go about the rest of my day. So I thanked her and went about my day.

Those two scents battled it out for the #1 spot. A gust of wind would bring Tuca Tuca to my nose bringing a smile to my face one minute and the next, Karma would sneak on in, with it's sigh inducing loveliness. It got to a point where the scents seemed to blend and I thought of just combining the both of them and wearing it. However I wanted one scent and decided to sleep on it, hoping I would know once I woke up.

I woke up, and found my scent.

From Lush.ca:
Retro yet ageless, Karma is a powerful, spicy and unique patchouli and citrus perfume. It's a strange slow-burner for some; you fall for it without realizing what's happening. Others love it from the first sniff as they are transported to the age of freedom.
So Karma it is and I'm very happy with my choice.

It's a simply packaged solid perfume, which is a first for me and, despite the size, a little really goes a long way. I dab a tiny bit on my wrists and on the back of my neck, and I'm good to go. I'm really in love with how it smells and I hope it stays that way. It definitely showed me why it's one of Lush's bestsellers.

Photos: My own.

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