Tricky Treats

I feel like the best perfumes are a little bit difficult. They have a weird note somewhere in their composition that not everyone can wear. Who wants to smell just like the next girl anyway? Not me. We all want to be unique. The following fragrances, if worn by the right person, will give you just that.

Mitsouko by Guerlain is an incredibly hard scent to wear. When I wear it I smell oakmoss, vetiver, peach and neroli. It's very woody and strange. It conjures up images of dusty attics filled with antique furniture and clothes. It also reminds me of rainy days in the woods, stepping on muddy leaves and fallen trees. A true chypre perfume. Wear this when you want to imagine yourself as a chic mysterious woman in Paris during the last golden days before World War II.

Ultraviolet by Paco Rabanne is a favorite of mine because it smells quite unlike any perfume I've ever sampled. It has that hard to define note in it that turns Play Doh-esque on many but smells exquisite on others. I read that pimiento is a top note in this so that could be what I'm smelling. However, most of the fragrance comes from the Japanese osmanthus flower. I smell apricot and grape bubble gum when I first spray it, but then it dries down into a remarkable aroma. Like violets, vanilla, and bergamot with black pepper. It is impossible to accurately describe Ultraviolet. Both funky and mysterious. The images this brings up for me are days from my childhood spent playing with a new doll.

Boudoir by Vivienne Westwood is possibly the most sexual perfume I've ever encountered. I had a sample once and was afraid to wear it outside the house for fear of sending the wrong message. It smells like a tumble in the sheets. A little drop goes a long way here. Powdered roses, vanilla pipe tobacco and an unmistakable sweat note are all present. Put this on when you feel 50% Victorian lady, 50% Wild West whore. It's terrific, but difficult.

The entire Demeter line falls into the "hard to wear, hard to love, might just be perfect" category. With names like Funeral Home, Laundromat, Earthworm, Salt Air, Riding Crop, Holy Water, Woodsmoke....you are certain to find something out of the ordinary. They really smell true to their names. Some of these concoctions might be better as a room spray than a scent to wear on your skin, but to each his own. Someday I may want to BE a gin and tonic and when that happens, Demeter has me covered.