Cant’cha smell that smell?
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Long ago, in a land far away, I used to wear perfume. I think I started using it after college when I landed my first real job in corporate marketing. It seemed like a grown up thing to do and my mom had a bunch of samples from Estee Lauder. After foraging through her supply, I discovered my scent — Knowing by Estee Lauder. That stuff is expensive, did you know that?
But back then I was living high on the hog, wearing heels and business suits to work and making a good living. So I could afford $60 per bottle and it became part of my routine for quite some time.
And let me tell you, the people around me liked it.
It must have mixed with my body chemistry in a pleasing way, because every day, many times per day, someone at work would come stand next to me and say, “What’s that perfume? You smell really good.”
According to Estee Lauder’s website, “Knowing is a deep, woody fragrance with a European sensibility. Heady and exciting, it has great style without even trying.” Yeah, that’s me — great style without even trying.
Apparently perfume has top notes, middle notes and base notes. Who knew? All I know is that it worked well for me.
Now before you accuse me of bathing in it, you need to know that I am part bloodhound because I can
sniff
out any
smell, anywhere, at
any given
time. It’s a
blessing and a curse.
Once, when I was 11 or 12, I was sitting in the car with my sister and I was positive she had grape bubble gum. She swore she wasn’t chewing any and she did not have any on her person. She even opened her mouth — and unleashed some skank breathe that needed grape bubble gum — so I could inspect further.
I wasn’t satisfied. Like a psychic who just knows the evidence is nearby, I persisted. There was grape gum in that car. Finally, I found the proof I needed.
Remember when cars had ashtrays that popped open revealing the tray for ashes and the pop in lighter? In the empty tray was a used grape bubble gum wrapper sans gum. It was just a piece of paper that once housed a piece of grape bubble gum.
Yet I could smell grape gum so strongly, it was as if the gum was jammed directly into my nose.
I have a strong sense of smell, is my point.
Sidenote: Mr. C has heard me use that phrase, “jammed directly into my nose” with the accompanying visual of the my palm of my hand pushing my nostrils up and into my brain, so many times he now rolls his eyes and says, “The smell. It’s strong. I get it.”
So I only used a little dab of perfume each day, one on my solar plexus and one in the crook of each elbow. That’s all I needed and it required the smeller to stand at least within two to three feet of me to catch a minute trace of Eau de Cardiogirl. It also seemed to leave just a faint trail in my wake.
Anyway, a while after I got married I stopped using perfume. I can’t remember why, because it wasn’t a tool in my arsenal to snag Mr. C. I think it became too expensive. And yes, I did start to let go of the dating rituals. Why bother? I bagged and tagged a husband.
Alright, in the wake of giving up the perfume and ending the decade of my 20s, I discovered I sweat like a man. I don’t know why, but that’s what’s been happening for a good 12 years now.
And Mr. C sweats like a man, but he smells good. And he is most definitely not a cologne or after shave wearin’ kinda guy. Ergo, I figured if his deodorant works that well, it should work for me, right?
So I stopped using Degree, which did not seem to be body-heat activated, even though that’s how they advertise the product. And I picked up Mr. C’s Old Spice. It worked, pretty well I must say. And it seemed to mesh with my body chemistry, creating a woody aroma.
In fact it worked so well that one day at work three of us were in a supply room moving boxes — two women and one man. After moving the boxes around and building up a bit of a sweat I could start to smell the Old Spice kicking in. And then the man we were working with, who was in his early 60s said to us (me and the other girl) “Someone smells good. What’s that perfume you’re wearing?”
The other girl quickly answered that she wasn’t wearing any perfume. So that man turned his attention to me and said, “Well it must be you then. You smell great. What’s the name of that perfume?”
“It’s not me. I’m not wearing perfume either.”
He stepped a bit closer, to verify the smell was coming from me. “No, it’s you. You smell so clean and fresh. It has to be you.”
So I just smiled and said, “I guess it’s just pure goodness seeping from my pores.”
“Whatever it is, don’t stop using it,” he replied.
And I have not stopped using it. But I do wonder if that guy ever smelled that scent again, in the men’s locker room at the gym, and eventually put it all together.
I, too, have a sensitive smeller. Can name that smell in three notes, Wink.
I do wear fragrance, but DON’T pour it on. In my fragrance past, I did some heavy hitters, even did a stint as a fragrance model one Christmas for Oscar de la Renta. That was a trip.
My current fave, because it is so subtle and non-perfume-y is Amazing Grace by philosophy. I’ve had many compliments on it, usually to the tune of, “You always smell so good.” From what you’ve said you like, it would be probably too powdery for your taste, but it is not overpowering and no one really recognizes the scent as a “brand.”
Your resume never ceases to amaze me, Elle. Hand model, advertising guru, voice over artist, and now fragrance model. What can’t you do?
Are you a foot model, too?
My mum is like you with the sensitive smelling. Amazing. I’m glad I’m not like that, it must be very annoying!
I want a new perfume for the wedding but how do you choose? I read an article in one of the Sunday paper magazines in which a perfumer named Guerlain Mitsouko as the best perfume ever but at £62 for 75ml (currently $109… wasn’t life so much easier when I just had to double it?) it would have to smell damn good.
Ooh, that’s a tough one — picking the fragrance for your wedding.
And I’ll bet, if you asked her, your mother would tell you her sense of smell only increased during pregnancy. That was the absolute worst. Everything stunk.
Good luck on picking your smells for the nuptials!
Hi C-Girl,
To tell you the truth, I’m not a big perfume guy. Years ago, when I was “on the loose”, the perfume a woman used (or didn’t use) was pretty well down the list of my priorities – even below the style of shoes she wore. Now my female cousin tells me that shoes do matter with guys – it’s a subliminal thing and I just didn’t realize it. But that’s for another day.
I do think you and Mr. C hit the nail on the head about good hearted women always smelling good. I notice that with Mrs. D also. And a clean, fresh smell is always good.
I’ve tried wearing cologne a few times. Mrs. D actually gave me some for Christmas a few years back. I decided I was going to give it a try, but it seemed like no matter how little I put on she always thought it was too much – so I gave it up.
Long ago, I think on our first Christmas, I bought Armani, I think, for Mr. C. It didn’t work out. But the Old Spice deodorant works for both of us, not surprisingly.
This post is made for the smell-o-vision of the future. I’m going to build a time machine, go into the future, and read this post again.
*pause*
You’re right, that is a good smell. :)
Isn’t it, though?
I am sensitive to smell in a different way. If someone at work wears a very strong perfume it will give me a migraine almost immediately. Men’s cologne doesn’t tend to do it as bad (except my brother in law’s because he wears half a bottle at a time it seems), maybe it’s because those smells are more like clean then “flowery.”
So the only perfume I can really wear is Romance by Ralph Lauren (it’s very light and even then sometimes I end up using a wipe thing to get it off me when my head already hurts) and it of course is $60 a bottle. $60 a bottle is outrageous-luckily my mom buys me a bottle almost every Christmas. Thank goodness for moms!
Yes, Christmas is just made for moms to splurge on their kids.
I can’t stand it when men BATHE in it. Ugh, the worst is when a “European” man will use it *instead* of a shower. Then you smell bo *with* the fragrance. Just the thought of it makes me want to hurl.
Yup on the sensitive smeller, too… I have a hard time with both women and men who wear their scents like scarves trailing out behind them. Those are always the most overpowering scents to begin with, too. Uck.
And the “perfume samplers” that they spray on cardboard and hand to you in the mall…? THOSE stick in my nose long after I drop them in the trash can.
I don’t wear perfume because I’m sure I won’t smell anything else all day.
Yuck, I hate those cards *and* those ladies who stand there with the bottle in hand ready to hose you down in the department store. Love that image “…wear their scents like scarves trailing out behind them.” Yeah, I know those people. Yuck.
I’ve been told smell is oour strongest sense memory. I believe it!
I’m right there with you. I can’t tell you how many times a smell has taken me right back in time so quickly I nearly suffer whiplash. It’s truly amazing.
I must be from Norway. I said “oour” in the previous comment. Maybe I’m just Canadian, eh?
But Norway sounds so much more regal than Canada (no offense Les). And I would have cleaned that up for you. But it made a fun follow-up comment.
I have toyed with perfumes from time to time, but I really don’t like too much smell.
My hubby had a favorite cologne (given to him by his ex-fiance, called “L’homme” by Roger & Gallet). When the bottle was empty, I tried to buy a replacement, but the “L’homme essentiel” they sent, didn’t really smell like the original. Thankfully, a few years ago, I found a similar smell in “Sung Homme” at TJ Maxx. Funny, my hubby is not a “saver,” yet he still hangs on to that empty bottle of the original “L’homme.”
My mother-in-law lost her olfactory nerves while working for Eli Lilly, years ago, so she can’t smell a thing (never notices when someone passes gas or when the baby reeks). Is that a blessing or a curse? I don’t know. I do know that it affects her in the kitchen – you know the sense of smell works in tandem with the sense of taste!
I’m not the super jealous type, Wendy, but I would have thrown that bottle from his ex-fiance away the first chance I could get. Wow, that would totally suck it, losing your sense of smell because of the place you worked. Yeah, I bet she can’t taste much either. I wouldn’t want to have dinner at her place too often.
I love wearing perfume, but it doesn’t HAVE to be perfume. I am equally happy wearing body spray from Bath & Body Works. In fact, what smells THE BEST on me is Moonlight Path, a scent with musk in it. Love the musk. Every time I wear it, Kurt will snuggle up to me 15hrs after I’ve put it on, and tell me I smell SO good. But I have to be careful about scents. Sometimes they turn weird on me. My favorite perfume is Prada, which isn’t cheap, though I used to get it for much less money at the Navy Exchange. It reacts to my normal body scent so beautifully. I too liked Philosophy perfume like Elle, but I opted for Pure Grace. That one is a very clean scent, though I felt it didn’t last long with me.
I love that you use men’s deodorant as a scent, though. I’m sure you do smell lovely! I have been known to wear cologne and men’s deodorant too, mainly because I don’t like a whole lot of flowery scents.
PS — I’m in the hospital on their WiFi. My water broke at 9:30am this morning. Heh.
Okay, blue. I am in a total tizzy right now because your water broke and you’re gonna have the baby!!!! After you’re done birthin’ that babe, spray on some musk, eh?
I know this is way too much to ask, but drop a quick post at your place once the baby is here! Or better yet, maybe Kurt can quickly put the stats on there before you take your mothering hiatus. Congratulations and HOW EXCITING!!!
Wow Bluesleepy!! Congrats and good luck!! That is awesome!
Cgirl– For some reason I am not the least bit surprised that you wear men’s deoderant. I am not a perfume wearer myself. Not really a good idea in medicine to wear perfume. You can set off someones asthma. Maybe I will try out the Old Spice though!
Isn’t that exciting about blue? I can’t wait to hear the news.
Michelle you made me laugh out loud when you said, “For some reason I am not the least bit surprised that you wear men’s deoderant.” It’s funny, I’m so used to it that it doesn’t seem odd, until I throw it out there to the world via the internet. I guess there’s not much that’s sacred on the web, eh? At this rate I’m not going to have *any* secrets left.
Cardio you are something else, man you make me smile. I still do wear perfume, I even import a few bottles from France. I did find a perfume, Cashmere by Donna Karen that I love, so I have been wearing that. I also have something from Avon, Rare Gold that works for me. I was once mauled for smelling good, so I’m careful around certain men folk. I do wear it to bed, sometimes. Enjoy the post, you are funny. Sometimes I think I can smell through the phone, but my sense is not that good.
I’ve been in a funk, Natural, so this comment comes at a great time. Thank you.
That sounds so funny — being mauled for smelling good — but I believe it. I know what you mean about the phone. Some words just evoke the smell anyway, you know (shudders)?
too funny. i do remember this post and my comment well. i think i’m wearing donna today. i sniff myself throughout the day because i am crazy. and i love smelling like mr. after a hug. i also sniff myself a lot after that as well because i am weird. hmm, i wonder what happened to my attacker. F er!
thank you for entertaining me this afternoon, i’ve exhausted my photo forums and wanted something entertaining to read. even though i am reading out of order. score.
i so want to go into the bathroom and write on one of the walls in the stall: for a good time visit cardiogirl.net but i don’t wanna share.
That’s pretty funny. Old Spice hehe.
I thought I had a sensitive nose, but yours is much keener than normal, I’d say.
Oh yeah. My sniffer is way tuned. I don’t know why, but it’s top notch.
Old Spice. Still cracking up at that.
My current perfume is Estee Lauder’s Beautiful Sheer. I also love Vera Wang’s Sheer Veil, Ralph Lauren’s Ralph, and Clinique Happy. I try a new perfume each year with my Christmas gift cards.
I lived in Ralph Lauren’s Lauren all through college and probably until I was about 30. That smell still takes me back.
My husband smells GOOD. Even without cologne. But when he wears Claiborne’s Mambo I get all happy. He tried to switch to a Nautica, but it didn’t work for me. One year I couldn’t find Mambo and I got all worried. Like you with your favorite lipstick. But more.
My mom used to wear Beautiful. For a long time, every time I smelled it I immediately thought of my mom. Seems people don’t wear it as much these days.
If Mr. C had a smell that really worked (but I have to say the Old Spice does it for me) and it was discontinued I would go insane. I hope you’re able to find Mambo. In bulk.
Try using Pitrok. It’s a rock crystal deodorant, but it really works. A guy I know (ahem) uses it, and he never smells bad. it doesn’t leave a scent, it just takes away that “sweaty” smell.
I had a guy come in work the other day (I’ve christened him Mr Tasty) who smells so bad I have to walk away from him after I’ve served him. I can *taste the smell in my mouth*.
I sometimes wear Weekend For Men by Burberry, to help me embrace my inner chav.
I wonder if they sell Pitrok here in the States. It’s a rock, right? I’ve heard of that before. Um, you made me laugh my head off when I read “…Mr Tasty, who smells so bad I have to walk away from him after I’ve served him. I can *taste the smell in my mouth*.”
AAUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHH! That’s disgusting Solomon.
What’s an inner chav? Chauvinist?
Oh man, I missed the Friday question. I’ll have to answer that a bit later as I have only 4 minutes and 42 seconds left of internet time. I just wanted to say, my mother has a really strong sense of smell too. And it totally drives her nuts. She hates any and all perfumes and colognes. So if I wear any, or my brothers do, she smells it right away and demands to know, “Who’s wearing that?! You’re giving me a migraine!”
We learned that we’d only be able to get away with scents after we moved out of the house.
Myself, I love certain perfumes and colognes. Nothing really strong or musky, I prefer the “fresh” scents. Freesia, apples, citrus… that kind of thing. I’m currently hooked on Philosophy’s “Amazing Grace.” It’s light and fresh and relatively cheap! **HUGS!!**
I think I will end up like your mother, Chris. I can just see Emily in the car with her boyfriend wiping his face down with wet wipes. “You don’t understand, my mom goes crazy when she smells perfume or after shave.”
“No, not *good* crazy, psycho crazy.”
That is funny. Aaron has some good smelling stuff too. Maybe I should start using it because seriously, degree does nothing for me either!
Yes, another dissenter when it comes to “body-heat activated Degree.” I actually have three or for containers in the house, because I tried it again, after it had been reformulated, and bought a huge pack from Costco. Smart move, not.
This is a chav. They’re known for wearing Burberry products. There’s a lot more I could say about them, but I try to look for positive things in life… :D
Pitrok is great. I don’t know if you can buy it in the US. Maybe off ebay?
RE: Solomon’s Pitrock thing — They sell something very similar at health food stores here in the States, though sometimes you can find it at Walmart and Target. It’s called Crystal, and you can see it on Amazon here. I bought it for Kurt because he doesn’t like to wear deodorant (in his defense, he rarely sweats there and never smells).
And nothing is really happening. A few contractions here and there, nothing exciting. They’re thinking to augment me around 10pm EDT. I guess I’m only 37 weeks, so the baby will probably be smaller than Grace was at 8lb 1oz and 42 weeks.
Thanks for the link, blue. You are so very thorough, I can never remember all of the code that is necessary to make it just a link in the comment and I’m always impressed that you can remember that and implement it so it’s just seamless in the comment. Way to go. Based on the testimonials on that Amazon page I might just have to do it. Plus the price is right.
Also, you’ve got a 100% proven track rate with me regarding product recommendations. I tried Clean and Clear acne treatment, because of you, and it works extremely well. Also, I bought the Ped Egg, based on your recommendation, and that’s a winner as well. Wait a minute. Are all of these products things that Kurt uses?
Hey, I can say I’m as tough as a man in the Navy!
I am also floored (and highly impressed) that you are blogging live during labor! Way to go, sister! It’s 5:01 am. I hope you are sleeping comfortably and the baby is happy and healthy down the hall in the nursery so Mom can get some rest.
Old Spice?! I love that you’d even think of that. You rock. I love my perfume, Ciara. Once, a very nice man I was helping with his computer stopped typing and looked at me strangely. He waited a beat and then simply blurted out “You smell good!” I felt weird about it. I mean, what’s the response? “Thanks. My sweat mixes nicely with it?” Still, I thought it was so cute that he felt compelled to say something.
About the smell sensitivity, when I drove home from Canada with my sister and her daughter, I could smell grape gum and freaked out. I tried to go as long as I could without complaining, but soon enough, I gave my niece a crisp clean five dollar bill to throw it out the window. She complied and couldn’t believe she could make money just for not stinkin’ up the car.
It is weird, isn’t it (although it’s been about 12 years since this happened to me) when someone stops you and says, “Mmm. You smell good.” Doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman. And yeah, I thought the same thing — this fragrance works well with my overactive sweat glands, you should smell me after a good 4-mile run. Oh, and thanks for noticing?
I can’t imagine us together in a locker room. I already come close to having an olfactory seizure every time I go to the Y — especially in the locker room after a woman has returned from the pool. The shower does not remove the smell of chlorine, people. Or, again in the locker room, after they have mopped the floor with some sort of bleach detergent.
Or, lastly, when some chick drops a gas bomb in the SAUNA and then leaves. But I’ve already written about that.
Perfume…ahh the joys…I have a husband for whom damn near every ‘scented’ thing will give him a headache. No ‘fume round here till he’s gone for the day.
I, on the other hand, love it! Tabu, or Opium, usually but Tabu isn’t smelling the same on me…and hell if I can afford Opium! So, I’m in the market. It is, however like make-up colors! Gonna be an expensive testing time, hee.
I may go try some more men’s scents – there are few I really like on me – but Polo is out. Love it on…but it makes me think of my first long time boyfriend, heh.
Isn’t it crazy, Anne, how some scents are *forever* tied to an experience or person? I think it was Poolie who mentioned that earlier.
It sounds so funny to hear you say “I can’t afford Opium.” Of course this would be the drug, not the perfume. I hadn’t considered that body chemistry is so important to create the final smell with the ‘fume. And once your hormones change your final scent changes. Interesting.
I am a fan of the manly scents, as well. I love Burt’s Bees Men’s body wash. Yum.
I hadn’t thought about a body wash. That seems like it would be subtle enough to enjoy throughout the day… Thanks for the idea Suzi.
I love Old Spice. My older son wears it and it smells great. Never thought of it for myself though. I use Secret Platinum…only thing that works well for me. As for perfume, I wear them and love them and am currently in Perfume Collection mode. Pink Sugar sends my little one into a tizzy and he gets seriously disturbed by the fact that his mom smells that good to him. St. John is my current new favorite. Yum.
Hmm, is that Secret the one they advertise as their strongest without a prescription? I did briefly consider using that one, but hey, why tangle with success, right?
Recently Katie bought a Mary Kate and Ashley body spray and she was in a spraying frenzy so she sprayed the back of my head. She’s 8, she doesn’t know what she’s doing. But I have to admit it smelled pretty good and didn’t have a strong hang time. I might have to try that out.