Yesterday's post discussed scents to wear for a romantic night out on Valentine's Day. But what might you wear if your relationship is still on tender ground, or if you’re not in a relationship at all? Once again, Amy Yang of Luilei and Lisa Slavik of Beautycafé have a few recommendations.
Lisa chooses Laila of Norway as a good fragrance to wear when you want to have a romantic presence but not go overboard. She describes it as a "very sassy and flirty fragrance for when you want to make sure you have his full attention all night long". She says that Laila of Norway is a beautiful light floral and fruit fragrance with just a hint of watermelon. Plus, it lasts a long time on the skin. Lisa has a male friend who has told her that Laila "torments him". Lisa adds, "I think that’s a good thing, don’t you?"
Amy is strategic about choosing scents for the early relationship. "As a woman, I’d stay away from heady florals as a man may think you’re in wedding mode — you may as well bring a lush bridal bouquet on the date!" To maintain low-key sexiness and warmth, she recommends i Profumi di Firenze Ambra del Nepal. "It has a warmth and spiciness to let someone know that you have an edge, but not so much that it communicates 'trouble'." She also notes that studies show that men are attracted to vanilla, and Ambra del Nepal has a good dose of slightly toasted vanilla. For a unisex scent, she recommends Malin+Goetz Lotus Root, a light"“non-perfume-y" perfume that is slightly musky and fresh as sweet rainwater. Finally, she says that The Different Company Divine Bergamote might be a good choice because it offers a relationship lesson: it might not impress you at first, but if you give it a chance it will develop into something incredible.
For people not in a relationship but who are planning a night out anyway, Lisa says that Eadward Eclectic is the scent to choose. She describes it as a blend of white tea, vanilla, and very light citrus notes of cranberry, lime, grapefruit, and muscadine, and adds that it spells "trouble with a capital T". Once again, Lisa's roadtesting of the scent has proven it effective. She says that once when she was out with friends she once had to turn away a married man who threatened to lick her neck.
Amy recommends Tauer L’air au desert marocain for a night out with friends. "There's an element of warmth to it where I can imagine the girls huddling around the L'air wearer as they talk about this-and-that. And just because it's girls night out, you still want a good dose of sexy, just in case you eye someone at the bar/club."
What if, for any of a variety of reasons, you choose to stay home alone for Valentine's Day? I'd say rent a Doris Day movie, or maybe Auntie Mame, make a stiff martini and a plate of deviled eggs, and settle in with a spritz of whatever you love best. After all, it's true that you’ve got to love yourself first. What says love better than a few drops of that perfume you’ve been saving for something special?
Okay, so I'm glad I'm not the only one who took a dumb amount of time to appreciate Divine Bergamote. And that last bit is so true – I don't wear my favourites enough anymore. When I do, they just make me feel great all day.
I love Doris and Rock, especially in Pillow Talk! Lover Come Back and Send Me No Flowers are hilarious, too. Nobody does it like those two.
I wonder what fragrance(s) Doris Day wore? She looked particularly fetching in Pillow Talk. I loved the wardrobe.
Hugs!
I need to spend some time with Divine Bergamote, but I'm thinking so far that it may not be for me. I liked Amy's comment about avoiding scents that smell like bridal bouquets.
Now, that's a great question. What would Doris wear? I imagine her in something floral but independent and strong and not overly heady. Something a little athletic. Hmm. Maybe Balenciaga Michelle? I could see her in White Linen, too.
Ambre del Nepal and Divine Bergamote are great choices. I agree that heady florals might be a little off putting early in the dating process.
Your ideas for what to do if staying home alone are brilliant! Actually, I think that's what I'd like to do w/ DH on Vday. *Love* Doris Day and her movies w/ Rock Hudson and James Garner also had such fab 60s set designs – never get tired of looking at them. Auntie Mame is wonderful also and, again, excellent set design.
I love the clothes in Auntie Mame, too. At one point in the movie, she gives a big bottle of perfume to her maid, and I swear it's Shalimar.
Martini and devilled eggs? You're my kind of girl!
It does sound pretty good, doesn't it?
My husband and I are going to have our taxes done on Valentine's Day. Any scent suggestions? I wouldn't dare try to distract our accountant as I am hoping for a quite sizeable return!
I hope you're at least going out for dinner afterward! It's Valentines day, so it would be nice to be a little romantic, but on the other hand the accountant should know that he can't mess around and needs to do a thorough job for you. So, how about Balmain Jolie Madame? It starts off with a pretty, green violet scent then morphs into a “don't mess with me” leather. Plus, you can get it for less than $20 online!
Thanks, Angela for the fragrance suggestion! And yes, there will be dinner either before or after.