It seems like there was a whole spate of articles not too long ago proclaiming that celebrity fragrances were "over", they weren't selling any more, etc. etc. If there is any truth to the notion, you won't find the evidence at the fragrance counters this month. Mariah Carey is only the latest of celebrity fragrance debuts, and if you mean to smell them all, you've a long road ahead of you yet this year.
Mariah Carey went with the name M. It isn't wildly creative on its own merits, and it seems even less so given that we just got L from Gwen Stefani. Are full words too risky in today's over-saturated fragrance market? What will happen when all the letters of the alphabet are used up? We've already got F (Ferragamo), another L (Lolita Lempicka), S (Scherrer), V (Valentino), XX (Hugo Boss), and probably others that aren't coming to mind at the moment.
The M fragrance itself was developed by perfumers Carlos Benaim and Loc Dong, and is advertised as a floriental with notes of marshmallow, sea breeze accord, Living Tahitian Tiare, gardenia, sheer amber, patchouli and Moroccan incense. Carey said she was inspired by the scent of toasted marshmallow from her childhood and by an incense she bought on the street in Morocco, and noted that "I was never a perfume wearer, because some scents would irritate my skin. But this doesn't, and this is the first fragrance I've ever worn" (via Women's Wear Daily).
As you'd probably expect, M is sweet. The "sea breeze accord" and a little burst of citrus and tart fruit lighten up the toasted sugar in the top notes, but only a little; it is mostly marshmallow. It isn't a heavy scent though, and the gardenia in the heart notes is whisper-soft and blended with other sheer floral notes — it only reminded me of gardenia for a very short time. The dry down is pale musky woods, still fairly sweet, and a smidgen of creamy vanilla. If you go looking for the incense, you'll find it, but it isn't assertive.
I expected to hate M — marshmallow and sea breeze aren't tops on my list of favorite notes — but I don't at all. It is considerably milder than you'd expect from the notes, and despite the persistent sweetness, it doesn't do much to call attention to itself. I'd classify it as a comfort scent, geared towards a young market but quiet enough that even those who have outgrown candy might find it appealing. Like the vast majority of celebrity perfumes, it doesn't take any risks, so while serious perfume fans may find it too dull to bother with, M doesn't seem likely to offend anyone. I'd be very surprised if it engenders the same kind of love-it-or-hate-it response that Sarah Jessica Parker's Covet seems to inspire.
M by Mariah Carey is available in 15 ml Parfum, or 30, 50 or 100 ml Eau de Parfum. A matching Body Lotion is also sold.
We also have Y and M7 (does that count?) by Yves Saint Laurent, M; Men by Matsushima (does that count either?), b.e. by becker.eshaya, and G from Giorgio Beverly Hills, and those are just off the top of my head–there must be others.
It's a sure bet, though, that nobody is ever, ever going to name a fragrance P.
Thanks — knew I was forgetting a whole bunch of letter names!
“I was never a perfume wearer, because some scents would irritate my skin. But this doesn't, and this is the first fragrance I've ever worn”
Hmmmm! Mariah is either lying or she has a short memory, because I remember reading in several magazines that her favorite perfume is/was L'Eau d'Issey.
She's never worn perfume before? Poor thing! 🙂
” “I was never a perfume wearer, because some scents would irritate my skin. But this doesn't, and this is the first fragrance I've ever worn””
Hmm. I wonder what made her decide to do a perfume if she's allergic.
I liked this fragrance. I have a couple samples of it. I don't know if I wanna own it just yet
Yes, I've newer worn perfume before. That's true. Only eau de toilette and eau de cologne.
And I've never made music. Only soup…
Love.
xoxo
(the fake) MARIAH
Seems unlikely that she is really allergic to perfume in general, doesn't it?
Yep, just found mention of that in a Chandler Burr column in the NYT.
M, now she has her chance, no?
LOL!
God I can't stand this woman. Her voice grates on my nerves. Plus I don't believe most of what her PR people put out on behalf of her. It's all bunk for all who are concerned.
I wonder Anna Nicole never came out with a Celeb scent before she died?
I'm so sick of celeb scents. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.
You've got lots of yawns to come this year — Sean John, Usher, Christina Aguilera….
Hmm, I'm going to Las Vegas in December & will check this out (along with Believe & Can Can).
We have to wait ages for them to come out over here : (
Vegas has some pretty good perfume shopping, I'm sure you'll find all the latest celebrity things plus much more. Be sure to check out the Acca Kappa store at the Venetian — great scented soaps!
Thanks for the tip!!
I'll have spent up in two days!!!
Umm…not exactly a direct comment on the review (although I am quite amused by it) but I just got my scent blog going and one of my post is sort of related to what's being discussed so far:
http://www.tuileries.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-some-fragrance-execs-noses-could.html
It's not a serious piece…just poking fun of the industry…
LOL — thanks for the link!
i loved the fragrance at first whiff… i need to be fair and sample it more. so far i'm proud of mariah… sweet, but mature. not frou frou magical Barbie like i expected with a marshmallow accord…
the ad?.. pew.. if she's not parading her tits, she's showing her ass!
sadly she's a liar with that “this is my first fragrance i've ever worn” bit.
“Not frou frou magical Barbie” — exactly. It isn't bad. And yes, she's probably stretching the truth considerably!
Tried this today, along with Christina Aguilera's, and I love it! I would have bought it, if I hadn't have had already bought 2 other fragrences.
The notes of marshmallow & sea breeze accord bring back childhood memories of autumn holiday's by the sea, walking along near the fairs.
M's not too sweet & it's not to strong. It's on my birthday list!!
Hey, what were your 2 purchases??
Glow by J.Lo (shimmer one), the fragrance makes me feel fresh & revived. It’s great to keep a bottle at work. I also bought the Princess Xmas gift set by Vera Wang. My Mum bought me the perfume pen a few months ago, so I couldn't resist the gift set, especially as the fragrance is costly on its own. It's quite a sweet scent, but it's a lot lighter then most other similar fragrances.
I also bought the Glow After Dark gift set. It's my Xmas present for me from my kid sister. I'll unwrap it at Christmas & look surprised in front of our parents.
I bought Mariah Carey's fragrance yesterday. I liked it at Macy's when I sprayed it from the bottle, but for some odd reason it didn't smell too good when I sprayed it from the sample, so I tried it again at Macy's and thistime I applied the lotion and it smelled SOOOOO good! I gotta return it today though because I accidently got the 1.7 oz
Early Xmas shopping — good for you! Enjoy your new purchases 🙂
Need the larger bottle already?? I'll have to try the lotion.
Well, I don't ever get the 1.7 oz. I always get the 3.3 or 3.4 oz. I returned this fragrance thoug. It wasn't smelling as good as it had in the store. I guess I'll just wait for “Believe.” If that fails, at least I have *Diamonds* 🙂
Dito..can't stand her voice,i literally run to turn the radio off so why would i wanna smell like her.
Ok, I found the problem. It was the lotion. I bought the 3.3 again 2 weeks ago!
Glad you figured it out 🙂
Ok, I took it back again. I dunno what it is about this fragrance but its so love/hate. I just don't understand it.
LOL — well, there are plenty of others, why figure it out?
Hahaha! She was never a perfume wearer? When I met her, she was wearing Chance by Chanel and some other friends who met her one day before said she was wearing L'Eau d'Issey, by Issey Miyake. I'm confused! oO
I got a sample from Macy's the other day and I'm in love with this fragrance again. I just don't understand 🙁
LOL — sounds like you need to give up and just keep a bottle around just in case 🙂
I like the perfume, but oh my goodness what was going on with the TV commercial of this perfume?! I know she is trying to look sexy and all but I was wondering if the ad is trying to sell the perfume or to sell Mariah without clothes!
LOL — true enough!
Oh Robin, I'm fiending for the fragrance again!! I just love the bottle soooo much!
LOL — you don't give up!
I enjoy M it is kind of sweet but it also fruity a bit too. It not overpowering and while it is youngish, nothing wrong with that. This old gal LOL moi is about to turn 42 this month and enjoys now and then a youthful scent and I have gotten compliments on it from family and friends to boot.
Jenny
Agree it is “youngish”, and also nothing wrong with that — everybody should wear what they like 🙂
Grrrrr! Broke down again and bought the BIG bottle!
Keep it this time, no matter what!
Robin, do you know if the new Mariah Carey gold will be the same notes, or will it be a different fragrance?
Nope, sorry, no idea.
I saw M Gold by Mariah Carey at Macys and it doesn't say Eau De Parfum. It just says Parfum. Does that mean its better, Robin?
Wow, already? Haven't read a thing about it yet. If it is Parfum, it is a stronger concentration & probably more expensive per ml, but not necessarily any “better” quality otherwise.
Aha, just found it online. Not loving the gold bottle, myself.
The bottle looks a lot better in person. They had the tester and I compared both and the Gold smells stronger. I found a Macy's giftcard outside the mall so I bought the lotion to “M” again also. I love it so much, but my plan is not to use it all the time!
Good, glad to hear it! Must get myself over to Macy's, haven't been there in ages.
I saw Mariah on t.v on BET and she said they're working on her new fragrance now and it smells really good so I'm guessing this one sold very well. I can't WAIT to smell the new one. I'm so obsessed with this one!
Wonder what it will be called?
Hahah! I got the Gold Parfum! Its sooooooo freakin strong! I sprayed a little on and my nose was burning! I haven't worn a fragrance for like 2 weeks! My nose is kinda back to normal now though
Goodness, my nose isn't all the way back to normal yet. I'm trying to be very careful, but I'm used to always wearing a fragrance. If I spray something on my nose starts acting up again. (No, I haven't done or TRIED any drugs). That M Gold was VERY STRONG! It smells really different from M. I love it, but I'm so scared to wear it! It had my nose burning for 3 days! HELP ROBIN! What do I do?
If something really burned my nose like that, I don't think I'd wear it again, sadly. Any chance you can return it?
My friend wore it the other day just to test it and it was fine. It just caught me off guard. I've never owned a Pure Parfum before. My friend who works at Macy's was ringing me up and she said “Be VERY careful with this. This is pure parfum so you only need a small dab.” Just like me to go overboard! I took a big smell of it. It was fine when my friend had it on the other day, though. I can still return it though. I'll try it once more. If it burns me again its going back
Also, did they take the Marshmellow out if it??? I smell the other stuff but that appears to be missing. It smells different. I really like it, though!
Jlove — I've never tried it so can't comment on the marshmallow, but usually extrait doesn't smell identical to the lighter versions. Is this in a dab bottle, or a spray?
Its the Gold spray. She said speay only a little on. I'll try it on next month. If the same thing happens I'll return it
I actually bought this when looking for a new fragrance – I had been wearing Britney Spears' Midnight Fantasy, but couldn't find more. I literally sniffed all sorts of perfumes, but I just seem to like the celebrity ones better!
Anyway, the top notes on this are a little floral for my liking, but it's still really nice. I must admit I love it most after a hot summer night because when I get up, and even in the shower, my skin practically exudes vanilla scent.
This reminds me of incanto shine-
Yes, I can see that.
Ive had my bottle of M for about a yr & a half now and its turning a weird pinkish color. Kinda like Fancys color. I cant detect a difference in the smell but im afraid its going to start turning. I was at Ulta the other day and their M was an even darker color then that of Fancy. Im assuming because it had been there for awhile and exposed to the heat and light. The thing is i keep my bottles in their boxes under my bed or in my closet. Its the only one that seems to be turning. Ive had a bottle of Miami Glow and Fantasy for 4yrs and their doing just fine. Im sad. I guess i have to start using it regularly over my other ones.
Oh dear! Hopefully it is just a color issue and nothing else…I have had perfumes turn alarming colors w/o the scent being altered.
Well thats great to hear. Thanks!