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M by Mariah Carey ~ fragrance review

Posted by Robin on 31 August 2007 63 Comments

M by Mariah Carey perfume advert

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.

M by Mariah Carey, bottles & packaging

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.

Possibly of interest

Mariah Carey Dreams ~ new perfume
Mariah Carey Lollipop Splash The Remix ~ new fragrances
Mariah Carey Lollipop Bling ~ perfume review

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: carlos benaim, celebrity perfumes, floriental, gourmand, loc dong, mariah carey

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63 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2007 at 1:31 pm

    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.

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  2. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2007 at 1:56 pm

    Thanks — knew I was forgetting a whole bunch of letter names!

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  3. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2007 at 6:25 pm

    “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.

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  4. Anonymous says:
    31 August 2007 at 9:50 pm

    She's never worn perfume before? Poor thing! 🙂

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  5. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 1:55 am

    ” “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

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  6. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 4:26 am

    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

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  7. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 11:21 am

    Seems unlikely that she is really allergic to perfume in general, doesn't it?

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  8. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 11:23 am

    Yep, just found mention of that in a Chandler Burr column in the NYT.

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  9. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 11:29 am

    M, now she has her chance, no?

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  10. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 11:31 am

    LOL!

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  11. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 11:32 am

    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.

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  12. Anonymous says:
    1 September 2007 at 12:24 pm

    You've got lots of yawns to come this year — Sean John, Usher, Christina Aguilera….

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  13. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2007 at 12:58 pm

    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 : (

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  14. Anonymous says:
    2 September 2007 at 5:55 pm

    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!

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  15. Anonymous says:
    3 September 2007 at 4:44 am

    Thanks for the tip!!

    I'll have spent up in two days!!!

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  16. Anonymous says:
    6 September 2007 at 5:44 am

    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…

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  17. Anonymous says:
    6 September 2007 at 10:30 am

    LOL — thanks for the link!

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  18. Anonymous says:
    11 September 2007 at 4:18 pm

    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.

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  19. Anonymous says:
    12 September 2007 at 8:20 am

    “Not frou frou magical Barbie” — exactly. It isn't bad. And yes, she's probably stretching the truth considerably!

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  20. Anonymous says:
    21 September 2007 at 11:10 am

    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!!

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  21. Anonymous says:
    21 September 2007 at 12:29 pm

    Hey, what were your 2 purchases??

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  22. Anonymous says:
    21 September 2007 at 1:29 pm

    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.

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  23. Anonymous says:
    21 September 2007 at 1:46 pm

    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

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  24. Anonymous says:
    22 September 2007 at 9:56 am

    Early Xmas shopping — good for you! Enjoy your new purchases 🙂

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  25. Anonymous says:
    22 September 2007 at 9:57 am

    Need the larger bottle already?? I'll have to try the lotion.

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  26. Anonymous says:
    22 September 2007 at 5:04 pm

    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* 🙂

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  27. Anonymous says:
    30 September 2007 at 9:21 am

    Dito..can't stand her voice,i literally run to turn the radio off so why would i wanna smell like her.

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  28. Anonymous says:
    5 November 2007 at 11:54 pm

    Ok, I found the problem. It was the lotion. I bought the 3.3 again 2 weeks ago!

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  29. Anonymous says:
    6 November 2007 at 10:59 am

    Glad you figured it out 🙂

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  30. Anonymous says:
    5 December 2007 at 6:54 pm

    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.

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  31. Anonymous says:
    6 December 2007 at 11:53 am

    LOL — well, there are plenty of others, why figure it out?

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  32. Anonymous says:
    15 December 2007 at 1:11 pm

    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

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  33. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 6:00 am

    I got a sample from Macy's the other day and I'm in love with this fragrance again. I just don't understand 🙁

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  34. Anonymous says:
    16 December 2007 at 2:11 pm

    LOL — sounds like you need to give up and just keep a bottle around just in case 🙂

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  35. Anonymous says:
    31 December 2007 at 8:04 am

    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!

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  36. Anonymous says:
    31 December 2007 at 10:20 am

    LOL — true enough!

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  37. Anonymous says:
    20 January 2008 at 4:25 pm

    Oh Robin, I'm fiending for the fragrance again!! I just love the bottle soooo much!

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  38. Anonymous says:
    21 January 2008 at 2:48 pm

    LOL — you don't give up!

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  39. Anonymous says:
    8 February 2008 at 2:35 pm

    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

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  40. Anonymous says:
    9 February 2008 at 10:48 am

    Agree it is “youngish”, and also nothing wrong with that — everybody should wear what they like 🙂

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  41. Anonymous says:
    13 February 2008 at 2:13 pm

    Grrrrr! Broke down again and bought the BIG bottle!

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  42. Anonymous says:
    13 February 2008 at 4:22 pm

    Keep it this time, no matter what!

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  43. Anonymous says:
    25 February 2008 at 3:20 am

    Robin, do you know if the new Mariah Carey gold will be the same notes, or will it be a different fragrance?

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  44. Anonymous says:
    25 February 2008 at 12:49 pm

    Nope, sorry, no idea.

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  45. Anonymous says:
    5 March 2008 at 4:51 pm

    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?

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  46. Anonymous says:
    5 March 2008 at 8:53 pm

    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.

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  47. Anonymous says:
    5 March 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Aha, just found it online. Not loving the gold bottle, myself.

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  48. Anonymous says:
    1 April 2008 at 4:49 am

    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!

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  49. Anonymous says:
    1 April 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Good, glad to hear it! Must get myself over to Macy's, haven't been there in ages.

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  50. Anonymous says:
    20 May 2008 at 6:33 pm

    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!

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  51. Anonymous says:
    20 May 2008 at 8:55 pm

    Wonder what it will be called?

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  52. Anonymous says:
    4 October 2008 at 12:24 am

    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

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  53. Anonymous says:
    25 October 2008 at 4:01 am

    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?

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  54. Anonymous says:
    25 October 2008 at 4:14 pm

    If something really burned my nose like that, I don't think I'd wear it again, sadly. Any chance you can return it?

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  55. Anonymous says:
    25 October 2008 at 4:36 pm

    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!

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  56. Anonymous says:
    26 October 2008 at 1:24 pm

    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?

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  57. Anonymous says:
    26 October 2008 at 1:34 pm

    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

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  58. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2009 at 12:25 am

    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.

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  59. Na says:
    6 July 2009 at 9:31 pm

    This reminds me of incanto shine-

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    • Robin says:
      7 July 2009 at 9:32 am

      Yes, I can see that.

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  60. jonr951 says:
    12 September 2009 at 9:07 pm

    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.

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    • Robin says:
      13 September 2009 at 8:34 pm

      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.

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  61. jonr951 says:
    13 September 2009 at 9:05 pm

    Well thats great to hear. Thanks!

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