Walk out of Victoria's Secret, past the kiosks selling silver jewelry and foreign language tapes, past the Sunglass Hut, and there it is: Bath and Body Works. I'd always though of Bath and Body Works as a sort of palace of plastic bottles and fruity hand lotions, but I have friends who swear by some of their products. It was high time to check it out.
At first, Bath and Body Works was overwhelming. Shelves of product in identical bottles but different labels covered the walls, and the center of the store was filled with tables stacked high with more product. To help the consumer who didn't know which way to turn, big signs hung over some of the shelves, signifying a particular wall of scent as "sensual" or "fresh".
The store manager informed me right away that Bath and Body Works has the top five selling fragrances in the United States. I kept my mouth shut about Victoria's Secret's claim that Dream Angels Heavenly was the top selling fragrance and asked him which scents were the most popular. He said Japanese Cherry Blossom was the top seller, followed by Sweet Pea and then Warm Vanilla Sugar. I asked him which fragrance he thought was the most complex, and he pointed out a relatively new fragrance, Black Amethyst.
Japanese Cherry Blossom has top notes of mandarin, leafy green accord, sparkling quince, lush berries, and fresh melon; a heart of rose damascena, super hedione, white jasmine, and rose Juliette Greco; and a base of musk, violet, soft amber, and creamy sandalwood (all notes are from the Bath and Body Works website). Isn't it interesting that the Bath and Body Works website listed "super hedione" as a note? I would have thought that a marketing person might have pruned it out. My two-second review of the fragrance is that it smells like a fruity-ambery shampoo. It isn't offensive, but it I don't find it very interesting, either. I'm surprised that it's named after cherry blossoms. I don't recall that cherry blossoms have much fragrance. If they do, I'd expect it to be delicate rather than a fruity, amber-y, vaguely oriental smell.
Bath and Body Works' second most popular fragrance, Sweet Pea (top notes of sweet pea, watery pear, loganberry, and rhubarb; a heart of cyclamen, freesia, and raspberry; and a base of musk) is viciously fruity. It smells like something that would be served with a shot of vodka at a sorority party. I love the scent of real sweet peas. While they are pungent and sugary, they also smell like they've grown from the earth. Sweet Pea smells like it came from the laboratory.
Warm Vanilla Sugar (top notes of sheer florals and vanilla absolute; a heart of basmati rice, coconut, and vanilla absolute; and base notes of — you guessed it — vanilla absolute, heliotrope, musk, veltol, and sandalwood) is their third most popular fragrance. (Again, note the "veltol" in the web copy. Why?) To me, Warm Vanilla Sugar smells like vanillic cotton candy doused in white musk. I respect that. Sometimes a person needs an overdose of vanilla, and this is a good option. I might prefer Coty Vanilla Musk instead, but it doesn't come in body butter and shower gel like Warm Vanilla Sugar does.
Black Amethyst (top notes of bergamot Italian Oprur, juicy mandarin, sparkling tangerine, zesty orange, waterfruits, and crisp melon; a heart of lily of the valley, magnolia blossom, sheer gardenia, tuberose, freesia, peony petals, and camellia; and a base of patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla, and musk) was the manager's choice for a more "perfumey" fragrance. Black Amethyst launched last November and won WWD's Beauty Biz's Breakthrough Product of the Year/Mass Fragrance award in December 2008. The fragrance takes the purple fruit and patchouli combo that made Calvin Klein Euphoria such a success and gives it the Bath and Body Works treatment. The result is a rich, sweet, earthy patchouli scent that could clear a boardroom if not handled carefully. The earthy edge of the fragrance, which I'm attributing in part to vetiver, keeps the fragrance from becoming a total plum pudding, but its powerful body makes me think this fragrance was twenty years too late. At Studio 54, it could have been a contender.
I did leave Bath and Body Works with a tub of Velvet Tuberose body butter to keep at my desk. My budget isn't up to Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower these days, but the luxurious white flower and dirt scent of the body butter fills my windowless office with a dreamy fragrance. The Bath and Body Works manager said Velvet Tuberose is tenth most popular. At best.
Well, I guess there is no accounting for tastes, is there, Angela? Velvet Tuberose is probably the best fragrance they currently carry. I was not crazy about it, but it is way better than the other fruity fare they sell.
Some years ago, they carried a great fragrance line called Sparkling Green Apple. Sadly, it’s long discontinued, but I still have the body spray which I use on the occasional weekend when I am hanging out near home.
Hugs!
Why do companies always discontinue the good ones? There seems to be some sort of Murphy’s Law that applies to that.
Hugs to you, too!
I am still mourning BBW’s scent Lemongrass and Sage. I cannot believe they discontinued it. It was so crisp and refreshing. Darn you, Murphy’s Law (of fragrance!)
That combo really does sound intriguing, too!
you are so right. this is a contant problem for me, lol
Aw. I knew a Bath and Body Works day had to be coming soon. :]
I work at Bath and Body Works. And for the record, I never tell my customers that ANY of out fragrances are the top sellers, because I know better.
I’m glad you were able to Japanese Cherry Blossom and Black Amethyst. I think those are some of our better EDT’s. Sweet Pea and Warm Vanilla Sugar smell very synthetic to me, to a fault. The Velvet Tuberose line is another one of my favorites. People love it or hate, and there’s no middle ground. I love tuberose, so I love the fragrance.
Great! We got a live one! What are your favorite BBW scents? Did I miss any of the good ones? I only tried the few that the manager pointed out.
Way for me to type out a LONG message, and my browser to decide to log me out.
Anyway, my favorite EDT is Midnight Pomegranate. The notes are surprisingly, and I feel like they are well arranged. Two of my other favorite overall lines we have are Cherry Blossom and Enchanted Orchid. Cherry Blossom is a soft, natural smelling fragrance (much lighter than the Japanese Cherry Blossom, and not as sugary as Sweet Pea). Enchanted Orchid is beautiful in its simplicity; a complex pink floral note coupled with white-smelling spices.
I’m not the kind of lamb who will tell you that all of our fragrances are brilliant. Cucumber Melon belongs in the 90’s, where it should stay. But I really appreciate that you’re trying the fragrances with an open mind, instead of writing them off as “too sweet” or “aimed toward children” like so many perfumistas tend to do.
“Midnight Pomegranate” sounds very alluring. I’ll have to try it. Thanks for the recommendations!
Whenever my mother comes to visit, she goes to Bath and Body Works and buys a few bottles of creams and hand soap to take back to her friends. She also takes some Victoria Secret creams and they are both an absolute success in Brazil. She says that the scents are sweet but light and ephemeral enough for Rio’s heat and humidity. I like their Anti-Bacterial Soap White Citrus, it has a pleasant and unobtrusive smell but I never tried anything else from them.
If I’m ever lucky enough to get to Brazil, now I’ll know what to bring. Thanks!
I can’t remember for the life of me where I read it – pretty sure it was something on one of the perfume blogs – but there was a quote where some big nose or someone big in the business said Velvet Tuberose was actually quite a good scent. Since I moved to the UK, BBW has gone bust, which I’m sad about since I think the body cream in the tube had a fantastic consistency and I loved stocking up on Cotton Blossom shower gel. They did a seasonal LE scent back around 1999/2000 – sugar plum something – which was exactly what I always fantasized sugar plums would smell like – sort of a plum pate de fruit rolled in sugar crystals. Btw, I thought I’d mention on vanityfair.com, there’s a scroll through picture article about the best-dressed people – most of the women have a ‘favourite scent’ attributed to them – I think everyone here might find it interesting – Jo Malone/EL/Frederic Malle seem to be the norm.
I love to read about the favorite scents of people who only wear one or two fragrances. I’ll check out the link.
Bois de Jasmin listed Velvet Tuberose as one of her summer favorites. Maybe that’s where you’re remembering it from.
I tried Black Amethyst and it was nasty! When I sampled, I also believe they had an Amber fragrance, which was equally repulsive. (Ah, it was Sensual Amber — nothing redeeming about that one).
Black Amethyst wasn’t for me, either. Hello 1980s. I’ll take my ’80s in Coco, thank you. But I can see why it would be popular.
I just discovered Black Amethyst lotion yesterday and can’t wait to get it. It reminds me of the orig Lolita Lempicka, which I love. I may have LL on the brain, tho… A lot of the BBW stuff, esp in the beginning, sort of burned. Now there are some that are (a bit) more subtle. The honeysuckle, and one of the ocean water ones I tried this summer were nice. And I did love Coconut Lime and Verbena, too. (OK, not exactly subtle.) It is def for summer tho.
I’m glad the line is working for you! It seems like BBW is branching out, and you sure can’t beat the price.
Now, see, we’re getting into territory that I’m more familiar with… What did the last twenty years’ worth of Ralph Lauren, DK, Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, and other designer fragrances smell like? I have NO IDEA. None. Still less did I have any acquaintance with Proper Perfume, as produced by the classic houses, and I could not have even dreamed that there were niche perfume houses. And yet, sadly, I am pretty familiar with BBW, since that used to be my favorite splurge store for sniffies. It’s only in the last year or so that I’ve been able to afford better, due to improved financial circumstances.
In fact, last fall Velvet Tuberose helped push me into investigating perfume. I walked into BBW to pick up some Lavender Vanilla lotion for my sister’s birthday, as it’s her favorite relaxation potion, and Velvet Tuberose strong-armed me up to the cash register all on its own! I had to circle back to pick up the LV, even. If I smell VT next to Fracas or DSH Tubereuse, of course, it seems a little chemical and thin, but next to the rest of the BBW lightweights, it’s fascinatingly warm and substantial. I still like the bath products. And, as it turns out, VT was my first encounter with Cashmeran, and now I can easily identify that aromachemical. (I admit to liking it, although it’s a bit like lemonade compared to the aged white burgundy of real sandalwood!)
Hey, that’s a great story! I love it that Velvet Tuberose was your gateway to the rabbit hole of niche perfumery!
I found Black Amethyst and Chocolate Amber (I think that was the name) to be some of the nastiest things I’ve ever smelled. I really love their Aromatherapy Orange Ginger, though. And I don’t think I was wearing perfume around the time I got married, since my bottle of Revlon Xia Xiang (ooh, classy!) had been exhausted a few months before, but I had brand new Freesia bath products to take on my honeymoon…
(A lightbulb goes off: No wonder my husband likes those ditzy light florals like MJ Daisy!)
Chocolate amber does sound foul. And yes, it sounds like you trained your husband to associate light florals with good times!
It was ‘Sensual Amber’
It sounds like there was a chocolate amber, too.
I have to confess that I like the chocolate amber body lotion, which I got as a gift. (As a side note, I knew I had been accepted into my significant other’s family when her aunt gave me a basket of bath & body works products as a holiday present!) But the chocolate amber is very strong and lasts a long time, so I can only use it in small doses. My favorite BBW is their eucalyptus spearmint stuff, which I think is part of their aromatherapy line.
Once I gave a friend a basket of fancy Italian bath products for her bridal shower. They cost an arm and a leg. She smiled and said, thank you, but she really raved when she got some BBW things from someone else! My classy lavender didn’t hold a candle to some berry whatever thing.
That’s always the way it is with so many types of gifts, doesn’t it seem? I don’t like to make pronouncements about “good taste” … people just like what they like. Like the friend to whom I gave a nice bottle of Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir who’d have rather had a bottle of White Zinfandel (the same friend who regifted a copy of my favorite fado CD)… but we’re great friends, really!
Oh, I know, I know. But at least if she could have pretended!
That eucalyptus spearmint stuff is AMAZING. My favorite scent ever. My RA last year said that every man needs to bath in that stuff before coming into her presence. I agreed whole-heartedly.
Wow, that’s pretty good!
Looks like I’m in your class, mals!
I too was a wearer of X’ia X’iang when I was a teenager. I actually miss it. But I did like BBW Chocolate Amber – it’s the only fragrance of theirs that I like/can tolerate. Just going into that store sends me into a sniffling/sneezing/eyewatering fit. Luckily I got my bottle in a swap!
One thing I forgot to add about BBW – they care Henry Bendel candles which are heavenly. I love their Apricot, Fig, Quince and Firewood candles. They’re around $25 (last I checked) but they burn a long time and don’t give me a headache, miracle of miracles!
They seem to have some good skin care lines, too.
The Henri Bendel candles are AMAZING!! I stock up on the Firewood ones every winter. They were going to discontinue them at some point, and I’m so glad they didn’t. $25 isn’t bad–they really last, AND for a scented candle, it does actually scent the room. (Otherwise, what’s the point?)
I’ll definitely have to check them out, as soon as I run out of the Votivo testers I bought at Goodwill ($3.25 a pop!).
To me, Black Amethyst smelled like B&BW’s version of Black Orchid by Tom Ford. Without the decomposing fruit note of the original.
And yes, the Vanilla is good for when you want to smell like a cookie. And some days, that’s a good thing.
I’d take Black Orchid in a second over Black Amethyst. I love that funky truffle note. But now that you mention it, you have to wonder if BA was a little “hint” at Tom Ford.
And might “Velvet Tuberose” be a “hint” at Tom Ford Velvet Gardenia? Hmmm? Class by association?
Hmm. Quite interesting, that.
Yeah, I thought Black Amethyst was a blatant rip off of Black Orchid. And yes, the truffle note make Black Orchid the better fragrance, IMHO. However, the shower gel has something totally different going on than the lotion or perfume. I don’t do scented soaps at all, but when I’m willing to live with the rash, I do the Black Amethyst shower gel. The vetiver is a lot more pronounced in it. Plus, the scent really lingers (I know, what a surprise), so I feel like I’m sneaking in a fragrance at my scent-free workplace. And I can honestly say, no, I’m not wearing perfume.
“Willing to live with the rash”? Boy, that’s not much of a recommendation.
I’m allergic to anything but Dove for Sensitive Skin. Even other “for sensitive skin” brands give me a rash.
It sounds like these mall brands would definitely be testy waters for you, then
Right there with you…except I can’t use Dove, but can use only Ivory.
Just a note about sensitive skin , rashes and skin cleansers….my daughter (and me, but not quite so bad) has incredibly sensitive skin….I can’t even tell you how much we spent at the pediatrician’s office before I wised up and went to dermatologists (2 ,but one was a male chauvanist idiot) —anyhow, long story short—we ended up using Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo as both shampoo and body wash….and that was the end of the itching and red rashes. Since the stuff is readily available at the grocery store for $1.79 (20oz) it might be worth a try.
Thanks for the tip, Daisy. I’ve actually been diagnosed as being allergic to my own skin (not making that up), so almost everything is a problem if it dries my skin out at all. Allergy meds help.
Is “without the decomposing fruit note” a plus or a minus?
Only a true perfumisto would have to ask that question…
True!
I say it’s a plus!
I must say that the only thing I’ve ever tried from B&BW is anti-bacterial hand soap in Moonflower… and as soon as I smelled it I felt like someone put a railroad spike through my forehead. Instant headache ouch! So I’m somewhat reticent to try anything else from there ever lol
Hmm, Moonflower. I’ll make a note to avoid that one.
A few years ago, BBW carried a lotion called Llang Llang Myrhh (smelled like jasmine, tuberose, musk). It was one of the only frags there that I liked, and I used to keep a bottle of the body lotion on my desk at work. Does anybody remember this one? I think it’s been discontinued for a couple of years, but it was fabulous. Is Velvet Tuberose its replacement?
I saw that one on the BBW website, and it piqued my interest. It must still be around–at least, online it is.
I have a bottle of the Ylang Ylang Myrrh lotion, and I really like it.
I think their Aromatherapy line, in general, smells much better than their core fragrances.
I admit that I never made it that far in the store, but I’ll have to check it out.
wasn’t this from the aromatherapy range?
It looks like it is. They have body wash and body lotion.
I still have a bottle of shampoo and a candle from that line that I’ve been hoarding. I thought it had been discotinued!? Uh oh. (*runs off to find credit card*)
You might not still be able to get shampoo and candles, so hang on to those!
Yep, you’re right, they only have the body wash and lotion now but I will be stocking up on those just in case.
Just as a humor side-note: anyone watch/remember the “Will & Grace” episode where Will asks Jack what scent he’s wearing and Jack says “It’s ylang-ylang. Ya like ya like?” lol! I can’t see ylang-ylang anymore without thinking of that scene.
Now I’ll always that of that, too, when I hear ylang ylang!
i was in high school when BBW first came to the LA area (late late 1990s), and it was sooo popular. we spritzed on country apple with abandon and slathered sun-ripened rasberry lotion all over ourselves because it just smelled sooo good (and the boys loved it too). those were the good ol’ days when BBW had gingham decor and a “rustic” theme *sigh*. they got rid of the originals in-store (the best smells IMHO), but i only ever liked the hand soaps, body lotions and sanitizers anyway. i was never a fan of the perfumes because they smell too synthetic.
I’m liking the tub of body butter that I keep at my desk. The scent is potent, but the cream has lots of shea butter, and my hands appreciate it.
i totally remember this as well. i loved the gingham graphics and the “freesia” scent. and i think they had a pine, too. sun-ripened raspberry!! i can still conjure up that scent. so super fruity!
several years ago BBW discontinued the Happy Daisy fragrance, and i stocked up on so many bottles. why can’t they bring it back? these days, if i had to pick a BBW fragrance, it would be Sweet Pea or Pearberry (or is Pearberry discontinued now?)
I hope you’re able to find something for a good price that makes a good substitute!
“Viciously fruity” ::lol:: – when fruit goes bad! I have to admit to a serious prejudice against BBW, in my book they are the equivalent of Yankee Candle in sprayable or spreadable form. I tried Japanese Cherry Blossom once, and couldn’t get to a sink fast enough to scrub it off. Swore I’d never set foot in there again.
I don’t know what it is about cherry blossom, but everyone seems to have a cherry blossom scent these days! I’m not even sure I could tell you what a cherry blossom smells like.
we had a Japanese cherry tree (until the trunk split and it went to the big forest in the sky lol) and I don’t remember a scent… maybe there wasn’t much of one at all.
All I can think of is pollen. But maybe there’s a faint scent. Maybe.
A few months back,I went into BBW with my daughter, who does like a few of their things. I liked the store and their products better about 15 yrs ago or so? Everything that I tried from the current line was SO fruity, but in a weird artificial way. Don’t get me wrong – I actually like some fruity things – especially if it has an exotic feel. And I’m always open to a line that’s inexpensive, but good [L’Occitane comes to mind]. Alas, I wasn’t particularly fond of the present-day BBW.
It’s overwhelming, really, what they carry. And I’m not 100% sure that it’s “too much of a good thing”, either. It would be nice to have someone pre-shop it for you for the good stuff.
I am curious about the Velvet Tuberose now…
If you like Tuberose sometimes, but not enough to invest in the big guns like Carnal Flower or Fracas, it’s perfect.
The Chocolate Amber was discontinued some time ago. It was one of my favorites and matched up nicely with the Bvlgari Omnia that I was wearing at the time. They also had a Blackberry Amber, which wasn’t around very long, and which I thought was a bit too pungent.
My all-time BBW favorite was the Sandalwood Rose from the aromatherapy line. It was just spectacular. Although discontinued, they bring it back sometimes, generally during their semi-annual sale (when they bring back a LOT of discontinued items).
Sandalwood and rose is such a nice combination. There are so many scents at BBW! It’s overwhelming. I need some kind of map.
I agree that Black Amethyst is very Black Orchid ‘ ISH. (I love and wear TF B ORCH). I buy the BBW anti bacterial hand soaps. They often run the 5 for $15 and 7 for $20 promotion. I always buy Jap Cherry Blosson, Velvet Tuberose, Rain Kissed Leaves, and Coconut Lime.
That’s a pretty good deal. You don’t find that their scent messes with the perfume you wear?
Nah! The scent of the handsoaps don’t last long at all.
Perfect.
I think B&B Works shoulda stuck with the “bath” and left the rest out. I love their stuff as bubble bath, and, as I stated earlier, will occasionally risk permanent damage to my skin by using the shower gels. But I really don’t think any of it was ever meant to be an honest to goodness perfume.
That said, I loved their Pink Grapefruit, and am bitter they discontinued it. (Oh, and I’m the sicko that liked the Chocolate Amber, too. Which they also kicked to the curb.)
The chocolate amber–well, I just don’t know. But I do like pink grapefruit, at least in general I do.
I think I might own Black Amethyst, but obviously I’m not enamored of it, since I can’t even remember. It was one of those weak mall moments. I’m now curious to try the Velvet Tuberose, though.
My 13 year old babysitter always smells fruity when I go to pick her up. I don’t even have to ask what it is — I know it’s something BBW.
I bet you’re right! Fruity is perfect for a 13-year old, too. But something tells me all the 13-year olds in the world don’t get enough allowance to keep BBW in business. Someone else is loading up on fruit, too.
Angela, I know many Moms in my son’s school use BBW to stock up on teacher gifts – their promotions and sales are really popular and they send coupons and GC’s in the mail all the time.
I bought my husband the Cedarwood Sage massage cream one year, and he really liked it. It was from the aromatherapy line. Long gone now, I think.
Cedarwood Sage sounds nice. And all those fruity-scented teachers!
My mom’s a teacher and I can attest to the abundance of B&BW as teacher gifts. I did score some great sanitizing cream stuff- white tea and ginger. Really great. Kind of spicy.
I wandered into the BB&W outlet a few months ago when they had all of their edts on sale for $5 to make way for the new ones coming out – I ended up with the Cherry Blossom (not the Japanese Cherry Blossom), Mandarin Mango, and Midnight Pomegranate. Obviously, none of them are great perfumes, but their good for after the bath or when I’m going to go exercise and don’t want a heavy scent. I like the Mandarin Mango best when it’s over 100 degrees outside – it feels refreshing going on and doesn’t linger.
I think that I tend to grab the BB&W scents when I want to wear something, but don’t want to waste my “good stuff”. But maybe not, since I’ve been known to spray the good stuff on just to go to bed.
Sometimes it’s nice to have something to spray on sheets, too. But enough about “wasting good stuff”! Use it with abandon! Surround yourself in clouds of niche! There’s no good in letting it sit around. Besides, the sooner one bottle runs out, the sooner you can buy another.
Re: wasting the good stuff.
I have cheap stuff and hyper-expensive stuff and all kinds in between and I do tend to be a little bit miserly about choosing times to spray the Amouage with abandon. However, the best line regarding this comes from Daisy: “Every day you wake up healthy is a special occasion.” And that really is the absolute truth.
Excellent point. If I didn’t have to dab on some more mall perfume to draft Thursday’s review, I’ll spritz on some Amouage Lyric in agreement.
That is true, and I’ve even been known to spritz my shirts with Kenzo Amour when I iron them (they smell divine afterward, but that is definitely the only scent I’m wearing that day), but I’m probably never going to use an Hermessence or Le Labo as linen spray.
I’ve gotten over saving the “good stuff” enough to wear Jicky and Shalimar to bed – that should count for something, right?
Gosh, I would think that wearing Jicky or Shalimar to bed would definitely count for something–and potentially lead to something–hopefully you have the time to sleep in.
I love their Coconut Lime Verbena and their new White Citrus for wearing here in the heat and humidity of our summers. Both are light, refreshing, and perfect for days when I’m in and out of the pool and don’t want to wear something more expensive that will just get washed off in the chlorinated pool water.
The Bendel candles? Very nice.
Those are some good recommendations, thank you! And yet another vote for the candles.
i like the velvet tuberose, too. but my favorite is the now discontinued brown sugar & fig– a near ringer for flowerbomb. i was always a Body Shop girl growing up; BBW never really did it for me but now and again they’ll come out with something different. my mother’s favorite scent, ever, is BBW moonlight path. it smells delicious on her– but a musky mess on me. i saw on ebay that BBW used to have a violet scent– years ago– too bad i missed it! fun review, angela!
I’ve heard good things about the brown sugar and fig–I think March at Perfume Posse really likes it. Figures it would be discontinued!
Ooh – I never smelled the Moonlight Path in the perfume, but my manicurist gave me some of the lotion and it smells great!
Can’t wait to wade through all the comments. I feel like I shouldn’t be a snob about BBW if I want a cheap thrill, especially for single-accord scents (like if I want something to fill a need for apple, or coconut, or whatever. The Yankee Candle of personal scented products, right? Why are we okay with Demeter and Pacifica but look down on BBW? Are the former two appreciably better (though maybe less expensive or avail in smaller quantities)?
I’ve never tried an EDT from BBW, but I enjoy their Coconut Lime Verbena lotion (nabbed minis from hotels). I think I nabbed a Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion too and it’s ok but not my taste (however, I think I mentioned yesterday that I have nothing against cheap vanilla and had a ball last weekend with CSP Vanille Coco).
I notice they have a Fresh Citrus Basil — I’d be curious if that’s at all like Jo Malone Lime Basil Mandarin, which I love.
I confess that I never even think of going into my local shop, but maybe I should. If they carry most of the same products that are on their website, the travel sizes and liquid hand soaps are great bargains, and I can always handle a new hand soap or shower gel. I’m glad you walked away with a purchase. Thanks for the review.
You’re right. I suppose the fair thing would be to do some side-by-side comparisons between the brands you name. Hmm–great idea for a future post.
because Demeter has lots of different kind of scents, many which aren’t even “wearable” but have nostaglic value and most of the people here are anti~*fruity floral*~, ie what BBW mainly is.
That totally makes sense. The Demeters are, at least, interesting, because you think, “hey, I never knew a company could make a scent that smells like dryer lint” etc.
Joe…didn’t I include a small BBW antibacterial lotion in the last package?
Haha. You did, as a matter of fact. I hadn’t realized it was BBW: “Midnight Pomegranate.” Oooh. I’m not in the habit of using antibacterial hand gels, but it smells nice and fruity like some of those fruity Softsoap shower gels.
Joe,
I am completely thrown every time I see you call CSP cheap :-).
Haha. I’m sorry! I actually love some CSPs… I’m just used to nabbing 100ml cans of it on ebay for like $25, and to me, that IS CHEAP! (Inexpensive would be a better word, I guess.) Price aside, though, some of their stuff does SMELL cheap! The vanilla line is no Spiritueuse Double Vanille … or even Maison de la Vanille. I really do enjoy them though.
*Gasp* you’re the one bidding against me, LOL. When you say $25 are you including shipping? I always count shipping as part of my cost and therefore can usually only snag a 50ml CSP for around $20.
It just always struck me as funny that you placed these in the inexpensive category when they retail for a little more than mainstream stuff…so had to tease you :-).
The CSP that I can’t stomach is Vanille Mokha! What was I thinking!? I’ll tell you want I was thinking…I was THINKING it would be like that Arby’s jamocha shake :-(.
Japanese Cherry Blossom has a ricey, smelly foot accord to me… sounds weird, doesn’t it?
The only BBW item I wear is occasionally the old-school Plumeria. I have the body cream in my guest bath and once in a while I’ll slather my hands or feet with it.
Velvet Tuberose: had the identical powdery/synthetic drydown of most of the other BBW items and it didn’t smell enough like Fracas to me. I avoid BBW because most of their scents give me headaches.
Dirty foot accord? Yikes!
lol! there was something really ‘off’ about it, and the only thing I could think of it to describe was FEET.
Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works are sister stores. I worked at Victoria’s Secret and my discount went to Bath and Body Works too. The BBW in my town actually carries VS beauty and fragrance. So I guess that is what may have been meant when they said they had the top five fragrances?
Interesting! I never would have known that by looking at them.
BBW had two really fabulous lotions when they first opened – Chamomile and Cardamon (sic) Ginger. They discontinued the Chamomile really quickly – but it was so nice to rub on my hands and then cup my face and inhale deeply. It was very chamomile-tea. I could see that it would be difficult for some. The Cardamon Ginger was phenomenal. They dc’d it and I actually wrote to complain. I think they brought it back long enough for me to get one more bottle but then it was gone again. To be replaced by nothing bu FRUIT. And Flowering Herbs. I didn’t go fo ra long time.
I don’t have any of their actual Eaus but I do have lotions/cream/shower gel/body splashes of a few. The only fruit one I have and like is Black Raspberry Vanilla. I also enjoy Coco Cabana, Water Blossom Ivy (wore that today ’cause it was actually sunny), and Ginger & Green Tea. I have misc. others that I’m neither here nor there about. I do like their Warm Sugar Vanilla as conditioner. I used to shop there quite a bit – the coupons and semi-annual clearances would draw me in, but it has been a while.
Cardamon (??) Ginger sounds really good. Too bad it isn’t still around. There were so many scents there that I just didn’t have time to try!
Moonlight Path is pretty nice, and Dancing Waters is kind of refreshing on a hot day.
Maybe I should get myself back there and try them!
You should. Moonlight Path is a light lavender and lily of the valley scent with an oakmoss and musk drydown. Dancing Waters is an aquatic floral with a good amount of water lily in the opening and a nice amount of basil in the drydown.
I might have to go to a different BBW the next time I go, though. If the manager reads this post, he might not let me back in the store…
I grabbed some of the Dancing Waters body mist once when it was a FGWP. Thought it was nice enough, but somehow after I got it home, it was just…sneezy. It now happily occupies a space in my 13 yr old’s bathroom, and gets used when she decides she needs a break from the little decant of MetB #3 I made her.
That sounds perfect. I keep thinking–thanks to a reminder in a comment in yesterday’s review–about Victoria’s Secret Tranquil Breezes and how much I loved it as a preteen. I had completely forgotten about it, but the simple mix of easy notes was perfection to me at that age. Maybe it still would be, who knows?
I know what you mean. I’m still annoyed they discontinued that Jean Nate Fresh Musk I used to wear, lol. It was light and simple, and perfect for 15 year old me. (Unlike many here, I had no access/exposure to anything BUT drugstore frags until college, other than the scent strips in my beloved fashion mags, so my teenaged tastes were simpler.)
You’re not alone, boojum. My situation was very similar as well. I had no access to anything but the drugstore cosmetic counter until I was out of high school and away at college, and then I didn’t have the $$! My folks would take us on the ferry maybe 3 times a year to go “to town” and visit Sears and JCPenney. Even when my dad was in the military, we were limited to what the base exchanges had in stock.
I’m still a big fan of the original Jean Nate. Sure, it has a little plasticky note up top, but it has a nice, warm drydown. And you never feel bad about glogging it on by the ounce in the heat, it’s so inexpensive.
What a fun review, Angela. I will proudly confess to loving all the BBW Amber variations; Sensual Amber, Blackberry Amber (had an Angel feel about it), and Chocolate Amber. The saleslady told me the last time I was in the shop last spring that the Blackberry Amber may be coming back, which I was thrilled to hear since I do love it so. The chocolate in Chocolate Amber was rather dry and almost more of a cocoa powder note that just worked so well with the amber. I also loved their Pink Grapefruit, which had a fair bit of musk, and Passion Fruit, both of which I stocked up on during a clearance sale. I think I scored 4 or 5 bottles of the Passion Fruit EDT (when it was in the smaller bottles) for $5 a piece.
I have a Japanese cherry tree and the blossoms smell nothing like JCB, which I also like. In fact, they’re beautiful but don’t smell like anything to my nose but the faint fragrance of living plants. JCB’s vaguely oriental in character, even with the trace of rice, and just something pretty and easy to wear for me. I love Velvet Tuberose and Enchanted Orchid as well. I scored a huge bottle of Velvet Tuberose when they releaced EDP concentrations of a select few frags around the holidays and it’s gorgeous. Not Fracas, but a very romantic and pretty tuberose that reminds me of a tuberose product my favorite aunt used to wear when I was a child. Oh, and for those who love Sensual Amber as much as I do, it’s great to layer with honey scented items, and if you can find the LE EDP on Evilbay, it’s worth the search for the lusciousness of it and the really pretty bottle.
Black Amethyst, to me, just felt like it wanted to be too many fragrances all bundled into one and I never cared for it, even after repeat testing. I have fallen quite hard for the Vanilla Noir scent, however, and hope it’s selling well enough to be around for a long time to come. It’s their only recent release that’s really grabbed me. I found the Butterfly Flower to smell dusty, for lack of a better term, and not in a good way.
BBW arrived when I was in my midteens, and my friends and I had fun testing things out and giving products as gifts. Their long discontinued Plumeria and Peachberry were two I really liked back in the day, and Brown Sugar and Fig was lovely as well. Again, even if it’s Yankee or BBW and I like it, I’ll buy it. I appreciate Voluspa or D.L. & Co. candles, but also find some really good soy candles at department stores. Likewise, I love Xiao Xiang and Curious just as much as I love Fracas or Manacara. Not that I’m in the “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” camp. I just buy what I like, even better if it’s worth the cost or a really good sale, unless the company’s quality of product decreases… or they get rid of the fragrance or item I use.
That’s great! Now you’re making me want to try them all. Wear them loud and wear them proud, I say!
Freesia was *the* scent my senior year of high school (along with VS Pear Glace). It’s been long since discontinued and can barely be found on the ‘bay, but it was all sweet and green and fresh, and after the super-fruity top of Ralph burns off, that’s what I’m reminded of. Then BBW released Sheer Freesia, which was musky, powdery, and soft. That’s gone, too.
I also wore Magnolia Blossom and loved it. It was spicy, sweet, woody, and heady. A SA suggested Velvet Tuberose to me as something similar, which it wasn’t. At all. It’s reminiscent of dryer sheets on me. : ( Y’know, I wonder what I’d think of my old favorites now, if I’d find them lacking or if I’d be in a nostalgic throwback, or if I’d simply accept them as what they are (were). I think it’d be fun to own a bottle of Freesia again.
I sometimes wonder how my perceptions are affected by nostalgia, too. If I smelled Babe again, for instance, what would I think?
I don’t visit malls all that often, so I haven’t bought much at BBW except for teacher gifts. Something the comments make clear is just how many scents BBW has discontinued in the relatively short time it has been in business (what, ten or fifteen years?). It seems that the company’s business model is not to make five or seven great scents that stick around, but to constantly change their line. They can’t be too worried about the quality of their scents, since they won’t be in production for more than a few years, anyway.
It would be fascinating to be a fly on the wall at one of their marketing meetings, I admit.
I’ve wondered what the deal is, too. But the more I read on the subject, the more I think they are more or less an archetype of marketing and fragrance nowadays. I mean, fast-moving, cheap, simple scents that smell pleasant right out of the bottle. You don’t have to sit around and wait for Sweet Pea to develop, y’know? Plus it is constant newness. Generally speaking, (because I don’t think all dept. store stuff is bad) it’s like department store ‘fumes on the cheap. And cheap is probably why we can forgive them more than dept. strore ‘fumes. They certainly don’t seem to be suffering as a company, but it seems that discontinuing so much stuff would, at some point, backfire. I feel like all the new product is a bit overwhelming sometimes.
I guess you’re right–tempt the consumer to buy lots of things instead of stay loyal to one.
They have a new fragrance coming out in September (?) called P.S. I Love You. It is a rose/incense fragrance (along with a long list of other notes). They have the 1-oz preview sample lotions for $1.00 in the stores and also on-line. It didn’t smell particularly interesting in the bottle, but was really nice on my skin. Not a typical fruity floral like most of their other scents, more of a floriental.
I smelled the lotion, and it was nice. I definitely liked it more than Black Amethyst. It’s just so hard when I have Lyric at home!
I know I’m coming to the party late, but just wanted to throw something out there:
I find almost everything in BBW brain-searingly sweet. My favorite, Rice Flour and Shea, was discontinued years ago, but I don’t miss it often because I ABSOLUTELY loathe putting on lotion. I have a few good years of it left, even without my particular lotion-squick.
I must admit, I had a little bottle of Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion and I liked it. But I lost it hiking and never felt a real drive to replace it.
If I don’t really like their scents, I have to say, from lotions to butters to gels to soaps to sprays, the scent remains the same. Remarkably so, actually. I wish design fragrance companies would learn that trick.
Rice Flour and Shea sounds nice, really. And Japanese Cherry Blossom isn’t exactly the fragrance I’d take hiking, but….(insert smiley face icon here) at least you didn’t lose something really expensive.
It is quite nice. It’s subtle and has a nice, delicate woods smell. I have way too much of it, for how much I use it, but I still enjoy it. I’ve noticed they always axe the ones that aren’t really sweet of floral. Kind of sucks.
It was what I had. =P
Once again, the Murphy’s Law of Perfume strikes.
In defense of Japanese Cherry Blossom… I am frustrated because I actually can’t find anything that smells better on me. People give me tons of compliments when I wear this. I keep looking for something higher end but this just works right with my chemistry, it dries down to a really lovely powdery scent with a hint of cinnamon. I am searching for something more complex, but many perfumes just turn sort of sour on me and this one does not. I am happy at least that I don’t have to break the bank to wear it, although I find the lotion somewhat nauseating. If anyone could recommend something similar but with just a touch more oomph, that would be super..
If it works, then why even try to find something else? It’s affordable, it comes in all kinds of forms–kind of a dream come true, really, if you love it. I say you’re pretty lucky!
it is very nice for the price.. just looking for something a bit.. spicier?
Good luck! There are so many offering at BBW, it seems like something will come along soon that might suit just about anyone.
I haven’t been in a BBW in a long time, but I used to wear the Japanese Cherry Blossom pretty regularly. On my skin it is a nice woody-floral, that isn’t too sweet. I haven’t worn it in some time, though, because I decided to branch out more.
I think my first experience of BBW was high school in the ’90s because a lot of girls had the apple or whatever lotion, and you could practically smell them a mile away when they put it on. I didn’t like the super-sweet, fruity scents, so I didn’t bother until later when they started with the aromatherapy line, of which I liked the cedarwood and sage lotion. I know I’ve smelled the Black Amethyst, but it’s been so long I don’t really remember what it smelled like. I just remember not caring for it.
I smelled something lovely on a woman last summer, and–you guessed it–it was Japanese Cherry Blossom!
The aromatherapy line sounds promising. I’ll have to check it out.