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Palatable to everybody

Posted by Robin on 21 December 2009 50 Comments

It has taken me three years to decide on the scent because I really like B.O. and I think it's sexy. I wanted to figure out a way to make it palatable to everybody.

— Sarah Jessica Parker, quoted in PARKER WORKING ON TOP SECRET B.O. FRAGRANCE at Contact Music.

Filed Under: perfume in the news
Tagged With: celebrity perfumes, sarah jessica parker

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50 Comments

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  1. Joe says:
    21 December 2009 at 9:40 am

    Good for her for being honest… I can actually relate to what she’s saying. To me, a small amount of body odor IS sexy on someone you find sexy.

    I hope she pulls this off and the scent is interesting AND finds an audience. I’d feel like buying it just to reward her chutzpah.

    However, I think I get my sexy/musky fix these days from Musc Ravageur and ELdO Vierges et Toreros.

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 9:54 am

      Joe, I sort of assumed the unisex scent was off (after the more commercially minded Lovely collection & SJP NYC), so I’m happy to hear it’s still in the works….and yes, let’s hope she does pull it off!

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  2. jonr951 says:
    21 December 2009 at 9:57 am

    What the french toast? Im sorry but I do not want to smell like BO. But it could be something great and different. Im hoping for something weird and brilliant SJP! Dont disappoint. : )

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:33 am

      I wouldn’t take the BO part too literally.

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  3. newsitian09@yahoo.com says:
    21 December 2009 at 10:25 am

    Well, good luck with that. At least we know all of the ingredients will be synthetic, since not too many humans will be willing to give up their real scent glands for the cause.

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:34 am

      🙂

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  4. moon_grrl says:
    21 December 2009 at 10:30 am

    If it’s anywhere near as skanky as MH L’air de rien, I will be pleasantly surprised. I can’t imagine that it will be *that* non-commercial, though, especially after Covet Pure Bloom and the Lovely collection. Still, as you have said before, Robin, hope springs eternal! 🙂

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:34 am

      If it’s that skanky, kudos to Coty for letting her do it. But yes — hope, and cynicism, live on in their eternal battle, LOL…

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    • Graham says:
      21 December 2009 at 12:52 pm

      Maybe she could make it REALLY skanky and name it “Civet Pure Bloom”……

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      • lenika says:
        21 December 2009 at 1:44 pm

        LOL LOL!!!

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  5. Absolute Scentualist says:
    21 December 2009 at 10:31 am

    If this means an edgy celebrity scent, I’m all in favor. I really do think Lovely’s great and thought Covet was nicely done as well. I think SJP’s version of B.O. might not be too bad. She did a really nice job with musk.

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:35 am

      Yep.

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  6. mals86 says:
    21 December 2009 at 10:37 am

    Well, I’ll admit to agreeing with Joe, and SJP, that the body odor of someone you already find attractive is sexy. And kudos to Ms Parker for being honest about it.

    But I think that’s an intimate sort of smell, and I’m a little puzzled at the idea of applying a scent that smells like body odor for *everyone* to smell. I’ll happily poke my nose into the opening of The CEO’s shirt and sniff and sigh, but I’m not all that happy about every woman he passes following him with their noses…

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:35 am

      Again, I wouldn’t take it too literally.

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  7. Karin says:
    21 December 2009 at 10:41 am

    BO’s been done – Aqua Allegoria’s Pamplelune – and I’m sure many others! I like SJP, though, so wish her luck. Doubt a BO scent will be a big seller, though, unless they market it as a “pheromone” or something similar.

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    • Karin says:
      21 December 2009 at 10:56 am

      And I actually find it kind of funny that perfumes and soaps are meant to eliminate BO…so, if we want to smell like BO, we’ll just stay out of the shower for a week. Why would we want to buy a perfume that smells like it?

      Which leads me to something else, I’m really getting to dislike showering and all that goes into beautifying myself. Why? Cause it’s so darned time consuming! I stick with it, though, cause I don’t want to become a social outcast – and I surely do like looking and smelling good. Plus, I never feel truly “awake” til after I take a shower. But sometimes I wish our bodies and hair stayed pristine for at least a week so we wouldn’t have to go through that long, painful daily ritual!!!!

      Promoting unwashing and BO is really anti-perfume, though, so we definitely CAN’T go THERE! Ha! (BTW, I know other cultures are not as freaky CLEAN as we Americans are…marketing, marketing, marketing)

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      • Joe says:
        21 December 2009 at 11:32 am

        Good and funny observations, Karin. We’ve discussed them a little in previous threads.

        #1: Presumably, we may want to smell a little skanky/musky but still BE clean, for various reasons. (Thank goodness, IMO.)

        #2: For the sake of my skin, schedule, and (sort of) the environment, I actually skip a morning shower 2-3 days per week — especially in winter — and the world hasn’t ended. It’s a habit like any other, and one that’s VERY modern. My hair is always less than a quarter-inch long, which helps, and on off days I just thoroughly wash my face and head. I’m also surprised there are people who don’t wear ANY article of clothing more than once without laundering it… trousers, sweaters, etc.! Regarding showering, I just think if one hasn’t had an exercise workout or isn’t doing serious manual labor, one can skip a day here and there without offending others or oneself.

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        • Minnie says:
          21 December 2009 at 7:50 pm

          Kudos to you Joe for showering less ;). I think a little natural body smell is sexy. I never did understand why people love the “fresh out of the shower smell.” & I certainly don’t understand why people would ever use a fragrance to smell “clean.” The only exception is that I do enjoy some powdery notes in perfume.

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      • boojum says:
        21 December 2009 at 11:32 am

        Actually, it’s PRO perfume, since perfume was designed to cover it up. So go right ahead! 😀

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        • Karin says:
          21 December 2009 at 12:01 pm

          Ha – true!

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      • boojum says:
        21 December 2009 at 11:34 am

        Oh, and if my husband is any indication (as he claims he is), then Scandinavians are even worse, lol! No lie, that man takes a 30 minute BATH every morning, followed by a 10-15 minute shower. And then sometimes repeats in the evening. :O My water usage has tripled since he moved in.

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      • Kelly Red says:
        21 December 2009 at 12:38 pm

        One of the reason I decided YEARS ago to cut my hair short and sassy. I may take a shower everyday and get my hair wet (like you it wakes me up- it is fast) but I only wash my hair 2 times a week, maybe 3 in the summer. I just comb it into place and it air dries. I know that everyone doesn’t want to do that, but jeez the time and effort I save is unreal. And like Joe I have no problem with rewearing clothes.

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      • Minnie says:
        21 December 2009 at 7:55 pm

        I wouldn’t say fragrance and not-washing are anathema to one another. In fact, if fragrance reacts with our body chemistry then it will only react better if we are less washed 🙂

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      • Tama says:
        21 December 2009 at 10:24 pm

        One of my housemates has no smell – he can easily go a week between showers and often only does it because he just feels like it’s time. I’m pretty envious.

        I also like a bit of BO – sometimes I think even my own pits smell nice if I’m just out lying in the sun or something. And I am rarely offended by a little bit of fairly fresh pong on someone. It’s when it gets old that it can rankle. TMI, I know…

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:36 am

      Pamplelune is not BO to me at all!

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      • CynthiaW says:
        21 December 2009 at 11:52 am

        Me, either – it’s cat pee.

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      • Karin says:
        21 December 2009 at 11:57 am

        I actually love Pamplelune! But have had others comment that it smells like BO on me…

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    • Karin says:
      21 December 2009 at 12:17 pm

      This thought actually reminds me of an ice breaker question – if you could invent something, what would it be and why. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a makeover/beautifying machine – it would clean you up, shave your legs, blow dry and style your hair, apply makeup, and spritz you with perfume. You could punch in the hair style and make up colors, etc., and in 5 minutes, VOILA! Instant beauty. A wardrobe machine would be cool, too.

      I’m losing it, I know. Maybe I need my own personal hair stylist, makeup artist, and wardrobe stylist. 😉

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      • Absolute Scentualist says:
        21 December 2009 at 12:54 pm

        Karin, I totally understand where you’re coming from and sometimes think of that old cartoon The Jetsons when it comes time to climb into the bath or shower before bed, particularly when it’s been a very loooong day and I’m not a morning person and often sleep right up to the last minute I’m able most mornings. If only you could select your shower gel, shampoo and the rest then climb on a comfy conveyer belt and relax while you’re washed. lol A bit like a carwash for people, I suppose, but you could jazz it up. Maybe ad the option for some music or an audio book while you were at it… 😉

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      • Daisy says:
        21 December 2009 at 11:59 pm

        Didn’t Wallace and Grommit invent one of those? just before the were-rabbit incident?

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  8. fleurdelys says:
    21 December 2009 at 10:57 am

    It’s an interesting idea, and as someone who appreciates a little bit o’ skank, I would definitely test it. I would like to know her definition of B.O., though. One is the natural scent of a human body, which is often slightly “yeasty”, and rather pleasant. The other, and I think the way most people define B.O., is that sweaty smell of a body that should have had a shower, but didn’t, or that’s wearing a shirt that should be washed more often (definitely unpleasant).

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:38 am

      Again, I really doubt it’s such a literal interpretation that you’ll have to worry about “which type”.

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    • Karin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:59 am

      Well, I think the catchphrase is “palatable to everybody.” That’s almost a recipe for boring and bland, isn’t it…and most probably very inoffensive.

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  9. miss kitty v. says:
    21 December 2009 at 11:26 am

    I can’t believe no one commented on that horrible picture of her! If that’s her reaction to the smell of BO, I’m not so convinced that she likes it. 😉

    I really hope she is able to do what she wants this time. I liked Lovely a lot, but I know it wasn’t what she really wanted to do. And it would be great if she did start a celebrity fragrance trend towards more edgy things. (Skeptical, of course.)

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 11:37 am

      It’s true — it’s not a great shot.

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    • Daisy says:
      22 December 2009 at 12:04 am

      well, if I commented on her unattractive photo….then I’d probably have to fess up to some less than fine (read: OMG! run! save yourself!!) type pictures that have been taken of me over the years….one of my brothers thought it quite entertaining to take those “unsuspecting, just stuffed a donut in my mouth while still in a bathrobe” shots….I was always waiting for the blackmail…..

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  10. little dog lost says:
    21 December 2009 at 12:42 pm

    That’s a quote I’d like haunting me forever.

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 2:14 pm

      LOL…yep.

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  11. Dolly says:
    21 December 2009 at 4:11 pm

    Not a very flattering photograph of her. Maybe she got a whiff of the wrong B.O.
    There’s good and bad B.O. Hopefully, she is talking about the latter.

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  12. Dolly says:
    21 December 2009 at 4:13 pm

    Correction- Hope she is talking about the first and NOT the latter. Damn Ny-Quil!

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    • miss kitty v. says:
      21 December 2009 at 4:48 pm

      🙂

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  13. Dolly says:
    21 December 2009 at 4:56 pm

    Well, I certainly hope this new fragrance is going to incorporate ONLY the positive aspects of B.O. If she wanted to grab people’s attention, she certainly succeeded coming out with a statement like that. Hmmm. Marketing foreplay?

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 10:36 pm

      Yeah, it works for publicity either way.

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  14. Minnie says:
    21 December 2009 at 7:45 pm

    I’m not sure about the BO accord. The other day I tried one of the Chanel Exclusifs, No. 18, which I think has a STRONG BO element because of the ambrette seed. It was really interesting to smell but I couldn’t see myself ever wearing it. I will definitely be on the look-out for this new SJP, however. It will defnitely be worth a sniff I think.

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 10:36 pm

      Oh, I like 18! Doesn’t smell like body odor to me.

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      • Minnie says:
        22 December 2009 at 7:44 am

        That is so interesting. I’m giving that sample (and the rest of my Exclusifs samples) to my friend soon and I’ll have to see how it smells on her.

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  15. lilydale aka Natalie says:
    21 December 2009 at 9:59 pm

    OK, but whose B.O. are we talking about? There’s B.O. and then there’s B.O…. And if it’s Matthew Broderick’s, then no thanks!

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    • Tama says:
      21 December 2009 at 10:26 pm

      Why, have you smelled him? 😉

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      • lilydale aka Natalie says:
        22 December 2009 at 9:13 am

        OK, no, but for some reason I imagine him to have sweaty, clammy hands and teenage-boy B.O.! Or maybe I’ve got him mixed up with Ferris Bueller…

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    • Robin says:
      21 December 2009 at 10:37 pm

      Ack.

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