Scented Disappointment: My Birthday Weekend Fail

Since my life is full of non-perfume lovers, I decided to keep it simple while everyone took me out for my birthday. Here are their underwhelming comments on my selected scents:

Night out with the Girls

Perfume Worn: BR 540 Extrait (MFK) under Carmina (Creed)

Comments on my Fragrance:

"Smells fresh, like the ocean breeze at the beach."

"Smells like deodorant. A fresh scent."

"Smells like basic perfume, fresh and simple."

"Sweet and warm like cinnamon and honey."

While they didn't exactly nail the perfume notes, I can sort of understand the last comment. The spice she was picking up was saffron and the sweetness was from the burnt sugar scented BR 540 Extrait. But "deodorant"? Really? I get sexy black cherry and amber, not fresh deodorant.

Spending time with the Parents

Perfume Worn: Casa Blanca (House of Bo)

Comments on my Fragrance:

"Flowers and powdery. Smells nice."

"Flowers. Smells like you, not me."

My dad dislikes strong scents, and my mom prefers a simple rose, so I thought I would impress them with something more complex, with tea, woody, and aromatic notes. I was sniffing my arm all day, loving it, meanwhile they were clearly not amused.

Dinner with the Husband

Perfume Worn: Florabotanica (Balenciaga)

Comments on my Fragrance:

"Soapy flowers. This smells familiar. Is it the one I like?"

I expected more enthusiasm, especially since this is his favorite perfume from my collection (or so he says). He didn't even recognize it. I wore this for our wedding (along with Hibiscus Mahajad), so I was hoping for more excitement. Florabotanica is a green, rose, and "fresh" scent.

New Additions to My Wishlist

Everyone knows I'm a perfume enthusiast, but I've always told them not to buy me perfumes since I'm picky. Unfortunately, they listened and I've added the following to cart for a future splurge.

El Sireno (House of Bo)

The perfume community is in love with Casa Blanca, and while I like it, I think I'd rather smell like a mer-man. I have more samples on the way, but El Sireno smells like an aquatic floral... a real "ocean breeze" and my favorite from the house so far.

Fleur Narcotique Extrait (Ex Nihilo)

I have a sample of the edp, but the scent disappeared within a couple hours and I couldn't justify the price tag. If the scent and longevity is amplified in the extrait, I'm definitely buying it.

Santal Austral (Matiere Premiere)

This smells like sweet, airy sandalwood with tonka bean and amber notes. Warm scents like this will be perfect for fall.

The moral of the story is to wear what you want instead of trying to please others. Their noses might never appreciate the art of perfume the way you do.