Even if you're not really one to wear perfume for others, on Valentine's Day, your thoughts might lead to Ambushing your paramours into Tender Traps (see ad below).
Here's my list of vintage perfumes sexy enough to get his/her attention, but not so weird and animalic that the "attention" you get is a quizzical look followed by uneasy glances to the left and right.
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Angélique Encens by Creed (1933) is heavenly, an animalic as light as a cloud, but with darkness and spice. Its angelica, vanilla and ambergris echoes Shalimar's holy trinity of bergamot, vanilla and civet.
Diva by Emanuel Ungaro (1983). Honeyed, creamy, spicy and soft. At once fresh/floral and animalic rich. Just go easy on the application or you might rouse the animals at your nearby zoo.
Fille d'Eve by Nina Ricci (1952). As the clean, white florals fade, velvety Costus rises up, smelling like your lovah’s bed-head the morning after. Mmmm. Not impossible to find, but not cheap, either.
La Nuit by Paco Rabanne (1985). A honeyed rose leather chypre. Rrreow.
Loulou by Cacharel (1987): I can’t believe I’m including this perfume that borders on Scrubber territory, but the vanilla/incense combo, if applied judiciously, early, and inconspicuously, could stun your prey — I mean, date.
L’Arte di Gucci (1991) A dark leather-patchouli rose for when you aren’t messing around. Great for walks on the beach at your local cemetery.
Must de Cartier (1981) An oddly seductive perfume that shouldn’t work, with green top notes, rich florals, and an intoxicating ambery-vanillic musky base. The only perfume I’ve worn on this list that caused a man to stop and ask me what I was wearing. Do with that what you will.
Calvin Klein by Calvin Klein (1978). An unsung beauty. This fruit chypre with spice from sandalwood projects elegance and sexiness. The only perfume on this list I’ve worn that made a woman stop me and ask what I was wearing. Just saying…
Parfums de Peau by Claude Montana (1986): It starts off with tangy green notes and juicy ripe cassis and peach, all of which are laid over a veil of pepper and spices (cardamom). Spicy ginger, sandalwood and carnation join the amber-animalic base which lasts for hours and evolves into a true "parfum de peau" (skin scent/perfume).This one’s a wild card. I’m not sure who you’d reel in with this one, but he/she’d be interesting!
Shalimar by Guerlain (1925): I don’t think I need to say much about this classic Guerlain with bergamot-vanilla-civet. This is for all you true romantics out there. (You do still exist, right?)
What's your go-to sexy perfume?
My (vintage) sexy fragrances are Shalimar parfum, Bal a Versailles and Cabochard.
I recently got a mini of Diva and find it stunning.
Happy Valentine!
Posted by: Caro F | February 14, 2011 at 01:04 PM
Happy Valentine, Caro. It all sounds good to me! I almost put Bal A V. on there...yum.
Posted by: Perfumaniac | February 14, 2011 at 01:12 PM
My Sin , Scandal and Une Rose.
Posted by: Angela Cox | February 14, 2011 at 02:26 PM
I know you love your Une Rose, Angela! I love My Sin, too...Happy Valentine's Day!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | February 14, 2011 at 02:45 PM
At the moment it's Arpege because *hanging head* it's the only one I have. There was an accident with my tiny collection of small bottles so I'm currently saving to replace them. I'm trying really hard to see this as an opportunity to branch out rather than stick to my beloved House of Chanel. The Arpege was a post-accident gift from my husband and I really do enjoy it. I do have the remnants of a bottle of Casmir by Chopard from my grandmother, although it is the modern formulation, and a bottle of Lasting by Revlon from when I was a teenager. But...my Chanels...
I sincerely hope that none of you ever come home to the scent monstrosity that slapped me in the face that day.
Posted by: Enjay | February 14, 2011 at 09:56 PM
Oh, no Enjay! What happened?! What did you lose? I had a recent mishap — one of many over the past few years since I began collecting — so I know how that feels. I'm currently working on a review of a pristine vintage Madame Rochas mini that I was thrilled get, and I kept it in my purse so I could pull it out and sniff it throughout the day. Well, one day I reached in...and the pocket of my purse was soaking. The top of the bottle had somehow snapped off from the rest, and I lost all the contents. Sigh. Anyway, you can look at this as an opportunity to branch out, but its hard to lose those perfumes, I'm sure.
Posted by: Perfumaniac | February 15, 2011 at 11:36 AM
(So sad for Enjay!)
Fun post, B! My list of sexy perfumes is pretty small, and the list of vintage sexys is smaller:
Bal a Versailles
the drydown of vintage Arpege parfum (The CEO won't come near me until the overripe florals are gone...)
vtg No. 5 parfum
Marc Jacobs Daisy (I know, I KNOW, The CEO is freaky, but this thing invariably and inexplicably gets me nuzzled in the most ungentlemanly fashion. There will be hands.)
JHaG Citizen Queen (my go-to, get-some-loving scent, because this one has the same effect as Daisy and I like it better)
MFK Lumiere Noire pour femme (because it has a similar effect on ME, and The CEO is appreciative - I think it's similar to Diva and L'Arte, but more warm and less rococo)
Organza Indecence (the definitive, edited, quote: "You smell like a xxxxable cinnamon roll.")
Posted by: mals86 | February 15, 2011 at 12:44 PM
I need to archive your comments, Mals, or get a list from you. You know about perfumes I've never heard of! (As for Organza...I'd love to smell like a cinnamon roll!)
Posted by: Perfumaniac | February 15, 2011 at 06:25 PM
Great perfume list you have here. I have fun of collecting perfumes, specially those vintage with unique fragrance. Having a nice scent of perfume will enhance your confidence specially if you in a huge crowd.
Posted by: perfumes | April 07, 2011 at 03:59 AM
I thought Beyonce Heat was my favourite. But Shalimar just has such a sexy scent on my wife that it's my new ATF! I know they`re not in the same league. . ..... Thanks for introducing me to all these new fragrances to buy as gifts.
Posted by: Tyrone | November 13, 2011 at 01:52 AM