Drugstore Gem #1: Dana's Tabu
All Tabu images courtesy of www.danaclassics.com
Up until about a year ago, I wouldn't have touched this stuff with a ten foot pole. Everything about this scent was the absolute antithesis of what I considered wearable and confident. It was unbearably outdated to me.
One sniff transported me to an older woman's dusty, cigarette smoke-infused, oriental rug-filled, depressingly empty estate home. When my high school boyfriend begged me to wear it for him, I recoiled. I may have wretched too.
(My preferred scent: Perry Ellis' 360. How times have changed...)
I managed to score a gift set of Tabu before this past holiday season. In it were the following: two violin dab bottles of EDC (one 30 ml, one 90 ml....the 30 ml alone would last 3 lifetimes) and the very coveted dusting powder. (I will fully admit that I bought this set primarily for the dusting powder. Dusting powders seem to be a rare find these days). I was also very intrigued by the option of having a sheer, veil-like Tabu option.
The current EDC opens up with heavy myrrh and old-school amber to my nose. After warming for a few minutes, jasmine, rose and musk emerge. This scent harkens back to a time when ladies dressed up to do their grocery shopping. There is a certain refinement to this fragrance that simply doesn't exist in present-day mainstream perfumery. The tiniest dab will do ya. I personally can't imagine wearing this one to my ('fragrance free') workplace, but would readily bust it out for a quiet dinner or night in.
The dusting powder is truly a fantastic find. If you snag some via gift set, and can get past the extremely bargain-basement packaging (cardboard and some off-centre lettering, different from the individually-sold option above) what is inside is worth discovering. A finely-milled, silky powder that imparts all of the best elements of Tabu without overwhelming oneself, or those around you.
I find this powder to infuse some much-needed decadence and comfort during these grey wintry days. I also think this one will get alot of wear during summer months, where the nature of the product itself (a cooling powder as opposed to a heavy amber-based perfume) and whispery scent will be welcomed.
Drugstore Gem #2: Alyssa Ashley Musk
A polar opposite to Tabu, Alyssa Ashley Musk was a staple in my mom's collection when I was a child. When we'd venture overseas to visit relatives, she would bring bottles of this stuff to give out as gifts. For those who are looking for a straight up, clean musk, look no further. The oil version is especially warm and skin-like and layers well under florals and orientals alike. Widely considered a feminine scent, I'd venture to say that it veers towards unisex. For those days when I'm at a loss as to what to wear, or am feeling headachy and somewhat perfume-intolerant, this is the one I reach for.
Looking at the graphic above, I admit that I'm a bit astonished as to how many layering options there are. I've seen the oil, EDT and lotion, but have been completely unaware of the 'super' moisturizing cream and EDP. More lemmings created in my world. (Because I clearly need more of those ;-)
What are your favourite guilty drugstore pleasures fellow perfumistas? Don't be ashamed to reveal them, your secret is safe with me. ;-)
Jean Nate, Sand n Sable, Stetson and Vanilla Fields. I'm all for a good drugstore thrill! Tabu isn't bad - I tried it fairly recently.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Tama! I need to revisit those ASAP. I remember girls in high school drenching themselves in Vanilla Fields, I wonder if I'd appreciate it a bit more now? ;-)
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