“Er, excuse me, ma’am, I don’t mean to bother you, but what fragrance are you wearing? It’s so lovely.” We as perfumistas may have had this happen to us: A stranger approaches us to ask about our perfume; or we may have been the ones doing the asking. I can’t remember having done it more than once or perhaps twice, but I’m certainly guilty as charged now. I had been around a lady for about 10 minutes who I had just met, and the scent cloud surrounding her was just divine, and tantalizingly familiar. I tried and tried, but couldn’t quite put my finger on it, so I had to break down and ask her what she had on. “Chanel,” she said simply. “Coco by Chanel.”
Ding-ding-ding!! The bells, whistles and buzzers were going off in my head like I’d just won big on a TV game show. Of course! How could I not recognize darling Coco, when I’d worn it fairly regularly years ago?
Well, that just served to remind me that we have so many scents at our disposal now (with new ones coming out all the time), that many great fragrances have literally been pushed to the back of the drawer and forgotten. So I went digging, recalling that somewhere in my collection I had a little dab of Coco pure parfum.
But seeing as it was going to be 70 degrees that day (and also taking into consideration my now scent-free office), it was going to have to wait until that evening. It was fine, however, as I always felt that Coco bloomed extra nicely on a chilly night anyway.
And bloom it did. Loving the parfum on one wrist, I poked about and put the EdP on the other for double-barreled deliciousness. It was 9:30 at night, but I still had an overwhelming urge to rush to the big city and snap up a tub of the body cream (which I’m not even sure they still make).
I recall one Christmas years ago when DH got me a lovely Coco gift set, with a spray, lotion and shower gel. Yum city! But arrghhh, I had that miserly “save it for special occasions” mindset and before you know it, years had passed and the body products had gone off and had been only partially used. What a waste! I’m kicking myself now like crazy.
So please do share: What’s your too-good-to-be forgotten scent?
P.S. Oh joy of joys! I see the Coco body products available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Selfridges, and likely several other retailers as well.
I must have a little Coco around somewhere…I will look for it tonight! I like Ciara, but I don’t think I have any. Another wonderful but “forgotten” perfume for me is: Parfum d’Hermes. That is another one I’ll have to bring out of the back of the perfume cabinet!
Hi, lady — nice to see you! Hope you find your Coco to enjoy. Your Hermes scent has me intrigued, but I can’t think which one it is; can you tell me more about the scent and/or describe the bottle? Thanks!
According to Fragrantica.com, it was “created by Akiko Kamei in 1984, … known as Parfum d’Hermès. Reinterpreted in 2000 and renamed Rouge Hermès, … this semi-oriental floral amber is the very essence of sophistication.” Here is a link: http://tinyurl.com/o5mrscg
I think it is a really classic scent, one I enjoy wearing when I have dressed up a bit and am wearing my good leather gloves. Definitely a fall/winter perfume. I have a good-size bottle of it, so just let me know if you would like a sample. 🙂
P.S. I don’t really get much amber in this. It’s a beautifully blended floral-oriental.
Great — thanks so much for the info! I think I’ve sniffed this before and it was lovely. I do enjoy a well-blended floral, so must dig up my sample and re-try.
I wanted to say, for me Cco is still an everyday favorite of mine and probably my top 3 signatures :). Ann, yes! The Ciara is still hanging around at Walgreens and such-yay! It’s there right now on clearance and I’m desparately trying to keep from running over there to grab one. 14$ for the 100%, too! There are just so many beautiful sniffing things out there! And I’m such a baby in that regard, as I’ve not smelled 1/10 of the niches, or what is talked about on this page. But I’m trying ! I troll the perfume sites and beginning to think I need therapy, lol
Julie, yay for you loving and wearing Coco regularly! And thanks for the heads up on Ciara. BTW, welcome to the perfume rabbithole! Don’t worry about what you’ve not smelled; just relax, sniff, troll away and enjoy where the ride takes you — you’re in good company, as all of us can attest!
Coco was my first “grown up” perfume I got at Xmas my sr. yr. of HS. Met BF, now Hubs wearing it and that was 26 yrs ago. While I love me my fumes, I always wear Coco on our anniversary. BTW, he used to use the shower gel and it was awesome on him. Haven’t had to buy it lately, I have a hoard from the late ’80’s and I think I’m happier that way, LOL.
How cool is that, Rina? I love that you’re still wearing it on your anniversary. And that you have a stash of shower gel to enjoy. I bet that would smell great on a guy (maybe I’ll let DH try some if I get a bottle or the soap). Thanks for sharing!
Coco was one of my first perfume loves, but it doesn’t love me back anymore. Has anyone tried Coco Noir? Noir and I are copacetic.
Every time I wear Le Feu d’Issey I am beyond with delighted with it, and lament anew its too-short run.
Sorry to hear that Coco has lost that lovin’ feeling for you, but happy that you and Coco Noir are friendly. Lucky you to have some of that much-admired Issey Miyake — it’s quite the prize!
P.S. Eloquaint, could the current formula of Coco be the problem — have you tried vintage? Or vice-versa? Just don’t want to see a Coco fan leave the fold without a fight 😉
I have a bottle that’s from about 2003. I don’t know if that’s within the current formulation or not. It might also be that it’s turned some. But I tried smelling it recently at Macy’s and it just about took my head off.
Remember the oldie but incensy goodie, Ciarra? (I think I spelled that right, lol)….yu-MMYY! Of course there are MANY but I just re-found that one this past month! 🙂
Julie, you must be a mind reader! I was just thinking about Ciara the other day, and also its sweeter Charles Revson/Revlon cousin Cerissa. Both great scents and sadly overlooked. Wonder if they’re still being made, although I kind of doubt it, but …
Bought some Ciara at a Walgreen’s around the holidays two years ago because my husband had mentioned that he liked it. Been married 21 years so it must have been on an old girlfriend LOL. It was cheap so I bought it to try and hated it because it was headache- inducing.
Used to wear Coco for him ( and I liked it too ) .
My too-good-to forget scent is also Black Cashmere.
Oh, no, Barbara — sorry to hear that happened to you. But I can understand; it was (is) a pretty potent scent. I think if I ever get some, I’ll just dab it on. And hooray for another Black Cashmere fan! Think I’ll wear some today. 🙂
I love Coco but seldom remember to wear it. I often reach for the newer perfume sample to try or the new bottle I just bought. I also love the vintage Opium (which I sadly don’t have) and Origins’ Ginger Essence and AG’s Gardenia Passion. I must remember to wear these loves more often. Thanks for the reminder!
I know just what you mean, Kandice. The latest and greatest thing on our radar usually gets the most attention. So glad you also enjoy vintage Opium, and I hope some falls into your lap very soon. Ooh, yes, I remember that Origins scent and liked it a lot — thank YOU for the reminder of those great frags!
I keep forgetting about a lot of my old favorites because I have the tendancy to focus on a handful of perfumes. Latest perfume in my collection that shouldn’t have been forgotten was Chanel no 19 in EDP form. Yesterday, it was the vintage EDP version was the latest vintage score was the first bottle that I grabbed before I left for work. All day, I kept wondering on why I don’t wear no 19 so much anymore.
I’m right there with you, lady — I, too, end up doing that too. And hooray on the vintage EDP score — I know you smelled great in that fabulous 19!
Chanel Coco! Definitely too good to be forgotten. I’m sure that woman loved that you asked her about her perfume, Ann, as it’s always a nice compliment when someone notices.
Chanel perfumes in general figure into the too-good-to-be-forgotten department. Chanel No. 22, Chanel No. 5 … even though I prefer the vintage version of the latter, the current version is still a darn lovely fragrance to smell on someone.
Thanks, dear Suzanne! And you are so right about Chanel — it does have so many beautiful and unforgettable scents. Even the newer ones, such as our beloved Coromandel, and 1932 for me, as I found quite a bit of love this spring and summer for it.
Coco is an enduring favorite and I wear it often. Lovely story! My latest rediscovery is YSL Nu, which I’ve had for years. I forgot about it and found the hockey puck bottle buried under other stuff in my perfume cabinet, my interest rekindled by my discovery of a big jar of the body cream that I unearthed from the bathroom in a brief organizing frenzy. Fortunately the cream still smells good but I’m with Poodle on the saving of body products – why do we do it when we know better? The inner workings of the perfumista brain is a post all its own.
Howdy, dear! I thought about you as I was writing this post, knowing the specialness Coco has for you. And so glad you mentioned Nu — that’s another good one that tends to be forgotten sometimes — but not for us now!! I think you hit the nail on the head: The perfumista brain is complex and sometimes kind of twisty, ha!
I love Coco too. I may wear it today now that you made me think of it.
Why, why, why do we all seem to save the body products for so long that they turn? I’ve done the same thing numerous times. The ridiculous thing is that I know darn well the perfume will last longer than the lotion or cream will but I still do it.
Yay, Poodle! Do wear it and luxuriate in in today or sometime soon. I hate that we all seem to do that hoarding/saving thing, but I do feel better knowing that I’m not alone 🙂 And maybe we will now try to be better and happily use up every bit.
Great story! …and so familiar. I’m not a fan of Coco, but this happens to me every time with the same scent on other people: Declaration by Cartier. I love it so much and wear it seldom. Such a pity.
Neva, how cool that the Cartier draws you in time after time. Hope you can wear it and enjoy it more often, as it’s bound to be a compliment magnet on you.
I love Coco, and cherish my Ann Klein Black Cashmere. That is a scent too good to be forgotten.
Hear, hear on the Coco, dear! Also, the Black Cashmere — it’s a winner in my book, too! Gotta get it out to wear this winter (running off to find it now) …
LOVE Coco and reach for it regularly Ann. I have a 35ml 1990s parfum spray that is nearing completion. A couple of the 7.5ml parfum splash and a modern EdP that is still in its cellophane.
Forgotten faves? Caron Bellodgia, I have to remind myself to get it out of its box.
Portia xx
Wowza, Portia — you are quite nicely set up there with Coco! And I’m glad you mentioned the Caron; that’s one that I need to try and keep forgetting. Onto my must-try list it goes; thanks!