Cheap & Cheerful: Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion

Sometimes I am influenced by outside forces, but I am almost always influenced.

I had not smelled or ever really thought of this perfume, the first in her line, since it debuted back in 1987 (when I was 2.) I do remember that it was a big scent. But that was the era of BIG scents, with powerhouses like Opium, Giorgio, and Poison being so prevalent. They were, if not the impetus for the spate of perfume office bans, certainly the reason for the 180 degree turn later that brought out the Eaux fad. Where everyone was supposed to smell like dew kissed daisies and basil leaves, before everyone was supposed to smell like overripe fruit salad and overripe server serving it.

Newly slim and sober and having conquered Broadway, Miss Taylor at Neiman Marcus for the debut of her scent.

But I digress..

I ended up seeing some little snippet on the “reels” section of FacePlace where various people who knew her tried it. Most just said it brought back memories or just smelled like her, while Joan Collins snarked “well it ain’t Chanel No. 5.” Oh that Joan.

It occurs to me that there might be two or three people who don’t really know who Miss Taylor is. I won’t go over her long career in Hollywood, her wonderful AIDS activism (starting in the early 80’s when no-body including the then President seemed to want to say word one about it), or her many marriages, divorces, failures and comebacks. Just a few things I can remember:

At the time of “Cleopatra” she was wearing the gigantic Krupps diamond her costar and later husband Richard Burton gave her. Princess Margaret looked at it and said something like “How vulgar.” Elizabeth had her try it on, and marking the transportive look the royal was giving to her now heavily spangled hand, quipped “not so vulgar now, is it dear?”

Cruel Ron Galella paparazzi photo from the 70’s that mean-spirited Kenneth Anger chose for his 1984 sequel to Hollywood Babylon. Want to bet he takes credit for sending her to Betty Ford?

Appearing on Johnny Carson (after a stint at Betty Ford, newly trim, toned, and Tony nominated) deflecting his impertinent question about dating younger men, saying that she was still dating men the same age as she did when she was in her 20’s, she just caught up.

Or in her final years in Los Angeles, dolled up and arriving at West Hollywood’s The Abbey. Where she apparently was a rather frequent and very much adored guest.

So what does it smell like? From Fragrantica: Top notes are Aldehydes, Coriander, Gardenia, Artemisia, Ylang-Ylang, Bergamot and Lily-of-the-Valley; middle notes are Spicy Notes, Sandalwood, Honey, Tuberose, Patchouli, Heliotrope, Orris Root, Cedar, Jasmine and Rose; base notes are Incense, Civet, Leather, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Musk, Cedar, Vanilla and Coconut.

Miss Taylor and Mr. Paul Newman in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” I could never make up my mind who is prettier..

Granted, I didn’t exactly go hog-wild in the application since I didn’t want to gas out everyone in a thirty mile radius. I would really like to have someone who is in their 20’s smell this and give me an opinion. I think some of us older people who are carrying some baggage and old memories would dismiss this as “old lady.” It’s definitely “old school” perfume: it classic, feminine, and lush without any apology or winking “references.” This is the one they reference. It is, even after 40-odd years of reformulations still BIG. The small spritz I gave to my wrist bloomed like Daisy Gamble’s garden and lived longer than “Gunsmoke” was on the air.

And in case you’re interested I did put on some Scatamalis base cream on there to see the effect. Miss Taylor’s Passion treated it rather like her Gloria Wandrous treated Weston Liggett- haughty disdain and a flutter of gardenia at the importuning.

Elizabeth Taylor Passion is available at e-tailers for less than $20. I am not likely to wear it out of the house but I can happily spray my bed linens with it and release my inner Cleopatra.  I purchased my bottle off the interwebs.

Do you have memories of this one, or of her other ones? Are big scents ready for a comeback? Share in the comments

Photos: my iPhone, Pexels, Wikimedia Commons