First, I’d like to say thank you for all the wonderful comments on my post two weeks ago. I’m still living in the “Bizarre-O World”, but I’m coping a bit better. Knowing there are such wonderful souls out in the electronic void just melts my heart.
My rehabilitation consisted of a visit to a brand-spanking new Shoppers Drug Mart (right near my aunt’s house, ironically) where I sniffed my way around and landed on Juicy Couture’s new one, Peace, Love and Juicy Couture.
I’ve been curious about this one since Sniffa’s Karen Adams posted on Facebook that she thought this one smelled like original Herbal Essences shampoo. I flat-out loved the smell of that. And the picture on the bottle of the girl with the garland around her head? I so wanted to be her.
The selection at this new Shoppers was pretty good. This isn’t one with the full-scale Beauty Boutique, but the fragrance selection was extensive. I haven’t been sniffing all that much lately, so this will be the perfect place for me to catch up. In my opinion, there’s nothing more cheery than browsing in a good Shoppers and making some interesting discoveries. I was like a kid in a candy store.
I’d previously steered clear of the Juicy Couture scents because I’m not a big fan of flowers dipped in cake batter. I bought a bottle of the original fragrance for my niece (who was 14 at the time, if memory serves) and she loved it. It seemed the perfect scent for a girl her age. Their Viva La Juicy and Couture Couture scents didn’t interest me at all, but when I read, “smells like Herbal Essences”, I had to smell it.
Turns out, Karen was right. It does smell like Herbal Essences – and Cristalle; two hippy-dippy olfactory memories that take me back to Brooklyn in the mid-70s, when I washed my virgin blonde hair with Herbal Essences shampoo, and nicked spritzes of Cristalle from the three sisters who lived next-door to me. Peace Love and Juicy’s notes are lemon tree blossom, hyacinth, sweet apple, black currant bud, jasmine, magnolia, Malibu poppy, honeysuckle, linden blossom, orris extract, patchouli flower and musks. No patchouli to speak of, but plenty of linden, lemon and honeysuckle to keep it cheery and citrusy. It’s not a scent I’d usually be reaching for this time of year, but it’s done wonders to cheer me up. I need “uplifting” instead of moody, broody and dark. And the bottle is a hefty, boudoir worthy display piece with turquoise beads, tassles and a heart-shaped peace charm. The cheerful bit of kitsch is exactly what I needed. A bottle managed to find its way into my basket, along with some Garnier Nutritioniste skin care care items, and two bags of Lindor truffles. Whoever said retail therapy was dangerous doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. There’s lots to sniff out there, and I can’t wait to try it all.
Disclosure: Guilty as charged.
Just tried this & there’s the same something unpleasant in there that Calvin Klein’s new Beauty has. It’s not patchouli, it’s something chemical. Like a generic “shampoo” note gone weird. Hard to explain.
I picked up a sample of this based purely on your review (I can’t stand the other JC fragrances), and I must say that your description is spot on. I wouldn’t buy this for full price, but I might pick up a bottle if it showed up at TJ Maxx. :)
Love this post, oh how it brings back great memories.
One poster commented on that Herbal Essence had a body mist spray, and had I known about it, all of my high school friends would have been dousing ourselves in it!
I will definitely go sniff this.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sorry for the awful spelling. One of those days.
I don’know what the original Herbl essence smells like but I like this scent. It reminded meof Cristalle and ‘something’. I gues it’s shampoo :-)
I think a bottle will find its way into my collection next summer.
Finally a reason to smell a juicy frag…even to venture into the store!!!
Nava you sound strong!! You sound good, Power and strength to u, you deserve the good that will come XOXO
So glad that you enjoyed the Peace, Love & Juicy. I’m honored to have been mentioned in your lovely post, which brought me right back to my 70’s Bklyn roots too!
As for the shampoos, I’ve sniffed all the classics during my trips to Vermont Country Store – Country Herbal (their version of Original HE), Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific, LemonUp, Wheat Germ and Honey, and Body on Tap. Some are more true to what I remember than others. I purchased the GYHST, which was quite good scent-wise. Performance-wise was another story. A bit too harsh for my pampered hair and I was afraid it would strip out every last bit of color! I actually keep an almost-empty bottle of Original Herbal Essence under the bathroom sink. Every once in a while, I indulge in a sniff. I just can’t bear to part with it!
Herbal Essences- why, oh why, don’t they bring the original smell back??
And Jovan Eau Fresh whilst we are wishing -and Faberge Organics… I could go on.
Only just read of your troubles, Nava, and want to say hang in there. Life can seem incredibly dark at times but that is when your vision can sharpen and help you discern the shades of gray that bring you back to the light!
Another vote for the Faberge Organics….weren’t those just yummy?
It’s been a long time since I had a shampoo that smelled so good I couldn’t wait to wash my hair.
I loved Herbal Essence Honeysuckle back in the day….
The notes on this one don’t sound too bad, and the bottle is very campy, so it may be time for a little retail therapy of my own.
Okay, like everyone else you had me at Herbal Essence. Oddly, since Clairol still makes a buncho Herbal Essences shampoos and product, I keep feeling like they’re missing the boat not bringing back the “Original Scent.”
Some of the reincarnated Herbal Essences shampoos don’t smell half bad, but there’s no topping the original. They are very definitely missing the boat by not bringing it back. Then again, maybe they’re still using those lengthy questionnaires like the one Gretchen mentioned, and their feedback is less than positive now. 😮
I was actually a test consumer for the original Herbal Essence shampoo when I was a teen! Really, my mom should have been the tester, as her name had somehow landed on a Clairol mailing list (who knows why?– she didn’t even dye her hair!), but she let me have the unmarked bottle of deep green stuff, and the lengthy questionnaire that went with it. I swear, that questionnaire was eight pages long and went into more detail than I have ever bothered to note about a shampoo, but it must have been evident that I and all the other testers liked it.
I think I speak for the masses when I say thank you, Gretchen!
Well, you hooked me good with your description.
Herbal Essence–could not get enough of that smell when I was in high school!!
So, I am off to Macy’s this weekend to get a sniff! Thanks….
Happy to help. :d
I loved Herbal Essences shampoo – they also had a body spritz and lotion at one time, and I wore it all. I used to be obsessed with having coehsive fragrance – shampoo matching perfume, matching body lotion, etc. For a hippie chick, I used to smell pretty good! Should try this, though I have always said that any compnay that thinks the word “Juicy” belongs on a woman’s backside is probably not designing for me…
Yeah that whole name on the butt thing was pretty off-putting. Glad they’ve moved on from it.
I used to be the same way – having to match my scents – but when you start combining, it opens up a whole new realm of “layering”. I’ve been into that for ages now. 🙂
Sometimes comfort and joy come to us from the strangest of sources. Bet you never thought it would come from Juicy Couture. Like just about every woman over the age of 40, I also was a devotee of the original Herbal Essence. Why no one ever reissued it is a mystery. Women would have been stampeding stores to buy it. If for no other reason than the rush of a treasured olfactory memory, I’ll have to give this one a shot.
Truly happy to hear that you are picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and going forward. not that I ever doubted you would.
Thank you, Teri.
There are so many olfactory memories from my childhood that I wish were still around. Isn’t it funny how shampoos smelled so phenomenal back then? Herbal Essences, Lemon Up, Agree, Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific, Body on Tap, Faberge Organics, Farrah Fawcett…can you tell I was obsessed with scent even then?
I know The Vermont Country Store has a lot of “reissued” products, but I’m always reticent to order them, because the disappointment of them not smelling exactly how I remember would be crushing. Not really, but disappointing to say the least.
Nava, I was so happy to see your post today. I am new to perfume, so I’ve been reading your past reviews and noting scents I’d like to try. I am so sorry for your struggles, but sometimes we wonder if people will even notice if we’re not there, at least I do at dark times. So I just wanted to let you know, you were missed. I appreciate your posts, your input and your views on this interesting and exciting world of perfume. Thanks for pressing on!
Beth
Thank you, Beth! 🙂
Nava;I’ve wanted to post this to you,since your other post…I am speaking to you as a’healed woman’…so you know you are not alone,and peace and joy are again part of my life,as they will be yours.I also had NO family help,as they ‘didn’t believe in problems’ of any sort.(wierd,I know)….on top of losing my job,and then my home,my oldest son,(30) commited suicide.I was unable to function for a while,and chose to live in a friend’s basement,as I needed seclusion to get through 2 years of therapy,and as I had a black lab,I refused to give up,so no other housing was available to me.Your postings give me so much pleasure,that I needed to let you know,that you will get through the fire!….as for today,I now have another sample to add to TPC shopping Cart…dern!….I used to dab that shampoo on my neck,I loved it so much…smooches to you,and hang in there,girl,it’s so worth it.
Thank you so much, Annie. It’s been a tough road, but I know eventually things will get better. You have no idea how much the kind words I’ve received here mean to me. There are no words.
Hang in there as well, and enjoy your booty from TPC!
I remember the smell of original Herbal Essences — loved it. I sniffed Peace, Love and Juicy on a blotter card this week. I’m a huge lover of green scents, but this one had a bit of sour sweat in it, to my nose. To give it a fair test, I really need to test it on skin. I’ll try to do that next time I’m near a tester.
Glad to read that you’re in better spirits this week, Nava. :-)
Thanks Dina.
Sounds like you got some of that “patchouli flower” that’s MIA to my nose. Definitely give it a shot on your skin next time you find yourself near a tester.:)
All I can say is that it’s a good thing we don’t have a Shoppers Drug Mart where I live. Best wishes, Nava!
Thanks Marsha. Ironically, there are way too many Shoppers to browse in here. The occasional splurge never hurts, does it? :d
Hi Nava, so very glad to hear that your spirits are lifting. You have been in my thoughts and prayers. And I’m happy you found some fun spritzing in Shoppers Drug Mart (wish we had one here – sounds like a cool store). I, too, loved me some Herbal Essence shampoo way back when, so will definitely have to check it out. Take care and have a great day!
Thanks Ann. Shoppers Drug Marts are cooler than cool. I believe CVS has been experimenting with the upscale cosmetic/fragrance and drug store format in some US cities. Here’s hoping it works!
You sound much better. Good on ya, girl!
Thanks Kathleen!
Anything smelling like Herbal Essences must be pretty good. That shampoo was always a favorite. And the Lindor truffles. Nail polish is sometimes theraputic also. Thinking of you and wishing you well.
Thanks Pam. I did go through a “therapeutic” nail polish stage while I was in graduate school. The weekly mani and bi-weekly pedis were the best therapy I could have asked for back then. For now, chocolate and fragrance are doing the trick. 🙂
I think I’ll give this one a try-I sampled the original, and actually liked it. It was cheerful and easy, too, so I’m not complaining.
I’m sooo glad things are a bit easier for you-and the retail therapy is a great pick-me-up. I should know ; )
You ladies are the queens of retail therapy! I need a lot of “cheerful and easy” and this one fits the bill.
You had me at “Herbal Essences”…
Right next to me! 🙂