Signature Scent.

I remember, vividly, the first bottle of perfume I ever bought. I was 24. I had started my career and had my first real job in the industry I went to school for. I was finally, perhaps, starting to feel like an adult and decided it was time that I should start wearing perfume. Or at least own a bottle. I wanted a signature scent. Something that when randomly smelt on strangers by my friends and family - they would think of me. Something that would be my go to. My signature. So I made up my mind to find the perfect scent for me and went on the hunt.

It took weeks to find one I liked loved. One that I could imagine myself wearing. One that didn't make me sneeze or immediately try to get it off my skin. One that wasn't too flowery, or too grassy, or too fruity, or too perfumey...I tend to be drawn to "darker" scents. Oriental notes. Vanilla. Musk. You know when you take those "find your perfect perfume" quizzes in magazines? I always get the ones described as sexy, dark, or mysterious. Always.

My search led me to this:


When I tried this one, I knew it was it. The one. It was everything I love in a fragrance. The base notes, which together with the middle notes make up the main scent, are vanilla, musk, almond, and sandalwood. Perfect for me. There's also brazilian rosewood, caraway, lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, tuberose, coconut, and apricot (among other ingredients). Besides the last two, I don't know what the heck the others smell like on their own - but combined, it's lovely. It's funny, I remember one time googling HP and the review called it a "scent of the 80s" -- whatever that means. The same review also said something about it being worn by women in power suits I think. Shrug. I tend to side with the reviews that call it mysterious, sensual, and sexy. Funny how a scent can conjure up something so specific. And while it's also often called an evening fragrance, I wore it during the day too. That's just how I roll. I'm a rebel.

That one bottle lasted me a very long time because I'm just not the kind of girl who wears perfume everyday. And, if my memory is correct, while I still have the empty bottle as a "reminder of my first bottle of perfume" (I'm sentimental like that) - I don't think I've bought another since. Not because I don't like love it, but because every time I remember to stop by the perfume counter at the mall, I can never justify spending $100+ on a bottle of perfume. It just seems like a lot. But you know what, for something that you enjoy and love - it's worth it. So I think I'll probably just go ahead and treat myself. to a bottle for Christmas...though I think my sister has bought it for me as a Christmas gift.

*ETA: This post was written a few days before Christmas. My sis did buy me a bottle of it as my gift :-)

What types of fragrances are you drawn to? Have you ever worn Hypnotic Poison? Do you have a signature scent?

+ Since purchasing HP I have owned two other perfumes: Dolce & Gabbana The One and another by Prada that I can't remember the name of, and I've long wanted to try this one -- but my favourite remains CD's HP.