While I have been obsessed with beauty products and make up since my teens, I must admit I am pretty much a perfume novice. Once things moved beyond the lemony, alcohol laden fragrances of junior high, my interest didn’t follow. I think the overbearing stench of perfume and aftershave in the halls of my high school (courtesy of heavy-handed teens), only pushed me further away from appreciating a great scent.
Once I moved on to higher end beauty products, the corresponding level of fragrances began to intimidate me. Top, middle and bottom notes? Suddenly, choosing a bottle of perfume was harder than ordering wine in a snooty restaurant.Paralyzed with indecision, I stuck to one, mainstream (albeit wonderfully scented) body oil discovered in college over 10 years ago! Then, one happy shopping day, I discovered the amazing Demeter Fragrance Library.
In the midst of a beauty shopping spree with my sister, Susan, the two of us stumbled upon a sparkling display of Demeter bottles. We stopped in out tracks, and spent the next hour (at least) sniffing and spraying every unique scent Demeter had to offer.
We were lured in by the elegant square bottles with a simple pop of color – a single stripe bisecting the label and uniquely shaded to match each scent. We stayed for the huge selection of scents in yummy, even quirky scents with names so basic (Gingerbread, Orange Juice, Clover) there was no guesswork involved.
The Demeter Fragrance Library is so far from intimidating, that it helped me discover the joy in buying and choosing perfume. How can you not have fun sniffing scents labeled Gin & Tonic, Christmas in New York and Chocolate Covered Cherries? I walked away with a few bottles that day and have continued to explore the world of fragrance – but I always head back to Demeter when I need a small bottle of pick me up!
Which all makes sense, as this company believes “fragrance should make you smile every time you smell it” and their mission is “to make the pleasure and luxury of fine fragrance … fun and easy to afford.” Mission definitely accomplished.
This straightforward approach can be seen in the Demeter collection of single-note and single-experience fragrances that are “inspired by real life everyday objects and experiences – scents that are drawn from memories.” A few of my nostalgia invoking Demeter favorites are Honeysuckle (warm summer evenings), Raspberry Jam (helping my Grandma make jellies with berries fresh from her yard) andFireplace (late night campfire!).
Best of all, Demeter is not a company to rest on its laurels and continues to add new and unique scents to its library. Our lucky review team got their hands on a couple of Demeter’s most popular fragrances ($20 -1 oz spray), including Pink Grapefruit and Laundromat, as well as the latest Demeter must have; Baby Powder, promising to be “as clean and as fresh as it gets.” Make sure to check the comments for the teams thoughts.
As for me? I couldn’t be satisfied with just one scent, and since Demeter fragrances are made to be mixed and layered I went with two fantastic picks:
Dirt – Think rich, fertile, pristine soil – not “dirty” – and you’ll get the idea of this incredible scent. Sort of sweet, sort of earthy and completely intoxicating. One whiff and I was transported to days spent frolicking with my cousins on my Grandparents country land and evenings sprawled across the cool grass watching the sky. So I was tickled to read that this scent “was made to smell exactly like the dirt from the fields around the Pennsylvania family farm belonging to our founding perfumer” and as a PA girl, I can say this scent is spot on!
Pure Soap – I must have watched too many home improvement shows, because once I picked out Dirt, I felt compelled to go with a second scent on the opposite end of the color wheel (urm, scent wheel?) and went with Pure Soap, promising the clean smell of “freshly showered skin, with a trace of Ivory Soap.” Of course, it can be worn alone, and is nice for when you want to smell good, but not like you are wearing perfume. And if you are active in the dating pool, this “just naturally clean” scent would be perfect for all those non-date dates (going for a hike, meeting for coffee). It oozes natural beauty and confidence with a hint of girl next door – guys dig it.
Naturally, my Pure Soap and Dirt combo is a hit as well. Demeter scents are lighter and airier than many perfumes in this price range and are meant to mesh with one another. This new combo has been my go to daily scent so far this summer. It smells fresh, clean and youthful and just as Demeter intends, puts a smile on my face every morning.
