Philosophy Pure Grace
I don't understand fragrances. Perfumes. Eau de toilette. Whatever. What's the deal with top notes and base notes? What does it mean when they say a scent is "crispy" or "mysterious." What does it all MEAN?! (Don't tell me. I don't care.) It's understandable, as a fragrance ignoramus, that I found a perfume I liked in high school and I've been wearing it ever since. I guess there are people that are really into their "signature scent" and never stray, but those are like, old ladies that wear Chanel No. 5 and call people "Darling." If I were in charge of writing descriptions for fragrances, I'd say that Chanel No. 5 smells like an old lady wearing a lot of makeup and a fur coat. Anyway, my favorite scent is clean, simple, soap. And my "signature scent" is Philosophy Pure Grace.
As I mentioned before, I started wearing Pure Grace in high school. I was looking for a simple scent that would add a little oomph to my overall look. But I didn't want anything too perfume-y. When I thought about what I wanted, I realized that I wanted to smell like I got out of the shower, but smell like that all day. Pure Grace sometimes has the subtitle "Soap and Water," and nothing could be more apt. It's the smell of freshly laundered linens, clean white bars of soap, and the top of a baby's head after a bath. All combined into one great fragrance that isn't overpowering, but adds a little something to your boring old life.
Pure Grace is such a mild, unobtrusive fragrance that you can actually use all the products in the collection and not smell like you threw yourself against a wall in a Perfumania store. I've used the shower gel, lotion, rollerball - I've even found deodorant, which I'm wearing right now, actually (I got it at Marshall's. I've never seen it anywhere else). I love that I can use different products that make me smell just a little bit better than my normal self. And the fact that I can wear Pure Grace deodorant, eau de toilette, and body lotion, and not choke people with fragrance as I walk by makes it that much better.
Sidebar: Before I discovered Pure Grace, I wore Demeter's Dirt. Yes, dirt Dirt. And you know what? I got compliments on it ALL THE TIME. I'd have strangers come up to me and ask me what perfume I was wearing, and every time I'd say, "It's just Dirt!" You know how perfumes might be described as "earthy" or "outdoorsy" or something? Just get the real thing, Dirt, and watch the compliments come pouring in. Now that I'm reminiscing about it, I may have to pick up another bottle of Dirt for myself...
Philosophy Pure Grace (eau de toilette): $15 - $42
