Angel has been one of my favorite fragrances for several years, maybe even my number one favorite fragrance, but the first time I smelled Angel I hated it. When I was introduced to Angel for the first time I thought of BO on a hot bus (you know what I am talking about). I could not figure out why my friend Danielle had shelled out so much cash to smell like a sweaty dude on a hot summer day. I could not get over the overwhelming pachouli smell, and I attributed Danielle's affinity for the fragrance to that pachouli smell. I thought, it must reminded her of her college days at UC Santa Cruz.
I don't remember where I was the next time I smelled Angel but my reaction to it was completely different, and I even tried the stuff on! I came to relish that "BO" smell and every other layer of this delicious scent. Not to get too carried away, but I want to share an excerpt from Perfumes the Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. Here is what they say about Angel and I could not agree more:
Look for Angel's Adam's apple: a handsome, resinous woody patchouli straight out of the pipes-and-leather-slippers realm of men's fragrance, in a head-on collision with a bold black currant and a screechy white floral. The two halves, masculine and feminine share a camphoraceous (mothball) smell, which gives Angel a covering of unsentimental, icy brightness above its overripe (some say "rotting") rumble. The effect kills the possibility of cloying sweetness, despite megadoses of the cotton-candy smell of ethylmaltol, leaving Angel in a high-energy state of contradictions. Many perfumes are beautiful or pleasant, but how many are exciting? Like a woman in a film who seethes, "He's so annoying!" and marries him in the end.
So there you go, a big post about a big fragrance.
9 comments:
Are you sure we did not take any busses that day? Are you positive it was not my BO?
No, no I remember that moment very vividly. In fact that is about all I remember about visiting you guys when you lived in that little bungalow. That and the story about a mountain lion attacking some joggers just a few miles away from your place.
ahh, mountain lion attacks and perfume, sweet memories, sweet, sweet memories.
I feel that way about Britto. It's the only parfum I own and I didn't even buy it. My Matt loved it so much he got it for me. It is very strong but if use just a little it mixes with my pheromones and smells like a colorful me.
i just looked and I see that it has amber and patchouli, so I am pretty much sold.
yes, yes, angel is one of the all time greats. quite possibly my fave too. i remember that trip and that first sniff in danielle's bedroom. sweet.
oh, and remember when you traded me a half used bottle of angel for that gold wallet that you never used? i think you always wanted to take that one back.
yes. give it back and you can have that purse.
Bille
I love this perfume and I especially loved the bottle. Fun!
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