90’s nostalgia is here and I am pretty much unequivocally in the “not for me” camp on pretty much all of it. One thing I can get on board with? Body spray. The very notion of body spray transports me back to the late nineties. I ran three seasons in high school (cross-country, indoor track, track) and the ultimate girls’ locker room status symbol was the Bath & Body Works (or Victoria’s Secret) body mist. Freesia was my gateway drug. I soon branched out to Sun Ripened Raspberry and Cucumber Melon. Warm Vanilla Sugar followed shortly after that. (Tell me what you wore in the comments!)
Body Sprays are Back
The new generation of body sprays are a bit (scratch that, a lot) more sophisticated. Two that have earned a permanent roster on my fragrance tray are the Moroccanoil Hair & Body Mist and Sol de Janeiro’s body spray.
The Moroccanoil smells, probably, just as you would imagine it to. Like the hair oil. The hair oil wasn’t really for me (it’s fine, just not my favorite – for me, the fragrance was the best part of the oil) but I cannot get enough of the body mist. The smell is addictive… clean and sweet. But there is no real way to describe the fragrance exactly, just to say that it smells like the hair oil. I like this so much that sometimes I will spritz it on before bed, just to fall asleep in a gently perfumed cloud.
The Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Body Fragrance Mist is sweeter… this one has the same fragrance as the brand’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (another personal favorite – so hydrating + absolutely fantastic for firming the skin). It smells like salted caramel ice cream but maybe a little more sophisticated (besides salted caramel, it has notes of almond, vanilla, pistachio, and sandalwood). It’s positively intoxicating.
Addictive, intoxicating… the beauty of both of these sprays is that they smell so good but you can keep spritzing on more as the day goes on without worrying about going overboard.
I only wish that I could make my blog posts scratch & sniff!
Haha, I remember smelling Cucumber Melon from BBW when I was younger and I wrote in my diary that it was the most beautiful smell EVER and I would smell like Cucumber Melon until I died. It rocked my little world to love a scent that much – oh if I only knew I’d grow up to have 3-4 perfumes in seasonal rotation 😉 I love the Bum Bum cream scent too!
I felt the exact same way about it! Now it smells like cleaning product to me!!!
This takes me back! I had a set from Calgon with three scents- A mixed berry something, an Ocean Spray-ish one, and a Hawaiian Breeze-esque option. So fun.
Hahhahaha yes! I still remember Calgon’s “take me away” campaigns.
I basically bathed in Love Spell by Victoria’s Secret in grade 10-11. I graduated to Tommy Girl (an actual perfume) by senior year in the early aughts. What a time to be alive
Oh my gosh YES… I loved Love Spell as well, and Tommmy Girl (and Ralph by Ralph in the turquoise bottle) were my go-to’s senior year. Did you also graduate high school in ’99?
My college roommate LOVED love spell. She is all I think of when I think about love spell. Haha!
hahaha I love this. fragrance is truly so transportive for people, places, old memories, etc! that’s how i feel about aqua di gio and my college boyfriend!
Omg, what a blast from the past. Sun Ripened Raspberry! Cucumber Melon! Those were my faves. I graduated in ‘99, too.
YESSSS I can still smell them exactly when I think about them!
Can we have a moment for Impulse? The year was 2000 and though my nose had been infiltrated by Impulse SPICE (ugh, genius collab!), my gateway was Impulse Solar. I remember that pale yellow can, hiding it from my mum, and obsessively sniffing that futuristic yuzu-esque citrus in secret in my bedroom! Later that year, Impulse ID was another obsession, and then flash forward to the summer I turned 16, I was all about a Frangipani mist that — right before my first kiss — the boy of my dreams at the time said made me smell like flowers. Obviously, but I was smitten.
Nearly 18 years later I’m yearning to try this Diptyque summer body spray that’s been brought back. Just the right level of bougie… https://www.diptyqueparis.com/en_us/c/summer-essentials-2022.html#/products/lemongrass-geranium-summer-body-spray-with-essential-oils
I think Impulse was too sophisticated for me, I don’t remember it! Man, I missed out!!!!! Isn’t fragrance just so transportive?
That diptyque looks realllly lovely. Lemongrass and Geranium sounds like a divine combination.
Cotton Blossom! Cucumber Melon a close second. I remember there was a sample table set up at my local water park and it seemed so elegant
I forgot about that one!!!! It DID seem elegant!
Where are all my GAP Grass girlies?!
Fragrance is an art form! My husband and I were talking about this post at dinner last night and about how we feel like fragrance and storytelling are so important in how we tell stories and express ourselves. Thank you for writing this post!
I also thought when I was reading about the Diptyque spray that you might like it because of the neroli and orange blossom notes. Hoping you like it when you get it! The bottle art is SO dreamy, too! xx
I couldn’t agree more!!! Also re: the body spray, am really excited about it!
Do you spritz it on your body before getting dressed or with clothes on? (i.e. Is it moisturizing at all or is the smell the best benefit?)
Signed,
Someone who practically bathed in Calgon and wants to get it right this time
Usually it’s after I get dressed but I think you could do either. The smell is definitely the best benefit.
I loved cucumber melon in middle school, the smells me sick now! All I could think of reading this post was how you used to spray Becca with body spray when you worked together. One of my favorite anecdotes from your time on BOP!
No no that was face mist haha – the Caudalie beauty elixir!!!
I feel the same about cucumber melon, I think it smells really antiseptic now!
Where are all my GAP Grass girlies?!
I looooved all of the Gap fragrances!!!! I thought grass was so chic and unique!
“freesia was my gateway drug!” — same same! Then, my head was turned for Plumeria and I never.went.back. My sister still has warm vanilla sugar in her bathroom and while it makes me cringe, I admire her loyalty.
Hahahahaha I love it. I loved plumeria too! And that is so funny. I would cringe too, all while probably slathering myself in it. That is too funny, I didn’t know they still made it.
Gap Dream, bath and body works white tea & ginger, and Tommy Girl were my jam!
Yes! LOve it!!!
It was Bath and Body Works Juniper Breeze for me!! I couldn’t wait for the after-holiday sales, so I could stock up on the gift sets!
I FORGOT JUNIPER BREEZE! You are so right. That was another really good one.
Ah, these has me wanting to try a body spray!! Question, have you had any increased susceptibility to mosquito bites when wearing it? I usually avoid perfume in summer and only wear in fall/winter due to this reason but I’m not even sure if perfume attracts bugs since it’s a chemical fragrance not, say, a real fruit or something.
I have not – I wear fragrance all year long! You might want to try out the new Diptyque one!
I am also addicted to buying body sprays…I love victorias secret. they have this cucumber and green tea that is heavenly and my all time fav strawberries and champagne but I have so many that idk if I’ll ever use them! lol
I’m a little bit older than you, so I remember Love’s Baby Soft. I got if for Christmas when I was in 6th grade and I felt so grown up! And if I smell Bath and Body Works Country Apple body spray, it takes me right back to the summer I was 19.
Love that!