~Are You A Perfume Polygamist?~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

First of all, please forgive me for missing our time together yesterday, but I was feeling a bit under the weather.  Alhamdulillah I am much better today.  I missed chatting with you ladies soooo much, so insh'Allah today's topic will be fun for all of us.

Now that the title got your attention, I wanted to have a little chat about the two different styles women have when it comes to perfume.  Are you a loyal lover of one scent, and that scent only? Or are you a perfume polygamist, wearing whatever fragrance you think goes with your mood for the day?

Now, granted, a lot of us sisters do not wear perfume outside of the house, and I would not be a good Muslimah if I didn't remind you that we are not supposed to wear it out of the house.

Hadith - Abu Dawood 4162, Narrated Imran ibn Husayn, r.a. (similar hadith found in At-Tirmidhi #4443)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I do not ride on purple, or wear a garment dyed with saffron, or wear shirt hemmed with silk. Pointing to the collar of his shirt al-Hasan (al-Basri) said: The perfume used by men should have an odour but no colour, and the perfume used by women should have a colour but no odour. Sa'id said: I think he said: They interpreted his tradition about perfume used by women as applying when she comes out. But when she is with her husband, she may use any perfume she wishes.
http://muttaqun.com

As the interpretation of this hadith explains, this does not mean it that we can't wear it as a part of our routine to keep ourselves beautiful and fragrant for our husbands.  (And let's just be honest here, many sisters wear it outside as well.)  Personally there are times I do wear a tiny bit, just under my chin, so that only those who are close enough to hug me will smell it (which are only my sisters in Islam, and my family anyways) but as usual Allahu Ahlem.

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, let's get down to the business of our perfume habits.

You see, up until this past year I was a perfume monogomist.  I was completely faithful to one perfume, and one perfume only and wore it until it was GONE.  And then, I usually just went back to get more of the same scent.  That all changed when my husband mentioned to me that he looove the scent I used to wear when we first met, but I couldn't remember what it was.  I ended up buying three different perfumes until I figured out which one it was, and I have been a perfume polygamist ever since.

My perfumes of choice are:

 Estee Lauder beyond paradise

I love this scent for it's tropical tones of Hyacinth, Orchid, and Honeysuckle.  It also has a hint of Citrusy Grapefruit.  It is pretty strong, so when applying I tend to spray once in the air, and walk through the mist.  Otherwise it is sooo overpowering I can barely breathe.  I bought this perfume before I decided to boycott Estee Lauder, so I will not be getting a new one when I'm out, but I am enjoying it for the time being.

Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise

DKNY Be Delicious

Hmmmmm...this perfume IS delicious! As the bottle suggests, it has strong green apple notes, along with more subtle undertones of rose and woody scents.  The combination is fresh and vibrant, youthful but still sophisticated and classy.  Not as strong as the Estee Lauder, but still pretty potent so one spritz does the trick. You can get it at Sephora.com

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue

Okay ladies, here it is...the princess of all perfumes, the superior of all scents.  This perfume has gotten me sooo many compliments over the years-as well as helped me land my husband : )  A fresh combination of citrus, apple, bamboo and white rose this perfume is the sans pareil of the perfume world.  I honestly feel guilty when I wear my other scents, because I know they simply cannot stand to this one, but I like to save my Light Blue for quiet evenings with my husband and special occasions.  You can get this fabulous fragrance at Sephora.com.

Now, the way I choose my scents is kind of a routine.  I honestly tend to go for those perfumes with beautiful bottles first.  I can't help it, I'm an aesthetic kind of girl.  Once a bottle has caught my eye I smell it on the sample paper first.  If it passes the sample paper test I will lightly spritz my wrist or the back of my hand and wait...1....2....3....4....5....6....7 seconds until it's dry.  Yes, seven.  In my experience it takes at least seven seconds for a perfume to dry and to reveal it's true nature.

You have to keep in mind that every scent smells different on every person.  Once the chemicals in the fragrance mix with our pheromones, the result may be completely different than in the bottle or on the sample paper.  Personally I have to buy very citrusy, fresh, or floral scents because everything smells twice as sweet once it hits my skin.  That means NO vanilla, NO baby powder scents.  If I go that route I end up smelling like a baby's bottom.  (not quite what I'm going for)  My next fragrance purchase will definitely be Marc Jacobs Lola:

I mean, really-how beautiful is that bottle?  And it smells amazing!  You can find Lola at Ulta.com

The other day I read a very interesting article in Vogue about the whole "Perfume Polygamist" controversy.  The lady writing the article was talking about how our scent helps to define us.  It is a scent our children hold on to, our husbands (hopefully) look forward to snuggling with, and our friends are comforted by when they cry on our shoulder.  This lady was going through some huge changes in her life and had decided to try a new scent to help her redefine her new life.  She struggled for days, smelling hundreds of scents, second-guessing herself and her fragrance choices until she finally settled on one.  And even though I have never gone through quite that intense of an experience with my scent, I can definitely relate.

I can remember smelling my mom's perfume as she sprayed it delicately on her wrists and neck before going out with my father when I was little.  It is the same scent she wears today, and on days when I am blue or just need a hug that scent is like cozy blanket, enveloping me with its familiarity. 

Our scents do help to define us, but I don't think they have to be quite so permanent.  I like knowing I can wear a happy, citrus scent on sunny days, and an exotic floral fragrance on date nights with my husband.  Insh'Allah my daughter will remember my smell with the same fondness as I remember my mom's, and also be comforted.

So, if you have been waiting for an excuse to take that plunge and look for a new fragrance, I found this great online quiz where you can find your Signature Scent according to your personality. What Is Your Signature Scent?  I'm not sure I would blindly follow it, and order a bottle online without smelling it first, but who knows-it's worth a try!

Ma'Salaama and Happy Spritzing!

Fashionably Yours,

The (Light Blue-loving) Mujahada in Prada