Avon has launched two new fragrances for him and her. The ad campaign is super lame. The fragrance is Jet and the tag line is “Let our new fragrances whisk you away to your own private escape without ever leaving home.” Yep, we’re in a recession. We now have to be so frugal with money that we have to purchase cheap, Avon fragrances and pretend we are doing something cool like flying? Personally, I hate flying. It is such a pain but that doesn’t keep me from leaving home. My imagination isn’t really that great at teleporting. I can close my eyes but I’m still stuck where I started. Anyways. Avon has launched Jet Femme and Jet Homme, classy with that French addition, huh? The ad campaign is a bit depressing and really is a sign of the times. Find luxury in cheaper things and just use your imagination to replace that vacation this year. Not even a vacation, just flying in general. It used to be that perfume had to give us a glimpse into exotic fantasies, like sultry nights in Morocco or the sparkling seas of Fiji. Now it is the exotic luxury of flying. The ad campaign has a lovely 35+ married couple kissing in front of an airliner. How romantic! I can’t tell if they are boarding it together or happy that they are going on separate planes. Or maybe one of them is the pilot and they are happy to have a job during the recession? Plus, who is flying exotic to? The 90+ crowd? Those young people and their jet planes…The bottles are so boring. They are little squares with a boring design. Both his and her bottles match. How is that for economical? Jet Femme EDT is a “shimmering blend of fresh grapefruit and tropical blooms over a sensual breeze of amber and exotic teak wood.” Here you go honey. No tropical vacation this year. Just a bottle of Jet. The fragrance isn’t repulsive but it sure isn’t interesting either. It is pretty boring and just smells like a generic citrus and woody floral cocktail. The price isn’t bad at $22.50 when not on sale for 1.7 oz. So, if you want to smell generic for less than department store brands then reach for this. Like, I’ve said, it isn’t horrible and is no worse than anything that Macy’s sells, it’s just not interesting. Plus, it doesn’t hang around too long. That could be viewed as a plus or a minus.

Jet Homme EDT actually isn’t too bad. It is a “crafted blend of Italian bergamot and fresh fig infused with exotic Egyptian incense and musky white cedar.” So, Jet Femme is an island escape and Jet Homme is a Mediterranean get away. It isn’t too bad. Of course, I am a sucker for fig fragrances. This is like a cruder, simplified, and watered down Diptyque Philosykos. Which sounds like an insult but it isn’t for $19.50 for 2.5 ounces when not on sale. Philosykos goes for $88 for 1.7 ounces. You can actually smell fig and white cedar in this. And like most men’s fragrance it doesn’t hang around too long but the base notes stick.

So, if you are terrified of the economy and still want to smell decent and not offensive than these are great. Just close your eyes and pretend you are on a crowded jet plane, knees rubbing against a fat stranger’s, ears popping, tired but can’t sleep with that crying baby whaling in your left ear, have to go pee but don’t want to jump over the fat man. It’s what you’re missing during this recession. So forget transporting to exotic and sun kissed Tahiti, just dream of that flight. It’s Jet.

*Product pic from Fragrantica.