I’ve had enough cold weather and oppressive daily life, so I ran away to Disney World for a few days.
Growing up, I was never really a Disney fan. And I didn’t visit a Disney theme park until I was like 30. And to my surprise, I loved it. And probably for reasons nobody cares about. I’m amazed by their efficiency, planning and attention to all details. And their AI and technology! But, anyway. I like Disney for geeky reasons. Plus, I like Dole Whips.
I was one of those kids that didn’t really like Disney because the stories were too sad and/or I couldn’t relate to princesses. However, I did love the villains (my poor family). And I loved Fantasia (once again, my poor family).
I thought it would be fun while I’m away at Disney World to scent the villains:
URSULA
I loathed The Little Mermaid as a kid. It was such a weird story to me that this teenager would want to leave everyone just to have legs and have to kiss some guy she didn’t know. How could she abandon Flounder like that? I was obsessed with Ursula, like totally obsessed because my favorite colors were black and purple. And she had those cute eels and the best songs. I must have been a terrible child, because I was totally like “Ariel signed up for that. You don’t go to seawitches unless you expect to lose something, ya know“. And I mean, she was based on Divine with a script meant for Bea Arthur. She is THE BEST Disney villain ever.
I’m being so obvious, but Ursula most definitely smells like the sea. So, I want her to smell like my favorite aquatic, HEELEY Sel Marin. It’s a briny aquatic that exaggerates the lightness/darkness of the sea. But, I guess Demeter Sushi could work too.
I KNOW that she has to have a bottle of Mugler Angel in her lair. Ursula is based on a drag queen and let me tell you, drag queens are always wearing Angel (or Aquolina Pink Sugar). And I mean, it does fit her. It’s a gourmand patchouli. Now that I think about it, Angel is totally a Disney Villain of perfume.
CRUELLA De VIL
This was the villain that I sympathized with that frankly should have made my parents send me to a shrink. I seriously felt bad for her. Like she was wealthy but so lonely and bitter. But, she was so stylish and had beautiful things. I felt like she was really misunderstood and there was much more to her. When I was a kid, all I wanted to wear was animal prints, so yeah, I loved her style. Looking back, she’d make a really good spokesperson for PETA, because it’s like why is this fur more acceptable than a dalmatian fur coat? See, Disney wants us to think.
I feel like this villain would wear any of these:
Dana Tabu – I feel like a fur wearing Cruella would be rocking the vintage version of this “hooker” perfume. The name fits. The musky, animalic notes fit. It works.
Chanel Cuir de Russie – You know that Cruella was either Coco’s BFF or her worst enemy. I just know that Cruella is the sort of woman that would straight up steal your signature scent.
Malle Carnal Flower – This is only because I’m getting Cruella confused with Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. But, I do think Cruella would benefit from a really icy tuberose.
Basically, Cruella is going to smell like perfume-perfumes mixed with cigarettes and leather. She’s crazy but you must admit she has good style and you know she smells good.
QUEEN GRIMHILDE AKA EVIL QUEEN
Back in the pre-selfie days, the Evil Queen must have seen really vain. These days, she seems sort of normal once you exclude all the dark magic and trying to kill her stepdaughter stuff. The Evil Queen changed the game when it comes to witches and evil stepmoms portrayed in popular culture. She’s gorgeous, possibly inspired by Old Hollywood European beauties like Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich. She made the story of Snow White; all of the other characters seem so boring in comparison to her.
Dior Hyptonic Poison. Because, I’m Madame Obvious, OK. The apple, the poison…but the fragrance actually fits her character too. Honestly, I can’t imagine her wearing anything else.
MALEFICENT
Oh, how I loved her! She was crazy, but I seriously felt so bad for her. They didn’t invite her. That was shady. Like, don’t be shady to a person known as “The Mistress of All Evil”. That’s basic common sense.
I’ve always thought of Maleficent when I’ve worn By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses. It’s a jammy rose entagled in thorns that reminds me of her spell.
Otherwise, I see a villain like Maleficent wearing a really dark patchouli like Roxana Illuminated Perfumes Fig. 1 Noir, which is the deepest, darkest patchouli that I know. I guess, I just see her in her isolated castle in the woods wearing some dark woodsy stuff or maybe a really mossy chypre.
JAFAR
My feelings about Jafar are really neutral. Aladdin was one of those stories that didn’t draw me in even though I thought Jasmine was the most beautiful princess of my youth. I don’t have much to say about Jafar other than you know he smells amazing as f*ck. He’s bathing in the most expensive roses and ouds and putting all of us to shame. In fact, if I could steal the hypothetical perfume collection of any Disney villain, it would be Jafar’s.
EDGAR BALTHAZAR
This story was about cats and a crazy cat lady (Aristocats) so I was all about it growing up even if some of those characters were terrible tropes. Anyway, poor ole Edgar Balthazar. He didn’t play his cards right and got completely written out of that diva’s will by his own brash stupidity. You know Edgar smells like a few splashes of Brut before he ends up just throwing that bottle back and drinking it up. He’s passed out in some hotel-by-the week somewhere.
GASTON
Belle was basically screwed one way or another. She could be Stockholm’d by a beast or get with a jealous narcissistic macho jock. It was really some slim pickings in those fictional French villages back then. Gaston was one of those characters that was difficult for me. I hated him but I also sympathized. I mean, this woman he loved was in his mind kidnapped by a beast so he wanted to kill this “animal” like he kills all other animals. He’s a total jerk but it’s hard to not feel sorry for him. Only slightly sorry, but still, I felt bad for him. I mean, let’s blame the patriarchy for Gaston’s issues and move on.
You know Gaston is wearing CREED Aventus, because of course he would.
LADY TREMAINE
Oh, I can’t even with this petty heifer. She’s a passive-aggressive manipulator that puts women against other women. GAH, I hate her. She’s cold, she’s calculated and not suspicious. These are the sort of “everyday” villains that give me the heebie jeebies.
She’s so uptight and so “good”, that I bet she doesn’t wear any perfume. And when she does you know it’s something suffocating like Elizabeth Arden Red Door. She basically wears whatever some mean woman in your past wore be it a teacher, neighbor or strict auntie.
CHERNABOG
Most people have no clue who this is but he was that totally heavy metal demon in Fantasia. He was truly everything. I think he smells like LUSH Breath of God or something else that’s so huge and too intimidating for mere mortals to wear.
DR. FACILIER
If Dr. Facilier was a “thing” when I was a kid, I would have been obsessed. There’s voodoo, hoodoo and fashion. His backstory was underdeveloped but I like him. He’s not that corrupt for anyone wanting to rule a city. And when you don’t have money, you get obsessed with money. With dance moves like his, it’s really difficult to not like him.
Really I can just scent him as the obvious which is Urania Sietes Machos soap, some orange blossom or Florida Water cologne and a vanilla Swisher Sweets blunt. I basically just described all my college guy friends and they weren’t him. So, back to the drawing board…
So, how would you scent these Disney Villains? If you could get a “celeb” perfume of any of the villains, who would it be? And of course, who’s your favorite Disney Villain?
I’m going to ride Haunted Mansion and enjoy sunshine, so talk amongst yourselves 😉 Oh, did you know they sell perfume here? They have seriously thought of everything.
*Villans are all from Disney Wiki. Nordstrom and perfume.com contain affiliate links.
Oh my goodness, this brightened my day right up! I loved Disney movies as a kid, and I don’t have any kids of my own, but I still enjoy watching them sometimes. I always liked the bad guys, too, but mostly because I thought their songs were the best (“Be Prepared,” anyone?).
Fantasia and Alice in Wonderland were my absolute favorites (still are), but the Lion King and Pocahontas were up there, too. That means I need to add the Red Queen (I’m sure she’d wear something that’s purely red roses and nothing else) and Governor Ratcliff (I’m imagining LOTS of powder) to the list.
🙂
My nephews are still small but they are just now getting into Disney movies. Apparently, they really love Finding Nemo right now.
Fantasia is brilliant. Actually the trip to Disney World really reinforced that for me. It’s gorgeous. There must have been some licensing issue or something when I was growing up but I never saw Alice in Wonderland which is a shame because I’m all over that story.
I think BPAL made a Red Queen perfume years ago. It was one of the few that I’ve bought from them but it’s this hyper-real, velvety red rose. It was perfect for her!
Yes, I see Ratcliff being very powdery!
I absolutely love this article!
The Evil Queen from Snow White has so much style! I didn’t know she had a name.
Please update on any perfumes you see/smell/purchase there 🙂
She was so glamorous and she really does have a certain Garbo-esque look/styling to her.
So, Epcot has perfume in basically all of the pavilions. So, they carry brands that you would expect for each country (larger brands). And there’s an entire Guerlain boutique! My friend bought a Habit Rouge gift set. “Italy” had Bvlgari exclusives and I need to look up the name of the ones I liked, same with Givenchy.
As far as my own shopping, I didn’t do too much except in “France”. They had these cheaper single note perfumes and bar soaps that I haven’t seen before. I really liked them and ended up with rose, iris and “cologne” ones. They were all linked to a historical figure, very cute.
Oh, I love this post, nice selection of villains and perfumes 🙂
For some reason, I think Cruella would smell terrific in PG Felanilla – it smells like fur and chic at the same time!
I can totally see Felanilla and Cruella 🙂 Even its name seems to fit: “Felanilla by Cruella” has a certain special ring to it!
Hadn’t thought about it until I saw this post, but now I just know that Maleficent would go for Cartier’s Le Baiser du Dragon. 😉
Really, that’s perfect. She’d approve of that bottle too 😉
Oooh! always love these sorts of questions! 😀
I’m definitely with you on Gaston wearing Creed Aventus! And Jafar’s perfume collection is sure to be amazing… I’m not very fond of roses as you know, but I’m sure he’d have a wealth gorgeous attars that I could enjoy!
Hypnotic Poison has nothing evil in it at all for me… way to cuddly. So for me some other Poison would be more appropriate for the Evil Queen, maybe the original Poison, or Pure Poison…
For Cruella… Yeah, I think a cold tuberose like Carnal Flower or Tubereuse Criminelle would suit her. Or a cold, dry or fresh animalic. Or something mossy, I’m feeling like oakmoss is Cruella’s thing. Dry mossy animalic = Paloma Picasso maybe…? Or the legendary Djedi? Cruella was my favorite disney villain when I was little. I think it was her style! 😉
For Maleficent I definitely feel like a rose would be suitable… but I just can’t think of the perfect rose. Maybe an incensy rose, but I stay away from those so I couldn’t tell you which. But I do think that an icy iris might work well for her too, like Iris Silver Mist. Or indeed something with a bit of a dark mossy forest vibe… I’m suddenly thinking that Vol de Nuit might be Maleficent’s signature!
Ursula is most definitely wearing something almost disturbingly aquatic. I’m thinking seaweed here! Maybe Olympic Orchids Salamanca… seaweed, clay and leather!
Other Disney villains that I’m rather fond of:
– Hades. There was just something about that guy! I think he would wear a properly fierce cold smoky leather… TF Tuscan Leather maybe.
– Captain Hook. He comes off as a bit of a vain one, doesn’t he… Almost a bit dandy! So I think he would wear something unexpectedly floral, on the feminine side of unisex. Maybe one of the Tauer roses…
Hypnotic Poison – It’s more about the symbolism. Like apples and cyanide, all that good stuff 😉
Cruella – I was so close to putting Paloma Picasso on there. I see her rocking something like that. Plus, I totally see her wearing Paloma Picasso jewelry.
Maleficent – From everyone’s comments, this is another Villain’s scent wardrobe that I’d like to raid!
Hades – I actually never knew that Hercules was a Disney movie. I guess, it was past my generation. My sister’s are more than 10 years younger than me and they were all about Pocahontas and Mulan. I take it Hercules was released after those?
Captain Hook – All the male villains are dandy, Disney was always saying something…Peter Pan is another one of those that I never saw. I think it and Alice in Wonderland were not re-released during my time so I totally missed out on those. I got stuck with the baggage of Dumbo, oh joy! Thanks, Disney. lol
I’ve watched most of the Disney movies as an adult. I think the only one I had the opportunity to watch as a kid was The Lion King. Some others, like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Beauty and the Beast, I knew through books but never saw the movies. It certainly shows that I am an 80s child because I just looked up a list of Disney movies and those mentioned were all released in the early 90s or thereabout. 😀 And my fascination with Cruella came from the 90s live-action movie and not the animation… I don’t remember Hercules from my childhood even though it was released in 97, I guess I wasn’t interested in Disney anymore by then.
I didn’t even realize Hunchback was a Disney thing either! The park was devoid of any reference!
I was prime “imprint” age with The Little Mermaid. And oddly, it didn’t do much for me, except want really red hair.
Oh, I love this post! Especially because I’ve always also really sympathized with the Disney villains. Villains are people too.
Completely agree with your choice for Ursula, and I think I would suggest Jasmin et Cigarette or Habanita for Cruella de Vil.
I think Disney did a great job with Maleficent with Angelina Jolie. It showed another side of a villain and it was really good. I think all of these characters have a backstory and I’m sure some are just evil for evil’s sake.
Those are great for Cruella!
The very first movie I saw was Snow White. And I told my mother, who was a tall, thin, pale, dark-haired elegant beauty who always wore red lipstick that I thought the wicked queen looked just like her. She was not pleased! But I meant it as a compliment! (My mother wore Shocking in those days.)
Haha! After visiting and seeing her image on a lot of things, she was gorgeous! I’d be flattered but then again, there’s that entire psycho tried to kill someone thing going on…
I hope you’re having a great time. I’ve never been to Disney. How sad is that? I always thought the villains were more interesting too. Great post.
I didn’t go until adulthood. We joke we are making up crappy childhoods. It’s one of those places that I like but at the same time, it can work my nerves. I do think people that went as kids have been “imprinted” more with it so they have an intense attachment. Anyway, it’s entertaining, there’s sunshine and they are all about multi-sensory experiences.
The park didn’t have too much villain-y things BUT I was reminded of what a great story Alice in Wonderland is and how fun the animation was for the Disney version.
WOW! I hope you are having a great time! I’ve always wanted to go to Disney World, but I do live close to the southern California park and have been there quite a few times. They have a perfume shop there, too! Last time I was there I bought Historiae’s Bouquet du Trianon. It was a nice surprise to find that shop!
As for villains: Ursula-I’m going to trust your judgement about beach/sea smells. Salty perfumes do not work for me so I stay away from them. Totally agree with Angel, though. Man, that is a LOUD perfume. I love me gourmands but that one gives me a headache. Too Much!
Cruella- Girl, what’s wrong with you? As kids, my brother and I hated Cruella. She wants to kill puppies. PUPPIES. I can kinda understand the other villains’ motives, but this one? Unforgivable. Anyway, she’d wear something animalic, leathery and/or musky. Something to attract animals, lol!
Evil Queen-Lolita Lempicka Eau de Parfum, if only for the bottle. Another one I wanted to love but gives me a major headache. But that was ten years ago so maybe I’ve outgrown the headaches, right? Right? That bottle is so pretty!
Maleficent- Fav villain! A dark rose with thorns- Etat’s Eau de Protection
Jafar- You are right, he would smell amazing! Some top-grade perfume from the Middle East that a mere mortal like me can only dream about!
Edgar-Haven’t seen Aristocats 🙁
Gaston- I imagine him wearing Brut but maybe that’s just word association. Hmm, he would probably think he smells pretty great on his own but on the other hand, he is French…
Lady Tremaine- I hate when people say “old lady scent” but I can totally picture some powdery iris from her. Maybe its the hair and the fondness for purple?
Chernabog- Fucking frightening. Whatever he smells like, I don’t want to know!
Dr. Facilier- BPAL! He would have a collection of those small apothecary vials. They have some Hoodoo-inspired scents, He would probably wear wolf’s heart (it smells great!). I seriously learn some of the best weird history stuff from Bpal.
That’s the perfume and bar soap that I bought too! It was on sale (like something on sale at Disney World, what???). Such a pleasant surprise!
Ursula – Dude, there was so much Angel at Disney World…so much Angel. I don’t know if it was the heat making that BOOM off of people’s skin. Or that they sell a rather large selection of Mugler or what. But, Angel was all around me.
Cruella – I don’t know, too me she sort of represented all things fashion and how that industry is frankly, abusive and deranged. I mean, I liked puppies growing up, but culturally I wasn’t from a family that liked dogs at all. Frink was my first dog, like the first dog that anyone in my family. So, the fact that they watched and loved them, that was a big deal.
Evil Queen – LL would be a good match too. It has those candy/licorice notes that are also enticing like that shiny red apple.
Maleficent – Oh, yes, anything with thorns!
Jafar – I want Jafar’s collection. I’m sure Jasmine has some great stuff too. I mean, she was a princess so you know that stuff was top grade!
Edgar – I think Aristocats is one of those that was re-released for a brief time. This is also the reason why I never saw Alice in Wonderland or Peter Pan 🙁
Gaston – haha, I did think something like Brut or Old Spice but you know, he’s French. So, he MUST wear something French. Or I guess, he would could also think his own BO smells ah-mazing.
Lady T – Totally hate that phrase too, but I think she sort of embodies that phrase to other people and what they mean when they say that about perfume. Personally I love a lot of stuff labeled that, but I get what people me…it’s usually some scent association.
Chernabog – For realz. I was actually surprised to see quite a few of his merch there. He’s so metal!
Dr. F – YES! They did the hoodoo scents which I think I saw reviewed on my Lipstick League sister’s blog, Hey Aprill. Anyway, he would be all about those little vials and I wouldn’t be surprised if he layered a few 🙂
[…] – Poor unfortunate souls…Victoria is “scenting” Disney […]
LOVE this post! I have always been a huge Maleficent fan. Now that you mentioned that Disney World has a Guerlain boutique I want to go!
Maleficent is so cool.
It does! And it’s adorable!
[…] – Poor unfortunate souls…Victoria is “scenting” Disney […]
[…] – Poor unfortunate souls…Victoria is “scenting” Disney […]