Mainstream Monday: Sniffing a Popular Perfume
This winter hasn’t been that gruesome so I really shouldn’t complain. But, this past weekend I realized I that I am over winter. It was in the 60º+ range, sunshine and birds chirping…I realized I’m sick of wearing bulky coats and wool socks. I’m ready for spring.
This sudden awakening had me craving citrus perfumes. Suddenly, I wanted bright, airy scents. I ended up spraying on Tocca Stella¹, a perfume I remember smelling like juicy blood oranges.
Stella is a citrus floral. It opens with bright rays of orange juice. I was really enjoying bathing in it’s juicy rays of citrus sunshine. I went for a walk and decided I wanted to buy a bottle of sparkling wine. As I was paying the cashier, I smelled Britney Spears Curious, a perfume I haven’t sniffed in ages but always liked because it smelled like fancy shampoo and it’s “Britney, b*tch!”. I thought Curious was an odd choice for the cashier, but I loved the contrast. He’s probably a major Britney fan and I loved how he was rocking a cloud of white floral waterfalls.
Halfway home. Wait. It’s me. I smell like a celeb perfume launched a decade ago. Stella turns into an aquatic white floral – heavy on the waxy blossoms of freesia and gardenia. The heart is like a fancy shampoo that somehow manages to turn into a heady, humid lily. Stella’s theme is “fresh” and the florals are fresh out of the shower. The dry-down is one of those crisp, clean modern musks that manages to always smell radiant.
Notes listed include bitter orange, blood orange, watery accord, white freesia, diamond orchids, lily, musk and sandalwood. Launch date 2006.
Give Stella a try if you like sheer citrus florals. Or perfumes like Britney Spears Curious, Ralph Lauren Blue, Halle Berry Exotic Jasmine, Jennifer Lopez My Glow and/or Victoria’s Secret Body. Like I said, it really, really reminds me of Britney Spears Curious but arguably, Tocca’s is more sophisticated.
Projection is average. Longevity is below average. Or maybe I just become anosmic to those modern musks?
The 1.7 oz retails for $72 at Nordstrom and Sephora.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Oranges and yellow freesia. I’ll never wear a perfume like this even though I think it’s pretty. Most aquatic/citrus florals leave me with headaches, but Stella is actually pleasant to wear. It’s that fresh, citrus floral outline without having any of those “hissy”, high-pitched notes that these sort of florals have. If for some reason my preferences shift and I want to smell like prettier-than-reality freesia and oranges, I’ll wear Stella because it doesn’t leave me with a migraine.
¹Do you have any idea how much restraint it takes for me to write this without doing a single “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” joke? Do you?
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After reading your review, I dug out a Tocca sampler pack I had and tried Stella for myself. I can definitely envision a popular high school girl’s hair when I smell it. Also… Disney princesses? I’m listening to the pouring rain outside (I’m in Monterey, California) and trying to picture raindrops on lilies but I can’t; it’s too powdery or artificial or something. It’s pretty and girly but lousy for wearing while cooped up in the house, I think that the picture you chose illustrates it quite well! My sense of smell isn’t great (allergies) but Stella reminds me a little bit of Chloe, like a scratch n’ sniff sticker version maybe?
I hope nobody takes it wrong, but yes, popular girl’s hair. I 100% understand that association. I guess that’s why I can’t wear it. It makes me feel like I’m in some sort of preppy drag or something. Like it’s trying hard to be squeaky clean and pretty.
It really, really reminds me of Britney Spears Curious (which I have a mini of and did a side-by-side on paper blotters). Curious and Stella are def related. Curious has a vanilla base, but they seem related. That at Ralph Lauren Blue? Don’t know if you are familiar with that, but my sister says that is what the popular girl’s smelled like when she was in high school 😉
None of the Tocca’s have worked for me now that I think about it. They all made me feel like I was wearing somebody else’s clothes; living in somebody else’s house…wearing somebody else’s perfume!
And now I’m trying to remember if there is a freesia-centric perfume out there that I like…I love the flower but I can’t think of a perfume where it doesn’t smell artificial.
Have you ever tried Pacifica’s Tuscan blood orange? It smells very similar at a fraction of the price. I love it but I love citrus and roses. I hate patchouli(reminds me of rotting moldy wood) which is so often combined with Rose. Sad sigh 🙁 Any recommendations for a rose without patchouli?
I have. And I have a review posted 🙂 Sadly, the spray smells strawberries and pineapple juice on me. But, the body products and the solid perfume are juicy blood oranges. I thought that was so odd.
I’m really the wrong one to ask. I’m a patch-head with a high tolerance. I often think I don’t even notice the note anymore.
Have you tried Pacifica Persian Rose? It’s really pretty. The longevity isn’t great but I don’t complain at Pacifica’s price point. For a pretty “radiant” rose, I love wearing The 7 Virtues Nobile Rose of Afghanistan (great scent, great cause). And finally, Diptyque Eau Rose seems to be patchouli-free.
YES! I know this feeling exactly! Body Fantasies has a grapefruit body spray that I stumbled on and is really great. I have absolutely been rocking my own personal cloud of grapefruit this last week. No shame in my fragrance game! lol
I feel like I should check this out. I love a good cheap thrill. You have reminded me that I have a huge bottle of B&BW White Citrus (or something like that) which is a grapefruit goodness!