YOUNG.

When I was young, before I got married, myself and many others, when we were going out, we would pop into our local large chemist. In the large chemist myself and many others would always go to the perfume section, and spray ourselves liberally with our favourite perfume. Everyone we knew did it, our age. Those fabulous samples were there, to be sprayed, to be enjoyed and for those who could afford it, it would help make that all important decision, of which one to buy for ourselves, for Mum or a friend.

There were SO many beautiful perfumes to choose from. Some of my favourites were, Le Jardin, Paris, with the little pink top, and Anais Anais.

In my 30’s I met a friend; she introduced me to Fendi and Beverly Hills, in the yellow and cream box. Her parents were wealthy, and these were perfumes she had given me as gifts. I still have Beverly Hills at home, to hand, not to use as perfume, but to use as a room spray, for when Nanny uses the cat litter! I have declared it as the strongest perfume in the world! Just one spray is enough!

I used to use, as I tried to find my signature perfume, before I got married, Giorgio Beverly Hills and Anais Anais.

After I got married, it became Giorgio Beverly Hills and Anais Anais. When I became pregnant, there was only one perfume that I could wear, without feeling sick and it was Anais Anais. I love this perfume SO much and I wear it every time that I leave the house. So, this was the only perfume that I wore. I was in my favourite store, TKMaxx a few years ago and in the reduced section I saw, Anais Anais, Premier Delice, sealed in the box for £4 I couldn’t believe my eyes. I took it home and WOW!!! It took my love for Anais Anais to another level, I didn’t even think that were possible, but it was. So, then that became my favourite perfume.

There is one other perfume though that can top Anais Anais, but it is far too expensive. I wanted to buy it for my 50th, but I couldn’t justify spending all that money. I wanted to buy it for my 55th again I just couldn’t spend all that money on one item. For my 60th I thought, just do it, you only live once!! But, by then it had gone up immensely, it was like it had doubled in price. So, I have decided, only if I won the lottery would I splash out and buy it. I see why Marilyn Monroe loved it.

About 6 years ago, a new colleguge started work, when I was working with her, she told me, “I have bought perfumes from Toni, they are copies, of the real thing,” I asked her, “How much did you pay for one?” Daisy told me, “Twenty-five pounds,” I was horrified, and said, “Personally I think that is a waste of your money, you could almost buy the real thing for that price!” I showed her my emergency perfume that I keep in my handbag, Yardley London that I buy sealed and from TKMaxx, and not from the reduced section for, £6. Daisy said, “I won’t buy copies again,” She had bought them for Christ mas gifts.

This morning Meghan told me, “I have had lots of compliments at work saying, “You smell nice,” I have replied, “Thank you, but I didn’t tell them what the perfume is called.”

Meghan went on to explain, “I really like a certain perfume, but it costs for the smallest bottle, £75 I have found a site, (She named the site) and for that copy it costs £25, for 100ml.” She is really pleased with it, and brought it down for me to spray a bit on myself, it did smell nice. Meghan said, “It lasts the whole day,” Well you can’t beat that! Personally, I would want to know what they put in it, that makes it last the whole day, I am sure I saw something on telly once, that made me think in the back of my mind, never to buy a copy perfume, but I could be wrong.

Each to his or her own.