Comparing Alice to Stella McCartney Stella

[SilverGarland]

Hi!

I had the chance to sniff Stella McCartney's Stella the other day, and I noticed right away that it smelled almost exactly like Alice, except for the fact that I detected a note of black licorice in Stella.

 

I went to Sephora to check, but Stella doesn't have black licorice in it at all...even though it smelled like it did when I snifed it. Could it have been the amber in it? I've never smelled amber before...is it anything like licorice?

 

Here are Stella's notes:

 

Notes:

Rose, Peony Flower, Mandarin, Rose Absolute, Amber.

Style:

Sensual. Intense. Feminine.

[darklorelei]

Amber is definately not like licorice. And I can't figure out what was licorice-y to you in that. Usually there's licorice or anise.

[fragrantgrasse]

I know that the description of fragrances on a perfume label can be nothing more than a list of compounded synthetic fragrance "notes" designed in a test tube to smell like the flower, spice or whatever.

 

It is possible that Stella has some licorice in it - or fragrance compound(s) designed to smell like licorice or more accurately, licorice-like.....

 

Fragrance design is a multi billion dollar business involving professional noses and fragrance compounds that are completely synthetic. A professional perfume laboratory can replicate anything - and the end result will smell exactly like the flower or spice - or whatever.

[tart]

Strange, I don't think Stella smells like Alice. I like it a lot, though...it's very smooth. There is a perfume insert for Stella in one of my magazines. I'll sniff it and report back.

[SilverGarland]

It is possible that Stella has some licorice in it - or fragrance compound(s) designed to smell like licorice or more accurately, licorice-like.....

Oooh, this makes sense. I didn't think of this before.

[darklorelei]

*Shrug* I avoid commercial perfumes like the plague because of the alcohol. I'd just assume that if the "note" was in it, they'd say so.

 

Of course, most people don't like (or think they don't like) anise/licorice.

 

 

 

edited to take out snarky bits.

Edited October 10, 2004 by darklorelei

[tart]

The ingredient list for Stella is different depending on which website you visit. Therefore, I research.

 

Man, this one is hard to find. Usually if I'm trying to find out what notes are in a perfume I'll come across one website that reveals everything. No luck with this one.

 

I've found that it has Bulgarian rose, mandarin, peony, rose absolute, and amber. Whether it has anise in it, we may not know for a while. When I sniffed Stella, I didn't think it smelled like Alice and I didn't smell licorice. To me, I think the strongest impression came from the mix of peony and rose.