| It seems that launching a signature scent has become | | | | Glow which has spurred celebrity perfumes on but |
| the norm as celebs expand their options and it's no | | | | these days, they seem to be churning them out at an |
| wonder - who wouldn't want a slice of this multi-billion | | | | alarming rate. Mariah Carey is about to launch the |
| dollar industry? But don't be too quick to judge celebrity | | | | follow up to 'M' with Mariah Carey's Luscious Pink and |
| perfumes. While many fail to impress beyond the initial | | | | Jessica Simpson is releasing Fancy. In the UK, B-list |
| hype, some actually do stand the test of time. After all, | | | | celebrities are also getting in on the action. We've had |
| the proof is in the smelling and if you like a particular | | | | Kerry Katona with Outrageous and Jade Goody has |
| fragrance, it doesn't really matter whose name is | | | | just announced a follow up to her previous fragrance, |
| attached to it. Or does it? | | | | Shh… Jade Goody, with a new one called |
| Let's take Britney Spears and all her troubles as a | | | | Controversial. Now is it just me or does it seem like |
| perfect example. Now I wouldn't normally go out of my | | | | fragrance manufacturers are simply working their way |
| way to try Britney's perfume but working as I do in the | | | | through the dictionary as they name these |
| industry means that I get to try perfumes irrespective | | | | fragrances? To be fair though, as I said in the |
| of my personal preferences. And you know what, I | | | | beginning, the proof is in the smelling so I guess I'll just |
| actually quite like Britney's Curious (although I am partial | | | | have to test these fragrances before passing |
| to almost any vanilla-based fragrance). I've tried | | | | judgement. |
| introducing Curious to friends and although some of | | | | Similar to celebrity fragrance but slightly different is |
| them have liked it, they would never admit to wearing | | | | celebrity endorsement. This is where a celebrity lends |
| a Britney perfume. So it just goes to show, celebrity | | | | his or her face (and very often body) to a particular |
| endorsement doesn't always guarantee a winner. | | | | fragrance brand. This is a win-win situation for both the |
| Nevertheless, celebs know a money-spinner when | | | | brand (they retain branding of the product while still |
| they see one and continue to jump on the fragrance | | | | benefiting from the celebrity's status and ability to sell) |
| bandwagon. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying | | | | and the celebrity who gets money and much needed |
| that all celebrity perfumes are just about making | | | | exposure. But this isn't always a win for the consumer |
| money without any real commitment to the product. I | | | | and you have to wonder how many manufacturers |
| like to believe that some celebs do actually have an | | | | rely on celebrity endorsements to sell fragrances |
| interest and in some cases, even a personal say in the | | | | which would normally be seen as quite ordinary. A |
| creation of their fragrances. JLo for example (another | | | | recent example would be Davidoff's Adventure which |
| of my favourite brands incidentally) makes quite a lot | | | | used Ewan "Long Way" McGregor as its face but |
| of the fact that each one of her fragrances | | | | was panned by critics as being "anything but |
| represents an aspect of her own life and personality | | | | adventurous". As with celebrity fragrances however, |
| and I for one believe her. Let's face it, in celeb | | | | you can't write off a fragrance simply because it has |
| fragrance terms, JLo is an experienced professional, | | | | celebrity endorsement and I for one am looking |
| having launched her first fragrance, Glow, back in 2002. | | | | forward to the release of Estée Lauder's Sensuous |
| But I think that she's the exception rather than the rule | | | | which, although promoted by no less than four celebs |
| and I think most celebs are happy to sprout the | | | | (Elizabeth Hurley, Carolyn Murphy, Hilary Rhoda and |
| marketing blurb that's been written for them. | | | | Gwyneth Paltrow) promises to be Estée Lauder's |
| I'm sure it's the success of fragrances like JLo's Miami | | | | most exciting release in recent years. |
