Sweet Anthem: Molly

 Molly, Molly, Molly...Hmmm.  Molly (of Sweet Anthem's Spring Preview Collection) was so difficult to describe, that she single-handedly caused me to take a blogging hiatus.  What am I smelling in this bottle?

Seriously, Molly is so out of my league, but I forced myself to smell it night after night and reapply it to myself.  Finally I realized that Molly is a spice-based scent, and I have no idea what's going on with spice-based scents.  Honestly, I can't tell a patchouli from a ylang ylang (which may cause you to question why I even bother to write reviews on perfume scents -- it's because most women can't tell the difference either.  But we know what cinnamon smells like.)  Anyway, Molly is a spice-based scent, and that's about all I can tell you.

Here's an important crash course in perfume terminology (that I just learned, myself).

Top Notes - This is what you smell right when you apply the perfume.  They're strong scents that evaporate quickly.  (Note: this is not the scent right out of the bottle.  I don't think that has a name.  In fact, you shouldn't even admit that you smell perfume straight out of the bottle, because it smells different after you apply it, depending on your own personal body chemistry).  Top notes are most important for selling a perfume.  If you really want to get a good idea of a scent, though, you should wear it for a while before buying it.

Middle Notes (Heart Notes): This is what you smell after a few minutes of wearing a perfume (after the top notes have evaporated).  You have, perhaps, 30 minutes with this scent, so if you really like it and want someone special to smell it, you'd better plan ahead!  These smells are usually a little less in-your-face.

Base Notes: This is the real base of the perfume (thus the name).  After 30 minutes or so, this is the scent that will stick around, sometimes up to 24 hours.  To smell a base scent, you really have to get right up to the skin and smell, but it's usually a nice soft smell, which is good, because it'll be around for a little while.

Now, back to Molly.

Here's what Sweet Anthem says about her:

Oh, have you seen Miss Molly? Her cheeks are pearly white and her lips are soft as flowers. Oh me, oh my, Miss Molly, will you stay with me for hours? — A soft, floral perfume with hints of musky, murky mystery.

Absinthe, Cognac, Gardenia, Musk*, Patchouli, Pear, Pipe Tobacco, Teak.

Now, I don't know about you, but I have no idea what any of those things smell like--well, except for Gardenia and Pear--so I'm doing this based on her description.

Straight out of the bottle (don't tell anyone we did that) Molly is full of spicy goodness, if you're into that sort of thing.  It's complex, with a hint of floral in the background.  Honestly, my nose was confused.

Top notes are mostly the same.  Molly smells a little sweeter once applied, but the spiciness is strong.  Sorry, but it's not my thing, really.  As time passes, the floral seems to fade and the spiciness lingers.  Last thing I recall of Molly was whatever spicy scent it was in the base note.  Tobacco?  Sure, maybe.  I don't really know.

All I know is that I've dutifully reported on Molly, and now I'm really curious to sniff all of those scents in their pure form.  What was I smelling?