Cool by Ralph Lauren

This was the first fragrance I ever purchased for myself at age 16 or 17 with the money I was making bussing tables at a pizzeria in a strip mall called Vito’s. I drove myself to the actual glorious mall in my black 1980 Cadillac Deville, went to the Macy’s beauty counter and made this my signature scent for junior and senior year of high school. I still remember the fleeting moments of this on my skin as it quickly became covered up by the smell of bong rips in my Jessica McClintock prom dress.

This was when all I wanted to smell like was a freshly washed ponytail, heavily conditioned in Herbal Essences (original formula, duh.) I was chasing a dream never to be fulfilled by a fruity floral. This reminds me of a time when a year felt like an eternity of built up wisdom and experience. When a year could be full of firsts that differentiate you from the girl who hadn’t touched a penis to the girl that HAD. You only get a few years that are inundated with firsts that feel life-altering in a My So-Called Life kind of way, and I CANNOT forgive my past self for choosing such a generic, sporty fragrance to mark them. However, I will never forget.

Notes include nectarine, kiwi, watermelon and cucumber. Then honeysuckle, lily-of-the-valley, lemon and lime with vetiver. In real life you will smell like that tentative sip of Watermelon Smirnoff Ice at your first basement party.