Mon, Jul 06, 2009

Accent

We sniff out several celeb-inspired scents

By Madeleine Marr
McClatchy Newspapers
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.24.2008
Still scrambling for a gift for the celeb lover in your life? A subscription to any of the splashy tabloids is always a good bet. But a scent is so much more intimate. Herewith, a few famous offerings:
Usher
What: "I wanted a fragrance that really evokes who I am and how I've evolved," Usher says of his new duo, UR for Men and UR for Women. His evolution involves going from pinup stud to daddy and hubby. "Phew," the abs remain the same.
Sniff, sniff: The men's scent sounds good enough to eat: Thai basil mixed with bay oil and nutmeg; the women's is juicier with pops of freesia and jasmine.
Antonio Banderas
What: "I'm obsessed with big smiles, a sense of humor, femininity," says Banderas about his Blue Seduction. "I want a woman to be a woman." Hopefully he's also still obsessed with wifey Melanie Griffith.
Sniff, sniff: With a raspberry base, BS is a bit sugary but, hey, proceeds go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Tim McGraw
What: "McGraw by Tim McGraw is just an extension of who I am," the sexy country star in the ever-present hat says about his just-launched fragrance. It's "a means of expressing myself and reaching out to people." Reaching out — could this mean a run for Tennessee governor soon?
Sniff, sniff: Woodsy-spicy with dashes of bergamot and nutmeg. The finishing touch: aged whiskey.
Gwen Stefani
What: Inspired by the electric street scene of Tokyo's shopping district, the Harajuku Lovers collection is too-too adorable. The five scents come in doll decanters, so it's ideal for your kid — although she'll want 'em all eventually.
Sniff, sniff: All (Love, Lil Angel, Music, Baby and G, for Gwen herself) are different. The G bottle, which resembles a cartoonish Gwennie, may end up as a collector's item, mark our words.
Jessica Simpson
What: "I wanted to create a pretty fragrance, one that I could be just as comfortable wearing on the red carpet or every day with my favorite jeans," the new auntie says of her debut scent, Fancy.
Sniff, sniff: Girly, with apricot nectar and sparkling pear and toasted almond. Probably not for the over-30 crowd.
Paris Hilton
What: "It's delicate in the morning, sensual during the day and seductive in the evening," says the heiress about her fifth perfume, Fairy Dust.
Sniff, sniff: Think about what the color pink smells like. This is it: peony, orange blossom, gardenia and vanilla creme. Dessert more than entree.
Patrick Dempsey
What: "The really fun part for me was discovering different layers of juices — the top note, the finish and all the science behind it," says Dempsey of Unscripted. He raided Barney's to find stuff he liked and then mixed 'em all up.
Sniff, sniff: Zingy, spliced with lavender, fig, cardamom and cracked black pepper. We hear all the hunks are spritzing it on the "Grey's Anatomy" set.