So I was putting on my deodorant (and antiperspirant...they just so happen to be in the same container/tube) and I decided to take a nice long whiff. It had a flowery, fruity sweet smell. I turned it around to read what it was that I was smelling considering I had forgotten what I bought at the store months ago.
Rain Kissed Water Lily
That is my flavor.
It got me thinking. What exactly does a rain kissed water lily smell like? Has anyone gone out after a nice gentle rain to a pond, waded out to a water lily and smelled it? Did they get water in their pants while doing so? As I pondered these complex questions, I thought about what a rain kissed water lily SHOULD smell like.
Most people have smelled the air right before a big storm or spring rain. I can't explain the smell exactly but it is similar to wet dirt. Wet dirt smell is like when you open a bag of warm, fresh, moist top soil you potted plants in, only less concentrated. So take your bag of top soil and spread it across the earth. That is what rain kissed smells like to me.
Now let's work on the water lily. Has any of my readers smelled a water lily? I have a water lily back home in our fish's pond. Just to let you all know THAT one does not smell. Looks beautiful...just no scent pours forth from the delicate pale pink petals. You can smell the fishy smell similar to smelling Lake Michigan water (a rather outdoorsy smell than a deterrent smell) but no fragrance from the delicate bloom.
So the question exists...does any water lily really have a perfumey scent? Upon further research using google and wikipedia, the answer is yes. Its name: Nymphaea odorata aka...dun dun duuuuunnnn.....Fragrant Water Lily or.....Beaver Root whhhaaattt??? Somehow Beaver Root has no resemblance to Fragrant Water Lily. But that is just me.
Ok, so we confirmed that a fragrant water lily DOES exist and it is called some weird unfragrant names. But honestly, people, has anyone smelled that flower after a rain? And can rain even kiss? Fairies can...I don't know about rain.
But, my readers, Rain Kissed Water Lily is not the only flavor that doesn't seem to make sense. What about Old Spice Swagger? How does anyone know what swagger smells like? To me, when I hear swagger I think of a rustic, scruffy bearded pirate who reeks of stale old rum and urine. Swagger.
I will admit, it does smell godly.
Secret has a lot of "don't make sense" smells. "Green Euphoria"? Sounds like deodorant just took some acid. Degree is a little more conservative until you go to their "Girl" series. "Love"? "Just Dance"? As far as I heard in some songs, love actually stinks. And just dance reminds me of sweat. So not exactly scents that I would like to wear. The men's side is just as funky (excuse the smelly description-AH HA HA...that was a joke). "Adventure" and "V-12" makes me think of FlapJack the cartoon and a diesel truck engine. I don't know what Flapjack smells like but a diesel engine is not something I want to cuddle up next to.
Let this blog not discourage you from wearing deodorant/antiperspirant. Believe me, you are not an aura of smell good when you don't wear it. I have experienced it. I have been to Europe several times. Some people over there do not wear any type of scent but B.O. aka body odor. When I was in Ireland on a bus ride to the Wicklow National Park, there was a girl about my age there from Bologna who probably didn't shower in two days and didn't have deodorant/antiperspirant. I was nauseous the whole way until I got some nice fresh Ireland mountain air. Then I had to ride the way back.
Nothing, and I repeat NOTHING beats the smells of World Youth Day. World Youth Day is a gathering of youth from around the world in one concentrated spot to celebrate being Catholic and to see the pope. It can get very crowded. Talk about some interesting smells. One time, my group was standing on a subway going somewhere. We were packed in there. By packed I mean clown car packed. Like sardines. You got to know your neighbor very well. Riding on a subway means to brace yourself on poles and loops from the ceiling which would, if you are not familiar with riding subways, would require you to raise you arm exposing the arm pit. We were surrounded by armpits who hadn't seen a cool, refreshing breeze probably since three days ago. And nothing stopped the heavy smell from escaping and lingering in front of our noses. I looked over at my brother whose nose was practically bumping into some Italian's hairy armpit by the jolts of the subway car.
One tradition of world youth day is to trade things. You can bring medals or cards or gifts from your state, country etc. I brought some cards and medals. I should have brought travel size deodorant/antiperspirant. "Here! A gift from the Americas!!!"
Anyway, place your deodorant/antiperspirant on your underarms. Don't be afraid to wave hello, fully extending your arm into the air. Be proud to smell like rain kissed water lily.
Until next time,
The wonderfully scented,
Magpie.
