Meow

The "synthetic" in this is so incredibly pronounced that it should have it's own note listed, but I love it because it is pure '90s scented My Little Pony plastic' synthetic. It's the girls toys that were fruit scented and is utterly adorable. (I should note that I am someone who enjoys smells such as pencil shavings, freshly printed book pages, and pleather here, so *this particular* synthetic note is not a bad thing to me! Though I should add I typically do not enjoy synthetic notes, especially if they make the perfume smell cheap which imo, and contrary to some, this doesn't). It is not a headachey synthetic to me. I never grew up with Meow, but this just reminds me so much of my childhood it's such a fun little nostalgia trip. It's comforting, soothing, and I would totally spray this before bed to help me wind down and settle. It's a very "soft and fluffy" fragrance. Absolutely as cozy as a kitten, so the choice of bottle is very apt! Ari or Sweet Tooth can feel too loud, but Meow leans much softer, and also more fruity than gourmand to my nose. I don't detect any similarity between Kayali Marshmallow or Yara at all; Sweet As Candy? Maybe a little, though Meow has more personality and complexity imo. That top pear note really comes through strong at first but remains present throughout the whole duration of wear, settling into a very mellow powderiness. I don't get "cupcake" at all. More like some healthy fruit pieces in a cute little bowl with a little sugar sprinkled on top than any kind of rich dessert. It's dainty. Lasting power is not good. The cat head top does not securely fit my bottle and keeps falling off! I have resorted to just not even bothering with the cat head top because it is pointless but that makes me sad. :( I can see this being great for any season, but probably best suited for Winter, as Meow has a cool freshness to it that really compliments the cold.

*ini review saya tulis di kaskus tahun 2013* Setelah sukses dengan parfum pertamanya “Purrs”, Katy Perry tampaknya tidak membutuhkan waktu lama untuk meluncurkan parfum keduanya yang bernama “Meow”. Nama meow sendiri terinspirasi dari hewan favorit Katy Perry yaitu kucing, bahkan botolnya pun berbentuk kucing berwarna pink-ungu pucat dengan mata terbuat dari kristal, hmmm bener-bener bentuk yang unik *baca: aneh* untuk sebuah botol parfum ~ehehe. Back to the scent, wangi yang saya tangkap saat pertama kali menyemprot parfum ini adalah wangi segar buah yang berasal dari pear & tangerine di-mix dengan manis dari vanilla. Sayangnya tidak ada perubahan notes dalam parfum ini atau biasa disebut linear, hanya wangi pear & tangerine saja yang berangsur-angsur memudar diganti dengan vanilla yang semakin intense seiring berjalannya waktu. White floral yang dijanjikan Meow pun sama sekali tidak tercium batang hidungnya (?) padahal Jasmine & Gardenia terkenal sangat menusuk dalam sebuah parfum, tapi entah dimana mereka bersembunyi sampai tidak tercium jejaknya. -.- Nothing special? Yes. Boring? No! walau parfum ini tergolong linear tapi jangan dulu kecewa dengan wangi parfum ini karena perpaduan dari tiga notes tersebut benar-benar pas dan wanginya sama sekali tidak membosankan, saya pribadi lumayan suka dengan wangi vanilla yang lembut di parfum ini. Sweet candy like, cuddly, and fresh mungkin itu kata-kata yang tepat untuk parfum ini. Sangat cocok buat cewek ABG untuk dipake ke sekolah, hang out, atau buat ngedate, karena tipe parfum ini ringan dan segar jadi Meow sangat aman untuk dipake di segala kondisi. Update: ini parfum ngingetin sama Mont Blanc - Signature, gak 100% sama tapi punya vibe yang sama. Meow lebih strong di fruity vanilla, sedangkan Signature lebih soft & ada wangi bunga nya.

Seeing as I'm on my third bottle of this, perhaps I ought to review it! This was my first non-Demeter purchase five years ago, and it's still one of my favorites! It's a soft, subtle, floral vanilla. Quite sweet, but not an "edible" fragrance like most of my gourmands. I love how it can stand alone, or layer nicely with my other favorites. It is not strong, but as a migraineur, I appreciate that... this has never triggered a migraine! I've also found that it lasts for DAYS on a sweater! On me, there is only the faintest hint of fruit, and only in the first 15 minutes or so... but the drydown is warm and subtle. Apparently, I like "young" fragrances, but I am nearly 50 and prefer to wear what makes me happy, and leave labels to the back of the box! I have tried several of the "smells like" fragrances as well... at least on my skin, here is how they compare: * Delicious Cotton Candy: Smells similar, but with more fruity notes and something sharp - possibly the licorice. Nice, but not quite as soft and fluffy. * Yara: I can see the similarity, but if Meow were a soda Yara would be the sugar-free counterpart. I smell distinct notes in Meow, versus general concepts in Yara... and Yara is buried in a powerful powder cloud, where Meow smells fresh and sweet. * Sweet Tooth: another cavity-inducingly sweet fragrance, but it's lacking the floral prettiness of Meow. This is what I imagine a "foodie" version of Meow would smell like. Loved this one, but couldn't wear it due to skin sensitivities. * Sweet Like Candy: this could be Meow's cousin. It's a similar fragrance, but where Meow is subtle and soft, this one was powerful and less demure. It's nice, but Meow is nicer.

So I'm *finally* getting around to trying Meow after being head-over-heels in love with Purr for 6 years, and I see by some of the recent reviews here that Meow is being discontinued(?!)- why, oh why did I wait so long? This is a delicious confection of a fragrance, very gourmand-smelling indeed, despite not having many actual gourmand notes listed. The vanilla is definitely what I get the most strongly, but rather than smelling like straight vanilla, it takes on kind of a cotton-candy/marshmallow scent for me, sometimes with a hint of something like praline candy. Very sugary, yes- but not what I would call cloyingly so; it somehow still manages to feel light and fresh, not overwhelming. It's a soft and fluffy kind of sweetness. I also get a little musk, a little pear, and some lovely white flowers (especially honeysuckle!) that are most prominent in the opening before the dessert vibe takes over. Despite it smelling mainly like candy, I don't agree with reviews saying that Meow is only appropriate for very young girls; anyone with a sweet tooth can appreciate this. Equally sugary perfumes like Prada Candy smell similar, but don't get stereotyped as being for teens & tweens because they're packaged differently and cost much more. Meow is like being wrapped in a pink cloud- an instant mood lifter! I still prefer Purr for an everyday/signature scent, but this is definitely a new love, and I'm so glad I finally decided to try it before it was too late- I've already got my backup bottle! UPDATE: 10/3/21 Make that *two* backup bottles!

A PEAR & CUSTARD tart! A burst of sweet & citrus-y white florals opens this beauty and transitions to a creamy custard and pear heart with aquatic and caramel touches. Becomes more gourmand as it dries down onto a sandalwood-vanilla base. Very sweet but the fresh, aquatic touches keep it from becoming cloying. Contrast to Irresistible EDP Givenchy: These are different scents, but there are some similarities with gourmand pear and this is the most similar scent to Irresistible that I've smelt. Meow has a touch more caramel and is more pear & custard tart with caramel drizzle, while Irresistible is more whipped pear. Contrast to Purr Katy Perry: This sister scent has some similarities with the fruity florals over creamy gardenia. Purr has a combination of fruity florals that reads more violet over creamy gardenia, while Meow reads more pear over creamy gardenia. Overall: Average performance and requires a few weeks/months (6 months is ideal) in dark storage after first sprays get 2-3 hours of projection and then gradual contraction for a total of about 6-7 hours total. Before that you get a strong opening burst that projects well for up to an hour and then becomes a skin scent for another 2 hours. Easy to wear and affordable, this is a perfect introductory gourmand for those who don't mind storing it, and smoothly blended enough to satisfy more refined noses. It's a love for me. Enjoy!