Candie's

I have a small amount of this left over. I haven’t used it in years but this past Autumn I spritzed it on and I was transformed back 20 years. I was also surprised at how this fragrance would fit in right now. I used pumpkin and apple scented body moisturizer and then this on top. Indulgent. Ironically I came across a modern version of this at a department store clearance area. I was curious so I bought it. The modern version is an abomination and smells nothing like the old. You might as well spray on straight apple cider vinegar. I already miss that original version.

My daughter bought this for me decades ago at a school Christmas "shop" and she was so proud to give it to me. So I wore it for her, and I liked it even if it wasn't exactly my style especially not then even more than now. Still it is lovely. I can't look at the bottle without feeling the most overwhelming love for that child who is now a grown woman. It smells very good actually. When I smell it I feel the same thing but even stronger.

I used to wear this scent when I was 19 until 25....it was citrus/floral and warm. I honestly love the nostalgia of this scent. It brings me back to carefree days a few years before my children were born. I’d love to get my hands on this again. I remember it being a “happy, bright, feel good scent”

Candie’s is the juiciest fruity fragrance I own. I bought it out of curiosity since it was so cheap, and I borderline love it. It is so far removed from my usual favorites, but it is delightful! It smells like a vibrant fruit punch or fruit salad on me. The floral notes linger in the background and play only a supporting role. Candie’s also surprisingly potent for such a cheapie. What a fun find!

I admit that I only bought this because I hoped I'd magically turn into Alyssa Milano (she was in the original ads) upon spritzing it on, so I bought it as soon as as I found it; I wore it even though I didn't like it, just because of Alyssa [in my defense, I was a teenaged Charmed fan at the time]... CANDIES did smell nice and fruity/fresh on first application, quite refreshing. I could really smell the peach as the standout note. The peach develops alongside hints of candied lemon and mandarin. I love peach & mandarin, so I did enjoy the top notes, despite them being overly sweetened. But the real trouble started when the heart notes started coming though and mixing with the top notes; it was way too much. The jasmine, gardenia and ylang-ylang are too strong, without adding the lingering syrupy sugared fruits. I couldn't pick any individual notes out; they all smacked me in the face at once. Then we get to the amber heavy and patchouli base. Sweet + heavy floral + more sweetness = migraine. The staying power was (unluckily for my head, and for classmates) very good for an edt at around 7 hours, plus you could pick a bottle of this up cheap (I think I paid around $10 at most). But I thought that the packaging was tacky, and the cap didn't fit on my bottle so I lost it quickly.

This page is for the Liz Claiborne version--if you are an Elder Millennial like me, you will remember a Candie's fragrance very different from this one. Candie's was once an edgy brand that was aware of their 1970s reputation (for wooden-soled heeled sandals that the "easy" girls wore to the disco/on a date/to church.) The commercials nodded to that history, and the perfume's scent matched the in-your-face girl power message they were sending in the 90's. How I regret throwing away my full-size bottle of the good (old) stuff--why did I do it?? Ahh, the mistakes of youth. Fragrantica has a separate entry for the original Candie's, the notes there show you what's missing from the Claiborne formula.

Do you guys remember the commercial for these? Spraying "down there" inside the pants!? ... I had this too but I don't remember what it smells like, I do remember that commercial though.