Realities Original

The OG, Liz Claiborne Realities, in the heavy, frosted glass cube bottle (topped by a smaller golden cube) with a green cube cap. This lovely peachy/green/herbal/floral juice comprised my youthful holy trinity of rotating signature scents; along with Lauren by Ralph Lauren and Liz Claiborne in the triangular glass bottle (or plastic triangle covered bottle) for 25+ years. A girl needed no others. I received numerous compliments back in the day, by women and men, on what a gorgeously rich and unique scent this was. The peach and herbal notes were prominent, yet exquisitely restrained blended and balanced. The vanilla base gave depth and richness that clung to my skin and clothes ALL day. Men especially found the sillage intoxicating as this scent could easily go from day to night (and oftentimes did.) I always received gift sets at Christmases and birthdays, so I stayed well stocked up on my three favs and all their accompanying lotions, splashes, powders & shower gels. So, I didn't notice immediately when reformulation struck. CK One, and others whose names I can't even remember, came along and turned my head in the 90's. B&BW led me astray in the 00's. Realities became scarce, then disappeared from ds. The imposter by the same name only served to confuse. Now Realities is back, and can be found online. unfortunately, it's just a shadow of its former glorious self. The sculptural frosted bottle now topped by a smaller "green" cube that matches the green cap. The basis of the OG scent is still there (kinda), but the peach 🍑 note is less pronounced while sage/herbals are amped up. That exquisitely balanced perfection, forever altered. Sadly, the sillage and longevity suffered the most. I know that government regulation of specific ingredients is to blame and it's a done deal. Yet, no matter how many new fragrances I discover, flirt with and even love, I still haunt the Internet looking for these vintage bottles of gold. Lauren, Liz and Realities will always be the holy trinity/ride or die fragrances of my youth. I collect and cherish every vintage bottle that I find, just like the memories one whiff of them can summon.

In my experience, peach is the predominant note in this fragrance, but it's a very sharp peach - a different creature from the supersweet modern fruit perfumes. The sage isn't intrusive (this isn't one of those scents that leaves you feeling like a spice rack, not even a little bit) but the dark, rooted aspect of the herb provides a small counterbalance. Once the heart notes have a chance to come in, the white florals turn it just a little sweeter and a little creamier. This followed the original Liz Claiborne scent in the triangular bottle, back when Liz was a department store name, and if you're familiar with both you can tell that they're siblings. Of course, some of the notes are the same (amber, peach, freesia, jasmine) but there's more to it than that: they may be pictures of two different scenes, but they were clearly taken with the same camera. Realities has the warm glow you'd expect from an 80's-early 90's department store scent, and while distinctive it's dignified, pleasing, and appropriate for work - as it had to be to meet the old Claiborne aesthetic. The new fragrance by the same name is an entirely separate and far less interesting creation. (Pinkish juice in rounded bottle: new scent. Yellowy juice in whimsical stacked-cubes bottle: old scent.) Note that some merchants who still have this in stock sell it unboxed, probably because the unusual triangular carton is tall and impossible to stack. But of course, any bottle sold like that has been exposed to light for who knows how long and may not be worth it.

A bright, aldehydic sunshine fogs the air with the first soft spray. As translucent drops wet my skin, a sharp pungency awakens sinus folds and constricts wide the accompanying nostrils. My facial expression relaxes. This was the first in a line up, that sparked! Lost to the purgatory of an out-of-the-way antique shop, less than an entirely pleasing bottle stood before me. A frosted glass cube with varying askew plastic cubes in gold and teal, progressively smaller towards the top, housed this new discovery. Softly spicy, worth attention, and a patina-ed gold foil won the purchase. But, I was to find out, that was only the beginning! Walking into my house, the sillage finally caught me, like Peter Pan to his shadow. Chamomile and sage, warmed from my skin, and dusted with peach - as fuzzy as the powdery chords which wrapped a layer of comfort around my weary body. Tender kisses of freesia and carnation, in the most feminine form, punctuated the creases of my arms and neck. Hints of a resinous-laden amber, and whispers of sandalwood, frolicked and flirted within the ether. It was the smell of a caress, and the warmth of an intimate embrace. It was the steaming breath of nature that fills one's soul, or the cozy robe your mother wore, awoken from sleep to offer comfort. Lost unknowingly amongst the sympathetic folds of weathered flannel, where true peace is found. That is where this fragrance belongs; aloof and alive, amid a warmhearted reality.

I wore this perfume in the late 80s and loved it. I found a real vintage bottle on Ebay. I do sense what I recalled about the perfume. I like the spicy smell. Since it's been reformulated I'll use this sparingly and store it out of the sunlight, heat, etc. This perfume will always be an important thing in my life. I had the bottle on my vanity without the cap on when my 2 year old daughter toddled up to the vanity. I told her "Don't touch that." Which to her meant go for it!! LOL!! She was at eye level with the spritzer and delivered herself a squirt into one of her eyes. The screaming ensued. Tried to flush it out of her eye (I'm a RN) but ended up in the emergency room for care. So, when I got this bottle I showed it to her and asked if she remembered the bottle. She said yes but didn't want to relive that again. LOL!! UPDATE 6-1-2022: I'm really loving this perfume. And I've noted that I only have to apply it once per day. It lasts and lasts! So many scents don't have longevity any longer.

This is one of my staple fragrances for when I want to wear something light and soft but not a citrus, green, or aquatic fragrance. I mostly smell peach, chamomile, and osmanthus. I would call it a fruity floral, not a floral green. I really don't smell much of anything green in it aside from a light herbal note. It smells like a peachy herbal tea to me. It has very low sillage and poor staying power. The bottles being sold now perform like a body spray. The vintage formula is more robust but getting harder to find old new stock or used bottles online.

I'm back here again! Totally agree with SuzScents. Bought the new version. Yesss.. something is missing... I tried storing it in the fridge to subtle the smell.. but no :(. This is definitely not the one that used to I love..

Unexpected love for this one! So warm, sweet, like an oily rich perfume but it isn't! Bought it very cheap and I must say is one of my favourite 😍 Niche smell... at a fracture of price, super interesting!

I would wear this as a teenager (sneaking sprays from my Mum). It was one of my faves. I wouldn't buy the new one though because I fear the reformation would have stripped it of it's essence.

I love this perfume. But like Eiza said it hard to get here in Malaysia. Wonder if there is something that smells similiar to LC Realities? Help me!

This is the scent I wore on my wedding day in 1992. It was a light, sweet floral that was my signature scent for several years.

Does anyone know, did Sophia Grojsman work on this? It smells like one of her works.

similar to Calyx. A fruity green floral with a hint of chypre.

Thanks NuriaRose. Will go to Chloe counter today.

I wore this in the 1990’s. Still beautiful 🧡

I remember a friend’s sister having this perfume right after it first came out. I smelled it once and remembered liking it. It’s been 30 years since then, and I decided to buy it for my collection. I was unexpectedly very familiar with the scent when I sprayed it, and not because I have an awesome scent memory from 30 years ago🤣...I knew this smell very well. It took me a minute to realize it smells exactly like Tresor, which I never thought I cared for. It smells really nice though! Not a love, but a strong like. I even smelled the Tresor tester the last time I was at a department store just to compare the two...it was pretty much spot on! It actually smells a little better than Tresor, IMO. Save yourself $100 and buy this instead. I got it for about $16 online. I should note that it’s no longer Liz Claiborne Realities since Elizabeth Arden purchased Liz Claiborne fragrances. It’s just Realities now, which seems to confuse people. Lots of reviewers think it’s a counterfeit product now because Liz Claiborne isn’t printed on the box or bottle. I suspect that just like Curve and the original Liz Claiborne perfume (both of which I have the newer formulations of) it’s the same as it’s always been, maybe just a tad less potent. It’s a great, inoffensive work fragrance! Safe blind buy.

I was gifted this fragrance several years ago and though I found it pleasant enough it didn't particularly impress me at the time. I wore it however just to use up the bottle, always surprised at the ENDLESS compliments I received from strangers - men and women alike - whenever I wore it!! Something about the prominent chamomile note mixed with soft florals and sandalwood seemed to meld perfectly with my chemistry. I was repeatedly told I smelled "soooo good!" (My roommate even hugged me continuously for ten solid minutes refusing to let go, bringing to mind a certain humorous American commercial for Gain laundry detergent)! I still have the empty bottle for old times sake. If I ever find a replacement bottle it will probably become my signature scent! I do wish Liz Claiborne would re-release this fragrance!

I have always loved this, at least in theory. I distinctly remember the ads in 1990 when it came out, very heart warming family togetherness type images. I have had a bottle ever since- and I'm thinking this must be the second bottle. I like the smell of it, I just haven't quite figured out when, where and how to wear it. Notice there are no votes for smell-alike perfumes- that's because there aren't any. The first Realities is completely unique, the second Realities is totally generic. Anyway, this one is a strong, verging on pungent floral-herbal, whatever that means. It seems most suited to a daytime spring weekend, one spray to the navel area perhaps or the nape of the neck would be plenty. This is a must-try, love/hate perfume that I would not want to be without.

Edit: I wore this today to church and then work and was very happy with it. The scent has somehow morphed into a much softer version, or anyway, several sprays all over left me smelling just very, very nice- and spring like- without stinking up the place.I was not afraid to sit next to people. I will be wearing frequently in the springy weeks to come.A bit fruity, perhaps, but not like today's fruity offerings. Very different animal. You should try this one if you can, nothing is like it!!

I remember loving this on my boyfriends Mom back in 1992. I ordered a bottle based on this with great anticipation. My nose has changed some. I truly love some of the more current perfumes out today and the old realities I loved and wanted just fell a bit short. When I layer it with Gucci Flora Gracious Tuberose I get an amazing scent so its not all for nothing.

I loved this back in the day, when I was in college. Used it up and went looking for a replacement.... All the bottles looked different, so I looked it up. Different formula, so I passed. I went to an estate sale today, and I scooped it up with 2 pair vintage (dead stock) Reebok sneakers, some jeans and a shirtt, for $20. So happy with my purchase,

Not sure why this one was discontinued. It's got a crisp start from the camomile and sage but softens to a nice soft floral. The drydown has a hint of peach but still remains mainly floral with a nice creamy vanilla mixed in. I wouldn't say it's strong but it does waft about you with good sillage. Definately a "girlie" scent.

Citrus, chamomile and osmanthus with some powdery iris, very light and close to the skin, difficult to smell after a couple of minutes, probably turned to shit with some reformulation. Love the fragrance but hate that fact that it is scented water.

this smells like peaches and their leaves together. would classify this more like fruity green. Very potent and long lasting indeed. I find a little similarity with Arden's Provocative Woman (though that is a lot sweeter and not at all green)

another one of my mother’s Pretty sparkling florals, all there is to it.

Caramel and amber and herbs. Not sweet. Complex and intriguing. It’s too intense for me at first but the dry down is gorgeous.

This is definitely not for everyone. Before I get into the actual scent, the bottle is beautiful and I wish the liquid inside was as elegant and creative. The scent culminates into this thick-smelling, syrup-y, headache-inducing mess. The phrase "grandma perfume" comes to mind. Very heavy on the sage, to no one's benefit. I can occasionally stomach this perfume to lightly scent a room, but this was overall an unfortunate buy and certainly not for everyone.

I love chamomile fragrances, generally, but this one has a super strange component that I think is just the herbs mixed with my skin chemistry. While drying down it smells mildly of poop, and it doesn't go away after a while. I just can't with this one. Not a safe blind buy - glad I didn't get a bottle.

Smells a little dated to me. Not sure if I like this one. I'm going to try it again in the cooler months.

I had this perfume back in my early 20's, from about 1991 to 1995. It was an unexpected gift from my grandmother, but I loved this scent so much, I eventually went through two full bottles, and the accompanying shower gel & lotion. I got many, many compliments on this fragrance, and, *ahem*, asked out frequently - and I do have to give this scent a little of the credit ;) One of the high notes, with this perfume, was dancing the two-step with a beautiful Creole boy in a devil mask, in New Orleans, on Halloween. There were other women waiting to dance with him, but I was able to monopolize him, because he liked my perfume. So ladies, take note: this perfume will make the Devil himself come dance with you. The scent itself: I remember that it had this wonderful 'tea' note, which I think must have been the chamomile. On my skin, I thought it had a spicy creaminess. In addition to the chamomile, I particularly remember the peach, sage, bergamot, and rose notes. I think 'fruity green' is accurate, but again, my memory keeps coming back to 'tea'. If they made this perfume again, in its original form, I would certainly purchase it. Just to see if it has any of the old voodoo magic it used. I have not tried the more recent version, in the rounded bottle.

The original Liz Claiborne Realities from 1990 is a winner in my book. It's a very pleasant perfume with great longevity. Made from quality ingredients, it does not smell chemical, synthetic bomb like so many of today's designer scents. The scent is very soft, fresh, green, feminine and natural. A scent with a sparkling quality I associate with one of my favorite perfumes, YSL's Yvresse (Champagne). Since I can't afford Yvresse, Realities makes a decent substitute. Though peach is listed on Fragrantica as the main note, I hardly get any peach or fruit, it's in the background for me. The prominent scent I smell is an herbal floral. I pick up alot of bergamot mixed with a mild sage in the opening - a citrusy herbal smell, light and fresh. Sage can sometimes be pungent and overbearing, to where it makes me nauseous, but here it's gentle here, and there's chamomile and mild floral notes that settle on my skin after the opening. The bottle is fantastic, like a modern sculpture. It looks so cool on my perfume shelf! I highly recommend. So much better than the newer version of Realities. ******************************************************************************

Another beautiful fragrance bites the dust. Ugh, so frustrating ! I remember my cousin wearing this when she was a teen. I loved it. It was different and had a wonderful presence all its own. It was glowingly warm, yet silvery cool at the same time. With spicy florals and sharp, pungent fruits. Then the vanilla and amber would round it out, give it that special touch ! As I recently received my iconic Claiborne bottle, sprayed it on, and inhaled.... **crickets** What is this ? Where is this ? **crickets**... Disappointment to say the least. This juice is just a former shell of its beautiful past. It has the bones, but none of the guts. You can tell its in there somewhere, but sadly, its been changed somehow, maybe due to ingredient availability? And the strength, its like scented water. Weak and wispy. This is definitely one that you should get in vintage, if you can find it. Such a wonderful scent, now lost to time.

This has been a repurchase for me since 1998, when I discovered it at the mall. It's such a pretty scent. Before you could buy it everywhere online, I went into a dept store to repurchase & I was handed the other one. OH NO...That stuff stinks. It isn't even similar at all. I have no idea WHY LC would DO that, but it was the first time I had ever seen a company come out with the same name again, totally different bottle & juice. That would be an epic fail on any company's part. If I would have bought that new mess, I would have taken it right back. Rightfully so, too. I agree there' s a nice peach in there, but I actually had to read this recently on here to ever recognize that. It's not a peach that just screams at you, it's well blended with the florals. I have several 'Peach" scents that are straight up PEACH, so I guess that's why the peach didn't hit me w/ this one. A forever HG for me!

I always have an old bottle of the original formulation around to wear in the warmer months. If you keep your eye out online, you can still find it for a very good price now and then. It reminds me of potpourri from back when potpourri was a very big thing. I worked in a cute little boutique with a shabby chic meets Victorian decor theme, and the owner had huge bowls of potpourri that smelled just like Realities scattered throughout the shop. The smell greeted me every day when I arrived at work. It's fresh and floral and fruity and feminine. With just a touch of the duskier dried plant matter undertones of the potpourri bowl. It's an understated fragrance that wafts around gently like a fragranced breeze. It's very much from its era but not particularly outdated.

I understand this fragrance was reforumlated some years ago. My review is about the original version, which I wore from 1991 to about 1995. This was one of my favorite perfumes in my early twenties, and I went through two bottles, before moving on. To me, it had an undernote that was evocative of a very good English tea - the chamomile, peach, sage, and osthmanthus all contributing to this. For me, it was a perfect combination: perfectly floral, perfectly fruited, perfectly sage, perfectly grounded. Feminine, sexy (but not overtly so), cheerful, bright... grown up. Not a teenager's perfume. If I ever come across a vintage bottle, that was properly kept, I would definitely try it again, if only for the nostalgia.

I'm not sure about this one. I don't get any of the citrus, fruity or floral notes in here. This might sound strange, but to me this smells like a bad imitation of V&R Spicebomb...(yes, I'm aware this is a 25-year-old fragrance) It's very strong and spicy on my skin. To me, it smells like opening up the seasoning packets in my kitchen pantry and sniffing them all at once. A weird, spicy combination of lots of different notes. The drydown is a lot nicer than the opening. Meh. I got the 3ml sample because I thought the bottle was interesting, but the scent itself is just bland. I'm not surprised it was discontinued.

This perfume made its debut when I was in college for the second time. I loved it then. IBe aware it is different and can be polarizing. They have since come out with another so called Realities, an extremely generic perfume by the same name. The original was not much like Tresor. This is a sassy scent. This is not a sex perfume, but could be a work perfume on a limited basis. One or two sprays. I still have a bottle, unfortunately my ardor for it has died down, as ardor usually does.

I haven't had this in over 10 years but I still remember the way it smells.I also remember that at first I didn't like it . I was into more sporty citrus aqua scents but after a while it grew on me. I remember the peach particularly.It was definitely prominent.It was kind of heavy at first spray but turned into a light dancing floral with a cream filled center. I also think it is an energizing scent for a delicious high spirited women

Holy shit. I feel like I've just seen a ghost. I wore this my senior year in high school and probably into my freshman year in college (until my boyfriend thought I'd smell better wearing Calvin Klein Escape). I've got so many memories tied up in this scent, I'm not sure if I'd want to smell it or not! Okay, I would.

Based on the release date, I would’ve worn this in my early 20s. Don’t remember what it smelled like but presumably I liked it, and I loved the bottle and vibrant orange packaging. I’d buy it again just for those elements if it wasn’t exorbitantly expensive on eBay. The prominent peach base note intrigues me!

I bought this today and it smells good.I thought it was strong because it is an older fragrance but now that i am actually wearing it instead of sampling it I find that it is light and powdery sweetlike and it smells good.This bottle is so pretty and I like this package it comes in, cute!

I saw this and it reminded me of high school! One of my first perfumes (along with exclamation and lefleur...lol) Can't remember at all what it smells like, but if I finished the whole bottle I guess I must've. Just so curious to smell it again, but I don't think I would buy it.

In the 90's, I had moved up in the world being a career gal! With Realities original I learned what layering was all about -- use of the powder, shower gel and body creme! This fragrance always was a fresh, woody, vanilla blend to my chemistry and good for office wear.

WOOOOW I really love this perfume To mutch. using this perfume since 1994 @ first time. its come to me as agift from USA . im from kuwait - its not available in kuwait market . im order it from the internet after 14 years . its same amazing strong smell.

When I first smelled this when it first came out I was not crazy about it but I re-discovered this a couple of years ago again! Its just beautiful! I agree, its very peachy. It lasts a long long time too! Very crisp green smelling.

I have the mini eau de Toilette. Very intriguing... smells like really old candy, possibly caramel. If this was pushed to 1992-93 after Angel they might be able to call it some sort of gourmand.

I really love this one during my stay in the State.Using this for 3 years. However, discontinue using coz hard to get it here in Malaysia. I will for sure buy it again ...that's for sure.

Is this a joke comparing it to Secret Genius by Pinrose? They smell nothing alike. Secret Genius is sweet candy caramel and vanilla. Realities is herbal and peachy. What the heck?

This is a nice simple everyday fragrance w/ some fruits, some florals and some warm notes but by all means use it w/ a light hand as it is seriously potent and long-lasting...

Fresh, floral citrusy, very upbeat! A favorite in college. Still have a mini and thinking to break it out for another whirl. Love the bottle, a little piece of art!

To be clear, this version of Realities launched in 1990. Ann Gottlieb was the nose behind it. The 2004 version is completely different.