Stella

I used to love Tocca perfumes in high school, because they were "twee" and elegant and made me feel like I was a princess. I forgot all about the scents, but I was at Anthropologie the other day browsing around, and saw that they had Stella as a tester. I immediately was hit with nostalgia and felt so happy. It took me back to 2004/2005. I couldn't place my finger on what this smelled like, but after a bit of thinking and trying to piece it together, I got it figured out. It smells like Britney Curious once the citrus notes wear off a bit, and it also smells very similar to the Sephora Disney Princess Jasmine Whole New World perfume that came out in 2012/2013 that I randomly purchased for my mom and she fell in love with. She has been trying to find the perfume for years, and I found it online 2 years ago, but the fragrance had soured and was a dud. This can be a replacement or similar enough version of that perfume. I think all the notes in this perfume work so beautifully together. I like that the citrus is not overwhelming in the sense that it smells like floor cleaner (cough cough libertine by the maker), its a fizzy citrus that is tangy but sweet and I think the watery note helps balance it. The florals in the middle come together beautifully. White florals, creamy orchid, and fruity freesia blend together beautifully for the intoxicating middle note. The base of sandalwood and musk you cannot go wrong with. This perfume is a 10/10 in my books. I purchased a bottle from Ulta online and wow I forgot how well made they are. The bottle is so heavy and feels luxurious with a heavy cap to match. This bottle will look beautiful on any vanity.

Wow, I was so pleasantly surprised by Stella. Snagged a Tocca sampler pack at TJ Maxx with Stella, Florence and Cleopatra. Cleopatra I'd worn in the past and liked OK, but had never repurchased. Florence is a lovely white floral, but I already have a few of those in my collection. So Stella was the standout here. Citrus notes can easily go awry, into household cleaner territory, but the orange here is so light and botanical that there's no hint of industrial citrus. There's another note that I really like, and I'm not sure if it's the freesia or the wild orchid, but it's heavenly. Reminds me of this random perfume my friend's mom wore in the early 90s. I never knew what it was - she'd gotten it from some Democratic Party fundraiser and it literally had a donkey on the label, LOL. But it had that same airy, soft profile as Stella. Almost like a scented Kleenex, a clean, sophisticated, spa smell. It's a very cheerful scent. I wouldn't call it a statement fragrance, so could see it as appropriate for a variety of settings. Funnily, even though it's on the lighter side, I can see it becoming stuffy in the heat. Feels like it would perform best in spring or fall weather, not too cold with a bit of humidity. The longevity is moderate. Applied about 6 hrs ago and can still smell it on my wrist, though it's on the faint side. I foresee Stella becoming part of my "I gotta go to the office" collection. It's not sexy, it's not dark or spicy or animalic or dangerous. But nor is it overly-girly, sweet or simplistic. It's a beautiful, citrusy cotton floral cloud on which I'll be floating for the next few hours.

I was smelling around in Anthropologie and came across Stella. I smelled it and it immediately reminded me of something that I couldn't quite put my finger on but I loved the scent. Having commitment issues, I opted for the mini bottle (no spray, just direct eau de parfum to the skin). A little goes a long way. It's citrusy at first but with the drydown it becomes a nice floral scent. For me, it's a perfect middle between the super-sweet youthful fragrances and the more grown-up fragrances. Not that this is true for all women, but Curious just feels a little too young for me but I don't feel so mature and stately that I can pull off something like Chanel No. 5 (so sue me, I still don't "get it" I guess!). And yes, after a few days of wearing it, it just hit me: Curious. It smells like the older and wiser sister of Curious by BS. When I wear this scent, I feel warm and feminine and just... well, me. I just identified with it right away in the store. So far, it's my perfect frag and once my mini bottle is gone, I'll just have to order the full size bottle. It lasts me a good 5 hours or so I'd say. I'm a little concerned with how long a spray might last since, with the mini bottle, I apply it directly to my skin in one fell swoop. I generally have better luck with direct applications and rollerballs compared to sprays.

I got this in a 3 pack of dabbers (Stella, Cleopatra, and Florence) at Marshall's for $13 yesterday! Might not get the full effect since they're non-spray bottles. I like it. I'm not blown away, but it's nice. When I first dabbed it on I smelled straight up Orange Soap. After a few minutes, the florals come through just enough to give it a soft, pretty, feminine vibe, but they don't overpower the citrus. I have two other orange-focused fragrances to compare it to: Atelier Colognes' Bohemian Orange Blossom and Clementine California. I like it a lot better than BOB - it's softer and more feminine. It's warmer and less "sparkling" than CC, which has been my summer signature for 2 years. I actually grew to like it more while I wrote this...I'd even consider a full bottle if I didn't already have Clementine California. Edit: circling back 10 hours later to say it smelled better and better as the day went on (I have very oily skin so everything lasts long on me). It also mixes well with JHAG Not A Perfume. I might end up wanting that full size bottle after all...

A beautiful and delicate floral blood orange. Almost smells like an orange soda in the opening, but then the pretty lily, and lightly soapy freesia come in, but the blood orange remains the strongest note. This is not a sharp citrus, or a super realistic orange like Altier's Orange Sanguine. This is a lightly sweet blood orange, with a hint of pretty florals. Has okay projection, and is good for lasting. Typically citrus doesn't last very long, so I was impressed with how long this orange fragrance lasted. I like to spray this lightly when I wear it, so I get a hint of classy orange around me, and not smell full on sweet orange soda. The Tocca bottles are gorgeous. Heavy glass bottles, with heavy metal caps, that have a bird and flower design on the top. When you open the pretty box, written on the inside of the flap, in gold handwriting, it says "Love Yourself." I love you too, Tocca.