a blog about perfume

Faith Hill True ~ fragrance review

What does a “clean” fragrance mean to you? Answers usually fall into one of three categories: citrus, aquatic or laundry musk. Faith Hill True combines all three of these types, and, surprisingly, the result is a fresh, easy perfume that isn’t as Cleaning Lady as it sounds.

True was launched in 2010, and was the second Faith Hill fragrance. Its notes include yuzu, mimosa, lily, gardenia, woods, sandalwood and musk. I thought the original Faith Hill was a pretty, nicely made floral — a great find in the drugstore. Since I reviewed the very first celebrity fragrance, Elizabeth Taylor Passion, yesterday, it seemed fitting to review a more recent celebrity fragrance today.

The easy-to-wear True is a natural follow-up to Faith Hill’s original fragrance, which might feel more “special occasion” to some people. True opens with a tart hit of citrus and aldehydes which gives way to an aquatic note that makes me think of blue ocean, but seen from the peacefulness of a hotel window, without the disturbance of the salt and wind outside. The aquatic note doesn’t go as melon-y as Issey Miyake Eau d’Issey or Calvin Klein Escape, but it’s definitely aquatic and buzzes a bit with ozone. True’s white flowers blend right in with the aquatic notes, which makes perfect sense with lily and gardenia. (Think of Annick Goutal Un Matin d’Orage, for example.)

Two types of musk infuse the fragrance. One is a laundry musk, lending its characteristic just-got-out-of-the-shower smell. The other is a woody musk that keeps the laundry musk from smelling too precious and roughs the perfume up a bit. This is the woody musk that I’ve complained about in other reviews, but I’m going to bite my lip and simply say that it isn’t overwhelming in True.

The result is a clean perfume someone could wear to the office without offending anyone. I can imagine people who say they don’t like perfume actually wearing this one. For me, the trouble is that I do like wearing perfume. I’d rather see the ocean from the beach than from inside a hotel room, even if I come away with a sunburn and sand in my eyes. And I’ve had enough Eau d’Issey forced up my nostrils that I don’t care if I never smell another aquatic perfume again.

But for the rest of you, True just might be worth a try.

Faith Hill True Eau de Toilette Natural Spray is (approximately — the prices vary a little by store) $9.99 for 15 ml, $18 for 30 ml, and $22.49 for 50 ml and is available online and at many drugstores.

Angela, I just enjoy reading your reviews about drugstore/celeb perfumes, most of them I’ve never heard of (perfumes and celebs). It’s a real joy to read them. It’s a bit like my new American neighbour over here in Ireland, who tries to be friendly and fair but between the lines makes it clear where he is standing – in a very hilarious way to the rest of us at least.

Apart from that when I read “office friendly” it’s a turn-off. What’s the point wearing a perfume if it’s not smelled by everyone and his uncle? But that’s probably just me who loves perfumes as in perfumes.

By the way, why do industrial perfumers not invent something “supermarket friendly”?

Snailing away in the queue at my local supermarket I smelled industrial musk from the man in front of me. Not a perfume. He, or whoever washes his clothes, doused his garments in fabric conditioner. Not a bad smell as such, but absolutely bland overkill. Has nothing clean about it, just chemical.

Well, the price is certainly attractive, and that’s great. A lot of people in my part of the world wear fragrances from Elizabeth Arden, and a lot of them (not all all) are fairly bad. But they are cheap and VERY widely available. It’s always great to know about some good alternatives at that price point.