Category Archives: perfumes in tv shows

Claws S01E01 (Tirana)

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A bottle of Salvador Dalì parfum de toilette can be seen on Desna’s dresser. Now this is an unusual choice: this perfume, created in 1985 by Alberto Morillas, is a classic 1980s scent, not the first perfume that comes to my mind when I think of a flamboyant character like Desna. According to Fragrantica, it’s “very intensive and unusual thanks to the spicy-grassy top notes contrasting with the opulent floral perfume heart:” it sounds alluring, right?

The bottle, reproducing a woman’s mouth and nose (the cap), was designed by the Spanish artist.

vaselinecocoaradiant_bornunicornOn her dresser there’s also a bottle of Vaseline Cocoa Radiant body lotion.

Thanks to Jennifer for the lotion id.

Glow S01E08 (Maybe It’s All the Disco)

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avon_sweethonestyyorkshire_bornunicornThere’s a yorkshire-shaped bottle in Sheila and Ruth’s motel bathroom: it’s Avon Princess of Yorkshire Sweet Honesty cologne, a floral fragrance launched in 1973. We know Sheila uses Cartier Pasha de Cartier, so this one must Ruth’s.

noxzemavintagead_bornunicornThere’s also a jar of Noxzema skin cream.

Glow S01E04 (The Dusty Spur)

glow_s01e04_bornunicorn (2)One of the most interesting characters of this TV show is Sheila. Her gimmick is “the She-Wolf”, but after getting a glimpse of her backstory, we know it’s not really a gimmick: her feral appearance mirrors the way she feels inside. This episode opens with Sheila putting her She-Wolf persona on. There are several interesting products on her dressing table, starting with her perfume.

cartier_pasha_de_cartier_edition_prestige_acier_bornunicorn.jpgThe silver bottle on the left is Cartier Pasha de Cartier (the Prestige Acier edition). I’m a bit disappointed by this choice: I appreciate it, because the bottle is spectacular, and because this aromatic woody fragrance by Jacques Cavallier seems just right for Sheila, but it’s historically inaccurate. As a matter of fact, Pasha was launched in 1992, one decade after the events told in the show.

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lancomevintagecompact_bornunicorn.jpgThe glossy black compact with a gold rose is a Lancôme product – face powder, foundation or an eyeshadow palette.

glow_s01e04_bornunicorn (3)Last but not least, there’s a pump bottle of Dep hair gel. This product is still on the market.

Feud S01E07 (Abandoned)

There’s an Avon cologne on the bedside table in Joan Crawford’s hospital room. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to identify the exact scent. Avon used the same faceted bottle and stoppers in different colours for different fragrances, but I found no information about the scent contained in the black-stopper bottle.

In any case, I’m very thankful for the lovely community of perfume lovers on Instagram who helped me out with the id. Balsamiclilac, Amusedarcher, Meliscentsvintage and Aromablog, your help was much appreciated ♥

Girls S06E09 (Goodbye Tour)

There’s a bottle of Floris China Rose perfume on the shelf in Shoshanna’s bathroom and Schmidt’s lavender and sage deodorant by the washbasin.

The Floris perfume, now discontinued, was launched in 2000. According to Fragrantica, “it has a delicate, fruity opening (raspberry and peach) which leads into an opulent floral heart of rose and violet, spiced up with cloves and softened with geranium; its oriental base includes patchouli, amber, tonka, vanilla and vetiver.”

Feud S01E05 (And the Winner Is…)

feud_s01e05_bornunicorn (9)besamecosmetics_1960perfume_bornunicornJoan Crawford’s dressing table is quite busy. She’s getting ready for the Oscars 1963 and she picks a perfume bottle among many of them. The glass bottle with the yellow pump is from the Bésame Cosmetics Decades of Fragrance collection. I wonder what perfume Joan wore: the 1960s floral chypre or a fragrance inspired to a previous decade?

Mr Selfridge S02E02

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guerlain_mitsouko_bornunicornKitty Hawkins (Amy Beth Hayes) is mad at Frank Edwards (Samuel West): he tries to make up with her and visits the make-up counter at Selfridges. He asks for advice: he wants to give something special to someone special (her ;)). She plays along: she suggests “a new perfume” by Guerlain, which happens to be Mitsouko in the traditional flacon bouchon coeur. This is a historically accurate choice, because the perfume was created in 1919, around the time in which the tv show is set.

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penhaligons_lilyofthevalleysoap_bornunicornOther products she suggests are Yardley facial cream (in the dark green glass pot originally used for English Lavender brilliantine) and a Penhaligon’s soap.

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Lady Primrose Royal Extract Body Cream_bornunicornLast but not least, she mentions Lady Primrose hand lotion: the beautiful fluted glass jar shown is actually used for the Royal Extract body cream.

Feud S01E01 (Pilot)

There are several perfumes in the bedroom Bette Davis and Gary Merrill (Mark Valley) share: one – his – is St. Johns Bay Rum after-shave lotion.

On her dresser there are some bottles and two Oscar statuettes [1]. The tall ribbed bottle is Lanvin Eau de Lanvin Arpège 85°. This is a very accurate choice: I don’t know if Bette Davis wore Arpege in real life, but one of the most important roles she played in – Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950) by  Joseph L. Mankiewicz – had two boule bottles of this perfume on her dresser.

[1] Davis won an Oscar in 1935 for her role in Dangerous (1935) by Alfred E. Green and one for Jezebel (1938) by William Wyler.

How to Get Away with Murder S03E13 (It’s War)

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elizabetharden_untold_bornunicornSeveral medicine bottles can be seen in Bonnie’s bathroom cabinet, along with a perfume bottle – Elizabeth Arden Untold, a fruity floral perfume created by Clement Gavarry and launched in 2013. It’s quite surprising that such a hard character wears such a girly perfume, but the ways in which we choose perfumes are often inscrutable.

howtogetawaywithmurder_s03e13_bornunicorn-2aveeno_clearcomplexiondailymoisturiser_bornunicornWe can also see a bottle of Aveeno Clear Complexion daily moisturiser.