Rare Pearls
Avon (2004)

There's just something about this perfume that works beautifully with my body chemistry. It's so clean and fresh smelling. The magnolia definitely comes through strongly on me. I do live in South Louisiana where it's hot and very humid like 8 months out of the year lol. This has been my signature scent since 2005. I've spent thousands on expensive perfumes that no one notices but almost ever single time I step out wearing this I have people following me through stores to ask what I'm wearing and tell me how good I smell. My ex boyfriend even buys it for his new wife. 😳😂

This one is probably frequently overlooked due to its provenance. And it's quite pretty. It has a realistic magnolia note which is somewhat sweet and creamy. Unfortunately, I believe I am hyperosmic to the white musk used in it, so that the white musk is felt for me at a very loud volume, like an analog tv tuned to the wrong station (static and noise) with the volume turned all the way up. Sadly, a headache-inducing scrubber.

God, this one took me by surprise. This is one of four perfumes I blind bought from Avon on a lark having never tried one of their fragrances before. This is a big, stinking, waxy magnolia unlike anything I've encountered before. I don't get any sweetness at all. In fact, the broom flower, pepper, and green notes (and eventually the pinch of patchouli) keep this one from even approaching sweet. The faint traces of honey (and I guess plum? I honestly can't pick it out) help round everything out, but they certainly don't steal any of the limelight.

coveyrun's review gave me the push I needed to give this a try, as I am a born and bred Southerner (well, Texan first, Southerner second) and simply adore magnolias. I grew up around magnolia trees in East Texas, and several dozen magnolia trees line the sidewalks along the path I walk to get to work every day. Needless to say, I may need several dozen backup bottles of this.

As stated in the description, Rare Pearls by Avon is a warm floral that makes me think of my home in the Deep South. I don't like many Avon scents, but Rare Pearls is one of the rare exceptions. This frag envelopes the wearer and all within hugging distance in a warm, twinset cashmere cardigan type of embrace. It wafts the magnolia scent of the grand Old South and smells like what any self-respecting Southern gal should--magnolias and a marvelous strand of pearls. Men seem to love it and it's rarely offensive to anyone unless overdone. Just one spray will do, shared between pulse points. It should draw folks in for a hug--not drive them away in droves. :-) An inexpensive scent that smells much more expensive. Rare Pearls may not be for everyone, but it's a perfect fit for G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised In The South).

Very heavy perfume - not for everyone, but pretty great (the plum is a nice twist).

Amazing how some of you younger folks who don't like a particular fragrance immediately want to palm it off on us "older gal[s]" (geeze.) What are we, your local Bad Taste Landfill? :-) Anyway. . . .I too have a love/hate relationship with this one. At first acquaintance, I found it really lovely. After I wore it for a few weeks, it started to strike me as having an almost skanky sweaty/indolic overtone. Some days that backs off and I still love this frag. Some days it doesn't, and I find it too heavy and too sweatily animalic to wear. I have no clue what makes the difference: Weather? Some subtle hormonal change? Biochemical shifts due to what I've eaten that day? Who knows.