what's a bellydancer smell like?

topic posted Thu, June 30, 2005 - 7:01 PM by  Jessica
This isn't exactly makeup, but hey, where else can I ask it?

I really want to buy a new fragrance, I haven't found one that I feel fits me, my personality. I want to find a perfume that says "bellydancer".
Besides, wouldn't it be great to breeze past someone in a performance and have them smell some exotic wonderful fragrance?

Does anybody have any favorites or recommendations?
posted by:
Jessica
Pittsburgh
  • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

    Thu, June 30, 2005 - 7:35 PM
    I often have perfume made by someone that mixes oils for that just for me scent and they add glitter and you get to name it. I like clean scents. Keep in mind that you will sweat...you don't want anything to heavy, it could knock you and your audiance out. Things from Bath and Body Works are cool too. They are having a 5 for $25 sale here in Cincinnati of their Pleasures line. I go Coutry Apple, Fresh Linen, White Tea and Ginger and Juniper. I am so sexy...watch out now.
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Thu, March 15, 2007 - 2:01 PM
      yep that's what i was gonna say, i go to my local bath and beauty shop that has a wonderus array of scented oils that you can have them mix to your pleasure and you can have oil, spray, lotion, shampoo etc, i am currently into mango/coconut yummy!
  • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

    Fri, July 1, 2005 - 8:17 AM
    On the topic of perfume, my belly dance teacher recommends that, when you're performing under those big spot lights NOT to wear perfume because the heat from those lights can transform your perfume into something utterly different. She also advised us not to wear perfume while performing in restaurants because you never know who is allergic to what.

    But that doesn't mean that you should absolutely adhere to that... or that you can't smell good at other times... ;op

    There was one fragrance that I used when I was in Quebec. It was something that I bought in a health store. It was called "Eau des 4 Voleurs" (which translates to "Water of the 4 Thieves"). It smelled somewhat spicy. There is also a cute story behind it. Allegedly, when there was a wave of the plague in the middle ages, 4 thieves applied this mix of spices on themselves and escaped the plague that way. I found that L'Occitane has a fragrance called like that but it's in the men section and I haven't smelled it so I don't know if it's the same or similar or whatnot. www.loccitane.ca/ranges/men/152/

    Also, I usually like anything that has amber or sandalwood.

    Ooh, and I also like Victoria's Secret Very Sexy for Her 2. As the name implies, it makes me feel very sexy... it's not exactly an exotic smell but, hey, you gotta love it when you feel sexy! ;op www2.victoriassecret.com/colle...ex.cfm
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Fri, July 1, 2005 - 8:19 AM
      Dang it! I forgot also to mention THE other perfume that I absolutely love and is spicy... Shalimar from Guerlain.
      • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

        Sun, March 11, 2007 - 11:35 PM
        Oooooh that's a nice one. I like that and I also use a weeeeee bit of dragon's blood oil. It's a very rich smell, so a half of a half of a half of a dab will last you all day in a very nice way.

        Or just some good old Samsara (also by Guerlain). Yummy stuff (and I'm allergic to MOST fragrances)
        • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

          Sun, March 11, 2007 - 11:38 PM
          Oh and I almost forgot!

          If you can find anything that smells like real fresh roses, that's and INSTANT hit. I had some lotion like that once, but I don't recall the brand name at all and everyone was totally enamoured with it.
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Thu, July 28, 2005 - 12:41 PM
      Aha-- My friend makes a version of the four thieves recipe. It actually has antibacterial qualities as well. The scent is enticing! The story behind it is great.

      You can order directly from him : soapyhoof@wyoming.com

      He can probably make a fragrance oil for you. Better to support small business! He also has a soap called leather and lace that I think has an appropriate smell-- very sexy! He's great at mixing custom soaps and lotions too. Ask and he will customize.

      :) sarah
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Tue, March 13, 2007 - 5:50 AM
      I agree with going ver easy on the scent in restaurants.. I really hate having some exotic or flowery scent wafting past my food. I'm there for the culinary scents, not the bellydancer's perfume. Although I do think it's nice if I get real close to someone, as in a hug and can catch a whiff of something nice, then it's my choice to move in close or not.

      Outdoor events are the places I go ahead and add scent, other than that, I'm a bit more careful about it than I used to be. I had "signature" scents for years, but now it's all changed with hormonal changes, and most of it is cloying rather than nicely exotic. BPAL oils just go away on me immediately, so I have Majika do custom blends for me. She's a local Renn Fest perfumer and her oils stay with me.

      Roya,
      Spirit-Dancer
      • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

        Thu, March 15, 2007 - 2:04 PM
        another thing about wearing perfume outside is bugs, it attract bees in particular so be careful.
        Your right about watching what you wear while performing in a restaurants sometimes you can get a scent of a perfume and it just makes your food taste aweful. In that case i like the fresh simple baby powder scent.
        • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

          Thu, March 15, 2007 - 7:41 PM
          You're right. I'd probably go with no scent in a restaurant. And I'm don't wear perfume at outdoor performances. Those bees buzzing over the trash can would just as soon make a beeline for me. Gack! Mostly I perform at dance workshop shows on a stage where my scent is not going to be overpowering for my audience.
        • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

          Fri, March 16, 2007 - 7:19 AM
          Good point about bugs.. I've never noticed it, but then I don't wear florals :)

          Funny how different we can all be when it comes to scent... the smell of baby powder makes me nauseous.
  • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

    Fri, July 1, 2005 - 9:45 AM
    As someone who is very allergic to synthetic perfumes and scents, I will get up and leave a restaurant that has performers/staff that are wearing perfume. I just can't take it. So I would recommend you stay away from smelling when performing close to people.

    And if you are on stage, no one will smell you anyways.

    That being said, my students have commented that I do have a distinctive scent. It is tiger balm :) When I make my tiger balm I add a bit of patchouli, so it smells musky and spicy, and helps my joints. :) JMHO, YMMV
  • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

    Fri, July 1, 2005 - 11:46 AM
    I am not a huge fan of perfumes, but I have gone for Narcissis by Chloi, and the Queen of the Night oil (one dab will do for the entire day). Usually I wear oils because I have reactions to some perfumes, and too many of the over the counter ones all smell the same or just out right offensive. Plus, too much of the citris scents and I get a migraine.

    My husband loves the lilac oil I use, he says it suits me perfectly, but I will mix it at times with gardenia to give it a little kick.
  • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

    Sat, July 2, 2005 - 5:06 PM
    Jasmine -- I use scented oil. Got the idea from another dancer -- when she danced by, you could just catch the smell of jasmine. I've found you can use lots and it covers the sweat perfect.

    There's also a great site with phermone oils (I love the plumeria) -- they're expensive, but last and a little goes a long way.

    www.attractionoil.com/
  • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

    Mon, July 4, 2005 - 10:56 AM
    several options at: www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/new.html bear i mind I believe they are made with perfume oils not essentials but I keep hearing rave reviews.
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Tue, July 5, 2005 - 1:08 AM
      I really love Azzemour by Crabtree & Evelyn...smells exotic and spicy and warm and not too expensive either! You can get a wonderful room/clothes spray that is great for using on veils...floating past the audience giving off a fragrant cloud! Theres also an oil for oil burners which I drop onto cotton balls and stick the bag with all my costumes and the fragrance spreads through everything.... gets around the too much/too little problem with spraying the perfume onto yourself! I often get asked what the beautiful perfume is... so it must work!
      • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

        Sat, April 7, 2007 - 7:27 AM
        I am a huge fan of a local creator that makes perfume oils and solids in a tin; Thornefolk Solutions from here in Bridgeport CT. I met them at our Ren Faire two years ago and I have been an adamant fan ever since.

        www.thornefolk.net

        I love their Nag Champa/ temple balm and Luscious Amber , but they have a fun sour apple and anything you can think of.
        plus they make great skully bath fizzies and all natural yummy bug deterant ointments....they rock.
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Tue, July 5, 2005 - 12:24 PM
      BPAL's stuff is pure oil, they even have a neat little tutorial of what different perfuming terms mean (like essential oil vs perfume vs eu de toilette).

      I'm dying to get some of their stuff but it's a bit more spendy then I can justify for perfume right now.
    • Re: what's a bellydancer smell like?

      Fri, July 29, 2005 - 12:36 PM
      They are made with 100% perfume oils, but technically you should not be using most undiluted essential oils on the skin. There are not many essential oils that are considered safe to use "neat".

      For future reference (since I had to look it up I figure others probably don't know either)...

      Essential oils are volatile, fragrant liquids extracted from plant leaves, bark, wood, stems, flowers, seeds, buds, roots, resins and petals, usually through steam distillation. They are highly concentrated and apart from a few exceptions, should not be used directly on the skin, although they can be diluted in a carrier oil, such as jojoba, for such use. Perfume oils are fragrance components, natural or synthetic, in an oily base rather than an alcohol base, and can be used directly on the skin.

      (found here: www.makeupalley.com/user/not...fumefaq/)