Kim Kardashian loves the smell of tuberose & gardenias, hates the smell of grapefruit

2018 LACMA Art+Film Gala - Arrivals

When a celebrity is promoting some new perfume or cologne endorsement – or perhaps they have their own fragrance line – they’ve started to stop by The Cut for their “Scent Memories” feature. So it is with Kim Kardashian, who is promoting her KKW Body Fragrances. I enjoy a good perfume, and I don’t mind cheap perfumes, just as long as they’re generally pleasant. Like, there are still a couple of Victoria’s Secret body sprays that I still enjoy (although most of them are not great). I’m saying this because… I’m probably the target market for KKW Body Fragrances, even though I would never buy a perfume bottle modeled on Kim’s naked torso. But if it came in a different bottle, I probably would try it! I’m still wearing J.Lo Glow. Anyway, here are some of Kim Kardashian’s scent memories:

My first scent memory is: It has to be baby shampoo. And Johnson & Johnson baby lotion. I love that smell.

Happiness smells like: Gardenias.

Love smells like: Roses.

Heartbreak smells like: Alcohol. Like vodka and tequila.

Regret smells like: In-n-Out cheese fries and a cheeseburger. Or McDonald’s McGriddles. Maybe more McDonald’s because I don’t really regret when I go to In-n-Out. I’m like Damn that was good and totally worth it. But with McDonald’s, I go overboard and get everything, and then feel guilty. Or pancakes with syrup … and bacon … it just smells like all of that.

My home smells like: Really clean and like tuberose. I always have tuberose candles and they create this really nice scent when you walk in.

The worst smell is: I mean, probably sh-t. Or throw-up. In terms of fragrance, I can’t stand grapefruit in a fragrance.

If I could have one smell on my hands forever, it would be: Lavender hand sanitizing spray. It really calms me, so if it was always on my hands, I’d be into it.

Each of my sisters smells like: Kendall has no scent — which is a good thing. She’s just always smells fresh and clean, and smells like a supermodel; exactly what you think she would smell like. Kylie always smells like one of my original fragrances that have gardenias and jasmine. Kourtney smells like all-natural products. Khloé smells like rich oils; very fruity, but rich in scent. She also likes very white florals.

Kanye West smells: … Rich. I can’t explain it, but like a rich person [laughs]. Like … money, I don’t know! He smells like what you think a really expensive, Saint Laurent fragrance campaign would be.

I smell like: I smell, so good. I layer my fragrances depending on how I’m feeling, because they put me in a mood. I’m always testing new fragrances, so people always come up to me and ask “What is that? That smells so good.” I’ll always have a rich, fragrant, white floral in there, because that’s my favorite; I’ll layer jasmine, tuberose, and gardenia — I’m obsessed. It will be heavy on the gardenia.

[From The Cut]

There’s an Estee Lauder fragrance called Private Collection: Tuberose Gardenia, which sounds like a major influence for Kim’s fragrance and what she’s basing a lot of her favorite scents on. I have that perfume too and I love it – it’s a gorgeous floral, but it’s not overpowering or sickly sweet. It’s maybe the cleanest gardenia perfume I’ve ever smelled. Anyway, I also hate the smell of grapefruit in perfume (and most things). I think citris is way overused in perfume and soaps.

Also: I sort of don’t believe her that Kanye smells like money, or that he smells rich. But I’ve never smelled him, so who knows. I think Khloe probably likes really heavy scents, and I bet Kylie likes stuff like Opium.

2018 LACMA Art+Film Gala - Arrivals

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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25 Responses to “Kim Kardashian loves the smell of tuberose & gardenias, hates the smell of grapefruit”

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  1. nikki says:

    Estee Lauder perfume literally gives me a migraine, so I’m always worried if I get a ticket for an event, that someone near me will be drenched in perfume. I hate it, and think perfume should only be detectable if someone is very close to you; otherwise, it’s air pollution. I love the smell of grapefruit, but that’s not the only thing Kim and I disagree on!

    • lucy2 says:

      Pretty much all fragrance gives me headaches – perfumes, oils, candles, cleaning products, etc. I’m allergic to pretty much all of it, and it irritates my sinuses, and then wham, massive headache. I so agree about it being air pollution! We have a few clients that come into my office just drenched in fragrance, and I’m always ill by the time they leave.

      Citrus is one of the rare things that doesn’t bother me.

  2. me says:

    I remember J. Lo Glo ! I used to wear it all the time. It spelled like soap. I haven’t worn it in years though. I’m really into Gucci Rush and have been wearing it for a while now.

  3. ds says:

    I don’t like that smell either. Funny you mentioned Estee Lauder; their perfume Pleasures is the only one I ever use. Remember when my mom first got it and I would go through her drawers and spray some on myself…. sticked with it

  4. Snarkety Snark says:

    The K Klan reeks of desperation. •5

  5. Usedtobe says:

    I actually found that little interview entertaining and I hate myself for it! LOL!

    I’ve been wearing Chanel Coco since I was 15. I’ve got others but that is my always perfume. Love it!

  6. Clare says:

    Man I also love tuberose SO much, but I feel it’s great for candles and home scents but I’ve never found a perfume that wasn’t too cloying.

    Anyone who loves rose I’d highly reccomend Jo Malone’s red roses.

    My go-to used to be bulgari’s red tea, which has been discontinued but the green tea is also nice and fresh.

    • OriginalLala says:

      I love roses but rose fragrances never live up to the hype. I will try the Jo Malone one because I am always looking for that perfect rose perfume!! thanks for the suggestion!

      • Cal says:

        The Jo Malone is fabulous indeed….but the rose I think beats them all is Sa Majesté La Rose by Serge Lutens. It’s crisp and green and pure, like the JM, and you really are instantly in a rose garden, maybe after a light shower of rain. It’s perfect, I reckon!

        Any tuberose fans (Fracas!) could really enjoy Raconteuse, from the new and wonderful (and madly inexpensive ) range at H&M. It’s really different, very clever, and I didn’t even realise it was indeed tuberose I was swooning over. Really gorgeous, and it costs peanuts (fab bottles, too)

  7. Roux says:

    As a perfume addict, I love this article! Regret is the smell of food for me too but it’s more like the smell of food that lingers in the house after cooking. It makes you hungry before but then I eat too much and the smell just makes me feel sick afterwards.

  8. ValiantlyVarnished says:

    Gardenias are my favorite flower and all time favorite scent. My first “grown-up” expensive perfume was Gardenia Pass by Anick Goutal

  9. Pandy says:

    I think they smell like burnt rubber and chemicals! Even Kanye.

  10. Beth says:

    I love and have worn CK1 everyday for 15 years.
    I’m not a drinker, but I always heard vodka had no scent, so I’d pick another scent for heartbreak

  11. Kaiser says:

    I really have to recommend Estee Lauder’s Private Collection Gardenia Tuberose if you like a light floral perfume, it’s honestly one of the nicest perfumes I’ve ever encountered. Not heavy at all, just a very bright, sweet smell.

  12. Cee says:

    My favourite perfumes, hands down: Flower by Kenzo, Mon Guerlain by Guerlain (my number one repurchase) and Black Opium by YSL. I love Black Opium and will fight anyone who tells me it’s an old woman’s scent. The fragrance melts with my skin and I’m always told I smell amazing.

    EDIT to add I’ve tried Gucci Bloom and I’m looking forward to purchasing it.

  13. kristen says:

    My first fragrance was Michael by Michael Kors. That was before he became SUPER ubiquitous… probably around 2002. I practically bathed in it (sorry). But anyway, it’s the first mainstream gardenia and tuberose fragrance I remember, and it was great.

  14. Cassie says:

    The scent I’ve gotten the most compliments on by men and women is “Dark Wave” by OLO. It leans masculine but is so super sexy. Not a daytime fragrance.

    Weirdly my daytime fragrance is a discontinued bath and body works scent called “Romance” that is amber and myrrh. I normally hate the sickly sweet stuff B&BW sells, but this one is so nice.

  15. Pamela says:

    I love perfume, so this interview should have been fun for me.

    Yet, I read that “Kanaye smells like money” and just rolled my eyes and thought “Oh go $%^&* yourself.”

    I know I am 100% just being jealous. They are SO rich, and it feels like a complete rub it in your face moment. I know, I am being petty. I am just not a fan and that reminded me how fortunate these asshats are financially and it annoyed me.

    I will try to be a better, less bitter, bitch tomorrow. 🙂

  16. phlylfiremama says:

    I LOVE love love the Tuberose & Gardenia by Estee Lauder!! It doesn’t smell like PERFUME, it smells like FLOWERS. I have been wearing it since 2010, and absolutely everyone else loves it too.

  17. detritus says:

    One of my first scent memories was gaps collection, dream (or clean?) was the grapefruit one and I loved it.
    Other early scents were Calgon’sHawaaian ginger. That reminds me of public school bathrooms and gym class

  18. AuroraBorealis says:

    I love Ange au Demon by Givenchy, that is the perfume where people literally stop me when Im walking down the street just to compliment me on how I smell. I also like Tory Burch’s perfumes and when I was younger, I loved Tommy Girl, Coolwater by Davidoff and Glow by JLo was my jam! lol I loathe Pleasures by Estee Lauder and Miss Dior, they both make me nauseous because the scents are so “heavy”. I do like Gardenia and Tuberose by Estee Lauder though! It’s a nice, crisp floral smell! Jo Malone makes good perfume too!

  19. Ash says:

    To the above poster, I’m a scent migraine person too. I find the more “natural” a scent is the better for me. Usually all Joe Malone’s are safe for me, any of the Clean, Nest, Pinrose (which has a lovely rose!) are ok!
    Try the roller balls/smaller sprays at Sephora! Helps when you are prone to headaches.
    My first big girl perfume was Q’uel que Fleurs? It is SO strong. You used to only be able to get it at NM I think. It’s so strong that I once wore for a date and when we got in the car the poor guy rolled all the windows down in the car, he said he was “hot”, it was January 😩😂 I did love Bobbi Brown Beach which smells exactly like one and now I wear Lady Vengeance by Juliet Has a Gun. Partly for its intensity and I love the name!!! Growing up everyone wore Poison, Angel, Anais Anais and Eternity. Oh! CK1 was so popular in high school! I did have a Paco Rabanne that I bought out of a vending machine for $40 which I thought was the coolest thing ever!
    I agree, I love gardenias too, but more for a candle. Voluspa has the BEST gardenia candles, they last forever!!!!