Occur! by Avon

I picked up a vintage bottle and the first thing I smell is honey, loads of it. Upon application, one note gets lost in the typical alcoholic opening found in Avon perfumes. As it dries down, the base notes emerge one by one, but leather dominates everything. I’m struggling to pick out the top and middle notes, perhaps due to my inexperience or how the fragrance evolves. I absolutely loved it; it’s a perfume from another era, a golden luxury and complex scent that no longer exists. I’m not sure where to wear it, but it’s an excellent addition to my vintage Avon collection.

Ever since I saw the ads and read the exotic name, I was dying to try Occur. Avon used to make quality fragrances; they knew how to spot winning scents and launch their versions. It was incredibly hard to get hold of, and I only found it just as I was about to give up. This happens often with vintage pieces. Even just with the splash, without spraying it, you can tell it’s an animal-floral-spicy bomb; it’s not afraid to show its provocative and narcotic character. Compared to others, it’s like crossing Miss Dior (1947), Paloma Picasso (1984), Chantilly (1941), and parts of Youth Dew (1953) into a single bottle, yet it still doesn’t capture all its potential. What strikes me most is that spiced rose with hints of leather and honey. A very animalistic rose with oriental and powdery sparkles. The coconut and amber give it that unique side compared to the rest. It also reminds me a lot of Revlon’s Intimate (1955). It’s not an absolute masterpiece since it draws from earlier fragrances, but it’s a gem that shines with its own light by balancing everything well. I can’t imagine what the extrait would be like. Clearly, I see Occur as a precursor to Paloma Picasso (1984). After a few minutes, it leaves a powdery, floral, and animalistic halo with leather on the skin; it’s the most pleasant aspect perceived when opening it.