Dare Me, which launched earlier this spring under her Baby Phat line, is Simmons’ fifth fragrance, and she’s joined a number of her colleagues in the celebrity fragrance world in going downmarket: Dare Me is in mass market stores instead of Macy’s and the like, and can be had for a song (relatively speaking, of course). The (presumably) diminished resources have not dimmed her style, though: Dare Me’s opening is almost (but not quite) as over-the-top fruity and sweet as its predecessor, Baby Phat Fabulosity. It’s fruity, but it’s hard to say what fruits are meant to be represented — it smells resolutely “standard-issue pink celebrity fruity floral”. It’s enlivened by a bit of creamy coconut, but the rest of the notes (magnolia, honeysuckle, white milkwood, creme de musk and sandalwood) are pretty much the usual blur. The dry down is considerably lighter and cleaner than Fabulosity’s, and Dare Me fizzles out faster.
Dare Me is neither interesting nor gorgeous, and it doesn’t smell like it costs any more than it does. Still, it’s fine: if you’re in need of a casual, summery fruity floral with some coconut and a celebrity name, Dare Me won’t kill you. Personally, if I was after a casual, summery fruity floral with some coconut and a celebrity name, I’d go for J Lo’s Miami Glow, which can be had for a few dollars less if you shop around.
