September 17, 2020

Reliving Those YM Magazine Days with Michel Germain Sugarful Perfume

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.
2 stars out of 5

Michel Germain Sugarful Perfume is something I’d totally wear in 1990. I was doing meal prep a few days ago and I admit was swiping through Tiktok as I cut veggies and there was a girl on there doing Tiktoks of old YM magazine issues. Oh my god! That brought back so many feel good memories. As she flipped through she came across the beauty section which I used to pour over and there were so many damn things on that page I was either lemming hard at the time or owned. I never thought there would come a time in my life when I was like, “I remember the old days when…” but it quickly turned into one of those moments as I quickly dialed my bestie and told him, “OH MY GOD REMEMBER THIS PRODUCT!?” I was suddenly my father with the “I remember when I had to walk to school in the dead of winter with 18 feet of snow on the floor and no shoes!” My life was a lot easier because I was just reminiscing about some beauty product from the 90’s not a shoe-less day in the snow.

Anyway, when I got my bottle of Michel Germain Sugarful Perfume it really brought YM, high school, etc…! It’s an ooey gooey sweet fragrance that feels like something my younger self would positively go gaga over.

How cute is this bottle? It reminds me of an old diner sugar pourer! My heart can’t take all this cute and pink packaging!

Sugarful is definitely tooth achingly sweet. This is sweet, fruity gourmand with notes of tangerine, strawberry, cotton candy, peony, musk, and sandalwood. To me it smells a bit like Sexual Sugar but it’s sweeter and fruiter. It has a bit of a Pink Sugar vibe because of the heavy cotton candy note but isn’t a dupe and has more fruitiness. If you want a true and wearable cotton candy scent I highly recommend Gale Hayman’s Cotton Candy Perfume (added bonus it’s under $15!).

I sort of like this but it’s probably not something I’d recommend to gourmand lovers because it misses a step. At first mist it has a fruity, sweet strawberry punch that’s quickly drenched in cotton candy. I never get the Tangerine aspect but I do easily smell the delicate peony, musk, and sandalwood as it dries down. I’ll be the first one to admit it smells like a cheap body spray as it settles in. A body spray you’d get in one of those cheap Holiday Gift Sets from a brand you’ve never heard of. I think they missed a beat when they added in the musk and sandalwood. Both notes dampen the sweetness of the strawberry and the gourmand of the cotton candy and add a musky and warm element that isn’t needed nor wanted.

Oh a good day I sort of like this and feel like it’s a cutesy girly sweet scent that matches my personality perfectly as I’m all bubbly and sweet. But on a bad day it sort of gives me a headache and makes me feel a bit nauseated.

They really nailed the sweet strawberry and cotton candy notes but the additional of the other notes feels like it ruined the scent for me. That being said this is going to be a massive hit with you if you love Pink Sugar. I personally don’t like Pink Sugar so that might be why Sugarful isn’t hitting right. The fragrance is going to hit different for everyone. Some people are going to love it, some will hate it, and some might just feel like it gives them a bad headache. I sort of fall into the middle and later group here.

I find one or two sprays is plenty to get me through the day as the scent is very strong and long lasting.

All in all, Sugarful Perfume didn’t quite grab me. It brought back some fill good memories and I imagine my younger self would go gaga over this but take it from a gourmand lover this misses the mark!

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • lauren

    OMG I have not heard YM mentioned in forever! You had me zoom way back to the 90’s! Gave me a great jolt of nostalgia too! Was probably the start of my beauty junkie ways as well!

  • Marie

    Good review and I like your personality! I just ordered a small bottle of sugarful it was only 19.97 so if I don�t like it I didn�t lose too much on the purchase.

    • Isabella Muse

      Aw thanks Marie! You’re lovely 🙂 Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! let me know how you like it!

  • LaToya

    Thank you, thank you for this honest review!! I was looking for someone who wasn’t “raving” about this fragrance and you described it perfectly. I was really thinking am I the only one who feels an old girly toy/Barbie doll head in the dry down?? It is great in the opening and definitely nauseating in the dry down. YM days for sure!

    • Isabella Muse

      Oh my gosh you’re so welcome! Glad I helped! By the way, don’t buy the follow up! The orange one! It just smells like the original! What a waste 🙁

      • LaToya

        Thank you for that! I think you’re talking about the “Sugarful & Spice”. I was thinking about that one too. Disappointed to hear it’s like the first, but glad that you saved me from that buy! Lol.

        • Isabella Muse

          EXACTLY! I was having a senior moment and forgot the name haha! Yeah, it smells identical to Sugarful! I didn’t get the orange note they promised!