Happy (1997)
by Clinique

First reaction was.... ok, quite bright. As grapefruit juice is my go to beverage, I gave it a little space where I accepted that tanginess along with the bergamot. Next, it hit me, this is really way too sweet. It seemed to be practically burning my nose. And minutes after that, the plastic/burnt rubber hit me with a vengeance and it was literally all I could smell of Happy. Nothing in my memory banks could make that odor a "happy" smell. I don't know how or why that awful plasticyness is there, but suddenly I couldn't wash or scrub it off fast enough. I was using a sample from a Sephora Sample box, and it was my last fragrance to sample, and the only one that struck me as so stridently sweet and awful that I had to get it off my skin. That said, I think that used very, very lightly, it might be ok, and maybe I just needed to give it time. But it will be awhile before I let us be re-introduced. I need to forget how bad things went the first time around. ;-)

2nd January, 2012.

I feel the need to defend Happy's honor. Not because it is the ultimate powerhouse of all women's fragrances--it is far from it. I need to do so because it is a fragrance that defined Generation-X girls as women who did not need to let their fragrance define them nor let their fragrance announce their presence as our mothers' fragrances did in pre-Happy years.

I do not want to imply that Happy led a revolution of "passive" scents. However, ask any thirty-something woman today what fragrance was prominent in her perfume cache and she will most likely confess Happy was not only in her collection, it was the one used most often. I call it "passive" because most scents that predated Happy were strong "power" scents (see Red Door, Safari, or Red by Giorgio). They were not bad scents but it was time for a change and Happy led the charge along with Sunflowers.

Maybe my age gives me away but it does not smell dated to me. I grew tired of it by the time I was twenty-five. I have rediscovered Happy (and all of its sibling scents) recently and fallen in love all over again.

It smells simplistic--like a white-floral-tinged glass of Sunny Delight--but it was borne out of a need for scented simplicity. Admirably, though, for such a simple scent it is very distinctive. Happy cannot be confused for any other scent but it is often apparent that many post-Happy fragrances were inspired by it.

Not bad for the Gen-X slacker of fragrances.

10th December, 2011.

I tried Happy for the first time in a large department store while holidaying in Melbourne, Australia. I instantly loved it and quickly added Happy to my perfume wishlist. I was shocked when I heard how many negative reviews this perfume had been given and I found it extremely hard to understand why... until today. I entered that same department store, (except in a different location), where they had a Happy tester bottle waiting to be sprayed. I tried it, and was utterly shocked! I now know what people meant when they said that Happy smelt like burnt rubber and licorice.

Happy does not have a very long shelf life. It has been known to go off in as little as 8 months. In the case of tester bottles, they have been exposed to the heat and lighting around the store, and most of the Happy perfumes in their boxes have also been stored in an overlit cosmetic case for god only knows how long.

My advice is if you have similiar experiences as to what I had with this fragrance, I suggest you buy from a trusted dealer, especially a place that sells Happy at such a rate that they have to renew their stock every 6 months.

26th April, 2011.

I can't believe the negative feedback on this perfume,i have tried a lot of perfumes but this one for me is the best i ger so many compliments on it and i feel good when i wear it.I guess a lot of people feel this perfume might be out of their comfort zone,i myself am bored with all the new fragrances that are out there and the boring norm of vanilla based perfumes.I am over thirty five and can't resist this wonderful perfume,it's a pick me up for sure.

11th September, 2010.

I love Happy by Clinique because it is instantly wearable. The notes are unduly pretentious in description though ! ( I have edited this because I do not know HOW I could have thought this is anything like Gucci By Gucci in the brown bottle. ! )
This is simply a citrus floral with great lasting power.
It's light hearted, summery and a good every day scent when you cannot think of what else to wear. I wish the bottle were more attractive and I do not like the name 'Happy' - it's a name for a pet dog ,rabbit, hamster, gerbil or something cute, one of the seven dwarves or something furry and non vicious .
So not the height of sophistication but still a pretty scent.

20th June, 2010. (Last Edited: 25th January, 2011.)

fruit juice and constant florals. blended ok as far as me not detecting the alcohol. not much excitement with this, happy feels like a safe scent in many settings.

8th April, 2010.