Eau, those celebrities!

What do Britney Spears and Derek Jeter have in common, besides earning more per year than you and I will in our lifetimes? (And if that isn't true of you, please consider donating to my struggling artist fund, won't you?)

Two-word hint: eau de.

That's right, they've both got their own scents on the market (actually, Jeter's is coming out in November.) And they're not alone. Celebrity perfumes and colognes are all the rage with new products either out, or in the works by everyone from Blue Jays pitcher Gustavo Chacin, to author, Danielle Steel to even (gulp), Marilyn Manson.

According to a recent article on msnbc.com, "celebrity fragrances are the fastest-growing segment of the $2.9 billion perfume market, according to market researcher NPD Group."

Let me spritz a few more facts on you:

Celebrity and celebrity-endorsed brands represented 23 percent of the top 100 women's fragrances in the United States in 2005, up from 10 percent in 2003 Elizabeth Taylor was the first to capitalize on her brand status with a perfume line Despite her absence from movie screens, Taylor's fragrance White Diamonds remains a top seller [Taylor's] success was considered an exception until 2002, when Jennifer Lopez jump-started the category with her first scent, Glow, on the back of a red-hot movie and music career

For a complete list of all the new fragrances that have hit or will hit the stores this year, check out the pungent blog over at NowSmellThis.com.