Current Favourite Perfumes/Fragrances

I love fragrances, perfumes, scents and whatever you want to call them. For me, different scents are associated with different memories and I love them. I remember my Dad’s favourite perfume which still brings back many nostalgic and sweet memories every time I sniff a whiff of it; it’s a beautiful feeling I tell you.  My boyfriend’s favourite fragrance lingers in my room when he comes to visit me and it makes me feel like he is close even when he is long gone. I know I am beginning to sound very soppy but I guess I just miss these wonderful men in my life...soppiness over..I present to you my current perfume collection which is not really huge but each of these scents are for specific periods and they are my current favourites..

The Dark and Sophisticated one (Jo Malone Pomegranate and Noir): I have done a review on this earlier this year and you can find it here but I really love this fragrance and I reserve it for evenings or events in the night. It’s quite a strong fragrance and I would not say it is overly feminine but it is quite a matured scent. I love it and anytime I wear it, I feel confident and sophisticated and as expected with many Jo Malone fragrances, its lasting power is great and I usually don’t need to reapply in the course of the day.

The Feminine and Sexy One (Emporio Armani Diamonds Rose): I have not done a full review of this per say but I mentioned it in my September Favourites Video here. It’s a really feminine scent which I love for daytime and summer/spring. Its notes are a great combination of patchouli, rose, freesia and raspberry making it a lovely floral and fruity fragrance. I really like it and every single time I have worn it, people have complimented me and asked for the name. The bottle is so cute and fits in nicely in my hands and on my dresser. I received a small sample in December last year from John Lewis as a Gift with Purchase and since then I was silently lusting after it and I am so glad I finally got my hands on it.

The Fun, Playful and Weekend One (Madonna Truth or Dare Perfume): Generally, I can’t say I am a fan of Celebrity perfumes except Britney Spears which I love. However, I really like the Madonna Truth or Dare Perfume which has an amazing bottle and it smells lovely (if you like floral fragrances) and its lasting power is surprisingly brilliant. Its notes are a combination of Gardenia., Tuberose, Jasmine, White Lily, Amber and Musk with a tinge of vanilla. I love musky fragrances and when you throw in vanilla, I am completely sold. I wear this sometimes during the weekend and it smells amazing. I really like how long it lasts on my skin and it totally agrees with my skin chemistry.

The Instant Pick Me Up One (Ed Hardy Love Kills Slowly): This is my number one pick me up scent and one of my favourite scents (Lancome la Vie est Belle is my all time favourite scent and nothing comes close so far). Whenever I am having a dodgy day, I just spritz this  and it definitely perks me up. It has already been reviewed here but I recently repurchased this as it was on offer in The Perfume Shop. The bottle has beautiful tattoos all over it and I love nice and tasteful tattoos but I am too much of a wimp to get one (I hate pain!!) so naturally I was drawn to this bottle. The fragrance is verryyyyyyy long lasting and that’s the reason why I repurchased this again. It’s a strong Fruity (chiefly citrus) scent and a slight floral tinge laced with a combination of notes which include Mango, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Freesia, Vanilla, Amber and Musk. Although it has an impressive lasting power, it’s not overpowering at all.

The Subtle Everyday Ones (Zara Oriental and Fruity Fragrances): Can we just pause and appreciate Zara for these beautifully packed duos? Only few clothing brands/stores get it right with fragrances but Zara perfumes are just amazing. I tried the Fruity one sold alone a long time ago and I fell in love with it instantly and I was so glad I was able to try it again along with the Oriental version. I will do a full review on these perfumes much later but they smell amazing. The Zara Oriental version is a lovely combination of Caramel, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cedar and it just smells so much more expensive than it is while the Fruity version has a combination of Grapefruit, Rose, Amber, Vanilla and Sandalwood. They are so lovely and affordable but the only downside is the lasting power is not great but it’s not too bad. You can always reapply this. It’s a really beautiful scent and I can’t believe I got both of them for £12.99 in total that less than £6.50 for one and they are in 100 ml bottles.

That’s all the fragrances in my collection at the moment and I have a few sprays here and there but I really like these fragrances and they are currently on rotation. I know some people prefer stronger scents for Autumn/Winter but I really don’t mind continuing with my Spring/Summer scents because I am more inclined to choose floral and fruity fragrances with hints of vanilla, amber and musk.  Have you tried any of these fragrances? See you in my next post..x

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Perfume Review

Hi My Lovelies,
I hope you all had a fab weekend. There was a time towards the end of last year, precisely in December, when i was on the last dregs of all my perfumes and I didn't want to buy new ones because 1.) Christmas was around the corner and I knew I may get a perfume as a gift and 2.) My birthday is in January which means there is a large chance of receiving perfumes. Anyway, it turned out I didn't really have to wait that long as my lovely flatmate gave me this Jo Malone Pomegranate and Noir Perfume as an early gift in addition to my birthday gift which she gave me on actual birthday (I am so spoiled!!). I was really, really pleased because I have always wanted to try the Jo Malone Range especially the perfumes but you all know they are quite pricey. I mean 30 ml costs £39 and 100ml costs a whopping £78. Damn!!. Now you can imagine how pleased I was to get this.

Jo Malone Brand

The Jo Malone Brand is one that does not need much introduction because it is well known. It is a quintessential British Brand which is renowned for its luxury goods which range from fragrances to candles and other luxury lifestyle products. Jo Malone, the founder (obviously), began her career as a facialist and rose quickly, with hard work, to become one of London's most sought-after skin care therapists. This is my first Jo Malone product and I am more than impressed because it lives up to all the hype and more.

Product- Jo Malone Pomengranate and Noir Cologne

I really like the name although it is quite a long one and i can't seem to say Pomegranate correctly for some unknown reason. I was wondering why it is called a cologne as i always associate cologne with men but after using it, I understood why. It comes off as a strong fragrance which is not very girly in fact i believe it can be unisex (just my humble opinion) although I don't see the bf venturing near this. It is a bold and strong fragrance for a confident, classy lady.

What Jo Malone says 

The Jo Malone website describes this fragrance, also christened "Pom Noir" if it's a mouthful, as a dark and enigmatic fragrance which has a combination of Ruby-rich juices of Pomegranate, Raspberry and Plum spiked with pink pepper laced with Casablanca Lily and Spicy Woods to accompany the warm sensuality of a daring red dress...oooh la la!!

Packaging

I really like the clean and classy packaging. No frills or thrills, just straight talking class and I absolutely love it. Although I am all for sweet and girly packaging, I think the simple packaging oozes class, sophistication and elegance. The glass bottle feels very sturdy and expensive. From what I have seen on the website and Jo Malone counters in store, almost all the bottles have similar packaging. The lid fits the bottle really securely.

Notes

I am not the best at describing scents so I am going to go off what I read on the website for the accurate description of the notes of this fragrance. Top notes are Raspberry, Pomegranate, Plum, Rhuburb and Watermelon. Middle/Heart notes consist of Lily-of-the-valley, Jasmine, Rose, Pink Pepper, Clove, Olibanum, Guaiac wood. Base notes include Virginia cedar, Patchouli, Musk and Amber.

Verdict

I love this perfume because it is really different from all the other fragrances which i own. I agree this is not a scent for everyone because it quite a strong one but i am drawn to it because of its unique blend of exotic scents and ingredients. It's definitely not a daily perfume or one i wear during the day. I reserve this for outings and nights out (hahaha, I am laughing at myself because I hardly go on any nights out especially with this winter) but I have worn it for the few night outs I have ventured. I even wore this for a classy work event and I think it worked out well. I hope you enjoyed this mini review and see you in my next post. Have you tried any products from the Jo Malone Brand?...x

Ed Hardy "Love Kills Slowly" Perfume Set Review

Hi My Lovelies,
As usual, I have to rant about the weather as many people who live in the UK always do. Honestly, the weather has not been the best and it's fats becoming very nippy but we all have to survive. I have drank more cups of tea than I have in the earlier half of the year (I am more of a coffee girl ). Anyway, I hope everyone is well. I am reviewing the Ed Hardy Love Kills Slowly Perfume Set. Sometime in July, I was in Debenhams looking for a way to spend my £5 voucher from the Debenhams Beauty Club. I roamed through the perfume section looking for a nice deal. One of the sales ladies drew my attention to the Ed Hardy Love Kills Slowly Perfume Set which was on sale for half the price at £18 for a lovely 50 ml Perfume, a 90 ml perfumed body lotion and a 7 ml miniature version for the hand bag. It was really tantalizing and , although,  I had never tried the Ed Hardy range, I decided to to splurge and it is definitely one of the splurges I have never regretted. I am not sure why I decided to pick it up; it could be how convincing the sales lady was or her strong lovely accent (I think she was Jamaican/Carribean) or how lovely the packaging was or a combo of everything. Whatever/whoever was responsible, I owe you a big squishy hug.




Background
To be honest, I have never tried or even thought of trying any of the Ed Hardy Perfume range because I thought the inscriptions and designs were not me but I was so wrong as the perfume/fragrance is totally amazing and my kind of scent. Don Ed Hardy is an American Artist raised in Southern California who is best known for his tattoo work, his eye catching tattoo designs on apparel and accessories. I generally associate Ed Hardy with his famous tattoo designs which are seen on many of his clothing and accessories including his perfumes. Apparently, his female perfumes were created by Christian Audigier and I think this was one of the lot he created.

Packaging
In this set, you get a lovely 50 ml perfume bottle, a perfumed body lotion and a 7 ml miniature version which are really lovely. I love how bold the packaging design is; I think it will make a good tattoo for people who love tattoos. I really love how sturdy this box is and the lovely splash of colours all around it plus the beautiful woman drwan on it. The bottle also has the same tattoo design/inscription on it with Ed Hardy on one side. The miniature bottle is my absolute favourite. It looks so cute in its tiny little package and fits perfectly in my makeup pouch and is perfect for night outs where it is snuggled in my clutch. The perfumed body lotion is one of my favourite because it really lingers on my skin for a long time and it has some gold shimmers which reflect on your skin in a nice way if you are in the sun.

Fragrance
My first impression of it was a nice fruity and sweet smell without being too overpowering as sometimes sweet and fruity scents could be a bit annoying but this is not one of those. It's a very fruity fragrance which many people have compared to the Juicy Couture Perfumes, DKNY Red perfume and Victoria Secrets perfumes. Its Top notes are Mango, Grape fruit and Strawberries which gives way to its middle notes of Freesia and mild Vanilla before it settles to its base notes of Amber, Musk and Leather. I love how the notes are all formulated but if you do not like fruity/citrus fragrances, you may need to steer clear of this perfume as it comes on strong when you spray it initially.

Longevity
I must say this fragrance really lasts for a long time. I have never had any cause to reapply or touch up during the day because i can still smell it slightly on me which i think is enough. It does linger on some of my clothing even when it has been washed which i think is really nice provided you like the scent though. It has not irritated my skin when applying it so i guess it is okay on application.

Cost
The cost really varies depending on where and what deals are going on. As i said, i bought mine from Debenhams during the sales back in July and it was on sale for £18 and I had a £5 voucher so i only got it for £13 which is an absolute bargain. However, they do not sell them any more in Debenhams (my greedy self went back to buy more) but they had sold out. They now had it back to its original price but not in a gift set. I scoured through online and it was not easy finding this set but i guess i was not very serious. I saw varying prices ranging from $40 which is about £30 or more. 

Verdict
I am besotted with this fragrance and i wish i actually bought more than one at the time at such a bargain. I will recommend this if you like fruity/citrus notes perfumes or girly scents. If you are not, you may find this perfume to sweet for you. As I said earlier, I love fruity and floral scents and this is one of my favorites. I will definitely repurchase once i lay my mitts on it in a gift set.





I hope you have enjoyed this little post and it has somewhat brightened the grey skies and dodgy weather if you are in London. See you in my next post and don't forget to enter the Leonie Blackhead Removing Peel-Off Mask Giveaway running through till the end of September, so don't forget to enter as it is open internationally... toodles.....x

Summer Fragrances/Scents

Hi Lovelies,
I hope everyone has had a nice weekend. I honestly don't know where the weekend goes some times. Anyway, thank you for all your love and support in my consecutive every day posting week. Today is Day 6 and I have one more day to go....heeehaaaa



I love fragrances and I am sure many ladies love to smell nice, feminine,demure and sexy. Summer reminds me of gardens, sun, flowers and blue skies and they all influence the choice of fragrance and perfume I go for. I find that I lean towards floral and fruity scents for day time and musky notes for night time. I am not really a fan of very strong fragrances but I love light fragrances that linger a little longer than normal. In this post, I am going to share with you some Fragrances and Mists I have been loving all summer.



                         Marc Jacob's Daisy Sunshine Limited Edition EDT 50 ml £36-£38
I have been enchanted for a long time with Marc Jacob's Daisy Collection perfumes because the fragrances are lovely and beautifully packaged. I love, love all the Daisy Collections. The Daisy Sunshine Limited Edition perfume was a gift from my lovely BF and I have already posted a blog post here about it. I love how summery and playful yet classy this scent makes me feel.

It's really hard to explain. Its top notes are made up of a mix of Guava, Mandarin and Sweet Red Currant which lends it its fruity scent while its heart tones are made up of a floral mix of  the lily of the valley, lychee and violet which helps creates a balance of a floral scent. When it is first sprayed, the first notes that hit you are the fruity ones which settle after a while to a mixture of the floral and fruity tones which finally settles to its slight base notes of blonde woods and musk which I absolutely love. I wear this mainly when I am going to work because it makes me feel classy in a summery way if that makes any sense..lol

                                        The Zara Woman Fruity EDT 100 ml £9.99 
I had been contemplating buying this perfume from Zara but I was not sure if it was worth the spend (not that it cost a fortune but you know, sometimes, I want to feel like I am money savvy). I eventually bought it and I am so glad I did. I am not sure why they are not as popular as I expected but I feel it is great value for such excellent quality. As the name depicts, it is a summery fruity scent which may be tipping over to being a little too fruity when you initially spray it. I , for one, don't mind at all because I love fruity and floral scents but I also know it settles to a subtle fruity scent.

Its Top notes are Citrus and Grapefruit as expected while its middle notes are Rose and its Base notes are Amber, Vanilla and Sandalwood which makes sense as those are the kind of notes you can tolerate long term if you don't like fruit/floral scents. I really like this perfume and it does have a fair wearing time which I did not expect seeing that it was an EDT. Don't be deceived by its price as it is actually a really nice fragrance that still lingers longer than you expect. This is my go-to fragrance for weekends and casual outings.

                                               Yves Rocher Ming Shu EDP 30 ml £17
I am not sure this is a very popular perfume because I have only seen it being sold online. My former boss at work used to wear it and it smelt so nice and lasted all day. Of course, I was very curious and she showed me the cute little bottle and we started hunting it down. She received it as a gift so she had no idea where it was bought. Finally, we found it on Amazon, Ebay and the Yves Rocher website which is based in Paris, France. I fell in love instantly with this scent and my former boss was kind enough to gift me this perfume as a leaving-do present/gift. I was really pleased. This perfume smells really amazing and it lasts a long long time which is expected since it is an EDP not an EDT. I love anything French because they are so chic and classy just like French Women. The only downside to this is that it does not have a spray top/pump so you can only dab it on your wrists, earlobes, elbows or anywhere you fancy and you have to be very careful to prevent waste as the mouth/top opening is a little wider than expected.

This fragrance reminds me of the sea because I feel calm and relaxed whenever I wear it, again, I'm rubbish in describing scents. I would say it is a mixture of aquatic and floral scents which feels really light on application but lasts for a good time on your skin. Its Top notes are Marine Note and Pepper while its Mid notes are Nymphea Stellata and Ylang Ylang and its base notes are Sandalwood and Vanilla which I guess lends it its aquatic floral vibe. You can buy this on the Yves Rocher Website and they usually have so many juicy discounts. I prefer this for days when I have an evening outing to attend because it is a demure and sexy fragrance which is still very classy..My kind of fragrance.

That's it folks. I am sure you can tell I am a huge fan of floral/fruity and light musky scents. I am still open to try out other scents and fragrances to find out what my signature scent would be as I am yet to find one. 

Sometimes, I am really naughty and I mix all these scents into a nice medley of fruits, flowers and musks which surprisingly is not bad..Hahaha..I am sure many of you are as naughty in mixing scents. I hope this post was helpful and I would love to know/read about your top summer fragrances/scent are in the comment box below.. See you in my next post...toodles..xxx