Gucci by Gucci

I think that the award for the most unique fragrance that I have tried this whole year goes to this fragrance. Normally, I go for more floral and oriental fragrances but this is the first fragrance of the Chypre family that I have ever tried. A Chypre is a very unique type of fragrance that smells mostly of woods on the skin, perhaps with a musky or floral twist to it. This is one of the oldest types of fragrances and many fragrances that were available at the turn of 1900s and the next twenty to thirty years after were of this type. This is is much older type of fragrance than any of the florals that we are so popular today.

Gucci by Gucci is one of the few fragrances of this type that is available today of this type and the only one that was created in the past ten years. This fragrance made quite a splash in the beauty world when it was first introduced to Neiman Marcus around 2007 or 2008. This was a triumph for Gucci in that they created a Chypre that manages to smell both modern and true to origins of the fragrance family while combining it all with modern technology allowing the fragrance to wear better than it's much older counterparts.

"Gucci by Gucci is the signature fragrance for the modern day icon - a strong yet sensual woman driven by both her desire for achievement and her unmistakable feminine allure. The new Gucci fragrance falls into the Chypre floral scent family, with a top fruity citrus note and a woodsy base note. The fragrance emerges with an unexpected blend of guava and pear, bringing with it a uniqueness and modernity. The heart adds a rich, sensual femininity with the Tahitian Tiare flower bringing creaminess to an unconventional bouquet. The bottom consists of musky notes and honey that add sensuality and warmth to the strength of the patchouli", states the fragrance description on the Sephora website.

The fragrance notes: Guava, Pear, Tahitian Tiare Flower, Honey, Musk, Patchouli.

This fragrance is very bottom note oriented on my skin. I get a quick burst of the top fruit notes but then the fragrance settles into the woody and musky notes on my skin. I can smell the honey, the musk, and the patchouli on my skin, making this the most unique fragrance that I own. Personally, I find this fragrance best used at night when getting dressed or for a big day at work when I need to make a statement. I bought the EDP in this fragrance and it lasts about four to five hours on me. This fragrance is also available in a lighter EDT form so this is an option for those who find it to be too strong for them.

This fall and winter, I was very interested in vintage fashion and beauty and this fragrance fit in perfectly with my red lipstick and super high heels. This one is not for everyone, I will be the first to admit that but if you can make this one work, you will have a fragrance that no one else has anything close to.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Gucci Guilty

Gucci Guilty is fragrance that just came out several weeks ago and feel in love with at first sniff. Considering that it has no rose in it, that is quite an accomplishment! Over the past week, I have been reading Eat, Pray, Love and after reading about Liz Gilbert's adventures in Rome, I am currently obsessed with Italy and all things Italian. As we know, Gucci is about as Italian as it gets. This fragrance falls into the floral-oriental family.

The Sephora websites steates the following about the fragrance, "Made for the woman who shatters expectations, this fragrance imbues a feeling of power, a sense that she can attain whatever she wants - even the thrill of the forbidden. A sheer, floral-oriental fragrance, it opens with a bright burst of citrus and a dangerous hint of black pepper. This arresting introduction gives way to full-throttle feminity as its heart pulses with fruity and floral notes. The fragrance dries down to a rich, ambery base with notes of patchouli. The overall effect is young, stylish, and eminently wearable - a daring egde of sexiness and sensuality that captures the essense of Gucci. The stunning bottles fuses glass and metal, a feature revealed through Gucci's signature interlocking "G" characters. At the center of the iconic logo's letterforms, the bottle's gleaming metallic surface is elegantly cut away to expose the bottle's glass interior".

The notes are: Mandarin, Pink Pepper, Peach, Lilac, Geranium, Amber, Patchouli. I think the strongest notes are the florals, amber, and the patchouli. It reminds me of Coco Mademoiselle, another floral-oriental. I love both of these fragrances and though I already own the Chanel fragance, I feel that this one is different enough to warrant purchase.

Maybe I really just want to be a jet-setting Gucci girl...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Flora by Gucci

I am beginning to feel as though I desperately want almost every single fragrance that has been introduced this past spring and so far this summer. However, as many as I am coveting at the moment, the newest release from Gucci has been rocketing up to the top of my shopping list. This fragrance is called Flora and it will be shocking to no one that this is a floral based fragrance. It is described as a "subtle and sophisticated floral scent".

Here is the description of the fragrance from Bergdorf Goodman. "Inspired by the Princesses from the past, the present, and the future...The Floral Donna is a young, natural, spontaneous, elegant, classic, and refined woman who possesses the 'Gucci edge' of power and sensuality. The first floral scarf was exclusively designed for the Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966 and soon became one of the most popular Gucci icons, featured on Gucci fashion and accessories. Years later, Frida Giannini discovered this marvelous drawing from her mother's scarf and was seduced by its playful details and bright colors. Frida reintroduced the Flora pattern and continues to use it throughout her collections. The bottle has Flora Pattern in Black & White Script Logo, Iconic Gucci symbols - Webbing, Gold Bamboo Clean, and a sharp hexagonal shape".

The top notes are Citrus Accords and Peony. The middle notes of the fragrance are Rose and Osmanthus Flower. The base notes are Pink Pepper and Sandalwood.

Yes, this is yet another rose fragrance. Maybe one day I will get sick of fragrances that have rose in the middle notes but until then the top of my shopping lists will always contain rose fragrances. I actually don't think that I have a rose based fragrance that is even remotely close to how this one smells. The pink pepper and sandalwood really set it apart and bring the rose notes out. This fragrance manages to be light enough for summer yet complex enough to wear in cooler weather.

photo courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman