Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola!

Lola from Marc Jacobs was first released in the early fall of 2009 and I fell in love with it immediately.  Lola was my fall fragrance and Daisy was more of my spring fragrance, I love both of them and therefore I was really excited when I heard about the release of Oh, Lola in the early fall of the 2011.  I have never been fan of creating new versions of a best-selling fragrance and usually I end up only liking the original fragrance and I can never stand the new version.  I was hoping that Oh, Lola would change that trend but I was a bit concerned that a new version could never live up to the loveliness of the original fragrance.  Turns out...I was right about new versions of great fragrances, they don't live up to the original and just end up disappointing me in the end.
I feel like I read or heard somewhere that Oh, Lola! was made to be Lola's little sister and I couldn't have described this fragrance better myself.  It is a younger, lighter, sweeter version of the original fragrance.  That might be great for someone younger or who likes less fragrance (as the original can be somewhat strong) but this isn't at all what I had in mind and I prefer stronger fragrances over lighter ones.  This fragrance would also be better as a spring fragrance, where the original Lola is better for the fall and winter months. 

The Sephora website states the following about the fragrance, "Flirtatious, charming, and sparkling with lightheated personality, this fragrance leaves you flirting with your senses!  It bursts open with a bright and whimsical effervescence.  At the heart of the fragrance is the playful scent of peony.  As the scent dries down, a flirty and elegant trail gives you an unexpected touch of fun that makes you smile!  Oh, Lola's cap bursts from the bottle in a flowery swirl of glossy, transparent petals in pink and cherry red.  Beautifully juicy and refreshing, each brillant layer of petals comes together with a surprising sparkle of spontaneous personality."
The notes of the new version of this fragrance are: Raspberry, Vanilla, Peony, Pear, Cyclaman.  For comparison purposes, the notes of the original fragrance are: Pink Peppercorn, Pear, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Rose, Fuschia Peony, Geranium, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Creamy Musk.  The raspberry note is the major addition to the new fragrance, making it much lighter and the absence of the tonka bean and musk also contribute to lightening up the fragrance.

My major problem with this fragrance was the addition of the raspberry note, this note never works on my skin and makes the fragrance sickeningly sweet when I try to wear.  The pear note just adds to the sweetness and makes the fragrance even worse for me.  This fragrance was pretty much killed for me as soon as I smelled the raspberry note on my skin, I could never pull this off.  I will stick with the original version of the fragrance, the heart floral notes and the base notes in it work so much better on my skin and are much more to my preference in fragrances.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Marc Jacobs Curacao

In the beginning of the summer, Marc Jacobs released three new fragrances to add to his body splash collection, all of which are limited edition and therefore are very oriented to warm weather and laid back summer days.  The Marc Jacobs body splash line has never really appealed to me since the bottles are huge and it is very hard for me to love a fragrance so much that I want a 10 oz bottle of it, actaully so far I haven't even found one that I would use through that huge size without getting really sick of it.  So far, Curacao is the only fragrance that I might consider purchasing the full bottle of. 

A bit of background, Curacao is one of the French Antilles group of tropical islands.  This is an island known for its beautiful white sand beaches and it is a very popular destination for scuba divers.  In fact, had I tried this fragrance out a bit earlier, this would have been a great addition to be my Beach Week...

Sephora states the following as a product description, "This summer, take a break, relax, and get away for some fun.  Inspired by the first sip of a cool, sweet cocktail on a sun-soaked summer day, Marc Jacobs introduces a refreshing scent that's vibrant in color and crisp to the senses.  Indulge in the simple pleasures of summer." 

The fragrance notes are: Blood Oranges, Bitter Orange Bigrade, Lime, Mandarin, Violet, Pear, Apricot, White Moss, Amber, Musk, Sandalwood. 

I can see the inspiration for this fragrance when I looked at the pictures of the beaches in Curacao, especially for the aqua blue color of the perfume (which is what actually was my initial attraction to the fragrance).  This fragrance starts with a burst of orange and lime and it is intially a bit on the tart side.  After about an hour, the fragrance develops into more of a blood orange fragrance with hints of violet and apricot to sweeten and soften it.  The blood orange notes remains the strongest note in the fragrance through the whole time of wear.  The sandalwood comes out at the end and mixes well with the violet and the blood orange.  It lasts about five to six hours on my skin, which is about what I expect from a body splash.  This is a lighter intensity fragrance and will be best appreciated by someone who loves light fragrances or dominant citrus notes in their perfume.  This fragrance is best saved for the summertime since it is very heavy on the citrus and really reminds me of the beach. 

I like this fragrance however since citruses aren't always my cup of tea (and this fragrance smells of oranges the whole time on my skin) so I won't be buying this fragrance.  The major issue with thie fragrance is the same that I have with the rest of the Marc Jacobs splash line.  I would never use this whole bottle up, especially since I would save it for the summer only.  There is no point in my buying this since I would end up throwing at least half of it out within about five years.  If March Jacobs released this line in bottles that were four or five ounces, I know that I would be purchasing a bunch of these fragrances, especially this one.

I guess that these fragrances are sold in bigger bottles since most ladies tend to go through a splash faster than a perfume but I really wish that multiple sizes would be offered because I could never even get half-way through one of these bottles without getting annoyed with it.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Five Favorite - Summer Fragrances

I feel like I haven't done a Five Favorite entry in ages.  Today's is about my favorite fragrances to wear in the summer.  I feel like I buy perfumes in spring and summer more than I buy any other time of the year.  Summer fragrances are more fun than any other time of the year and I just love the first few days that I can pull out my favorite fragrances.

My Five Favorite summer fragrances...

Harajuku Lovers G - "Never one to get lost in the crowd, G leads her crew in a white, corseted top and a blue miniskirt a la Alice in Wonderland.  Quirky, unique, and undeniably cool, G is the leader of the pack.  Her scent is an oriental, fruity, gourmand fragrance with notes of fresh coconut, jasmine, and cotton woods."  "Fragrance notes - Mandarin, Coconut, Apple Skin, Jasmine Sambac, Freesia, Magnolia, Coconut Cream, White Sandalwood, Cotton Woods".  This is my current summer fragrance obsession, it is warm and coconuty, without smelling like sunscreen.  It is more sophisticated way to wear coconut fragrances in the summer and take the beach to to the city. 

Marc Jacobs Daisy - "Enter the world of Daisy: fresh and feminine, with a playful innocence.  At the heart of Daisy is a floral with a vintage edge: violet.  Sophisticated, with a touch of whimsy, violet captures the eclectic, vintage flavor of  Marc Jacobs' feminine, edgy designs.  Always elegant, always enchanting - but not too serious - Daisy is a sparkling floral bouquet, spirited and fresh, wrapped in comfort and warmth."  "Fragrance notes - Strawberry, Violet Leaves, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Gardenia, Violet Petals, Jasmine Petals, Musk, Vanilla, White Woods."  This fragrance is a rare find in that it is one of few warm weather fragrances that I can wear to work or out at night.  The violet and the strawberry notes come out the strongest on and I never fail to get compliments on this fragrance every single time that I wear it.  This one has been a staple for me for several years now and I doubt that that will be changing anytime in the near future.

Dior Dior Addict 2 - "Dior Addict 2 begins with a sparkling, alluring burst of fresh feminity, like a sweet bubble of optimisim and energy.  Crisp, clean notes of bergamot, grapefruit, and orange mingle with fresh floral notes and ripe fruits, soothed with warm sandalwood and white musk - this is Dior's baby doll."  "Fragrance notes - Bergamot, Grapefruit, Orange, Freesia, Lily of the Valley, Lotus Flower, Pineapple, Watermelon, Grenadine, Sandalwood, White Musk."  This fragrance is very crisp and quite easy to wear, even in the hottest of weather.  This fragrance starts out very citrusy and then settles down on my skin to be a light floral.  This fragrance is lighter so I find it best for day but it could be worn at night if you prefer a lighter fragrance or if it too warm to wear anything heavier.  This is about as citrus as my fragrances get and this is one of the few that doesn't smell sour on me (the floral notes are sweet enough to balance out the citrus notes).

Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena - "A tropical scent inspired by an island breeze of luscious fruits and crisp citrus."  "Fragrance notes - Sheer Coconut Water, Sandalwood, Musk."  I first used this fragrance when I was in college and I fell in love with it for whole summers at a time.  As soon as May began to roll around, I got this fragrance out of storage and wore it almost every single day until classes started the following September.  This fragrance really represents summer to me and I still continue to purchase it in the Body Splash to this day.  This is one of the few fragrances that I use up a bottle and then head right back out to buy another.  On my skin, this one smells like lime for about half an hour and then settles down to fragrance that is a mix of coconut, vanilla, and sandalwood.  I use the body products that match this fragrance all year round to bring a hint of summer to the dead of winter.

Caudalie Fleur de Vigne - "Homage to the beautiful Grape Blossom, this energizing, delicately fragranced, is drawn from the plants of aromatherapy.  Enriched with essential oils and plant waters rich in oligo-elements, it refreshes and tone.  Non-photosensitizing."  "Fragrance notes - Bergamot, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Blackcurrant Bud, Green Mate, Plant Waters of Grape, Lemon, Orange Sandalwood, Cedar.  Very unique, light fragrance that smells of citrus and grape blossom.  This is the lightest fragrance that I have ever owned and I wouldn't have put up with the lack of staying power to it if I didn't love the fragrance so much.  This one is more on the citrus side but is light enough and with the blend of the grape blossoms, I can pull it off.

Hopefully, I have given you a few new scent ideas.  These are my favorite scents to wear in the summer and I tend to rotate which one of these is my favorite.  If you wish, leave your favorite summer scent in the comments and give me something new to try!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh

Marc Jacobs Daisy has been a top seller in the woman's fragrance industry ever since it was first released in 2007. Now it has spawned a second version of the fragrance, one that is similar enough to grab the fans of the original fragrance but it still unique enough to warrant a purchase of both. Dasiy has been a favorite of mine since the beginning and I love that I can dress it for warm nights or wear it equally well with a sundress. This version appears to be a lighter version so I feel that it will be more of a day fragrance than one that I would choose at night.

Sephora classifies this fragrance as one in the floral family. "A whimsical interpretation of the original Daisy fragrance, this scent is more fruity, more bubbly, more fun! Open the bottle and you'll be transported to a field of sunshine that bursts with the flirty scent of flowers and the cheerful sweetness of fruits. Its light, woody base infuses a subtle but sharp glimmer of musk for an unexpected twist of radiance. Fun to look at, touch, and open, the gold top of the weighted glass bottle is covered in six soft-to-the touch daisies with petals in white, pink, and yellow."

The fragrance notes are: Natural Raspberry, Grapefruit, Pear, Violet, Wild Rose, Apple Blossom, Musks, Cedarwood, Plum. The notes of the original (for comparison): Strawberry, Violet Leaves, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Gardenia, Violet Petals, Jasmine Petals, Musk, Vanilla, White Woods.

It is easy to see that the new version will be much lighter and much fruiter. The violet note is still present but it appears to be greatly reduced and the jasmine note is gone and replaced with rose and apple blossom. The strawberry has been replaced with raspberry so that explains why the fragrance is slightly more tart than the original. Since the fragrances are so different, I can justify buying myself a bottle of the new version and not feel like I am buying the same fragrance twice.

I predict that this fragrance will become a top seller for Marc Jacobs just like the original.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Marc Jacobs Lola

This fall, Marc Jacobs has released a follow up scent to the very popular Daisy. Daisy has been dominating the market ever since it was released and has come out in almost every single form possible. However, Marc Jacobs had to release another fragrance at some point soon and one that was similar to Daisy is quite a no brainer. Lola is new for this fall and I have been interested in it ever since I saw a picture of the bottle in an issue of Glamour at least two months ago. Finally, I have found it on the Sephora site and can get my hands on a bottle of it. My initial prediction is that this fragrance will become a top seller whatever it smells like. Jacobs will be able to capitalize on the fame of Daisy with this fragrance. Let's see if it can live up to Daisy...

This fragrance falls into the category of floral. The description of the product is right here, "Lola is Daisy's older sister. This warm floral bouquet conveys the free spirit of today's sexy, modern girl - she is playful, cool, and flirtatious. The long-lasting, day-and-night scent opens with pink peppercorn, pear, and ruby red grapefruit. Blooming midnotes of rose, fuschia peony, and geranium make a feminine statement. Layers of vanilla, warm tonka bean, and creamy musk create a sensous drydown. The bottle's exquisite, multi-layered cap is a bursting bouquet with bright modern colors that pop against a matte black background and rope-inspired, gold metallic neck. The silhouette is inspired by Marc's fashion collection".

I am undecided about the bottle. At first glance, I loved it but sometimes after looking at it for some time, I think that it is cheap and tacky looking. That is honestly that exact same feeling that I have about the Daisy bottle but this is more pronounced. I would really like to try this fragrance out since I don't own very many rose fragrance that are considered to be on the warmer side. Most of my rose fragrances seem to fall under the light and fresh side so I do get excited about a rose fragrance that would take me into the cooler months and is more on the deeper side.

I think this fragrance will be coming home with me on my next trip to the mall.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Marc Jacobs Daisy Ring

This Spring season has ushered in a new scent trend, making containers that are as amazing as the scents inside them. For Valentines Day, I received the Marc Jacobs Daisy ring with the Daisy perfume inside of it.

The ring itself has been in several magazines including Cosmo and Allure. I loved it the moment that I saw it last winter in Sephora. I didn't buy it at the time because it is gold and I don't do gold jewelery.

But I got it as a gift and I decided to make the most of it. It can actually be used in two different ways, one as a ring or a chain can be added to it to hang it off of a handbag or wristlet. I first tried it as a ring and I found out its major flaw - it is really heavy and rather clunky when worn. I still have to try it hanging off my handbag.

The perfume itself...I love it! It is not a face full of daisies as the name suggests, it is actually named after Daisy from the Great Gatsby (one of my favorite books). the notes are as follows (from Sephora.com): strawberry, violet leaves, ruby red grapefruit, gardenia, violet petals, jasmine petals, musk, vanilla, and white woods. It is described as "bright, alluring, eternal".

Cute container, statement making ring, and a beautiful scent...MINE, MINE, MINE!