Bath and Body Works Mad About You

Valentine's Day is in the air and nearly every beauty product line is releasing something special to celebrate this time of the year and I can't even be too much of a Grumpy Cat this year.  My personal mission is to find a great new fragrance to match the dress that I have picked out for the big day and I am starting right now with testing and searching out new blends.  I still have more than a week to find a new perfume but it has been snowing almost every week since the beginning of December and more than shopping trip has been cancelled due to weather over the past two months.  Let's see if this trend continues for the rest of the month...at the rate that the snow is coming down, we might be able to celebrate Valentine's Day by the beginning of March.

Last month, Bath and Body Works releases three new fragrances for the beginning of spring and I am eagerly looking forward to pulling out my Sky body products once the snow begins to melt.  This isn't what I had in mind for Valentine's Day though so I will be keeping it in the bag for the next few weeks.  I want a pretty, girly floral scent for Valentine's Day and maybe something with roses or peonies as a heart note.  I do see that Bath and Body Works released a new scent at the beginning of this week and this is one that I considered for my Valentine's Day fragrance.  Mad About You even sounds like the perfect date night perfume...

I was first attracted to this fragrance because of the beautiful bottle of the Eau de Toilette but the fragrance inside just wasn't for me.  "A love-struck pairing of soft peonies & black currant kissed with creamy vanilla musk.", states the Bath and Body Works website.  The top notes of the perfume are:  Black Currant, Luscious Strawberry, Sparkling Cassis.  The middle notes are: Ginger Lily, Bright Peony, Pink Jasmine.  The base notes are: Amber Wood, White Patchouli, Vanilla Musk.

This fragrance starts out all berry on me, its too sweet and berry notes often do not work well with my skin chemistry.  I tried to get through this phase of the fragrance and hope that it works better once the floral notes start to come out.  The peony note is too faint for me, the Black Currant and Cassis overpower all of the floral notes and keep this fragrance more berry than floral.  Berry notes sour on me and this one quickly follows that same path, the sweet notes quickly go sour and the whole fragrance is then just bad.  It reminds me of exactly the way that the Juicy fragrances react on me and why I tend to stay away from them. 

The EDT was very strong and lasted through a shower on me so I would give this fragrance full marks for staying power.  I tried the Lotion on my hand but this form was no better on me.  It had too much berry for me and soured within a few minutes of application.  This fragrance was a dud in all forms for me.  Such a shame since the bottle of just so pretty...

Mad About You is available in all the traditional Signature Collection forms along with the new Diamond Shimmer and a Whipped Shimmer Mousse that debuted sometime in the last holiday season.  The following forms can be found in this fragrance: Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Triple Moisture Body Cream, Body Scrub, Luxury Bubble Bath, and EDT.  The two shimmer forms are relatively newer and would be great choices for going out.

The Diamond Shimmer Mist is the newest version of a shimmer mist from this company.  I do not believe that any of the old ones are available so I assume that this is the new shimmer line.  "Dazzle with Diamonds! Infused with real diamond dust, our luxurious Diamond Shimmer Mist kisses skin with irresistible fragrance and gorgeous sparkle.", is the product description available on the company's website.  I wonder how much diamond dust is actually found in this product...

This is a nice fragrance for those for those who can wear berry notes, I can't and this ruins the whole fragrance for me.  I was hoping for something more floral and I know that I am going to have to keep searching for a new fragrance for the holiday or wear a current favorite in my collection (if the snow keeps me home the way that it has been).

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Brand Spotlight 2014 - Bobbi Brown Beach

We are starting off this year with the last product that is to be featured in this month's Brand Spotlight series, I have been enjoying collecting all kinds of items from a specific brand and I hope you all have been enjoying this series too.  I have found a few new gems from Bobbi Brown and I am really excited to keep ordering and trying more products from this brand, I have a feeling that this series is going to try into a very expensive habit...

We are going to wrap up this month's Brand Spotlight with a review of the iconic Bobbi Brown Beach fragrance, I ordered a bottle of this fragrance at the very beginning of the month and I have been eagerly awaiting the summer months so that I can wear this fragrance as much as possible.  I first smelled this fragrance late last summer and quickly fell in love with it but I forced myself to put off purchasing it until I started to collect products for the warmer weather.  This fragrance smells exactly like the beach and it makes me so excited for the summer!

The Bobbi Brown website provides the following fragrance description, "An eau de parfum inspired by the beach, this best-selling fragrance captures the atmosphere and essence of summer.  Designed with a lightly intoxicating blend of sand jasmine, sea spray, and mandarin; this fragrance is wearable anytime, anywhere."

I cannot put into words how much I love this perfume, it smells exactly like stepping on the beach and it makes me crave summer (even more than usual).  The main note is sand jasmine, this is the "beachy" note in this fragrance and in most of the "beachy" fragrances on the market.  I first smelled this note in the Suntan candle from Bath and Body Works a few summers ago and I have been obsessed with it ever since.  This perfume is exactly like that candle and somehow combines the smells of the sand jasmine with those of suntan lotion and ocean air and turns it into a fragrance I could wear every single day.

Beach is not a fragrance that I would wear for the office but it is perfect for casual summer weekends and warm date nights, it is a light beachy floral perfume and would pair perfectly with a sundress.  I think that this will become one of my new summer perfume staples!

My biggest issue with this fragrance is that it doesn't seem to last any longer than two or three hours when applied to my skin, this could be an issue with my skin chemistry however I have read several reviews that complain about the lack of lasting power.  I have resigned myself to using the EDP in the morning and then carrying the matching Rollerball in my bag with me.  I started by owning just the EDP but I quickly realized that I needed to purchase the Rollerball and I would need to be able to touch this fragrance up throughout the day.  This fragrance is also available in a lotion but I would love to see it in more body products and home fragrance products.  I do believe that I did see limited edition products in this fragrance last summer and I will be looking for more this summer.

My first Brand Spotlight is in the books and we will be switching gears for next month's brand.  This month we focused on one of the top brands in the makeup industry and I will be featuring a primarily skincare-based brand next month.  Any guesses?!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline

There is less than a month until Valentine's Day and I have already started to go through my perfume samples to look for a new fragrance to wear on that day.  I know that I want something floral but I am still not sure if I want a lighter, flirty floral or a deeper, sexy floral.  I will go back and forth between trying new (or new to me) fragrances from both of these categories.  I will work on this project for the next few weeks and I think that I will have quite a few reviews of fragrances by the time that the holiday arrives.  I have started with my current perfume sample collection, this collection grows more and more with each holiday gifting season and I have quite a few to choose from.

Today we are looking at the Omnia Crystalline fragrance from Bvlgari, a light floral with a prominent greenery note.  One spray of this perfume was enough for me to realize that it was not going to be a contender for my Valentine's Day fragrance.  Omnia Crystalline is more of a fresh fragrance with touches of floral notes.  This is much better as a fragrance to be worn in a professional environment.

The Sephora website provides the following fragrance description, "Capturing the glowing clarity of crystal light, Omnia Crystalline illuminates, reflects, and reveals a woman's unique radiance, her femininity, her beauty - the inexpressible, irresistible lightness of her being.  Omnia Crystalline is inspired by a gem - two rings flowing into each other to be displayed as a jewel symbolizing infinity: abundance and freedom."

The fragrance notes are: Lotus Blossom and Bamboo, this fragrance falls more into the Fresh family than the Floral family.  

I really loved this fragrance when I first tried it out, the fragrance starts with a watery note and then the greenery notes develop within the first fifteen minutes of wear time.  The fragrance than stays the same and it doesn't seem that there are any bottom notes contained in this mix.  The fragrance is full of top and heart notes but has very little lasting power and depth.

I like this fragrance less and less the more that I use it.  The fragrance smells very pretty when first applied but does not last on my skin.  I will say that this type of fragrance often tends to not last on my skin and this result may be different from everyone, only florals and muskier scents tend to work my body chemistry and I prefer to stick to fragrances in these families.

The fragrance also doesn't fade away gracefully on my skin, it is gone very quickly once it starts fading and I need to reapply it right away.  I have been burning through my sample and I need to carry it in my bag in order to reapply throughout the day.  There is just no point in my purchasing a full bottle of this perfume, I have other fragrances that are light and fresh but have more floral notes in and last much longer on my skin.  I think that Omnia Crystalline would work better for me if it had one or two more prominent floral notes in the mix but I think I can safely rule this one out from my fragrance search...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Philosophy Pure Grace

There is less than one week until Christmas and I am spending this whole weekend trying to pretend that the holiday doesn't exist.  I have everything done to prepare for the holiday so I have decided to hit the gym this weekend and start to think ahead toward what types of products that I will want to start picking up when the spring collections hit us full force.  I am going to start making some decisions as to what I would like to change about this blog in the new year and how I plan to start rolling them out next month.  We are far into the holiday season that I am tired of anything having to do with the merriment and I want to start looking ahead into the future.

I started by spending some time digging through my perfume collection and trying to decide if there are any holes in the line up.  I have been seeing a lack of fresh fragrances that can be worn in all kinds of situations and I went to a Sephora near me early this morning.  I remembered how much I used to love Philosophy's Amazing Grace fragrance and that this is one of the few fragrances that I ever completely used up and then went out and repurchased a new bottle.  I finished up my last bottle in the early fall months and I was considering ordering another bottle for the spring months.

Amazing Grace was typically the fragrance that I turned to when I was looking to wear a clean, fresh fragrance and the lack of the fragrance is leaving a large hole in my collection.  I thought about this fragrance this morning when I was walking into Sephora and I headed right over to the Philosophy section of this store.  I had a bottle of Amazing Grace in my hand when I decided to spray a few other fragrances from this company on my kind.  Pure Grace is the fragrance that caught my attention and this is the fragrance that I walked out with a bottle of.

"Pure. Crisp. Clean. Pure Grace represents clean, modern simplicity. It is a universal scent that will change the way you feel about fragrance. Pure, crisp, and infinitely clean, the fragrance opens with a veil of water lily for subtle freshness. The heart has the simple, modern tones of leafy greens and lasting frosted musk brings for a refreshing, modern finish.", states the Sephora website.

The major notes of Pure Grace are: Bergamot, Water Lily, Lavender, Jasmine, Cool Greens, Musk.

This fragrance is great for when I need a break from my normal floral fragrance lineup.  The floral notes are very subtle in Pure Grace and is light enough to be worn all throughout the year.  This is one of the few jasmine fragrances that I would be able to wear during the hottest days of the summer.  This fragrance reminds me more of a clean "laundry" type of fragrance.  If I close my eyes while wearing this fragrance, I think about fresh laundry drying outside during the summer.

I will wear this fragrance here and there during the winter months but it will become more of a staple in my line up once the warmer weather hits.  My biggest issue with this fragrance is the lack of lasting power.  This is a complaint that I have had with nearly every single Philosophy fragrance that I have used and I find that I tend to use through them like water as I am re-applying them.  I am considering picking up a rollerball in this fragrance and keeping it in my bag with me once the weather warms up enough for me to start wearing it to work.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Prada Candy

I have decided to treat myself to a new fragrance for the holiday season and I picked one that even surprised me.  I had been testing new fragrances since early last month and there was one fragrance that I fell in love with and could not get out of my head.  My fragrance of choice was Prada Candy, a warm gourmand designed in the fashion that I usually tend to avoid.  I rarely wear warm gourmands and I grabbed the tester of this fragrance as an afterthought.  I had smelled the bottle of this fragrance when it was first released and I decided from the initial whiff that this wasn't a fragrance that I would normally gravitate to.  I prefer florals and oriental fragrances and rarely stray into the world of the sweet gourmand notes.  I still have a bottle of Jessica Simpson Fancy left and I only wear this fragrance once or twice a season, the caramel notes appeal to me but I tend to get sick of it after a few uses and then I put it aside.  The last fragrance that I thought I needed to add to my collection was another gourmand.

When I first smelled the tester, Prada Candy reminded me exactly of that fragrance.  I found the fragrance attractive but decided that it was one that I would rarely ever wear and passed over it.  I tried it out on my skin a few weeks ago for the first time and I began to change my mind on the fragrance.  I liked it more and more while wearing it and I kept trying it on each time that I went to Sephora until I decided to order it for myself several days ago.

The Sephora website provides the following fragrance description and notes contained in it.  "Prada Candy is a fragrance with a novel olfactory balance combining exceptionally high-quality ingredients in excessive proportions. Magnified by white musks, noble benzoin comes together with a modern caramel accord to give the fragrance a truly unique signature.  Prada Candy is impossible to ignore. Its packaging is bold, unconventional, and pop, yet luxurious materials make it sophisticated and timeless. A band of shocking pink saffiano hugs the top of the bottle, inspired by vintage flacons, and bearing the refined Prada logo in sleek gold lettering. The pump, perched on its golden neck like a shiny black half-moon, is the striking finale to the bottle."

The notes of the fragrance are: White Musks, Benzoin, Caramel Accord.

Candy is a fragrance that starts out very strong, I initially didn't feel like I would ever wear this fragrance based on how smells at this point.  It smells exactly like Jessica Simpson Fancy for the first 30 minutes of wear and then the strong caramel note starts to fade off and Candy begins to smell like a gourmand that is much easier to wear on a daily basis.  Once this fragrance fully develops, it smells like a wearable combination of the gourmand and musk notes.  Candy is much lighter than Fancy and can actually be worn in a professional environment, I have never found Fancy to be fully appropriate for this type of environment.  Candy allows me to wear this type of gourmand on a more daily basis and it is a very nice change from the florals that I am always wearing.  This fragrance has about five to six hours of wear and gets lighter throughout the day, some reviews dislike this aspect of the fragrance but it appealed to me since it allows me to wear this type of fragrance in a professional environment.

I finally decided to order a bottle of this fragrance and I have been wearing it nearly every single day since.  I also love the bottle, the bright pink detailing on it looks very attractive on my bureau and it makes me happy to look at it each morning.  I found a new fragrance love and I will be wearing it all the way until the spring months.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Calvin Klein Downtown

I received samples of the new Calvin Klein fragrance with my last Sephora order and then was given even more samples of it when I bought some perfume gift sets at Macy*s.  Downtown is a fragrance that is inspired by New York City.  I was very excited when I saw that the Rooney Mara (in Lisbeth mode) was the model for this ad campaign and I tried this fragrance out with high hopes.  I initially liked this fragrance however I have decided that Downtown will be added to the list of Calvin Klein fragrances that are not my cup of tea.  With the exception of a handful of fragrances, Calvin Klein has never been a brand that has created perfumes that I have liked.  I find that this company creates many fragrances that skirt the line between masculine and feminine and these are just not the types of minimalism fragrances that I would wear very often.

I think that I really wanted to love Downtown for two big reasons.  The first reason is that it Rooney Mara is the cover model for this ad campaign and I love her minimalist downtown style.  The second reason that I wanted to love this fragrance is that it smells like nothing that I already own and it is very unique.  I own nothing like this fragrance for a reason...I just do not like unisex fragrances and would rather own a massive collection of floral fragrances. 

I found this fragrance on the Macy*s website, it states that Downtown is, "This urban women's fragrance is sophisticated and extremely feminine yet has a confident edge. Featuring scents of watery plum and gardenia, you'll never get tired of this divine scent." 

The key fragrance notes are: Neroli tunisia, fresh green pear, watery plum, gardenia petals, pink peppercorn, violet leaf, Texan cedarwood, vetiver, benzoin Laos orpur and musk. 

As I stated above, I find that Downtown could be a unisex fragrance.  The gardenia and violet leaf notes barely come out on my skin and I usually wear white florals very strongly.  I get mostly the pear, cedarwood, and vetiver notes from Downtown.  I did like how different this was but I didn't like how it wore on my skin.  It reminded me more of a men's cologne than a fragrance geared toward females.  If the floral notes were stronger, I probably would have been able to wear this fragrance but that is not the case so I will not be buying a full bottle of this fragrance.

The other disappointing aspect of this fragrance is the wear time.  Calvin Klein fragrances have never worn very long on my skin and I find that they tend to be heavy on top notes and don't last on many people's skin.  I got about two hours worth of wear time from this fragrance and I found that I needed to reapply it several times throughout my day and have been running through the samples that I have very quickly.

I was very hopeful that I had found a new perfume when I started trying these samples and I really wanted to like this fragrance but it just isn't for me.  I will finish the little bit left in my samples up but then I will be moving onto another perfume.

photo courtesy of Macy*s

Bath and Body Works Velvet Sugar

The holidays are less than three weeks away and I am done with my Christmas shopping and am trying my hardest to stay away from the mall.  I did have to run over the other day and was able to try out the new fragrance that Bath and Body Works has just brought out to finish the holiday season up and I know that I will not need it for either myself or anyone on my shopping list.  Bath and Body Works fragrances aren't really doing much for me lately, the only one that has worked for me since the beginning of last fall was Forever Midnight and I haven't even been using this one on a regular basis.  I have been loving all the candles and other Home Fragrance items that have come out this holiday season but the fragrances just aren't winners for me.  Maybe next spring will bring some new ones for me...

Velvet Sugar is the Bath and Body Works version of Pink Sugar, a fragrance that I wore in college and got over as soon as I finished up my bottles of the perfume and the matching body products.  I wanted to like this fragrance for the same reason that I love the Vanilla Bean Noel fragrance, I love sweet cupcake fragrances around the holidays and then will use them all the way through Valentine's Day.  It's a good thing that I buy Vanilla Bean Noel body products every single year and have a good stock pile of them to use once the stores are sold out of the fragrance.  I wanted to like this fragrance and add the body products to my line up but this one just isn't for me.

Velvet Sugar is said to be modeled after a Red Velvet Cupcake, one of my favorite desserts and one of the best holiday candles that Bath and Body Works has come out with this season.  "Savor every moment of this sweetly sumptuous blend of red velvet créme and golden plum laced with a swirl of sugared musk, pink jasmine and wild strawberries. Too much is never enough."  The top notes are: Wild Strawberries, White Nectarine, Pear Blossom, Apple Nectar.  The middle notes of the fragrance are:  Pink Jasmine, Golden Plum, Red Velvet Créme, Dewy Honeysuckle, Freesia.  The base notes are: Golden Amber, Vanilla , Tolu Balsam, Caramel, Baileys Créme, Sugared Musk. 

What is Tolu Balsam and what is it doing in this fragrance?!  I tried this fragrance in the EDP and the matching Body Lotion and didn't fall in love with either.  I loved the perfume bottle and actually wanted to love this fragrance just to have it sitting on my bureau but I couldn't bring myself to buy the perfume just to set the bottle out.  This fragrance is all strawberries, sugar, sweet musk, and more sugar.  I think I got a tooth ache from just trying this fragrance on...

The perfume is a mixture of the berry and sugar on me and then it settles down into the musk note, I got several compliments on the fragrance when I was wearing it but I still didn't like the way that it smelled.  The lotion was more sugar and the shower gel was more strawberry, I considered buying the body products but I didn't love the fragrance enough to add more products to my already overloaded bureau and shower caddy.  Maybe I will revisit this fragrance around Valentine's Day and see if my views on it change.

I put up a picture of the EDP in this fragrance because I love the packaging so much.  The rest of the packaging and products are more in line with the traditional Signature Collection products.  You can purchase the following products in this fragrance: Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Triple Moisture Body Cream, Luxury Bubble Bath, and Shimmer Mist.  I am only considering the body products to be worthy of retrying next Valentine's Day, I cannot wear any of the fragrances in Velvet Sugar and doubt that my mind will change any time soon.

This hasn't been the best fall season for fragrances for me from this company but the candles and matching Wallflower Bulbs have been spot on and are one of the best holiday collections that I have seen in several years from this company.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose

I feel like I haven't talked about fragrances since the beginning of the month, the holidays are normally one of the best times to go fragrance shopping however this year hasn't been living up to my expectations in that regard.  With the exception of Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black, it seems that next to nothing has been appealing to me lately.  There is one fragrance that I have now tried several times since the end of the summer and I have been waiting to see if it grows on me but I have officially come to the final conclusion that it will not be working for me at all.  Lancôme Tresor Midnight Rose falls into the category of fragrances that I really wanted to love but they didn't love me back...

I have tried a few Lancôme summer fragrances over the years however I have never owned one of their core fragrances, many of these have been best sellers over the years but I have not yet found one that has worked well for me.  I was hoping that Tresor Midnight Rose would be the winner, I get excited whenever I can find a new rose fragrance to try and this bottle would look beautiful on display in my room. 

"Charming. Mischievous. Desirable. It is time for a new love story to begin, when love is still to be conquered, full of smiles, mystery, and charm. It is the game of love. Set in Paris, the playground for a romantic game of hide and seek. A sexy, sweet blend of raspberry, rose, vanilla, and sensual musk for mischievous femininity: catch my heart if you can.", states the Sephora website. 

The notes of Tresor Midnight Rose are: Blackcurrant, Raspberry, Rose Absolute, Jasmine, Vanilla, Cedar, Musk.

The Black Currant and Raspberry notes are the first to come out on my skin and are the ones that kill the fragrance for me.  The fragrance never seems to fully develop on me, the Rose and Jasmine notes are very faint and the top notes never abate and fade.  This is one of the rare fragrances that starts with the top notes and then goes right into the base notes, the Vanilla notes develops before any of the floral notes and then the fragrance becomes a sweet mixture of the berry and the vanilla notes.  At this point, Tresor Midnight Rose becomes a cloying mixture of sweet berries and vanilla.  I found this fragrance to be more of a gourmand fragrance instead of the floral mixture that I was hoping for. 

I first tried this fragrance at the very end of the summer and I was hoping that it was just the heat that was making the perfume develop oddly on my skin.  I tried this fragrance on while I was getting ready to leave Sephora and the humidity outside brought the sweet berry notes on my skin.  I didn't like the fragrance then but I wanted to give it another try in the hopes that the heat was the issue this time.  The last two times that I used Tresor Midnight Rose, it was during cooler and dry weather and the fragrance developed in exactly the same fashion on my skin.  I came to the conclusion that this fragrance was never going to work on my skin in the fashion that I was hoping it to. 

Tresor Midnight Rose will be very appealing to someone who loves sweet gourmand fragrances.  The berry and vanilla notes in this perfume overwhelm the rose notes and turn this fragrance into one that I would have loved but I could not wear on my skin.  Berry notes and I have never gotten along and this perfume is yet another example of this issue...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black

I feel like I haven't tried or reviewed any new fragrances in the past few weeks and today I am going to change that trend.  When I was picking up the Smashbox eye palette during my last Sephora visit, I received a free rollerball sample of a brand new fragrance and I have been playing with it the past two days.  A small rollerball of a new fragrance is one of the best Sephora VIB samples that I have ever received and I hope to see more rewards like this one.  Elizabeth and James is a new brand that has just released two new fragrances in time for the holiday season and we will be looking at one of them today.

First we need a bit of background on the Elizabeth and James brand.  This is brand that is exclusive to Sephora and was created by Mary Kate and Ashley Olson.  I will admit that I groaned when I first saw their pictures on the display as I tend to really display celebrity fragrances (on principle).  I am so glad that I received a sample of Nirvana Black as I would never have tried either of these fragrances on my own...

The Sephora website provides background on the brand and we will start here before looking at one of the first fragrance releases from it.  "Global style icons and successful entrepreneurs Ashley Olson and Mary Kate Olson have established themselves as the fashion industry's most influential young designers.  Elizabeth and James reflects their innate personal style and attention to detail.  Ashley and Mary Kate's modern sensibility and thoughtful designs have been acknowledged by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.  Ashley and Mary Kate Olson wanted the signature fragrance for Elizabeth and James to embody the same sense of duality to their partnership and brand.  The Elizabeth and James Nirvana fragrance collection represents the ultimate state of happiness - an idyllic memory, feeling, moment, or experience."

The two fragrances that represent the duality are Nirvana Black and Nirvana White.  We are looking Nirvana Black today and will be saving the White for the spring season. 

"Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black is an addictive blend of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine.  Launched in 2007, Elizabeth and James embodies the duality of sophistication and feminine detail balanced with downtown edge and masculine tailoring. The fashion brand's contemporary-yet-timeless aesthetic offers the modern girl clothing and accessories that make stylish everyday dressing effortless.  Ashley and Mary-Kate wanted the signature fragrance for Elizabeth and James to embody the same sense of duality inherent to their partnership and the brand. The result was not one, but two blends—distinctly different, but undeniably connected.", states the Sephora website.

The fragrance notes are: Violet, Sandalwood, Vanilla.

Nirvana Black is very similar to Tom Ford Black Orchid, if you love that fragrance then you will love this one.  I tried wearing one fragrance on one wrist and then one on the other and I noticed little to no difference once they both developed on my skin.  I have a full bottle of Black Orchid already (plus of half a bottle of Bath and Body Works Black Amethyst) so I don't think that I will need to buy a full bottle of Nirvana Black until I use through that bottle.  I do love Nirvana Black for the exact same reasons that I have loved Black Orchid for years, I love the violet and sandalwood notes and I love how dark and lush the fragrance is.

This fragrance develops fully in about an hour and then lasts for a good six hours on my skin.  Black Orchid does last longer on my skin but not enough for me to insist that Black Orchid is a better fragrance.  I would wear either of the fragrances but I certainly don't need both at the moment.  I will pick up a bottle of this fragrance once my bottle of Black Orchid gets low but I absolutely recommend this as a lovely cold weather fragrance to anyone that likes strong base note fragrances or lush florals.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Bath and Body Works Forever Midnight

My major thoughts of the beginning of this month are surrounding all the work that I will have to do to get ready for the holidays.  I hate thinking about Christmas before I even have my Halloween costume picked out but now that holiday has come and gone last week and everything is beginning to get decorated for the holidays that are rapidly arriving.  It seems like every store in the mall is decked out and getting ready and Bath and Body Works is leading the pack with brand new holiday items.  Holiday was one of my favorite times of the year there and I have always had a soft spot for Vanilla Bean Noel and buy lots of holiday candles.  Last year, Bath and Body Works broke from its trend of cozy holiday scents (Vanilla Bean Noel, Winter Candy Apple) and introduced a beautiful fragrance named Forever Red that I still consider one of my favorites in my collection.  Thanks to the tremendous success of that fragrance, Bath and Body Works has released another fragrance in the Forever line this holiday season, Forever Midnight. 

Forever Red had distinctive notes of Pomegranate, Osmanthus, and Vanilla Rum and wears differently on every lady that I have ever smelled it on.  This fragrance could be worn day and night and I have worn it from work to class to getting dressed up, this is one of the few fragrances that works in every scenario that I have ever worn it in.  Forever Midnight is a very different style of fragrance, this fragrance is more much about getting dressed up for dates and holiday parties, hence the name "Midnight", this is perfect time of the year to release a fragrance this like!

I love that the Forever fragrances are offered in an Eau de Parfum, I put the Forever Red EDP on in the morning and I can still smell it by the end of my night class.  I am hoping that I can use this fragrance when getting dressed up in the evening and then not need to touch it up at all.  "An irresistible blend of night-blooming vanilla orchid & luscious plum nectar warmed by rich caramel liqueur.", states the Bath and Body Works website. 

The top notes of Forever Midnight are: Plum Nectar, Apple Blossom, Caramelized Pear.  The heart notes are: Night Blooming Vanilla Orchid, Midnight Jasmine, Gardenia.  The base notes are: Caramel Liqueur, Whipped Meringue, Sandalwood.  I tried this fragrance earlier today in the store and decided that the perfume would be my first purchase from this new fragrance line.  The perfume smells very deep on my skin and the Vanilla Orchid and Jasmine come out the strongest on me and this is a very feminine floral fragrance for me.  I have already purchased the large bottle of the EDP and want to go back for more of the body products in the coming weeks.  This scent might be my new favorite for the holiday parties!

This fragrance comes out in many of the same forms as Forever Red: EDP, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Triple Moisture Body Cream, Fine Fragrance Mist, and all forms of small products.  I wished that this fragrance came in the Rollerball form that I bought the Forever Red fragrance but since that product was discontinued, I wasn't surprised that Midnight wasn't released in it.  So far, I have bought the EDP, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, and Triple Moisture Body Cream.  The Triple Moisture Body Cream holds a special place in my heart because the package features the skyline of Park Avenue on front.  This makes me think of Sex and the City and the scene in Season Four where Samantha meets Richard on the rooftop pool in the middle of the night.  I might have bought the product for just the packaging but I am glad that I like the product inside the pretty package too!

This fragrance will be harder to wear than Forever Red, it is much stronger and more musky.  It will appeal to a special type of customer and at a special time.  I hesitate to call this a hit for this company, I cannot see how many of their holiday customers will try this fragrance out with their Holiday candles and hand soaps.  It will make a lovely gift and I can see it being giving to many women by the men in their lives.  This scent will appeal to their customers who prefer to buy fragrances from Macy*s and Sephora and tend to use Bath and Body Works for other types of items.   I fall into this category and know that I will wear this fragrance when getting dressed up for the holidays and then throughout the winter months.

Happy Holidays!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist

Fall is now completely in the air and I have been moving over to all my fall fragrances and outfits. I just received some new samples from my latest Sephora order and the fragrance that we are going to talk about today was among them.  Cashmere Mist from Donna Karan is one of the best selling women's fragrances and one that is worn by all kinds of ladies.  Honestly...I hate smelling like everyone else and that was enough to keep me away from this fragrance for years.  But since I have a sample of it, I decided that I would try it out and see if I can understand what all the hype is about.

Fall is the perfect time to try this fragrance, it is definitely a cold weather fragrance and one that I would pair with a cashmere sweater for a casual night out or a day spend outside with friends.  This is one of those fragrances that has cleverly combines the notes to smell like "skin", very similar to Burberry Touch.  I either love or detest these types of fragrances and I feel that they work very differently for everyone.  Cashmere Mist was one of the better perfumes in this category but I don't know that it is worthy of purchasing a full bottle and expanding my perfume collection.

"Inspired by the soft, sensual feeling of cashmere against bare skin, Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum is a fragrance light enough to wear all over your body all year long. It seduces the senses—skin, scent and spirit.", states the Sephora website.  I don't know that I would call this fragrance light enough to wear all throughout the year but I am sure that it wears very differently on many people.

The notes are: Lily of the Valley, Suede Notes, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine Maroc, Sandalwood, Orris, Amber, Vanilla, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Musk.

I fully stand behind my position that this is a cold weather fragrance, I pull all of the jasmine and sandalwood and therefore would never be able to wear this fragrance in the warm weather.  I reviewed some of the comments made about the fragrance on the Sephora website and wanted to see if others agreed with me or if more ladies were able to really wear it all year long.  There were quite a few ladies who stated that it mostly smelled like a light baby powder fragrance but they were in the minority.  Most of the reviewers pulled many of the similar notes as I did and considered the fragrance to be a cold weather fragrance.  At least I know that my nose is broken today...

I love jasmine fragrances so I will be finishing up the rest of my sample but I don't know that I love it enough to add to my collection, I would use this fragrance for the same occasions that I wear Tom Ford's Violet Blonde and I much prefer Violet Blonde of the two.  The wear time and intensity are both medium, I get about six hours from Cashmere Mist and it remains fragrant the whole time on my skin. 

I can how many women love this fragrance, it contains a mixture of notes that will blend differently on all different ladies however I find this to only be a cold weather fragrance.  With the exception of the few ladies that pull a "baby powder" fragrance from it, all of the notes in it are best suited for cooler weather...especially for the ladies who really pull patchouli or musk.  If you like a heavier, richer fragrance than this fragrance will appeal to you but I don't find it to be quite as "universal" as Donna Karan suggests...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Bath and Body Works Amber Blush

Bath and Body Works has released a new fragrance for the fall and early winter and it brings the revamping of their Signature Collection products with it.  Fall has just started and it is time for many of us to start looking for new fragrances and body products to use as the weather is really changing.  The Fall Traditions fragrances came out again this year before Labor Day and I skipped over them because they are basically the exact same fragrances that we get every single year and I have never found any of them to be all that great (unless you LOVE pumpkin) and wasn't wasting my time on them this year.  I am glad that I kept waiting and now can feel free to buy another fragrance this fall.

Amber Blush was released earlier than I had first heard but I am glad to see and try a new fragrance for fall.  This is a strong berry fragrance was is a disappointment for me, most berry fragrances either go very sweet or very sour on me and I tend to only be able to wear berries when they are mixed with strong florals.  I doubted that this fragrance would be a keeper for me and I was right after trying out the Fragrance Mist and the Lotion, the lotion is ok on me but the mist goes much too sweet for me to wear on a daily basis.

"Capture the sensual warmth and luxury of a romantic getaway! Raspberry champagne & gardenia petals mingle with a seductive kiss of crystallized amber for an ultra-feminine scent.", states the Bath and Body Works website when providing us with a fragrance description.  The top notes of the fragrance are: Sparkling Bergamot, Juicy Mandarin, Raspberry Champagne.  The heart notes are: Jasmine, Gardenia Petals, Star Anise, Apricot Nectar, Magnolia Blossom.  The base notes are: Creamy Vanilla Suede, Crystalized Amber, Golden Sandalwood, Soft Musk.

I get all the Raspberry Champagne from this fragrance and next to none of the other notes...especially not the floral notes that are in the brew.  This fragrance starts out with the raspberry and a bit of tart champagne but the champagne quickly fades away and the fragrance wears as a very sweet raspberry on me.  I don't get much of the amber notes or any of the bottom notes and this fragrance fades pretty quickly since it has little to no base.  This is not the best fragrance for me and I will not able to wear it, the raspberry annoys me and gives me quite a headache.  The Fine Fragrance Mist was awful on me and will not be coming home with me.

The fragrance comes in the full range of Signature Collection forms: EDT, Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Triple Moisture Body Cream, Golden Sugar Scrub, and Shimmer Mist.  The EDT is better than the Fine Fragrance Mist for me, it is less sweet and the tart champagne note is much stronger.  I bought the small sample of it earlier this month and have been wearing it the past few days, I like it in the EDT but don't love it enough to purchase the full size bottle.  I get sick of this fragrance quickly, I can only wear it two or three days in a row before I tire of it and want to switch over to another fragrance. 

The lotion and shower gel is in this fragrance are better for me than the EDT or Fine Fragrance Mist and the only items that I would consider purchasing.  The body products are still slightly too sweet for me to like, I prefer sweet vanilla scents to sweet berry scents and know that I wouldn't get very much use from the body products and therefore there isn't much of a point in my purchasing them.  If you like berry scents, then you will love this fragrance but I will be skipping over it and setting some cash aside for when the Holiday Traditions body products come out!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries - Santo Domingo

I have been trying to test out a few of the fall fragrance samples that I have collected with most of my summer Sephora orders.  I have been using them at night since the day temperatures have been close to 100 degrees the past two days and I might kill someone if I wear these types of fragrances during the day.  This heat wave should break within the next few days and then I am ready to begin to bring out some more fall items and start wearing my favorite fall trench coat.  I haven't bought any new fragrances for fall yet and I plan to try and work through all of these samples before I make any major shopping decisions.

The first one that I have been playing around with is another one of the Essential Luxuries from Oscar de la Renta, I received samples of all five scents in the collection from my June Glossybox and I have reviewed three of the five so far.  The first three that I reviewed were all warm weather fragrances and I wasn't a solid fan of any of them.  Maybe the cold weather fragrances will be better choices for me.

Santo Domingo is a rich smoky fragrance and one of the more unique fragrances that I have tried over the years.  I don't own any fragrances that are classified as "smoky" and so I was a bit unsure about Santo Domingo when I wore it for the first time.  The Oscar de la Renta website describes the fragrance as such, "A smooth, smoky tabac fragrance inspired by the tropical setting of Oscar de la Renta's birthplace, Santo Domingo. Fresh, citrus notes of mandarin and coriander embrace the rich warmth of tobacco, patchouli and spices in this luscious scent."

The top notes of Santo Domingo are: Italian Mandarin, Cedrat, Italian Bergamot.  The heart notes are: Coriander, Geranium Bourbon.  The base notes are: Indonesian Patchouli, Vetiver, Dominican Tobacco.

The base notes are the strongest in Santo Domingo, the dominant notes of the fragrance are the Patchouli and the Tobacco.  This fragrance is one that I would only wear at night, it would be overwhelming at the office or with any type of casual dress.  I can see this working well with a little black dress and heels, this is a harder fragrance to wear but it would be a stunning accent to a dressed up look for night. 

This is the best of the Oscar de la Renta Luxuries so far, I love that it didn't change while I was wearing it and it is the most unique of the group.  I still have one more to review so this might not be my favorite of the group but it is one of the strongest fragrances in the collection.  I am still deciding if I will buy this fragrance, I know that I would get limited use from it but it is very unique and I have nothing like it in my collection already.

photo courtesy of Oscar de la Renta

Fresh Sugar Lemon

My love-hate relationship with citrus fragrances continues each time that I try any type of fragrance with citrus top or heart notes.  I love citrus fragrances when I smell then in the bottle and then I hate them when I try them on and I rarely can find any type of citrus fragrance that works on me.  The only two fragrances that have worked so far for me are Bath and Body Works Country Chic and Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue.  I feel that the only reason that these fragrances work is because they start out with a citrus note but then go into more of a floral/oriental heart.  The mixture of these types of notes with the citrus create the only type of fragrance that I can wear.

I was able to try a large sample of the Fresh Sugar Lemon from the Sephora website and decided that I would try and give another citrus fragrance a chance (as this is another citrus mix and not a pure citrus) and see if I might find another one that I can wear in the summer months.  This fragrance is one of the "Sugar" line and I reasoned that this will be a sweet lemon fragrance and not one of the tart fragrances that never end up working with my skin chemistry.  I have been playing around with this fragrance for the past few days and I have come to the conclusion that this is a unique citrus fragrance that works with my skin chemistry and it gives me another option to use during the summer.  Too bad that I didn't try this fragrance out three months ago as I am not looking for any type of warm weather fragrances in the middle of August...

"Fresh first launched their SugarBath line in 1997 and for the first time, introduced sugar as an essential ingredient in skin and body treatments. The captivating and irresistible scent of sugar, infused with refreshing lemon is now a delectable scent that's sure to become a new favorite for every woman who wears it.", states the Sephora website.  The notes of the fragrance are: Italian Bergamot, Yuzu, Mandarin, Lychee Flower, Orange Blossom, Ginger Flower, Oak Moss, Caramel, White Santal.
This fragrance is a fresh, sparkling citrus with a strong lemon and orange blossom mix.  When I first put the fragrance on, it smells like Sprite and then develops into a fragrance then reminds me very much of the Philosophy Need a Margarita or what I imagine that Bond No. 9 Coney Island smells like.  I could not wear this fragrance every day and it isn't one that I would wear to work or when getting dressed up but it is fun fragrance for a casual summer day. 

Most citrus scents have very little lasting power and this one is no exception to the rule.  The fragrance lasted about two to three hours and then I would need to reapply it to keep it going throughout the whole day.  I do see that this fragrance is offered in a range of body products and I might like these even more than the perfume so I will need to check these out the next time that I visit Sephora.  In addition, I do think that I will order a good sized bottle of the perfume for next summer and add it to the small collection of citrus scents that actually work with my skin chemistry.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Dior Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet

I have been playing around with a new fragrance that I received a few samples of on my last Sephora orders, the past two orders that I made I ordered the same perfume samples from since nothing else was interesting to me.  Earlier this spring is the first time that I had seen the newest version of the classic Miss Dior perfume, I believe that I have seen another version of the fragrance when I was graduating college and that version was sweeter instead of the more musky original from Dior.  Blooming Bouquet is the newest version and it is my favorite between the new versions and the original.

I first tried a sample of this fragrance late last month with a Sephora order and then picked it as a sample again when I ordered at the very beginning of this month.  I loved this fragrance when I first wore it but later came to decide that I couldn't make a good purchase decision until I had worn it several times.  Why?  To make a long story very short...this lovely floral fragrance has no lasting power and fades much too quickly for my taste.  Quite a change from the very strong original version of this fragrance and this makes me wonder how much the original was revamped and watered down to create the Blooming Bouquet fragrance.

"Discover Blooming Bouquet, the newest interpretation of Miss Dior. Created for an irresistibly charming and flirtatious woman, Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet embodies the couture spirit of Dior in a sparkling and sensual essence. Unfurling a delicate blend of Sicilian orange essence to reveal a tender floral heart, the fragrance unveils notes of pink peony and Damascus rose. As a finishing touch, white musks softly envelop this light and sensual floral bouquet.  The bottle is a true work of art, expertly showcasing Dior’s savoir faire. The houndstooth pattern made famous by Christian Dior is embossed on the base, while a sleek metallic bow adorns the neck.", states the Sephora website.

The Sephora website goes on to further describe the notes that make up this fragrance.  "Sicilian Orange Essence, Pink Peony, Damascus Rose, White Musks.", is what make up this lovely fragrance and the combination is what makes me love it.  I love the mixture of peony and rose and this is the combination that is contained in one of my favorite fragrances (Stella McCartney) and I am very excited to have this combination in a fragrance that I can wear in the spring and summer.  The note combination should have made this fragrance a must buy for me.

So why did I need two sample bottles of this fragrance to make a decision?  I love the notes of this fragrance and I love the way that it develops on my skin but it has no lasting power.  There seems to be no base to this fragrance and therefore it fades in less than two hours so I need to keep reapplying it throughout the day.  To add insult to injury...Dior doesn't even offer this fragrance in a rollerball format that I could keep it in my bag and quickly apply it throughout the day.  I would have to drag the perfume bottle around with me all throughout the day and this is not what I had in mind.  I drag enough around with me everyday and I don't need to add a bottle of perfume to my massive collection of binders and books.  If this perfume was offered in a rollerball, I would be a bit less irritated but I have to buy the perfume bottles.

This version of Miss Dior is the spring version of Stella for me but I am annoyed with how fast the fragrance fades and I have still not yet decided if I will buy this fragrance or not.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries Mi Corazon

I have really been diving into last month's Glossybox and will start looking at my July box on my next day off from work (the July box actually contains a few items that I already own so I will not have many reviews to post on this box) and I am still loving nearly every product that I have tried from the box so far.  I can't wait to order more body products from C. Booth and will start using the Honey Almond oil as soon as the weather begins to get cooler.  The past two days I got back into the Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries perfume samples that I received in my first box and have tried out the last of the summer fragrances in this line.  I will hold out for a few weeks on the other samples and then start some of those reviews once the cool weather is on the horizon.  I am ready to shop for fall makeup but not quite ready to start thinking about cool weather fragrances yet.

Mi Corazon is the next fragrance in the Essential Luxuries series and so far I haven't found any of these fragrances that I have loved or considered one that I need for my collection.  Sargasso has potential but changed too much once it settled down and I liked it much less each time that I smelled it.  If Mi Corazon is not a good choice for me then I wouldn't be finding a good warm weather fragrance from this collection.  I am hoping that the cold weather fragrances from Essential Luxuries might be more to my liking...

Mi Corazon is sold exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue and I pulled the fragrance description and photos from their website.  "An unmistakable, white floral bouquet intrinsically associated with Mr. de la Renta's devotion to family and his passion for gardening embodied in a lush, creamy accord of tuberose and ylang-ylang that mingle with peach for a warm tropical twist and an intoxicating trail." 

I read the description of this fragrance before I tried it for the first time and knew that I would either love or hate this fragrance, I do very well with Tuberose but find Ylang-Ylang to be too sweet for me.  If the fragrance is not sweet and errs more on the floral side then this will be the clear winner so far from Essential Luxuries.  I have tried this fragrance twice now and I can see that this is another loser from this company and I am wondering if I will find any fragrance that I like in this group.

Mi Corazon is a very sweet and strong floral fragrance and the Ylang-Ylang note trumps all the others in this blend.  When I first tried this fragrance on my skin, the Peach notes came out very strongly and then the Ylang-Ylang followed.  I did not get very much of the Tuberose in Mi Corazon and was left with a strong mixture of Peach and Ylang-Ylang that was too sweet for me to ever wear.  I couldn't stand to smell this fragrance soon as spraying it on and this is obviously not a fragrance for me to wear on a normal basis.

The Essential Luxuries collection is turning into a huge dud for me, I had high hopes for all six of these fragrances and so far I have tried and disliked three of them.  I can only hope that the remaining three fragrances are more to my liking and that I find a new fragrance from those.  I will return to this collection later on at the very end of summer/early fall when I start thinking about new fragrances for the cool weather.

photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

Thierry Mugler Angel

All of us have fragrances that we want to love and will try on several times in an attempt to fall in love with the fragrance.  Sometimes it is hearing a million great reviews on a fragrance and sometimes it has to do with loving the brand that makes the fragrance and wanting to add their newest one to your collection.  The first try of the fragrance doesn't work well and we refuse to give us.  Personally, I give a fragrance three tests before I really decide what I think on it.  I rarely find a fragrance that I fall in love with on first wear (Versace Yellow Diamond and Stella McCartney are exceptions to my rule) and visit Sephora several times to keep testing the same fragrance.  Gone are the days where I try something and then take it right up to the register, I had made way too many of those rookie mistakes when I was younger and still have a shelf full of fragrances from that time.  I have to really love a fragrance now before I can add it to my huge collection and will test it many times before I make my decisions.

I have been trying to love Thierry Mugler's Angel for several years now, I first tried it back in college and preferred Angel Innocent to the original version.  I then tried the men's version about a year and a half ago and this was a dismal failure for me.  I then decided that I wanted to try Angel yet again and see if anything has changed.  I was obsessed with liking this fragrance when I read about it in the Perfumes: The Guide book by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez.  This is one of the few scents in this book that received five stars and is considered one of the most original scents on the market.  I wanted a unique fragrance for the cold weather and this is one that I was determined to like.  Angel was equally as determined to not like me...

Here is the review of the fragrance from Perfumes: The Guide, this review was written by Tania Sanchez. 

"The first time I smelled Angel, a flamboyant six-foot-three salesman with the shoulders of a linebacker encased in a baby blue zoot suit leaned over the counter and sprayed me.  I recoiled.  'Is this a joke?' I thought of it, for years, as possibly the worst thing I had ever smelled.  I suffered then from the naïve belief that women should smell only like flowers or candy; yet Angel, perversely, smells of both, with the same relation to your average sweet floral as the ten-story-high demonic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters has to your average fireside toasted sweet."

"In that sense, Angel certainly is a joke.  Countless perfumes have copied parts of it (for a sample, see Euphoria, Flowerbomb, and Prada), but they mistakenly play it straight.  Although Angel is sold as a gourmand for girls, spoken of as if it were a fudge-dipped berry in a confectioner's shop, it's all lies.  Look for Angel's Adam's apple: a handsome, resinous, woody patchouli straight out of the pipes-and-leather-slippers realm of men's fragrance, in a head-on collision with a bold black currant (Neocaspirene) and a screechy white floral.  These two halves, masculine and feminine, share a camphoraceous, icy brightness above its overripe (some say 'rotting') rumble.  The effect kills the possibility of cloying sweetness, despite megadoses of the cotton candy smell of ethylmaltol, leaving Angel in a high-energy state of contradiction.  Many perfumes are beautiful or pleasant, but how many are exciting?  Like a woman in a film who seethes, 'He's so annoying!' and marries him in the end, I returned to smell Angel so many times I had to buy it."

"When this striking idea proved a hit, it gave perfumers hope that, as once was done with Chypre, they could mask this structure a thousand different ways to create new effects.  It doesn't really work, though not for lack of trying.  The fruity chypres, leather chypres, floral chypres, green chypres, and so on, smell very different.  But the Angel format, combination of masculine and feminine, in nearly all cases still smells like Angel no matter what you use from columns A and B.  Don't fuss with pretenders.  Buy the perverse, brilliant original, but wear it only if you know how to sell the joke properly."

I will counter Sanchez's review with a product description and fragrance notes from Sephora.  "Angel, the first perfume by Thierry Mugler, evokes the emotion of tender childhood memories together with a sense of dreamlike infinity.  Angel, which launched a new fragrance category called the "oriental gourmands," seduces us with angelic flavors found deep within the heart of our memories, as well as sensual and passionate notes."

The notes are: Bergamot, Hedione, Helional, Honey, Dewberry, Red Berries, Vanilla, Caramel, Patchouli, Chocolate, Coumarin.
I wanted to love this fragrance and I used the tester over and over again in attempt to make this fragrance work with my skin chemistry.  Alas, it never did and I think it got worse every time that I used the product.  I got a super strong mixture of caramel and chocolate which is then soured with a massive hit of patchouli which just smells horrible on me and would horrify those around me if I would wear it.  This perfume is very strong and lasts all day and well into the night on me, this is yet another fragrance that still lingers around after I shower and try to wash it off.  Of course this is one of those fragrances that would stick on my skin for over twelve hours...

In short...I wanted to love this unique and untouchable fragrance and it wanted to hate me as much as I wanted to love it.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Versace Yellow Diamond

Today I am wearing a fragrance that I am trying for the first time and wishing very much that I had tried a few months ago.  Versace Yellow Diamond is a sample that I was just sent from the Sephora website, I had never smelled this fragrance before and randomly picked it from the available samples on my last order and just tried it on this morning.  I do like the Bright Crystal fragrance but never had the excess room to add it to my collection, it is also is very similar to Dior Addict 2 and many other bright florals with a citrus top note and is similar to a few fragrances that I already own.  I skipped over Yellow Diamond, thinking it would be more of the same and wouldn't hold a distinct place in my collection.  I will admit that I was completely wrong and have been enjoying this beautiful and unique fragrance all day long.

Yellow diamonds are some of the most rare and expensive jewels, I have never seen a yellow diamond in real life and doubt that I will anytime soon.  A yellow diamond ring was what Richard gave to Samantha in Sex and the City to apologize for cheating on her and this is always what I think of when I hear about this shade of diamond.  Now I can think about yellow diamonds when I wear this beautiful fragrance.

"Infinite beauty reflects itself in the transparency of a diamond and radiates all around in beams of crystalline light. Pure as sunlight, a bright, extraordinary yellow light radiates with a fiery intensity and sparkles the way that only a diamond can. An authentic jewel of rare beauty is unveiled in Yellow Diamond, a fresh and vivid floral perfume by Versace.  Like a burst of light, the fragrance gleams and glistens as it opens with notes of bright citron, a fresh pear sorbet, sparkling bergamot, and an accent of neroli. As its heart emerges, the rare elegance of orange blossom shines through the light of freesia and mimosa with the natural transparency of nymphea. The lingering base notes add a fascinating sense of sensuality with ambery woods, the sunny and vibrant character of palo santo wood, and the refined presence of musk.  The bottle is a unique creation featuring the luxury of clean geometry. It’s a design of timeless elegance, an exquisite modern piece of unrivalled beauty. "The color yellow recalls the brightness, sensuality, and great energy of this fragrance, able to depict and emphasize the charm and femininity of a woman" —Donatella Versace.", states the Sephora website.

The notes of this fragrance are: Citron from Diamante, Pear Sorbet, Neroli, Bergamot, Nymphea, Freesia, Orange Blossom, Mimosa, Amber Wood, Palo Santo, Musk.

I tried this fragrance for the first time this morning and it has been going strong for over 12 hours now, I can safely say that this is one of the longest lasting fragrances on my skin.  I believe that the Freesia is responsible for this lasting power, it is in the same family as magnolia and these types of florals stick on me all day long. 

This fragrance started off with the citrus top notes and quickly the floral notes came out.  The citrus notes were very light and actually worked with my skin chemistry.  The Freesia, Orange Blossom, and Mimosa then quickly come out and the fragrance develops into a unique and sweet white floral.  The bottom notes never really developed on me, I smell no Musk or Wood in this fragrance and I am very happy with that fact.  This fragrance is a white floral through and through.

The reason that I wished I had gotten this sample earlier is that this is a spring and summer fragrance for me and I am not buying any new fragrances for summer right now.  I am in full fall mode so I will finish my little sample in the coming weeks but then will hold off on a purchase of the full size bottle until next spring.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries Coralina

I featured a review of the first of the Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries the other week and today we are onto to the second of the six fragrances, Sargasso was the first fragrance that I used from the samples that were included with my June Glossybox and it was an early favorite for me.  Today I am wearing and looking at the second fragrance of the group, Coralina, a fragrance that I loved the second that I put it on but am rapidly falling out of love with.

Since it is the beginning of July, I decided to use the fragrances in this group of six that would be appropriate for this time of the year.  I won't be able to really wear and review a strong fragrance that I would wear more in the fall and winter and therefore any of the scents that are described as such will be saved until September at the earliest.  Coralina and Mi Corazon look to be the other two fragrances that could be worn in warm weather and I decided to start with Coralina for my next fragrance.  Coralina is described as being a "timeless floral" and I got very excited as this is one of my favorite fragrance categories.

The Saks Fifth Avenue website and store are the exclusive places to purchase this fragrance line.  "A timeless, classic floral bouquet as elegant as the women who inspire Mr. de la Renta's luxurious designs: ladylike, refined, and rare.  The scent is an unforgettable blend of mimosa, violet, and orris, softened with luxurious woody green notes."  This is one of the few fragrances that I have ever used that has started out smelling one way and then almost completely reverses within a half hour of wear.

I don't dislike this fragrance at all but I can't say that I really like the way that is develops.  When I first put the fragrance on, the green notes come out and the fragrance smells like the beach and reminds me of a slightly lighter version of Bobbi Brown Beach (a fragrance that I have wanted for years but have no room on my dresser for anything new) and I loved it when I first tried it out.  I was ready to add this to my fragrance wish list and was seeing it as a slightly more dressed up version of Beach that would work in a professional setting.  In the first part of the wear of Coralina I was completely sold on the fragrance and loved it.

The second wave of this fragrance completely changes and it turns into a powdery violet floral.  I like the violet note in many fragrances and it is favorite floral note of mine to wear in fragrance.  The second wave of this fragrance is the one that stays with me for the next few hours and then eventually fades away after about four hours of wear.  I don't dislike this fragrance but I fell in love with how it smelled at first and became very disappointed with how it settled it and came out on my skin.  If the full day wear of Coralina was more similar to the first sprays of the fragrance, then I would have been sold and already ordered a huge bottle from the Saks Fifth Avenue website. 

The wear time on this fragrance was incredible for me and much better than Sargasso, I put a few sprays of Coralina on in the morning and it stayed strong and wore until I took a shower at the end of the night.  This aspect of the fragrance made me wish even more that it smelled more of the top notes throughout the day.  This was a fragrance that I could have loved more than any other in the Essential Luxuries collection but it ended up being the biggest disappointment so far of the fragrances.  My next step is to try the rest of the collection and review Mi Corazon in the warm weather months and then wait until fall comes to try the rest.

photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries - Sargasso

Today we are going back to one of the products that was included in my June Glossybox.  We have already looked at the SpaRitual Nail Lacquer and today we are switching courses to look at one of the perfume samples that was sent in my box.  The June box celebrates all beauty product brands and designers that are from the United States and looks at how each one represents the concept of American Beauty.  One of the most influential fashion houses for the past few decades is the House of Oscar de la Renta and he has created six new fragrances for his loyal fans.  Samples of each of the six scents were included with this Glossybox and I am currently working my way through putting each one of them to the test.

With my Glossybox was a small magazine that provided me with a start when deciding what fragrance to use first.  I wanted to find a fragrance that was light and pretty for the summer months so I could start with something very appropriate to the season.  I chose Sargasso to start my education around the Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries fragrance collection.

The Glossybox magazine gives a nice description of the fragrance and we are also going to look at the official fragrance description from the Saks Fifth Avenue website.  "A crisp, green, invigorating accord is the essence of 'sea spray' in a splashy Eau de Colonge.  Fresh citrus notes, watery cucumber, and an unexpected revitalizing greenness combine with warm sunshine and patchouli for a lasting serene finish.".  The Saks Fifth Avenue website provides the exact same description of Sargasso and this is the exclusive retailer of this fragrance and the rest of the scents in the collection. 

Sargasso could very easily be unisex, this is a green fragrance with hints of fresh sea air notes mixed in with it.  It is a very unique fragrance, I do not own anything like it at all and I am thinking of buying the full size version of this fragrance to fill a hole in my perfume collection.  Sargasso is a very nice "summer weekend" fragrance, this fragrance would fit perfectly with farmer's markets, boating, and casual outside lunches.  I would not see this fragrance working well in a professional environment, it doesn't fit with a suit and heels.

I am very fond of Sargasso but I wish that it had more lasting power.  I get a great hit of the 'sea spray' when I first apply this fragrance and then this stays with me for the next two or three hours of wear.  I place this fragrance in the Green category, there is nothing floral or warm about Sargasso.  I own less Green fragrances than any other kind so this was a refreshing break for me.  I never got much of the patchouli note, this fragrance doesn't have much of a base to it and this base note never comes out for me.  Sargasso is very light and only lasts about two to three hours on my skin, it goes from the 'sea spray' to nothing when I wear it.  I would like for this scent to last longer, I have to reapply throughout the day to keep it fresh.

Sargasso is my first from the Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries fragrance collection and I will be trying the next ones out very soon.  This is a contender for my early favorite of this line because it is very unique and I love Green fragrances and this one smells like a day in a small village near the ocean.  This would the ideal fragrance to take the Hamptons for a weekend getaway.

photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue