Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - jessica simpson FANCY LOVE 2009
prettykitty1 2/19/2010 7:15:00 PM
This is a beautiful, subtle fragrance that smells like peach ice cream or a peach vanilla smoothie. In terms of sillage, it stays very close to the skin, unlike the original Fancy, which is stronger. It is February now, and I suspect that in the summer months, this fragrance will still smell good without being too overpowering. Having sampled this a few times now, I will definitely buy a full bottle.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Yves Delorme-Eau Feminine
prettykitty1 2/18/2010 10:38:00 PM
I am in love with Eau Feminine by Yves Delorme! It's a clean, slightly bitter lemon scent that smells very similar to the type of fragrances made by the FRESH brand, but at a fraction of the price. The packaging is impressive too. The frosted-glass bottle is adorned with a white ribbon, and it is nestled inside a very sturdy two-piece box that's printed on all sides with a scenic French landscape. Incidentally, I had not heard of the Yves Delorme brand before, so I looked it up on the Web. It's apparently a French linen company that dabbles in a few bath and body products on the side. So far, I'm very impressed, and I'm looking forward to trying the other two scents in the product line, particularly if they are similar to other fragrances by Fresh.
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Fragrances -Chanel - No 5 Eau Premiere
prettykitty1 1/23/2010 8:52:00 PM
Eau Premiere smells piercingly lemon-like on my skin at first, but then the sharp edges begin to blur and mingle with something sweeter, like vanilla. Nonetheless, the lingering tartness of this fragrance doesn't suit me well enough to merit a high rating from me, but I would still like to have this fragrance around in small quantities because I suspect it will layer nicely with others on my vanity table.
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Fragrances -Bond No.9 - Broadway Nite
prettykitty1 1/23/2010 7:13:00 PM
In theory, Broadway Nite should have been a huge hit for me, as it supposedly contains a number of scent notes that I enjoy, like powder, rose, and violet. The reality, however, was unbelievably harsh. Although I usually wait two or more hours before passing judgment on a new fragrance, this one was so acrid and sour that I was barely able to wait 25 minutes before scrubbing it off my wrist. I'm so glad I ordered a tiny sample vial of this, and not a full bottle. It just goes to show that skin chemistry is everything. I'm hoping I'll have better luck with Lipstick Rose.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Givenchy - L'Interdit
prettykitty1 1/22/2010 8:17:00 PM
I never had the privilege of sampling the original, only a decant of the reformulation. The top notes are a beautiful blend of strawberry, currant, and rose, and after that it transforms into the scent of dried wheatgrass, with a touch of pepper and musk. Toward the very end, it morphs into a clean, soapy smell that I like. The grassy, musky aspect doesn't quite work with my chemistry, but it's not altogether unpleasant. If only I could fast-forward to the soapy part at the end! That's the best part. UPDATE SEPT. 11, 2011: I have finally acquired a bottle of the vintage parfum, and it is strikingly different from the reformulated version I reviewed a year and a half ago. The vintage parfum has an airy sweetness that stops just short of being powdery. It is much like the airy sweetness found in the drydown of other vintage scents such as Arpege, Crepe de Chine, and Dioressence. It could be that my bottle is simply very old, but I'm not getting any obvious peach, strawberry, or rose at any stage of the fragrance's development, which is fine by me. What I'm experiencing from this bottle is about five minutes of slightly bitter aldehydes followed immediately by the warm, airy sweetness I alluded to above. It's absolutely gorgeous. I'd rate the reformulation a 3 and the vintage scent a 5, so this averages out to a 4.
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Fragrances -Estee Lauder - Beyond Paradise
prettykitty1 1/21/2010 11:49:00 PM
It seems like everyone detects a different flower in Beyond Paradise. Some say they detect jasmine, others say gardenia, etc. As for me, I get nothing but stargazer lilies, you know, the majestic pink and white lilies that you often find in mixed bouquets from a professional florist's shop. Wow. Having said that, I usually prefer fragrances that are less aggressively floral, so I wouldn't wear this every day. A small decant for the right mood and the right occasion will do just fine. Lovely bottle, by the way. EDIT: I tried on Anais Anais for the first time today, and I just realized a resemblance between it and Beyond Paradise. If you like one, you'll probably like the other.
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Fragrances -Christian Dior - Hypnotic Poison
prettykitty1 1/21/2010 11:31:00 PM
Hypnotic Poison smells almost exactly like Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath and Body Works, but at a huge mark-up and with less attractive packaging. The lightweight red plastic bottle seems very much at odds with the sophistication and price of the fragrance inside. If I'm buying something by Christian Dior, I'll splurge on the original Poison, not this. I would rate this fragrance as 3 lippies except for the fact that it pales i comparison to the merits of Warm Vanilla Sugar. Therefore, only 2 lippies.
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Fragrances -Bulgari - Rose Essentielle EDP - limted edition
prettykitty1 1/20/2010 4:11:00 PM
Maybe it's just my skin chemistry, but I don't get nearly enough roses with this scent. Mostly, I get a jammy red fruit and spicy black pepper accord with a tart rose scent buried somewhere underneath. It's actually quite nice, just not what I was expecting. I own a small decant and will probably get another when I run out. EDIT: This fragrance is beginning to grow on me. It is certainly much nicer than YSL Parisienne, in my opinion. I think I'll buy a full bottle soon. : )
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Fragrances -American Beauty - Beloved Red Rose
prettykitty1 1/19/2010 7:49:00 PM
Beloved Red Rose is a flanker to the original Beloved fragrance by American Beauty, which won a Fifi Award in 2009. It is a fabulous blend of tuberose, Bulgari rose, and gardenia, with no powdery, green, or animalic notes hidden in the drydown. From top to bottom, it's a unabashed orgy of floral scents-- a "florgy," if you will. : ) There is also a cooling, aqueous quality that I really enjoy, as if the sillage of roses is being carried along by drops of dew or fog. The effect is like standing in the midst of a fabulous rose garden, not at high noon when the sun shines brightest, but at dawn, when the petals are still cold and moist and the sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon. It's a sensation of damp coolness tempered by a gathering warmth in the air, except in this case the warmth must be coming from my own skin, not the sun. I fell in love with this fragrance at first sniff because it smells almost exactly like this wonderful Henri Bendel tuberose shower gel that used to be available at Bath and Body Works ONLY during their semi-annual clearance sales. It was like a rose garden in a bottle. The only bad thing I have to say about this fragrance is that it's sold only at Kohl's department store. Still, if you don't have a Kohl's near you, you can always buy this fragrance online. Edit: the official description of the fragrance states that there is some apricot and nectarine and pink grapefruit in the top notes. That must be why I like it so much. Another edit: I have recently sampled Fracas, and I still think Beloved Red Rose is better-smelling, although Fracas is a very close second.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Prada - Infusion d'iris edp
prettykitty1 1/18/2010 2:16:00 PM
As others have said, this scent conjures up images of line-dried clothing or moving air. It's a clean, soapy feeling that makes you want to inhale deeply and smile with your arms outstretched wide, just like Julie Andrews in that scene from "The Sound of Music" where she's standing on the hilltop, singing "The hills are alive...." No, it's not a sexy fragrance, and no it's not a yummy gourmand, but if you're looking for something that makes you feel like you're outdoors without a care in the world, this is it. I don't like this fragrance enough to wear it every day, but the aromatherapy aspect of it (sun! flowers! frolicking outdoors with Julie Andrews!) makes me want to have a tiny decant with me at all times.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Bulgari - bvlgari femme
prettykitty1 1/16/2010 7:48:00 PM
This is a highly feminine fragrance that manages to smell sweet while defying the current trend toward easily identifiable gourmand notes. When I wear this, I don't detect anything edible like vanilla, burnt sugar, fruit, or almond, yet I still feel inexplicably sated, as if I've just eaten something incredibly delicious. The drydown is interesting too. Once the almost honey-like sweetness of the top note starts to fade away, there is a faint floral scent very similar to Vivid by Liz Claiborne. Even more remarkable is the even-keeled mood of the fragrance. It is alluring, but not too sexy for the office; polite and ladylike, but not too rigid for a night on the town. It always inhabits a solid middle ground between any two extremes you can name, which is why I'm comfortable wearing this just about anywhere. It exudes an aura of infallibility and good breeding.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Poivre Piquant
prettykitty1 1/16/2010 7:27:00 PM
This is a very sweet, slightly peppery fragrance that reminds me of some of the newer Bath and Body Works fragrances, like Twilight Woods.. It doesn't quite work with my chemistry, but even if it did, I'm thinking that it would be more practical to go with a B&BW fragrance or some other more affordable option. I like the L'Artisan brand, but some of its fragrances are so similar to other, more readily available fragrances that I can't justify spending this much money.
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Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - L'Eau d'Ambre
prettykitty1 1/16/2010 7:12:00 PM
This is an intensely powdery scent that reminds me of the perennial drugstore favorite, Chantilly, combined with the scent of old books that have crumbling, yellowed pages. Seriously, if you've ever found an old book at a library or thrift store that had a slightly musty but not unpleasant smell, that is exactly the scent of L'eau d'ambre, but with a generous sprinkle of baby powder to boot. Being a big fan of powdery scents like Chantilly and its more expensive cousin Shalimar, I can't help but like this fragrance a lot. But if you are someone who dislikes powder notes, this one is not for you. In short, I recommend this fragrance for those who want to smell like a grand old library--elegant, literary, and full of interesting secrets for those who wish to take the time to sit down and get to know some interesting, long-forgotten books. It's not an explicitly sexy fragrance, but it does promise the thrill of adventure and interesting conversation for those who enjoy the introspective pleasures of a night spent with some sweet-smelling tomes and intelligent friends.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Ananas Fizz Summer 2004 Limited Edition
prettykitty1 1/15/2010 6:43:00 PM
This is nice, heady fragrance full of pineapple and pink grapefruit. True to its name, it really does have a fizzy quality about it that makes you feel like you're drinking a champagne cocktail. Some reviewers have noted that the fragrance fades more quickly than they would like, but perhaps this isn't a flaw, per se. In order to be true to life, a fragrance inspired by a champagne cocktail would have to have a lot of fizz up front before gradually petering out into a flat (but still delicious) fruity drink. Therefore I'm giving this product a five-lippie rating because it's both delightful-- and so true to life. EDIT: Two weeks later, the short longevity of the fragrance has lost all its fleeting charms. I have to reapply this literally every fifteen minutes in order to keep smelling it. Also, I can't justify the high cost of a full bottle when there are other grapefruit or pineapple-based scents at Victoria's Secret or Bath and Body Works that cost less. I'm therefore revising my rating to three lippies. Still, if you can get your hands on a tiny sample or decant, go for it. Everyone should try this once.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -L'Artisan Fragrances - Fou d Absinthe
prettykitty1 1/15/2010 12:01:00 AM
This is a complex scent full of evergreen needles, warm kitchen spices, and the breezy scent of freshly chopped fennel. It's officially a man's fragrance, and yet I can definitely see the unisex aspect others have noted. Underneath all that green woodsy feeling, there's a soft, alluring drydown. This is not a scent I would wear in public, as the masculine aspect of the fragrance doesn't suit my personality, but I really do like dabbing this on when I'm home alone and I feel like enjoying an unfolding scent drama. This is a fragrance that is equal parts coldness and warmth, and in the space of several hours, the two personalities graciously take turns in the spotlight.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No