Giorgio Armani: Acqua di Gio Parfum

Hello Divas!

I hope your day is just fabulous! 

Chamele is back!  Check out her post on this Armani Parfum!  I have to try it!

Day 29

 

Growing up, I could rarely wear perfume. Strong perfumes flared my sinuses and to add insult to injury I would endure topical breakouts. Slowly, I grew out of that and developed other allergies. Sigh... However, I developed a love for fragrance once I could actually indulge myself.

 

In high school, my favorite was Gio by Giorgio Armani, not to be confused with Aqua di Gio. Gio is a musky scent, but not to heavy and totally alluring. It was great with my body chemistry (body chemistry is key. We cannot all wear the same perfumes. That is  with the exception of Pleasures. Everyone seems to smell good in that one, but I digress.) Sadly, Gio is a little hard to come by. It was created  in 1992 and includes green florals, gardenia, and orange blossoms with hints of amber wood and vanilla. Yum.

 

On my wedding day, my sister bought me a Sensi  also by Giorgio Armani. It was created in 2002.  I have gotten several compliments on it, mostly by members of the opposite sex. There was definitely something working in that mix,  so I decided to look it up and see what it was:  kaffir; jasmine, another fave;  and benzoin,  a tropical resin too complex for words.  Like Gio, Sensi is now hard to come by and rather expensive when you can find it. Therefore, I have been looking for a new signature fragrance, and I don't have to look any further than Armani.

 

I want to step into Thirty with the newest Giorgio Armani fragrances, Acqua di Gioia. It wafts from  the pages of my Vogue and Elle magazines. The fragrance is a mix of  crushed mint with hints of  "Italian Limone Primo Fiore Femminelle" - quite literally the first buds of a lemon tree, which sounds far more intoxicating in Italian. The perfume is further enhanced with cedar and brown sugar. Who doesn't love brown sugar?  It also contains labdanum, a resin from a rare plant with which I was unfamiliar. Labdanum is described as a plant that "reach[es] deep into our subconscious and bring back memories, pictures, feelings and moods." * It is also associated with warmth, strength, and sensuality. Enough said; I am sold.

Acqua di Gioia is much lighter than the two Armani fragrances I have worn before. It is airy and refreshing without being too perfumey. While Acqua di Gioia would make a great "summer scent,"  it is too delectable to not to wear it year-round.

 

 

Acqua di Gioia Eau de Parfum, 1.0 oz

$39.50, Macy's

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Dolce and Gabbana Eau de Parfum: The One

Hello Divas!

I hope your Monday has started off beautifully!

One of my favorite relaxing activities is to peruse the scent aisle at Sephora.  I am always looking for a new fragrance to try.  I actually had my eye on the Marc Jacobs Daisy, well because the bottle is too cute!

I passed on Marc Jacobs Daisy and the sales associate suggested I try The One by Dolce and Gabbana.  I tried it and all I can say is wow!  I absolutely love this scent.  It has notes of vanilla and amber, and musk, but with a twist of mandarin, bergamont, and lychee.  Results?  A sensual fragrance that also is light and airy.  If you have been reading my blog, you know I love scents with citrus, vanilla, and musk, notes.  They just work wonderful with my body chemistry.

The packaging is not bad either.  It is a classic square bottle and it is timeless...maybe just like the fragrance.  The One has won several international fragrance awards and apparently has been around for a few years.  How did I miss it?

A 1 oz. bottle of The One retails for $50 and you can purchase it online at Sephora.com or at any Department Store.  If you purchase it online at Sephora, you get free shipping. Nice!

Toodles!

Summer Scent Tip: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Body Lotion

Hello Divas!

I hope you are having a Fantabulous Day!

This humid 100 degree heat makes me think of creative ways to smell fabulous despite the sweat. I sweat a lot and I can't stand it. But I digress.  After a few days battling the heat, I realized my regular Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de parfum was not holding up.  So instead of using the parfum, I decided to only use the body lotion of the scent.  The best move I have made in a long time.  The body lotion is a very intense version of the Ea de parfum and it lasts all day long.  It is also a great moisturizing lotion.  My skin stays hydrated and I smell like a high end french parfum shop.  I get so many compliments when I wear the body lotion.  The scent lingers and is not too overpowering.  So while I am sweating away in this unbelievable heat, my body is sweating Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle and I smell delicious!  LOL!

Do you wear your favorite scent's body lotion instead of the parfum?  What body lotion scent do you love the most?

Toodles!

YSL's Parisienne Eau de Parfum: My Review

Hello Divas!

I hope your Monday is wonderful. Remember life is what you make it so make it grand!

Recently I was given the opportunity to try Yves Saint Laurent's new fragrance, Parisienne. This fragrance is a floral scent with hints of Blackberry, Rose, and Sandlewood. This parfum comes in cute packaging and the ad with Kate Moss is insane! How does she look so good after all of these years?

But, I am not a fan. I traditionally like light florals with a hint of citrus or parfums with hints of musk or vanilla. Parisienne smells like a scent my grandmother would wear...... not my kind of scent. Also I felt the scent contained a bit too much alcohol to be a Eau de Parfum. Eau de Parfums usually contain less alcohol and more of the actual scent. Eau de Toilettes have more alcohol. However I digress. Most importantly, this scent did not work well with my body chemistry at all. After wearing it for a few days, I felt the scent was a bit overbearing. But if you are a Diva who loves strong floral scents or think this is a great scent for your Mom or Grandmother then Parisienne may be the perfect scent.

A 1.6 fluid ounce of YSL's Parisienne retails for $65.00 and you can purchase it here or at any Sephora.

Now this post has prompted me to ask you Divas a question. What parfum did you try that you absolutely did not like? Please share! One of your duds may be my favs! LOL!

Toodles!

Luxe Parfum: Christian Dior's Pure Poison

Hello Divas!

I hope your week is filled with beauty and love.

I have discovered a new parfum that I really like, Christian Dior's Pure Poison. It is a great re-interpretation of the original Poison parfum. Do you guys remember how Poison was all the rage in the 80s? My aunt wore it and I would sneak a spray on my adolescent wrists. LOL! Well Pure Poison has the same seductive flair as the original but it is much lighter. It has a nice flowery undertone that perfectly balances the heavy musk tones of the parfum. This parfum is perfect for a "heavy" date night. I like to call it grown and sexy! When you first apply it, it seems really strong. But when the scent settles down, it is just perfect! Another thing I love about this parfum is that you only have to spray a small amount and it lasts and lasts. There is absolutely no need to reapply. Love!

A 1 oz. bottle of Pure Poison Eau de Parfum retails for $56 (not bad) and you can purchase it online here or at any Sephora.

Toodles!