Two Scents. Cents. See what I did there?

My Favorite Perfumes

I’m partial to sweet, fruity, and sometimes flowery scents so the majority of my collection falls into those categories. I don’t have an expert nose and I can’t smell all the notes included in perfumes, so I will defer to information from http://www.fragrantica.com and a few other listed sources.

Gucci

Gucci Guilty

Of the brands in my collection, I’m most familiar with Gucci scents. Of all the Gucci perfumes I’ve come across, Gucci Guilty is still my favorite in their fragrance line. From the moment I saw the first ad on television, I knew I had to smell it. Any fragrance that will make Chris Evans want me has my attention! It is perhaps the most effective advertisement I’ve seen, other than food commercials.

*I included the video to show why it drew me in. I am not paid or sponsored by gucci or any other business in this post.

The ad bought me to the store but only something fabulous could make me stray from my previous obsession (Gucci II). And after smelling it, I knew I had to buy it. At the time, I was very much into amber so the mix of fruit and amber kept me hooked. I literally wore nothing else for three years.

Prada

I purchased Prada Candy L’Eau a week before Florale was released, but even still, L’Eau is my favorite of the three. I know the Eau de Parfum is supposed to last longer but it always smelled artificially sweet to me, unlike the Eau de Toilette. I wear perfume based on my mood and according to how I want to smell in the moment. However, when I’m in a rush and have only seconds to make a decision, this is my go-to scent. My only hangup with this fragrance is that sometimes when I apply it, the caramel scent that I love is completely absent (even after three spritzes and I’m unwilling to spray more). I’m not a fan of musks, benzoin, or even sweet pea, so the times when those notes are all I can smell makes for some unpleasant hours. I also never caught a whiff of citrus in this one.

Yves Saint Laurent

Black Opium

I was always intrigued by this scent and found it interesting, but I mainly wear this for others. What I mean is that I wear it during social occasions or when I know I’ll be in a crowd. Sometimes the YSL site has an entry form to request a sample of Black Opium, so I filled it. During the week that I wore the sample, I received so many compliments from friends and strangers that I felt compelled to buy the full size. The main scent that comes across to me is coffee. I’m a tea drinker and not much of a coffee person, so this is why I theorize others like it even more on me than I do! Without the sweetness of the vanilla, I may have passed on this. It still takes the #1 spot in my collection because unlike the Prada, this gives me a guaranteed dose of sweetness with each spritz.

Nest

Amazon Lily

I always refer to this my “WTF” perfume. It never ceases to amaze me how I can simultaneously love (citrus notes) and dislike (musk) this scent. The driftwood and lime also throw me for a loop. There’s something about the combination of everything in this perfume that both strange and alluring. I have many spray samples of this so I haven’t felt the need to buy a full size bottle other than the rollerball. I don’t wear it often but I’m glad I have it.

The Body Shop

Satsuma

I was hoping fragrantica would be more helpful in ascertaining why I love the smell of this so much.

Ultimately, Ulta solved the mystery.

I couldn’t place what was in it that smelled so familiar, like a part of my childhood. I kept thinking it was bubbly and sugary like a candy because of the citrus aspect, but it was the sugarcane that I was unable to place. Citrus fruits, mangoes, and sugarcane all have roots in my childhood. This is still a body mist, and just like all the body mists I’ve ever tried, the scent disappears so quickly, almost too quickly to bother with spraying on myself. Yet, I still try! I spray it on when I’m just going to do a quick errand and don’t need the scent to linger.

Vince Camuto

Bella

I love this scent so much but for an Eau de Parfum, it’s not much better than a body spray. I can only smell it for a couple of hours. The only note I can ever smell from this is citrus (nectarine blossoms). Like The Body Shop’s Satsuma, I still continue to use it.

Honorable Mentions

I keep a box of paper, card, and bottle perfume samples. The items listed below are my favorites based on my first few impressions. I never had the full size of these and therefore could not test them extensively like the others above.

Citrus

Michael Kors Sporty Citrus: Ulta sent me samples of this, amber, and jasmine to test a year or so ago. Citrus notes are my favorite in the fruity category, so I love that this one lasts a long time and smells so strongly of orange, even if it comes off as one-note.

Ulta’s Listed Notes: Mandarin, orange with a sparkle of pink pepper lead into a body of orange flower, jasmine and the faintest hint of patchouli.

 

Pomélo Paradis Cologne Absolue Pure Perfume: The oranges are so well done in this one. It’s like the Satsuma spray but better. Sephora sells a small version which I may purchase in the future.

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Pink Pomelo, Calabrian Mandarin, Blackcurrant Bud, Moroccan Orange Blossom, Bulgarian Rose Essence, Mint, Haitian Vetiver, Tuscan Iris, Amber.

 

Fruity

Hanae Mori Hanae: This. Smells. Amazing. It takes a little while for the fragrance to settle but once it does, its heaven! It’s a beautiful mix of berries and florals and far too expensive for my budget, but I can enjoy the sample while it lasts.

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Strawberries, Bilberries, Black Currant, Bulgarian Rose, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Sandalwood, Almond, Praline.

*I have to note that HiM by Hanae Mori is the best scent for men that I have ever smelled. I snag it whenever I can, and the men in my life that I give the samples to love it as well.

 

English Laundry Notting Hill Femme Eau de Parfum: The cassis, jasmine, and sweeter notes are the most detectable. This reminds me of the Hanae but a bit sweeter. Perhaps I will get it in the future. Aside from the expense, the thing holding me back is that I use my perfumes so sparingly. More often than not, they expire before I have time to finish the bottle. So I would rather finish a few before I buy anymore perfume.

Birchbox’s Listed Notes: This fresh, classic scent opens with notes of bergamot, mandarin, and cassis. The heart of the fragrance is pure walk-in-the-garden bliss, blending jasmine, rose, and cyclamen with herbal and green notes. Warm wood, vanilla, and amber round out the scent.

 

Tocca Cleopatra: This smells exactly like the hand cream I love so much. No one note overpowers the other besides an overall fruity scent. Depending on how long the fragrance lasts on the skin, I may add it to my list of future perfume purchases.

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Bitter Grapefruit, Lush Greens, Cassis Bud, White Jasmine, Peach Nectar, Tuberose, Warm Patchouli, Golden Amber, Rich Vanilla Musk.

 

Nest Indigo: What I used to mistake for berries, is actually fig. I could never distinguish any other notes. It’s fruitier and more “normal” than Amazon Lily.

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Moroccan Tea, Kashmir Wood, Cardamom, Wild Fig.

 

Floral

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White: I prefer this to the other Nirvana scent. It’s one of those fragrances that I can enjoy as a sample but wouldn’t purchase the full size. Once I read the notes, I understood why. It smelled powdery to me rather than floral or musky.

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Peony, Muguet, Tender Musk.

*As this is the only floral in my honorable mentions, I wanted to reiterate that I’m sensitive to herbal and some floral scents. Others that I think are good and you might like if you’re a fan of flowers (that don’t give me a headache) would be Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance, Estee Lauder Modern Muse Rouge, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb (only gives a headache if I use too much), Georgio Armani Si, and Lancôme La Vie Est Belle. Another scent that is floral but comes off as powdery like Nirvana White is Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum.

 

Sweet

TokyoMilk Dark Femme Fatale Collection – Tainted Love No. 62: This one is more affordable, which I love. The notes are so complimentary and it has a more complex sweet scent rather than a sugary one. It is unique and another perfume I hope to someday add to my collection.

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Dark Vanilla Bean, Sparkling Citrus, Orchid, White Tea, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean.

 

Spicy

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA ‘REPLICA’ Jazz Club: It’s so intoxicating, intriguing, and sexy. I find myself drawn to this masculine scent.

This is an extremely close second, under HiM by Hanae, for best male fragrance. It’s so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Love it!

Sephora’s Listed Notes: Pink Pepper, Primofiore Lemon, Neroli Oil, Rum Absolute, Clary Sage Oil, Java Vetiver Oil, Tobacco Leaf Absolute, Vanilla Bean, Styrax Resin.

I know this was quite a long list of favorites but I have a passion for perfumes and felt compelled to keep everything on this list.

❤ Lili