Prada Candy L'Eau Gift Set Review

"Basically I'm trying to make men more sensitive and women stronger." - Miuccia Prada 

Woah, first blogpost of 2014! Well life had caught up with me as of late so what better way to start 2014 with a quick perfume review of Prada Candy ...

I am a ridiculous sucker for anything pretty/dainty/feminine looking (those darn marketing people have ticked all boxes when it comes packaging again at Prada). You just have to look at the heavy duty gold rimmed packaging and metallic gold Prada emblazoning; finished with beautiful pastel pinks, ah it looks too pretty from the rest of my perfume collection, definitely oozing that ultra feminine vibe. I was gifted this Prada Candy L'Eau gift set for Christmas which contains a pretty stylish pouch (a great pink piece perfect for stashing away your beauty essentials) as well as scented body lotion.

Firstly, judging from the name alone you would be forgiven if you thought it would make you smell like a sweet confectionery jar; at first I hesitated when opening the top for the smell was rather overpowering. But rest assured once you apply a few spritz and after a few minutes the scent somewhat mellows on the skin and becomes far less "sickly-sugary" and for me at least is quite wearable for the daytime. For me the vanilla and caramel tones are quite vivid, it has slight fruity elements too which gives it somewhat a playful and youthful feel - a lot milder compared to it's twin Prada Candy perfume, which is more deeper and stronger in scent (hence the darker pink packaging).

Overall I have to admit I was drawn in my the packaging more than anything else, it just oozes a slight vintage lady-like elegance! J'adore!

Prada Candy L'Eau De Parfum is £65.50 for a 80ml bottle in Boots.

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Evening-wear Perfume: Versace Crystal Noir Review

"In Italian there is an expression: We don't sleep on the fame." - Donatella Versace 

Another modern classic of mine, originally this little gem was launched in 2004 but I have used it on and off throughout the years; most notably using it in those beautiful summer evenings when you want to leave an air of mystery, fitting with its deep purple design colour. What I love about this musky ambery scent is that it lingers throughout (something that I look for) yet develops its depth whilst you are wearing it.

The bottle design is not one of Versace’s better looking pieces; with the somewhat awkward looking giant gem bottle top looking like a U.F.O. sitting on top of the bottle; bigger in proportion to the actual glass bottle itself, making it look rather amateurish (a word not usually associated with the likes of Versace)! But looking beyond the mere design concept the scent is mature and strong, you only need tiny spritz. If you like oriental with gardenia base notes then this fragrance is for you; I always get compliments when wearing it. It is not overpowering but still distinguishable, Crystal Noir does leave the wearer reaching for it again and again after each wear – not only because of its 8 hours staying power (well on me at least) but because of that elegant presence it evokes…simply put I love it!

A 50ml bottle of Versace Crystal Noir can be picked up from Boots for £47.

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Spring Perfume: Versace Versense Eau De Toilette Spray Review

"I like perfume and flowers." - Donatella Versace

Spring weather has finally arrived (well, somewhat)! With April here we have been having a lot of better weather and with it I have brought out some of my favourite Spring perfumes. The key for a good Spring perfume for me is it has to be light and not too overpowering; faint and wearable without being too musky, yet still encompass some floral undertones.

A lot of Spring/Summer time perfumes that I have found often smell too floral; leaving me feeling as though I have sprayed myself with air freshener – a smell that I would rather avoid. I have tried quite a few Spring perfumes and often found myself disappointed from the scent being too floral infested (smelling a bit like a florist) or very light and not long wearing, there never seemed to be the right balance for Spring/Summer perfume.

Until I stumbled across Versace Versense, which certainly does the job for me! It is very light yet long lasting, it immediately reminds me of a fresh Spring day – it really does smell like a bouquet of Spring flowers (without being overbearing), it is very fresh (you can smell the citrus undertones immediately after a spritz or two) and develops a deeper sensual smell after a few hours of wear time.  Versace Veresense is said to be inspired by nature and the senses (hence the name Versense), it seems a perfect transitional perfume from the Winter months to early Spring/Summer time with a light and wearable daytime scent.

A 100ml bottle of Versace Versense can be purchased from feelunique.com for £57.40 (with free delivery)

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Chanel Coco Noir…Perfume Review

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” - Gabrielle Coco Chanel 

We all have that favourite go-to-go special occasion perfume that becomes part of our classic cult collection (well at least for me). Coco Noir has become my best loved modern classic perfume. This luxury perfume is part of a current three in the Coco Chanel perfumery range (the other two being Coco and then Mademoiselle), each claiming to be an incarceration a different era and showing a different side of the great Gabrielle Coco Chanel herself. For me this perfume takes me away to that special time/place/moment, I see it as an extension of my personality and my "signature scent".

For me this perfume by far is the best and most endearing yet (has there even been a more sophisticated black bottle?!). I feel her elegance and timeless quality is evoked as soon as I wear Noir, it definitely has a grown up no-nonsense ladylike feel to it (unlike Mademoiselle, which I feel is more flirty and playful).

*Drool*

You can smell the oriental evocative tones, of sandalwood and depths of rose and jasmine along with other divine timeless smells (see full list of ingredients on the Chanel website here). Coco Noir has a vintage scent to it that is not too overbearing or too subtle, Chanel have (again) mastered the art to leave a lingering scent creating an evocative mystery soon after the wearer leaves...it definitely creates an impression like any quality perfume should.

I would usually wear this during evening/night, as I feel it has that indescribable sensual musky depth to it which develops after a first hour or so of wear time. You only need one/two spritzes and it will last on my skin for at least 6 hours. For me it is an ultimate signature smell, feminine yet very grown up, it hits the right  balance without being too strong or too weak (plus it sits so beautifully on my white dressing table too)!  

  

A 100ml bottle of Chanel Coco Noir can be purchased from Boots for £106. 

Do you have that signature perfume which takes you to that place or reminds you of a particular moment in time?

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