Nirvana Black by Elizabeth and James

Nirvana Black was created by the Elizabeth and James brand which was founded in 2007 by CFDA award winning designers Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen. They wanted to create a brand, and I quote that, “bring an elevated sensibility and thoughtful design to this contemporary lifestyle brand.” ElizabethandJames.com. Elizabeth is supposed to embody sophistication and femininity and James brings edge and masculinity to the equation. They are meant to work separately, but together they create the vision that makes Elizabeth and James such a unique and modern brand. I am going a little bit into the brand, because in order to understand Nirvana Black, it helps to understand the concept and vision it was created under. Nirvana Black has a counterpart, Nirvana White, both fragrances can be worn separately, but together they create an unique scent that truly embodies the Elizabeth and James brand.

Notes:
Violet, Sandalwood, Vanilla.

When I first put on the fragrance, the scent was  pungent and sharp, spicy and musky right away. If I use one word to describe the initial impression I get from the scent it is darkness. Additionally,  you smell the woody components as well. The violet note is not sweet, it is more green and herbal. The combination makes me feel like I am walking through a wet forest on a cold day.

 

There is a sweetness to the fragrance that is very appealing and makes you want to get closer, this does not make its appearance until the heart and base notes show up. This is when the fragrance takes a more feminine and soft journey as supposed to the initial opening which is very masculine in its olfactory song. Although soft, at this point the fragrance  remains full of personality with its spicy and delectable scent.

Dirty femininity with this scent is one way to describe it, it’s pretty but there is a level of edge and mystery and smokiness that makes this fragrance very appealing and comforting.

 

In my opinion Nirvana Black is best worn in the cooler months, if not, could be over powering  in the warmer months. However if you layer it with Nirvana White it would work for the warmer months as the notes in the white makes it fresher and brings out more of the floral notes than the spicy notes. The beauty of the Nirvana fragrances (White and Black) is that you can use them both layering them, or individually. Together they smell amazing, it can really cater to your mood, season and place.

 

The journey of this fragrance up to this point was very interesting, and the top and middle notes is what makes this fragrance beautiful and unique. The dry down after about 8 hours was very soft vanilla with a slight powdery note.

Overall, Nirvana Black is a beautiful scent, one that will be unique and bring something special to your fragrance collection. Go ahead and explore this dark beauty, who knows, it might bring out a side of you that you didn’t know you had.

MY PERFUME RECOMMENDATIONS (WINTER 2015-2016)

On a day like today where the temperature has hit the mid to low 30’s  and winter finally decided to show up, it inspires you to finally bring out those scents that you reserve for the colder months of the year. The warmth, the comfort these scents bring to me is something I look forward to every winter, and although you can wear these scents any time of the year if you choose to do so, for me, the notes truly sing during the sweater weather months. Below are a few recommendation of scents that I personally feel are perfect for this time of year. Some old fragrances that every year I love wearing, and some newer ones to explore.

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker

A warm close to your skin type of scent that screams feminity with class.

Notes; mandarin, bergamot, rosewood, lavender and apple Martini,  patchouli, paper whites and orchid, cedar wood, white amber, and sultry musk’s and woods.

Cashmere Mist by Donna Karan

This scent gives one the feeling of wrapping a comfortable warm blanket all around you. It’s sensual, soft with a touch of powdery that can be very feminine.
Notes; Lily of the Valley, Suede Notes, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine Maroc, Sandalwood, Orris, Amber, Vanilla, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Musk.

Sensuous by Estee Lauder

This is a fragrance that I start to wear once the weather starts to change in the fall. It is the scent of the holidays for me, it’s spicy, sexy, warm and feminine.

Notes; magnolia, ghost lily accord, honey molten woods, jasmine petals, sandalwood, amber, juicy mandarin pulp, black pepper

Angel by Thierry Mugler

This fragrance was very popular back when it was launched in 1992, it seemed like every woman was wearing it and you couldn’t go very far without smelling it on someone. It is one of those scents that is so addictive, delicious but you either hate it or love it. It is warm and sexy, with a touch of flirty and fun. Great scent for this time of year.
Notes; Bergamot, Hedione, Helional, Honey, Dewberry, Red Berries, Vanilla, Caramel, Patchouli, Chocolate, Coumarin. 

Nirvana Black by Elizabeth and James

Nirvana Black can be worn on its own or with its counterpart Nirvana White. Although you can wear both of them together during this time of year, alone Nirvana Black is perfect for those winter mornings when the chill in the air makes you wish you never left your home. It is soft, woody with a soft sandalwood scent that is warm and sensual. The vanilla gives it a softness that is needed to make the fragrance just perfect for those cold days.

Notes; Violet, Sandalwood, Vanilla. 

Black Orquid by Tom Ford

Mysterious, sexy with a touch of classy glamour is how I describe this scent. It is the one you want to wear when you are out on the town during the colder months.

Notes; Black Truffle, Black Orchid, Black Plum, Noir Gourmand Accord, Patchouli. 

 Narcisso Rodriguez For Her

This scent was created for the woman who is confident, feminine and wants you to get closer and closer to her in a sweet embrace. It is a scent that explores a woman’s skin with floral notes, amber and musk.

Notes; Honey Flower, Solar Musk, Orange Blossom, Osmanthus, Amberlyn, Vanilla, Tactile Musk, Tactile Woods, Vetiver. 

J'DORE by Christian Dior

 

 

The fragrance was very bright and floral when I first put it on. I would also add that it has a soapy component to it that makes it clean –softens the floral a bit which could be the ivy leaf note. It was beautiful from the very beginning, it smelled like a sophisticated woman that wants and knows she smell fabulous. It is said that the current version of the fragrance is very different than the original that was launched back in 1999. Now, I remember getting a bottle of this fragrance in the early 2000’s for one of my aunts and thinking “this is a good fragrance for an older woman like my aunt. Mature, yet still sexy, this is what this fragrance said to me when I smelled it then. In my 20’s I would not be caught dead wearing it. This version of the scent, is softer, and a lot fresher to me which confirms to me that this fragrance was reformulated. Does the fact that I prefer this version over the original which is more liked in the fragrance community mean that the juice is no good? Absolutely not! This scent is beautiful, is sexy, sophisticated and can take the wearer from day time wear to night time and ready for a night out with a couple of spritz, it is definitely a lot more modern and wearable day to day than the original.

 

Top notes:

Ylang-ylang, essence from the Comoro islands

Middle notes:

Damascena, Rose Essence

Base notes:

Sambac Jasmine Absolute

 

The scent lasted about 8-10 hours on me, the middle notes were decadent and beautifully floral. Again there was nothing obnoxious about the scent at no point during each transition. The dry down was soft and floral at this point. You can still smell the floral notes specifically, but at this point they were light in nature. J'dore is an easy fragrance to wear if you like florals. I say this very specifically because if you do not like floral perfumes, you may not gravitate towards J’dore because although it is a floral clean fragrance, the floral notes are the standout.

A definite classic scent for all times, J’dore will continue to allure many women to its beautiful scent.

 

Alexandra

VIKTOR & ROLF BONBON

 I received a deluxe sample of Viktor & Rolf, Bonbon a few months ago. I immediately opened the very cute bottle and sniffed... I was not very impressed. Months later I decided to give it a go again and try it out, and I will say that this time around I was intrigued.

First let's give the bottle some attention. The bottle is in the shape of a bow, I know, I know, who cares about the packaging-- let's talk about the juice inside. Well if people did not care about the packaging, companies would put the very important juice in a plain bottle and call it a day. But in this case, Victor & Rolf wanted you to take notice. The bow in this bottle designed is said to be an iconic symbol in the brands rich heritage. The fragrance with its bottle design, is supposed to enhance the experience as a bow represents a celebration and the anticipation that comes with unwrapping a present especially for you.

The fragrance is described in the following manner and I quote " BONBON is a timeless sensation inviting a pure and absolute pursuit of pleasure. It is an haute confection that fuels desire through a scent so irresistible, it is nearly edible: a delicious olfactory dessert composed of juicy caramelized fruits, sun drenched flowers and sweet creamy woods that create a delightful self-indulgent experience." Sephora.com.

Let's talk about the juice....

 Notes:

-Top: Tangerine, Blackcurrant, Orange

-Middle: Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Peach

-Base: Guaiac Wood, Cedar wood, Caramel

The first time I wore the fragrance it was very sweet right from first spray. I gave it about five minutes and then I was hooked. Yes, it is very sweet, but it has a depth to it. There is a dimension to the sweetness that is very intoxicating, My mouth was watering.

The fragrance manages to be bright and dark at the same time. The way the top notes (tangerine, orange and blackcurrant) play with eachtoher is addictive, in a good way. The only way I can describe this stage in the fragrance is delicious.

The middle notes did not take too long to make its appearance. Right away I smelled the orange blossom as it transitioned into the middle notes. Unfortunately during this phase of the fragrance is when it starts going south for me. The middle notes are very light on me, I don't smell much of the jasmine.

Orange flower and peach play a bigger role on this stage, however, the jasmine is light in the background trying to make a more memorable performance.

The dry down is soft, very soft after such a powerful entrance. The only note that lingers on me is caramel, Light fruity and caramel. If this gave me a more powerful punch, I can live with that as this scent is very wearable. However, when I wear a fragrance, I want to be able to smell it throughout the day.

Overall the fragrance is nice, it's fun and if you want a fragrance that is fruity, sweet with a very soft hint of floral, give this one a try. That being said, I feel that for the investment you have to make, what this fragrance gives you is not worth the price. As always, Fragrance is a choice we make every day.

Viktor & Rolf Eau De Parfum 1.7oz $115.0, 3oz. $165

Alexandra

MY BURBERRY

 

 

 

 

The first time I wore My Burberry I felt like a sophisticated lady. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t need a perfume to make me feel sophisticated, beautiful, sexy, etc... but perfumes have that magic about them, they create an illusion that is hard to resist.

The perfumer for My Burberry is French contemporary perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. Francis is a well renown perfumer who has been honored for his work by winning the Prix Francois Coty in 2001. A few of his well-known olfactory masterpieces include; Le Male for Jean Paul Gautier, Narcisso Rodriguez For Her, Aqua Di Palma Iris Nobile and many more beautiful fragrances.

With My Burberry, The iconic Burberry house wanted to capture and I quote " The iconic fragrance inspired by the trench coat. The scent captures the essence of a London garden after the rain." Burberry.com fragrance description.

 

Notes:

- Top: sweet pea, bergamot.

- Middle: geranium, golden quince, freesia.

- Base: patchouli, damask, centifolia roses.

 

At first the scent enveloped me in a bright very floral blanket. It is a strong floral, one you cannot miss, however the beauty of this fragrance is that it manages to stay fresh and clean at the same time. The note that stands out to me is the sweet pea with its floral sweet scent, the bergamot keeps the floral note fresh. The sweetness does not last very long on me, the fragrance very smoothly transcends into the floral notes that geranium can entice you with,  which is the strongest note on me. Freesia takes over for the bergamot and keeps the fragrance clean but at this point gives it that powdery note that balances out the geranium. The golden quince keeps the fragrance light, bright with a hint of fruits, but most importantly it keeps the fragrance modern. The dry down for me was all about roses, soft, and feminine. After about 8-9 hours of wear the perfume was still able to scent my body beautifully and with compliments from my significant other. Any fragrance that can do that after so many hours of wear, is a winner on my book.

After all is said and done, You need to have a light hand with this fragrance, if not, it can be one that can overwhelm you and those around you. That being said, it is still soft and  feminine when applied with a light hand.

I personally love this fragrance. It is one that I feel can be worn both in the office, daytime wear, night time or a special occasion. It would make a great wedding scent if you wanted to capture romance in a bottle, this is it. It will do well in all of those areas and moments in life because it really those transcend and can morph with the woman. My Burberry is a fragrance that is powerful enough to take you back to the days where a perfume wore the woman, but in this case, the woman wears the fragrance beautifully.

 

For me this fragrance is a definite must, if you want to have a perfume that can only enhance the woman you want to be on any given day.

 

Retail Price:

My Burberry Eau De Parfum - 1.0oz - $72.0, 1.6oz - $96.0, 3oz - $125.0 via Sephora.com

THE 2012 FIFI AWARDS WINNERS

THE 2012 FIFI AWARDS WINNERS

The FiFi awards, the most prestigious award a fragrance can receive in the fragrance/perfumery industry. You can say that it’s equivalent to what the Oscars are to the movie industry. It is truly an honor for a perfume to receive a FiFi award. There are many categories, from designer brands to the best in the niche world. The FiFi awards bring you the best that the fragrance world has to offer, and although some perfumistas might not agree with the choices and winners, the awards still give us something to look forward too.


Below are the list of all the winners. Please leave a comment below if you agree, disagree or let me know what you think should have won in those categories.

Fragrance of the Year

Luxe Women
Tom Ford Violet Blonde - Tom Ford Beauty

Luxe Men
Gucci Guilty Pour Homme - P&G Prestige

Nouveau Niche Women

Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge - Private Blend - Tom Ford Beauty

Nouveau Niche Men
Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge - Private Blend - Tom Ford Beauty

Broad Appeal Women
Heidi Klum Shine - Coty Inc.

Broad Appeal Men
Curve Appeal for men - Elizabeth Arden

Specialty Brand Women
Anthropologie 1922 Lily Sanguine Eau de Parfum - Inter Parfums USA

Direct To Consumer Men
Comme une Evidence Green - Yves Rocher North America Inc.

"Consumer's Choice" Award

Women
Victoria's Secret Angel - Victoria's Secret Beauty

Men
Bath & Body Works Signature Collection for Men Classic - Bath & Body Works

Best Packaging of the Year

Luxe Women
Prada Candy Eau de Parfum Spray - PUIG USA

Luxe Men
John Varvatos * USA - Elizabeth Arden

Broad Appeal Women
Victoria's Secret Angel - Victoria's Secret Beauty

Broad Appeal Men
Curve Appeal for men - Elizabeth Arden

Media Campaign of the Year

Women
Coco Mademoiselle – Chanel

Men
Gucci Guilty Pour Homme - P&G Prestige

Bath & Body Line of the Year
Acqua di Gioia - Giorgio Armani Beauty

Interior Scent Collection of the Year
34 boulevard Saint Germain – diptyque

Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year
This category recognizes the actual perfume “the juice” in all its beauty and complexity. It also recognizes the perfumer(s), and the fragrance house to which the perfume belongs too.

International Flavors & Fragrances for New York Oud, Bond No. 9 New York

Fragrance Hall of Fame
This category recognizes fragrances that have been in the market for a very long time and maintain a success. These are known as the “classics” that we never tire of.

Women
24 Faubourg – Hermès, Beauté Prestige International

Men
Acqua di Gio, Giorgio Armani Beauty

I hope you enjoyed reading about the best of 2012. I also hope that this inspires you to go out there and try something new, something different. But most importantly, continue to live an amazing and fragranct life.   Alexandra  

LADY GAGA FAME PERFUME REVIEW

In this day and age celebrities, their image and their brand are pretty much everywhere you go. They are no longer just a singer, actor, they are a brand.


Of course, with every brand comes the need to have products in just about anything you can think of, including a fragrance. Celebrity perfumes over all have not really given us outstanding, amazing and innovative fragrances. They almost always fall under two categories, on the simpler side of the categories. I am talking about the sweet and flirty or fruity floral. Lady Gaga with Fame did not disappoint us. Over all I think Fame is a nice, easy to wear fragrance. It is a non complicated fragrance, one you will get a lot of use of because it can be worn anywhere.

Back when reports came out that Lady Gaga was interested in having her own fragrance it was said that she wanted a fragrance that had notes of blood and semen. Of course when the reports came out people were a bit shocked to say the least, but expected because at this point anything from Lady Gaga was pretty much expected. Of course the perfume does not include notes of blood and semen, instead it includes a medley of notes that can be categorized as very common in celebrity fragrances these days, with a touch of interesting with the belladonna note.

Lady Gaga was quoted saying that she wanted the fragrance to smell like a very expensive hooker. Now, I don’t know what an expensive hooker smells like, but I know that they can do a lot better and wear more interesting notes if they go with something like Lady Vengeance by Juliet has a gun which is a sweet, seductive and sexy with notes of rose, patchouli and vanilla or even the classic Chanel No. 5 which gives us that hint of sophistication, sensuality and clean notes that makes it smell like an expensive boudoir.

Let’s talk Fame by Lady Gaga, the notes include, “"tears of belladonna, crushed heart of tiger orchidea with a black veil of incense, pulverized apricot and the combinative essences of saffron and honey drops”. If it’s one thing, the notes description makes it sounds more interesting than it really is. Fame is a good fruity floral. I would say it’s definitely a step up from the normal fruity floral you get with your main stream celebrity fragrance. Fame really did set out to be a good perfume that can translate in many places and times during the season. And it does this well.

On me fame initially really smells a bit like grape juice. I was quite disappointed with it. Eventually the fragrance starts to get a bit more interesting with the floral sweet, caramel like notes coming in. Its soft yet heady if that makes any sense. I have worn in on warm days and on cool days and it has worked fine on both temperatures. Sometimes the notes change a bit on me and I smell more of the fruity notes, and sometimes the floral sweet notes play at my nose. Coty has expressed that they used innovative technology with Fame “push pull technology” which makes the notes highlight aspects of each other not taking into account which one is more important than the other. It is not a bad fragrance by any means. It’s actually decent. The staying power was what impressed me the most about the fragrance. I smelled it on me pretty much all day. Five hours into a work day and it was still going strong but I felt that it was not offensive for the work place. The fragrance by no means is as innovative as I think Gaga and Coty wanted it to be. The fact that they used black perfume that sprays clear as their marketing gimmick did not make the perfume any more appealing. To me, the interest in the black liquid spraying clear last about as long as it took for the liquid to hit my skin.

Do I recommend Fame? Yes, if you are looking for an inexpensive fruity floral that is not as main stream as the rest of the bunch, and gives you a bit of some darkness with the belladonna note, give this one a try.

Until next time, continue to live an amazing, beautiful fragrant life!!

Alexandra