Tag: Perfume

Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT (7.5ml roll-on), €19.50. Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT (30 ml), €47. Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT (50 ml), €69. Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT (100 ml), €100. No press samples included.

I’ve had my eye on Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT for ages, but couldn’t justify the price for a full size bottle so when I spotted this roll-on in Sephora while in Barcelona recently I knew I had to have it.

I really wish roll-on perfumes were widely available in Ireland because they’re a great way to try perfumes without completely breaking the bank.

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense EDP (25 ml), €67. Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense (50 ml), €97. No press samples included.

Pour Femme Intense has top notes of Neroli, Raspberry and Green Mandarin. Its heart is made up of Orange Blossom and Tuberose, while at its base is Marshmallow and Sandalwood.

Perfume is an interesting thing, sometimes I can sniff a fragrance and immediately tell you what’s in it and other times I can label it floral or fruity etc, but individual notes are difficult to decipher. Pour Femme Intense is the latter.

Lady Gaga Eau de Gaga (30ml), €25. Lady Gaga Eau de Gaga (75ml), €39. No press sample included.

Eau de Gaga is a surprising fragrance. Judging by the sleek bottle I was expecting a deep and musky night-time scent, which it’s not. It is refreshing, long-lasting and a unisex EDP, that is almost cologne like as contradictory as that might sound, which works well if you’re looking for something lighter for summer, but are not a fan of all things sweet or floral.

L’Occitane Néroli & Orchidée EDT (30ml), €34.  L’Occitane Néroli & Orchidée EDT (75ml), €62. Gift with magazine included, but no press samples.

This deluxe L’Occitane Néroli & Orchidée EDT sample (7.5ml) came free with a magazine so long ago I’ve forgotten which magazine it was. I took the above photo when I first got it too, there’s now roughly a third of it left.

Sì EDP (30ml), €56. Sì EDP (50ml), €79. Sì EDP (100 ml), €106. Personal gift included, but no press samples.

If you have ever been anywhere near a perfume counter with me you’ll know I am particular about how I shop for perfume. I won’t sniff more than five at a time because after that my nose can’t tell what’s what anymore. I spray the ones I like on pieces of cardboard, which I have already written the perfume names on, place them in various pockets in my bag and coat so the scents don’t get mixed up and proceed to sniff them at different points throughout the day. I’ll take notes about the perfume notes, which ones are coming through for me and how the scent makes me feel. I’ll often leave the pieces of card for a few days, smell them again and see if I still like the fragrances.

Very Irresistible EDP is the last of the Givenchy perfume sachets that my friend gave me last year. I still think that housing perfume samples in a sachet, as opposed to a vial, makes the application process difficult. As a result of this, I only managed to get two uses out of this sample whereas the Play for Her sample yielded three uses.

In 2005 Very Irresistible Sensual became the newest addition to Givenchy’s Very Irresistible range. Containing notes of rose, peony, star anise, patchouli and vanilla it is supposed to be a more seductive grown up version of the original Very Irresistible.

I’ve had a bit of a mixed relationship with Flowerbomb since its release in 2005. I’ve tried many samples and even owned a 50ml bottle at one point, I ended up giving that to a friend who describes this fragrance as ‘sex on legs’, but I just can’t decide whether I like it or it.

I’ve mentioned before that floral isn’t my comfort zone when it comes to fragrance, but there’s something about Flowerbomb that keeps drawing me back to it.

I managed to get three uses out of this one sachet of Givenchy Play for Her EDP, which was impressive considering how finicky they are. Whoever thought of housing perfume samples in sachets, as opposed to vials, was probably thinking of the cost over any appreciation for scent and the application of scent, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Alien by Thierry Mugler has top notes of mandarin orange and jasmine, middle notes of vanilla and cashmeran, while its base note is amber.

When first sprayed on the skin Alien is really citrusy, that’ll be the mandarin orange but it quickly disperses and is replaced by the light floral scent of jasmine. I don’t know if it’s just me but there’s something very calming about jasmine and I say that as someone who while recently exploring, and liking, floral fragrances is more used to the headiness of musk.