My Cosmetic Side: Fragrance

I am that kind of person who needs to quite often change the perfume which I wear, as my nose cannot 'stand' the same fragrance for a long time. The world of perfumes is like an enchanted garden to me. So many beautiful scents to enjoy!


And it is not possible to say which one is the most gorgeous. In my opinion, each composition is delightful in its own way. Besides, why I should limit myself to one kind of scent only, since, every year, so many beautiful ones are created.

That is why there are always quite a few bottles of various fragrance compositions in my cabinet.

Some which I have enjoyed most are listed (in alphabetical order) below.

1. Chopard

CASMIR / night-evening-winter /

notes:

• peach, apricot, blackcurrant, raspberry;
• mandarin, carnation, cinnamon;
• vanilla, benzoin, tonka bean, opoponax ('sweet myrrh' - an oil plant native to the deserts of middle East).

2. Dior

ADDICT 2

notes:

• orange, freesia, grapefruit, bergamot,
• pineapple, pomegranate, lily of the Valley, watermelon, lotus,
• sandalwood, cedar, white musk.

MISS DIOR CHERIE

notes: 

• pineapple, mandarin orange, cherry, strawberry,
• jasmine, rose, violet, caramel, popcorn,
• patchouli, musk, amber.

DUNE /night - evening - winter/

notes:

• peony, mandarin orange, bergamot, aldehydes,
• jasmine, lily, ylang-ylang, wallflower, rose,
• sandalwood, amber, patchouli, musk,  vanilla, oakmoss, benzoin.

DIORISSIMO /night - evening - winter/

notes:

• bergamot, green leaves,
• lily, rosemary, jasmine, lilac, amaryllis, ylang-ylang, boronia, lily-of-the-Valley,
• civet, sandalwood.

3. Elizabeth Arden 

5th AVENUE /day/

notes:

• dewy magnolia, mandarin, linden blossom, lilac, bergamot, Muguet,
• carnation, violet, Indian tuberose, nutmeg, jasmine, ylang-ylang, peach, Bulgarian rose,
• cloves, amber, iris, sandalwood, Tibetan musk, vanilla.

3. Givenchy

EAUDEMOISELLE de GIVENCHY /day - summer/

notes:

• lemon, basil, tangerine,
• ylang-ylang, rose,
• ambrette, musk, tonka bean.

 4. Guess 

 GUESS for Women /day-summer/

notes:

• strawberry, bergamot, green apple, tangerine,
• freesia, peony, magnolia, peach, red berries, jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-Valley, 
• oakmoss, cedar, musk, amber.

5. Lancome:

POEME

notes:

• mandarin orange, black currant, blue Himalayan poppy, bergamot, green notes, narcissus, peach, plum, 
• leather, mimosa, orange blossom, jasmine,
• tonka bean, cedar, musk, amber, orange blossom, vanilla.

TRESOR

notes:

• bergamot, peach, 
• heart of Damascena rose essence, violet flower, heliotrope, jasmine absolute,
• sandalwood, milky musk.

HYPNOSE SENSES /night/evening/winter/

notes:

• mandarin orange, orange, pink pepper,
• rose, osmanthus, white honey,
• French labdanum, patchouli, tonka bean, benzoin.

6. Lolita Lempicka

Si LOLITA evening/night/winter/

notes:

• mandarin orange, bergamot,
• sweet pea, pink pepper, elemi, wallflower, heliotrope,
• elemi, tonka bean, amber, patchouli.

LOLITA LEMPICKA /day-summer/

notes:

• star anise, violet, ivy,
• amaryllis, licorice, iris, orris root, cherry,
• praline, vanilla, tonka bean, white musk, vetiver.

7. Oriflame 

GIORDANI GOLD /night - evening - winter/

notes:

• mandarin orange, white flowers, orange blossom, lemon blossom,
• tuberose, jasmine, lily,
• white musk, patchouli, cypress, moss.

8. Yves Rocher 

COMME une EVIDENCE /night - evening - winter/

notes:

• violet leaf, rhubarb,
• rose, lily-of-the-Valley,
• musk, patchouli, oakmoss.

NEBLINA /day-summer/

notes:

• apricot, orange, orchid,
• violet, orchid, white flowers,
• oakmoss, woody grass, woodsy notes.

9. YSL

BABY DOLL /day-summer/

notes:

• blackcurrant, orange, pineapple, apple,
• lily-of-the-Valley, heliotrope, freesia, rose,
• vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood, cedar.

BELLE D'OPIUM /evening-night-winter/

notes:

• gardenia, mandarin orange, Casablanca lily, jasmine,
• peach, incense, white pepper, tobacco, fruity notes,
• patchouli, sandalwood, amber.

PARISIENNE /day-summer/

notes:

• blackberry, vinyl, cranberry,
• peony, violet, Damask rose,
• musk, vetyver,  patchouli, sandalwood.

As you can see, my nose prefers fruity-and-floral/ floral-and-fruity notes with some addition of a few other ingredients.

Many years ago, I was also a fan of some compositions signed by Priscilla Presley. They were light. but quite charming at the same time. I did like them very much. Unfortunately, I cannot recall what their names were.

What is your favorite perfume/eau de toilette?

One of My Hair & Makeup Makeovers

I came across this photo quite recently. It was taken a few years ago, on a very enjoyable summer day, after my two makeover sessions:

1. First, I had my hair done by the hairdresser who was taking care of my hair styling at that time. 
2. Straight after that, I went to a local Douglas Perfumery , where I had a free makeup session (which was a gift for a purchase I had made at the store earlier). It was such fun!

Both sessions were very relaxing and pleasant. I enjoyed sitting with my eyes closed and being taken care of by the hairstylist and the makeup artist. I looked in a mirror only at the end each treatments, to see the results. And did I like them. :).

I especially enjoyed the makeup experience at the Douglas store. Here are the details on the items used by the makeup artist then - I asked her to create an everyday summer look.

Face:

• Foundation: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra #02*
• Concealer: Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer 02 Light
• Powder: Clinique Blended Face Powder #20
• Blush: Clarins #80 Framboise
• Bronzer: Clinique #02 Sunkissed

Lips

• Lipstick: EL M. Kors #04
• Lip Gloss: Colorless Gloss by Collistar
• Lip Pencil: Lancome #310

Eyes

• Eyeshadows: Dior 5 Couleurs  #659
• Mascara: Clinique High Definition Lashes
• Brow Gel: #43 by Isadora
• Eye Pencil: Clinique #02 Smoky Brown
• Eyelid Base: by Sensai Kanebo

* The shades are numbered in a different way in the US

Scented Little Cuties

I discovered them in two different duty free stores at two different airports. Two boxes of little fragrant bottles.

It would be difficult to say which scent/perfume is my favourite one as each of them is different and each of them is interesting in its own way. I tried to put them in order: from the most to the least  favorite fragrance which appeared to be rather difficult. I simply like them all (not equally though)! However, the scents within a brand seem to be equally attractive so it was easier to divide them in that way.
Here is my choice: if you click on a fragrance name, it will take you to a fragrantica.com page with detailed info on  a particular scent and its creators (a really interesting - website!)

 #1 Lancome

• Tresor - Eau de Parfum - from 1990, created by Sophia Grojsman
• Poeme - Eau de Parfum - created in 1995 by Jacques Cavallier

#2  Christian Dior

• Addict 2 - launched in 2005. This one is not in the pictures - I used it most often and it's gone already. :(
• Miss Dior Cherie - Eau de Parfum - created in 2005 by Christine Nagel
• Diorissimo - Eau de Toliette - created in 1956 by Edmond Roudnitska
• Pure Poison - Eau de Parfum - made in 2004 by Carlos Benaim, Dominique Ropion and Olivier Polge
• Dune - Eau de Toilette - first made in 1991 by Nelja Barbir and Jean-Louis Sieuzac
  
  

#3 Cacharel

• Noa - Eau de Toilette - created by in 1998 by Olivier Cresp

#4 Ralph Lauren

• Safari - Eau de Parfume - first made in 1990 by Dominique Ropion (well, I like it least).