17 June 2010

My Top 5 Perfumes!

Hey everyone,

Okay, okay I admit it. I'm completely and utterly stealing this idea from Lillian!
But I rather love talking perfumes - the excitement of finding a beautiful new 'signature' scent, to a single smell that can evoke memories from years ago.

These are my top 5:


5: Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier:


SMELLS LIKE: Vanilla, musk, rose, jasmine, amber.

I love all of Jean Paul Gaultier’s scents, so picking a favourite was rather difficult.
But like Sui Love (below) I’ve gone back to the first one I ever tried.
Like most of of JPG’s fragrances, the bottle is very sexy – with this one being a curvy female torso with the design looking very much like a basque and suspenders. Ooh la la, indeed!
The only possible downside is that when removed from the tin packaging, you’ll find the bottle has no lid, just a spray-top. This is held with a pin, and you have to take this out to release the perfume. So next to the others in my collection on my dresser, it does look a little bare – or like I’ve simply lost the top.
It’s a very light, easy-wearing perfume beginning as very sweet and developing into a scent which is a lot more musky and dry, but again – never overbearing.


4: Sui Love by Anna Sui.

SMELLS LIKE: Bergamot, passion fruit, jasmine, white rose, vanilla.

This is the smell of my teenage years! Seriously even the smallest whiff takes me back to listening to Alicia Keys, watching Friends and doing something creative like card-making, journal writing or scrapbooking in my friend Amber’s bedroom.
It’s also a very light, summery smell, and the pretty butterfly bottle is too cute.
I adore all the Anna Sui scents, especially Dolly Girl, but this is my all-time favourite!


3: Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker.


SMELLS LIKE: Lavender, mandarin, apple martini, musk.

I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a snob – I turn my nose up at most ‘Celebrity’ scents. For me they’re less about the smell and more about the endorsement as a bit of a quick-cash ploy. But the Big (pun, anyone?) exception to the rule is Lovely.
SJP said in an interview with Vogue how much time she spent developing a scent that she could be so passionate about, and it’s definitely paid off!
For me, it’s a very feminine perfume, very sweet but classic. Rather like SJP herself.
Sadly, I’m not a big fan of her other scents (I think they’re very similar to ones you can find in Next for a quarter of the price) – and although the bottle is a bit boring, this is definitely one I recommend.


Okay, it was SO difficult to pick a favourite out of these two - as I love them equally, but they are very different. So I've just gone with which I've been wearing most lately.


2: Daisy by Marc Jacobs.

SMELLS LIKE: Violet, jasmine, strawberry, vanilla, musk.

This is such a cult fragrance! A lot of it's success has been through word-of-mouth, and you can definately see why.
As the name suggests this is very light and floral – but also has tone of vanilla and musk to stop it being too sweet. The packaging of course is fabulous too – with the plastic white and gold daisies, it is quite possibly one of the best perfume bottles ever! (Bloggers and reviewers on line have commented on how they’ve kept the bottle long after the perfume has been used as it’s just too pretty to throw away) It’s also available in a necklace with a sold version of the perfume (my friend Megan owns this, the lucky duck) which is a really good idea – an accessory and easy way to top-up in one!


1: Boudoir by Vivienne Westwood.

Align Centre

SMELLS LIKE: Turkish rose, coriander, French marigold, tobacco, sandalwood.

I’ll admit it; this perfume is not to everyone’s taste. Actually the first time I smelled it, I thought it was way too heavy – very similar to Chanel No5. But the more I browsed the shop with the little scented card under my nose, the more I grew to love it. It is heavy, and smells like an older-person’s scent, whereas I usually prefer something much lighter. It does soften too when it develops.
My mam loves this one too – she says it reminds her of the glamourous material shops her Italian aunties would visit to make their dresses they’d copy from the actresses in the theatre they worked at (more about them in an up-coming post!).
The name matches perfectly – it actually smells like a 1940s boudoir with a vanity and mirror, quilted bedding and plush curtains.
If you’re familiar with Vivienne Westwood shops, you’ll recognise this as what they smell like. I asked the assistant in the Newcastle branch, and she told me they spray it around everyday!
The bottle is absolutely fantastic too – with the famous orb design on the top, it’s also quite petite to hold, and looks wonderful on my dresser.
Very vintage classic – definitely give it a second, third and forth sniff. I’m sure it’ll grow on you too!


So how about you guys, what are your favourite perfumes?


Muchos love,
MessyCarla.

27 comments:

  1. Well as you know I love your Vivienne Westwood perfume, you smell gorgeous when you wear it (it covers up your awful natural scent)

    For men I'm a fan of JP Gaultier in general, I also like this Hugo Boss one on other lads but I dont think its very me so I wouldn't wear it myself x

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  2. Oooh and one last comment :p Three's a charm as they say

    My favourite favourite favourite scent on women is J-Lo Live because it reminds me a lot of my mam it's the one she wears and I think it suits her perfectly because it's very strong and very colourful :p xx

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  3. Flowerbomb is a definite favourite, it's just a shame it's so expensive!

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  4. I love daisy too and vera wang's princess and also lola by marc jacobs. I love any perfumes with pretty bottles really!

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  5. Before I even got down to the bottom of this post I knew Daisy would be on this list, it has to be on everybody's list, lol. It's the best perfume ever, and of course it's my scent which makes it even more awesome (I considered using awesomer, but I restrained myself, lol).

    acceptingallofme.blogspot.com

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  6. Daniel: Teehee I know you do - EESH how rude, please? ;DD ILU. Aww I love scents that remind you of people - like White Diamonds reminds me of Cecilia, my fried Jessica's glamourous grandma I stayed with in VA. It's just a gorgeous perfume and it's going to be my staple once I hit 50.

    Helen: Ooh me too - my sister has Princess and more recently Rock Princess which is nice too. They're very pretty scents with gorgeous bottles! Lola's bottle is amazing - it reminds me of a older, darker, moodier sister of Daisy, teehee! :DD

    littlemissdelicious: Ooh I honestly don't think I've ever tried that one, I'll have to check it out! Thanks :) xxxx

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  7. My most favourite scent is Burberry "The Beat" for women. It's just... lovely and complex and I absolutely adore it.

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  8. Woopsie I commented on my wrong Google account. Oh well :p xxx

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  9. Yay, great post! I haven't tried a lot of these and now want to give them a try, but it seems like you like more vanilla and musk scents than i do. I love all the Anna Sui scents too.
    Also i ahve a 1/3 bottle of Gautiers Classique if you would like it :)

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  10. Kae: Ooh I like that one too! <333 I like a bit of Burberry - a girl I know once found a gorgeous navy Burberry scarf in a nightclub! Jealous!

    Daniel: Stop being a n00b ;DD

    Lillian Funny Face: Yeah I do, but especially with Daisy it's definately more of an undertone - it does smell really pretty and floral! I love them too - but it's so hard to find Sui Love in shops at the moment! Hmph. Ooh if you'd like me to take it off your hands I'll give it a good home? :DD xxxxxxx

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  11. I use the Harajuku Girls snow bunny perfumes, and Christian Lacroix Absinthe if i'm going out somewhere. Luckily it doesn't smell like absinthe or I'd smell like a blackjack all evening! x

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  12. I wear JPG Classique and I love it!

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  13. I am searching for a new frangrance. Your review has made me decide to try "Lovely"... I have just stopped using Chanel and was going to buy some YSL, "Cinema"... but I might give this a whiff first. x.

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  14. I LOVE the Jean Paul Gaultier, it's my favourite perfume!

    www.letterprof.blogspot.com

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  15. Daisy is so lovely!

    I love Burberry 'The Beat' and the now sadly discontinued Ralph Lauren 'Cool.' My mum wears 'Amor Amor' by Cacharel which is also gorgeous. I need to expand my perfume though, I usually wear the same thing. Maybe I'll try some of the ones you recommended next time :)

    www.elizabeth-o-no.blogspot.com

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  16. I'm not a perfume type girl by definition, for whatever reason, no matter my financial situation I feel like I can't justify spending $40+ USD on a bottle of scented liquid to spritz on myself...plus I'm a married lady now, not trying to attract anyone otherwise unfamiliar to me! lol.
    This isn't to say I don't enjoy perfumes, I ALWAYS take advantage of sample bottles and giveaways while in department stores, so I do have some that I especially love...

    Fancy by Jessica Simpson
    Princess by Vera Wang
    Chanel no.5 (reminds me of my Gran)

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  17. Gia - My place or yours by Benefit omg sex in a bottle! All their scents are wonderful and they're due to release two more in the future.

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  18. I think I'm much less of a vanilla/musk person. I'm really a floral person, I love everything that smells like real roses!

    Also, If I find a perfume, I usually stay with it. Right now I wear Guess and L.A.M.B

    <3

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  19. Boudoir is my favourite too! I didn't like it that much at first but now I love it and it gets so many compliments!

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  20. I have 3 that I completely love. My ultimate is Chloe Eau de Fleurs Capucine. Bergamot, lemon, neroli. It's fabulous. I also love Daisy (who doesn't!). And Ralph by Ralph Lauren for every day.

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  21. My top 3: Miss Dior Cherie, Gucci by Gucci, and Karma from LUSH (mmmmm patchouli)

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  22. Rai: Awww I love the Harajuku Lovers perfume - I got my sister Music for her last birthday. They're just too cute and lovely, easy-wearing smells. :)

    Fiona: Hoorah! :) xxxx

    Em. x.: Definately try it, it's very feminine like Chanel. Do you wear Chance? That's probably my favourite Chanel scent, although Coco is lovely too.

    letterprof: Yayyy :) xxxx

    Elizabeth: Ooh someone else has said they love The Beat, I'll have to check it out properly. I do vaguely remember it though, and can see the bottle in my head hehe. I used to love Ralph Lauren ones too :)

    Kirstin: Aww, in my case I only wear perfume for me - not for the attraction of a man, just like everything else I wear. I love splurging on perfume :DD My sister wears Vera Wang's Princess and Rock Princess :)

    Elsa Weatherwax: Haha I always LOVE your phrasing Else, you're so cute :DD I think I know the one you mean, I was going to buy it in duty-free when I was going to France and talked myself out of it. A present to myself in New York methinks. :DD

    FatallyFeminine / Aubree: See I think I'm a mix. I don't like too sweet things, and I like floral too. But then I like heavier scents like Boudoir. I love LAMB :DD

    loublogs: HOORAH another fan - it's strange it really does grow on you doesn't it? :DD xxxxx

    Helen: AHHH Ralph by Ralph Lauren used to be my everyday perfume before Sui Love! It's so lovely and fresh :) xxxxxxx

    Sarah: Oooh I love Karma too, it's so fabulous. I loved the perfumes from B as well before they sadly closed. Especially 'Breath Of God' I think it was called - it smelled like a church! :DD

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  23. i loooove LOLA from Marc Jacobs!

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  24. Daisy is my favourite perfume EVER!! So easy to wear - and the summer version is just perfect too :) I had Sui Love in a gift set for a birthday years ago - it is such a teenage smell! Reminds me of listening to 5ive and silver eye crayons lol :D

    http://rubywhatashmoo.blogspot.com/

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  25. Classique, Maybe Baby by Benefit and Chloe are my favourites...Chloe is my absolute favourite, it is gorgeous :)

    Maria xxxx

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  26. I loved Daisy when I first bought it now I think it smells like..well, cat urine to be honest! Haven't tried the others but heard good things about the SJP perfume! xo

    http://www.pearlslaceandruffles.com/

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  27. Love the bottle design of the first photo. Hope it has a great scents too. :)

    do pheromones work

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