Alright... it's finally here, #10

Oh boy.  After many technical difficulties and a couple of family emergencies in a different country, I'm finally putting an end to this challenge by giving you a review on Rebelle by Rihanna.  Her bottle resembles an elongated triangle with a tall red cap accompanied with what looks like a goldish hair tie around the neck.  The bottle has two big red strokes on either side of it showing the yellow liquid inside... won't put my two scents in there, too easy. Its said that the bottle is designed like a heel from a stiletto, only it's upside down.  Like everything else, Rihanna has people creating everything she's famous for.  Caroline Sabas and Marypierre Julien are the ones behind Rebelle.  Despite my rule of, spray now, read later, I read the ingredients first, and did it ever sound nice.  Starts with strawberries, purple plums and a jolt of ginger as the top notes.  Cacao absolute, vanilla orchid and heliotrope are the heart notes and pathouli, rare coffee beans and creamy musk of amber work together for base notes.  When I first pulled the cap off the tiniest sample bottle of all ten samples, the smell was very overwhelming.  Smelt so strong, couldn't define the scents yet, I was convinced I only needed a small amount.  I placed the fragrance on only two of my usual spots, where the scents were slowly emerging within seconds.  In minutes, the scent on a whole seemed to completely disappear, like magic!  Taking the sample again, I drenched my points of interests with Rebelle.  Yet the same thing happened.  Very strong scent, so strong you can't smell anything other than alcohol, then some of the ingredients but left with smelling your natural body scent or the soap you used to shower.  There's absolutely no scent left on your skin.  I wouldn't waste my time purchasing Rebelle or even spraying it anything.
It's a magic potion of nothing.

"Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being."
-Albert Camus 

Sweet Number 9

Oh, the sweet, sweet smell of Loverdose by Diesel.  Love the name, love the bottle, love the scent?  The aroma from jagged, purple shape heart with a pointy end, a silver pump resting on a tall black neck had me at the very first sniff.  Simple, yet effective.  I was ready to gnaw at the purple heart when it first caressed my body,  the sweet scent of mandarin, creamy liquorice and vanilla accompanied with woody tones smelt better than a candy store, however, just like a candy store, the sugary scent became saccharine.  It felt as if I smelt it for too long or was too close to it, I could feel a cavity forming.  Without a doubt, Loverdose, does smells quite pleasant, just too sweet for me.

"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand."
- Mother Teresa

Wouldn't Wear Number 8 On A Date

Hot Couture by Givenchy is given in a tall glass bottle with defined edges on both sides, carrying a simple yet elegant and transparent cap with tiny, red hearts detailing its thin neck.  The liquid itself, is light pink which is clearly visible through the glass giving off a pretty and delicate essence.  It's advertise that this fragrance is to be bursting bouquet of raspberry pearl, transparent jasmine and white musk.  However, there's nothing hot about the scent Hot Couture.  The remains of the spray is similar to an after taste of chewing gum left on your taste buds once you spat it out.  The scent of roasted, rotten petals seems to cling to the outer part of your nose while an unidentified scent haunts you.  Think bad body odour after you worked out, on a hot summer day.
If you're looking for hotness in a perfume, keep looking.

"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."

-Oscar Wilde

      

Number 7 Should Have Stayed In The Box

Body by Burberry... well it's called Body and looks like a dildo, need I say anymore?  This scent was too overpowering for me.  The smell of the alcohol just sitting on my skin bullied all the other scents out of their moment to shine.  It was only at night when the alcoholic scent slightly wore off, I was able to smell the fragrance without feeling like it was going to burn another hole in my nose.  The top notes, the ones that didn't make it to my nose, are fresh green absinthe, peach and refined freesia.  The heart notes that were completely embedded in the alcohol are, rose absolute, iris and sandalwood.  The dry down notes that I may have smelt after 12 hours, were woody cashmeran, creamy vanilla, amber and musk.  Glad I only had to wear this for a day.
Don't do it people, don't do it...

"You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Number 6 Is A Seductive One

I have to honestly say that this scent took me by surprise.  Roberto Cavalli by Roberto Cavalli is indisputably a sexy and sophisticated fragrance.  I wasn't impressed with the bottle itself.  The entire bottle appears as it was dipped in yellow gold (which I'm not a fan of) with an animal print design (still not a fan of) around the neck of the round shape bottle.  The symbol at the top of the cap, which is Roberto Cavalli intials, is quite eye catching with dark brown writing to match.  Without focussing on the appearance, this scent simply melted into my skin making it seem that I naturally smelt like that.  The scent was so memorizing that I purposely sprayed more to find out how if it will be too overwhelming.  The potency was still there, lasted all day yet the scent still wasn't too strong.  The extra sprays seemed to infuse with the first original ones sinking deeper into my skin.  I could not keep my nose away from my skin, just so the smell can work its way throughout all my senses.  It's so subtle yet captivating.  Pink peppercorns, orange flower and roasted tonka beans are the Charlie's Angels of the scent, clearing the way for all suitors yet only allowing the ones you want to dwell with you in this natural habitat.  This is one that I must add to my dresser.

"The women who loves always smells good."
-Remy de Gourmont

Half Way There

We are right in the middle of our challenge.
Our number 5 spot belongs to Forbidden Euphoria by Calvin Klein.  Yes, it was another late night, another early morning review.  Again, the benefit is that this captive scent still dally in my epidermis.  Supposedly, the original Euphoria gave birth to Forbidden Euphoria as a younger, sexier version, said to be a more mysterious than its mother's style... I beg to differ.  Base notes includes cashmere woods, patchouli and skin musk.  Core notes are pink peony, tiger orchid, and jasmin.  Leaving mandarin, peach blossom, passion fruit and raspberry as the top notes.  This scent is a striking one that lasts all day, however, applying the original Euphoria and falling in love with it, gently puts this fragrance runner up.

"Like hatred, jealousy is forbidden by the laws of life because it is essentially destructive."

-Alexis Carrel

Number 4 Has Been Chosen

Pure DKNY by DKNY (Donna Karan New York)  It was a late night last night, considering I'm entering the review the next morning.  Nevertheless, this scent is still on me and hasn't been tainted with any other scents, no need to worry.  Being a fan of vanilla, I was quite excited to try this one.  Vanilla being the most potent and valuable player out of all the smooth moves this fragrance plays, excited my senses even more.  Lotus flower and bulgarian rose starts the games off, as jasmin, freesia and lush orchid are noticed best during half time while white amber and creamy sandalwood bring the winning score in.  The bottle provides the illusion of an empty one.  The cap is an appealing metallic silver cylinder resting comfortably on a transparent round bottle with a thin neck and white writing.  Just like games, the notes come out in pairs to play with your all your senses then naturally sinks into your skin and rests with you for the entire day.  This fragrance is purely simple and mixes so well with your skin, it'll have you thinking you naturally smell like that.    

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think.  When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."
-Budda

3rd Pick Is...

Black XS L'EXCES by Paco Rabanne.  The bottle itself is quite attractive, a small, black cap with a silver skull and a cut out flower charm dangling from a silver choker at the neck of the bottle. I'm not keen on skulls or anything but as I mentioned before, I do like me some charms and will always prefer silver/platinum and white gold over yellow gold.  Black is also found at the top of the bottle as it gradually fades from a deep red, to red, to a dark pink, then pink until it becomes white at the bed of the apple shape.  The heights of this scent lingers with pink peppercorns, neroli, black pepper and tamarind flower.  The core settles with rose absolue, cacao flower and davana.  Yet, the lasting base ingredients are patchouli, black vanilla and cachmeran.  I never wore a fragrance by Paco Rabanne before but I have to admit, one whiff of Black XS L'EXCES and I was in love.  This subtle sweetness lasted all day, making me want to get close to others.  I was forced to pry my arm away from my nose every time I had to answer someone at work and caught myself sniffing up and down my arm and wrist until I located the adoring scent which was already tangled in my skin.  Once established, I inhaled deeply and sighed satisfyingly.  This is a fragrance, without a doubt, would definitely purchase.

 

"There is moderation even in excess."

-Benjamin Disraeli

Refreshing Number 2

Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana. The bottle itself resembles a bathroom shower door topped with a thick silver waistband matching the writing on the front, as a sky blue cover completes the look.  I, on the other hand, had the privilege of the sample size.  One thing that's different with this mini tube is a skinny, plastic stick is attached to the cap which allows you to wipe the scent on parts of your body.  As I distributed Light Blue on my usual spots, (neck, wrists, and chest), it immediately alerted all my senses.  It was refreshing.  It felt as if I just stepped out of the shower, and coincidently, I did.  Throughout the day, the "just stepped out of the shower" scent along with waves of delicate flowers and whispers of citrus and musk helped its potency stay alive as while the smell hugs your clothing for a fresh, clean smell all day.  Due to the top notes of Granny Smith Apples, Sicilian Cedar and Bluebells, masks the base musky base notes of Cedarwood, Amber and Musks.  Allowing the middle notes of Jasmin, White Rose and Bamboo to shine through.  Because of the fresh scent, I felt as though i needed to put perfume on.  With this crisp freshness, you won't have to worry about people questioning if you took a shower or not.  This is undeniably a great summer day fragrance to give you that fresh scent on those sweaty and humid days.

"I find it refreshing to unplug from it for a while.  You kind of forget how deeply you get embedded in it."
-Will Wright

10 Perfumes, 10 days

As most of you know that Shoppers Drug Mart currently has a perfume sample box containing 10 different perfume samples.  Unfortunately, they aren't all new scents, however, seems like a perfect opportunity to try them all  by sampling 1 scent every day for the next ten days.  Of course, the sample scents are in these tiny bottles that you have to carefully pull the tiny cap off without spilling the entire fragrance.  That my friends, is the true challenge

Having said that, the first scent I present you with is Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift.  The scent contains top notes of freesia, berries, and apple blossom.  The main notes are honeysuckle with white orchid, finishing off with a warm musk, golden amber and peach.  I have to admit, I'm a fan of charms and like the touch of the charms hanging from the cap of the bottle.  The bottle is purple with rustic gold writing matching the cap and the charms.  After accomplishing that major task of opening the sample bottle, I poured as much of the scent I possibly can without letting it slip through my fingers then quickly patting Wonderstruck on both sides of my neck, wrists, and on my chest.  Throughout the day, I was constantly checking the potency of the scent and it was a nice, soft, sweet smell.  That kind where you'll have to suck the skin until it's in your nostrils in order to properly smell the ingredients.  Nevertheless, it is a lovely smell, especially for those who are looking for scents to mesh well into the skin without letting anyone know that you are wearing a fragrance.  It's definitely a scent I will wear again but not if I want to make an impression, only if I wanted to keep the fact that I was wearing a perfume a secret.

A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.
-William Hazlitt