NOTD: Minnie Mouse

Hey loves,

Happy President's day to all fellow Americans. Today I have a quick post on what I wore on Valentine's Day. I usually don't wear cutesy or overly pink shades but this year I somehow wanted to do something special and actually made an effort to do nail art.

This is what I call "Minnie Mouse" mani, although I didn't intend to do so (lol) and I was pleased to achieve the retro feeling that matte finish gives. What I used:

• Essie Silken Cord
• Sinful Colors Snow Me White
• WnW Black Creme
• Essie Matte About You
• Dotting tools
• Nail Brush

 Supporting my current fav perfume, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb La Vie En Rose

Thanks for reading!

Perfume Review: The Morbid The Merrier

Like many of you out there, I am always enamored by pretty things with an edge. The reason why I love crooked smiles, asymmetrical dresses, or Johnny Depp... you know, things that are nice to look at but you always know there's something just a bit "off" about them.

When I came across THE MORBID THE MERRIER (TMTM), I knew I was going to love what they offer......simply judging by the store name. It's dark, twisted, yet somewhat beautiful in their own way. They have great scent choices for regular line, as well as ODDITORIA, their supposedly "darker" line.

I purchased their 5 perfume samples pack for $12.50 along with a full size 5 ml perfume oil, which was a huge gamble considering it was my first time trying this company. The full size perfume is in a scent called Voix de Ville and the samples are: Morton, Cleo, Dhanya, Funhouse, Lucy with a free sample vial of Annabelle.

Reviews


Voix de Ville 

"succulent, juicy, ripe red apple soothed and darkened by black fruit, decadent florals and sensuous green"

This scent makes me feel like Snow White...a twisted version of her. Snow White, whose prince charming never came around to rescue her, yet she never stopped waiting for him with her senile gown torn in 

several places, old twigs and branches caught in her jet black hair, smeared blood red lipstick on her pasty white skin. Snow White who lived way too long in the forest. Voix de Ville is unlike your ordinary apple perfume, it doesn't smell like DKNY Be Delicious if that particular fragrance comes into mind when you hear "apple" scent. Voix de Ville opens up with a distinctive juicy apple which warms up to a more complicated woodsy scent. It's a light, fruity fragrance with an edge. 

Annabelle

"buttery carnation, rich honey, and a bite of clove"

Holy mother bees of honey, this scent is so sweet. The peppery carnation welcomes you with a heavy dose of  sticky sweet honey and a warm spice of clove. It's a beautifully blended fragrance but I do find it somewhat cloying sometimes. Sweet and spicy, if you're keen of this type of fragrance, then Annabelle is for you. I, on the other hand, would prefer to eat this one rather than smelling like it :)


Cleo

"black berries, sweet spices, pale musks, and dark woods"

Ahhhh...my love for blackberries. Cleo is such a feminine fragrance with an unmistakable whiff of berries in the opening. No, you won't smell like a 12 year old goth girl although the darkness of dark woods would give you the similar vibe. Cleo is calmer, prettier, and less bitter. The musks certainly play into the surface once it settles on the skin and make Cleo much more hauntingly beautiful. I love this one so much.


Dhanya 

"orange blossom, blackened amber, blood orange, whiskey, and a most decadent Indian white amber"

Dhanya is a gorgeous Neroli perfume. I was worried about the "whiskey" note because I'm not sure if I want to smell like a drunk...however it's not apparent by any means, only adding a sexy depth from the boring, wallflower-type of orange blossom scent you would find in Home & Garden isle. Dhanya is the most feminine of all the scents I've tried, and I would love to get a full size for the warmer Spring days :)


Funhouse

"fresh milk spun with black amber, ripe berries, and bright, wild sunflowers, hints of pepper and incense"

There's something nutty about Funhouse as soon as it hits my skin. I was a bit confused because there was no nuts or anything close to it in the notes description. Then, it morphed into something baby powder-ish and child-like. Perhaps it's the fresh milk? or Sunflowers? I have no idea. I was left hanging and a little confused about Funhouse, but in a fun, riddle kind of way... like when your crush is playing hard to get. Funhouse is soft, creamy, and cuddly. There is no harsh edge although incense and peppers were listed in the description. It's one of those snuggly perfumes you'd want to wear in cold rainy days with a mug of chai tea or something :)


Lucy

"white musk, white sandal, vanilla bean, Indian white amber and white pepper"

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Vanilla and Musks? If I haven't then it's about time. The combo of vanilla and musks seem to scare away some people but I always enjoy them. I think they're very comforting and lovely. Lucy has all those positive perks with an addition of quirkiness. Amber and white pepper give that extra something something, creating this clean yet smokey vanilla musk (which reminds me of Eggnog, for some reason) that would make heads turn and noses sniff. It is painfully beautiful.


Morton

"earl grey tea, creamy milk, patchouli, vetiver, dirt, wood"

I was (and actually am ^_^) in a tea scents fragrance craze and Morton caught my eye with its earl grey tea and creamy milk notes. I love making London Fog (earl grey tea + milk + vanilla syrup) so I thought I must try this scent just for the sake of it. Unfortunately, the other notes are way too dominating in this and Morton smells really masculine on my skin. It's still gorgeous, smoky and expensive smelling...like what a polished, well-experienced and middle aged shoe salesman in Neiman Marcus would smell like. It's just not for me, sadly.

The oils have a very good staying power, fast shipping, no leaking....overall service is great. Check out TMTM blog and their shop here.

Perfume Review: Sweet Anthem

Earlier this year, I spent two weeks in Washington with relatives and I was lucky to be there during their first snow in the winter. A couple days later, the white and fluffy snow turned into some scary blizzard and icy roads which effected my plan to visit this lovely perfume store in Seattle area. It's none other than Sweet Anthem, a vegan-friendly perfumery owned by Meredith Smith. I've been eyeing her perfume samples for months but I figured since I was going there anyway, I'd rather wait so I could just buy the full size after smelling them in person.

Well, poop. Snow was totally ruining my plan. So with a heavy heart, I wrote Meredith a quick note asking about the availability of some of the scents and also telling her my situation, that I couldn't drive to Seattle due to heavy snow etc... and within a couple of hours, I got a reply. Meredith mentioned that she decided to give 10% off discount (the coupon code was STAYINSIDE or smthn like that, lol) for her store during that time. I went ahead and ordered 3 perfume oil samples in the scents:

• Anastasia
• Marianne
• Miho

Meredith kindly sent me a full dram sample of Juliet, which was really cool considering the amount of oils you get. Her TAT was 7 days at that time and after several days, my order showed up in my mailbox.

Anastasia - "A bouquet from her beloved and only Friend, hung to dry during winter; the gunsmoke of an approaching revolution; the remnants from the last afternoon tea, still left steeping; and an ethereal musk, white as snow, hanging on until the thaw."
Notes: Champaca absolute, Civet, Dogwood, Fresh Snow, Green Tea, Honeysuckle, White Patchouli

Marianne - "Romantic spices sprinkled on a tea brewed from freshly picked leaves; sugared peony blossoms and tuberose flowers from a lover; they read together in whispers, from a dust-laden tome of Shakespearean sonnets."

Notes: Fig, Guava, Leather, Mahogany, Peony, Pink Pepper, Tuberose, White Patchouli

Miho - "Is this a mirage? Just a tiny drop will cure any summertime visions with this sweet and fruity floral perfume."

Notes: Sweet Orange, Lotus, Violet, Coconut, Musk, Sea Moss

Juliet - "A starcross'd love – balmy jasmine sambac flowers and orange blossoms are encircled in enchanting spices. Nips of fresh mango and a faintly glimmering sea shore lay the scene in fair Verona."

Notes: Clove, Jasmine Sambac, Mango, Muskwood, Neroli, Pink Pepper, Tobacco

Review

- ANASTASIA -
If there was ever an Ice Queen walking around this earth with her silvery train dress, icy staff and tiara made out of snow flakes, Anastasia would be the kind of fragrance she would wear. The freshness of green tea and probably the fresh snow (I honestly have no idea how a fresh snow should smell like) really open this perfume and give you the ethereal feeling. I was worried about Civet and Patchouli because I don't really want to smell animalic and/or head shop-ish. However, these two notes work wonderfully in Anastasia; they give enough depth and edginess to make this fragrance much more interesting than just a feminine musky perfume. I have never come across a scent like this, it's truly unique and soft. It makes me feel like I'm floating in Narnia wearing it. Full bottle worthy!!!

- MARIANNE - 
Leather was the strongest note as soon as Marianne touched my skin. In fact, it's the only thing I could smell for the next 5 minutes. Then, the fruity-floral combo started to appear followed by the Patchouli and something else foreign, which I reckoned to be the Mahogany. After a while, I actually enjoyed Marianne although I found it to be quite linear. Marianne is surprisingly unisex, in my opinion, but it's still soft in a sexy, leathery kind of way :)

- MIHO -
This is one gorgeous tropical concoction. The sweet orange and violets were quite dominant in the opening with a lovely dry coconut note lingering in the background. Coconut is always a tricky note because it  could easily turn anything to smell like a suntan lotion, but this is not the case with Miho. It remains fruity and girly but not in Britney Spears or Paris Hilton bubblegum/fruit loops type of fragrance. It's not my favorite of the bunch but I could see myself wearing it more during the more appropriate season (read: summer).

- JULIET -
If I could drink this, I would. No, it's not because it smells like smoothie or anything, but Juliet is just........yummy. On cold sniff I got a lot of juicy, ripe mangoes that aren't too sweet. Jasmine sambac is actually called Pikake here in Hawaii, and it's one of my favorite floral notes. It's creamy, fragrant, and very feminine. Juliet is a lovely floral and the easiest to wear among the oils I received because the notes go so well together. When I was wearing Juliet one day, this lady in the elevator actually asked what I was wearing because she said it reminds her of her garden :) That's a good thing, right?

The oil itself last a long time on my skin, approximately 6-8 hours. Some scents obviously developed more than others and also work differently on every person's skin. I am personally amazed by Sweet Anthem complex fragrances and how these different notes would blend beautifully together, so I really recommend trying Meredith's product because she's a perfume genius.

Sweet Anthem has an Etsy store where you can check out their current Spring catalog or you can head to their main site.

Hope you enjoy!

My 2011 Favorite Summer Fragrance

Why yes, for those who have been wondering what has happened to me and this blog...

I know, it's been a while since my last post but I'm here to tell you that I just recently moved back to Hawaii (wooop wooooooop!) and am STILL settling in. To be honest, moving is such a pain in the derriere, everything is so hectic, time-consuming and in the end I always felt so poor once all done.

Not cool bro.

But that's life, right? At least here in Hawai'i the sun isn't as tormenting like the one in Florida and knowing how the people are in Hawaii, summer is all-year round.

And speaking of summer, since the season is almost ending (except for you, lucky Australian folks ^_*), I've decided to show you some fragrances I've used the most this year.

L'Occitane en Provence - Fleurs de Cerisier (Cherry Blossom)
cherry, freesia, black currant, lily of the valley, rose tree, amber, musk

This fragrance came out in 2007 and I've fallen in love ever since. I believe this is supposed to be a Spring fragrance but the sweetness yet fresh-vibe encouraged me to wear it all the way to Summer. If you think that this is yet another "Cherry Blossom" scent like what Bath & Body Works is fond to make flankers of, you are mistaken. In fact this doesn't like cherry blossom at all. The fragrance isn't all too floraly nor fruity, it's just about right. There's this hint of freshness out-of-the-shower feeling too which, I personally think, is perfect for Spring, although there were some of those days during Summer when I sort of smelled an apple cider note from this (lol). Nevertheless, it's a gorgeous, feminine, and "tame" fragrance that I could see many women would love. The only complaint I have, is that I wish it'd stay longer on my skin.


Chanel - Chance Eau Fraiche
citruses, cedar, pink pepper, water hyacinth, jasmine, teak wood, orris, amber, patchouli, vetiver, white musk

It's probably my most wearable citrus fragrance. I purchased this in Paris in 2009 during summer when I went on a tour with my family and ever since this fun fragrance reminded me of France. I loooooooove the flirty-ness that this perfume gives since the Eau Fraiche was dedicated to younger audiences. The notes are working together beautifully that in the end you can't simply pinpoint what are in there, except that it's fun, fresh, and free-spirited. 


Girard - Bali Sunrise
orange, mandarin, pear, lemon, grapefruit, lily, rose petals, night-blooming jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli, velvety musks

I merely purchased this 2008 fragrace for the name :) but it surprisingly turned out to be a summer cocktail in a bottle. In the opening, Bali Sunrise is very fruity and heavy on the pear & citrus but as soon as it evolves, the floral notes started to emerge. This is a nice blend of fruity-floral fragrance without being too mainstream. I also like the fact that the ombre-colored bottle looks like a mango heheh.

Jennifer Lopez - Deseo
watery bamboo leaves, yuzu, bergamot, freesia, star jasmine, pink geranium flower, orange blossom, mimosa, warm amber, oak moss, musk, sandalwood, cedar, patchouli, mineral accord

I was a proud user of Glow back in college and this would be the 2nd fragrance from J.Lo that I've tried. I'm at the point where I think most of celebrity fragrances smell the same with their fruity-floral candy-sweet bubbly personality such as *ehm* Paris Hilton *ehm* so when there is a gem or two, I would be surprised and kindly try it out. Deseo is surprisingly complex and sultry. The kind you wear on hot summer nights with your strapless gown, taking a romantic stroll along the beach line with your loved ones. The opening is citrusy from the Yuzu  and as it settles on skin, Deseo morphed into a sweeter woodsy scent. The floral notes are doing a good job of keeping the scent not overly woody and although it doesn't really evolve too much as it wears on the skin, this fragrance is quite unique and not offensive. The bottle is gorgeous too!

GUESS - Guess for Women
tangerine, bergamot, green apple,freesia, peony, muguet, peach, red fruit, magnolia flower, cedarwood, moss, skin musk, amber 

Despite of the helplessly tacky bottle, I really enjoy wearing this fragrance day or night. It's very vibrant, full of life, and makes me want to do something whenever I wear it. It may sounds weird but you should never underestimate what scents do to you, and this particular one does make me feel kind of....active. I can see why older women tend to stay away from this perfume because it's also sweet (but not in a Pink Sugar way) and we all know sweet translates young, but if you're brave enough and feel like you need a dash of fun juice, give this a try sniff. 


Kenzo - L'Eau Par Kenzo
lilac leaves, reed stems, mandarin, vanilla, water lily, pepper from guinea, white peach, amaryllis, blue cedar, floral musk, wild mint

If Chanel Chance reminds me of France, L'Eau Par Kenzo reminds me of Italy. I exclusively wore this perfume during my trip to Italy and whenever I sniff this, I was brought back to those hot sticky summer days in Tuscany. L'Eau Par is a daytime fragrance (the site mentioned it) and I can see why. It's just very fresh, aquatic and light. I love using this after working out because it gives me a boost and energy. 




Thanks for reading and if you'd like, please comment and tell me what's your favorite summer fragrance this year, since I'm always on a hunt for a new HG perfume :)

Have a good day & until next time! 

Perfume Review: Wylde Ivy

Another long overdue review which I always regret and apologize for... I could swear to you I planned to blog about this company right after I received my order but apparently my brain was somewhere else along with my memories. Anyway, let's start before I forget about it again 
(loljk....)

Wylde Ivy is a perfumery artisan whose product are uniquely blended and vegan friendly. I've seen them mentioned many times especially by those who enjoy musky and fruity-floral scents. Their blends are well known to be very complex, delicate and sophisticated. I honestly have no idea why it took me so long to make an order from them. I took a plunge and ordered their 5 Mini Perfume Spritzers Set from their Etsy store when they had a 15% off discount back in May.   

The scents I chose are: Indigo Moon, Simple Love, Moonflower, She's So Flirty, It's My Party (Good Girl Edition). Along with my order I was given 2 free sample vials in the scents of: Neroli Creme and Muse.

"Indigo Moon" ~Wylde Blend~  Indigo Moon, dreamed into being by a Wylde Ivy customer, is sugared plums, soft red currants, sweet cream apples, vanilla drenched musk, and sheer white amber. The waning crescent moon hangs delicately in the ink blue sky as a 1000 glistening jeweled stars pierce the indigo night. 

"Simple Love" ~Wylde Blend~ To honor my twin baby girls, I wanted to create a fragrance to reflect the amazing feeling of being the presence of uncomplicated, perfect, unconditional...Simple Love. A light, airy fragrance of euphoria, gentle and inviting. Like love, this has a delicate nature, yet invokes such powerful emotions. Let Simple Love surround you. Notes of: White Lily of the Valley, Dewy Moss, Pure Vanilla, Pink Jasmine, Mandarin Peel, Sweet Berry, and White Musk. 

"Moonflower" ~Wylde Blend~ This stunning cool floral blend invokes visions of sheer white petals glowing under the moonlight. Moonflowers are crisp white flowers that bloom under the rising moon. They fragrance the night with their gorgeous and subtle gardenia like fragrance. This is the scent of Moonflower petals wrapped in velvet moonlight, fresh jasmine and sandalwood, violets and sheer musk. This is a simply magnificent scent. 

"She's so Flirty" ~Wylde Blend~ She’s so sweet and so seductive. Her sweetness draws you in and her seduction ensnares you. She is charm, allure, and attraction in a petite, sapphire eyed, scarlet lipped package. She may be playing you, but it feels so good you choose not to care. She’s so cute. She’s so sweet. She’s so captivating. She’s so flirty.Notes of: Chilled green apple, smooth vanilla musk, white amber, sandalwood, a hint of jasmine petals, and citrus peel. 

"It's My Party, Good Girl Edition" ~Wylde Blend~ The good birthday girl is all sweet and charming. She glistens and sparkles and radiates pure joy. She's the embodiment of picture perfect in every picture ever taken of her, her smile practically glistens. Expect her to throw her own huge parties with people traveling from four states away to share her day. She loves the attention, she adores the primping, and she lives for this once a year day of her own.Notes of: Pure white vanilla frosting, a touch of sweet cream, rainbow colored sugar crystals, blackberries and currants, a dash of citrus and sticky candy, with a base of sugar musk.

"Neroli Creme" ~Wylde Blend~ The timeless, gracefully scent of orange blossoms meets the simplicity of pure vanilla cream. 

"Muse" ~Wylde Blend~
Muse [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin Mûsa, from Greek Mousa.] meaning a source of inspiration.

The Scent: Light and airy white musk meets delicately sweet ribbons of sugar intertwined around subtle notes of vanilla beans, orange glazed berries, and soft white florals. Be inspired.

Review:


Indigo Moon - On a cold sniff it smells very plum-y, it quickly settles down and the amber starts to emerge, making it deeper and almost smokier. This reminds me of a sugar plum scent which I honestly was never a fan of, very sugary with dry berries and a bit of musk in the background. This one is just an ok for me, I don't love it but it's also not offensive by any means.


Simple Love - Ok, I might be delusional but this is a dead-on Philosophy Falling In Love scent which I owned. I even Googled the notes and turns out they're pretty similar. I'm not calling it a dupe or anything because this is supposed to be Wylde Ivy's house blend but to my nose they are very very very similar. 


Moonflower - Be completely honest with you I ordered this one because of the name. You know my long sappy old love story with The Body Shop Spirit of Moonflower, so when I saw this scent I was kinda hoping to get something close to that discontinued scent, but WI Moonflower is nothing like it. This is obviously a white floral scents, on the first sniff I was welcomed by the gorgeous gardenia and jasmine. The musk appears after a couple of minutes and pretty much stays in the background. I can't really smell any violets although it was listed but I'm kinda glad because violet tends to be a little cloying. This blend is beautiful and I can see myself wearing it to a garden picnic or one of those spring days when you just want to smell light and pretty. Definitely a day time scent.


She's So Flirty - This one took me 2 tries to finally understand it, which is a shame because this turned out to be my favorites of the bunch. The green apple definitely dominant in this blend but don't worry, you won't smell like a jelly roncher because there is so much more to it. The sandalwood and amber add a sexy and mysterious vibe whereas the jasmine and citrus "beautify" this perfume and make it smells less fruity-generic. This blend developed on my skin and it smells more complex the longer I wear it. A must try, even if you're not an apple fan :)


It's My Party Good Girl Ed. - Sweet, sweet, sweet. I smell sugar, musk and more sugar. Those of you who enjoy sticky sweet cotton candy scents, this one is for you. If I tried this perfume back in 2008 I might have had enjoyed it very much but unfortunately this one is too been-there-done-that scent, which is definitely my fault for having to try too many similar scents in this category before. This perfume reminds me of BBW Warm Vanila Sugar which is a long time favorite of mine. I might wear this on my fun days when I feel like a teenager again, running around in midnight carnivals with two giant fluffy pink cotton candies in my hands.
Added: The drydown smells kind of odd for me, not sure what it is but it doesn't go well with my body chemistry. Boo :(


Neroli Creme - Amazing, is all I can say. Sometimes less is more because this blend only consists of orange blossoms and vanilla creams, but it smells soooooo dang pretty. It's soft, it's creamy, and it makes you want to cuddle with your lover under a giant blanket and your favorite sentimental movie playing on TV. Gorgeousness in a bottle, period.


Muse - I believe this is a revamp version of their famous line and people said they don't smell the same anymore. I haven't tried the old one so I can't really say much about it but what I know that Muse smells close to Pink Sugar, in a less-cloying way (which is why I felt like I'm very familiar with it). Again, the sugar definitely speaks loud and clear in this one, along with the musk and vanilla. I can't pick up too much of the floral but it does develop into something more complex than It's My Party Good Girl Edition. I like this one better, obviously, since I'm old now.


Final Say:


I am quite pleased with my order, and especially with the free samples I got, I definitely want to try more of their floral scents. Based on my experience, I could say that their sugary blends are no joke, and they are mostly overpowering the other notes. I am happy with the ones without, especially Neroli Creme and She's So Flirty. Overall a very good experience with Wylde Ivy, if you have tried them please leave me a comment below and let me know which one should I try next.


FYI, Wylde Ivy do offer 1 oz Perfume Spray for $17 or if you're international you may purchase their 1/3 oz Perfume Oil instead (since alcohol can't ship overseas) for $12. If you feel like sampling a bunch of fragrance, you can also do that, they have this 10 Perfume Vials for $15 deal, which I think is pretty neat. 

Solstice Scents Review

I've been hearing about Solstice Scent from their popularity of creating unique and "dark" scents. One of the scent that people were raving about is called Cenobite, which was rumored to be the perfect grown-up vanilla ever. Now that is quite a reputation to carry and although I have had love & hate relationship with vanilla scents in general, I decided to give it a try.

I made an order on March 26th, by the 28th they were ready to shipped and it arrived 3 days after. I only got myself a full size of Cenobite Perfume Roll-On ($9.00), and here's another cool thing about Solstice Scent: on every order you get to choose a scent for a free fragrance oil sample. I chose Spellbound Woods.

CENOBITE* ~ Dark, rich, boozy Vanilla Bean. Starts out as a strong vanilla liqueur but the dry down is a very smooth vanilla bean and French Vanilla. 

SPELLBOUND WOODS* ~ A soft, incensy blend of vanilla, sandalwood, cedar and amber 


Cenobite started of quite boozy on me, but it's not sickeningly sweet. As it settles on my skin, the warm Vanilla Bean started to come out stronger and the dry down is quite sexy and dry. I agree that this is not your usual foody buttercream vanilla which I happen to loathe. Cenobite is an intricate feminine vanilla that makes you feel grown-up. I adore this scent, I've been wearing it to bed because it's pretty much close to the skin. You just need to try it yourself and be surprised by how comforting this blend is.

Spellbound Woods has that cedar note hitting my nose right after I apply, yet everything else sort of blend together and create this beautiful scent that makes you feel like you're sniffing a house of Bilbo Baggins lol I don't know why I think of him, but it's probably by the fact that he's old, he smokes and always had his oven on, making some yummy cakes. This scent is beautiful, the amber and vanilla made the blend more sweet and wearable whereas the sandalwood and cedar added the depth. Again, I was so glad that I chose this amongst other beautiful sounding blend that Solstice Scents offers.

The perfume roll-on is VERY long lasting too. I'd love to try their other blends someday and probably in Body Ganache Cream and Whipped Soap since everyone was raving about it too.

I'm Sampling !!!

Just a quick list of fragrance samples I've purchased recently, because I feel like I need to jot them down in order to control my dangerous behaviour in the future.

....

Yeah, you got what I mean.

13 Gypsies Perfumery on Etsy:
- Aphrodisia
- Aurora
- Blackberry Tea
- Dark Star
- Sister Moon
- Haunted

Flourish also on Etsy:
- Almond Milk
- Pomegranate Rose
- Peach Tea

Solstice Scents
- Cenobite (I got a full size bottle on this one)
- Spellbound Woods

I also plan to sample fragrances from various Etsy sellers (this would be the end of me, I swear T_T)

Opulent Alchemy :
Baby Phat – Fabulosity
Chanel – Chance Eau Tendre
DKNY - Be Delicious Fresh Blossom
Gucci - II
Gucci - Rush 2
Jennifer Lopez  – Deseo
Jessica Simpson – Fancy
Kate Moss – Vintage
Lolita Lempicka - L'de Lolita
FRESH - Fig Apricot

Scent by the Sea A Garden of Earthly Delights Deluxe Perfume Oil Sample Set
Cinema Rouge - dusky amber
Frangipani - tropical paradise
Egyptian Honey - mysterious sweetness
China Rain - freshly showered
Sandalwood Vanilla - for guys and dolls alike
Fiori di Roma - summer sunshine
Cote d'Azur - champagne on the beach
Middle Earth - into the woods
Antebellum - magnolia goodness
Tehura - island girl


The Morbid The Merrier
CLEO
VOIX DE VILLE
FUNHOUSE


Wiggle Perfume
Anna May
DuBois
Djuna
Hither
Sakura
Speakeasy Vanilla
Honeysuckle Sweet Tea

Dear Lord how did I get here???

Perfume Tag

I've been in a fragrance kick lately so I figured why not do this tag I found at Stefanie's blog. I probably won't specifically tag anyone because to be honest I have no idea who still reads this blog (or if there's even any *sobs*). So here we go!

1. Fragrance with the most memory attached?
One is Jean Paul Gaultier Classique, which my mom used for the very long time. I remember when I was young I used to sneak into my parents' bedroom and play in front of her vanity. I ALWAYS sniffed this perfume my mom bought from Paris but since it looked expensive I was too scared to actually spritz it on myself (lol what a scaredy cat I was!). Then she ran out of it and never purchased it again for some reason (I know it's quite expensive buying perfume back home, plus the concern of their authenticity was also questionable).

Another one is Clinique Happy Heart, my signature scent back in college.


2. Your most favorite perfume bottle?
Yep, it's none other than the Jean Paul Gaultier Classique :) Mostly because it has boobies.
I also love L'occitane Cherry Blossom's bottle.

3. Which perfume do you wish was still produced? (i.e. that was limited edition or has now been discontinued?)

The Body Shop Moonflower, which was my all time favorite back in high school. I almost bawled when they were dc-ed and went panicky to buy the overpriced perfume oils off Ebay.

4. Favourite perfume advertising campaign?

J'adore by Christian Dior. You know the one with Charlize Theron strutting her swaggah while undressing herself? I'm always stunned by how she said "J'adore~ Dior~" ... OMG it's so sexy French-o-licious!!!!

5. Best perfume related discovery?

Definitely Etsy and other e-tailer perfumes, they're mostly affordable and offer sample vials. 

My favorite so far are Haus of Gloi, Wylde Ivy, and Lunableu (not Etsy).

6. Perfume that you expected to love and didn't?

Gucci Envy Me; I remember reading the notes and went to buy it because I was so sure it was for me but then I wore it and it was sort of underwhelming. I liked it tho, but it was just not as amazing as I hoped.

7. Perfume you would give your left arm for? 

Probably Bond no.9 New Haarlem. I'm obsessed with it at the moment but holy saint peter on popsicle stick, THE PRICE!!!

8. Top 5 Favourite perfume notes?

• Blackberry
• Vanilla
• Amber
• Musk
• Orange Blossom

9. Perfume you wish would die a horrible death?
The Sécrétions Magnifiques by Etat Libre d'Orange.
Why? Because it smells like semen (yes I did sniff it out of curiosity).

10. Next perfume(s) on your 'to buy' list? 
I feel like I need a full size of Fresh Sugar Lychee, DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom Juice, Deseo and probably another bottle of Avon Imari Seduction since I'm running low. As for indie e-tailer perfumes, my list is not as short:
 - Wiggle Perfumes : Speakeasy Vanilla, Honeysuckle Sweet Tea, Sakura
- The Mindful Mushroom : Victorian Princess, Faery Queen, The Poet, Rag Doll, Rampage, Ritual, Siren, Wench, Seelie Court
- Haus of Gloi : Troika
- Flourish Bath Body : Almond Milk, Vanilla Amber

Please feel free to do this and let me know when you do !!! : )

Haul: Haus of Gloi (Valentine's Scent)

Another package showed up at my door and my mailman even made a remark "You always have packages that smell wonderful. Delivering to your house is my new favorite route if you ask me.", not quite sure if he was hitting on me or he was genuinely enjoy the smelling goodies lol (let's just hope the latter one...)

So this time is from Haus of Gloi, my old time favorite. I've talked to Britton a couple of times and it's just nice to see a young woman being very passionate about her business. Anyway, it's not the main reason I keep ordering from her, it's the quality of her products that made me go back wanting for more.

This time I ordered because I wanted to try her Litchi Milk Tea so bad, she hardly had it in stock months back so when she finally did a special on Valentine's, I caved in. Her TAT was less than a week and shipping was fast, I was very pleased with the entire process.

Now opening the package is a whole another experience because she did include cute polka dot wrapping papers in contrast with her goth black theme. Her labels are the greatest thing ever and they are very well sealed. No leaking, no spilling, no problemo.

Here are what I got:

• Depravity Sugar Exfoliant
• Something Hopeful Soft Bubbling Scrub
• Litchi Milk Tea Soft Bubbling Scrub
• Imp Perfume Oil sample

Depravity
Pure corruption: clove, nutmeg lurk amongst the sweetest offerings of coconut, on a bed of rich golden amber, laden with dustings of sandalwood and spilled wine.

This smells like a wonderful spicy earth scent, it's very warm and sweet...very comforting. You know I don't really like spicy scent so I was worried if the "clove" and "nutmeg" would be too much for me...but boy I was proven wrong and I don't mind it : ) I'm Indonesian so smelling spices like this is like being at home getting traditional massage; the wine tho, rounds it up nicely and makes it smell rather sophisticated. This is a very complex and alluring scent to me. Glad I took the plunge and tried it.

Something Hopeful
Perhaps the first stirrings of the spring to come. Warm sakura blossom green tea with the tiniest droplet of plum juice, red mandarin and crystallized jasmine essence.

Green tea & Jasmine is probably my favorite fresh-floral combo other than something with Orange Blossom, and I'm always on a hunt for a great blend from e-tailers. Haven't had much luck in the past because most of them smell too astringent-y. This one is "almost" perfect for me. If I could describe it in one word it'd be "Fresh". It is very well blended so I can't just pinpoint scent that stands out, not sure if it's a good thing or not, depends on your preference. It also smells very clean and not offensive at all, soft and invigorating (from the citrusy mandarin, I s'pose?). The only downside is I guess, it's not too "unique" as I feel like I've smelled it before somewhere. Still nice to try :)


Litchi Milk Tea
Tart lychee fruit and black tea met with a splash of coconut milk.

Give me a Y, give me a U, give me a Mmmmmmmmm. Yes, this one is amazing. I've used this one a couple of times in the shower and the Lychee is just bursting out so fragrantly, it's like bathing with a bowl of real fruits. I can never understand how Britton nail this one so accurately. Some say they smell grapefruit in this scent, I honestly don't get any other fruit other than LYCHEE. The tea is not even bold like many other tea-infused scents and I do smell coconut milk in the background, but it's never surfacing to overpower the sweet fruit. I love this so much, it's very unique and fruity and amazing and all the good things in the world... lol


I've tried Imp before, click here for review :)


This is my first time trying her foaming sugar scrub (bubbling scrub) and I'm loving it too. I think I like it better than the Sugar Exfoliant just a tiny bit ^^
ONTO THE SPAM!

I found the label for Imp is kinda creepy-looking hehehe

Thanks for reading~

Haul: Lunableu (Again, yes!!!)

What would a gentleman do when he got a happy ending in a whorehouse? 

Coming back for more.

Yes I am that gentleman and my whorehouse is Lunableu. I simply adored The Raven (which would be the whore in this case LOL) scent from my last haul, I came back for more. This time I took a plunge and ordered their Ice Fairy Princess Holiday Box by the end of November, received it sometime during Christmas. I went to NYC and came back during New Years so I didn't know exactly when it arrived. They had a long TAT (3-4 weeks) back then because of holidays so I didn't expect it otherwise.

aren't the tarts purdy? hehe

Anyway the deal was I got to choose 5 items from the list they gave (it's on the link above) for $19.99. I mean, it's 4 bucks for each item and it's a pretty darn good deal so I couldn't pass it up. What I chose are: .

1. 1 oz Marshmallow Body Frosting (Scent: The Raven)  
2. Edp Roll-On (Scent: The Raven) 
3. 8 ml EDP Fragrance Mister (Scent: Pink Fairy Dust) 
4. 2 oz Body Mist (Scent: Blackberry Musk Noel) 
5. Cupcake Cuties Wax Tarts (Scent: State Fair Treats, Candy Punk, Shadow Witch, White Musk) 

Being a generous person she is, Tanya included freebies in my order and I got:

• 8 ml Edp Fragrance Mister (Scent: Creamy Candy) 
• 2 oz Shea Butter Body Frosting (Scent: The Raven) 
  
• Scent Shots Wax Melt (Scent: Shadow Witch & Little Black Dress)
• 2 oz Goatsmilk & Honey Cream (Scent: Let Them Eat Cake!)

Scent Review:

1. The Raven: Vanilla Madagascar, Rice Flower & Shea with Sweet- Tart Blackberries and Marshmallows

~ My crack. Re-order because it is simply one of the best e-tailer scent I have come across.

2. Pink Fairy Dust:  Exclusive new blend of Pink Sugar, Madagascar Vanilla, Warm Vanilla Sugar, and a little something special

~ Also re-order, the most sophisticated PS blend I've had tried so far :) It smells expensive, if ykwim.

3. State Fair Treats: A blend of all your favorite State Fair Treats Freshly-Spun Pink Cotton Candy,Yummmy Funnel Cake with Powdered Sugar, and Delicious Candied Red Apples.

~ Cold sniff is very apple-y but then it blends beautifully with other sugary sweet notes, definitely can smell Cotton Candy somewhere there.

4. Candy Punk 

I honestly forgot what's in here exactly (it's a LE) but it's very bubblegum-y yet fresh at the same time ... yeah I know it's weird but I REALLY LIKE IT !

5. Shadow Witch: Vanilla Madagascar, Rice Flowers & Shea touched with Parma Violets & hints of blackberry

~ I ordered this because it's like a floral sister of The Raven, but I don't think I like it all that much. The violets does make a bold appearance and I find it sorta heady.

6. White Musk: Simply THE perfect “musk” scent! Trust us, this is unlike any other “white musk” on the market! Indulge your senses ~ you will fall in love with the simplicity of this beautiful fragrance!

~ It's just sooooooo pretty, can't wait to burn it on spring days :)

7. Blackberry Musk Noel: Our wonderful blackberry musk blended with vanilla bean noel, this one smells so wonderful!

I like it but I don't love it, I just realized VBN is a strong scent (same goes with PS, I guess) in blends and it just overpowers everything which is funny because VBN alone I would consider it "creamy" & "soft" lol idk

8. Little Black Dress: Bottom notes of White Carnation and blood orange are the perfect foil for the heart notes, comprised of sandalwood, black rose, smoky wood, and a kiss of patchouli. The top notes give a hint of toasted vanilla bean and whiffs of vetiver, amber, and the tiniest touch of Egyptian musk for a smoky, sexy finish.

~ Just like any other e-tailer's dupe, very complex & sophisticated...I love it.

9. Let Them Eat Cake!: A Rich Buttercream Frosted Cake!

~ Hmmmmmmmm... ok I feel bad for not liking this because it's a cult favorite but I know myself and I've never liked straight up buttercream frosting scents. Nothing wrong with the scent, it's just me. 

Product Review:

All Edp, Body Mist & Roll On are strongly scented and they last a long time. Tarts are REALLY strong too, I even needed to break them in two because it's too overwhelming. Since I get to try all different kinds of creams, I can say that the Marshmallow Body Frosting has the thickest consistency, it's also spongy and very rich...I adore it, it sinks in so fast too. Goatsmilk & Honey cream is the lightest one. I'll show you with pictures:

Marshmallow Body Frosting

why does it have to look like Vanilla ice cream? T_T omnomnom

Shea Butter Body Frosting

Goatsmilk & Honey Cream

 

Now if you'd excuse me, I have a lot of goodies to indulge. 

Too many creams, too little skins lol  

Haul: Bissy's Boutique $1.75 Body Spray

Ahhhhh good smelling things, why do I love thee?

I hauled from Bissy's Boutique about 2 weeks ago when they were having a $1.75 Body Spray sale. I'm a huge fan of spray-on bottle, I'm one of those weird people who have to bathe on their

perfume LoL Nah, just joking. I just don't feel a perfume roll-on is enough for me.

I always like Bissy's Boutique, and have talked to Dina (owner) multiple times. She's one of those seller you feel comfortable right off the bat. Bissy's has probably one of the best customer service as you actually can request scent although it's not available in the site, Dina will look for it...she's cool like that.

Anyway, I got 6 of Body Sprays (which I've already had in the past, Bissy's Body Sprays is just as strong as EDP), and I told Dina I couldn't make up my mind in the last scent because both Beach Daisies and You Are My Sunshine sound awesome. Later she kindly INCLUDED both of them in my order O.O

The new bottles are so sleek! They're dark & tall...........just like my taste of men. Mwahahaha

Here are the scents I ordered

Grapefruit Noel
(Pink Grapefruit + Vanilla Bean Noel Type)

Pink Lemonade Noel
(Fresh squeezed lemons and sugar, with just a hint of sweet and fluffy cotton candy + Vanilla Bean Noel Type)

Blackberry Fizz
(This fragrance begins with aldehydic fruity notes of blackberry, strawberry, and pomegranante, citrus middle notes of mandarin, grapefruit, and lime, with a base note of bamboo)

You Are My Sunshine
(Orange Flower, Marigold, Mums, Valencia Orange)

Mandarin Coconut
(Mandarin, Star Fruit, Mango, Coconut, Vanilla)

Lemon Chiffon
(Lemon, Sugared Grapefruit, Brown Sugar, Honey, Vanilla)

Beach Daisies
(Lemongrass, Daisy, Gardenia)

My thoughts:

• Grapefruit Noel: This is supposed to be the best seller and I have to agree, it lives up to the rave, it's tart, sour, but girly. I like it alot.
• Pink Lemonade Noel: The Vanilla Bean Noel is stronger in this, and simply a 50/50 blend of a fresh squeezed icey cold Pink Lemonade & sweet Vanilla Bean Noel.
• Blackberry Fizz: For some reason I got some BBW Iced Tea Twist from this, and it's added by a dark & ripened blackberry note. This is really fruity and would be awesome for summer.
• You Are My Sunshine: Orange is definitely the key note and it smells so fresh, but YAMS is much more than a simple orange scent, there's this gorgeous spring-y white flower background note that rounds up and makes it more grown up and feminine.
• Mandarin Coconut: This is delicious, a gorgeous blend of tart mandarine orange, mango, vanilla and coconut. Very summery.
  
• Lemon Chiffon: Ok this smells EXACTLY like CYS Lemon Marshmallow Wafer on me (which is great), I'll let it sit for a while but if it still smells identical, it will go up for swap. I love it but I don't need two =P
• Beach Daisies: It reminds me a lot of some Pikake flowers to make Leis, but when I checked the note it's Lemongrass, Daisy, and Gardenia. Anyway, it's very feminine & soft flower, I love this one.

Can't you tell I'm so ready for summer? =P