SPOTLIGHT: Winter Fragrances (Part 2)...

After posting Part 1, I realised that my precious Urban Rituelle perfume at the bottom of this page is missing from the group photo, so here's a new pic of the whole set...

Chi Chi Persimmon...

This was the sweetest treat in my post-Christmas bargain haul - crikey, I don't know that I can adequately express how much I ADORE this fragrance ♥ A close friend says it reminds her of toffee apples, but to me it's just the juiciest fruitiest fun perfume I think I've ever come across! My very first Chi Chi scent, and I've already bought another. This is undoubtedly classified as a summer fragrance, but I'll be wearing it all year round whenever I want to boost my spirits, and ensure a smile is plastered on my face for the whole day :-)

Persimmon? Gee does anyone know what persimmon actually smells like? I have no idea, and it doesn't even contain "persimmon", but this fun-filled blend of guava, papaya, mango and citrus sends my spirits soaring way up into the clouds. If you love fruity fresh fragrances, you simply MUST try this. The bottle is modern and chunky, an ombre hot pink, with a prettily faceted top - the whole range is like this, just the colour of the bottle varies depending on the contents. I swear I have a hard time resisting the urge to spray this on every single morning. From memory I paid around $14, but it's just under $20 at normal price - TOTAL BARGAIN ♥♥♥ My beautyheaven review of it is here...

Lanvin Rumeur...

I purchased this from a blog sale - untested! - but somehow I knew I couldn't go wrong because it's from the house of Lanvin, and I'm crazy about their Eclat d'Arpege. A somewhat boring bottle that reminds me of something you'd find rolling around on a galleon, and let's face it, the cap looks like an old bath plug, but what's inside is surprisingly elegant. It has a musk and patchouli base (uh oh, I'm a goner), but the top notes are floral all the way. I tend to lump all florals into the spring/summer category, but I find it way too potent for anything other than <18 degree days. It's not a young gal's fragrance, but then again I wouldn't classify it as a granny one either (like Arpege) - it's somewhere in between, and definitely for grown up femmes. 

I've read that this 2006 version is a reformulation of the original, and most reviewers aren't impressed at all (one even called it "a travesty" - ouch!). But not having sampled the first one, I really don't have a clue what they're on about - I find it classy and sophisticated, distinctive and very sexy. One tiny squirt lasts me till lunchtime. A word of caution though - whatever you do, don't sniff it from the bottle. It smells like nail polish remover, but don't let that put you off because what's inside is a gem, and the dry-down is divine ♥

So...? Sensual...

I've sampled quite a few of the So...? range, but this is the one for moi. It's quite a crazy combination of orange (and some other unidentifiable fruit), with a touch of rose, a whole lotta violet, and a base of vanilla, patchouli and sandalwood. When I first spray it on, I can almost smell the individual ingredients, but after a minute or so, they meld together to form a very pretty, feminine and slightly powdery fragrance that's perfect all year round. 

This is not a stayer by any stretch of the imagination, but hey it's a toilette, and while it's there on the skin, it's really quite...sensual :-) I can't recall exactly what I paid for it, but it was less than $10 at Chemist Warehouse - cheap as chips for a generous 100ml bottle, and it sure doesn't smell cheap. As you can see the container is very plain with a plastic domed cap, but for an everyday fragrant fling, who cares?

Urban Rituelle Turkish Rose and Vanilla...

This is my little darling ♥ You'll recognise her from my previous blog post - part of my giveaway win from seducedbybeauty. She may be petite, but being an oil, she packs a powerful punch that's undeniably feminine. I'm an old style rose fan, and this to me is pure rose - in fact, I can barely make out the vanilla, but I know it's there supporting those precious petals, and both are cradled in a soft bed of delicately spiced musk. The bottle is genius from a portability point of view (yay it's handbag friendly!), and the teeny roller ball under the screw cap makes for an easy peasy application that won't stain your scarf, and it even leaves the skin feeling moisturised :-)

You won't need much to carry you through a whole day, and the $14.95 price tag is a bargain hunter's dream come true. As this is a very new acquisition, I'm unsure if it's too potent for summer, however I suspect the increased temperature (and body heat) would boost it's radiation factor considerably. But if your partner has a penchant for Turkish Delight, you may be in for some heavy duty romance because this little baby will turn you into an irresistibly mouthwatering treat ♥

Take care of  you,

kats xxx