If you read my blog, you know that I fall in love with perfumes in the same way that Elizabeth Taylor fell in love with men.

Lately, I’ve been trying to be more faithful to my past flames, by trying to use up some of my old fragrances before splurging on a new bottle.  But, shortly after the start of the new year I started a new love affair with the newest edition from the Chloé line of perfumes, appropriately called, Love, Chloé.

It started off innocent enough with me admiring the glamorous 70′s inspired ads.  But, my interest started to peak when I realized I couldn’t find this fragrance in any of my local department stores…playing hard to get has always been a tactic I fall hard for. 

Finally, while at Nordstrom, I got a whiff of the fragrance and it was love at first smell, but I didn’t quite understand why.  Most of my fragrances fall into the white floral category with a few roses/violets mixed in.  The two notes that I am most turned off by is anything musky or powdery and Love, Chloé screams both of these notes, but somehow in the most sophisticated, pretty, and somehow fresh way.  I knew I couldn’t continue without it.

It didn’t take my husband long to take ear to some of my very obvious hints and on Valentine’s Day I was gifted with the Love, Chloé gift set from Nordstrom.  Even with all the hints I was not expecting him to buy the fragrance for me…I had already been scoping out eBay for a deal, because this perfume is not on the cheap side (as if!), running $85 for a 1.7 oz bottle.  So, imagine my surprise when not only did I get my beloved perfume, but I also got the tricked out gift set!  I was in love…mostly with my husband, but also with my new perfume.

Even though I love perfume, I’m by no means a perfume expert.  However, I do know what I like and I know what smells good.  I really love finding fragrances that wake up my senses and make me feel a certain way.  For me, Love, Chloé, makes me feel sophisticated, pretty, flirty, mysterious, and fresh all at the same time.  I wear the fragrance almost everyday and have no problem wearing it to work or out for the evening. 

If you think you might be smitten with the Love, Chloé fragrance, make sure to check it out and ask your local sales associate for a sample to take home (currently, Love, Chloé is only sold in upscale department stores or online) because you never know how the fragrance will develop on you (my love story could be your heartbreak).  The notes in Love, Chloé include:  orange blossom, pepper, hyacinth, iris, lilac, wisteria, heliotropine, musk, talc, rice powder.

If you’re interested in the gift set I received, it retailed for $110 at Nordstrom and  included a full size (2.5 oz) bottle of the Love, Chloé perfume, a travel size bottle of the perfume (.17 oz), body lotion (3.4 oz), and a chic little leather makeup pouch (All this is the same price as the 2.5 oz bottle, and you get that in the gift set…you can’t go wrong with the set).  All this far exceeded my expectations, but I know that I’m going to use every drop…and probably go back for more!

Stress can creep up on you when you least expect it…a deadline you forgot about, a bill you rather not have received, a social situation you wish you could cancel, or even a crowded elevator that makes it hard to breathe.

Luckily, the makers of Calmspace understand these stressors and that’s why they’ve created a lavender infused, essential oil fragrance for those times when your anxiety levels start to peak.

Calmspace is a patent-pending, proprietary therapeutic formula of 100% natural fragrance extracts that help you manage your anxiety levels and even claustrophobic situations (yes, even your commute home on that packed bus).  Calmspace not only offers you a natural ‘chill pill’, but it’s also housed in cute packaging that easily passes for a soothing fragrance…just pop it in your purse and it’s there anytime you need it.

I had the chance to try out Calmspace for myself and I really loved the soothing fragrance.  While I don’t suffer from claustrophobic situations (well, the mall, sometimes), I do tend to stress out about things and I’m not one to hit the pillow and fall directly in a blissful slumber.  I found Calmspace to be, well, calming, and soothing, and I found myself using it before bedtime to help relax me.

To find out more about Calmspace and to see if it might work for you, head over to their site, at www.calm-space.com!

To keep even more connected with Calmspace, check on their Facebook and Twitter pages!

The Miss Dior Cherie fragrance holds a special place in my heart, because I bought it to wear at my wedding as my fragrance.  Now, every time I wear it I think of my wedding day and it makes me smile.

What also makes me smile is Natalie Portman.  I have been a huge fan of her films as well as her beauty.  I’m also a huge fan of Sofia Coppola and her amazingly beautiful films.  So, when I heard that Natalie Portman was the new spokeswoman for Miss Dior Cherie and she was going to be in a commerical that was directed by Sofia Coppola, I was more than a little excited.

I’m sure some of you have already seen the commercial, but for those of you who haven’t…appréciez!

Normally, descriptive words such as “fresh” and “clean” are not what I’m looking for in a fragrance.  I generally gravitate towards spicy, sweet, and slightly musky fragrances.  But, when I smelled the new, and first, fragrance by Bliss (as in the Bliss spas/products), Bliss Eau de Toilette, I have to admit, I couldn’t resist giving myself a little squirt.

Bliss Eau de Toilette was created to embody the mood-boosting smell of the Bliss day spas…fresh, crisp, and clean.  The combination of the notes, bergamot, dewy cucumber, and bright florals like lily, ylang ylang and violet will leave you smelling like the cleanest and slightly sweetest person on earth.  While it smells nothing like fresh laundry, it is one of those smells that you can’t stop breathing in…kind of like a freshly laundered shirt.  I think this is the perfect pick-me-up fragrance; perfect for day and the workplace since the smell is not obtrusive in any way.  And while the bottle doesn’t make the fragrance, I have to admit I’m more than smitten over the bubbly blue bottle. 

To sum it all up, Bliss’s new fragrance will leave you smelling clean, subtly fragrant, and slightly intoxicating.  Fresh Laudry, minus the Tide smell.

One of my favorite books of all time is Eat, Pray, Love by, Elizabeth Gilbert…and when I heard they were making the book into a movie a year ago, I couldn’t be happier…until now.

Fresh has taken my love for Eat Pray Love one step further by creating a Eat Pray Love fragrance collection!  The collection includes three different fragrances: Eat, Pray, and Love as well as an Eat, Pray, Love candle trio.  Yes, my head might just explode.

Each perfume is inspired by all the places Elizabeth Gilbert traveled to in her memoir (Italy, India, and Indonesia)…here’s what you have to fall in love with:

Eat:  Inspired by the the author’s trip through Italy, this fragrance is sweet and effervescent. Notes of  bright Italian lemon and basil are balanced with creamy textures reminiscent of cannoli and tiramisu topped off with sparkling Prosecco and Limoncello for the ultimate gourmand experience.

Top Notes: Italian lemon, basil, bergamot
Middle Notes: plum, red currant, rose
Bottom Notes: caramel, meringue, vanilla

Pray:  Is a woodsy fragrance with undertones of exotic spices that are reminiscent of Gilbert’s time spent in India.  Inspired by India’s serene sunsets, fresh soil, and traces of incense and spices that permeate warm winds, this scent has great impact and ultimately puts you at peace with a comforting blend of jasmine, pink pepper, patchouli, amber, juniper berry, cardamom, and incense.

Top Notes: elemi, pink pepper, juniper berry
Middle Notes: incense, peony, rose
Base Notes: patchouli, amber, musk

Love:  This sunny floral, with tropical undertones is embodies the spirit of Bali.  The fragrance bottles the bright, colorful, anything-is-possible feelings of falling in love. Scents of passion, like percolating pheromones, sun-caressed skin, and salty kisses, are combined with the lush aromas of Bali’s exotic landscape.

Top Notes: bergamot, red currant, mango blossom
Middle Notes: lisylang, Tiare, dewy jasmine
Base Notes: sandalwood, vetyver, velvet amber

I cannot wait to sniff these fragrances in person, because they all sound so different and amazing.  Going off the descriptions and notes, I think Eat sounds crisp and light, perfect for day wear…Pray seems to be more deep and spicy and would be great for evening wear and cooler months…Love seems very girlie and sweet, perfect for someone who is in, well, love.  Each bottle is 30 ml, or 1 oz…which is on the smaller side, but with a $32 price tag, it’s not too shabby considering Fresh isn’t the cheapest brand around. 

This limited-edition collection has been so popular that Fresh is sold out online (tear), but you can phone a Fresh store near you to check for availability.  So, good luck on your journey to finding this coveted fragrance…and make sure to see Eat, Pray, Love starring Julia Roberts, it opens today!!

Pssssssst…make sure you read the book too, I have no doubt that it will be better than the movie.

One of my favorite things in the world are unique fragrances that are not mass-marketed at every department store and beauty chain.  There is something special about having a rare fragrance…knowing that you won’t smell like your best friend, your yoga instructor, or the girl who works three cubicles over.

When I got the chance to try out the Leila Lou fragrance oil, created by celebrity makeup artist, Rosie Jane, I was intrigued, excited, and couldn’t wait for it to arrive.  I have now had the fragrance in my possession for about a week, and I have been wearing it every day.

The scent of Leila Lou is so wearable, intoxicating, fresh, and simple.  Not to mention, the packaging itself is more than convenient.  It’s perfect for travel, stowing away, and throwing in your purse.  I also love that Leila Lou is an oil and not a spray.  I love fragrance oils because you can really control the scent and I feel that they last longer.  The fragrance itself is made with 100% essential oils with top notes of nectarine and fresh cut grass, heart notes of  pear blossom & jasmine, and base notes of vanilla and cotton musk.  The Leila Lou website describes the fragrance as “capturing the alluring scent of freshness and innocence”…I couldn’t say it any better…this is truly a scent you’ll become obsessed with and want to wear all the time.  And I’m not the only one loving it, celebs such as Rachel Bilson, Sienna Miller, Audrina Patridge, and Vanessa Hudgens (and the list goes on) are all fans of Leila Lou.

Another wonderful thing about Leila Lou?  Well, it’s good for the environment!  By using 100% recycled and recyclable materials and by choosing not to do a box, Leila Lou fragrance is contributing to reducing waste and greenhouse gases.  Not only will you smell wonderful, but you can also feel good about wearing an eco-friendly product!

Now, for even better news.  Starting today you can enter to win a full-size (0.17 fl oz) Leila Lou fragrance oil and a travel size Leila Lou slow burning candle, made with 100% essential oils (the travel candle has yet to be released, the winner of this contest will be the first to have it!).  The contest winnings value at $51.  The contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will end at midnight on August 4th.  Enter to win below!

To find out more about Leila Lou and to see where to buy, check out the Leila Lou website.  To stay on top of Leila Lou news and to see what creator Rosie Jane has to say, please visit Leila Lou’s Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Click here to enter

It’s been a really long time (at least two months) since I have fallen for a new fragrance.  But, folks, I am slightly smitten with Coach’s new fragrance, _______…Coach?

While I’m not smitten with the name, Coach Perfume, I do love the smells that the (obviously Coach) bottle houses.  When I buy perfume, I generally like to buy from places where I won’t be attacked by fragrance samples…aka, not mass-marketed department stores.  But, I just can’t resist Coach’s new fragrance (which is sold at Coach stores, Sephora and department stores).

I first encountered the sweet nectar à la magazine fragrance strip.  I sniffed, I sniffed again, and then I appropriately rubbed the scent strip on my wrist and neck, almost slashing my neck by way of a nasty paper cut.  By the time I had perused my fashion mag, I had fallen madly in love with the scent. 

Coach’s namesake fragrance retails for $75 for a 1.7 oz bottle and is made up of the following notes:  green mandarin, guava, violet petals, water lily, genet flower, honey, orange flower, mimosa, jasmine, sandalwood, amber wood and vanilla.  I personally smell gardenia, one of my favorite scents and it smells almost identical to one of my favorite fragrances, Kate Spade by Kate Spade (another super original name) which just happens to be empty, except for a few drops of perfume that have gone bad…like two years ago.

Coach’s fragrance is not sophisticated like a bottle of Chanel No. 5, but you don’t need to worry about smelling like your mom just hand-selected your first bottle of perfume either.  The fragrance is light, playful, and pretty.  It’s a scent that will leave people lingering, and you smelling like a freshly bloomed flower…and that’s a good thing.

I am all about vanilla fragranced anything so Bath and Body Works new line, Summer Vanillas is right up my alley!

Vanilla is such a yummy, sensual fragrance, but it can sometimes be a little too heavy during the warmer months, but BBW has found a way you can wear vanilla all summer long by pairing it with summery inspired scents such as berry, coconut, apricot, and lemon!

I’m personally itching to try the Aprioct Vanilla and Lemon Vanilla scent, but with the line including a body lotion, body splash, cooling mist, shower gel, and lip gloss you can mix and match all your favorites…not to mention the line is super affordable with prices ranging from $7 to $12. 

So, while you’re out shopping for some cute summer outfits, make sure to swing by Bath and Body Works to check out the new line…so you can smell as sweet as you look!

I love perfume, I seriously can’t get enough of the stuff.  If someone were to make me choose a signature scent my head would probably explode from the frustration of picking that one bottle that I identify with most.  The great thing about perfume is that you can pick a fragrance according to your mood, an event, a time of year, etc.  I applaud those who have found that one bottle that they identify with most (I also find the idea of a signature scent terribly romantic), but I am just not one of those people and I have come to accept that about myself.

Because of my openness with fragrance, I am constantly falling in love with new scents.  When I read that Marc Jacobs 2010 Splash Collection was inspired by the “decadent indulgences of a patisserie shop” I knew I had to own a bottle from the collection, I mean, hello!  Cupcakes Taste Nice…see where I’m coming from here?

After reading about the three scents from the collection:  Pomegranate, Apple, and Biscotti, I knew that I needed the Biscotti fragrance.  The scent just sounded scrumptious and embodied a lot of notes that I love such as, orange blossom, freesia, vanilla…and it included pistachio blossom which just happens to be my favorite gelato flavor.  It seriously took every ounce of will power that I possess not to just out right by a bottle of the stuff without smelling it first.  But, I decided that it was only fair to give the fragrance a whirl before buying, especially with the $68 price tag.

As soon as I could I made my way to Nordstrom to try out the fragrance.  I dodged several eager sales associates, found my bottle of Biscotti and breathed in deep.  Hmmmm…no smell.  This did not stop me, I decided to spritz the fragrance and asked the sales associate to make me a sample; I needed to investigate this further in the comfort of my own home.  But, as I walked around the store I didn’t find myself falling in love with the fragrance, if anything I could barely smell the scent.  Still, I brushed it off thinking that maybe I didn’t spray enough on.

The next few days I wore the fragrance, but I never got to that moment where I fell in love with the scent.  If anything I could barely smell the fragrance and when I did it smelled very musky…not my favorite fragrance combination.  In the long run (rather, short run) my love affair with the Biscotti body splash fizzled very quickly, which I think they call that a crush.  I’m just glad I didn’t dish out $68 on a body splash…what was I thinking?!  The next time I want to smell like dessert, I’ll head on over to Bath and Body Works for a $10 bottle of vanilla body splash.

See, I promised all of you that I would share!

Up for grabs from The Body Shop’s Original Collection is the Dewberry body lotion and shower gel (valued at $19)!  This deliciously fruity duo will leave your skin clean, fragranced and moisturized.

The contest begins today and will end Thursday the 28th, so make sure to enter to win!  You don’t want to be without this yummy cult favorite from the 80′s.