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Hermes Garden Collection

Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi VS Sole di Positano Eau de Parfum Review

September 6, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello All! Ever been a fan of Tom Ford scents? Actually, I’m not, and what samples I’ve tried from his line of fragrances before didn’t register much to my memory. Although, in fact, I may have remembered having sniffed the Orchid Soleil and it was little too overwhelming for me. That is, until, I happen to wander inside Sephora and decided to test the Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi Acqua by chance. It literally blew my mind. The first spritz of the scent pretty much made my heart stop for a few minutes. I wanted the scent right then and there, but I had to wait until it completely settled on my skin so that I could judge its dry down. Unfortunately, while the top notes were exhilarating, the dry down was a bit of a letdown because it seemed too acidic for me. The TF Mandarino di Amalfi Acqua (Eau de Toilette) is a perfect fresh harvest of mandarin citrus scent that is SO good but it gets a little bit acetic with time. Yet still, I couldn’t get past my experience with that scent, so I decided to try it’s Eau de Parfum version hoping that the dry down won’t be that disappointing. Yes indeed, it’s a much more pleasing and much more pronounced scent. Because I love the scent very much, I also tried the Tom Ford Sole di Positano which is the latest release in Tom Ford’s Private Blend collection.

I haven’t found a lot of reviews that talked about or compared these two scents, so I hope this review will give you an idea as to how these scents are compared to each other. To start, the Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi and Sole di Positano Eau de Parfums are pretty much similar fresh scents that will jumble your brain synapses the moment you sniff them. I’ve never smelled such perfect scents in my life. They might be kind of alike, but if you pay close attention enough, then you’ll notice that they do have their differences.

Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi (1.7 oz: $230, 3.4 oz: $312, 8.4 oz: $595) – A slightly more intense version of the Mandarino di Amalfi Acqua which smells like fresh bursts of strong mandarins that are slightly sweet and perhaps a bit floral. It’s one of the freshest and strongest mandarin citrus burst I’ve ever tried and its middle notes pretty much stayed strong and fresh for the first one or two hours. Later on, as the scent approaches its dry down, it becomes slightly acidic or herbal-like, but not so much like its Eau de Toilette counterpart (Mandarino di Amalfi Acqua). The scent pretty much lasted a long time on me, probably for a good 4-6 hours until it requires reapplication.

Tom Ford Sole di Positano (1.7 oz: $230, 3.4 oz: $312, 8.4 oz: $595) – Its top notes don’t start as strong as the Mandarino di Amalfi, instead, its moderate citrus scent is more balanced and more steady. It is also more floral and a bit tarty than the Amalfi, with hints of jasmine as it reaches its middle notes. This scent is very clean and very sparkly. It tends to last up to 4 hours on me, give or take, and its dry down remains fresh as the first spritz. It may be a bit milder than TF Mandarino di Amalfi, but this scent is much more reliable as it doesn’t change its notes much from top to end.

If you ask me which scent I would prefer between the two, I think I may be a bit leaning towards Mandarino di Amalfi. Why? because I like that it’s more intense. But, I also love the Sole di Positano because of its clean and balanced scent that I know I could use anywhere and everywhere, and it also seems to be more versatile. For me, the difference between the two is probably just about 0.5 in points. Ha! In fact, there’s a moment where the two of them start to smell the same as they reach their middle notes unless you really pay close attention to their respective scents.

I will definitely still be using these two scents as we get closer to the colder days. They’re simply hard to get enough of, and unless I’ll find a nicer Fall-Winter fragrance soon, I think I’ll definitely come back to these two Tom Ford scents.

As I wrap up my favorite scents this summer, I definitely think that these two TF fragrances are now at the top of my list as my favorite summer scents of all time, aside from the Hermes Garden Collection (reviewed HERE) and the Atelier Cologne Clementine California (also HERE). Both the Mandarino di Amalfi Eau de Parfum and Sole di Positano are such perfect Summer vacay scents that are incredibly fresh, a tiny bit fruity, a bit floral, and most of all, very clean, well-crafted, and well-balanced. The only caveat is that they’re really pricey. However, the 1.7 oz bottle not only looks luxurious and unique, but it also lasts a long time.

If you’re looking for something to remind you of that perfect Summer stroll along the beach, or that enchanting Mediterranean afternoon vibe, look no further, who knows? you might just love these Tom Ford scents as much as I do.

The Tom Ford Sole di Positano & Mandarino di Amalfi Eau de Parfums are available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter, Barneys NY, Lord & Taylor, Bergdorf Goodman, & Macy’s

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Atelier Cologne Perfume Review

April 12, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Oh Hey There! As I have mentioned before, finally, here’s my very own review of a couple of Atelier Cologne scents which are making a lot of noise in the scent department nowadays. I first discovered Atelier Colognes from one of the sample scents that was included in my Sephora Play! Box, and I fell in love with the brand right then and there.

I love colognes, eau de toilettes and anything lightly-scented during spring and summer, and the Atelier Colognes have just the perfect scents for these seasons. Be it fruit, floral or slightly warm and woody, there’s definitely an Atelier Cologne perfume for that.

I love the fact that the brand has literally lots of different fragrances to choose from, and there’s even different sets of fragrances that complements your lifestyle, makeup and personal story. For this review, I’ve chosen the Atelier Cologne Perfume Palette, which is basically a set of samples of the brand’s colognes that complements different kinds of makeup look, or should I say highlights your best makeup features. On top of that, the scents in this set are full of the brand’s bestselling scent, and there’s 8 to choose from. Isn’t that cool?

Now let’s start.

The No-Makeup Makeup Scents: (For those who likes to go Au-Naturel).

Orange Sanguine – Smells like true sweet orange and orange peel. This scent is delish and I really love it even though it doesn’t last long enough for me. A pure orange scent for those who can’t get enough of oranges and more oranges.
Clementine California – Just like freshly-squeezed clementines and mandarins, this scent is fresh and juicy. It’s slightly different from Orange Sanguine, because this scent is more green and slightly citrusy, like a fresh burst of Clementine with a hint of sandalwood. Love that this is very long lasting and it’s ideal for this spring and summer.

The Red Lips Scents: (For Retro Lovers).

Vanille Insensée – Just like a warm toasted vanilla with a hint of coriander and a bit of jasmine, this particular scent is mind-blowing and mysterious. It’s not the delicious vanilla type of scent, but more of a mature sexy vanilla tone, and the dry-down is even more enthralling. It’s like you’ve known this scent before, but you don’t really know what it is.
Rose Anonyme – Definitely a rose petal scent with hints of something earthy like patchouli and ginger. It’s pretty long-wearing and dry-down becomes powdery-rose. To me, I think it’s quite similar to a couple of Chloe Perfumes, specially the L’eau de Chloe Eau de Toilette. Mysterious, fresh and unique.

For Smokey Eyes: (What Happened Last Night?).

Santal Carmin – With bergamot, sandalwood and vanilla, this scent is slightly masculine but can also be a unisex scent and quite fresh. It doesn’t last very long on me though, and the dry-down is kinda sweet. It’s also subtly musky but still great enough as an anytime or anywhere scent.
Oud Saphir – A deep, dark, musky and woody scent. Very very masculine but dries into a soft woody-floral note. I could sense the blend of jasmine, oud and suede in this cologne. Dark, smoldering, sexy and very long-wearing.

Sun-Kissed Glow Lovers (For those vacayholics and contouring/strobing fanatics).

Sud Magnolia – A little musky, a little fruity, a little flowery. Such is the blend of this amazing and complicated scent. It comes off as musky and earthy at first, then dries down to something very pleasant, very dreamy, very green and ocean-like. A perfect vacay scent with notes of orange, blackcurrant, magnolia and cedarwood. What a beautiful blend this is and the wear time is pretty good too. Also, this scent reminds me of Hermès Garden Collection fragrances, reviewed HERE. Like a cross between Un Jardin Sur Le Nil and Un Jardin Sur Le Toit.
Cèdre Atlas – The moment I sprayed this on my wrist, I felt like I was whisked away to another world, somewhere near the pacific or near white sands and beaches. No, I wasn’t hangover or anything, heheh, I just know that the scent is simply divine and irresistible. A great aquatic scent that has lemon, bergamot, cedarwood and amber. It smells very much like Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue.

Another great thing that I enjoy about Atelier Colognes are the intriguing and uncliché story behind each and every scent. I always read them because I find them to be captivating, romantic and cute.

Of all the scents tested here, my top favorites are: Orange Sanguine, Clementine California, Rose Anonyme, Sud Magnolia and Cèdre Atlas.

This limited edition Atelier Cologne Perfume Palette Set is available in Sephora for $18.

With all the great scents that Atelier Cologne has to offer, it’s easy to find one that will become your signature scent. Have you tried any Atelier Colognes before? If so, what’s your fave?

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Hermès Garden Collection Coffret Set Review (Un Jardin en Mediterranée, Un Jardin sur le Nil, Un Jardin sur le Toit, Le Jardin de Monsieur Li)

April 5, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Good day guys! Ready for some fragrance review? I’ve got just the perfect spring scents to feature in this review and they’re the Hermès Garden Collection Eau de Toilettes. I love this collection of scents so much, in fact, I’ve been alternating two of the four scents since last Spring and Summer. I usually go for lighter and brighter scents during warm seasons because I find some Eau de Parfums to be too much around these times. Sometimes, I even opt for some colognes. Speaking of colognes, I’m currently testing some Atelier Colognes and a review will be coming up pretty soon.

The Hermes Garden Collection with 4 unisex scents will suit anybody with a thing for unique fragrances that spark an atmosphere of curiosity. Just like that unforgettable stroll into a magical garden. The scents are mysterious and irresistible, so don’t be surprised if people will stop you one day, asking about what scent you’re wearing.

There are only 2 standard sizes available for these scents; The smaller 1.6 oz for $99 and the 3.3 oz for $137. They’re pricey compared to most Eau de Toilettes, but they’re so worth it. I can only wish that Hermès will someday soon sell a designated travel size bottles for these.

Un Jardin sur le Nil – Ever wonder what it smells like strolling around the Nile River? This particular scent is inspired by it. This scent is fresh, clean, crisp, refreshing and sparkling. Probably the most loved scent of all the Hermès Garden Collection, this fragrance is citrusy with a blend of tangerine and some other lemon-ish scent. It’s an interesting blend of allureness and freshness. Very distinctive and long-lasting. This is my second favorite scent of all the Garden Collection.

Un Jardin sur le Toit – Inspired by the garden of feasting and joyfulness. This scent smells like unripe apples and pear and something else. A little too strong at first, almost slightly alcohol-like while being very green and grassy at the same time. It also has a slight magnolia scent and is definitely not fruity, but quite spicy. I’d say it’s more of a manly scent at first spray, but it fades softly and becomes quite feminine later on. It doesn’t stay very long, but two sprays are enough to make it last for a couple of hours.

Un Jardin en Mediterranée – Just like the Mediterranean garden, this is an earthy-woody scent that is long-lasting with a musky tone. The blend of fig and cedarwood is very bold and clean. It smells fresh and slightly masculine. A very sexy scent that can be worn even in winter or fall.

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li – Reminiscent of a Chinese garden that inspires meditation and fantasy. What can I say to the scent that brings back a lot of memories and countless imaginations? Well, a lot, but I’ll try to narrow it down. This scent just blends well on my skin’s chemistry and it’s the one that strikes my olfactory senses very well. Though I didn’t really like it at first, but the more I use it, the more I love it. It’s the one I keep reaching at as my go-to scent. The blend of Kumquat, Jasmine and Grass notes is just elegant and divine. It’s slightly fruity, slightly citrusy, slightly musky, but mostly green but never sharp and never heavy. It’s the perfect blend of whatever you want in an Eau de Toilette or Cologne. That might be why it’s an Allure Best of Beauty award winner. There’s just something different and sophisticated about this scent.

Overall, I love all 4 of the Hermès Garden Collections Scents, but if I have to rank each of them, I’d say, the 4^th place would go to Un Jardin sur le Toit, 3^rd place – Un Jardin en Mediterranée, 2^nd place – Un Jardin sur le Nil and the 1^st place goes to Le Jardin de Monsieur Li.

The Hermes Garden Collection Coffret Set is a limited edition at Sephora. Each small bottle is 7.5 ml. The set costs $50, which is a very good deal.

Have you tried any of there? What’s your fave?

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