Fragrance Archives - 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic

Woman by Ralph Lauren Review and Notes

Christine — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 14:03:43 +0000

Do you remember Lauren by Ralph Lauren back in the early 1990s? A friend of mine in high school had it, and I remember wearing it whenever I went over to Ann’s house. Since then I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for all Ralph Lauren Fragrances. Usually I like them, but none have become my go-to, every day fragrance. However, the new release, Woman by Ralph Lauren, is right up my alley and I know will be a regular in my every day fragrance rotation. Top Notes: Blackcurrant, Pear, Rhubarb Middle Notes: Tuberose, Orange Flower, Turkish Rose Base Notes: Vibrant Woods, Sandalwood, Cedarwood (Note, I received this list of notes from Ralph Lauren Fragrances’ PR firm, I have found listings online with Hazelnut listed as a base note too, and I swear I smell it in there, but it wasn’t listed in what I received.) When I first apply Woman, pretty much all that I can smell is a very sharp and prominent fruity note. It’s the pear, but it is so sharp that I could almost swear it is pink pepper. I admit that I’m not a fan of pink pepper notes, but if I wait about…

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My Favorite Summer Fragrances

Christine — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 19:00:00 +0000

1. Bobbi Brown Beach (at Nordstrom or Bobbi Brown): It’s not perfume really, it’s like someone took the scent of summers at the beach from your teen years and put it in a bottle. It’s a bit sand, a bit sea air, and there’s even a bit of a sunscreen scent somehow. Putting this on immediately makes me think of summer. I take a rollerball of this with me on every beach vacation to help me get in the mood! 2 & 3. Trish McEvoy No. 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk Eau de Parfum (at Nordstrom) and Sexy No. 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk (at Nordstrom): I’m a sucker for fruity scents and the Blackberry in this Trish McEvoy is aaaahhhhmazing! There’s also a “sexy” version that is deeper and muskier, I prefer that at night and the No. 9 classic for during the day. 4. Tory Burch Eau de Parfum Spray (at Tory Burch or Nordstrom): A bit of a stronger floral with a touch of citrus, this scent is just fun! I use it a lot when I’m just home with my 2 little girls. 5. Gucci Flora by Gucci – Gracious Tuberose Eau de Toilette (at Nordstrom):…

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Makeup Wars: My Favorite Fragrances

Christine — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 19:00:00 +0000

I used to do a lot of fragrance reviews here on 15 Minute Beauty. I really do love fragrances and perfume! But, I find them very hard to write, and since my sense of smell does seem to be a bit out of whack while I’m pregnant, and often for decent parts of the spring and fall, despite lots of allergy meds. So, the result is fewer fragrance reviews. But, you can bet that I’m still using a lot of perfumes on my own! Today for Makeup Wars we’re sharing our favorite fragrances. I had a pretty hard time deciding which to pick, I stood there at my vanity smelling bottles and vials, and finally settled on these 11 perfumes as the ones I use the most often. 1. Elie Saab Le Parfum Eau de Toilette: This is definitely the perfume that I reach for on most days. It is a light floral, just a little bit sweet, and I wear it for pretty much any occasion. Home with the family, at work, out to dinner… you name it! Notes: Orange blossom, Jasmine, Patchouli, White flower, Cedarwood, Rose Honey 2. Prada Amber Eau de Parfum Spray: This one is definitely…

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DKNY I Heart Rio Perfume Review

Christine — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:50:00 +0000

The final fragrance of the DKNY scents is Rio’s scent, it really does the city justice. This is a sultry, sexy fragrance. You’ll want to reserve this one for dinner with your sweetie or a similar occasion. Notes: Top Notes: Apple, Passionfruit Middle Notes: Gardenia, Orange Blossom Base Notes: Benzoin, Myrrh, Sandalwood This fragrance opened with more passionfruit than apple, a bit more subdued and deeper than the apple note featured in many of these scents. After about 5-10 minutes the scent turns a bit deeper and more woodsy as the sandalwood was coming out more. This really is a sexy scent. Several of my friends mentioned that they needed a sexy voice to go with it (Cybil Shepard was mentioned as the prototypical sexy voice), and they all wanted to wear it for date night. You can buy DKNY I Heart Rio Perfume at Amazon Read more of my fragrance and perfume reviews here PR Sample, Affiliate Links

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DKNY I Heart Paris Perfume Review

Christine — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Ok, so I know that I promised all 4 perfume reviews yesterday, but for some reason these are hard for me to write, and seriously… It’s my birthday today, so I bumped 2 to today. 😀 The Paris scent of this foursome is inspired by an afternoon spent strolling through the Jardin du Luxembourg and evenings along the Seine. Like the others in the series this is a fruity floral, but it is a bit heavier on the apple and lighter on the floral than the other iterations. Notes: Top Notes: Apple Middle Notes: Jasmine, Violet Base Notes: Vanilla, Patchouli I tried this with a few friends, and we thought it was best described as fresh and citrus. While it wasn’t listed as a note, we all had a definite pink pepper note initially. It burned off rather quickly, I couldn’t smell the “pink pepper” whatever it was after about 10-15 minutes. What was left behind was definitely apple, and a bit crisp. But it didn’t really seem like that biting crisp that you think of as you bite into an apple. It was a bit of warmer, deeper apple. Think Apple Crisp (but maybe undercooked? Hard to explain, but…

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DKNY I Heart DKNY (NYC?) Perfume Review

Christine — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 05:55:00 +0000

I have to admit that I’m a bit unclear about the name of this fragrance. I thought it was I Heart NYC (based on the box), But I also find references to it as I Heart DKNY. So, whatever you want to call it, this is DKNY’s ode to New York. This is the original DKNY Delicious scent, which features the signature crisp green apple heart. Notes: Top Notes: Grapefruit, Magnolia, Cucumber Middle Notes: Lily of the Valley, Rose, Tuberose, Violet, Green Apple Base Notes: Amber, Sandalwood, Woodsy Notes This fragrance definitely features the Green Apple middle note, as that initially is the most prominent note for me and several of my friends. It is crisp and fresh, but not at all overpowering. After about 10 minutes of dry down time, the lily seems to come out a bit more as the green apple recedes, and I love the mix of the fresh apple with a white floral to balance it out. My friend Peace had a little bit more of the Sandalwood than me, and it was a great base to the fragrance. This is a great all purpose fragrance. While not ideal for clubbing, it works for pretty…

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DKNY I Heart London Perfume Review: Clean and A Bit Floral to Evoke the English Countryside

Christine — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:42:00 +0000

DKNY recently came out with 4 new DKNY fragrances, each is a nod to a different city. I’ll be reviewing all of them today, but first we’ll look at London! London is a floral/fruity fragrance. When I think of London I envision punk and alternative, the East End, and just… edge. (Why is this predominate for me, a huge Jane Austen fan? I have no idea.) This fragrance takes a look at another side of London, much more up Miss Austen’s area of expertise. Think of the English Countryside with the rolling hills giving way to dramatic cliffs overlooking the sea. That is what this fragrance is all about. Notes: Top Notes: Hyacinth, Green Apple Middle Notes: Honeysuckle, Rose, Currant Leaf and Bud Base Notes: Amber, Vetiver In truth, this is a very light and flirty fragrance, with a hint of fresh and green. My friend Melissa described it as a bit clean and even soapy, though she felt it was a very subtle undertone. On me, it was more fresh and green. It opens with a bit of the Green Apple with crispness, but there is a definite softness and floral note that tempers it. With time the…

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Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Fragrance Review

Christine — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Summer for me often evokes memories of sitting on a beach, the waves (and sea gulls) in the background while everything smells like suntan lotion. There are definitely fragrances out there that smell just like suntan lotion (I’m looking at you Bobbi Brown), but this isn’t one of them. Notes: Almond, coconut milk, jasmine, rosewood, ylang-ylang, vanilla, tonka, heliotrope & musk This fragrance isn’t new (I believe it was released in 2006), and Laura has added it to an Eau de Toilette, Scrub, Hand Cream, Body Cream, Body Wash, Body Butter, Honey Bath… you get the picture. This is a very popular scent and it is almost possible to use only Almond Coconut product when getting ready for your day. Almond Coconut is one of those fragrances that depends a lot on a person’s body chemistry. It can be amazing… or not so great. The internet is filled with people who either love or hate this fragrance. I highly recommend trying a spritz and wandering around the store for a good 30 minutes or so before making a decision about this one. On me, the initial scent is very heavy on the almond, but with a bit of the ylang-ylang…

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Gucci Guilty Intense Review: An Unexpected Fruity Floral For Summer

Christine — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:26:00 +0000

Look at that bottle and knowing it is from Gucci, what do you expect it to smell like? A woodsy wonderland, right? Something deep and musky perhaps? Probably not the slightly fruity floriental that is inside that masculine looking bottle. While this fragrance is a companion to the Gucci Guilty eau de Toilette (Guilty Intense is an eau de parfum), for me this is a very different experience. Initially there’s a surprising amount of the Mandarin, a bit sweet and fruity, but grounded by the lilac and powdery violet. I can’t smell the pink pepper at all, which is good, because I’m typically not a pink pepper fan. The overall effect is warm and inviting, but a bit light hearted as well. The dry down seems to take 2-3 hours for me, and during that time the mandarin recedes a bit and the patchouli comes out a little bit, though with the “amber rich sillage” (I’m not really sure what that is, though I’m not full of fragrance information, I just like perfume) it isn’t a typical patchouli. Instead, it seems a bit quieter and richer. Not the in your face sexy that I seem to associate with anything Gucci.…

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Nina by Nina Ricci Perfume: If You Love Apple, You Need This

Christine — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:00:00 +0000

I have a friend that loves pear notes. If there is a fragrance with a pear note, Donna will absolutely love it. I’ve been that way with blackberry notes and recently I’m coming around to apple notes. Is there a gourmand trend afoot? Nina isn’t a new fragrance (it’s been out since 2006), but it is definitely one of my favorite gourmands. It is a sweet apple-citrus blend that doesn’t come across as too sweet. Initially I get a blast of lemon-lime, though after about 10 minutes they settle down a bit and the Apple starts to come out. It is easily identified as the Vanilla-infused Red Toffee Apple note, though it isn’t too sweet. The lemon-lime is still there to keep it in check somewhat, and I really love this stage of the fragrance. Notes: Top Notes: Calabrian Lemon, Caipirinha Lime Middle Notes: Peony Petals, Moonflower, Vanilla-infused Red Toffee Apple Base Notes: Applewood, White Cedar Finally, about 30-40 minutes after applying, the fragrance settles in to what it will be for the “long haul”, as the peony comes out and the apple fades back a bit. As much as I love the apple, I do think that being “all…

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