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Sunday, December 31, 2006



Wishing you all the very best in 2007!
Thank you to all who stop by, those who contribute and those who just look! There will be many new perfumes to sniff and new and wonderful experiences for us all in the new year. Best wishes to you all, I've had a great 2006 and I just know 2007 will be even better! - Victoria

Friday, December 29, 2006

Best of 2006


For me My Favorite Things for 2006 are my favorite new perfumes discovered in 2006. As many of you know Anne Pliska is my Holy Grail Fragrance, the one that I love above all. But being a fragrance lover, I also fell for many new fragrances this past year. These are my favorites, the ones that really stand out above the rest:


#1 - Le Maroc Pour Elle - Tauer Perfumes
Intoxicating, compelling, addictive. What more can I say about a rose fragrance that is so unique and captivating? You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#2 - Cuir Amethyste - Armani Prive
You can tell from my review I wasn't initially sold on this one, but once I had my own bottle, I did fall for it completely. I have a bottle of the first formula, in trying the second release I think it is now less violet and more suede. I love this first formula, so I'll cherish this bottle, but will replace it when it is gone. So unique. You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#3 - Orange Blossom - Le Couvent Des Minimes
This line found at Bath & Body Works has me totally captivated. I adore each and every product. It is such a lovely, sweet, orange blossom scent that lasts all day and smells so delicious. You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#4 - Eau De Menthe - Heeley
This little mint number kept me cool and refreshed this summer. I reached for it often and it will be a staple from now on. Fresh and cool. I gave my sister-in-law a decant of this for summer, and she loved it so much, she asked for a whole bottle for Christmas.


#5 - Fresh Carnation - DSH Perfumes
A new carnation love, this one's fresh-picked-with-dew notes took me by surprise and has quickly become my most reached for carnation scent. You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#6 - Jasmin De Nuit - The Different Company
Oh what a sweet sexy little jasmine Celine Ellena has created here. A crystalline quality, powdery, sweet and musky with a soft sandalwood-amber base. You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#7 - Wenge - Donna Karan
This warm, spicy, soft wood won me over in the wood catagory. Wood notes, previously not a favorite, now in this fragrance feel like a soft blanket of spicy powder. Sexy, warm, and comforting, all at the same time.


#8 - Insolence - Guerlain
Well after all the hype and airbrushed ads, I really do love this one. The violets woo me. It is bright, happy, uplifting. I like that it lasts and garners compliments along the way. You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#9 - Cuir Venenum - Parfumerie Generale
Well wonders never cease - two leathers on my 2006 list! Guess what I reached for on Christmas Day? A switch from my usual Anne Pliska, surprise, I went with this one. This gourmand combination of leather and honeyed musk and caramel with light floral overtones is so sumptuous!! You can find my review by clicking HERE.


#10 - Guerlain - L'Instant - Secret Touch
Appropriately placed at the end of my list since I just discovered this one in December. I had heard it was to be released this year, but no one had any news of it. I accidentally stumbled onto it at Perfume Bay. And on sale! This little lovely is the Guerlain answer to Chanel's Sensual Elixer. It is L'Instant Parfum in a viscous base which you apply with a brush. So delish! Not to mention the adorable genie style bottle that comes in a cream silk pouch accented with tiny violet crystals on the drawstrings. Sweet.

Please Visit These Other Great Blogs To Read More BEST OF 2006:
  • Afrobella

  • All About The Pretty

  • Aromascope

  • Beauty Addict

  • Beauty Blogging Junkie

  • Beauty by Nadine

  • Beautiful Makeup Search & Beauty Blog

  • Beauty Hatchery

  • Beauty Jones

  • Blogdorf Goodman

  • Bois de Jasmin

  • BonBons in the Bath

  • Brain Trapped in Girl's Body

  • Capital Hill Barbie

  • C'est Chic

  • Coquette

  • Crazy Jay Blue

  • eBeautyDaily

  • Girl's Handbook

  • Hautemommastuff

  • Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary!

  • Legerdenez

  • Makeup Bag

  • Monkeyposh

  • My Muse

  • No one knows why the wolf laughs

  • Now Smell This

  • Perfume Smellin' Things

  • Peppermint Patty's Perfume Posse

  • Platinum Blonde Life

  • Product Girl

  • Scentzilla!

  • She'll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking

  • Slap of the Day

  • The Customer Is Always Right

  • The Daily Obsession

  • The Great She Elephant

  • The Life of a Ladybug

  • The Non-Blonde

  • Urbane Girl
  • Scent of the Day - Friday - 12/29/06

    I decided to go with DK Wenge today since it was one of the last of my 10 best and fresh on my mind. Not to mention it's cozy on a cool morning like this. What are you wearing today?

    Thursday, December 28, 2006

    Tuesday, December 26, 2006

    Scent of the Day - Tuesday - 12/26/06

    Ahhh here I am back at work today. Traffic was so light at 7:30, most people are sleeping in today or hitting those fabulous sales. But I'm here at work ... working hard ... trying to load my new iPod. :O)

    Today I'm wearing some totally wonderful Poppy Pearly Cream by Kenzo from a dear friend. This stuff is heavenly! I added a touch of Kenzo Parfum to keep it going all day. Blissful!

    What are you wearing today?

    Saturday, December 23, 2006


    This is the picture I used for my Christmas cards this year. I figured I might as well send it to all my online friends as well. I took the picture this year from my first white and purple tree!

    Feel free to post whatever your scent of the day is over the weekend if you happen to stop by. I'll be checking in when I can.

    Thank all of you for your friendship and sharing and to those of you who don't post, I know you are there, so thank you also. :O)

    I'm wishing you all a very Merry Scented Christmas!
    Victoria

    Friday, December 22, 2006

    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - Review

    Ok my lovelies - I have just arrived home from watching the premiere! What do I think? Well I would give it two ups up for any perfume lover. Non-perfume lovers, may not be as easily pleased. I found the acting quite superb, the direction; compelling.

    I thought the way in which the smells were depicted and experienced was well done and one couldn't help but want to simultaneously experience each one right along. I guess I kept thinking there should be mists of scents sprayed in the theater for this effect. Of course that would be impractical for numerous reasons, yet I felt people yearned to participate. Maybe that was the intent.

    The acting, as I said, was superb. Ben Whishaw was remarkable and believable as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Dustin Hoffman also did a wonderful job as Baldini, the perfumer who took Grenouille as his apprentice. His performance lent the only touches humor to this otherwise dark film.
    Alan Rickman was excellent as the father; desperate to protect his daughter from impending fate. Quite an empathetic performance that brought a further character development where needed in the script and provided a hero of sorts when our boy's secret was revealed.

    Rachel Hurd-Wood was a feast for the eyes as the pièce de ré·sis·tance, the ultimate and elusive scent prize. Such a beauty, I found her quite memorizing.

    Overall it was well acted, brilliantly directed, and a must see for any perfume lover.

    On the official site for Perfume, there is a sweepstakes where you can enter to win grand prize of a Collector’s Perfume Coffret from Mugler! The Limited Edition Thierry Mugler “Perfume” Collection Coffret presents the 15 essences that capture and bring to life key moments and atmospheres from the book and film. To learn more or to sign up for or link to the sweepstakes, you can visit PerfumeMovie.com or click on the logo below.

    Scent of the Day - Friday - 12/22/06

    I'm off today and sleeping in I hope! I'm quite in love with Heeley Cardinal and I'll be wearing it again today. But the review will have to wait - My Perfume Movie review has used up all my brain cells for now. So what are you wearing today?

    Thursday, December 21, 2006

    Coming Soon - Watch for:

    Scent of the Day - Thursday - 12/21/06

    Today I am test driving Heeley Cardinal -
    Cardinal notes:
    Incense, cistus, grey amber, patchouli, vetiver
    Lucky Scent
    Really liking this one! Review to follow. What are you wearing today?

    Wednesday, December 20, 2006

    Scent of the Day - Wednesay - 12/20/06

    Ok back to work for me today, but only for two days! And probably not alot of work will get done. I am wearing my new iPdF Mirra, and it seems a bit strong. I might try transfering it into a roll-on. What are you wearing today?

    Monday, December 18, 2006

    Scent of the Day - Monday - 12/18/06

    Amouage Dia for me today as a rush around mailing packages and decorating. What are you wearing today?

    Friday, December 15, 2006

    Thursday, December 14, 2006

    FCUK Her - French Connection UK - Review

    Let me begin with a description from Perfume Spot.com: "She makes her presence known with an overture of fresh, illuminating musks. She surprises and provokes with the voluptuous and suggestive floral notes of the barringtonia flower from Madagascar. She leaves a lasting presence with decadent cedar wood and sandalwood engrained with vanilla. So chic. So suggestive."

    Well here we have a provocative name intended to cause a commotion for an otherwise fairly nice fruity floral. Admittedly one of the better ones, yet far from suggestive and decadent, as the some of the descriptions suggest. The most provocative thing about this fragrance is the name.

    Perhaps the reason I find it to be one of the better ones though, is a personal choice because of my love of bergamot as an opening and my love of amber and sandalwood as a base. I find most fragrances with those notes to be very wearable. This one opens with a cool bergamot blast that slightly mellows but hangs around through the middle stages, keeping the composition fresh and cool. At the mid stage some soft cedar notes evolve, and the sandalwood begins to warm. I get a touch of patchouli here too, although it is not listed. It has a very nice, soft drydown, is fairly long lasting with decent sillage if applied liberally. Overall a very nice fruity floral with marks above the rest.

    Introduced in 1993 the notes are:
    Top: Bergamot, Muguet, Water Iris
    Middle: Barringtonia flower from Madasgascar, peony, jasmine, violet
    Bottom: Golden amber, musk, cedarwood, sandalwood

    Just so the men don't feel left out, there is FCUK Him.
    "FCUK for him is edgy, intoxicating, and seductive. Top notes include sangria, basil rosemary and lavender. Middle notes include hemp, new mexican black sage, green peppercorns and tea. Bottom notes include black suede, CO2 Vanilla, ebony wood and patchouli."

    Actually I read somewhere recently that French Connection is dropping the FCUK logo and going by just - French Connection. Definitely more palatable to some of the stauncher more conservative backers and advertisers. So I guess they had their fun. I know my co-worker came back from their Las Vegas boutique with a FCUK T-shirt. She was quite proud of herself at the time.

    Scent of the Day - Thursday - 12/14/06

    Well I've decided to wear FCUK again today. What are you wearing?

    Tuesday, December 12, 2006

    Scent of the Day - Tuesday - 12/12/06

    Sorry I forget to post this morning, I thought it was Sunday! LOL Well today I'm retrying Missoni - It's ok. It doesn't wow me.

    What are you wearing today?

    Monday, December 11, 2006

    Scent of the Day - Monday - 12/11/06

    Laura Tonatto Dama for me today, I don't go back to work till Wednesday! Trying to get some Christmas shopping done!

    What are you wearing today?

    Friday, December 08, 2006

    Thursday, December 07, 2006

    Red Corvette - Corvette - Review

    Ok, here is another gift idea for the men in your life. Especially those who love Corvettes. Of the men surveyed in my office and home, all said they wouldn't mind finding this little number under the tree. They all agree the packaging is clever, and the scent is nice.

    This seems like one of those can't miss guy gifts. An ex-boyfriend of mine was a big Corvette fan. He would have loved this one. I can see it for a nephew as well as a grandfather. There is also a clear version just called Corvette. This fragrance also comes in a wide variety of gift packages. You can find these items at Macy's and some Sephora stores, but they are selling out fast for the holidays!

    From the press release:
    Modeled in the trademark style of the classic American sports car, Corvette Red embodies the unmistakable adventure of the Corvette man. Translucent and tinted red, the container was designed to replicate the look of the Corvette design, revealing the precision detailing and superb craftsmanship of the remarkable sports machine. Topped with a shiny metal pump, the bottle’s removable cap is a nod to the chrome detailing that accents the wheels of the iconic vehicle.

    Scent of the Day - Thursday - 12/7/06

    Ack! Blogger is on the verge of forcing me to change to the new program. I feel I will be forced to conform anyday now. I must be one of the last hold outs. I'm scared!

    Katie's post yesterday put me in a Le Maroc mood for today. What are you wearing today?

    Wednesday, December 06, 2006

    Bond for the Holidays!

    Just look at the new and most desirable Nuits de Noho bottle! Swarovski adorned and sparkling like a night jewel. Did I mention I'm still hoping for a Chinatown adorned bottle?



    And check out the Chinatown adorned candle and the Swarovski pave jet purse spray. Oh you would have to have been a very good girl! I am so hoping they will do artist designed editions of all the bottles, Ms. Rahme are you listening?

    You can find them on line at:
    BondNo9.com

    Scent of the Day - Wednesday - 12/6/06

    Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger will be my choice for today. I love spraying it on my hair brush, someone on POL told me this trick and it is wonderful. Also the scent lingers on the brush and in the drawer for days and days.

    What are you wearing today?

    Tuesday, December 05, 2006

    Passion - Ferrari - Review

    Ok ladies here's one for the men in your life, or that hard to buy for boss - get him Ferrari! And men, well you will appreciate adding this gem to your collection.

    Ferrari Passion is a great men's fragrance that got two thumbs up from every male I tired it on, from my dear hubby to the guys at work. It was a definite hit.

    Notes:
    Green galbanum, Sicilian lemon, Florida grapefruit, cypress, lavender, thyme, cardamon, juniper berries, tobacco leaf, musk, leather, cedar and patchouli woods.

    This one is very delicious smelling, add to that attractive packaging and brand recognition and you have got a hit. The fragrance comes in a large varity of bath and body products as well as gift sets and even matching model cars. Something for everyone on your list that is sure to please. I can't imagine a man disappointed with this gift.

    Below is from the Press release:

    "Passion is fueled by one's inner engine, the individual pursuit of excellence and distinction. It is the driving force behind the achievement of one's goals, toward the fulfillment of one's dreams. Ferrari's remarkable success is the result of exceptional passion; passion for victory, passion for teamwork, passion for beauty, passion for performance. In keeping with the essence of the iconic brand, Ferrari introduces the signature fragrance that encapsulates the vision, the dream, the lifestyle -- Ferrari Passion.

    Modeled after the superbly crafted vehicle, the Ferrari Passion fragrance for men evokes the precision detailing, luxury and sophistication of Ferrari in sleek, modern packaging. The color red envelopes the fragrance bottle highlighting its contours with a glossy finish that recalls the paintwork of Ferrari cars. A sparkling metal cap - a special nod to Ferrari's chrome-wheel detailing - tops the bottle, adding a sporty yet technical look. The Passion and Ferrari logos are embossed on the bottle's exterior, uniquely translating the signature look of the Ferrari vehicle into an exceptionally designed, branded product.

    Inspired most by the vitality of the Ferrari man, the scent of Ferrari Passion immediately conveys an unmistakable sense of exhilaration. The fragrance seamlessly fuses green galbanum with the freshness of Sicilian lemon and Florida grapefruit to reveal a crisp, pure aroma. Subtle Mediterranean notes of cypress, lavender and thyme, combined with hints of spicy cardamom and juniper berries, add a distinctive touch to the masculine blend.

    Passion additionally merges hints of tobacco leaf, musk and leather with the delicate union of refined cedar and patchouli woods to create an intriguing stimulating scent. A charismatic fusion of unique layers and textures, Ferrari Passion distinctively captures the momentum, energy and intensity behind the Ferrari man, in an opulent, elegant fragrance."

    Scent of the Day - Tuesday - 12/05/06

    Today I'll be wearing Serge Lutens Un Lys, I feel like I want something floral.
    What are you wearing?

    Monday, December 04, 2006

    Dzing! Dzing! Attention! This weekend was my friend Cindy's Birthday, and because she is so SWEET, I wanted to announce it here. Happy Birthday!

    Now - for my scent of the day, I'm wearing Dzing! in her honor. Ummm well, maybe not, maybe one of you will. I'll wear Bandit, and my leather boots, is that close enough? :O)

    What are you wearing today?

    Friday, December 01, 2006