Celebrating Mother’s Day...

This coming Mother’s Day, we only want the best gifts for our moms, right? For the moms who simply adore fragrances, here are the top 10 fragrances moms will surely love to have.

Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds

White Diamonds is a rich floral that represents Elizabeth Taylor’s personal style.  Experience the glamor and sophistication ala-Hollywood in this brilliant fragrance that puts together sparkling aldehydes and delicate floral accords.

Van Cleef and Arpels First Premier Bouquet

The freshness of green floral bouquet celebrates peach, jasmine, lily of the valley, sweet pea, sandalwood and musk to form a luminous scent. First Premier Bouquet is redolent of  spring – it’s crisp, clean and fresh.

Bvlgari Rose Essentielle

Rose Essentielle is an ode to the universal symbol of romance – the rose. This fragrance is laced with patchouli and bois de gaiac essence for a more dramatic rendition of the rose.

Guerlain Samsara

Samsara is an oriental woody fragrance that literally means the cycle of life. It puts emphasis on the enigmatic essence of the orient – florals and woods.

Narciso Rodriguez Essence

Sheer, sexy, sensual – the light floral musk fragrance of Essence breeds warmth and comfort. Essence is quiet elegance in a bottle.

Estee Lauder Beautiful

Beautiful is said to be the lushest floral fragrance around boasting 200 floral notes. Endearing and romantic – this multi-layered floral fragrance from Estee Lauder is simply beautiful.

Versace Crystal Noir

A sultry and sexy scent for the modern woman composed of orange flower notes, aldehydes  and amber. Crystal Noir embodies the woman who knows what she wants.

Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue

Sparkling fruity-floral plus the airy breeze of the Mediterranean sea is what Light Blue is all about. Touted as one of the most successful contemporary fragrances from D&G, Light Blue is a perfect companion for summer.

Chanel No 5

The epitome of classic fragrance – the perfect blend of floral aldehydes and sensual woody notes. It is the woman’s fragrance that smells like a woman.

Calvin Klein Euphoria

The provocative nature of woody florientals conveys an unforgettable olfactory impression. That is Euphoria , in a nutshell.

When it comes to fragrances,the choices are endless – more perfume gift ideas for moms at scentiments.com.

FiFi 2010 Awards...

Everybody’s talking about the 2010 FiFi Awards. Voting starts on April 28 and the presentation of the winners will be on June 10.

As for the who’s who in this year’s FiFi Awards, here are the nominees:

Women’s Luxe

• Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne
• Michael Kors Very Hollywood
• Marc Jacobs Lola
• Gucci Flora
• Benefit Crescent Row Collection

Men’s Luxe

• Calvin Klein ck free
• D&G Fragrance Anthology
• Givenchy Play
• Shiseido Zen for Men
• Tom Ford Grey Vetiver

Women’s Nouveau Niche

• Bond No 9 Astor Place
• Viktor & Rolf Eau Mega
• Narciso Rodriguez Essence
• Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise
• Prada L’Eau Ambree

Men’s Nouveau Niche

• Brooks Brothers Black Fleece
• Bond No 9 Brooklyn
• Bond No 9 Perfume
• Six Scents Series 2 collection

Life’s a Beach...

In the esoteric world of fragrances, aquatic scents carry the fresh and watery notes of marine and ozonic accords. These notes are considered the purveyor of aquatic fragrances, more popularly known as scents that evoke the ocean breeze of summer.  Think of the turquoise blue waters of the Amalfi Coast in Italy, the pristine beaches in Maui, Hawaii or the exotic island of Amanpulo in the Pacific.

Davidoff’s Cool Water is the embodiment of an aquatic fragrance. Cool Water is now considered a classic. It has been imitated several times but nothing came close to the  athletic coolness of Cool Water.

The fragrance notes are:

Top: lavender, coriander, peppermint, rosemary, orange blossom

Middle: jasmine, oakmoss, gereanium, sandalwood

Base: amber, sandalwood, musk and cedar

Intense at the beginning then gradually softens towards the end as the florals and musk bring out a comforting quality in the background. Longevity and sillage are above par and loyal users of this fragrance can attest to its remarkable performance.

Savoring the smell of pure ocean air somehow pacifies the senses. A whiff of the salty notes of the ocean brings forth a deeper sense of relaxation. It calms and yet, full of vigor. Ask the women who love Cool Water on their men.

But just like any successful perfume, the creativity doesn’t stop there. Thus, a series of flankers were introduced from thereon. Check them out at scentiments.com.

Perfumes for Moms...

A mother’s love to her child is unconditional. There’s an unspoken bond between them that goes beyond any human relationship. To cherish that bond is to cherish the moments of nurture and love. Reminiscing the smiles, touches and scents certainly bring back memories of one’s childhood.

Celebrating Mother’s Day means gifting our dear moms. And to re-affirm that bond, why not give her something special like her favorite scent. Selecting the most appropriate fragrance for her could be tricky though. You may want to start off with scents she couldn’t do without or you may also want to surprise her with  a new scent that matches her personality.  A fragrance she wouldn’t normally wear but adventurous enough to explore scents outside her comfort zone. Or let her delve into a new fragrance that belongs in the same family of notes. If she adores Angel, add some floral factor to soften the patchouli and voila! you get Flowerbomb. Tinker with the olfactory groups and let your nose guide you through.

If she loves the burst of freshness of citrusy scents, Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Bergamotto and Chloe Eau de Fleur de Neroli are top picks. And if she favors florals over orientals, Lancome’s Aroma Blue and Lanvin La Rose will certainly impress her.

You need not get lost in translation as to which fragrance you should purchase for her. Take cue from her collection, the scents from her rotation and the paper samples she keeps from magazines. Or better yet, ask her! But that would spoil the surprise, right? That’s why as early as now, try to do your homework – get samples, read perfume reviews and pay a visit to your favorite perfume store to sniff the latest scents.

Discount perfume retailer, scentiments.com, has a wide range of fragrances that include classic and contemporary perfumes. Don’t scrimp on gifting especially on her special day. Make it a memorable Mother’s Day for her. Pamper and indulge her with fragrances on her wish-list!

Citrus: The Zest Factor...

Citrus notes bring out the freshness and lightness in the fragrance. Combine this with the florals, the chypres, the woods and you’ll get a zesty, tarty  and uplifting scent that will wrap you in a soothing embrace.

Regardless of the season, citrus notes are prolific in the perfumery. It could be the focus of the entire composition or added in trickles to give the fragrance a boost of freshness. Citrus accords are based on lemon, orange, bergamot and grapefruit combined with other notes of the same olfactory group.

The citrus group is further broken down into citrus aromatic and citrus gourmand. Each sub-group consists of the usual citrusy accords blended with aromatic herbs (lavender, rosemary, mint) and gourmand notes (vanilla, caramel).

Let’s look at some of the popular citrus fragrances today.

CK One Summer 2010

Mandarin orange dominates the fruity aquatic accords of CK One Summer 2010. Lush florals such as daisies, water lilies and violet leaves soften the heart while vetiver and cedar introduce a musky dry down. The orange-yellow colored flacon pairs with the sunny and summery character of the fragrance.

FlowerbyKenzo La Cologne

Chandler Burr calls Flower by Kenzo one of the most astonishing openings of a perfume in the market. In fact, the name Flower is quite a misdescription because it doesn’t smell like any known flower. “Flower could, in its initial unfolding on your skin, be called Stem. It smells not at all of the blossom but of the most marvelous delicate green stalk, fresh and tender, clipped in preparation for display”, added Burr. FlowerbyKenzo La Cologne, the spring fragrance for 2010,  is inspired by classic citrus notes such as bergamot, orange blossom and bitter orange.

Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Verbana

This citrus gourmand fragrance is “inspired by island breeze of luscious fruits and crisp citrus, master perfumers have blended zesty lime and kumquat peel with mandarin, muguet and sheer coconut water (bathandbodyworks.com)” .  The fragrance notes are zesty lime, tart lemon verbana, ozone and kumquat peel.

Oh Cometh, Oh Spring...

If you’re looking forward to spring, the feeling is mutual. The dry air of winter and the inches and inches of snow are not exactly my idea of fun. Same goes for the layers of clothing which unfortunately didn’t help me much from the biting cold. Hence, I stay indoors most of the time during winter unless I have to go to work, of course.

Now that the wait is soon to come to an end, it’s time to bring out those spring essentials and that include perfumes!

I don’t really label perfumes as spring, summer, winter and fall. For me, I wear any fragrance I want regardless of the season. But there are certain fragrances especially the light and airy types which I regard as spring staples. Fragrances that energizes, fragrances that soothes and ultimately, fragrances that make me feel good.

Among the many perfumes in retail today, I know that it can become difficult to choose the perfect scent to suit your chemistry. You may have to try out a lot of fragrances before you find your “The One” spring perfume.

Here are some of the popular spring fragrances that garnered positive reviews from perfumistas:

Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne

Sheer, luminous, powdery-floral that fades away into a soft blanket of rose petals. YSL created a fragrance that exudes youth without being too cotton-candy sweet. Parisienne combines the vibrancy of berries and the warmth of musk and woods. Vinyl accord complements the softness giving it a nice synthetic surprise.

Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

Let’s face it, spring is all about freshness. And DKNY’s Be Delicious Fresh Blossom is just that – fresh, light and sparkling. The apple accord Be Delicious is famous for mingles with a symphony of floral notes starring rose, jasmine and muguet. Laced with musk in the dry down, Be Delicious Fresh Parent is yet another masterpiece from Donna Karan.

Miss Dior Cherie L’Eau

If you liked Miss Dior Cherie, its little sis, Miss Dior Cherie L’Eau will surely tickle your noses with its mood enhancing notes that features bittersweet  fruit accords set in the background of gardenia and white musk. Devoid of the complexities floral-fruity-woody fragrances, this scent delights you with a chic simplicity only Dior can put together.

Burberry The Beat

According to NYT perfume critic Chandler Burr, The Beat is a “nicely avant-garde scent— nicely in the sense that it is smartly and carefully positioned at that pendulum point where the refreshingly different and startling meets the accessibly commercial.” The Beat has a slight edginess  to maintain its sophistication and potency. This fragrance definitely belongs to the trendy category – very feminine and a great everyday fragrance.

Dolce & Gabbana The One

Dolce & Gabbana The One is citrus, vanilla and ambery-musk rolled into one. Sensual and modern, this fragrance blends the warmth of sun kissed fruits and succulent lychee. The lingering essence of amber and vanilla brings out an elegant floriental soul. If you want to revel in the luxurious concoction of modern feminine fragrance, Dolce & Gabbana’s The One is smell-worthy.

Love Is In The Air: A Valentine Fragrance Guide...

Ah, love. February is Valentine’s and Valentine’s means romance. It’s that time of the year again when passion ignites the hearts of most of us, especially the love birds. In the fragrance parlance, these are fragrances that speak of love. Perfumes that remind you of your first kiss, anniversaries and special moments spent together.

Poison by Dior

Poison is addictive and naughty. This fruity oriental accompaniment begins with honey, berries and orange blossom. The lingering spiciness weaves musk, ambergris with pepper, cinnamon and coriander. This fragrance evokes an aura of mystery that somehow puts you under a spell – a love spell, that is.

Secret Obsession by Calvin Klein

A totally subtle yet complex fragrance, intense, creamy and woody-ambery. No, it’s not a generic iteration of the first Obsession fragrance rather Secret Obsession is a class of its own, more substance and has a surprise boozy undertone. This modern feminine oriental is geared towards mature women (mid-20s and above). The fusion of woody musks tames the fruity notes to the cut the sweetness from being tacky.

Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf

Flowerbomb is for the sugar addicts. It is more gourmand than floral and is also reminiscent of Angel. The explosion of vanilla sweetness and the drydown of patchouli is well-crafted. Of course, you have to love gourmands to like this fragrance. This sweet pink juice is housed in a controversial grenade-shaped bottle.

Marc Jacobs Lola

Flamboyant and colorful, Lola is a bolder presentation of the rose accords. Lighter and brighter, Lola is said to be the younger sister of Daisy.  The bottle and the oversized vinyl petals are such an eye-candy. It’s a very pretty design (very girly)  and the juice inside is a nice fruity-floral  perfect for daytime.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist

Vanilla, jasmine and cashmere wood stand out so elegantly making Cashmere Mist a lofty scent. It starts out as a rather sharp-citrusy then transforms into something beautiful, delectable and unsettling. The vanilla isn’t that prominent and has more powdery character in the dry down, a product of the soft florals, wood and amber accords.

Winter Fragrances 2010...

Here comes the biting cold! It’s also that time of the year when we do a countdown of our favorite winter fragrances. It could be a new release or something from the classics, an old favorite perhaps or something special, a special scent that’s close to heart.

While waiting for spring to come, it’s nice to wear a fragrance to remind you of the sun. But light fragrances don’t really reveal so much of a statement especially if you want a scent that makes a great impression. If you’re looking for heavier than the usual scents, consider fragrances built on orientals, woods and chypres because these are certain to stand out  in the crowd.

Oriental based fragrances are known for their unique fusion of warmth and sensuality. Usually, you’ll get a prolific blend of woods, spice, vanilla and a bit of floral accords. Woody fragrances are often rich and opulent. Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver and patchouli are the main raw materials used in concocting wood-themed perfumes. Chypres, on the other hand, are consist of classic fragrances. It was actually a coined word for the whole gamut of fragrances with notes of oak moss, labdanum, bergamot and patchouli accords married with floral and fruity notes.

Here are some of the popular orientals fragrances:

Lancome Hypnose Homme

Lancome’s Hypnose Homme is fresh, green and ambery. The spicy opening is redolent of lavender notes and the musky-woody dry down unfolds a beautiful trail of patchouli. Hypnose Homme oozes with masculine appeal and British actor Clive Owen exactly represents the fragrance’s embodiment of what a man should be – charming and discretely seductive.

Tom Ford Arabian Wood

Tom Ford combined the woody chypre essential oils of the Middle East to form an aromatic wonder inspired by the Arabian peninsula. This fragrance is fairly dry and woody. It’s warm with hints of rose and green accords. Arabian Wood by Tom Ford is surprisingly a shared fragrance.

Thierry Mugler Angel Liqueur de Parfum

Boozy and gourmand accented by honey and candied fruits. In Fact, Thierry Mugler’s fragrance is aged in cherry-oaked barrels just like a true scotch whiskey.

Jo Malone Vanilla and Anise

This chic vanilla scent is sweet without being gourmand. Just pain sweet and exotic vanilla. Sparkling at the beginning and intensified by vetiver, wood accords and orange blossom in the dry down. Vanilla and Anise is created for women but men can wear this fragrance, too.

Ralph Lauren Ralph Hot

Now, who says girls couldn’t wear orientals? Ralph Hot celebrates gourmand with a mix of mocha cream, cinnamon, maple and a woodsy base of amber, sandalwood, amber and musk. Ralph Hot is flirty, fun and very youthful.

So, which fragrances keep you company in the biting cold of winter? Do you indulge in oriental fragrances, as well?

Last Minute Perfume Holiday Gift Guide...

I wouldn’t be surprised with the number of last minute shoppers in the next couple of days. We’re down to five days before Christmas! Now, for the perfumistas out there, the best gift  to receive and to give is none other than perfumes, what else?

But with over a hundred (or a thousand even) of perfumes to choose from, selecting the perfect holiday gift can be a daunting task. Plus, I don’t think shopping in crowded malls is a good idea either. The hassles and the cold are too much of a stress. If you’re really pressed for time to go out and do your shopping, you can always shop online. As for the gifts, designers and niche fragrances would be nice. Classics are even better.

To help you get started with your last minute perfume shopping, here are the top three best-selling fragrances from discount perfume online retailer, scentiments.com.

Ed Hardy Woman

Ed Hardy Woman is a floral-fruity fragrance that features strawberries, grapefruit and mangoes. It’s all the succulent fruits of summer captured in this sweet-smelling juice. The floral notes toned down the explosion of fruits. The base notes develop into something like a candied-sweetness aroma. This fragrance appeals to the young crowd. I think this will be  a hit among teeny boppers.

The packaging features Ed Hardy’s tattoo art and is available in 1.7oz and 3.4oz.

Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue

D&G Light Blue perfume is a personal favorite. Without fail, the sparkling florals and fruits always remind me of the tropical paradise in the Mediterranean. On my skin, it evokes a feeling of freshness – the cool breeze of the ocean at dawn.

I’ve been wearing this perfume since it was launched in 2001. It still remains one of my top perfumes regardless of the season.

Alfred Sung Perfume

Recently, I wrote a review of Alfred Sung’s Sung Perfume. This fragrance belongs to the floral category, a true floral to be exact. I believe this scent is geared for the cooler months of winter because of its potency. Sung Perfume is a green floral accord. It emanates a distinct freshness, albeit nuanced, which develops nicely as it progresses.

There are more fragrances to choose from at scentiments.com. Happy shopping and Happy Holidays!

The Art of Perfumery According to Francis Kurkdjia...

Francis Kurkdjian created some of the most successful contemporary fragrances. His masterpieces and collaboration with other perfumers are well-regarded in the perfume industry. Over the years, he has designed and gave life to olfactory memories that illuminated dreams; captured the ineffable emotions; put meaning to scents of the past and of life’s triumphs and man’s insatiable fascination with nature and beauty.

His career as a perfumer started with creating perfumes for haute couture designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Le Male was the first project which was introduced in 2005 and the rest is history. Kurkdjian continued to develop fragrances for Gaultier: Fragile (1999), Gaultier Puisance2 (2005), Fleur de Male (2007), Eau de Amour (2008), Ligne de beaute Monsieur (2008, in collaboration with Nathalie Le Cann) and Madame (2008). Further, he collaborated with different perfume houses to create a range of fragrances that perfumistas from all over have grown to love. His works include Elizabeth Arden Green Tea (1999), Yves Saint Laurent eau d’ ete (2002), Narciso Rodriguez For Him (2007), Davidoff Silver Shadow (2005), Guerlain Rose Barbare (2005) and more.

In 2009, Kurkdjian took his passion for the art of perfumery to greater heights. Recently, he opened his own perfume house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, in Paris. His fragrance collection debuts seven personally designed fragrances which according to Kurkdjian, are neither a brand nor a niche fragrance. He was involved in every aspect of the fragrance – from the raw materials used to the packaging’s design.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian is consist of the following:

Cologne Pour Le Matin is inspired by the “smell of the sunshine’s ray on the face and the barefoot walks on a lawn or stone pavement warmed by the summer.” This fragrance takes you to an olfactory journey to the wistful hours of the early morning. The notes are: bergamot from Calabria, Sicilian lemon, white thyme from Morocco, lavender from Provence and orange flower from Tunisia.

Cologne Pour Le Soir evokes the softness of a warm embrace or the calm evenings of winter. The notes include benzoin from Siam, Bulgarian and Iranian rose honey and incense absolute.

Aqua Universalis is a shared fragrance featuring the notes of bergamot, Sicilian lemon, white bouquet and light and musk accords.

Lumiere Noire Pour Homme and Lumiere Noire Pour Femme center on the concept of duality – black on white, attraction and repulsion, rose on patchouli. The harmony of notes (spiced rose, patchouli, mugwort herb) evokes a unique story of unison that brings together two contrasting notes.

APOM (A Piece of Me) is “a bit of oneself that one leaves on others.” Inspired by the scents of the Middle East, APOM is brings together the notes of orange blossom, ylang-ylang and cedar wood.

Included in the Maison Francis Kurkdjian collection are beauty products, candles, home fragrance sprays and scented detergents.