PortaScent- a new handbag essential*

*gifted product*

One of the things I hate most about wearing perfume is the fact it wears off (on me at least) by half way through the day. This is made worse by the fact I’m currently loving a budget perfume from Lidl- whilst I love the scent, it just doesn’t have much staying power. I carry enough in my handbag on a daily basis without needing to add in a full sized perfume bottle so up until now I’ve just been putting up with a fading scent, then I was introduced to PortaScent*.

PortaScent is a neat little atomiser and my new handbag essential. It carries an impressive 120 sprays of perfume and features pump to fill technology which means there is no risk of spills when filling up (great for someone as spill prone as me!)
It is also leakproof and approved for air travel for carry on luggage making it perfect for packing on holiday when you don’t want to use up precious case space with scent.

PortaScent costs £7.99 and comes in several glorious colours. I hate to mention the C-Word in September but as well as treating yourself, they’d make awesome little stocking fillers or secret santa gifts!

Any tips for making fragrance last longer welcome, and also I’d love to know what your favourite perfume is?

top celebrity perfumes- a guest post

Choosing celebrity perfumes can feel like stepping into a minefield. There are lots of products out there, but not all of them are worthy of a prized spot on your dressing table. If you’re on the lookout for a new fragrance but don’t want to waste your cash, keep reading. Here are some of the hottest celeb perfumes available right now. They won’t all be to your tastes, but you’re bound to find at least one you like the sound of.
all images from www.directcosmetics.com
Beyoncé – Midnight Heat
It may have been launched in 2012, but Beyoncé’s Midnight Heat is still proving a hit among discerning consumers. Described as an oriental and floral fragrance, this perfume can be worn at any time of the day or night, but it’s especially suited to evenings. Its spicy, warm scent has a real allure.

The perfume has top notes of plum, dragon fruit and star fruit and base notes of amber, sandalwood and patchouli, which is a herb from the mint family.

This is the sort of fragrance that you want to reach for when you’ve got glammed up for a date, night out with friends or party. It’s certainly makes a statement and it’s a real confidence booster.

Madonna – Truth or Dare
Another spiced perfume, but this time a little less heady, is Madonna’s Truth or Dare. Designed to represent the opposing forces of darkness and light (we’d expect nothing less dramatic from the Queen of Pop), the fragrance has top notes of gardenia, tuberose and neroli and soothing base notes of vanilla, caramelised amber and musk aura.

Over all, the scent is a little spicy and it finishes with warm musk. This sophisticated product can be worn casually, but it’s best saved for special occasions.

Rihanna – Nude
Rihanna’s no stranger to getting her clothes off, so it’s apt that she’s released a perfume named Nude. The fragrance is supposed to evoke feelings of intimacy, bare skin and nakedness and it has top notes of guava, mandarin and pear, with bottom notes of vanilla, musk and sandalwood. Its heart notes include jasmine and orange blossom.

This could be your ideal fragrance if you’re after something sweet and fun. It has a floral, sugary aroma and is especially well suited to a younger audience.

Mariah Carey – Luscious Pink
Another sweet perfume, and this time one that’s a real winner for summer, is Mariah Carey’s Luscious Pink. With top notes of Sicilian bergamot and an Italian sparkling Bellini cocktail, and base notes of white musk, blond wood and sandalwood, it has an overall aroma of citrus, making it perfect for sunny days.

Watch out though, this probably isn’t a scent to wear into business meetings, especially with its alcoholic hint of Bellini.

Lady Gaga – Fame
If you’re after a super-fresh fragrance, Lady Gaga’s Fame could be ideal. A great all-rounder, this perfume is described as oriental and floral and it features top notes of belladonna and incense, as well as base notes of jasmine and tiger orchid. These are complemented by heart notes of honey, saffron and apricot.

On first spray, the fragrance has a clean, citrus smell and this gradually opens out to a richer, sweeter aroma. The perfume can be great during the day and in the evening.

The simple way to shop
If these five celebrity perfumes have inspired you to go on a fragrance shopping spree, you can head online to website such as Direct Cosmetics. The best thing is, by bagging up bargains over the internet like this, you can ensure your budget stretches that bit further, meaning you can stock up on even more perfumes and cosmetics.

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Fairy City Lights fragrance from Oriflame

So, it’s pretty clear by now that I’m a massive fan of Oriflame and their latest release had me drooling. Named Fairy City Lights the range includes lipgloss, eye pencils, perfume, deodrant, shower cream and hand cream.
I love the look of the lipgloss and eye pencils and they are on my to purchase list for the festive season. I was lucky enough to be offered a sample of the fragrance and after falling in love with their Red perfume I was only to willing to accept!
Fairy City Lights cost £10.95 for 30ml and is described as fresh green accord and juicy wild strawberries dance with a soft, feminine jasmine and candy apple heart before swirling into a sweet toffee scent that captures the exhilarating thrill of Christmas in the city.
It really does smell good enough to eat and the scent is pleasingly light and perfect for daytime although you could layer it up for a soft night time scent too.
This has swiftly made it’s way to my number one scent for day at the moment and it’ll take a lot of beating to knock it off top spot.
What’s your favourite smells of the festive season?
The smell of the spices during Christmas baking does it for me!
xxx

Lady in Red

I’m fussy when it comes to perfume and tend to have one or two signature scents I know I can rely on. Still, when Oriflame announced the launch of “My Red” by Demi Moore (I don’t think I’ve ever owned a celebrity fragrance before) I was intrigued as the description was quite simply, seductive as was the gorgeously bright, simply and yet somehow sexy bottle.

The perfume was created in collaboration with Demi Moore and renowned perfumer Vincent Schaller. 
Featuring a very special and rare variety of jasmine – red jasmine – My Red is a magnetising fragrance which invokes a notion of sensuality, Hollywood glamour and elegance.

Red jasmine is symbolic of the notions of attachment and sensuality. With its bold and confident scent, My Red is for women who dare to make a statement and who dream of being admired, irresistible and truly magnetising.

Renowned A-list actress, Demi Moore, is the face and inspiration for the exclusive My Red Eau de Parfum. Demi’s strength, talent and incomparable beauty fascinate men and women from all walks of life. With her beauty and talent casting a spell over audiences around the globe, she is a true femme fatale, making her the perfect inspiration for the exclusive My Red.

Prized for its simple beauty and sweet fragrance, women in different cultures have worn jasmine flowers in their hair for centuries, solidifying its reputation as the bloom of choice among modest, elegant and graceful women.

The red jasmine notes are floral, sophisticated and even more opulent than other jasmine varieties with more fruity, sensual and addictive facets, giving this fragrance a more contemporary and audacious signature.

When blending this rare ingredient with white flowers, cranberry and juicy granny smith apples, a beautiful, magnetic and opulent aroma is unveiled.


Both Jasmine and apples are some of my favourite scents so it was pretty much a sure bet I’d love this perfume, but you never can tell until you’ve worn it for a day or so which is exactly what I have been doing. In fact I’ve worn it non stop for the last week and at this rate I’ll be on my second bottle by Christmas.
It’s not too heavy so perfect for every day but it has enough weight to be more suited to the winter months than my usual light and floral fragrances.
Currently the perfume is available at a special price of £20.95 for a 50ml bottle, the normal RRP will be £30.95 from November 9th so now is a good time to snap this up (Christmas present anyone?)
To find your nearest supplier or to order online just visit the Oriflame website– I’ve become pretty obsessed!
What’s your favourite scent?
xxx
I was sent this perfume for review purposes.

Scented Saturday

The other day whilst stalking catching up on Twitter gossip I noticed Laura Ashley mention their new fragrances,
as a brand I grew up knowing and associating with gorgeous homewear and covetable clothes, I was curious about how well they could do with a scent.
A few tweets back and forwards about this and they kindly offered to send me one of the perfumes so I could see for myself…
the next day a bottle of “Green Meadow” was on my doorstep, just in time for me to road test it for work.

The packaging is lovely, which wasn’t such a surprise given the brand’s fame for florals and prints! The bottle looks elegant with an air of vintage style around it, perfect for any dressing table.

As mentioned, I wore this in to work. I work in an office full of scent obsessed women, where we are forever sniffing each other and comparing latest fragrances.
As soon as I walked in I was greeted with “oh, you smell nice…who’s that by?”

Laura Ashley wasn’t the response they expected, and to be perfectly honest I didn’t expect to love this quite as much as I do! The scent isn’t as floral or sweet as I usually wear,
but it also doesn’t have the heavy scent  I reserve for evenings. I’m not really sure how to describe it, other than the name “green meadow” suits it to a tee.

Have you tried any of the other scents yet? I’m keen to try the others, too, when they launch on October 3rd. At £36 for 50ml this isn’t your bog-standard off the shelf in Superdrug perfume but it also isn’t in the realm of “in my dreams” … plus you can get a gift set of all three for £48.

Get writing those Christmas lists early girls!

Available online and in store from October 3rd.

xxx