Sunday, April 22, 2012

Perfume Review: Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette by L'occitane

To my nose, L'Occitane's Cherry Blossom ($70 AUD, 100mL) smells utterly of spring mornings. Upon first spray the cherry note hits you with a juicy and slightly sweet burst.

As the top note begins to settle I sense subtle white flowers, like a transparent layer, gently muting the sweetness of the opening. It’s not deep enough to be heady, but gives that lovely floral touch that I experience in the first weeks of spring where the air is still heavy with rain but the flowers are beginning to bloom. It’s delicate and feminine.

As the fragrance moves forward the amber and musk come into play, providing a deep golden glow lighting up the rest of the notes. It stops the fragrance from being too airy and ‘clean’ smelling and certainly grounds the perfume. 

L'Occitane Cherry Blossom is certainly not a complex scent, so lovers of deep, mysterious scents might find that it reveals it’s cards all too early. However; in those warmer months I find Cherry Blossom almost joyous on my skin. It’s so heart-achingly pretty without there being anything showy about it. It won’t generally be noticed by anyone around you, but in the dewy morning of a spring day it’s both uplifting and hopeful.
  
Top Notes: Sweet & juicy with Cherry and Freesia
Middle Notes: Floral and Feminine with Cherry Blossom and Lily of the valley
Base Notes: Warm and Woody with Amber and Musk.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Perfume Review: Dreams Unlimited by The Body Shop


The Body Shop’s Dreams Unlimited EDP ($53.95, 50mL) is pretty and fresh, just perfect for hot summer days. It opens with a refreshing greenness and a subtle spice note that comes from green chili. There is a hint of lemon which adds sparkle to Dreams Unlimited’s composition and a touch of pale, sheer florals which stop this perfume from smelling too green.
Dreams Unlimited has that ‘just showered’ feel: fresh and clean! I spray this with abandon on hot days and revel in its cooling quality. As the green fades there is a subtle powdery quality to the background florals but Dreams Unlimited still retains its tranquillity. Whilst the Body Shop describes this scent as ‘exhilarating’ I find it the exact opposite, utterly relaxing.
Unfortunetly silage and staying power are both low on this fragrance, this is one that you will likely enjoy on your own as someone would have to be quite close to catch a whiff. You will need to spray a few times throughout the day, but due to how I feel when reapplying Dreams Unlimited I certainly don’t mind.
Do you have any favourite perfumes from The Body Shop?
- Katie xx