Scent is a powerful thing. I wore the same perfume all throughout high school and college. It was called Amarige and to this day if I walk past someone wearing it I’m instantly mentally a twenty year old again!
Additionally, I also find that when I’m in a change in life – either I’m feeling optimistic or in a rut, I want to change my fragrance. A new smell is always a nice refresh and reboot. But I don’t get rid of the old ones. It’s nice to come back to those. Variety is the spice of life, right? I think it’s nice to have a few options on your vanity for scents. Or one is nice and floral but not sexy enough for date night.
What I Look for In a Perfume
Subtlety – I don’t want people smelling me five minutes before I walk in the door, and five minutes after I leave. That’s just not my style! I find it a bit sexy when people smell you the most when you hug or get close!
Longevity – Sometimes I’ll go nose blind to a perfume so I’ll ask my husband if he can still smell me hours after putting on the perfume. He usually replies “Yes, you smell lovely!” I can’t stand the idea of investing in perfume if no one can smell it!
No Head Aches. Some perfumes just blow my head off with their boldness and it hurts my head. Back when I worked for MTV in Times Square, they had a Sephora across the street. Every day I would walk over there and spritz a new perfume on and wear it all day to decide if I liked it!
I’ve purchased all of these perfumes over the years and use them all. But there are a few I always go back to.
Gucci
Bloom
This Gucci Floral perfume is a white floral scent is a forever favorite for it’s fresh, floral but soft scent.
Gucci Bloom has notes of natural tuberose and Jasmine. This Gucci Floral Perfume is hands down one I turn to wear day after day for it’s light scent, but undeniably gorgeous scent.
Jimmy Choo
Illicit
If you’re looking for an everyday perfume, then the Jimmy Choo Illicit perfume is a top choice.
This new Jimmy Choo perfume has a hint of ginger, rose and sophisticated jasmine with a final scent on the skin rich in honey-amber accord.
It’s warm, sophisticated and classic.
Kenzo
Amour Eau de Parfum
A hair dresser once wore this and it stopped me in it’s track for it’s sensual and sexy smell.
The Kenzo Amour Perfume has a sensual musky woody floral fragrance, There are notes of cherry and frangipani blossoms, a woody undertone and a touch of Vanilla.
This is one of the stronger fragrances listed and a date night pleaser.
Yves Saint Laurent
Black Opium Eau de Parfum
The Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium perfume is one I reach for most date night’s out.
This is a warm and spicy fragrance with notes of coffee, white flowers and vanilla.
The Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium perfume doesn’t have an overwhelming smell, but one that makes someone want to get close to smell you!
Hermes
Kelly Calèche Eau de Parfum
For me, the best Hermes perfume is Kelly Caleche. As someone whose forever loved Grace Kelly’s class and style, this perfume was a must buy when it came out.
Kelly Caleche is warm, sensual and the best fall perfume for those reasons. It’s a bold smell with notes of rose, vetiver and vanilla.
It’s subtle but with a quiet masculine strength that evokes Grace and her ability to hold her own in Hollywood and in the Palace.
Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum
The Jimmy Choo signature perfume is one I use maybe most often. It is subtlety floral with green notes of ginger, but then softer tea rose.
There are layers of cedarwood – it’s an approachable, easy to wear fragrance, with a gorgeous bottle worth of display!
Bobbi Brown
Beach
The Bobbi Brown Beach perfume is exactly that – a strong, bold fragrance that smells just like the beach (not sunscreen – the actual beach!) If you want a great summer perfume that smells like the beach then this Bobbi Brown perfume full of jasmine, sea spray, Mandarin and more – then this is it!
This bestselling scent captures the atmosphere and attitude of summer. Designed with an intoxicating blend of jasmine, sea spray, and mandarin,
Boucheron
Place Vendome Eau de Parfum
The second most everyday perfume I grab is this Boucheron perfume. It’s an easy to wear fragrance that’s not too pronounced, but still very individual. There are woody citrus floral notes along with pink pepper
orange blossom, jasmine, honey, benzoin and cedarwood.
Best Date Night Perfumes
The Winner
The date night perfume I reach for the most is Yves Saint Saurent Black Opium. It is so sexy fragrances without screaming smell me!!! You have to lean in to smell it, which makes it even better.
YSL Black Opium:
- Bottle Design: 6/10
- Sexy Notes: 9/10
- Smell Strength: 8/10
- Lasting Ability: 8/10
The “Catch All” Perfume
The Winner
My go to perfume for “I’m a sophisticated woman” or am at least when I’m trying to be, is Boucheron Place Vendme.
This fragrance is the perfect balance to not wearing an over powering smell but also smelling chic and pulled together. I think of this as my go perfume to wear to a PTA event, Church or to dinner with my In-Laws perfume.
Boucheron:
- Bottle Design: 6/10
- Sexy Notes: 4/10
- Smell Strength: 8/10
- Lasting Ability: 8/10
- Yearround Fragrance
Winner
The Day Perfume
If I’m running around, there are two perfumes I usually go to. the Jimmy Choo fragranc year round.
In the summer I turn to to Kenzo. The Kenzo is much very floral. It’s a great summer day fragrance, where as the Jimmy Choo is good year round.
Both perfumes never fail me!
Boucheron:
- Bottle Design: 9/10
- Sexy Notes: 7/10
- Smell Strength: 8/10
- Lasting Ability: 8/10
- Year-round Fragrance
Perfume on the Go
If you’re thinking of trying one of these, but aren’t ready to commit, a few of them come in Rollerballs. I love rollerball perfumes.
I am always running 100mph so can’t always be sure I smell so fresh, you guys. So I keep a roller ball in both my car and in my purse so dab on throughout the day just in case!
OK. That’s all for now. Smell you later!
you should try Valentino Donna, it’s a Nordstroms exclusive it’s my newest go to for fall/winter. I also have a Spring/summer and a Fall/Winter scent. You cannot wear a heavy winter scent in the heat of a New York summer!
Ohh….I’ve never even heard of that! It’s an exclusive? I totally agree about the winter in summer. I once lived in NYC and that won’t work at all! Same for Florida! What’s your favorite spring scent? Have you tried any of the ones that I recommended?
Haven’t tried any of yours yet but now I will sniff them out ?. My favorite summer scents are always gardenia based so Marc Jacobs or Michael by Michael Kors but I’m getting a little bored with them. Winter is also Allure by Chanel, which is very heavy.
I love gardenia – I recently tried the Thymes Goldleaf Gardenia and really enjoyed it, but it’s very floral. Allure is pretty. Let me know once you try the ones I recommended – too bad this computer can’t be scratch and sniff!!! ?