Believe: Sub-Tropical Moist Guava Goodness

Believe Britney Spears
Floral Fruity

Believe is one of the first Britney Spears fragrances when she was at the top of pop charts worldwide. It is radiant underrated guava-dominant perfume which I slept on like a bear. The greatest gift you can give to yourself is to believe in yourself. I believe Britney tried to convey this message via her presence in the media and throughout her music. I am a fan of 2000, 2010 Britney and this scent is absolutely worth the price. It neither smells extremely childish nor sweet.

It has watery guava at the top, lime blossom in the heart, which makes it soft-spoken and gentle, and patchouli in the base. However, the patchouli is neither potent nor too earthy. It is just the right amount to make the fragrance lasts and projects. Speaking of sillage, people will smell you and no need to re-apply every four hours which is a miracle for a celebrity aroma.

Believe got me numerous compliments. Not only because it is powerful but also unique. Perfumes of 2000 used to be stronger, and Believe represents an unusual smell on top of that. Reach for it before it disappears from the shelves. It is well worth it.

Wanted Girl Tonic: For White T-Shirt and Jeans Days

Wanted Girl Tonic Azzaro
Floral Fruity

While the original Wanted Girl by Azzaro got a lot of attention, its flanker Tonic from 2020 is sadly sitting in the background. I bought Tonic because it is a zesty kiwi refresher for the summer.

It contains not only unusual notes like kiwi but also bamboo. You guessed well, it is the bamboo note that causes problems to some people. It settles down green in a way that it makes some individuals nauseous. It happened to me too when I first tried it. I almost returned it. I recommend letting it sit for a while, it becomes richer. Give it more tries over time. It is a fruity floral green fragrance. Light and fresh. It reminds me of Twist by Miu Miu.

Tonic is sparkling but not groundbreaking. It is the type of scent you imagine Justin Bieber or Selena Gomez to come out with. Celebrity quality, you get what you pay for. For a daily wear, office, gym, doctor’s office …. whenever on those days, when you do not want to make an effort, perfume is an easy, instant pick you up, elevating your presence.

In the end, I still have Wanted Girl Tonic in my perfume wardrobe. I wear it here and there on my white T-shirt and jeans days. We all have and know scents like that. Why not for the God’s sake!

Mod Blush: Charge, Buzz and Happy Place

Mod Blush by Ariana Grande
Frank Voelkl
Fruity Floral

Ariana Grande fragrances are hardly a disappointment. Mod Blush is a brand new release and it has a resemblance to Grande’s first perfume Ari. They are both sweet but where Ari is gourmand sweet from marshmallows, the sweetness of Mod Blush is fruity and fresh.

It is an everyday pleasant smell for a chic young girl. And I am in my mid thirties and I like to wear it too. Why not! It gives me good vibes. I wore it the other day when I went to the mall and it was perfect. Okay, it is not a fragrance I would wear to a meeting to impress my business partner but as we know in the fragrance community, there is time and place for everything, and perfume especially.

With regards the notes, there is passionfruit in the opening which is quite prominent. Passionfruit is usually yuck for me, but here, it is more fresh than creamy with no bad aftertaste and I enjoy it a lot. So Mod Blush has a beautiful sweet fresh fruitiness, the next thing I notice is gorgeous white pillowy musk. A soft cloud floating around looking pretty relaxed.

Can Mod Blush be a signature scent? Maybe not, but it is a fragrance that makes you smile and feel good.

I Am Eisenberg: All of You. The Good and the Bad.

I Am by Eisenberg
Floral Fruity

I Am is my first experience with the brand Eisenberg. They are active in fragrances but also in luxury cosmetics. I Am is a pleasant surprise. The opening is spicy in an edgy contrast with soft and powdery raspberry and magnolia. It is a delicate scent supposed to bring a female silhouette to life. Special perfume which captures womanity in its all beauty – the good and the diabolic.

It is a solid alternative to my beloved Hot Couture by Givenchy. In fact, I like it even more because it is softer and more transparent; therefore, more day-time appropriate and versatile. Spray a bit more and you are walking into night-time sensual territory. I should try more from this brand.

Eden Sparkling Lychee 39: The Coolest Kid in Your High School

Eden Sparkling Lychee 39 by Kayali
Floral Fruity
Gabriela Chelariu

A sweet juicy explodium of litchi, citron and red apple. It smells edible. Hmmm, the sweetness. It is a very sweet fragrance. It has a plenty of sugar to begin with, together with vanilla, amplifying the sweetness. There are also floral notes to balance its juvenility. Violet in particular which creates powdered texture. It leads to a sweet floral dry-down and decent lasting power.

Not bad as expected for a floral fruity. It is a lovely pick me up scent. I am glad I have tried it and have my 10ml and it will stay there. I am not saying it smells exactly like Escada Fragrances but it kinds of leads into that direction. It is good for what it is. A luxury gift for your teenage daughter. Another solid release from Kayali.

Perfume Empties 2024: 30+ bottles

Dear follower,

thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it a lot. I have prepared the first bunch of perfume empties from 2024 for you. You know I do not take perfume purchases lightly and I am committed to use up my beloved fragrance bottles. If I seriously do not like a scent, I either return it or re-sell it as soon as possible. The most of my perfumes I am using and enjoying my life with them. Fragrance makes makes me feel alive!

Here, on my blog and YouTube channel, you can explore the journey with me. If you want to see Etat Libre d’Orange, Lancôme, Hermes, Dior and Ormonde Jayne and much more, keep on watching …

Aphrodite Soki London: The Beach, Sunshine and You

Aphrodite by Soki London
Floral Fruity
Ruth Mastenbroek

Aphrodite was created by Sophie King a.k.a. Soki London, an indie brand and internet personality. After Empress, it is her second perfume. It is a completely different fragrance to Empress but I see Soki’s signature in it.

It is strong first of all. Highly concentrated. The juice is visibly oily. I wore it during a cool spring day and it made me feel nauseous. It is a niche smelling aroma, not for everybody again. I sniff mango, lotus and palm tree, not so much marine notes and coconut. It is heavy on the fruity and green earthy aspect.

Nonetheless, I realized it blends in better in hot weather. We had 31°C here in Prague, Czechia and I sprayed Aphrodite lightly and it was a pleasant companion. It cannot hide its tropical nature. I say time and place are everything in perfumery, and it applies to Aphrodite even more than to some other fragrances. I am happy I waited for a sunny day outside and did not judge Aphrodite too quickly. If you are looking for a unique islander forest-like scent, Aphrodite is not a bad option.

LolitaLand: Easter Nostalgia, Bring It On

LolitaLand by Lolita Lempicka
Floral Fruity
Francis Kurkdjian and Maia Lernout

Lolita Lempicka is a Parisian fashion designer, vintage and retro dress making pioneer. She also ventured into jewelry and perfume. Her perfume bottle designs stand from the crowd having this magical fairy quality to them.

LolitaLand is a discreet sweet fruity aroma reminiscent of Devotion by Dolce&Gabanna. It has a citrusy fruity top accompanied by light sweetness from vanilla, licorice and benzoin. The airiness of the scent brings me back to my childhood when my lovely parents served homemade Easter bunny as a dessert. LolitaLand smells more synthetic than the bunny to be honest, but still close enough to bring back wonderful memories.

It is a warm girly aroma. Effervescent but edible enough to be called a gourmand. It is a scent for cooler weather. I feel that neither Lolita Lempicka’s couture nor perfumes are for everybody. One must be drawn to French retro and sweet accords in perfume to fully enjoy what Lempicka brings.

Tutti Twilly d’Hermès: Sultry Lychee with Style

Tutti Twilly d’Hermès by Hermès
Floral Fruity
Christine Nagel

Tutti is the newest release by Hermès within the Twilly line. It jumped on the train with the super popular fruity note of lychee. And yes, there is litchi; however, the white floral is still present. You can tell it is Hermès and you can also showcase it is Twilly. In other words, the quality is there and so are the flowers with ginger.

It is a floral fruity but elevated. Long story short, there is an edge and depth to otherwise an easy perfume profile. I think it is great. It has a playful element. If I compare all the five Twilly’s, Tutti is the most reminiscent to Eau Poivrée.

To give you a different perspective, I would wear Tutti for the same occasion as I would put on Blue Heart by Thameen. The scents have a different structure but give me the same vibe. They are both friendly, sweet yet sophisticated. I would use them to hang out with girlfriends or for a casual date. They are approachable enough to be worn during the day; nevertheless, not easy going to the extend I would wear them to run errands, for instance.

At this moment, I have Twilly Eau Ginger in my perfume collection and I am okay with my Twilley’s acquisitions for now. When I am done with Eau Ginger, I will consider adding Tutti to the mix. Have a great day!

Aura Mugler EDT: Do You Believe in Guilty Pleasures?

Aura EDT by Mugler
Floral Fruity
Olivier Cresp

Aura by Mugler has been gradually vanishing from store shelves globally. I am late to the party and picked up a bottle just in time. I aimed for the Eau de Parfum but as it has become scarce, I was lucky to end up at least with the Eau de Toilette.

So, it has a tart fruity opening. You have pear, rhubarb and strawberry, then a huge potion of greenery grounded with vanilla and musk mallow. It is an unusual step from Mugler and brings definitely more to the table than your typical floral fruity.

I admit I enjoy it. It is not a huge projector but rather a delicate beauty. I just got this perfume and I already made a decent dent. Plus, the jungle advertisement is quite fitting.

Do I recommend it to you guys? Hmmm, although it is not groundbreaking in 2023, if you are a 90’s chick, go and grab it. It is a nostalgic piece which actually does not disappoint. Last but not least, there is a sense of rarity to the acquisition.