Recently, however, I got a whiff of this on a guy friend of mine, and I actually liked it. I mean, I really really liked it. It’s woodsy and masculine and smells like, dare I say it, a sexy man. No wonder it’s one of the most popular colognes for men!

I just might be getting a bottle of this as a gift for my husband soon…

Calvin Klein Eternity for Men 3.4oz
A classic, refreshing scent by Calvin Klein. It’s an aromatic, woodsy blend of lavender, jasmine, amber, sandalwood, vetiver and rosewood.

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This perfume is older than I am. Created in 1971, it’s 36 years old- not an antique, but definitely a classic. Its ingredients include white jasmine, chamomile and bergamot, and it’s a very floral, somewhat woody fragrance. I suggest putting a few drops in your bathwater.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Undoubtedly, Christian Dior makes excellent fragrances- although I don’t own any of their cosmetics or clothing, I own a lot of their perfumes. Among them, Addict 2 is my favorite. Think of it as the younger, more lighthearted sister of the original Addict: it smells fresh, a subtle blend of fruit and florals that’s never overpowering to the nose. I’ve been known to spray a little of it on my pillow before going to bed- and waking up with lovely smelling hair!

Its packaging leaves something to be desired: as you can see, it’s pink, pink, pink- which might lead you to believe that it smells sugary sweet (it doesn’t). Its bottle, too, seems a little too casual for its contents. This is not Love’s Baby Soft, it’s a woman’s perfume through and through. Maybe a few touches of gold would have been nicer?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Covet Gift Set by Sarah Jessica Parker Gift Set for Women
Price: $66.33
Covet, the latest perfume from fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker, has lovely top notes of geranium leaves, sicilian lemon, lavender and chocolate. The set comes with:
- 1.7 Oz Eau De Parfum Spray
- 2.5 Oz Body Lotion, and
- .08 Oz Solid Perfume
all in a pretty gift box!

CLAIBORNE by Liz Claiborne for Women Gift Set
Price: $19.99
This one, at less than 20 bucks, is a great deal on a great product. Claiborne continues to be one of the most popular perfumes for women: floral and feminine, with blends of white lily, mandarin and fresh citrus. The gift pack comes with:
- 1/8 oz bottle of perfume
- a bear!

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Light and refreshing and never sickly sweet, Tartine et Chocolate (or just Tartine, as me and my friends called it growing up) belongs on every girl’s dresser. I like to use it on hot summer days and nights, or to give me a boost when power shopping. It smells wonderful on grown up girls, but smells even better on the little ones

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Buy Tartine et Chocolat : $36.99 at Perfume Emporium.

Like most girls, I discovered Chanel No. 5 at my grandmother’s dressing table. I loved playing with her tray of beautiful bottles, sniffing each one and trying to imagine how she chose which one to wear on what occasion. It was only very recently- a few years ago- that I bought my own bottle of Chanel No. 5. My sister teased me that I was “getting old”, but as a perfume aficionado I knew that this particular fragrance is ageless, and timeless.

With notes of ylang-ylang, neroli, jasmine (which was the most expensive scent in Coco’s time), sandalwood, vetiver and vanilla, this is definitely a complex perfume. I read somewhere that it’s recommended as an “evening scent”, but I think it works just fine during the day, for any occasion- or even for no occasion at all. This is the scent that Marilyn Monroe claimed to be all she wore to bed, after all.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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From its packaging alone, this perfume is unmistakably Burberry. The gorgeous designer plaid is on its box and on its bottle. But what sets this designer perfume apart from the rest is its scent. A blend of lime, white peony, sugared almond and vanilla beans, it’s a rich fragrance that’s classic yet unique.

What I like best about Burberry Brit is its understatedness (much like the Brits themselves!). This is not an aggressive, look-at-me scent, it’s the fragrance of a strong yet feminine woman. One of my favorite birthday gifts, one of my favorite scents, and one I will not hesitate to repurchase.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Reading through that list, I really wanted to like Fantasy. I mean, I love eating most of those things! But there was something a little… off… about this one. Was it the fruitiness of kiwi clashing with the darkness of the musk? And where exactly was the smell of “cupcake”? Did they mean vanilla?

I’m not sure what market this scent is targeting. Its bottle, a light mauve, is cute enough- but the design of its box, with the blue and green swirls? Not my style. When I asked friends what they thought of this scent on me, I got a few “umm, it’s okay”s… which, for a self-confessed perfumaholic, is just not good enough.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

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I’ll admit I was a little wary about trying out Britney’s original perfume, Curious, which is described as a “feminine floral scent” that “begins with sweet Louisiana magnolia, a tribute to the Britney’s native state”. I don’t usually go in for “celebrity-produced” fragrances. But I’m glad I did, because Curious is just lovely.

I thought at first that it must be the magnolia (and my penchant for florals!) that made me like this so much, but then I saw that its ingredients included vanilla musk, sandalwood, and - here’s the kicker- “a juicy Anjou pear accent”! Mmm yes.. it’s that accent of pear that sets this apart from all my other perfumes.

So, say what you will about Britney’s sense, the girl makes great scents.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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This is what I bring (in sample size, of course) when I go to the beach, and I always get complimented on it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Giving this four stars; it’s easily one of my favorite perfumes. Not recommended for evening occasions, and if you don’t like flowery scents you should stay away.

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