Friday, June 22, 2012

Summer Flanker Alert! Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme Chanel

Store shelves have been stocked full of summer flankers for months and since it is now officially summer I thought it time we investigate what's out there!

Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme by Chanel is our first flanker.  It joins the Allure Homme range: the first fragrance of which was launched in 1999.  Despite this scent having a long list of ancestors and being (yet another) flanker, I have to be honest with you.  After I watched the below video I wasn't too upset to be indulging in Eau Extreme!  (yes, the Chanel marketing team has done their job well - I'm sold before I've even tried it!!)




Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme begins its scent journey with fresh citrus and light mint notes which slowly dance their way to dry dimensions of soft woods and warming tonka bean and musk tones.  Underneath all of this there is a hint of soapiness laying deep in the depths.

Overall it is a pleasant experience even though it's not very 'extreme' (i.e. not venturing from currently popular ingredients)!

Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Yankee Candle Summer Love: True Crush

Summer isn't close to being over (thank god!), but our foray into Yankee Candle's Summer Love Limited Edition summer range is.  I don't know if I should be upset about this or not; it's like in Grease at the end of the summer when Danny and Sandy have to say goodbye.  They're sad to part ways, but yet ready for the summer to be over and for a new adventure to begin.  Oh, the complexities of life!

Anyway, we needn't worry about that today!  Instead, let's see if our summer love is a True Crush. 

When I opened the yellow hued candle I was instantly hit with a wall of fragrance.  Robust; citrus; aromatic; citronella; limoncello.  There is a lot going on with this cold throw and I have to admit that it isn't very pleasing.  The scent is almost like a lemon drop candy gone very wrong.  I'm sure you're not surprised to know that I didn't have high hopes for its hot throw.

But I can't always be right!  When I went into my testing room to see how True Crush fared in use I found something quite unexpected.  The character of the fragrance hadn't completely changed, but a soft and sweet scent pervaded throughout the space.  The 'lemon drop gone wrong' notes of the cold throw morphed to become something quite citrus-y sweet.  It is very enjoyable indeed.

Since it's the weekend (and if you have a husband that likes to shop on a Sunday like mine), take a gander around a Yankee Candle store and investigate the three variants in the Summer Love range: First Kiss, Loves Me Lots, and True Crush.  But remember, if you smell True Crush and think 'ew, gross',  don't be put off!  Purchase that candle and give it a chance.  You'll be pleasantly surprised at what Summer Love's True Crush will turn into!


Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it?  Make sure to leave a comment below!


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Yankee Candle Summer Love: Loves Me Lots

The beach is calling and so is romance!  Yesterday our Summer Love began with First Kiss.  It was pretty good for a First Kiss, but there have definitely been better ones!


Today we continue our search for summer romance (although, technically, we can very easily find it at a Yankee shop and in the form of their latest Limited Edition range Summer Love).  Shall we see if he Loves Me Lots?

Loves Me Lots is a completely different from First Kiss.  It's cold throw belies strong notes of sweet citrus, fresh marine, and soft aromatics.  These aromas blend to create an enticing scent which made me anxious to check out its hot throw.

In use the fragrance does not disappoint, if anything it gets better.  The citrus and aromatic characteristics are ever present, but the notes that jump to take the lead are lusciously marine.  Wow - it's a fabulous clean and fresh fragrance and I want more!  I wonder if I could convince Yankee to make this a permanent scent in one of their standard ranges?

So, I think I will pass on First Kiss and I definitely enjoy Loves Me Lots, but will it be my True Crush?  Find out in tomorrow's post!

Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it?  Make sure to leave a comment below!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Yankee Candle Summer Love: First Kiss

Ah yes, we all know it well: the huge, crashing waves; the over-dramatic instrumental 'Love is a Many Splendored Thing'; the ever-so-fun scenes of Danny and Sandy playing and kissing on the beach...(sigh) nothing beats a summer romance!

And wouldn't it be nice if we could all have our own passionate summer fling à la Grease?  Well, never fear, we no longer have to wait around for our own Danny Zucco or Sandy Olsen* to come along anymore!  Yankee Candle's come out with the next best thing: a limited edition called Summer Love.



That is right.  You can go on down to your nearest Yankee (or just go online if don't want to risk getting skin cancer from the intense summer sun!) and get yourself some Summer Love.  Bear in mind that this is a limited edition, so if you want some love you can't wait around until September to get it!

There are three variants in the Summer Love range and today we'll be smelling First Kiss.

First Kiss has a very pleasant, albeit not too strong, cold throw.  It smells of sweet strawberry and  is a tiny bit waxy.  I wonder if this was done on purpose, though, because it mimics the scent of ChapStick's Strawberry flavor.  Just what you'd be experiencing on a first kiss!

In use First Kiss's scent is exactly what you would expect: it's a very innocuous (and not too strong) sweet berry aroma which gently fills the room.

First Kiss is an overall average candle, which means if this were my Summer Love's First Kiss ...I probably wouldn't stick around to see if he Loves Me Lots!

Have you tried this scent?  Do you love it, do you hate it?  Make sure to leave a comment below!
                                                                                                                     *Sandy has a last name!  Who knew?!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

L'Occitane Limited Edition Almond Smooth Hands

Il y a un parfum de lavande dans l'air ... il fait du soleil ... le ciel est bleu et beau ... où je suis?  Mais je suis en Provence, bien sûr!


Yes, if the French didn't tip you off then the above photo did: this weekend I stopped in my local L'Occitane shop.  It was quite a pleasurable experience - the store assistant was very knowledgeable about the products and L'Occitane's commitment to fair trade and sustainability, and I had the chance to experience their new face and body scrub!  (I was a bit hesitant at first, but when the assistant clarified that I didn't need to try the face scrub on my face, I jumped right in!)

After my sampling of the body scrub, the store assistant offered a lotion from their Almond range for me to try.  Unsurprisingly, of course, it just so happens that said lotion is currently available in the 30ml/1oz size hand cream format.  It is a limited edition and when asked if it would be extended into the full Almond range, the shop assistant said that it wouldn't.  She informed that their hand cream limited editions change frequently so once this variant is gone we'll have to keep our eyes out for the next one!

The store assistant did a good job and in the end I decided to purchase the Limited Edition Amande Mains de Velours [Almond Smooth Hands].  Not only does it 'moisturize and beautify' the skin, but it supposedly leaves it smelling of the delicate notes of almond tree flowers.  Well, let's see.

From the first whiff only strongly powdery notes are discernible; it's very reminiscent of J&J baby powder.  I almost feel like I am changing a diaper it's that intense.

In use the fragrance's violet toned floral notes present themselves and weave together skillfully with the powdery aromas.  It is indeed quite delicate and very clean, but sadly the scent does not have the sweet honey smell of an almond blossom.  Tant pis!

Almond Smooth Hands has a quite decent scent and as long as you don't know what a real almond blossom smells like you'll probably enjoy this product!

So, will you be rushing out to purchase Almond Smooth Hands, or is there another nicely fragranced hand cream you prefer?  Make sure to leave a comment!