Victoria's Secret Bare Eau de Parfum

I received a 100ml bottle of Victoria’s Secret Bare Eau de Parfum for my birthday recently. It was on my list to try because the advertising campaign lured me in with the whole 'smells like you but better' thing and the fact it features Australian Sandalwood as a note. It also has mandarin and violet in the mix, as well as a blend of musks.

I expected it to be similar to Glossier You or Juliette Has a Gun's Not a Perfume. To my nose, it's not.

This has been compared to Dior's J'adore but it (unsurprisingly) lacks the same elegance, finesse and freshness. After all, Victoria’s Secret is a lingerie brand, they’re not known as a purveyor of fine fragrance. The first spray makes me want to sneeze - the opening screeches! But give it a while and the dry down lets that beautiful sandalwood come through. And some kind of stone fruit - maybe peaches or apricots with a hint of vanilla. I don't get mandarin and, for complete transparency, I don't actually know what violets smell like, though I have read they are similar to Iris – soft and powdery.

Bare was hotly anticipated among fragrance lovers everywhere, which is unsurprising given the gorgeous imagery and clever wording used in the marketing campaign. There was a strong focus on the beautiful simplicity of skin, nakedness and natural beauty. There was also an emphasis on the fact that it’s the wearer’s own natural skin chemistry mingling with Bare’s notes that make it truly special. This has been done before with Glossier’s iconic You fragrance and as someone who has sniffed and worn both, Glossier’s Ambroxan-heavy scent taps into this notion much more convincingly. Also, if we wanted to get technical, literally every fragrance we spritz on our skin mixes with our own unique body chemistry, which is why fragrances can smell different on different people.

It’s not the greatest thing I’ve smelled but I’m not giving up on Bare just yet. In fact I am looking forward to wearing Bare in really chilly weather, the kind where you need a scarf that can’t help but take on whatever perfume you’re wearing that day. I want the blend of musks it promises to come through and make me feel cosy, to blend in with the woody comfort of sandalwood the way I want it to. A writer on Fragrantica described Bare as an Apricot Pastry and I can’t express enough how much I want to interpret this scent in the same way. One of my indulgences is those (always slightly underbaked) custard and apricot twists you can get from Café Nero so, for me, to smell like that would be pretty dreamy.

Bare Eau de Parfum by Victoria’s Secret is available in 50ml (£45) and 100ml (£59) sizes and as a 7ml rollerball (£15). You can also find matching body lotions and body mists.

D by Diesel Eau de Toilette

post features sample

 I've developed a really keen interest in fragrances over the past year or so and, being particularly interested in 'genderless' scents, the new launch from Diesel got my attention.

D by Diesel is being marketed as not only designed for literally everybody to wear, but also Vegan and environmentally friendly.

The box and bottle are plastic free and made using recycled materials, with the brand lamenting that D is a fragrance for now and for the future. I like this angle myself - anything that promotes environmental awareness is ok by me!

The glass bottle is quite a cool design too, with the idea being that it's crushed and crumbled in your hand, to symbolise 'the mark your actions leave'. With an architectural design, the bottle is also refillable, which is obviously a good thing.

The genderless fragrance features top notes of Ginger and Bergamot, with Denim Cotton Accord and Lavender in the middle and Vanilla and Ambery Woods in the base.

With responsibly sourced Lavender and Vanilla, the scent itself leans quite masculine to me. By masculine I mean I pick up a lot of the typical sort of woodsy/lavender fougere notes that many male-marketed fragrances contain. That said, it's very much a 'clean', just out of the shower and ready to seize the day kind of scent, perfect for warm weather but I'm interested to see how I like it when it cools down significantly. The dry down lets a little bit of sweetness through from the Vanilla, which I appreciate as a gourmand fragrance lover.

I find the Denim Cotton Accord interesting, in that I'm not sure I can actually smell it! Once again I look forward to trying the scent again when the weather turns and I might just be able to pick it out.

This stuff lasts forever on my skin, which is not bad for an Eau de Toilette. In fact it lasts a lot longer than some of my more expensive fragrances. For this reason, I wish I liked the fragrance more than I do. I do enjoy it, I just don't really love it to be honest! But fragrance is subjective and I just happen to like mine a little sweeter.

 D by Diesel retails for £36 for 30ml, £54 for 50ml and £74 for the 100ml bottle. It's been released into all major retailers now but I recommend grabbing a bottle from Escentual where you can currently buy it at 25% off right now here.

5 Fragrances to Wear to Bed

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 Since I've discovered my newfound appreciation for fragrances, I've really been enjoying treating myself to a little spritz before bed.
My post-shower routine was once all about skincare but now, while rinsing out my conditioner I find myself thinking about which fragrance I'm going to choose too.
Obviously, you can wear whatever scent you like but here I'm sharing a few that make me feel comfortable and cocooned - exactly what I need to get me in the mood for sleep!

E. Coudray is a brand I'd not actually heard of until the December Escentual Perfume Blind Trial box. The theme was Gourmand so I knew there would be at least one winner in the box but I was not expecting the effect this fragrance has on me. The fragrance was sadly discontinued after the sample boxes were created but luckily the E Coudray Vanille et Coco Body Oil is still available at Escentual. This is the softest, most comforting powder-puff scent. It's warm and delicious and basically feels like a cuddle. I've been wearing it to bed since I bought it. Despite the name, I don't really detect the coconut in this (maybe a coconut cream rather than tropical coconut) but I'm thinking this note could come through if I were to wear it in warmer weather perhaps.

R.E.M is another Ariana Grande fragrance that has totally surprised me. I already love Cloud and the fruit-tart-esque Sweet Like Candy and now the fairly new R.E.M fragrance has me audibly sighing. If dreamy sugared lavender, salted caramel and Tonka bean sounds good, just wait until you smell this beauty. It reminds me a lot of Lush's iconic Sleepy range; Warm, comforting, sweet but never cloying. The lavender in R.E.M gives the perfume a slightly masculine edge which counteracts the sweetness and adds to the incredible cosiness of the scent. I've read that a lot of people wear this fragrance to bed and I'm now one of them. An affordable celeb scent that smells a little expensive.

Nivea eau de toilette is that iconic original Nivea cream scent, bottled. The universally loved clean, powdery scent is incredibly comforting and familiar to me. It's probably very evocative for a lot of people, as Nivea cream was (and still is) a very popular face cream, so I imagine this scent would bring back some lovely memories of parents and grandparents during simpler times! There's also a Nivea Sun version; ideal if the smell of sunscreen takes you to your happy place.

Molton Brown Milk Musk is a very aptly named fragrance, though it could have easily been called Warm Hug or Comfort Blanket. To me, Milk Musk smells like just that - milk and musk. Well, to be more specific it's like a creamy, warm cup of vanilla-spiked milk with a little whipped cream on top and comfy, cosy cashmere socks. This scent is definitely milky but not hugely sweet, with a musky, woody dry down and a touch of sugar. I find it to be very subtle and very much a skin scent. Perfect for getting snuggly.


Want to sleep like a baby? Wear baby perfume! Mustela's Musti is a light, alcohol-free fragrance water designed for kids but great for adults.
With notes of Honey, Chamomile, Rose, Lilac, Citrus and Amber, this light fragrance smells clean and fresh. I can imagine this would be particularly pleasant as a bed-scent in Summer thanks to the refreshing citrus.

So that's five scents to wear to bed, but really fragrance is such a personal thing, so I say wear whatever brings you joy! 

I'd love to know if you wear scent to bed and if so, what's your favourite?

Escentual Perfume Blind Trial Discovery Box Set

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In case you didn't know, Escentual is a pretty amazing online beauty shopping destination. They offer    an exceptional (and ever growing) selection of French Pharmacy, mid-range and high end skincare, makeup and fragrance and I've found myself browsing for hours sometimes. If I'm looking for gifts or some Mustela products for my son, Escentual is usually my first port of call- their prices are pretty much unbeatable anyway and they often have amazing sales such as 25% off French Pharmacy brands and site wide discounts popping up frequently.

Today's post is all about something that Escentual launched at the start of the year; the Escentual Perfume Blind Trial. It's a really cool concept that I'm sure brightened a lot of days during recent lockdowns!
Part of the #EscentualScents program and in collaboration with Thomas Dunckley aka The Candy Perfume Boy, the blind trial involves a discovery set of sample sized mystery perfume vials, an exclusive Facebook group and a whole lot of chat about fragrance!
New discovery sets are released every month, available for £19.95 which is credited back to you via Escentual's Pretty Pennies rewards program. Each set is themed, often according to a particular fragrance family, and includes 8 vials of fragrance and a QR code that you can scan that takes you to the exclusive Perfume Blind Trial Facebook group. 

The 2ml vials are marked A to H and contain a mixture of mystery unisex fragrances as well as scents aimed at men and women. The identities of vials A-D are revealed the week after you receive your box via a Facebook Live with Thomas, with E-H unveiled the following fortnight. Escentual will let you know the date and times of the reveals so you won't miss out - make sure you scan the code and sign up to the Facebook group asap too!

The idea behind the blind trial is to get you thinking about scent without the distraction of knowing all the details and hopefully discovering a new favourite that you otherwise might have overlooked. I have the May edition, which is themed as 'Woody' and I'm really enjoying giving them all a try (always on the supplied sampling cards first, just in case my sensitive pregnancy nose has a meltdown).  I'm actually quite intrigued about what the secret scents could be as the majority smell quite traditionally masculine to me! I'll definitely be tuning into the Facebook Live on Thursday night for the big reveal of the first four.
This month's box is now sold out but you can get your hands on June's box here. Boxes will be available for presale to ensure they're sent out in good time for testing and reveals. Don't forget, you get the £19.95 back in the form of loyalty points too.

Diptyque Philosykos Perfume Oil Roll-On

Ever since I had the pleasure of owning the (heartbreakingly) limited edition L'Occitane Figuier & Osmanthus fragrance three summer's ago, I've been hooked on fig scents. In fact, I was so disappointed when I learned that it was limited edition and sold out, that I emailed L'Occitane HQ in the vain hope that they had a few bottles stashed away somewhere that I could secretly purchase (they didn't).

You know how scent has that amazing ability to take you back and remind you of certain places, events and people? For me, that figgy fragrance from L'Occitane will forever remind me of the week I spent in Alghero with my boyfriend for my 30th. Partly because I sprayed it liberally over the duration of our stay (before I realised the precious juice was limited edition!) and partly because the outdoor eating area where we enjoyed breakfast everyday was lined with fig trees with huge, ripe fruit hanging from the branches. Sigh.
Anyway, believe it or not, this post isn't about that scent, but my latest fragrance purchased recently in an effort to curb my olfactory appetite for all things fig.

Diptyque Philosykos is pretty much a cult perfume, and for very good reason. It's rich and woody with the tiniest hint of fruitiness and basically smells exactly like those fig trees in Alghero. According to Diptyque, the scent of Philosokos is: woody raw materials: fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood and black pepper which is a pretty spot on description really. It's not a gourmand by any stretch but to me it still manages to have precisely the right amount of fruity sweetness. I have the roll on oil version of the fragrance for three reasons - it's very travel friendly, it's easiest on the purse strings and because it's oil based it's perfect for clear summer days when alcohol based fragrances might irritate the skin a little when the sun hits it.

In terms of longevity and heaviness, i find it to be surprisingly light for such a woody-based scent and though it does linger on the skin, I think of it as a fragrance i wear for myself to enjoy rather than for others to catch a whiff of, if that makes any sense at all? The size of a chunky pen, the heavy glass 7.5ml perfume roll on comes complete with a suedette pouch emblazoned with Diptyque for an extra special touch. I'll be wearing this all summer while imagining I'm lounging in the sun somewhere in the Mediterranean when in reality I'll probably be nursing a teething baby.
You can find it online at Diptyque and stockists including Space NK for £35.

Missguided Babe Power Atomizer Set

I'll put my hand up and admit that this scent really caught me off guard! When I first heard about the Babe Power fragrance from Missguided, I didn't really give it too much thought. I just assumed the scent would be a little too 'young' for me and I've actually never tried any high street type clothing retailer's own branded fragrances before. However, at first sniff I was impressed. Fragrance is sooo subjective and so personal - one person's trash is another's treasure etc - and I'm happy to say that personally I find Babe Power to be a fun, pretty and deceptively sophisticated scent.

I say deceptive because at first it comes across as very sweet and for a split second I thought it could only be for those who like their fragrances really sugary. But in that same moment it becomes something altogether more grown-up and oddly... comforting. I'm certainly no fragrance expert by any means but I know what I'm drawn to- often gourmand-esque scents- and to me, Babe Power rivals some of the classic (and expensive) sweeter perfumes. It's little wonder really that it's been such a popular fragrance this year.

The perfume has a gorgeous sort of edible sweetness to it at first (think baked dessert type treats and candyfloss) that's complemented beautifully by a baby-powdery edge. I think it's the powdery element that I find oddly comforting actually. The official notes of Missguided Babe Power Eau de Parfum are:
Gourmand Vanilla, Musk, Amber Crystals, Citrus Fusion, Moss, Heliotrope, Orange Blossom, Peony, Jasmine, Grapefruit Zest, Sour Cherry, Pink Pepper, Crisp Apple, Pineapple, Rhubarb and Absinthe.
The set I have here features a mini 15ml twist-up version of the cylindrical, rose gold 'can' design and a 15ml refill. Pretty perfect for travel/ stashing in your handbag or coat pocket and really perfect for gifting.
You can find the Babe Power Atomizer Set at Missguided.

Philosophy Fresh Cream Fragrance Review

Lovers of all things sweet will probably swoon over Philosophy Fresh Cream Eau de Toilette- at first sniff, I certainly did.

The sophisticated glass bottle and simple  clean label could fool you into thinking the fragrance is just as sophisticated and clean, but I assure you it is not! Fresh Cream is a saccharine dream but there's nothing particularly fresh about it and I hate to break it you, but it definitely does not smell like cream. What does cream even smell like? The only time I've noticed cream having a particular scent is when it's been forgotten about for a few days in the fridge and has started sprouting things. 

To me, Fresh Cream smells like a gooey combination of rich vanilla ice cream and cookie dough topped with a hefty dollop of sweet chantilly cream. In other words, it smells like something that would go straight to your hips and probably make you feel violently ill after a few mouthfuls. 

As much as I enjoy this fragrance, the staying power is not excellent. In fact, after an hour or so I can barely smell it at all, unless I press my nose right up to my wrist, which is pretty disappointing. It just doesn't seem to 'throw' its scent if you know what I mean. I spritz it on pulse points and even in my hair occasionally but the scent just doesn't linger. I'm sure that Fresh Cream would stick around longer if you were to layer it with the matching body wash and body cream.

Other than the staying power and it's slightly deceptive name, Philosophy Fresh Cream is a nice addition to your dressing table/ handbag if you're a lover of gourmand Laura Mercier-esque foodie scents. I got my bottle from QVC a few months ago for £34 but is now available at John Lewis if you fancy a sniff.