Fairy Dust Perfume Review

Fairy Dust 1oz. Eau de Parfum

When I was growing up, there were only a handful of celebrity perfumes around. Now it seems like every movie star, singer and famous athlete has jumped on the bandwagon to market their own line. I have purchased a few scents from celebs like Mary Kate & Ashley, Tova Borgnine and Jessica Simpson that left me highly disappointed.

Because I like strong and powerful perfumes, I got the impression that celebs that live in warm climates like California and Florida always make wishy-washy, light and airy beach scents that dissipate before I put the cap back on. However, the name Fairy Dust for a perfume can be too tempting for a scent maniac, so I purchased a 1oz. bottle of the Eau de Parfum.

Paris Hilton Surprised Me
 When I think of a fairy sprinkling her magic dust around, I picture an ethereal scent cloud of garden flowers and leaves raining down on my head. I was incredibly surprised by the glamorous ambiance of this fragrance. It is a beautiful gardenia blend that smells rich, sophisticated and elegant; much like Paris herself. I am amazed at the quality of this one.

You can easily find a 1oz. bottle of the Eau de Parfum version online for less than $9.00. It smells much more expensive than it really is. If you like gardenias, you may love this one. It's certainly a budget-friendly purchase.


Paris Hilton Fairy Dust Perfume Notes:

1.  Top Notes of  Orange Blossoms and Peonies
2. Middle Notes of Peach, Lotus and Gardenia
3. Base Notes of Musk, Patchouli, Vanilla and Cashmere

 The Fairy Dust Bottle Design
 As you can see from the picture, the bottle is shaped in a tapering style; wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The bottle top has an interesting art-deco pleat design that reminds me of  vintage perfume bottle stoppers. The fairy etching is light, but has a lot of artistic details. This fairy wears high heels. When you take off the bottle top, the spray element is blue to match Paris Hilton's signature on the cap band.

My Real Time Scent Experience
 Upon taking off the cap and just doing a sniff test, I get a whiff of the Lotus notes and a bit of something musky/ floral like creamy Gardenias.

At First Spray: Yes, I smell Orange Blossom and a slight hint of Peach. The Cashmere pops up next, followed by a tiny hint of sharp Peony flowers. After a few minutes, the Gardenia comes out in full bloom.
After 10 Minutes: The Peony comes out again adding a crispness to the rich Gardenia scent. I don't smell any Musk and certainly no Patchouli. I catch a whiff of something "branchy" and green; perhaps the Lotus. If I hold my nose to it, I swear I smell celery.
After 30 Minutes: I smell the Musk and the Gardenia. This is where Fairy Dust blooms into that rich floral fragrance on my skin. I wish I could locate the Patchouli note, but I cant. In the end, Fairy Dust clings on like a warm Tuberose fragrance does.

What I  Don't Like  
I really don't have anything negative to say about this pretty perfume. Okay, the top-heavy bottle can make it prone to falling over easily if you accidentally bump it. That's about it.

What I Love About Fairy Dust
Although the bottle is top-heavy, it has a flat, sleek profile that makes it great for carrying in your makeup bag. I carry my Fairy Dust in mine. I use it to spray my hair as a pick-me-up. I have used it to add scent to my dried out car air freshener tree.

With so many overpriced celebrity perfumes out there that disappoint, Fairy Dust has been a pleasing buy for me. Just the fact that the notes last on me and keep some decent silage means that I plan to keep a bottle of Paris Hilton's Fairy Dust in my collection.

Coty L'Origan Cologne Spray Review

1.8oz Cologne Spray

 Good old Coty. The name has been around forever as a supplier of cosmetics and fragrances. When I was young, one of Coty's most famous scents was a light Lily of the Valley cologne called Muguet de Bois. It seems that I have tried them all. Coty colognes were cheap and easy to find at the drugstore.

I got away from Coty fragrances and moved on to more sophisticated stuff over the years. However, there is a nostalgic pull that my girlhood perfumes have over me, so occasionally, I will order an old classic just to revisit the past.

The L'Origan  Bottle
The bottle in itself is pretty and well-balanced. The fluted glass bottom and plastic cap give it some fanciness. It is surprisingly heavy for an inexpensive fragrance. The weight keeps it from falling over.It also looks nice displayed with my other bottles; a plus.

L'Origan Perfume Notes
L'Origan was created more than 110 years ago as a Floral or Floriental fragrance. The name means oregano according to Google Translate. Oregano Cologne...somehow that doesn't work in English, does it?

• Top Notes- Peach, orange, bergamot, pepper, coriander
• Middle Notes-Violet,rose,orange flower, ylang-ylang, jasmine, nutmeg, spices
• Base Notes- sandalwood, musk, incense,vanilla, cedar

Coty L'Origan In Real Time 

• Okay, here we go, off with the cap. The initial sniff test reveals a spicy baby powder scent. Soft, but not weak.
• First Spray-Yes, I think I smell roses! I detect some orange and maybe a little jasmine. The florals fade very quickly.
• After 10 minutes-Now the pepper,coriander and nutmeg are blooming on my skin. At this point, it becomes a seriously spicy scent; very intriguing.
• Dry down-Alas, after 30 minutes, those tantalizing spices disappear and fade away into baby powder notes.

What I Love About It
What I love is the bottle shape, the history and the nostalgia of using a perfume that was created in 1905. Did French women walk around in their 1905 dresses and hats, carrying parasols and smelling of Coty L'Origan? It's a fascinating thought.

What I Don't Love
Sadly, this isn't one of those attraction "bomb" perfumes that I love. Nobody is going to notice it; including me. It's a baby powder scent. A comfort scent that sits close to skin. What can we say about smelling like baby powder? It isn't sexy, alluring or sophisticated. It doesn't deserve a Skunk Award, but it is a bit of a disappointment in the longevity and silage department.

Charlie Gold Perfume-Is This Revlon's Weirdest Fragrance?

Charlie Gold Eau de Toilette100ml

Being a baby boomer that grew up in the 1970's, one of the most popular, all around scents for teens and women back then was Charlie perfume. The original version. With the popularity of original Charlie, Revlon began producing versions of Charlie like Silver, Gold, White and Red.

Let me mention right now that I adored Charlie back then and I still love it today. It is one scent that has always brought me compliments and attention. It's a powerhouse floral, not a wishy-washy watered down fragrance.

Charlie Silver And Gold Were Disappointing

I was curious to check out the other versions. One particular holiday season, I happened upon a Charlie perfume trio at CVS that included one bottle of original, one Silver and one Red. For the Silver and Red; may I suggest The Skunk Award? Phew!

With those two as major disappointments, I had to research reviews about the other versions. I saw that Charlie Gold was classified as an Oriental Floral scent with spicy notes. My nose ( and money) make a beeline for any perfume that mentions spice or Oriental in the same sentence.

I grabbed the big 100ml Eau de Toilette from eBay; the one-stop shop for perfume-a-holics everywhere.

Charlie Gold Perfume Notes

Orange, plum, peach, apricot, violet, freesia, jasmine, rose, cedar, sandalwood, cloves, cinnamon, musk, amber, caramel.


What I Like

What I like about Charlie perfumes in general is the value. You get a huge bottle of fragrance for a very good price. It's always been an affordable option.

What I Don't Like

 This is definitely one case where my idea of spice and Revlon's idea of spice are two totally different things. It's always a let down when you are expecting a certain fragrance experience and get something else.


My Real Time Charlie Gold Experience

• At first sniff when taking off the cap I get hit with sweet baby powder. 
• At first spray-I smell a slight hint of cloves, orange, cinnamon, and some floral notes mixed in.
• After 10 minutes of dry down, I smell my wrist. I get maple syrup dribbled over dried roses.
• After 30 minutes Charlie Gold has settled on my skin to smell like a maple sugar cookie dipped in fermented greenery.

  

  Skunk Award

There is something "off" about Charlie Gold. A sour, rotten leaf smell that ruins the prettiness of the fragrance.Looking through the notes, perhaps it is the cedar that is to blame. Surely the Orient smells better than this!

All isn't lost, however. In case you are wondering why my bottle is almost empty, I use it as air freshener. All of my perfume fails end up with three outcomes; I give them away, use them as air fresheners, or mix them with my other perfumes. Once I finish this bottle of Charlie Gold, I wont be getting another.

Avon Vintage Topaze Perfume In Collectable Hippo Bottle

Avon Baby Hippo Topaze Perfume

I decided that I would start my very first post talking about something I love; vintage perfumes. I have a thing for those fragrances that were popular when I was a teenager back in the 1970's. I have so many scent memories of the perfumes that the women wore around me and those that I wore myself.

I remember loving to explore my Grandmother's dresser top amid the beauty items, lipsticks and jars. She had a pretty pink container of Avon Topaze scented cream. By the time I tried it in 1971, it was almost dried out. However, the fragrance was still as strong as ever. I fell in love with Avon Topaze instantly.

Topaze Perfume Notes

According to reputable fragrance review sites like Fragrantica and  Basenotes, Topaze is categorized as a Floral Aldehyde scent. Some top notes include peach and lemon. Middle notes contain rose, carnation and ylang ylang. Base notes contain sandalwood, amber, vetiver and tonka bean.

 When I dab some on, I can definitely smell a carnation/rose blend. I don't smell lemons or peaches. On my skin, the floral part fades quickly and gets to the best part of the fragrance; the amber and sandalwood.  It's the base notes that makes Topaze so gorgeous. I love the warmth and richness of this scent.


Avon, How Could You Discontinue This Fabulous Perfume? 


There is absolutely nothing like Topaze perfume in this world. Even though I can still find sellers on eBay that have the vintage versions for sale, I use my Topaze sparingly. I would love nothing more than to douse myself with Topaze from top to bottom.

As it is, when I use it, I dab tiny drops behind my ears and on my wrists to make it last. I use it as a remembrance of the good-old-Avon days when even inexpensive perfumes smelled rich and potent. I could rant for days on the quality of today's perfumes and I probably will throughout this blog.

How we are being sold out in today's perfume market is a topic for another post. In the meantime, let me dab on a bit of my Topaze and calm myself with the soothing amber-floral warmth of a beloved Avon classic.