Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede cologne

Introducing Peony & Blush Suede

The Essence of Charm

Peonies in voluptuous bloom,

exquisitely fragile.

Flirtatious with the juicy bite of

red apple and the opulence

of jasmine, rose and gillyflower.

Mingling with the sensuality of

soft, blush suede.

Luxurious and seductive.

Released in 2013, Jo Malone offered free 1.5ml (0.05 fl oz) samples when you designed a floral postcard and emailed it to a friend. Currently, this is available as a fragrance in 30ml and 100ml bottles, a 200ml body and hand wash, a 175ml body crème, and a candle (I have never seen a fragrance being offered as a candle before, but it's definitely an intriguing concept for fragrances).

The packaging of this sample is one of the nicest ones I've ever received. However, before I begin talking about the fragrance, I just want to mention about the customer service. With ordering samples, it usually takes several weeks before it arrives (if at all) - it mustn't have been more than two weeks when I received an email for Jo Malone, where they were apologising for me not receiving my sample yet as they had had an issue with mailing them out, but promised it would be sent out within the week. I must say that this is the most impressed I've been with a company that I've ordered a sample with, especially since I didn't spend any money with them. If I did order from this company in the future, I would have complete confidence that any problems would be dealt with both promptly and efficiently.

When I applied this, my initial thought was that it was definitely a floral scent, but in a mature way compared to some other fragrances which can be overwhelming with their sickly sweetness. The top note here is red apple, which adds a slight zesty element along with full-bodied fruitiness. Next, peony, rose and jasmine incorporate the floral elements into this fragrance that make it incredibly feminine and absolutely irresistible. Finally, suede makes up the base note here, helping to keep the whole scent velvety soft.

During the day, the scent doesn't fade at all, and the fragrance continues to be as pleasing as the initial application was.

Overall I give this 5 kisses out of 5 - a grown-up floral fragrance, which manages to perfectly capture femininity in its purest form.

Boss Jour Pour Femme eau de parfum

Experience the break of dawn in a whole new way with Boss Jour Pour Femme, inspired by the first light of day.



This fragrance was initially released in Spring 2013, being exclusively available at Heathrow Airport. Now, this fragrance is available in Boots, and to celebrate its new launch free samples were available.



It is currently available in 30ml, 50ml, and 75ml bottles, and is also available as a body lotion and a shower gel, both of which are available in 200ml.




The sample is in a glass vial with an applicator wand, in a size of 2ml (0.06 fl oz).

When first applied, it is instantly obvious that this is a very light and crisp fragrance, echoing morning scents. The main top note here is lime, helping to emphasize the freshness of the perfume. Beneath this, freesia adds further freshness, perfect for a summery scent, while honeysuckle adds an element of sweetness. For the base note, white birch prevents the fragrance from being overly floral.

Throughout the day, the fragrance fades quicker than I would have liked, and the sourness of the lime can become very slightly overbearing.

Overall, I give this 4.5 out of 5 kisses - a very refreshing scent, though the lime note can become too sour over time.

Aura by Swarovski

This is a freebie that I have had for a while, given to me by a friend's mum as she got some samples when she purchased the full-sized product just over a year ago.





The fragrance was released in 2011, and is available in 30ml and 75ml bottles. Each bottle is topped with a Swarovski crystal, and the perfume inside the bottle is pink, though once applied it turns clear.







The sample I have is 1.2ml (0.04 fl oz), and this is the only perfume sample I have where it comes in an atomiser, a definite plus as it is a lot easier to control the amount you apply at once compared to normal vials.

 

As soon as I applied this perfume, my initial thought was feminine - this is a very light and floral fragrance, but the floral notes are more elegant than typically found in other perfumes. The top note here is clearly rose, with a slight fruit scent echoing alongside it. Beneath this, the freshness of the floral aspect comes into its own, ensuring that the perfume does not become overwhelming. For the base notes, pink pepper helps to carry the floral theme throughout the scent, while hints of amber offer a touch of sweetness.

During its wear throughout the day, the perfume does eventually fade, but it lasts for a long time before this happens. Since the fragrance is light, the lingering scent of it doesn't become off-putting during the course of the day.

Overall I give this 5 kisses out of 5 - very refreshing and elegantly floral, perfect for daytime use.

Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift

Wonderstruck is the first perfume by Taylor Swift, launched in 2011, with the name inspired by lyrics from her song Enchanted.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go 
I'm wonder-struck, blushing all the way home 
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew 
I was enchanted to meet you



The full size product is available in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml bottles, and there is also a body lotion availaible.




The sample comes in a glass vial, in a size of 1.2 ml (0.04 fl oz).

  

On the initial application of the perfume, you get the typically overpowering scent of most perfumes, but this quickly fades into a more floral and sweet scent - blackberry is the most noticeable of the top notes, with hints of blossom and apple hidden beneath this. In the lower notes is a more earthy scent to help neutralise the potentially over-sweet overtones, with woods and musk to provide a solid base for the fragrance.

Throughout the day, the fragrance can begin to smell a little plastic, and the scent does seem to fade rather quickly, but with a sweet fragrance like this I think it's better to have an essence of it instead of a full-on scent.

Overall I give this 3.5 kisses out of 5 - a nice fragrance for everyday use, but a little synthetic.