By Designer

The Scent of Peace by Bond No. 9 Review

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I recently got a hold of about 10 Bond No. 9 fragrance samples, so, now I will be posting proper reviews on each over the next little while. The first up to bat is a highly popular fragrance for ladies, The Scent of Peace. In this post, I’m going to explore what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

 

What does The Scent of Peace Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, black currant, cedar, lily of the valley, hedione, musk

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 The Scent Of Peace Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Fluid Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The Scent of Peace gets a lot of comparisons to Light Blue by D&G. With Light Blue, you get: apple, lemon, and musk. While with this Bond No. 9 fragrance, you get: grapefruit, black currant, and musk. So, while they share the musk note, the juicy fruits within the composition are different but create a similar effect.

Which one is better? I think that The Scent of Peace gets it right. The grapefruit note with the delicious smelling back currant is a much more enjoyable aroma than the already nicely scented Light Blue.

Anyways, the opening of this fragrance, is all about those vibrant and juicy fruits. It is a very fresh and bright aroma that has me smelling the spot on my arms I sprayed, again and again. Just catching a waft of this stuff is quite and enjoyable experience.

The black currant is the leader of the pack, without question. Obviously, pairing this note with further citrus, can make the beginning of the scent quite sharp. Some might find it to be too much, though for me, it’s not bad at all and actually enjoyable. 

As it moves along, the floral notes begin to emerge, but never really seem to take over the scent. At this point, I am fully getting the summer’s day vibe from The Scent of Peace. Lily of the valley is the floral note of choice, but it really remains light, and flanked by the musky ingredient. 

With the underlying cedar note, the lily of the valley, creates a ‘green’ outdoorsy aroma that is undeniably beautiful when blended with the fruit. It’s fresh, clean, bright, with a bit of a biting sharpness. 

The whole wear isn’t all that complicated. It’s an easy to put on scent, with minimal development, but an attractive and refreshing smell. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this one is pretty light to moderate, which I think is a good thing in this case. This perfume doesn’t need to be an absolute bomb and would take away from how good it already is. It is light, yet noticeable, before turning into a skin scent that sneaks up on you, lest you have forgotten that you were wearing it.

Longevity, is good, however. Around 7 hours of solid wear and maybe a few more, where it is still detectable on my skin. It could probably go longer, in the right circumstances. It does its job for a daily wear or casual type of scent. It could be a bit better, but it’s certainly solid. 

I would say this is an ideal spring/summer fragrance. As a casual daytime wear or one that is worn to work or school. It has an upbeat but not overly youthful vibe, it doesn’t have that ‘teenager’ super sweetness, but seems right for women in their 20s and up. Think beautiful but not necessarily sexy.

It’s a really nice and refreshing sort of wear, that will sit beautifully in the temperate or warmer climates. Once the black currant settles in a bit, things still feel a bit crisp, but The Scent of Peace is an altogether smoother experience. 

Overall Impression of The Scent of Peace for Her

Overall, would I recommend The Scent of Peace? Yes, this is one of my favorite Bond No. 9 fragrances for women. It is delicious and oh so pretty.  It is great for those who are looking for a casual scent that will garner complements, be enjoyable to wear, and won’t overpower a room.

Obviously, the Bond No. 9 lineup can be pricey. However, this is one that I think is worth the purchase. Not everyone will be enamored with it, it will mostly boil down to the grapefruit and black currant combo. Though, I think that most, will find this to be a very nice perfume to spray on during the spring and summertime. 

Soleil Blanc by Tom Ford Review

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I still have about a dozen more Tom Ford fragrance reviews to post from my current batch of samples. I’m going to start making a dent in that number today, by reviewing 2016’s release Soleil Blanc. This perfumes has gotten fairly popular over the past few years, but is it actually worth it? How does it smell? What’s the performance like? When should it be worn?

What does Soleil Blanc Smell Like?

Notes include: coconut, bergamot, pink pepper, ylang ylang, cardamom, pistachio, jasmine, tonka bean, amber, benzoin, tuberose

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Soleil Blanc Eau De Parfum Spray for Unisex 3.4 Oz / 100ml

My Full Review

Soleil Blanc opens with coconut infused with bergamot juice and flanked by floral notes, though, mainly tuberose at this stage. It feels quite tropical and I particularly like the beginning, when the bergamot is in full swing, before it fades from the picture.

Beyond the initial offering, I start to get a bit of cardamom (with a slight hint of pink pepper), and the jasmine begins to emerge more on my skin. It’s sweet with a fresh spice, in there, but the fragrance as a whole takes on a suntan oil or lotion fragrance.

Yes, it gets compared to Virgin Island Water a lot, but Soleil Blanc is more feminine and pleasing to my nose. I honestly don’t think that they are as similar as folks want to make them out to be.

The further along I get, the more the floral notes emerge, and create a smooth and creamy effect on the composition. Lots of ylang-ylang, tuberose, and jasmine with the sweet coconut still sitting in the heart of things.

It’s wrapped up in a slight amber warmth and a benzoin, that reminds me of men’s fragrance, Kouros Body. Soleil Blanc is pretty simple from there on out. I put some on a t-shirt also, and the next day, it had dried down into a semi-sweet floral with cardamom being the other main note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage is solid, but not super heavy by any means. It is exactly what it needs to be, noticeable, but not room suffocating. It is also pretty consistent in intensity throughout the wear.

The longevity is great and Soleil Blanc lasts for over 10 hours on my skin. So, no worries about it quitting in the middle of the day. For a summertime fragrance, that’s actually really could compared to most others.

Seasonally, this bright fragrance begs to be worn in the warmer weather. Spring is just fine, but really summer is where it’s at.  I find it to be quite an attractive fragrance, but yes, it does have that suntan lotion element.

As such, maybe it isn’t a ‘sexy’ perfume, but is pretty and upbeat. It can be worn casually, semi-formal, or at the office. Soleil isn’t really going to offend anybody, so it is safe for close quarters. Sweet, creamy, floral, with some underlying spice.

Overall Impressions of Soleil Blanc

Overall, do I like Soleil Blanc? Yes, I think that it is a great addition to the Tom Ford line of women’s fragrances. It’s really among the best of the bunch that have been released over the years. The coconut is great and blends very well with the floral notes. It’s all creamy and smooth, with some nice warm and spicy notes thrown in.

It does have somewhat of a summertime beachy vibe, but not the same kind of saltiness that other scents in this category have. In the end, it smells nice and lasts all day, and is an awesome option for women.

Bleecker Street by Bond No. 9 Review

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This is a review that I’ve been meaning to get around to doing for a long while. In fact, I grabbed another sample vial just for this very purpose, and promptly forgot about it for months. But, Bleecker Street, is a scent that needed a write up on this site and I wasn’t going to let the sample Bond No. 9 perfume, lie unused for too long. So, in this post, I am going to cover the usual ingredients, how it smells, develops, performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s actually worth a purchase.

What does Bleecker Street Smell Like?

Notes include: violet leaf, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, jasmine, cassis, patchouli, oakmoss

Click here to try: Bond No.9 Bleecker Street Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Bond No. 9 describes, Bleecker Street: Art, fashion, seduction, and dessert in liquid form. A warm and sensual aphrodisiac that glides from day into evening. 

The opening of Bleecker Street gives you that initial blast of violet leaf. Violet leaf always reminds me of Fahrenheit by Christian Dior, and yep, that’s a what I experience with this Bond No. 9 fragrance. That outdoorsy almost gasoline kind of aroma, just toned way down, in Bleecker Street and not nearly as aggressive as the Dior.

Nonetheless, it quickly moves off of that beginning and is joined by other notes like cinnamon, patchouli, and oakmoss. It’s a green ‘natural’ kind of scent, sort of sporty, but always clean and fresh. Looking at the notes, which include vanilla and caramel, I would expect this to be sweeter than it actually is.

However, Bleecker Street never reaches that expected sweetness, as it is controlled by the stronger notes like cassis, which while derived from black currant doesn’t have that sugary quality. It is the same type of thing you find in Aventus. So, it’s not sugary and the fruit isn’t ‘juicy’, as it is surrounded by dry ingredients.

The whole profile and experience of wearing Bleecker Street brings me to the outdoors, out in the wilderness, and taking in the landscape. At times, it’s completely woody with the overlying natural sharpness of the cassis. Then, a layer of faint sweetness of caramel.

The violet leaf is always present and a bit of warm spice from the cinnamon and patchouli. To my nose, it gets sweeter as it dries down, and moves away from the woodiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, its of pretty moderate sillage. People will notice it, but there’s no need to go heavy on the sprays, nor is it going to be crazy intense with a normal application. There’s really no need to coat yourself in it, though.

The performance with Bleecker Street’s longevity is very good and while around 8 hours is the norm, it can hit double digits on occasion. It’s not one to die out in the middle of the day and will be just right for almost any time one wears it.

Now, this is listed as a unisex fragrance by Bond No. 9 and I tend to agree. Though, it does lean more towards the masculine side of things. I’ve said that it has elements of both Fahrenheit and Aventus for men, but this Bond scent, never has that same intensity or overt masculinity. So, yes, it is safe for women but it does have more of what would usually be considered masculine elements.

Seasonally, I would like to wear this best in the autumn or spring. It just feels right with more moderate temperatures and there’s all of the usual changes in nature taking place. Just the whole clean outdoorsy profile fits these time periods to a tee.

Bleecker is a versatile scent, it can be worn casually, as well as on more formal occasions. It smells really good, but isn’t what I’d call sexy, and isn’t a nightclub beast.

Overall Impressions of Bleecker Street

Overall, do I like Bleecker Street? Yes, this is one of the better fragrances by Bond No. 9. It’s got a pretty unique style and aroma. It is interesting throughout and the notes aren’t what you’d find in a lot of the more common fragrances on the market.

The performance is also great. Is this a fragrance for everybody? Almost certainly not. Some women will find it too masculine and some guys won’t find it bold enough. Though, it is a quality perfume, and one which has found a niche in a lot of people’s rotations.

It’s definitely one of my favorite fragrances from this expensive brand, which can honestly be pretty hit or miss. This one is among the best that they’ve ever put out.

4 Best Victoria & David Beckham Perfumes for Women

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David Beckham’s ever popular line of men’s fragrances is still going strong. However, when he wanted to release a lineup for ladies, he teamed up with his wife, Victoria, to launch the perfumes. It was along the same premise as David’s men’s line, create good smelling scents, at a low price point. In this post, I’d like to explore the 4 best perfumes from the Victoria Beckham line of perfumes. Note: As of this current update in 2020, it is becoming harder to find these perfumes around. Some aren’t being made any longer, but there are still bottles floating around for relatively cheap.

 

What are the Best Victoria Beckham Fragrances for Her?

Beckham Signature By Beckham For Women Eau De Toilette Spray, 2.5-Ounce / 75 Ml– This one feels a bit different from the rest of the bunch. That could be because it shakes things up with more unique notes such as orchid and anise. It gives a good performance and strikes an interesting balance between the fruit/floral sweet, spice, and soft powder. Victoria Beckham was a part of the ad campaign for this perfume.

It opens up with the orchid being fully in control and flanked by some sweeter notes, like vanilla. The anise and patchouli, will play a major role as it wears on, and provide a great spiciness 10-15 minutes after spraying it on. I think that Beckham Signature for Women has been discontinued, as of now, but it’s still a great option with bottle available online. 

 

BECKHAM INTIMATELY YOURS EDT SPRAY 1.7 OZ FRGLDY– A floral/fruity blend with pear and bergamot giving support to lily, freesia, and frangipani. Slightly sweet with a vanilla vibe, this gives off a summery/tropical floral aroma that is quite smooth and pleasant to wear.

Intimately Yours has a bright warmth and woodsy undertones provided by vetiver and sandalwood. The frangipani is creamy and upbeat, especially when you get more of the sandalwood note. Intimately Yours is a highly enjoyable, mostly floral fragrance, that doesn’t get too bogged down in a garden-like aroma. Lighter sillage, but great smell. 

 

Beckham Signature Story by David Beckham, 2.50 Ounce– A very clean and feminine scent with a hearty helping of rose. Also, a citrus top provided by orange and peach, to go along with a warm/spicy musk note. Solid performance for casual/romantic wear.

Signature Story was a flanker fragrance to the original Beckham Signature. Though, the two really don’t have anything in common other than the name, and patchouli. Very musky floral, during the dry down, heavier on the peony and rose. Reminiscent of Lovely by SJP. 

 

Intimately Beckham By Beckham For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.0 Oz / 30 Ml– A good one for the floral lovers out there. An airy bouquet of notes including lily, vanilla, tuberose, and neroli. The musk is much less pronounced than in the option above. Intimately Beckham ends up being a moderate and fresh kind of fragrance. The tuberose really comes through later on, but the other notes play a nice enough support roll, that it isn’t overwhelming.

Bobbi Brown Best Perfumes: Top 4 Fragrances for Ladies

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Bobbi Brown is a designer who is known mostly for her line of cosmetic products such as makeup. However, she has also released a line of fragrances for ladies in the upper moderate price range of perfumes. Bobbi has enjoyed massive success with her brand, as she produces products that are both high in quality and also have their own unique characteristics. For this post, I have selected four of these scents that could be considered the best of the line. As always, I have linked each perfume out to its page on Amazon for ease of purchase and more information.

Also see: Best Smelling Perfumes 2016, Sexiest Ladies Scents, Top Nina Ricci Fragrances


Bobbi Brown Beach Rollerball Fragrance
A beautiful summertime fragrance with notes that transport your mind to the shore. The notes are mostly oceanic in their origin but are paired with jasmine and mandarin to smooth out and sweeten the perfume. Notes also include: sand, driftwood, sea water, neroli.

 

Bobbi Brown Bobbi Brown Bobbi’s Party Eau de Parfum – Sleek NEW Bottle
A simple and straightforward fragrance with floral and sandalwood notes. Bobbi’s Party is somewhat spicy and fresh like a bath soap.

 

Bobbi Brown Bobbi Brown Bobbi Eau de Parfum – Sleek NEW Bottle
Bobbi is a perfume highlighted by green/woodsy notes and citrus. It is an interesting blend with cucumber, jasmine, and sandalwood also being present in the composition. Very clean and unique.

 

Bobbi Brown Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Eau de Parfum – Sleek NEW Bottle
A very soft and almost aquatic floral that will work well for those who enjoy an understated fragrance. The name Almost Bare fits this one well as it won’t overwhelm and is never heavy.