Although I tend to be very loyal to the same fragrance and have been for a while, I always look forward to sampling new fragrances on the market.  My latest sampling was the Versace Yellow Diamond perfume, body lotion and shower gel.  Before getting into what I thought, I must first mention that I am drawn to really clean, fresh, light scents  and anything outside of that realm seems overpowering to me.

I found the Yellow Diamond perfume to be very  floral and fruity on my skin.  The top notes includes Citron, Pear, Neroli and Bergamot, the middle notes are Freesia, Orange Blossom and Mimosa and the bottom notes are Amber, Wood and Musk.

I applied very little, but the fragrance was still pretty intense, after a while I swear I could taste the fragrance in the back of my throat.  The perfumed body lotion was the same…much to intense for my liking.  I did however like the perfumed shower gel.  For some reason it did not seem as intense as the perfume and body lotion, it left a barely there, soft fragrance on my skin.  However, I would only use the shower gel if I were going out at night and did not plan on using any other fragrance.

If you’re into floral, fruity scents I would recommend giving this a try, what I would not recommend is using the shower gel, body lotion and perfume at the same time…not unless you enjoy being swarmed by bees or are intentionally trying to dissuade any form of human contact. If you’ve worn this perfume, I’d love to know what you thought of it.

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Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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Nine West has joined the ranks of countless other retail brands diving into the world of fragrance. The beloved shoe company debuted their premier scent, Love Fury, on January 23^rd 2012.

Created through an exclusive partnership with Firmenich (the company behind scents like Juicy Couture and Ralph Lauren Romance), Love Fury is a romantic, fruity-floral blend that easily takes you from daytime wear to a girl’s night out.

To me, the scent’s fruity notes are reminiscent of Betsey Johnson’s self-named fragrance released in 2006. The opening notes of both perfumes are irresistibly bright and floral, but the heart and drydown of Love Fury are more appealing by far with sensual sandalwood and amber.

The packaging is simple and chic, the stopper a unique nod to Nine West’s signature mark: a stiletto heel.

Visit your local Nine West store or www.NineWest.com to learn more about the fragrance, available in a 0.3oz. rollerball, 1.7 and 3.4oz accompanied by a 6 oz body lotion.

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Amanda Huggins

Amanda is a PR and communications girl living and working in the NYC area. She is a firm believer in the powers of a strong cup of coffee and fire-engine red lipstick.

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Now you can take your Boyfriend wherever you go.

For the past year or so, I have been in a fragrance crisis. Despite how many times I searched through Sephora, Ulta, or my local department stores, I just couldn’t seem to find a scent that fits my personality.

The light, sweet notes found in my once-loved perfumes smelled a bit too young for me, but I didn’t want to lose the femininity that those fragrances embodied. There’s something indescribably feminine – even seductive – about amber and vanilla scents.

That being said, I  also love the woody, musky, and even citrusy notes that are present in most men’s colognes – I’ve actually been spraying Aqua Di Gio around my room as an air freshener lately. As you can imagine, I was totally floored to come across Boyfriend by Kate Walsh, a mens-inspired fragrance that had musky, woodsy notes while still keeping a very distinct level of femininity.

Kate Walsh missed the scent of her boyfriend on her skin (don’t we all love that smell?) and set out to create a fragrance that was mens-inspired but totally feminine. Walsh hit the mark – there is a distinctly masculine edge to the fragrance, but it is warm, comforting, and manages remains quite delicate and girly.

While this scent isn’t for everybody, it is my complete dream come true. Buy 1.6oz of Boyfriend at Sephora for $65.00 (and free shipping!)

*Disclosure: A small sampler was sent by the PR firm to review this product.

Amanda Huggins

Amanda is a PR and communications girl living and working in the NYC area. She is a firm believer in the powers of a strong cup of coffee and fire-engine red lipstick.

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I tend to be very loyal when it comes to my perfumes.  Rarely do I ever deviate from a particular brand or fragrance. The only time I ever switch my scents are in the summer and fall.  In the summer, I tend to go with very light body splashes and in the fall I return to my signature scent of perfume…a little less playful, but definitely a stronger scent…a bit sexier.  I have been using the same perfume for a few years now and though I’ve been tempted a few times by the bright lights and smiling faces at the department store perfume counters and I’ve managed to remain faithful to a fault…until I met the Italian…Gelsomino Nobile.

Gelsomino Nobile is a new fragrance from the Le Nobili collection by Acqua Di Parma and is centered on a species of Jasmine grown in Calabria, Italy.  The fragrance is inspired by a beautiful Italian garden with a sunny sea breeze wafting in from the Mediterranean.  I generally shy away from anything inspired by a garden of any kind because I normally find those types of fragrances overpowering, not the case with Gelsomino Nobile.  It is soft, sexy, feminine and sophisticated.  It is definitely a fragrance that I would only wear during the colder months and just a little dab goes a long way.  The process of choosing a new perfume is a very personal experience for me and one that I tend to experience by myself (and of course the salesperson)…maybe…But this time I decided to get a second opinion, that of the current boyfriend…no he is not Italian.  He thought the fragrance was subtle, sexy and not overwhelming.  I normally go through the entire sample of perfume before I decide 100% to purchase it, I’ve only used about 25% of the Gelsomino Nobile sample (seriously a little really does go a long way) but I’ve pretty much made up my mind and settled on the fact that I am going to cheat….

Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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It’s that time of year again for a perfume change, a time of year also known to some as summer.   And I love celebrating summer and all that it embodies by going lighter and fresher with everything… diet, clothing, hair and of course fragrance.    I rarely ever wear perfume in the summer, opting instead to go with body splashes or a lightly scented lotion.  On those very rare occasions when I do choose to wear perfume, I look for fragrances that are clean, fresh,  soft, simple and pretty.  I like fragrances that are very easy to wear and that also require very close contact if you are looking to catch a whiff of it (what can I say, I’m very private about my fragrance, can’t have every Tom, Dick and Harry stealing a whiff…)

I managed to find a few perfumes that incorporate all of the attributes I look for in a “summer fragrance” and they are all by elizabethW san francisco.  The fragrances from the line that I absolutely love for summer are Leaves, Citrus Vervain and Sweet Tea. They are all very evocative of summer, but the fragrance that I chose as my new summer perfume was of course the Sweet Tea.  Not only does the name absolutely epitomize summer, but the fragrance is described as gracious,  spirited and elegant with enticing oriental black teas, juicy fresh Amalfi lemons and the sweetness of almond honey, what could be more summery than that?  I love how simple, clean and fresh it smells on my skin, I honestly don’t think it could be overpowering even if it tried.

Now that I have my Sweet Tea, I feel more prepared to don my straw hats and cotton dresses…all that’s missing is my Southern accent (something about sweet tea that makes me think Scarlett O’Hara…)

Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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You’ve asked for it, reviews from brands you may not otherwise know about. Let me introduce you to Ambre Blends. This is a natural fragrance company that uses ambre oil as their primary ingredient with other organic essential oils. I had the opportunity to review their essences in their Olive Oil Soap and Body Cream. (Also pictured is their pure essence oil.)

invoke essence Pure Olive Oil Soap ($14): The sensual scent of ambre oil mixed with jasmine, neroli, sandalwood and a hint of rose, this scent has a clean yet sexy fragrance. If kept from sitting in a water prone spot in your shower in between washes, this soap lasts a while. It definitely left a light scent on my skin and I loved how moisturizing the olive oil was.

solace essence Body Cream ($20 for travel size): Upon first look at the texture of this body cream in it’s jar, I was reminded of Elmer’s Glue. I know that sounds like the weirdest description ever, but it was that white and creamy looking. However, it’s clear upon using it that this body cream applies easily and is a thin and aromatic moisturizer. It’s a combination of Ambre Essence with vanilla and a “rare special ingredient.” My non-professional nose tells me it smells of musk or Patchouli. (Either way it reminds me of the oils my sister Courtney used to wear.) The body cream contains shea butter, vitamin E, jojoba oil and green tea.

Ambre Blends are meant to change a bit when working with your own body chemistry, so these fragrances may smell a bit different when you wear them. Have you tried them?

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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If there is ever a storm and we lose power for days…not only do I have tons of candles in my house to give us light, but my house is likely to be the only one on the block without electricity that smells completely amazing. If you are a candle addict of sorts, you can probably relate.

There are 4 candles that smell amazing that I am absolutely loving right now.

Lisa Hoffman Madagascar Orchid candle: Small in size, but due to the crackling sound this wood wick makes, you would think you have a roaring fire going. And to be perfectly honest, the sound of that fireplace-like fire is pretty soothing. The candle is a soy wax blend and burns for 50 hours. The fragrance is a sweet floral scent. Simply put: it smells like a lotion I’d like to wear. ($46)

Crabtree & Evelyn Lavender candle: Perfect to instill a sense of calm and peace in your house, this clean burning wick and vegetable wax candle is a musky lavender scent. Burn time is about 40 hours and it comes with a pretty silver candle topper. ($30)

Tocca Beauty Candle in Brigitte:  Named after Brigitte Bardo, this fragrance is completely sexy. (And they have it in a body cream that I wear and LOVE!) The scent is a mix of ginger, rhubarb and papaya. Certainly a great romance candle…or when you are just in the mood for your house to smell pretty.  Burn time is about 60 hours. ($38)

Yon-Ka Paris Quintessence Candle: This scent reminds me of walking through the doors of the spa to that herbal-like fragrance that greets you. It is a mix of Lavender, Geranium, Rosemary, Cypress and Thyme in a palm and soy wax blend. I feel relaxed every time I light this candle. ($48)

Do you own any of these candles? Or is there one I should know about? Leave a comment and let me know!

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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I love fragrance. Certain scents can immediately whisk me back to a specific time in my life in a blink of an eye. Another helps create memories. There is such an abundance of great perfumes on the market right now, so I asked my fellow beauty blogger’s which were their must-have fragrance for Fall (and included mine too.)

Patty from Perfume Posse: For fall, I’m hands down in love with L’Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse. It’s rich, little spicy, nutty, the tubereuse isn’t the big white flower one of Fracas, it’s just absolutely stunning, warm and more than slightly addictive to wear. It’s a disturbing comfort. Like that moment when you are doing crow or a handstand in yoga, and it’s not something you feel confident about in the least, but you hit that one sweet moment when you know you’ve lined it up and that’s what it should feel like. Then you realize you are probably going to bang your nose on the floor or your arm might give out, but it’s almost weightless and without effort for a second and you may even look good doing it, but deeply disturbing in feeling right. (Find it at LuckyScent.com.) 

Marta from Talking Makeup: The hottest fragrance for Fall hands down is Womanity by Thierry Mugler!! Why? Wow factor.

Evie from Product Pasha: Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Cologne: this simple yet intriguing fragrance is perfect for Fall – sweet and warm, fresh and fruity. I love that I can wear it alone or pair it with other fragrances to add more depth on colder days.

Shannon from A Girl’s Gotta Spa!: I am really loving pureDKNY. There is something about the scent of vanilla as the air cools down. But it’s not just a clean vanilla and water fragrance, it has a hint of floral too. So pretty. So simple.

What is your must-have fragrance for Fall?

Don’t forget to Like A Girl’s Gotta Spa! on Facebook, talk to me on Twitter @agirlsgottaspa and subscribe to this beauty blog!

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Shannon Nelson

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“Fragrance is more than what we wear, it’s how we feel when we wear it,” says Lynette Lovelace, the Founder of lifetherapy. And I think this is so true. Think about how many times just the simply act of putting on a scented lotion or spritzing your favorite perfume has helped transform your mood. It can make you go from feeling ordinary to extraordinary, plain Jane to sexy, somber to uplifted…and so is the basis for lifetherapy’s line of creams and pulse point fragrances. Simply choose a scent that you desire to be reflective of your mood.

lifetherapy sent me their Escape everyday hand creme, Play ultra rich body creme and Chill pulse point; which, quite honestly, I need to do all 3 lately. 

Escape is a clean, fresh scent of pineapple leaf with frangipiani, gardenia and Pikaki, and palm bark and musk. Close your eyes and imagine yourself atop a mountain in the tropics with flowing green grass reaching towards the winds transporting the scent of a freshly cut pineapple mixed with the floral notes of a gardenia your way.

Play is flirty floral of red orange and freesia, peony, magnolia, jasmine with peach and marsh grass.  It is similar to when Spring first arrives and the flowers are blooming for the very first time–sweet and succulent. (This scent is my favorite.)

Chill is a peaceful fragrance of rose, heliotrope and muget with amber, cedarwood and vanilla. It is a very sugarcoated musk scent.

What I really like about these products though, is that the scent is noticeable on your skin, yet light, and lasts far into the day.  You can find their products at http://lifetherapy.com.

Have you tried any of lifetherapy’s products? I’d love to hear about your experience.

Shannon Nelson

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Oh my. I think I need to take a few pointers from Beyonce on how to be totally sexy. Below is a sneak peak of Beyonce’s commercial for Beyonce Heat, a new fragrance with a “floral bouquet of magnolia, neroli and red vanilla orchid balanced with a kiss of luscious blush peach. At its heart, almond macaroon, sweet honeysuckle nectar and crème de musk combine to create an exquisitely sensual experience. Finally, warm and sexy notes of giant sequoia milkwood, tonka bean and amber linger to seduce the senses.”

Watch the video below (and wonder like I did how she kept everything from falling out of that dress!) 

Shannon Nelson

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