These days, I never leave the house without wearing perfume. It's the final finishing touch to my look, that factor that holds the whole thing together and establishes the mood I want to hold for the day. Yes, a scent is that important!

One perfume I recently got the chance to try is the Mary Kay Bella Belara (P2,300) EDP. It's a sweet floral scent that's not too young or cloying, if you get my drift. The top notes have fruity elements like nectarine and apricot, while the mid-notes sing of rose and jasmine. The dry-down is a subtle wood and moss combo, the perfect finish that sets everything to ground.

My verdict? It's nice! The Mary Kay Bella Belara is something I'd wear with floral-printed dresses and lacy tops since its subtle sweetness complements that particular look. I recommend this happy scent to women who are quiet, elegant, and always smiling.

And now, for the contest! If you want to get your own bottle of Bella Belara, simply accomplish the steps below to join the raffle. It's super easy to join! :D

A perfume review is the most difficult to do. To begin with, how can I communicate a scent over a monitor? What are the right words to use? It takes me time to review scents because I need to know the perfume first until we are old friends.  

Merely saying that a scent is "nice" or "good" is not enough. Most fragrances smell nice anyway (which is why they are called such, ha ha). These days, they are more about creating a mood, an image, or a story than just merely smelling good. That's why packaging and branding are just as important as the actual formula.

So what is Elizabeth Arden's Pretty Hot EDP about? It's a feminine scent, but with an undertone of smoldering allure. This is the girl you meet wearing chiffon dresses and dainty heels, but she is also extremely confident, competitive, and crafty.

Once the novelty of the gel formula and wand applicator wore off, I started to look at the new Majolica Majorca Majoromantica scent in Fruity Forest (P995) with a more critical eye. Does it have good staying power? Is it all cute and no substance?

What it is: Fruity Forest is a strong scent with juicy fruits as top notes, floral as the mid notes, and sugary sweetness as its base notes. It assaults the senses as soon as you pull the wand out, but it mellows down quickly as it spreads on your skin and dissipates in the air. Fruity Forest is part of Majo's latest collection called Fake Sleeping.

Lasting power: The wand is designed to apply the gel cologne on your pulse points (on the wrists, behind the ear, base of the throat, back of the knees). Doing so allows the scent to heat up and stay longer. However, I find that the fragrance is completely gone from my skin in three hours - not surprising, because this is not even an EDT, it's a cologne.

I did discover something else though.

Beauty cheers me up, in whatever form. God knows I need cheering up. Thanks to Elizabeth Arden for the gorgeous bouquet and their latest scent, Pretty Hot. It smells divine and sexy at the same time!

Sigrid Villamil, the product manager of Guerlain, once told me how Guerlain perfumes are distinct from each other with their own stories to tell. I completely agree. Shalimar is rich with tradition, the anthem of sophisticated women who never take no for an answer. Herba Fresca is a field of grass dotted by wildflowers, with sunlight streaming in a gentle glow.

And Guerlain Idylle? It's a bouquet of flowers presented to you by a charming gentleman as you walk in a candle-lit room wearing a gorgeous, flowing dress and strappy stilettos. You just met him, and you're excited to get to know him better, drunk with the promise of love. That moment in time is an idyll - a perfect scene, beautiful because you know it will never last.

I find Guerlain Idylle (P2,998) to be a truly versatile fragrance. It's not as heavy and musky as Shalimar nor as light and sharp as Herba Fresca - it's right in the middle, which allows you to wear it during the day or night.

Eeeeek! The article I wrote for OK! magazine is out! This is the first time I've ever been published on print. I've been featured a couple of times, but I've never actually written anything. OMG.

Okay, okay, I'll calm down. The article is about fragrances - how to pick one that suits your personality, great perfumes to try, and how to properly wear that hard-earned bottle of goodness.

I have already talked about my current favorite day scent, the Guerlain Herba Fresca. Today I'll talk about my default scent for the evening which is Guerlain Shalimar (P3,998). It's one of the most iconic fragrances in the world and toted as the first oriental scent ever created. It's got a lot of impressive history in a bottle!

Guerlain Shalimar was first created in 1925 by Jacques Guerlain. It's inspired by the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two familiar figures behind one of the eight wonders of the world: the Taj Mahal in India. The word "shalimar" is actually Sanskrit which translates to "temple of love".

In a tropical weather like ours, it's best to avoid heavy, musky fragrances during the day. Why? As the day progresses and the sun goes higher, the heat tends to magnify the scent of the essential oils in your perfume. Imagine it mixing with copious amounts of sweat and natural oils in your body, and you've got a musky, strong smell that's not pleasant at all!

That's why I prefer using light, energetic scents for day. My past favorites are the DKNY Be Delicious EDP and the Benetton Giallo EDC for their lovely floral/ fruity fragrance that's made for beautiful sunny days. Lately though I find myself reaching out for one of Guerlain's best-loved perfumes called the Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca.

As the name suggests, this perfume smells like a basket of fresh herbs. It invokes mental images of walking in a field of grass, just before the sun rises, before the sparkly dew evaporates in the first rays of the day. It's got a pinch of citrus, a sprig of mint thrown in, and a lovely flowery mix just wafting from underneath. 

Yesterday, I received a package that contained totally unexpected goodies: Guerlain and Bulgari perfumes! I was only expecting small testers for review, but I guess Sigrid of Luxasia has something else in mind:

L-R: Bulgari Eau Perfumee Au The Blanc, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca, Guerlain Idylle, Guerlain Shalimar

They're extremely photogenic, no? They smell just as good.

I'm sure you've seen the Outspoken by Fergie commercial by now. I love it when she said, "There is more than one way to be heard." I completely agree! One way is by wearing a scent that reflects your personality since it can speak volumes to those who can "hear" it, if you know what I mean.

I must admit that I was surprised when I learned that Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas fame, did a collaboration with Avon. She's known for her sexy image and strong personality - not really something one would immediately connect with a conservative brand like Avon. However, now that Avon is taking a more aggressive stance on women empowerment, Fergie is indeed a timely endorser as she is known to be a fun, fearless, and fashionable female that has a voice in this generation.

Avon kindly sent me a bottle of Outspoken by Fergie, designed by none other than the singer herself. It's a fresh modern scent that I really love!

Have you ever seen Ruffa Gutierrez in person? You should try one time! She's stunning in every sense of the word. Her beauty is like a physical wall that hits you when you lay your eyes on her. And no I'm not going lesbo, it's just that I am a keen admirer of beauty (hence this blog)! Anyway, I also like that Ruffa is always perfectly poised and well-dressed, with her makeup flawless.

Allow me make a comment in true showbiz fashion: she lost weight!

Ruffa hosted the launch of Avon's latest offerings: the Jet Holiday Eau de Toilette and the Dare To Dazzle Jewelry Collection last October 12. The event was held at Society Lounge. It was a pretty straightforward launch where guests got to experience and take home the Avon's newest products.

Gwapo models went around spraying Jet Holiday (P1,350) for the guests

Jet  Holiday  is described as an "enticing  blend of fresh citrus, sun-soaked orange blossom and exotic fig wood". I love the scent because it has this unexpected kick of something like ginger.

If you've always dreamed of bottling the clean, just-stepped-out-from-the-shower smell, then you definitely need to try out CLEAN Shower Fresh. The name of the product really says it all! The brand says it's "not heavy, overwhelming, or pretentious" and I would have to agree. 

I find the scent a bit sharp at first spray, smelling of soap, but it lightens up with citrus notes almost immediately. The heart of the scent hints of floral notes (jasmine, Lily of the Valley, orange blossom) while the dry-down is a woody musk.

Estee Lauder is an old skincare brand from way back in 1946. The icon, Audrey Hepburn, once said in 1992 when asked what her beauty secrets are: "...health, lots of sleep, lots of fresh air, and a lot of help from Estee Lauder". That's perhaps part of the reason why it's a name associated with elegant, mature women who like to splurge on beauty goodies. However, with its latest products, I think that I can safely say that Estee Lauder is now also catering to a younger (albeit more refined) market. Their latest releases illustrate as much.

I visited their counter in Rustan's Makati to see first hand just what's up with the brand. First off, let's check out the eyeshadows designed by their creative director, Tom Pecheux: the Pure Color Eyeshadow.

The packaging for these eyeshadows is extremely luxe, done in faux gold casing with the logo embossed on the top and side of the case. There's a bit of heft to it.

Wow, that week was harrowing. For most of it, I suffered a 38 to 39 degree fever, vomited, lost consciousness etc etc. Well I'm not too excited to remember that. Suffice it to say that I am feeling a lot better now. I am only just taking anti-nausea pills and antibiotics now. Thank you to all who wished me well - you can't believe how you helped. Thanks especially to Marco who never left my side and took very good care of me.  

So where were we? Ahh, the The United Colors of Benetton fragrances! Here's what happened during the launch, in a nutshell:

photo from Alex for thePOC

Gorgeous models

Got their shirts spray-painted on

There are fragrances for when you want to feel sexy, sweet, professional, glamorous, masculine or just plain clean - name it, and there's probably a scent for that! I never paid much attention to fragrances before, until I got to review a few of them for my blog. I think that scents can help create a good mood and accentuate your personal style. They're like a gorgeous pair of earrings or a statement necklace; your outfit looks fine without them, but once you have them on, they make a lot of difference! For scents, the difference doesn't lie in what we can see, but what we can smell and feel.

Acqua Colonia's specialty as a scent is to capture the essence of nature and use it to invigorate, stimulate, and relax the wearer. There are four variants available in the Philippines: Lemon & Ginger, the best seller, Vetyver & Bergamot, Melissa & Verbena, and Royal Riesling, which is what I have.

This cheerful fragrance is a tribute to the Riesling grape. It is the queen of white wine grapes and is considered to be the most precious type in the world. It is said to have euphoriant effects. 

According to Wikipedia, riesling is "an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas". Indeed, Acqua Colonia's Royal Riesling variant has a light, sharp floral scent as a top note. It mellows down to a powdery, musky smell as it melts on your skin.

It's finally here! The DKNY Delicious Candy Apples collection is distinguished by its saccharine, but not cloying, scent. Sweet Caramel is a light fragrance that combines juicy fruit (apple and pear), fresh floral (jasmine pertals, muguet, and violet leaves), and tantalizingly sweet notes (caramel, vanilla, and marshmallows). If I can eat a smell, I would definitely eat this one!

The cute bottle is designed to look like a candied apple. The top screws out smoothly from the perfume in one twist, so you don't have to worry your pretty head about getting it stuck or, god forbid, dropping the bottle in a fit of eager twisting.