MY PERFUME COLLECTION

I make no secret of my love for scent. I'm picky beyond belief though. If it isn't quite right for me I give it a pass and move onto the next sample. I like to think that I know a lot about my scents so in this post I will take you through the fragrances that I own and use on a regular basis but I will start with a brief summary of the main types of perfume.

CITRUS

This name speaks for itself - it's zesty and usually ends up having a tang of lemon or orange about it. They're usually very light and only last 4-5 hours so they're best used during the day for a hint of scent.

FLORALS

Again, the name speaks for itself. These are made up of different bouquets of flowers. They're designed to be the most feminine of all fragrances although sometimes, for me, they're just too strong. Dependent of the type of floral they can last on the skin anywhere between 6-9 hours so can be used for either day or night.

FRUITY

Fruity scents are usually aimed at teenagers and come across as quite strong at times. More often than not there is a slight floral base note to these scents that deepen the fruity aromas so that they last longer. Fruity scents on average last 6 hours on the skin.

GREEN

This is a fragrance that suits both men and women. They're the most uni-sex of all scents. They're sporty and modern and light which make them perfect for daytime wear. They usually last 5 hours at most.

OCEANIC

These are the most modern of all fragrance types, only actually being labelled in 1991 when Dior created 'Dune'. They're incredibly fresh and crisp - as you imagine the sea air to be. They're very very light which makes this perfume have only 3-4 hours endurance on the skin.

ORIENTALS

Orientals are the femme fatales of the fragrance world. They're musky and amber based. They're predominately a range of night perfumes as they're strong and last on the skin very well (7-8 hours). They're normally very bold, especially when combined with floral scents which makes 'florientals'.

SPICY

These are usually made using food-based scents: ginger, cinnamon and cloves. They're often strong and don't suit everyone unfortunately. They're quite old-fashioned too which makes them popular if for nostalgic purposes alone. Lasting, on average, 5-7 hours, they're good for evenings or when you don't want your scent to impose on other people.

CHYPRE

These are the other type of uni-sex fragrance. They're woody - usually incorporating moss, bark and sandelwood. They range, dependent on the house from which it's come, as to whether they're heavy or light. On average they last 6 hours and can be worn both during the day and evening.

My perfumes have been collected over the years but when I get a whiff of one then I am always transported back to some particular memory when I wore that scent and I always feel really happy. Whilst I go through my collection I'll hint at the memories behind them too.

ESTEE LAUDER BRONZE GODDESS CAPRI

I bought this last summer and every time I wear it I think of laughing in The White Lion beer garden over our friends giving away the fact Dave had been out-witted by our friend's six year old. It's a green/chypre cross I would say with a hint of coconut in there and some jasmine too. It just smells like summer and I love it.

DIOR MISS DIOR CHERIE


This huge bottle of Miss Dior Cherie came all the way from Las Vegas as a gift from Dave. It's a blogger favourite and is fast becoming a modern classic. I love it although I wouldn't use it as a signature scent seeing as every woman and their cat wears this at some point or another. It's definitely chypre but it has a strong amber note and it's also slightly floral too with a nod to roses. It's one of my favourite perfumes and reminds me of great nights out with my friends.

THE BODY SHOP ATLAS MOUNTAIN ROSE PERFUME OIL


This is obviously floral and very strongly so. It's a simple perfume oil that reminds me of the scent of our Moroccan hotel in the evenings when the roses in the gardens were most fragrant. I wear this when I want a flashback to the decking and cocktails.

VICTOR & ROLF FLOWERBOMB


I adore this perfume. It's floriental - sweet and flirty with a very strong amber base-note intertwined with vanilla. My step mum bought me this for Christmas one year and I fell head over heels for it. It reminds me of dancing up and down the bar where I once worked with my friend Zoe.

VERSACE YELLOW DIAMOND


This perfume is citrus all the way. It was a gift and not something I would have bought for myself. It's very light and I like to wear it at work a lot at the moment. It also featured very heavily in my last babysitting session with my niece as she sprayed it onto the cat and herself.

HUGO BOSS NUIT POUR FEMME


This is floral but sophisticated - not in your face and overpowering as some florals can be. I'm in love with it. Dave picked this out for me which makes it personal and it reminds me of long walks holding hands and lots of cuddles on the sofa.

MARC JACOBS DOT


Oh my this is definitely fruity! I feel that sometimes it's a little too young for me as I associate fruity scents with young girls. My sister used to wear similar perfumes to this when she was 14/15. It reminds me of shopping trips mainly. The bottle is so cute though I'll keep it around as long as possible to display.

What's your favourite perfume?