MB Pour Homme Michael Bublé - Father's Day Gift Inspiration!

My husband has been lucky enough to have had a sneaky peek of the new signature male fragrance by Michael Bublé and we think that it is the perfect Father's Day gift. But you have to hurry because last orders to guarantee delivery in time for Father's Day is today...!! 

MB Pour Homme is described as a rich signature scent for the sophisticated modern gentleman. Starting with fresh and clean top notes of grapefruit and bergamot that mingle with spicy notes of pink pepper and ginger. With heart notes of soft and sensual facets of neroli and cashmeran. All wrapped together with a depth and intense warm base of sandalwood, patchouli and musk. Creating an elegant woody aromatic fougere fragrance, leaving him feeling fresh and energised.

Top Notes - 

Grapefruit 

Bergamot

Pink Pepper 

Ginger 

Heart Notes - 

Neroli 

Cashmeran

Base Notes - 

Sandalwood

Patchouli

Musk 

Thoughts

I have to mention the eye catching bottle that has instant shelf appeal. It's a gorgeous deep and timeless blue shade with strong, clean lines, the result is a chunky masculine bottle that is sure to take pride of place on the bathroom shelf. The inspiration for the sharp, and well defined lines etched into the bottle design is taken from a microphone and the choice of blue to represent the blue suit that every man possesses in his wardrobe and a signature of Michael Bublé himself.

The aftershave is absolutely gorgeous, seamlessly transitioning from day to evening. Fresh and bursting with citrus notes, this is modern and timeless. Blended with a hint of alluring spice it is a fragrance that is sure to appeal to men of all ages. 

Available exclusively from michaelbubleperfume.com 120ml EDP costs £55 

Ferrari Fragrance iPhone Case - Gift Idea

A perfect gift idea for this Valentine's Day that will satisfy a man's love of fast cars, gadgets and smelling good!

The Ferrari Fragrance iPhone case is award winning and innovative...

This Ferrari Fragrance iPhone case also doubles as you guessed it, a fragrance dispenser. Your man will not only look stylish he will smell incredibly alluring on the go. This gorgeous scent - Ferrari Black opens with fresh notes of lime, bergamot and red apple, boasting a delicious and spicy heart of cinnamon, cardamom and jasmine rose and finally base notes of masculinity and warmth of cedarwood, amyris wood, amber and vanilla.  Mmm, mmm.

The case is soft to touch and is a protective cover for the phone.

Also available in Ferrari Red, the cover is suitable for iPhones 6/6S and comes with an extra 25ml refill.

Ferrari Fragrance iphone Case 25ml RRP £30 and is available from Boots, The Perfume Shop and online. 

*PR Sample

3 Top Male Fragrances For Father's Day

Father's Day is this Sunday (15th June) and if you are after some last minute gift idea inspiration then I have three gorgeous fragrances right here.

First up is Hugo Boss - Boss Unlimited Eau de Toilette

I always find Hugo Boss make great scents for men and the limited edition Boss Unlimited is no exception.

Claiming to be the must have scent for this Summer of Sport, the fragrance is represented in advertisements by England Goalkeeper Joe Hart. 

Top notes - Iced Violet Leaves, Mint & Grapefruit
Heart notes - Pineapple 
Base notes - Sandalwood, Musk & green Cistus

The result is a refreshing and invigorating scent that has a heart that is ever so slightly sweet and finally releases a masculine and aromatic woody dry down.

This scent is unmistakably Hugo Boss and the ice white bottle is super cool. I predict this to be a bestseller.

Hugo Boss - Boss Unlimited 
EDT 50ml £41
EDT 100ml £55

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Lacoste L!VE Eau de Toilette Spray

If you are looking for something a bit more edgy and modern then take a look at Lacoste L!VE

This cubed shaped blue bottle features the scent name written in red on a white background on the front, another side is red with the Lacoste crocodile logo in white and two more white sides.

The scent is quite different from others on the market and I think would appeal to a more youthful audience. Energetic and stylish this scent will make a man stand out from the crowd.

Top notes - Lime
Heart notes - Green Leaves & Fresh Aquatic
Base notes - Guaiac Wood & Dark Licorice

The result is a vibrant and zesty awakening of the senses followed by a freshness which finally lays down to a sensuous end.

Lacoste L!VE EDT 100ml £47

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Lacoste EAU DE LACOSTE L.12.12 Blanc Limited Edition 

Another sporty inspiration, this time featuring Tennis and Lacoste's heritage with the sport. In celebrating the fact that Rene Lacoste invented the Polo Shirt, this scent take inspiration from the iconic white L.12.12 polo shirt and the flash of yellow on the white bottle, the tennis ball.

The fragrance is described as a modern collectible scent with a nod to the past.

Top notes - Grapefruit, Rosemary, Cardamom & Cedar Leaf
Heart notes - Tuberose, Ylang Ylang & Oilbanum
Base notes - Cedarwood, Georgywood & Vetiver

A chic woody, male floral fragrance this scent is fresh and clean with a gorgeous spicy aspect to it.

I have to agree there is something intrinsically classic about this fragrance that reassuringly reminds me of my dad but it is most definitely not an old man's scent. The simple white bottle is bound to appeal. I really like it.

Lacoste EAU DE LACOSTE L.12.12 Limited Edition EDT 100ml £47

*PR Samples

Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Men - Review

My husband has just finished his second bottle of Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Men so I think it is safe to say this is one of his favourites, I would go far as to say that this could very well be his signature scent.

Carolina Herrera say 

212 VIP MEN is a masculine fragrance that completes the 212 VIP universe and represents the style and attitude of VIP men in New York.

The 212 VIP man: charismatic, fun, elegant, sophisticated, desired and envied.

DON'T JUST GO TO THE PARTY. BE THE PARTY.

The fragrance is an explosive cocktail of vodka with frozen mint, lime caviar and vibrant spices inspired by the scent and attitude of the most exclusive parties.

Fragrance group - Woody Oriental

Top notes: Caviar lime, Frozen mint, Black pepper, Passion Fruit

Heart notes: Chilled vodka, Hot ginger, Slice of apple

Base notes: King wood, Salty amber, Tonka beans, Leather

Thoughts 

Intensely masculine, this scent has a fresh yet spicy smell with a subtle sweetness which is incredibly alluring. Having tried various fragrances over the years I think my husband wears spice based scents particularly well. 212 VIP Men provokes lots of positive reaction as he often gets stopped and asked by both males and females what the scent is.. the most memorable being a guy surfing in Brighton sea who came out of the sea to ask him! 

A winner for us both.

Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Men EDT 50ml £39

007 Quantum James Bond Fragrance For Men

The Name's Bond, James Bond - aahh those words.. What do you think they conjure up? For women, a man prepared to put his life in danger all in the call of duty, a sensual and seductive man who knows how to treat a lady right.. For man he thinks of speed, the car chases and the thrills. Bond - a confident man who remains cool and composed under extreme pressure.

I recently spent a day learning about Quantum, the third installment of the dangerously sophisticated and serious 007 fragrance line.

At the launch we met the James Bond stunt driver Ben Collins, a man who could quite easily play Bond himself. As we watched the advert for Quantum and smelt the new scent the room smouldered and filled with masculinity and testosterone as we could feel the sense of danger Bond faces in his life and yet somehow he is reassuringly cool, calm and composed as he deals with the challenges.

Quantum brings to life Bond's sense of cool under pressure and his intense masculinity. The fragrance invigorates body and mind with its stimulating and distinguished ingredients. Boasting a two phase character, it captures and enables every man to acquire the very essence of Bond like composure with a spray.

This really is Bond in a Bottle 

Raw Masculinity Accord - this is a classic masculine groomed scent that generations of man will relate to - think reassurance. Opening with potent Juniper Berries (evoking thoughts of Bond's Vesper Martini) and Bergamot  for a hit of energizing citrus (Bond's anticipation for the challenge).

Deep Woods carry through this masculine trend and in particular Sandalwood which has long been associated with spiritual calm and focus (a Bond trait).

Composure Accord - complements and invigorates the Raw Masculinity Accord. The scent of Leather is very much in focus here, a luxurious and robust material featured in Bond's elite and exclusive sports cars, its timeless and deep aroma convey Bond's intense mental focus. This is enhanced with fragrant Violet Leaf.

So good!

Packaging -

The distinctive and stylish bottle features an intricate metallic mesh texture on the gloss finish silver glass which depicts the elegant and distinguished designs of Bond's infamous car collection. There is no lid to lose, instead a Bond suitable gadget-tastic twist up and down lid in 'danger' red this bottle brings to life the exhilaration and adrenaline of Quantum.

Everything from the packaging to the scent has the presence of Bond behind it. A carefully thought out fragrance, I love it! A scent that is intensely appealing and satisfying to both men and women.

007 Quantum EDT is available nationwide in 30ml £20, 50ml £25, 75ml £32 and 125ml £42.

Fashion House Reiss Launch His & Hers Fragrances

Last week British Fashion House Reiss launched their debut his and hers fragrances. Created by award winning perfume designer Azzi Glassser with the help of the founder of Reiss, David Reiss. Ingredients were handpicked to create unique and luxury scents that represent style, design and elegance which are all at the heart of the Reiss philosophy. With this in mind, I think this has been achieved.

Grey Flower 

The 'female' scent is housed in a simple but not insubstantial gold mirrored bottle. This is not your usual feminine floral or sweet scent, boasting the finest of ingredients this is a warm and juicy fragrance that is rather sensual and mysterious, smelling like nothing I have smelt before.. as a result I truly think that this could be a unisex scent.

Top notes - Armoise and Pimento Berry
Heart notes -Sequoia Wood, Jasmine Noir and Cocoa Leaf
Base notes - Olibanum, Amber Crystals, Patchouli and Baies

Black Oudh 

Out of the two fragrances this was my favourite, whereas the women's fragrance is in a gold bottle this is in a classy silver mirrored bottle, Black Oudh is most definitely masculine. I fell in love with it from the first spray. A gorgeously seductive scent that sums up man for me. A wonderful blend of the fresh and green with the peppery scent of the Vetiver, drying down to a deliciously alluring musk/woody base.  Magnetic!

Top notes - Laurel Leaf and Cypress
Heart notes - Sequoia Wood, Clary Sage and Vetiver
Base notes - Black Oudh, Black Musk and Amber

Until the 3rd of October you can get personalised engraving on a 100ml bottle for free at Selfridges. As you can see from the above I dedicated mine to my husband of seven years, he loved the gesture. Most importantly the male scent was a hit with him too, and I have to say it smells incredible on him.

Reiss Grey Flower For Women Eau De Parfum 100ml £49, 50ml £35, 30ml £25
Reiss Black Oudh For Men Eau De Parfum 100ml £49, 50ml £35, 30ml £25

Available now exclusively from Selfridges. From the 26th September it will be available also in Reiss stores nationwide and online at www.selfridges.com

Grey Flower and Black Oudh are available in Reiss stores nationwide and online at www.selfridges.com from 26th September. 

*PR Sample

Father's Day Fragrance Gift Idea - Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Noir EDT Spray

Described as a woody aromatic fragrance Lacoste Noir is the newest addition to Lacoste's male fragrance collection.

Inspired by the intensity of warm Summer evenings and the timeless elegance and simplicity (the bottle) of the Lacoste Polo Shirt.  The bottle is black lacquered with side grips for easy handling and dressed with the iconic Lacoste crocodile logo in material.

The fragrance opens with a burst of wonderful freshness from the Watermelon, think of a welcoming breeze, this soon evolves into a more intense and aromatic scent of Basil, Lavender and Verbena replicating the warmth of dusk and early evening and culminates in an explosion of masculinity which intensifies in the heat releasing and wrapping the body with the sensualness of the base notes.

Lacoste Noir is absolutely gorgeous. It is intense, masculine and refreshing but ultimately it is warm and sensual - the perfect gift for a father.

Top Notes: Watermelon, Egyptian Basil
Heart Notes: Lavender, Verbena
Base Notes: Dark Chocolate Accord, Cashmeran, Courmarin, Patchouli

Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Noir EDT 100ml Spray costs £47. Also available in 30ml £28

*PR Sample

Elvis Jesus For Him And For Her Fragrances

These are the debut His and Her fragrances from the clothing brand Elvis Jesus.

Elvis Jesus For Her is presented in a heavy weight clear glass flacon adorned with the Brand’s iconic logo in rose coloured gold while For Him stands defiantly in a weather beaten clear glass flask branded with Elvis Jesus’ pewter coloured emblem.

Both fragrances lay hidden in their unique outer ‘book’ packaging – a nod to the origin of the Brand’s namesake. For Her is bound in smooth black with gold, whilst For Him lays in distressed brown with aged pewter, their script documenting the Brand’s history.

Elvis Jesus For Her EDT 50ml £39

A fragrance of contrasts, Elvis Jesus For Her opens with a fresh burst of uplifting Grapefruit, Cherry, Bergamot, Elemi and Peppermint blended with the woody backdrop of Nutmeg that develops into an innately feminine heart of Rose, Jasmine, Muguet and Cinnamon - evocative of a glamorous bygone era. The dry down envelops with a sensuous woody blend of Cedar, Courmarin, Amber, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Leather. A Woody Floral scent that lingers to give an indelible impression.

Top notes - Grapefruit, Cherry, Bergamot, Elemi and Peppermint

Heart notes - Rose, Jasmine, Muguet and Cinnamon

Base notes - Cedar, Courmarin, Amber, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Leather

My thoughts 

First of all I adore the packaging and bottles, so different. A perfect fit for the brand ethos.

This scent is really unusual and away from the norm of either fruity or floral fragrances. On my skin I detect the slight sweetness of the fruits but I struggle to detect any of the floral notes in the scent. I do however absolutely love the vanilla and tonka beans which on my skin are really prominent amongst the woody base notes and the warmth of the Cinnamon. 

Personally I feel this could appeal to either of the sexes.

Elvis Jesus For Him EDT 50ml £39

A masculine Earthy Citrus scent that opens with an explosion of Grapefruit, Orange and spicy Pink Pepper 

that prelude an earthy heart of Black Pepper, Patchouli and Geranium. The lingering masculine
notes of Cedar, Vetivert and sensual Woods leave a long lasting, seductive impact.

Top notes - Grapefruit, Orange and Pink Pepper

Heart notes - Black Pepper, Patchouli and Geranium

Base notes - Cedar, Vetivert and Woods

My thoughts

At first spray I wasn't sure about this at all as the citrus notes were quite stark but as it settled down I was  rewarded with a spicy and peppery scent with a backdrop of wood notes as it dried down. A definite masculine fragrance that improves as the day goes on. A rather appealing scent which is a bit different from what is already out there. Smells wonderful on my husband's skin.

Available Now To Buy Exclusively From Elvis Jesus, The Fragrance Shop and selected Elvis Jesus clothing retailers. 

*PR Samples

Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Eau De Toilette Review

I admit to being rather shallow when it comes to choosing scents for my husband ..I tend to get drawn to the advertising (usually the man advertising it) and if it appeals to me then I go and have a spray of it. One of my all time favourite male fragrances is Boss Bottled - the advertising had me at hello ;-)

An example of this happened when we were walking through House of Fraser one day, right in front of me I was greeted with the poster for Viktor & Rolf's Spicebomb. If you are not familiar with it, it is of a topless muscular man with a very attractive smouldering face who has the tag in the above photo in his mouth. Well who could refuse to try the fragrance presented with that? Not me.

It worked, I had a spray, loved it and called my husband back to have a squirt and he liked it too. Win.

Viktor & Rolf say

The perfect balance between strength & elegance, intensity & subtlety. Powerful, daring, sensual...
Spicebomb reveals masculinity from every angle

Top notes: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Pink Pepper and Elemi

Heart notes: Saffron, Cinnamon and Paprika

Base notes: Tobacco, Vetiver and Leather 

My thoughts 

From the unusual grenade designed bottled that triggers to spray, to the explosion of Spice this is an all masculine scent. Spicy and sexy this smells incredible on my husband. A marriage of opposites the spice is set nicely against the subtle sweetness of the fruit.

Although I do think this is one that is going to split opinion. I know that a few members of our family were surprised it appealed as it really wasn't for them.

Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb EDT 50ml costs £47

Top Fragrances This Christmas - Gift Ideas

For women my choice of perfume would be Alien Essence Absolute (EDP) by Thierry Mugler. A gorgeous bottle inspired by a drop of precious gold, showcases the sacred Amber Elixir with sculpted facets and curves and with the inclusion of Myrrh has to be the gift of Christmas!

The scent is described as an Amber, Floral Vanilla creation.

Top Note of Jasmine
Heart Notes of Cashmeran Wood and Myrrh
Base Notes of White Amber and Vanilla

Alien Essence Absolute EDP costs £52.50 for 30ml www.muglerstore.com

The name on everyone's lips this Winter is Bond, James Bond. This year is the 50th Anniversary of Bond and the latest film - Skyfall with Daniel Craig - has done phenomenally at the Box Office.

Coinciding with its release comes the launch of James Bond 007 Gold Edition Fragrance (EDT). Give your man the gift of sauve, sophistication with this very appealing and deliciously masculine scent.

Top Note of Apple
Heart Note of Cardamom
Base Notes of Sandalwood, Vetiver, Lavender, Coumarin, Moss

James Bond 007 Gold Edition Fragrance (EDT) Limited Edition costs £24.50 for 50ml www.theperfumeshop.com

However...  If you find it hard to select a scent for a loved one or a friend The Perfume Shop have the perfect gift idea again this year - the Vivabox!

I think this is a brilliant idea, each Vivabox comes with 7 samples so whoever you buy for can choose their favourite and swap the voucher inside for ONE full size bottle from The Perfume Shop nationwide.

What I particularly love is the choice of scents in these boxes, there is a good variety and one is bound to appeal as the selection is of some fabulous and top selling fragrances.

Women's Fragrance Selection 2012 - £34.99

Contains samples of: Nina Ricci Nina, Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy, Lacoste Touch of Pink, BOSS Orange, Very Irrésistible Givenchy, Elizabeth Arden Red Door, Paco Rabanne Lady Million

Men's Fragrance Selection 2012 - £37.99

Contains samples of: Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme, Diesel Only The Brave Tattoo, BOSS Orange Man, HUGO Just Different, Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Men, Montblanc Legend, Givenchy Play

One For The Men - Boss Just Different

I find it really interesting that we spend money on buying perfume and aftershave for others, we choose what we like the smell of and want them to smell like, particularly if it is for our other half..

I often wonder whether research has been done on the top ten aftershaves popular with men and if this is echoed by what women would choose for their man and the same research carried out with perfume. I think it would make interesting reading.

I think these days we are far more clued up on the different fragrances families so when we go into a shop or department store we are able a) sniff and identify similar scents or b) mention what the person normally wears and ask the consultant's advice on what would be similar.

I am not a huge fan of Hugo Boss scents for women,  I only really like Hugo Boss Orange. However, I do find myself drawn to the wonderful scents of Hugo Boss men. These really hit the spot for me and luckily my husband agrees. My favourite is 'Boss Bottled' which smells divine and alluring.

At a recent Christmas press launch I was at, a bottle of the latest Hugo Boss fragrance for men was included in the press pack - 'Just Different'.

Just Different is described by Hugo Boss as a vibrant fragrance with a cool twist to inspire whatever you do. With top notes of ice cold mint, heart notes of basil and freesia and base notes of cashmeran.

What this translates to -

A seriously sexy and manly fragrance.

If I had to describe it in simple terms, it would be like Farenheit (Christian Dior) but updated and fresh. I have always loved Fahrenheit which I now consider to be a classic, this is destined to be a classic too. The base note is Cashmeran which is a musky odour. I did detect a bit of vanilla as the scent was fading.. doing a bit of research I found out that Cashmeran's composition contains vanilla.

The bottle is completely black from front to back, just displaying the Hugo Boss logo. The bottle is encased in a 'soft touch' material and the design is a cool hip flask which unscrews.

This bang up to date fragrance fits in well with the Huge Boss brand and I can see it being up there with the best sellers.

The big question is .. did it appeal to my incredibly fussy 'when it comes to scent' husband?... well happily it did, he never leaves home now without a spray or two or three!

Hugo Boss Just Different EDT is available from The Perfume Shop priced at £36.50 for 100ml