Elizabeth & James | Nirvana Bourbon & Rose

I am such a fan of the original Elizabeth & James Black & White fragrances - they're easily in my list of top perfumes. You may recall I did a review on them back in the day. This fall, two new versions were added to the line - Bourbon (the brown bottle) and Rose (the red bottle). Without even a single whiff, I ordered them on the Sephora website as fast as I could, knowing I wouldn't regret it for a second.

Spoiler alert - I was right about how awesome these are. These perfumes are simply amazing. I think if you like the first two iterations of this perfume, you will easily love these next two. 

Nirvana Bourbon is the perfect fall/winter scent, or sexy date night aroma. Sephora's website describes it as a mix of oakwood, vanilla bourbon, and a hint of tuberose. I get a whiff of musk in there, even though it doesn't say anything about musk. This is definitely the heavier of the two fragrances, and if you're not a fan of amber, sultry, smoky scents, this is not for you. Furthermore, I think if Nirvana Black was your favorite of the original scents, you're going to be a big fan of Nirvana Bourbon, as the two are similar (although different!). A full size 1.7 oz bottle retails for $85 on the Sephora website. I picked up the rollerball which was only $25.

Nirvana Rose on the other hand, is something that can be worn any time of year, and is maybe more suited for summer, unlike Nirvana Bourbon. Nirvana Rose is described as a blend of rose de mai, geranium and vetiver. It's certainly rosy, but I think even those who aren't over the top about rose-scented products will enjoy this take on the floral note. This is easily the lighter of the two fragrances, and will probably be favored more by the general public than the darker, more unique Bourbon scent. If you're a fan of Nirvana White, Nirvana Rose is your obvious next purchase. Much like I said with the other fragrance, White and Rose are very similar, but have their obvious differences, too. Pricing for Nirvana Rose is the same as listed above for Nirvana Bourbon. 

The cool thing about both of these fragrances is that they mix together easily, so you can create a unique scent of your own by layering them as you choose. If you own both Nirvana Black & White, you have a handful of combinations to test out and find which you prefer. (I almost never wear White or Black alone, but typically some sort of combination of the two each time).

Very few perfume releases excite me these days, as it seems many scents are just so predictable or rip offs of something else, but that is untrue for the Nirvana line. It's in a league of it's own, and unlike any other perfumes I've smelled or owned in the past. These four perfumes are exclusively sold at Sephora, so make sure next time you're in the store you give them a whiff! I can't recommend them enough! 

What Nirvana perfume is your favorite? Let me know in the comments - I'm always curious which iteration people prefer most. 

Bamboo by Franck Olivier | Fragrance Outlet

It's no secret to my friends, I'm a perfume fiend and I'm not afraid to admit it. One of these days I will do a perfume collection post, but it's going to take some time to write up because this girl owns a LOT of perfumes. What I'm getting at is that I couldn't resist the opportunity to try out a new perfume (new to me, at least) when given the chance - and thanks to Fragrance Outlet,  Bamboo by Franck Olivier is now part of my collection. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Fragrance Outlet, it claims to be one of the nation's largest retailers of genuine fragrances. They carry brands like DKNY, Michael Kors, Coach, and Vera Wang just to name a few. They also claim to carry fragrances at a cost lower than department stores. However, that's not true considering they are selling Bamboo for $89 but you can find it all over the internet and at Sears for a measly $40. Do your research before you buy, people! 

Bamboo is not a scent that I would typically pick up for myself, as I tend towards warmer, more sultry perfumes but if you're a lover of fresh, crisp scents this is going to be right up your alley. 

The bottle is  thick sturdy glass with a cool bamboo imprint on the back side. My only gripe is that the silver lining on top is cheap plastic. I don't appreciate tacky packaging for perfumes over $40. 

There's a lot going on in this perfume, scent-wise. It's characterized as a woody floral scent. It has top notes of ivy, violet and black currant with base notes of vetiver, cedar and musk. This combo sounds disgusting, but it's actually really pleasant. There's no better way to describe Bamboo other than fresh. 

This perfume is a perfect spring and summer scent. If you're in to fragrances like Burberry Brit or Marc Jacobs Daisy, I think you'll really enjoy Bamboo, too. 

What's your favorite fresh scent? Let me know in the comments below! 

Flowerbomb | Precious Oil

I don't think it's a secret anymore that I absolutely love the Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb perfume. You may remember, it's the scent I wore on my wedding day, and it continues to be what I wear only for special occasions like date nights or vacations. Needless to say, I was thrilled when Influenster (not familiar, click here to find out more about this awesome website that will send anyone things for FREE, in exchange for a review!) emailed to say they were sending me one of Flowerbomb's latest products - their Precious Oil. 

It has to be said, like any perfume, you might love Flowerbomb as much as I do, or it might not be your cup of tea. It's a warm, floral fragrance with notes of jasmine, orchid, freesia and patchouli. It has a slight muskiness to it, which makes this perfume something I gravitate towards more in the fall and winter. If you've smelled Lancome's La Vie Est Belle or Nude by Rihanna, both are very similar scents. 

The newest thing to the Flowerbomb family is the Precious Oil ($75 for 0.68 oz). This product is meant to work with the perfume to prolong the life of the Flowerbomb scent on your skin. You could, of course, just purchase the oil if you prefer just a light perfume scent. Apply the Precious Oil to pulse points, and give yourself a spritz of the perfume wherever you like and you're guaranteed to smell amazing all day long. You need so little of this oil, that even this 0.68 oz bottle will last you quite some time. 

This isn't a product I'd typically purchase, but I really do enjoy using this to give me an added boost of Flowerbomb goodness. I'd definitely recommend checking it out if you're a fan of this perfume, or if you're in the market for a light, floral scent to add to your collection.

You can find Flowerbomb at Sephora, and most department stores. 

Scentbird | Jimmy Choo Stars

I am still just as excited about Scentbird as the first time I raved about it. Scentbird, for those of you who missed my last post, is a monthly perfume subscription service. It costs just $15 a month, and you receive a vial of perfume that's 0.34 oz (practically the size of a typical rollerball!) and a chic holder that you can switch the bottles in and out of. For a limited time, this fancy pink vial is available when you subscribe! 

The perfume you receive each month is totally up to you. You can pick from over 350 designer fragrances at Scentbird.com, so you never have to receive something that isn't your style. They're always adding new scents and if they don't have something you really want to try, they encourage subscribers to send them a note so they can add your scent to their library of fragrances.

This month, I chose to receive Jimmy Choo Stars, a limited edition fragrance that was launched in 2014. I'm not head over heels in love the original Jimmy Choo scent, but I have been a big fan of the spinoffs of the perfume. Stars is no exception - it smells so so good. If you've smelled Jimmy Choo before, it has that same basic scent that comes through strong, but there are also notes of citrus, patchouli, orchid, sandalwood and toffee. I can really pick up on the afternotes of toffee, which is quite a unique and interesting scent. If you're a fan of scents like Chloe or Miss Dior, you might like this perfume as well.

Stars is sophisticated, feminine and sexy and if I didn't have a million perfumes to use, I'd consider placing an order for it right this second. 

I'd highly recommend Scentbird if you like to switch up your perfume or get bored easily with scents. It's an awesome way to try a new perfume before shelling out the big bucks on a large bottle. I'm a self professed perfume junkie, so you can bet I'm loving experimenting thanks to Scentbird! To start your subscription, just click here.  Use the code SPRINGBIRD to get 15% off your first month! 

What perfume would you try? Let me know! 

Spring Scents | Top 3

One of my favorite parts of getting ready for the day is choosing which perfume I want to wear. I'm as self-confessed perfume addict and my collection is quite expansive (although I'm trying not to let it grow at all!) so the choice of what to wear each day is between quite a few options. (Click here to see a snippet of my perfume collection)

One factor that heavily impacts my decision for what perfume to wear is the season. I firmly believe that there are certain perfumes that are just not meant to be worn in every season. For example, I tend towards musky vanilla scents in the winter and gravitate towards more fruity, floral scents in spring and summer. The three scents seen above are my top 3 picks that are perfect for the spring season, and oddly enough they're all celebrity perfumes.

Katy Perry Purr - This Katy Perry perfume debuted in 2010, and I've got just a traveler size (the actual bottle is much cuter). Purr is sweet and fruity with notes of peach and apple. This is a perfume that is very sweet, while still remaining mature and sexy... a combo that's often hard to come by.

Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy - Another oldie, I've had Midnight Fantasy in my collection for years, and for good reason. It's sweet with hints of vanilla, and it lasts literally all day long. Just a couple spritzes to the wrist and neck and you'll smell amazingly sweet and feminine all day long.

SJP NYC - SJP NYC is a Sarah Jessica Parker perfume. The second I smelled this scent, I knew I had to have it. It's ultra sweet, characterized by mandarin and strawberry and an undertone of musk which is very light. Of all three perfumes, this is easily the sweetest.


What are your ultimate spring scents?

June Birchbox - Wanderlust

It's here, it's here! My June Birchbox is here, and it comes with an updated logo and branding. This month's box is all about wanderlust, or traveling - it includes samples to serve one well on any summer adventure. Let's dive in...

Color Club Nail Polish in Mod in Manhattan | Full-size: $8

This color is part of an exclusive collection created by Birchbox and Color Club called the Wanderlust Collection which was inspired by four of Birchbox's favorite cities. Mod in Manhattan is a milky off-white that appears to have the slightest tint of pink in it. I have to say I'm not the least bit excited about this color. I don't like my nails being all white - to me that looks like pure white-out, and is a bit sophomoric.  I like Color Club polishes a lot, but I'm not sure I'll be wearing this any time soon.

--What I love: The brand - Color Club polishes are a favorite of mine. 

--What I can live without: The color!

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo | Full-size: $24

My first thought upon seeing this sample was how pleased I was by the size. I mean, when you get shampoo or conditioner samples in the little rip off packages, there's never enough product to truly tell how well you like it. But THIS is a good size! This shampoo has a really fresh natural scent that I love. This product claims to soften and nourish hair, especially dry and frizzy hair. I will definitely take this little sample with me while traveling, but I can guarantee you I wouldn't spend $24 on a full size bottle of this - outrageous. 

--What I love: The branding. I'm in love with this packaging - simple and modern.

--What I can live without: The price of a full-size bottle. 

Oscar de la Renta Perfume in Something Blue | Full-size: $85-115

Marked by a blend of mandarin and linden blossoms, Something Blue by Oscar de la Renta has summer scent written all over it! It seems most of the beauty world hates getting perfume samples, but I'm part of the minority that loves getting them! Unfortunately, this scent reminds me of a perfume from the Gap that I had in middle school. Considering I'm in my mid-20s, I'd like to think my scents have matured a bit since then.  

--What I love: Nothing, really. Boo.

--What I can live without: The aggravating sample packaging - I prefer spray samples, but this is the pop off top container. I can live without the scent, too. 

suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser | Full-size: $32.95

This product from suki is a two-in-one cleanser and exfoliater that lathers and smells like lemons. I like the scent a lot and I'm betting I can get a couple uses out of this sample - awesome! This is a brand I've never heard of before, but I'm looking forward to trying it out. 

--What I love: The scent and the two-in-one awesomeness.

--What I can live without: The price of the full-sized item - crazy talk. 

Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner | Full-size: $27.50

Another product from Davines, but am I missing something? Why in the world did I get a massive shampoo sample but my conditioner sample surely won't be enough to cover even a fourth of my hair?!?! This is one of my biggest pet peeves regarding samples - this little bit of conditioner will never give me an impression of your product, so why would I waste my time? Not sure I'll even bother trying this one out. If it were as big as the shampoo sample, it would be perfect.

What I love: I like that I got both the shampoo and conditioner to try out.

What I can live without: The sample size and packaging - total fail.

Davines Oi/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion | Full-size: $40

Yet another Davines product - and this one I'm really looking forward to trying. This oil claims to instantly tame frizz and strengthen hair over time. I'm prone to frizzy hair, so I will certainly get some use out of this. Considering how little oil you need to use in one application, I should get a good amount of use from this sample. 

--What I love: I love hair oils, hoping to love this once I try it, too.

--What I can live without: The packaging. A tube would have been much more convenient for multiple uses.

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Overall, I expected more from this Birchbox. After the announcement of their rebranding, which came about a week or two before I received this box, I expected they'd kick off their first newly branded box with some stellar products. The variety of brands and the tiny product samples were disappointing, and I'm not so sure it was worth my $10. 

On another related note, I signed up for Ipsy - a subscription service similar to Birchbox, but it appears you get much more value from the $10 a month price point. I'll get my first "glam bag" (as they call it) in July, and I can't wait to share it with you. A battle of the subscription services will have to happen... stay tuned...

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** This post contains my referral link. If you click on the link and sign up, I will earn credit towards Birchbox products.