 |
Bvlgari Blv Ii Eau de Parfum
by amyjade90
Firstly this perfume was launched in 2009 I believe and I had seen it advertised in lots of high end fashion magazines such as Elle, Harpers and Vogue. Upon smelling a sample I loved it and kept up the hints to my boyfriend for my birthday.
My hints worked! And upon receiving it I was impressed with the packaging, the box is ... a light blue colour with Bvlgari written across the top in a silver print and the perfume name in a dark blue box in the middle, very simple yet classy and looks expensive. I was equally as impressed with the bottle which is actually much like the box, it is a chunky rectangular shape in the same light blue (which is actually the perfume colour) with the silver print. It has a chunky silver rounded lid with the logo printed around the top. Now I was quite shocked at how expensive this perfume was (and so was my boyfriend!) I think he paid about £65 for a 75ml bottle, although it has come down dramatically in price and you can now get a 75ml bottle for around £35 which I don't think is all that bad for the size bottle. You can also purchase the fragrance in 30ml and 50ml and they also do a 200ml bath lotion and a 200ml body lotion (neither of these I have tried)
Cavallier the maker wanted to create a fragrance that offered a clear, rich and sophisticated scent. Which I think he has achieved.
The top notes are of violet, star anise, liquorice and mandarin. The heart notes are iris, patchouli and haitian vetiver and the base notes include amber, benzoin, labdanum and tonka bean.
Now im pretty unsure what most of these actually are (tonka bean?!) and I was quite surprised that I actually liked the fragrance upon reading about the notes of the fragrance as I'm really not keen on anything with the liquorice or star anise scents.
The first spray of the scent is quite strong but it does lighten up after a while, maybe too much so as you would need to reapply this every few hours. Which thinking of the price and if it needs to be reapplied every so often it would work out not so great for money.
All in all I think it needs more staying power but for a few hours wear it is a lovely scent.
Read the complete review |
 |
Bvlgari Blv Notte Femme Eau de Toilette
by Joker25
The various review sites that I'm a member of often spur me into buying new things. Because of a Dooyoo member I bought a shedload of ELF cosmetics for next to nothing. A lot of my pet purchases are roadtested by other reviewers before I decide to take the plunge. And many of my recent fragrance purchases are thanks to one particular ... member* who really knows her stuff.
And so it was with this one. Bvlgari isn't a brand that I normally pay much attention to and I'd never smelled any of their perfumes before, preferring to stick to the likes of Guerlain, Chanel, Lancôme, and Dior. However, the review which mentioned this was so enthusiastic that I thought I'd give it a go and forked out £26.50 for 75ml of the eau de parfum from Cheap Smells.
The bottle is a lovely thing which is a little different from Dooyoo's pic; unfussy, yet classy and weighty. It's made of dark blue glass which is circular at the bottom and tapers in to a straight flat point which is topped by the silver spray. I haven't described that terribly well but it sits very comfortably in the palm of the hand and looks lovely on a dressing table.
When first sprayed, there's a light floral note which I don't quite recognise - it's certainly not as familiar as rose or jasmine - but it is rich and instantly enveloping. Almost straightaway I smelled an undertone of something quite boozy, like a much less sweet version of Absolut's vanilla vodka. The perfume is quite 'raw' and immediate at this stage but I found that the alcoholic scent takes much more of a back seat after fifteen minutes or so.
After half an hour to an hour there's a spicy savouriness that develops quite slowly. That description almost makes it sound like it's comparable to the whiff you get when you open a bag of dry roasted peanuts, but thankfully it's much more sophisticated than that; more like the kind of spices that can be both sweet and savoury, like cardamom or cinnamon. At this stage I get a faint but definite hint of something that's somewhere between leather and cigarette smoke which I really like. This is mentioned nowhere on Bvlgari's description, though, so I think it's just my nose interpreting scents in an odd way. This middle stage lasts for ages on me which I love as it's such a comforting and mellow scent that's perfect for this time of year. I don't get the strong hit of dark chocolate to quite the same degree that others experience; it's definitely there but it's very much in the background adding a touch of sweetness and warmth to the other notes.
After 7 hours this perfume is still going strong on my skin, which is very impressive. It has even better staying power if sprayed on clothes/hair as well as pulse points. At this stage the perfume stays quite close to my skin and the chocolate notes have started to come through a little more strongly, although to me it smells more like a just-baked dark chocolate cake rather than a bar of the stuff. I also find that a faint note of cloves develops alongside the spiciness from the middle notes. This combination of spice, bitter-edged sweetness and faint tobacco lingers on my skin throughout the evening and I can usually still detect it the next morning.
This isn't the kind of perfume I'd usually go for at all as I normally stick to more straightforward floral and orientals, but I'm really glad I branched out and tried it. It has a slightly smoky, masculine edge that works well in combination with the more feminine aromas and makes for a concoction that's simultaneously rich and mellow but also sophisticated and complex. The fact that this has been the perfume I've chosen to wear every day for the past week should speak volumes.
*That member was Lillamarta, of course. Thanks Lilla!
Read the complete review |
 |
Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au The Rouge Eau de Cologne
by angelboouk
Bvlgari was founded in Rome in 1884. Initially, the company specialised in the production of fine jewellery but has expanded over the years. The current list of products and services provided by Bvlgari includes hotels, spas and also fragrance and skincare.
***Fragrances***
Bvlgari offers a selection of perfume and ... aftershave products which are of a high quality. Whilst the majority of the fragrances are promoted as being for men or women, a few are aimed at both and considered unisex fragrances.
The Eau Parfumee collection from Bvlgari offers 3 different fragrances which are created based on rare and precious teas. Each fragrance is unisex and matching body products can be purchased. The collection includes :
*Au The Vert (green)
*Au The Blanc (white)
*Au The Rouge (red)
***Au The Rouge***
Au The Rouge is the third fragrance in this collection. It comes in the form of an Eau de Cologne and is suitable for wear by both men and women. This fragrance is promoted as being soft and sensual.
Its tea resemblance includes a blend of South African Roiboos and Chinese Yunnan teas amongst other fine ingredients. These are considered red teas and come into the fragrance genre for the very first time to create this unusual scent.
***Notes***
Being a unisex fragrance, Au The Rouge will blend slightly different notes to normal female orientated fragrances. The notes aren't specified in stages for this fragrance on the Bvlgari website. Combining with the red teas include :
~~~Pink pepper, orange, bergamot, fig pulp, walnut and musk~~~
***Bottle***
The miniature bottle I have is a replica of the full size bottle. The glass is in tube form and almost smooth with a slight, indentation at the neck of the bottle. The bottle itself is clear with a red base and round, red lid which transports a red gleam down the bottle when viewed in a certain light. The front of the bottle confirms the brand and fragrance name with a tea leaf image being present.
***Availability and Price***
Au The Rouge EDC can be purchased online and appears to be less available than the Vert or Blanc fragrance. Amazon stock this at the following prices :
25ml @ £12.94
50ml @ £25.71
100ml tester @ £19.99
200ml body lotion @ £34.43
***My Thoughts***
As well as full size bottles of perfume, I love having a few miniature bottles for easy transportation. Around 2 months ago, my sister mentioned she had a few mini bottles for me and Bvlgari Au The Rouge was one of them. I had previously heard of Bvlgari but didn't have the pleasure of sampling this luxurious brand til receiving this fragrance.
At first glance, you could consider this to be Lancome Magnifique as the bottle is strikingly similar in appearance. It is quite pretty and the red reflects through the bottle perfectly giving a unusual effect. My bottle is a dab bottle as opposed to a sprayer and fits snugly into my bag or pocket. I had never used an Eau de Cologne before so researched this fragrance before using and also for the purpose of this review.
So..tea? This to me, is an unusual choice of ingredient to include in a perfume. Of course it is unusual as this is the only collection that uses this ingredient in its fragrances. At first I was adamant it wasn't for me as I don't like tea as a drink..unless its fruit flavoured tea. I also was unsure how my body would react to notes suitable for both men and women. Could I possibly grow to like a fragrance which isn't sweet and fruity? Well lets see...
So first sniff and the tea is extremely evident. It didn't smell like Tetleys teabags or nothing, it resembles high quality tea leaves sitting at the base of a fancy mug waiting to be watered. On applying, I just use a dab on each wrist and on my neck. The fragrance doesn't overpower but certainly takes some getting used to. At first, I could only detect the tea lingering and this kept consistent throughout the entire time on my skin.
Although I don't feel that Au The Rouge offers obvious stages of fragrance, the other notes seep in gently and take the edge of the tea aroma. My nose seems to have a little trouble identifying all of the specified notes on an individual basis. They all seem to mix together to create a fresh and rather invigorating fragrance. If I were to decipher the main notes sticking out other than the tea, I would say the pepper and musk are strongest creating an unusual, spicy and rather cooling scent.
With this being a unisex fragrance, it shouldn't scream manly or feminine and it certainly doesn't. Au The Rouge is quite neutral and I feel this is owed to the rare teas added in, If these weren't present, the other notes may come through more prominent and I would say the fragrance would be more feminine. The fragrance sits smoothly on my skin and lets off a subtle but pleasant aroma which I would happily wear on an odd occasion.
The fragrance is consistent on my skin from application til around 4hours later. Whilst the spicy aroma fades around 2hours in, the tea aroma stays put until it finally disappears from my skin. Au The Rouge would suit day time use as a fairly neutral and not overpowering fragrance. Both men and women would be able to wear this without believing others may question their gender or sexuality!
***Recommended?***
Whilst this scent isn't my favourite, it is something a little different to sweet, floral and fruity fragrances available on the market. It is certainly an acquired smell that will either entice and grow on you or repulse you! The bottle is pretty, its lasting abilities is good and the price is reasonable considering the brand name.
Worth a try!
Read the complete review |
