Armani Diamonds is another perfume that was in a set of miniatures that I was given last Christmas. Although its name sounds very grand, the bottle didn't really stand out when I first looked at it and the other perfumes in the set looked more tantalising. However, I didn't want to judge a book by its cover and soon got round to trying it out.

Before I get to the actual scent, I'll give an overview of the bottle, as this is definitely a factor that I take into consideration when I'm picking out a new perfume. Looking at it now, it's still as underwhelming as it was when I first saw it. Although its general shape is oval, its surface is like that of a cut diamond, made up of dozens of flat sides angled together to give an overall rounded shape. The Giorgio Armani eagle logo is placed in the centre of the front of the bottle in the middle of a flattened octagon. It's faint and subtle, which I definitely prefer to some of the in-your-face brand logos you get. This is one bottle that's obviously trying to be about more than just branding. Its lid is a plain silver cube, slightly concave at the top, which fits well with the look of the bottle and the diamond theme. While there's nothing unattractive about the bottle, I don't really like the cold look of it; it's obviously appropriate for its theme, but there's something quite clinical and masculine about it and it's definitely not one I'd be drawn to on a shop shelf.

Judging by its appearance, I was expecting the scent itself to be quite cold and aloof, and on first sniff, it seemed I was right. Once on my skin, however, the scent did develop and grow on me, although it's still not one I'd call warm or sensual. Here is a detailed breakdown of the scent:

Heart notes: Rose, lily of the valley, patchouli, freesia

Top notes: Lychee, raspberry

Base notes: Vetiver, amber, vanilla

Described on the box as 'sparkling and audacious', the words that spring to mind when I smell this are confidence and sophistication- it's a bold, driven scent that I feel would be most suited for daytime wear by a woman in her twenties onwards. It's definitely not one to wear if you prefer subtle, romantic scents, although the floral notes definitely add a softness that comes through after about an hour of wearing it. I definitely prefer this perfume once it's had a chance to calm down on my skin , although by then the scent is quite faint- its staying power isn't great.

Out of the different perfumes in the sets I received, there are a few that I love, a few I loathe and a few that I'm neutral about- this is definitely one of the latter. Objectively, I'd say it's a pleasant scent that I probably ought to like, but subjectively, it really doesn't excite or intrigue me and I feel it lacks character. Perhaps this is just because it doesn't really reflect my own personality, or perhaps Armani wanted to keep the scent fairly neutral to give it a wider appeal- either way, it's not one I'll be buying for myself, although I'm happy enough to wear it occasionally until my little bottle is used up.

Armani Diamonds costs around £45 for a 50ml bottle of EDP which I'd happily pay if it was a scent I loved, but as it is, I feel it's slightly overpriced.