But before you get too excited by the spring-heralding appearance of hot cross buns, snowdrops and daffodils, let me tell you: this weekend is set to be chilly. Waaah! But instead of hunkering down in front of the fire with a dozen eggs of the Easter variety, why not swop edible gifts for something equally delicious but far less calorific: a new spring scent?

If you’re anything like me after winter, you already resemble an egg anyway; middle-aged spread is a thing. The struggle is real. The struggle to move, I mean. I’m like a Weeble. My current figure makes Humpty Dumpty look positively sylphlike. So this weekend I’ll be treating myself to some sweet-smelling treats instead of the calorific choccy ones. My waistline heaves a sigh of relief as I reluctantly put the Lindt bunnies (yes, plural – don’t judge!) back on the shelf and reach for my new Parfen perfumes instead.

First up is Lily-Of-The-Valley And Magnolia, a stunning white floral fragrance. The first aromas to tantalise your nostrils after a generous spritz are the citrus notes of orange and tangerine. This then develops into beautiful heart notes of magnolia, lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, and rose. Jasmine is one of my favourite summer flowers, so the inclusion of this note in the fragrance hints at the heady days of summer to come. Ahh, summer! Just saying the word puts a smile on my face. All that sunshine, long lazy evenings in pub gardens and frantic festival fun….(Sorry, I was getting sidetracked by thoughts of summer there – back to the fragrance!) The base notes of the scent are guaiac wood, sandalwood, and musk.

The fragrance is feminine and uplifting; the floral notes reminding me of the beautiful flowers that will soon start to bloom in parks and gardens up and down the country. I love spring! Not just because it’s my birthday this weekend (I know – blatant hint), which always brings lots of fun celebrations with my friends and family, but also because of all the other cute little Easter babies celebrating their birthdays too (and yes, I was including myself as a cute Easter baby there). Seeing the playful little lambs gamboling around amongst the daffodils has to be one of the sweetest sights, don’t you agree? (Not to mention the sight of them served up for the Easter Sunday roast with a bit of mint sauce – dee-licious!)

If all this talk of baby animals and flowers is just too saccharin-sweet for your tastes, you may prefer a lighter, more aquatic scent for the new season. Close your eyes. (Actually, open them again as you won’t be able to read this otherwise. Duh!). Imagine the aroma of walking along a beach, inhaling the fresh salty air, skimming stones out to sea. If this sounds like your kinda scent, let me introduce you to…Aquamarine.

This badboy is predominantly a men’s fragrance, but I have to say, I’ve been wearing it myself and I love it! Zesty top notes of grapefruit and orange give way to neroli, seaweed, rosemary and saltwater notes, before deepening to cedar wood and musk. For me, it is the scent of holidays, bottled. And we all know how much I love to travel.

On a chilly spring morning, I can close my eyes and be transported to my favourite beach with a generous spritz of this fragrance; taking a deep breath as I imagine filling my lungs with that salty sea air. Bliss!

So there you have it – two sumptuous spring scents to tempt you. At just £15.90 each, they are not going to dent your bank balance too much either. So instead of adding to your loved-ones’ winter weight woes this Easter, why not give the gift of scent instead of sugar? These fragrances will last a lot longer than the sugar-fix, and are a lot kinder in the dreaded fight against flab too. So I’ll be leaving those Easter eggs on the supermarket shelves and filling my basket with these fragrant treats instead*.

Happy Easter, Bird’s Eye Viewers!

*Well, maybe just one little egg won’t hurt. It is my birthday, after all…

To Buy Lily-Of-The-Valley And Magnolia click here. To Buy Aquamarine click here. To see the full range of fragrances available at Ivy Bloom, click here.

Online Easter Offer – Save up to £20 when you shop online

1. £10 off when you spend £40 or more. Use code SAVE10 at checkout
2. £20 off when you spend £80 or more. Use code SAVE20 at checkout

I was gifted the fragrances in exchange for an honest review.

Sam x

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (lifeabirdseyeview)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post The Sweet Scent Of Spring appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.

You work hard, right? Hustling for the dollar, day in, day out; working your carefully manicured fingers to the bone. I hear ya, gurl! So you deserve a treat; I couldn’t agree more. Let’s think about that treat for a moment, make it real. What’ll it be: a shiny new make-up compact? A slinky dress? Some new perfume?

Let’s say you decide on a sexy new scent, something to drive your man wiiiild with desire this weekend. It’s Valentine’s Day soon, after all. Let’s run through that little shopping expedition together, shall we? Close your eyes for a moment. I know, I know, you’ll have to open them to read this. Just picture the scene in your mind’s eye then….

So you walk into that chic little boutique, the one with row upon row of expensive designer fragrances. How much do you think that shop-fit cost? Those sleek shelves, twinkling lights, gleaming gold and marble fixtures….

Ok, now go to the shelf. Pick up a bottle of perfume. Feel the weight of the smooth glass in your palm. Those heavy sculpted bottles don’t come cheap you know. Uh oh! Here comes the glamorous shop assistant, ready to list (rather breathlessly, you note) all the reasons why you simply Must. Not. Leave. without buying that fragrance. You eye her appraisingly as she rattles off the features and benefits of the product; expensive haircut, perfect makeup, nice shoes. You paid for those – last month, remember? When you spent half your wages in this very store and she got her bonus.

Right. She’s got you in her grip again. Try to avoid eye contact – she’ll suck you in. But…she does have a point. It is an intoxicating scent. And it’s been created by that famous fashion designer. And…and…and…

Hold on! Stop! Take your hand off your purse. Think about this, for a second. When you wear this fragrance, will anyone see the expensive bottle? Nope, that stays on your bathroom shelf. Will anyone see the triple-figure price tag/designer name/classy boutique? Nope, nein, non. Of course not. Will that glamorous assistant be sashaying down the street alongside you, holding that pricey bottle aloft so that everyone who sees you coming will be aware of your impeccable taste and bottomless bank account? Negative. The only thing that really matters when buying a perfume – or any item really – is the efficacy of the product: does it do what it says on the tin?

In the case of a fragrance, there are only really two main criteria, as I see it: a) does it smell amazing? And b) does it smell amazing for a decent amount of time?
All the rest: the packaging, the advertising, the pretty shop window…it’s all just FLUFF. Sure, it adds to the overall shopping experience. But is it essential to the enjoyment of the product? Of course not. If money is no object, go right ahead and buy your designer fragrance. Knock yourself out! I’m not knocking it; we all love a bit of luxury. But if you want to have money left over at the end of the month rather than the other way around, why not consider Parfen Perfumes?

The brand

Parfen Perfumes was founded in Bulgaria in 1996. The fragrances are completely cruelty-free and vegan, and the minimal, recyclable packaging makes them an ethical and environmentally friendly choice. These eaux de parfums, like so many top quality fragrances, use only the finest French essential oils. These oils are combined in huge vats, or amphoras, at a concentration of 22% for the women’s scent, 18% for men’s, then decanted into plain glass bottles and labelled with the fragrance number. The short video below explains it clearly. By saving money on expensive advertising, packaging and shops, the savings can be passed directly onto you. So you get to smell like a movie star without needing the salary of one. Capiche?

Having worked with luxury fragrances myself for many years, I have a particular interest in fragrance and was curious to know more. I was kindly gifted a set of fragrances to review and when my parcel arrived I couldn’t wait to tear it open and anoint myself in some exciting new scents. Sure enough, the packaging is simple (yet stylish) and although distributed widely across Europe, the only UK outlet is in Reading. So unless you happen to live in the vicinity, you’re going to have to buy it online. But how do you buy a fragrance without smelling it first? Well, there’s a 24/7 online chat facility on the website, where you can tell them your favourite designer scent and the knowledgeable staff can match it to one of the 300 in the collection. Or, if you prefer, you can order samples (25 spritzes per vial, £1.20 each) before you commit to a larger size. Easy peasy.

My choices

I was asked by the brand for a list of my favourite fragrances so that they could hand-pick some from the collection especially for me. The ones I listed were: Essence by Marc Jacobs, Sensuous by Estée Lauder and Peony and Blush Suede by Jo Malone. For men I listed The Scent by Hugo Boss, Wow by Joop and old school classic L’eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake. I was sent a selection of 30ml perfumes including Jasmine and Gardenia, Red Rose and Peony, Black Orchid and Lemon and Ginger. I also received Blackcurrant and Vanilla, Orange and Patchouli, Dark Oud and Pineapple and Birch samples.

The ingredients

The fragrances I received contain mouth-wateringly delicious essential oils such as…

Jasmine and Gardenia: Top notes of bergamot, jasmine, mandarin and orange. Heart notes: gardenia and orange blossom. Base notes: amber, cedar, sandalwood.

Red Rose and Peony: Top notes of freesia, lychee and peony. Heart notes: lily of the valley, magnolia and rose. Base notes: amber and cedar.

Black Orchid: Top notes of jasmine, gardenia, blackcurrant, lemon and bergamot. Heart notes: orchid, spicy notes, lotus flower. Base notes: vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood, incense and amber.

Lemon and Ginger: Top notes of nutmeg, bay rose, peppermint, lemon, orange and grapefruit. Heart notes: jasmine, cedar, vetiver, ginger. Base notes: labdanum, patchouli, sandalwood, olibanum.

My favourite

So which is my favourite? Being the girly girl that I am, my current absolute daytime fave from the collection (I’m still working my way through wearing them all!) has to be Jasmine and Gardenia. For evenings I’m wearing the more mysterious Black Orchid. My partner is loving the Lemon and Ginger fragrance. There are also several unisex fragrances in the collection, should you be kind enough to share (hmm, maybe not!).

Staying power

At this concentration the scents are classified as eau de parfum, and will last on the skin for upto 12 hours. Top tip: fragrances last longer on moisturised rather than dry skin, so always apply moisturiser prior to use. If you don’t have time to slather cream on your entire body, just apply a plain or matching moisturising cream to the areas you’ll be spritzing the fragrance onto, so neck, wrists…or wherever you’d like to be kissed ;-). Oh and never rub your wrists together – you’ll crush the delicate notes of the fragrance.

The prices

The fragrances come in three sizes:

30ml: £15.90

50ml: £19.90

100ml: £26.90.

I know – bargain, right?!

(If you prefer a more luxe look, all fragrances can also be purchased in 100ml frosted bottles for £28.90).

So if you want to be able to extend your fragrance wardrobe, and your partner’s, and still be able to afford to actually go out somewhere smelling amazing this Valentine’s Day, choose Parfen Perfumes. The glossy assistant at the designer boutique won’t thank you…

…but your bank account will.

Parfen Perfumes: You know it makes scents. 

I was gifted the products by Parfen Perfumes UK in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to purchase the fragrances for yourself, you can do so via the website (links in text), or via the Amazon links above. Should you buy from Amazon I will receive a small commission (upto 10% of the purchase price) which goes towards the cost of running my blog. 

Since this article was written the UK website has added products to their range from Armina Bio as well as Parfen Perfumes, and as such has been rebranded as Ivy Bloom. The products I have reviewed remain exactly the same; the links will simply redirect to Ivy Bloom.

Follow Ivy Bloom on Facebook and Instagram.

Sam x

Fancy reading my back-story before you go any further? You can find my other blogs at:

www.costaricachica1.blogspot.com
www.samgoessolo.blogspot.com
www.mummymission.blogspot.com
www.worldwidewalsh.blogspot.com

Follow me:

Twitter: @SamanthaWalsh76 (Life:ABird’sEyeView)
Facebook: @lifeabirdseyeview
Instagram: @lifeabirdseyeview

The post Parfen Perfumes: Perfect! appeared first on Life: A Birds Eye View.