• signature perfumes throughout the years

    My Signature Perfumes Throughout the Years

    Hi Everyone!

    I think I started wearing perfume in high school. I never really wore perfume on an everyday basis until university. Whenever I leave the house, I spray on perfume unless I’m going to be somewhere like the movie theatre where I’m in close proximity to other people for long periods of time. I usually only do one spray and it’s enough for me.

    This is a longer post with three parts so you can scroll down to the parts you want to read:

    • List of Fragrances and their fragrance families
    • My opinions on the perfumes
    • Descriptions of the main accords and notes of each perfume

    These are all of the perfumes I’ve had over the years (in order):

    • The Body Shop White Musk
      • Floral, Sensual
    • Banana Republic Classic Eau de Toilette (unisex)
      • Citrus, Floral
    • Victoria’s Secret Forever PINK Sparkling Apple and Water Lily Body Mist
      • Fruity
    • Ralph Lauren RALPH Eau de Toilette
      • Floral, Fruity
    • Lady Gaga Fame Rollerball
      • Floral, Sensual
    • Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Eau de Parfum
      • Fresh, Floral, Aquatic
    • Tory Burch Original Eau de Parfum
      • Fresh, Floral, Citrus
    • Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice
      • Fruity, Aquatic
    Please excuse this super grainy photo. It was taken with an old camera phone.

    For the Banana Republic Classic Eau de Toilette, I really liked the scent of this in-store, but  then it smelled different when I brought it home and I ended up decluttering it after using it a couple of times.

    RALPH by Ralph Lauren was a really nice scent, but I got tired of it after a while and that’s why I picked up the VS Body Mist. The body mist was a favourite of mine even though it was a cheap body mist that I bought 2 for $25. I had this other body mist that was okay, but I don’t consider it a favourite of my collection.

    The Lady Gaga Fame Rollerball was gifted to me for my birthday. I thought it was really cool that the liquid was black (which wasn’t black once you sprayed/rolled it on).  I liked the spiciness of it and only wore it when I went clubbing.

    The Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia is still a favourite of mine, but I had it for 4 years and it was time for a change. It has an aquatic scent, so I only wore it in the spring and summer. It felt weird to use in the winter time which is why I bought the Tory Burch one.

    Tory Burch is sophisticated, but still youthful. It’s not like Chanel No. 5 where it smells like a rich, older lady (no offense if you’re younger and you like it). I bought the Tory Burch perfume at the Mac Warehouse Sale in a set that came with a mini and a body lotion which I gave to my grandma. Before the sale, I researched which perfume brands were owned by Estee Lauder. I went to Hudson’s Bay to smell the different perfumes from Tory Burch, Estee Lauder, DKNY, Clinique, etc. and chose the original Tory Burch scent. Luckily for me, they had it at the sale and I bought it.

    While I was looking for perfumes (before buying Acqua di Gioia), I got different samples at Sephora. I liked the Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice one, but it was an Eau de Toilette and I didn’t want to spend over $100 on it. Last year, when I was at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale, I saw a smaller bottle on sale and I decided to get it.

    Surprisingly, I’ve never finished a bottle of perfume. From university to present day, I’ve always had more than 1 perfume. I’ve had a few perfumes for more than a few years and I stop using them once they smell different. I still have Fame and Acqua di Gioia, but I only use them for display now.

    On me, all of the perfumes are long-wearing. Sometimes I even smell the perfumes AFTER I’ve showered.

    I found descriptions of most of the perfumes’ notes on fragrantica. I am not associated with fragrantica in any way, it was just a website that had all of the perfumes and I wanted to keep the structure of the descriptions the same. People vote on what they smell in the Perfume Pyramid (top notes, middle notes and base notes). I am terrible at identifying scents unless it’s something really obvious like rose. So all of the descriptions are from the website.

    The Body Shop White Musk Eau de Toilette

    Main Accords: musky, white floral, woody, powdery, floral

    Top Notes: ylang ylang, galbanum, basil, jasmine, musk

    Middle Notes: lily, jasmine, musk and rose

    Base Notes: jasmine, rose, iris, amber, patchouli, vetiver, peach, oakmoss and vanilla

    Victoria’s Secret Forever PINK Sparkling Apple and Water Lily

    There’s no description of this one on fragrantica because it’s really old, but there was obviously sparkling apple and water lily in it.

    Banana Republic Classic Eau de Toilette

    Main Accords: Citrus, white floral, fresh spicy, green, woody

    Top Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, clementine, green notes

    Middle Notes: honeysuckle, syringa

    Base Notes: ginger, woodsy notes, musk

    RALPH Ralph Lauren

    Main Accords: floral, fruity, green, fresh, citrus

    Top Notes: Japanese Osmanthus, Apple leaf, Italian Mandarin

    Middle Notes: Magnolia, Boronia, Yellow Freesia

    Base Notes: musk, white iris

    Lady Gaga Fame

    Main Accords: floral, honey, sweet, balsamic, fruity

    Fragrance Notes: belladonna, orchid, jasmine sambac, honey, apricot, saffron, incense

    Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia Eau de Parfum

    I bought my bottle a long time ago. The new one looks different and I don’t know if the scent has changed at all. I would describe the one I have as aquatic and fresh.

    Main Accords: green, citrus, aromatic, fresh, white floral, fresh spicy

    Top Notes: Amalfi lemon, mint

    Middle Notes: jasmine, pink pepper, peony

    Base Notes: French labdanum, Virginia cedar, brown sugar

    Tory Burch Tory Burch Eau de Parfum

    Main Accords: citrus, floral, fresh, white floral, woody, musky

    Top Notes: grapefruit, pink pepper, cassis, Mandarin orange, neroli

    Middle Notes: peony, tuberose, mimosa, jasmine, carrot seeds, alyssum

    Base Notes: vetiver, sandalwood, white musk, cedar

    Dolce and Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice Eau de Toilette

    Main Accords : ozonic, aquatic, fruity, sweet, sour

    Top Notes: pink pepper, kiwi, rhubarb

    Middle Notes: jasmine, cyclamen, watermelon

    Base Notes: musk, sandalwood, lemon tree


    If you’re still here, thanks for reading!!

    Based on a roundup of all of the signature scents, I seem to gravitate toward fragrances with citrus, musk, pink pepper, jasmine, sandalwood and vetiver.

    What are your favourite perfumes?

    Love,

  • My Favourite Teas

    Hi Everyone!

    I wanted to share some of my favourite teas with you. I have green, fruity, herbal, rooibos and black teas on my faves list. They’re mostly caffeine-free or low caffeine and good either hot or cold. For all of them, you just need water and if you want, you can add a sweetener.

    Check out my post on how to make milk tea with grass jelly!

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    ORGANIC DETOX by DAVID’S TEA – This one is nice to drink in the morning to help detox.

    Green Tea – Low Caffeine

    Restart and restore with our detoxifying green tea. A blend of sencha, rooibos, ginger, ginkgo and juniper berries, our mega popular Organic Detox will help cleanse your system thanks to its powerful antioxidants. You’ll love its citrusy lemongrass punch and smooth herbal notes. Now all you have to do is find a reason to detox!

    Organic: Rooibos (Fair Trade Certified), sencha green tea, lemongrass, ginger, juniper berries, ginkgo. With natural lemon flavouring.

    ORGANIC COLD 911 by DAVID’S TEA – This one tastes and smells quite strong and I only put it on the list because it’s good if you feel a cold coming. I don’t like the taste of it, but the peppermint helps soothe the throat.

    Herbal Tea – Caffeine-Free

    Bad colds require badass interventions. And this soothing herbal tea has definitely got what it takes. It has a throat-calming base of peppermint, with a sweet hint of apple and some potent little juniper berries. And with its super-comforting aroma of eucalyptus and orange, even inhaling the steam feels good. Hey, we can’t guarantee miracle results, but at least we can guarantee it tastes great.

    Organic: Peppermint, apple, juniper berries. With natural eucalyptus and orange flavouring.

    FOREVER NUTS by DAVID’S TEA – I love this tea during the winter because the apple and cinnamon flavours pair nicely with some yummy sugar cookies.

    Herbal Tea – Caffeine-Free

    You’ll go nuts for this herbal tea. With its crunchy almond slices, sweet apple bits and cinnamon bark, this tempting caffeine-free infusion turns a crazy shade of pink when steeped. Why? Because of its hint of earthy beetroot. Deliciously nutty, decidedly addictive, it’s one of our all-time bestselling blends.

    Apple, almonds, cinnamon, beetroot, artificial flavouring.

    ORGANIC CREAM OF EARL GREY by DAVID’S TEA – This one is nice and creamy, no milk needed.

    Black Tea – Medium Caffeine

    Lovers of Earl Grey tea adore this creamy alternative to the original breakfast blend. You’ll recognize the same high-quality black tea, the same citrus burst of bergamot oil, the same beautiful grey-blue petals. However this version adds a touch of vanilla, and the result is an unexpectedly rich, creamy taste experience. Try it on its own or as a satisfying tea latte.

    Organic: Black tea, marigolds. With cornflowers and natural flavouring.

    MARRAKESH MINT TEA by MIGHTY LEAF – I love mint teas and this is the brand I usually get at restaurants. For an equally good, but less expensive mint tea, there’s the Moroccan-style Mint Green Tea by President’s Choice.

    Green Tea – Low Caffeine

    Marrakesh Mint, China Gunpowder blended with refreshing peppermint, will whisk you away to cascading waterfalls deep in the mountains of Morocco. Host friends and family with this lively green tea brightened with peppermint cultivated on a mountain in Tiznit.

    Green Tea, Peppermint

    GREEN TEA TROPICAL by MIGHTY LEAF – I picked this up in a variety pack with the Mighty Leaf Mint Tea and thought it’d be nice to try other teas since I like the mint one. I’m glad I did because I love this one. Although, I try not to drink it every day because of the pineapple (you know that feeling in your throat when you eat too much pineapple and it gets a little scratchy?)

    Green Tea – Low Caffeine

    Green Tea Tropical boasts smooth green tea leaves that harmoniously blend with sweet tropical fruits to create a sensation as uplifting as a breeze of the isle of Papenoo. A healthy and refreshing blend, Green Tea Tropical makes ideal introduction to green tea.

    Flower Petals, Green Tea, Natural Flavours, Natural Tropical Flavours, Pineapple

    PEACHES AND CREAM by SLOANE FINE TEA MERCHANTS – This pairs very nicely with some biscotti or some macarons. It’s not overly sweet, but has a fruity and creamy taste. This is the tea pictured above with the cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory (Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake and Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake). The two cheesecakes are very decadent and the two slices were enough to split between three people after dinner.

    White Tea

    A Bai Mu Dan white tea is delicately blended with the succulence of “water honey peaches” and finished with a hint of vanilla for a truly creamy finish.

    BLUEBERRY BLAST by DOLLAR TEA CLUB

    Rooibos Tea – Caffeine-Free

    This blend packs a burst of blueberries that will bring you back for more.

    Rooibos, blueberries, white apple pieces, natural coconut chips, flavoring, mallow flowers, pink rose flower petals.

    PERIODICALLY PAIN-LESS by DOLLAR TEA CLUB – This tea has a lot of claims to help a lot of different symptoms. I don’t know about all of the other symptoms, but it does seem to help during that time of the month. I don’t know if it’s a placebo effect or something, but I actually do feel better after drinking this when I’m feeling crampy.

    Herbal Tea – Low Caffeine

    The ingredients in this tea have been known to help alleviate symptoms of bloating, cramping, accelerate weight loss and provide dietary supplements. It helps decrease and eliminate symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, other gastro-intestinal distresses, provide relief for constipation, relieve nausea, boost the immune system, act as an anti-septic and an anti-inflammatory aid. A healthy and periodically painless solution for everyone at the time of need.

    **These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

    Anise seed, cinnamon pieces, limetree petals, melissa, green mate, liquorice root, heather petals, ginger pieces, cloves, cardamom, natural flavouring.

    PASSION HERBAL TEA by TAZO – I used to get Iced Passion Tea Lemonades from Starbucks every now and then, it’s been a while, but it’s still a fave and it’s so easy to make at home too.

    Herbal Tea – Caffeine-Free

    An exuberant herbal infusion of hibiscus, orange peel, rose hips & passion fruit flavors.

    Hibiscus flowers, natural tropical flavors, citric acid, licorice root, orange peel, cinnamon, rose hips, lemongrass, fruit juice extract (color)

    GENMAICHA (GREEN TEA WITH ROASTED RICE) by UJINOTSUYU – They also have Genmaicha at David’s Tea, but it’s cheaper and tastes better if you get the packaged loose leaf from an Asian supermarket.

    Genmaicha is a mixture of green tea with roasted rice. It has less caffeine and tastes less astringent. This aromatic blended tea brings together the refreshing lightness, sweetness and the distinctive taste of roasted rice.

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    Top Row: Peaches & Cream, Genmaicha, Periodically Pain-less, Green Tea Tropical, Blueberry Blast
    Bottom: Organic Detox, Forever Nuts, Marrakesh Mint, Organic Cold 911, Passion, Organic Cream of Earl Grey

    What are your fave teas?

    Love,

    jen