DKNY Be Delicious fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size: 30ml

The DKNY be delicious range of apple-inspired perfumes are incredibly popular with both young adults and mature audiences. Released by Donna Karan in 2004 this fragrance is inspired by the New York lifestyle (and its nickname "The Big Apple") and is one of my favourite summer fragrances. 

The Bottle: The bottle is famously shaped like a green apple. On the smaller sizes the lid is removable but in the larger sizes the lid stays attached with the spray embedded into the silver of the lid. I really like the bottle as it is quirky, simple and looks really nice on your dresser. The bottle is also a very good representation of the overall fragrance as it does smell like apples.

The Fragrance: Yes, this fragrance does smell like apples. The dominant scent is definitely the apple and the other notes are less obvious. The opening notes include Grapefruit and cucumber, the middle notes apple (obviously), violet and rose and the base is white amber and woods. The scent doesn't develop in the way most scents do, with the transaction from the heart to the base subtle. The apple is what you get at the beginning and the end. 

Strength: Moderate. Lasts an average to good 4-6 hours. 

Verdict: You have to love apples to like this one. It looks like an apple, it smells like an apple and the apple is there to stay on your skin for a good amount of time. Although it does calm down a little in the dry down the apple is still very much there for the whole duration so if you don't love the opening, you wont like the end either. This scent is fresh, juicy, fun and youthful. It is light and playful enough to wear in summer in the hot weather and lovely for day time wear. Have fun with this one.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Paris Hilton Fairy dust fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size:30ml

Fairy dust is the 5th female fragrance by Paris Hilton and I had high hopes for this one. Having bought (and loved) all of her previous fragrances, I was looking forward to purchasing this one. With a name like "Fairy Dust" and the print ad of Paris herself dressed as a sexy tinkerbelle-esque fairy there was such potential with this one, which unfortunately failed to deliver in the actual fragrance. I was under the impression that this perfume was almost certainly aimed at the youngest age group of any of her fragrances yet, the 13-20s who would want to smell like a powdery fairy. However, the actual scent is probably the oldest of all her scents, and would probably suit anyone aged 30-50. And I honestly don't see anyone of that age happily purchasing a fragrance called "Fairy Dust" by Paris Hilton.

The Bottle: Paris Hilton's fragrances are typically simple bottle designs and this is no different. The glass is clear with a fairy outline printed onto the glass, with a plastic lid. The lid is probably the best feature of the bottle. Not her best bottle.

The Fragrance: The opening is without doubt the most interesting aspect of this perfume, with notes of sparkling prosecco accord, pink peony and orange blossom. This scent is clearly somewhat inspired by Paris' wine in a can line, and the opening does have a wine-y smell about it. Not unpleasant but certainly unusual. The scent calms down after the first 15-20 minutes with mid notes of spring gardenia, peach nectar and water lily. The scent remains subtle throughout the dry-down and I personally don't entirely smell the Base notes of sueded patchouli, cashmere musk and vanilla cream. The end result is not "creamy" or "vanilla-ry" at all and the scent does fizz out all at once rather than drag out slowly. The overall scent is powdery and mature, maybe even a bit mysterious: the wine is certainly an odd twist. 

Strength: Paris Hilton's scents are famously long-lasting. Expect this to last a good 4-7 hours. 

Verdict: My least favourite scent by Paris Hilton but still interesting and perfectly wearable. My bottle seems to have a lot missing from it so I must be wearing this a lot even if I don't notice so much. This is easy and effortless to wear, which may be good for people who want a subtle, mature and classic scent rather than a sugarbomb which will get you noticed at every turn of your day. This could be worn as a day or evening scent, I personally tend to sway more to the day as, again, it is pretty effortless to wear. And it can be worn all year round. I feel like this is aimed at the entirely wrong age group and the name "Fairy Dust" and packaging is very misleading. Not your best Paris, but fair effort. 

Rating: 4 out of 10

Paris Hilton CanCan fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size: 100ml

CanCan is the 4th fragrance by Heiress Paris Hilton released in 2007 and inspired by the film Moulin Rouge. In my opinion this fragrance stands out the most of any of Hilton's fragrances. It is bold, loud and incredibly interesting. The scent combines cupcake sweetness with warm oriental base notes which make the fragrance both incredibly girly and warm. I think this one, along with Just Me, are probably the most Universal fragrances by Paris and can be worn by anyone aged 15-40. This scent is often compared to Britney Spears Fantasy, which in my opinion is not entirely justified. The openings of both are very bold and sweet, but fantasy is more of a food-inspired scent and CanCan is more of a warm oriental inspired scent. 

The Bottle: The bottle is clear with a small pink feather printer on the front. The lid is bright pink. The bottle is nowhere near as inspiring as the box in which it comes, which portrays Paris as a CanCan dancer, but it is perfectly fine. The shape is more interesting than her previous bottles, but can be a little awkward to hold when spraying. Overall a good classic bottle giving little away about the scent inside.

The Fragrance: YUM. The scent opens with a loud burst of syrupy candy. I guess the intense sweetness of the opening may put some people off the fragrance, but the opening notes of black currant and nectarine soon quieten down to reveal a warm comforting centre. The middle notes and dry down of this fragrance are incredibly interesting, with the fragrance warming up on your skin, the smell similar to that of baked cookies and cakes. The middle notes are orchid and orange blossom and the base includes musk and amber. The amber in my opinion, is very clear throughout the middle as well as the base, giving the scent its oriental warm feel. The overall scent is very very strong and heavy and so suitable for winter and autumn rather than Summer. I tried to wear this the other day in blazing sunshine and ended up with a migraine so I wouldn't recommend wearing in hot weather conditions. 

Strength: Good to strong. Like I said, a very strong fragrance which can last anywhere between 5-8 hours. 

Verdict: Probably my favorite fragrance by Paris Hilton. Fun yet mature. Sweet yet warm. The dry down is the best part of this fragrance and if people give this fragrance a chance and get over the initial blast of sweet-cupcake I think a lot of people will enjoy wearing this. Perfect for Autumn or winter but not warm weather. 

Rating: 8 out of 10

Paris Hilton Heiress fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size: 50ml

Okay, I admit it, I'm a fan. Paris Hilton's fragrances are consistently fun, pleasant and enjoyable to wear. Basically harmless. Heiress is no different. Aimed at a younger target audience than her two previous fragrances, Heiress (released in 2006) is one for the 14-25 year olds, with an overall light bubblegum scent. Not everyone will love, or even like this one, but I personally think it is youthful and I have often received compliments when I wear this!

The Bottle: Very simple square design with a glittery effect inside the bottle. On the back is a long thin mirror. Not the best bottle by Paris, but the sparkles are fun and pretty much sum up the fragrance inside. Youthful, fun and very girly!

The Fragrance: The fragrance opens with notes of orange, passion fruit and peach giving it an initial fruity impact. I think this fragrance pretty much sums up everything I expect celebrity fragrances to be like, fun and fruity! The fruit is soon subsided to make way for the bubblegum! I personally don't find the middle notes very remarkable (florals such as jasmine and honey suckle) because the bubblegum is still very much dominant. It doesn't smell of fresh fruit at all, and reminds me a little of fruity shampoo. This sounds terrible, but I don't mean it in an unpleasant way. Perhaps, this smells less like a perfume and more like you've had a nice long bath with bubblegum scented wash! It is a very light scent and ideal for day wear. The base notes include violet leaf, but the fragrance seems to simply fizzle out altogether rather than linger on the base notes. The bubblegum and bottled fruits are the dominant scent and remain so throughout. 

Strength: Moderate. It is a light fragrance so doesn't last as long as some of Paris Hilton's other fragrances. An average 3-5 hours.

Verdict: Her youngest and almost certainly fun-est fragrance to date. Perfectly suitable for everyday daytime wear, but not everyone will like this one. People will undoubtedly notice you if you wear this though! 

Rating: 7 out of 10 

Paris Hilton Just Me fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size: 100ml

Just me by Paris Hilton is the second fragrance by the heiress, released in 2005. I have to admit, her fragrances surprise me a lot. The original scent was interesting enough, with a mixture of florals and quiet fruits, and a very interesting peppery undertone, but this fragrance is even more interesting. Unexpected from a celebrity fragrance, this scent is actually very mature and classy. There is still sweet and feminine undertones, but overall the florals are dominant and the result a scent which would perfect for anyone aged 20-45, but nonetheless aimed at the 15-25 age range. I expect most people over the age of 30 wouldn't want to wear a fragrance by Paris Hilton, but this one deserves a chance!

The Bottle: Again, pretty unremarkable shape. The glass is half translucent, and half cloudy with a pink bottom. I prefer this bottle a lot more than the original Paris Hilton.

The Fragrance: Now this is where things begin to get interesting. The initial blast, with top notes of bergamot, red berries and peppercorn is flowery and sweet. The sweetness soon dries down considerably, leaving just the florals with a tiny hint of sweetness in the undertones. The middle notes, which last the longest and are by far the most interesting and mature include lily of the valley, white rose and freesia. Heavy of the florals but the result is pleasant and very interesting for a celebrity fragrance. Not your typical fruity floral concoction. The fragrance quite a long time and the base notes are smooth vanilla, ylang ylang and soft musk. It is not an incredibly sexy fragrance, but it is suitable for everyday daytime wear and would also probably suit a very wide age range (so long as people don't mind wearing a fragrance by Paris Hilton). 

Strength: Moderate to good staying power. The middle note is lengthy and subtle. The overall scent is not too overpowering but lasts a long time close to the skin. A good 5-7 hours. 

Verdict: My favourite floral fragrance. I am definately a fan of Paris Hilton's fragrances and this one is certainly the most interesting. Perfect for the daytime and most ages. A pretty classy floral fragrance.

Rating: 6 (and a half) out of 10. 

Paris Hilton "Paris Hilton" fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size: 50ml

Paris Hilton is the first fragrance from the American heiress Paris Hilton. It was released in 2004 and was infact the first celebrity fragrance I owned. It is probably for this reason that I don't wear this one so often anymore and find it a little boring, but I have no doubt this is simply because I have worn it so often that I have, like so many people do with fragrances, got used to the scent and find it too familiar to be one of my favourites. However, the perfume still remains incredibly interesting, especially for a celebrity fragrance, and perfectly wearable and pleasant.  

The Bottle: I find Paris Hilton's bottles to be overall unremarkable when compared to some of the celebrity fragrances (such as Britney and J-lo, to name a few). It is tall and slender in a pink-tinted bottle with black wavy lines going down vertically. It is not the best or worst bottle I have seen, and I guess the pink colour is pretty enough, attracting the typical 15-25 year olds to the fragrance counter.

The Fragrance: Like I said, incredibly interesting for a celebrity fragrance. The pink bottle should alert you to the overall theme, if you like, of the fragrance. It is sweet. Not as sweet, however, as one may except from Ms Hilton. It is nowhere near as sweet as say, Britney Spears Fantasy, or even as sweet as her later fragrances Heiress and CanCan. But it is a very girly scent. The opening notes include frozen apple and peace nectar which give the first initial blast typical of a celebrity fragrance. However, after a few minutes the blast dries down to make room for powdery florals: freesia and jasmine. The florals are dominant in the heart of the fragrance, with sweet undertones balancing out the flowers. I personally also smell slightly peppery spice in the middle notes. This is what makes the fragrance so interesting. The fragrance lasts absolutely ages, with the base of skin musk and sandalwood not coming in for hours. The dry down is drawn out and heavy.

Strength: Like I mentioned, this is a very long lasting fragrance. Probably longer than any other of my celebrity fragrances. Lasting between 6 and 8 hours in total.

Verdict: Not your typical celebrity fragrance, and considering it is coming from Paris Hilton, I think most people may be pleasantly surprised by this number! Moderately sweet, with a blend of subtle fruit and powdery florals with a dark peppery undertone. A long-lasting and girly fragrance!

Rating: 5 (and a half) out of 10 

Britney Spears Hidden Fantasy fragrance review

Type: Eau de parfum

Size: 30ml

With the massive global success of Fantasy and Midnight Fantasy, in 2009 Britney released another spin off fragrance called hidden fantasy. I have to admit that this fragrance has really grown on me and I wish I had bought a bigger size bottle as I can see myself getting through this one very fast! The more I wear this the more I love it. I would say it is slightly more mature smelling than fantasy, but less so than midnight fantasy. The cupcake, sugary, candy-sweetness the fantasy range is famous for, is still there but slightly subtler than the original. This fragrance is warmer and more comforting than the previous fragrances, making it perfect for wearing in winter. 

The Bottle: The same as fantasy and midnight fantasy, but in a deep red colour with light pink swarvoski crystals. The red is reflective of the juice inside, with it being a warm and fun fragrance.

The Fragrance: With fruity top notes including tangerine and grapefruit, the initial blast is unsurprisingly incredibly sweet. My initial impression of the top notes were comparable with foods such as cake-icing and lemon butter-cream. Typical of Britney, this fragrance is sweet! Not as cupcakey as fantasy but much sweeter than midnight fantasy. The fragrance soon calms down into a creamy sensual blend of sweet and spicey, the spice being subtle but still recognizable. There is a hint of cherryade pop about this fragrance but it is overall really yummy. The fragrance does calm down considerably after the first hour, with the peppery spice becoming slightly more apparent and warm base notes of amber, vanilla and sandalwood emerging. The end result is subtle, warm and mysterious. 

Strength: Not as strong as the original fantasy, but still okay lasting power. Around 3-5 hours.

Verdict: More interesting, sexy and warm than the original fantasy. The warm base notes and spice mean it is a winter fragrance. I can imagine if you wore this in the blazing sunshine you would soon begin to feel sick and headachey, so use sparingly in the cold months to feel warm and sensual. Slightly more mature and sexy than the other fantasy fragrances. Perhaps aimed at the 20-30 age range, although, judging by the packaging and bright bottle, I'm not sure most people would realise this. Overall a sweet and yummy scent.

Rating: 7 out of 10. 

Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy Fragrance Review

Type: Eau de Parfum

Size: 100ml

Midnight Fantasy is the first spin-off fragrance by Britney Spears of her 2005 fragrance fantasy. Released in 2006 this fragrance was meant to be the night-time version of fantasy, hence the title. Despite the fact Midnight Fantasy hasn't proved to be anywhere near as popular as the original fantasy, it is one of my personal favourites and offers a slightly darker, more interesting and mature take on the "fantasy" fragrance.

Bottle: The bottle design is similar to the original fantasy, except in a dark bluey-purple colour with pale blue crystals. As the fantasy range seems to be aimed at the 15-25 age group the bottle is not mature or classic, but looks adorable.

The Fragrance: Like most celebrity fragrances, this is the typical fruity floral, with more emphasis on the fruit. The fragrance opens with notes of black cherry and plum and already smells a lot more sensual than the original fantasy. I personally think the initial blast smells fizzy, like sparkling pop drink or alcopops. The fragrance is slightly more mature than fantasy but still youthful and sweet. The fruits smell more sour than fresh but remain overall pleasant and interesting. The top notes don't last too long, with the fizz drying up first which is a shame as the initial blast of sparkle was really nice. The middle notes of night-blooming orchid, freesia and iris begin to come through after the first half hour but remain subtle. The main smell is still very much sour dark fruit. Some people seem to mention it smelling of blueberry despite the fact there are no blueberry notes in it. Personally I don't get blueberry, but the plum and black cherry are very much the dominant notes in this fragrance. The dry down is fairly unremarkable, the sour fruit stays for pretty much the whole duration, with hints of amber, musk and vanilla in the base. 

Strength: Like the original, the staying power of midnight fantasy seems to be very good despite it remaining consistent in the dry down. Would say it lasts 4-5 hours. 

Verdict: Darker and more interesting than the original fantasy but still keeping to the mega-sweet theme Britney fragrances are famous for. Perfect for wearing out at night! The overall dominant smell is sour fruit and the top notes are certainly the most remarkable with a fizzy blast of fruity yummy goodness. Does have a slight soda-pop smell to it, which can be likened to childrens medicine, but it is subtle and actually quite pleasant. My favourite fragrance by Britney!

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Britney Spears Fantasy Fragrance Review

Type: Eau de Parfum 

Size: 30ml

I kind of get the impression when I see this fragrance that every girl between the ages of, I don't know, 15 and 25, seem to have a bottle of this. When celebrity perfumes are mentioned in conversation, this seems to be the one that always pops up. With notes such as cupcake and white chocolate it is perfectly understandable why this fragrance is so popular. 

Bottle: The bottle is incredibly cute and, like the fragrance, not incredibly mature or classy looking. The hot pink, slightly sparkly glass with green swarvoski crystals embedded inside look great on your dresser. I think the bottle, like the perfume inside, is a "love it or hate it" thing, and I personally love it! It's harmless, sweet fun! 

The Fragrance: Like I said before, this fragrance is incredibly sweet! VERY VERY SWEET infact. The initial blast is incredibly powerful, with top notes of red lychee, golden quince and exotic kiwi. The top notes soon calm down but the middle notes are no less subtle: white chocolate orchid, cupcake and jasmine petals create a candy-like smell which is yummy but not incredibly mature. The florals are subtle and powdery, with the food-smells shining through. The middle note lasts for a long time, so if you don't like it by now I wouldn't recommend buying! When the middle note eventually dries down the base is soft and creamy, with sensual woods and orris root. Here the florals are slightly more obvious, but the sweetness still remains dominant right until the end!

Strength: The staying power of this fragrance is very good! It lasts a good 4-6 hours and the middle notes are the longest, lasting the majority of the length. Layer the fragrance with the shower gel or body souffle to make it last the whole day!

Verdict: An incredibly fun, sweet and yummy fragrance. Not incredibly grown-up, but very likeable. I think most people would sum this fragrance up with "guilty pleasure" and I am certainly one of those people! 

Rating: 7 out of 10.