My Favourite Perfumes | Chanel and Dior

Perfumes are always going to be my biggest love when it comes to the "beauty" industry.  I am a sensual person and by that I mean I love things that smell, look, feel and taste good.  Those who follow me on Snapchat would have seen my extensive perfume collection and I have shared a few on my blog in the past (click here to see them).  I decided to do a post on my favourite perfumes - although my favourites do tend to change depending on my mood and the season.

Chanel Noir Eau de Parfum
This was my first Chanel perfume that I owned.  It is described as a contemporary expression of a magnetic sensuality told in a modern oriental fragrance with luminous notes.  What I love about this perfume is the fact that is is very sensual and sexy but not is a strong nor overpowering way.  The scent is composed of Bergamot, Rose, Geranium Rose Leaf, Patchouli and Tonka Bean.  It is a truly beautiful perfume that I absolutely love wearing day or night time. I own a 50ml that JP bought me as a surprise one day at the time it was R1400 for a bottle and is currently retailing for R1745 for 50ml and R2465 for 100ml.

Chanel Coco Madamoiselle Eau de Parfum
Coco Madamoiselle is said to be a light oriental perfume that is the essence of a bold, free woman.  This perfume is composed of Jasmine, Iris and May Rose. The scent is a really delicate floral fragrance that is light and so femanine.  JP brought me this bottle of perfume from Madrid where he paid 83 Euros for a 100ml bottle (that is roughly around R1500).  In our local stores this perfume retails for R2279 which is really so very expensive, but honestly, if you are one who loves perfumes there are few perfumes that are as good as Chanel ones (and this is coming from a primarily Dior fan).

Dior Addict Eau de Toilette
I am not going to lie, there aren't too many Dior perfumes that I love but when I smelled this one I just fell in love with it.  I received a sample of it and was so upset when it finished that JP again surprised me with a bottle of perfume. I had just received a promotion and also presented at a conference so it gave me the perfume as a congratulatory gift. This perfume is another Oriental one with floral notes.  The fragrance is made up of madarin leaves, mulberry flowers, Night Queen Flower, Bulgarian rose, orange flower, Bourbon vanilla, sandal wood and Tonka bean.  All these ingredients combine to create a perfume that is energising and sort of puts a boldness in your step. It is fun and easy wearing.

I am a person that loves perfumes that are a mix of floral and fruity scents and prefer ones that settle on a musk or powdery finish. Traditionally that is what I always used to get, but I find that these three perfumes have made me consider perfumes that are richer in scent and more complex. All three of these perfumes lasts the entire day on my skin.  When I get home I can still smell it and JP will often comment on them when he greets me in the evenings after work.  I don't spray excessive amounts of perfume on me so it says a lot that these are still noticeable on my skin with only 2 spays on my neck.

I am very lucky that JP does spoil me to perfumes on special occasions and this means that all my perfumes have great memories associated to them.  I love that whenever I wear one, I am instantly transported back in time to a moment and I get to experience those good feelings again.

Big Hugs,
Charlene XXX

PS. If like me you like picking up a good bargain here are some tips on how to pick up perfumes for slightly less:

1. Use your loyalty points earned at stores - Clicks, Dischem and Edgars have loyalty programs that you can use to your benefit and if you combine this with a sale you end up getting more off. When I choose to buy a perfume I will time it for a Red Carpet event or sale so that I can get the discount and then further use my loyalty points to get more of a discount off my purchase.
2. Shop around and keep your eyes open. Often online stores will have perfumes on sale which results in massive savings. Takealot in particular often has their perfumes on sale. Also, Superbalist has a luxury perfume section that is quite hidden but when they have their site wide sales you can pick up a good discount.
3. Shop at discount stores but do your research! I really love bargains but I am always weary of something being too good to be true...there are only two discount stores I trust and that is My Perfume Shop (they have a physical store in Cavendish Mall that I have gone to check out personally) and Ascot Cosmetics (I have bought from them in the past and was very happy with my experience).
4. Get a gift set. If you are looking for value for money, gift sets are fantastic.  They usually come with a body wash and body lotion which means you get a good experience of the product and can layer the scent.  Around Valentines Day, Mothers Day and Christmas the gift sets are usually at a great price.

Hope these tips were useful! XXX