FRAZER PARFUM "AFTER THE RAINS"

Hi everyone,

Have you heard of Frazer Parfum??? This is a luxury line of unique parfum created at a small parfum house in Cape Town, Africa. The head of the house is Tammy Frazer her grandfather is none other then Graham Wulff who created the world renowned Oil of Olay. Here is a little back story on Tammy from the website.

"Tammy Frazer as head of the house personally creates all perfumes by hand. As a perfumer Tammy works only with natural and organic raw materials sourced on quality by herself directly from the farmers around the world.

Her ready to wear collection is called Chapters and is inspired by Tammy's expeditions travelling to the source of the raw materials, meeting the farmers and discerning their methods of farming, harvesting and distillation.

These editions retail at the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie in Harrods London. A private room on the fifth floor of Harrods this room is homage to creative perfumery. The newly launched Annindriya Perfume Lounge in Oud-Zuid Amsterdam has become the second retail environment for Frazer Parfum.

Each Frazer Parfum flacon is hand-blown by local leading glass artist David Reade in Worcester and swathed in silk couture. Frazer Parfum showcases local design to present the best of what we have in South Africa to an international audience while at the same time championing local entrepreneurship. Frazer Parfum cherishes and nurtures workmanship, beauty and traditions.

Alongside the Chapters, Tammy consults privately to clients, creating truly bespoke scents. This process is a patient journey through time analyzing not only the scent families available to compose the single edition but also the history, provenance, travel and life style of the muse. It is as educational as it is rewarding.

Commercially, once in a while, an opportunity arises that compliments the ethics and creativity of Frazer Parfum. Each opportunity is carefully discussed and agreed to only on a case by case basis."

I was fortunate enough to have received a small vile of one of these fine parfum's it's called "AFTER THE RAINS"
"A universal scent recognised as wet and warm, notable both for the nostalgia it evokes and its profound link to nature. The fragrance commences with notes of cucumber, basil and black pepper. The heart is introduced with lime, then mandarin and grapefruit. Further opening sees magnolia and orange blossom - an ode to tropical sweet rains. Drying on the skin, the lasting effect is of sandalwood and violet leaf, rosewood and guaiac wood." quoted from Perfume Lounge

Since I did not receive a full sized bottle for review I found some images on Google to showcase the beauty of this parfum line and the incredible hand blown glass flacon's created by renowned glass artist David Reade of Worcester South Africa

Also available are solid parfume's housed in this gorgeous hand carved African blackwood pincushion compact.

This is such a unique and highly unusual scent combination like nothing else I have ever smelled. I definitely agree there is the balance of wet & warm like the cool rains on warm tropical florals and foliage. There is a sharpness from the pepper and basil, and fresh bursts from the grapefruit, cucumber and lime, but it takes on a clean, deep soulful scent upon dry down really show casing the sandal, rose and guaiac wood. I would say this is a rich, earthy, worldly scent, sure to be appreciated by those more in tune with the outdoors. Its like taking in all the scents of nature in one deep breath.

Because of the nature of the product in its rawest form a 20ml bottle will run you about 255 euro depending on where you purchase from. This is a heirloom and the parfum itself will only get better with age, just like good wine.

You can check out Frazer Parfum's website here

Just remember when smelling parfum to open your nose and your mind

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED A LUXURY OR PRESTIGE SCENT FROM A PARFUM HOUSE??

THANKS FOR READING EVERYONE AND HAVE A GREAT DAY XOXO:)



ITS TIME TO SMELL SEXY PLAYBOY "PLAY IT SPICY" BODY SPRAY

Hi everyone,

       Today lets take a look at the Playboy body mist  called PLAY IT SPICY. I find lately I have been wanting fragrance that smells a little warmer, more mature and less gourmand then I normally gravitate to. So I picked up this body spray on a whim because it was on clearance for $2.

This is a very dark sexy scent that leads with bold impact these are the fragrance notes

Top Notes: Pomegranate, Bellini Cocktail and Pink Berries

Heart Notes: Tiger Lily, Passionflower and Heliotrope

Base Notes: Amber, Sandalwood and Vanilla Essence

I definitely can smell a mix of the sweet berries melding with the warmth of the sandalwood and the vanilla. I find it also upon first spray has a soapy clean scent to it, but takes on a deep sensual vibe during dry down.

Overall I am happy with this purchase and it was a total bargain for 240ml.

The scent lasts for a few hours before fading out on my skin, it catches well on the breeze outside.

There are 5 other scents in this line, some I have smelt and not been crazy about because they tend to lean to much to the floral and suckle sweet side, which does not appeal to me at all. However I am interested in trying out the newest offering called "SUPER PLAYBOY".

Also who wouldn't feel sexy spritzing on a scent from a bottle adorned with the infamous bunny head and bow tie.

You can purchase the body sprays at most drug stores and Walmart in Canada.

You can also check out more on the line at the link below

http://www.playboyfragrances.com/

HAVE YOU TRIED ANYTHING FROM THE PLAYBOY LINE? DO LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS OR WHAT SCENT SOUNDS MOST APPEALING TO YOU IF YOU CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE.

THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO READ EVERYONE

ALSO DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY

STAY BEAUTIFUL XO

                                     

I LOVE EVERYTHING IN "EXCESS" TOKYO MILK DARK PARFUM

Today I am happy to share with you all a parfum line that I have fallen in love with. Its designed by Margot Elena.

Margot Elena has been inspired by beauty and art from a very young age growing up amongst parents who were a classically trained musician and a fine artist. So it was just matter of time before Margot's own creativity would bloom. Now flash forward to present day and Margot has not one line of fragrance but four which you can check out each one here

www.lollialife.com
www.libraryofflowers.com
www.loveandtoast.com
www.tokyo-milk.com

Margot Elena is a niche market that creates small batches of beautifully crafted products and satisfying a specific market of interest, in this case parfum.

Lets get to the review of the Tokyo-Milk Dark Parfum #28 called EXCESS

The bottles to this parfum line are amazing and definitely befitting to my character. I love the solid matte black glass bottle and the simple yet effective white graphics

 

The gun metal cap is also sleek and adds to the edginess of this "Dark" line

 

The packing I give a 10/10. I have heard other reviews about people having issues with the atomizer, but since I have started using it I haven't faced any problems. I think this product looks high end and certainly is eye catching because it's quite unique.

 

The notes that make up EXCESS are as follows

Amber Resin, Blood Orange, Oak Bark and Patchouli

 

The thing that makes this fragrance line even more appealing is that its suitable for men or women. However I have read that some scents lean more feminine so it's just a matter of smelling them before buying.

I on the other hand did a blind buy with this parfum never having smelled it. I know that is dangerous in the world of fragrance, but often times then not I can read what the scent notes are and will know from that if I will love it or hate it. I think I have only bought 2 failed parfumes in the past couple of years working off this method. I have a very acute sense of smell that in some cases can be a gift and a curse.

 

I would say EXCESS does tend to be a spicy warm scent that takes on a rather masculine tone. I love this as I am not a floral flight of fancy type girl, so this works well for me and my overall body chemistry, which plays a pivotal role in parfum purchasing. I feel I really smell a burst of the blood orange on first spray and then it immediately starts to warm up and take on the amber resin and oak bark. As it melds with the oils in my skin and on dry down I get a mild scent of Patchouli, which I am a huge fan of because its very earthy, but I know that this is a scent you either love or hate.  

Don't get me wrong I love gourmand scents like vanilla, cake, apples and coconut, but if its to much then it gives me a head ache. Often times I feel that Bath & Body works can be enjoyable in small doses, but even that starts to remind me of scents associated with teenage girls who want to smell oozy sweet for the boys at school.

 

I think parfum is a very personal purchase and there for I don't like anyone to buy it for me unless I specify exactly what I want. I think it's more important to take your time, spend the money and get a quality product then just any old thing for the sake of spraying on a smell.

 

That's why I probably have one of the smallest parfum collections known to woman because I tend to be extremely selective in this area.

 

Mind you I think that will be changing now that I have hit on Tokyo-Milk. These scents to me say "Mature, but not old lady, sexy, mysterious, desire, sensual, intriguing, curious"

 

I also like that the main notes of the parfum are clearly marked on the bottle so that you can let someone else know if they are interested in what your wearing.

 

There are 7 other scents in this line which are

                                          Arsenic (This is my next purchase)

Bittersweet

Bulletproof

Crushed

Everything & Nothing

La Vie La Mort

Tainted Love 

 

The best part is you are getting 47.3ml of eau de PARFUM, not eau de toilette and its extremely reasonably priced at $36/$38 Cad a bottle

 

I can't wait to experience my next bottle of Tokyo-Milk Dark and hope that you all take the journey one day to in finding your perfect dark scent;)

 

LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS IF THIS LINE APPEALS TO YOU, OR IF YOU ALREADY OWN ANYTHING FROM TOKYO-MILK???

 

Hope you all enjoyed this in depth review on EXCESS from Tokyo-Milk

 

You can check out lots more at the website

http://tokyo-milk.com/t/femme-fatale

 

Thank you for continued support to Makeup'Asylum and come back often

 

STAY BEAUTIFUL XO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANNA SUI ROCK ME AND SECRET WISH FRAGRANCE REVIEW

Today is the last review I will be doing for a long while on Anna Sui products. So on a sweeter note I thought the last review should be two of her fragrances.

First up is SECRET WISH- This is a fresh fragrance with depth that screams summer time, at least to me any way. It smells of fresh floral's enveloped with sweet juicy essence of melon and lime and lemon tones linger nicely in the foreground of this scent. It has a mysterious tone to it that is a little hard to pinpoint, but is certainly unique.

 

Since I received this eau de toilette I have reached for it most days. I love scents that are not so common. Now a days you can literally pass a dozen people who pretty much smell the same because so many people buy very common fragrance or what ever is popular at the moment.

The bottle is fairly basic, but still looks pleasing with small detailing, geometric shape that can either be stood or laid on it's side and the aqua coloured liquid is a sure hit with me.

If your a fan of a fragrance such a Dolce & Gabbana light blue then this fragrance should be on your list of ones to try.

 

SECRET WISH comes in various sizes and price range from $18-75

This particular 75ml bottle would run you around $70

 

SECRET WISH was released in 2005

 

Moving a long the other scent I received is Anna Sui's ROCK ME- This bottle is a real show stopper with it's girly curved guitar bottle draped with a butterfly, hearts, stars and peace sign motif. So why not channel your inner rock star and give this scent a try.

 

 

I find this to be a very sweet scent with a strong hold on peach at the start and fusing into the honeysuckle, jasmine and waterlily. The dry down then takes on a warmer feeling with the amber and cedarwood marrying with all the other scents for quite the grand finale.

I find that I prefer the "Secret Wish" over this scent and this is not normally a fragrance I would jump to purchase. However this was gifted to me and I appreciate it no less. Even if the fragrance is not one I will use a lot, I will enjoy the aesthetic of the bottle sitting on my vanity.

 

Again there are various sizes for this fragrance and the price range is about the same as Secret Wish

 

This is a 75ml bottle for around $60

 

You can find Anna Sui fragrances at select SHOPPERS DRUG MART locations, as well as Secret Wish is carried at Sephora and you can also see these products on Anna Sui's direct website.

 

www.shoppersdrugmart.ca

or

www.sephora.ca/com

 and

www.annasui.com

 

When it comes to fragrance always make sure to go to the store and use the tester. Make sure to spray near pulse points and actually walk around the store for a while or go finish up your shopping to see how it melds with your own unique body chemistry. Just remember what may not work for one person, may just be the best thing you ever discovery.

 

BOTH FRAGRANCES WERE GIFTED TO ME FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVIEW. ALL MY OPINIONS ARE STILL MY OWN AND BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRODUCTS.

 

Be sure to come back often, Till then...

 

STAY BEAUTIFUL XO

 

  

***MEN'S MONDAY*** IRONMAN GLORY COLOGNE FROM AVON

HI GUYS,

Here we are back with another edition of MEN'S MONDAY, hope all you men out there are starting your week off right and enjoying the kick off of summer. HAPPY CANADA DAY TO ALL YOU CANADIAN FELLA'S EVERYWHERE.

Today we are going to be talking about the cologne brought out by Avon called IRONMAN GLORY. This scent comes on strong with that big hit of citrus, then as it warms to the skin you will get that beautiful essence of the icy bergamot and then as it dries down you start to notice the subtle notes of cedarwood playing gently in the background and marrying beautifully with the citrus and bergamot notes.

 

I find this a nice clean scent and it certainly is a great summer active scent. For me this evokes thoughts of the outdoors, pine trees, camping, swimming, warming up by a nighttime camp fire. The only issue I have with this cologne is that you may have to reapply throughout the day, as I personally feel it fades, but for the price you can reapply without worry.

 

To me there is nothing more sexy then a warm summer night and a delicious smelling man to spend it with. Scent plays such a big part in how we ultimately feel around someone. If the person is wearing something irritating you may find yourself wanting to run away or punch them in the face LOL, the last part was a joke.....kind of. However if a man is wearing a cologne that suits him just right that can be a huge turn on and will be sure to score points with the ladies in your company, or men if that's what you prefer;)

 

I am going out on a limb here and being a bit brash. I don't mind a guy who can't wear cologne if he is sensitive to fragrance, that's fine as long as you smell fresh and clean from soap and water. A little bit of manly sweat is ok, but if you have a full on B.O funk, that is so not cool in my books and I think I could comfortably speak for many. On the other hand there is nothing worse then a dirty body wearing cologne, if I smell that I will surely gag. So don't bother wearing cologne if your doing it to mask odor, it's just going to make matters worse.

 

So if your looking for an inexpensive summer time scent then grab yourself a bottle of this lovely amber coloured cologne it's worth the purchase.

 

IF YOU HAVE USED IRONMAN GLORY PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS AND TELL ME WHY YOU LOVE IT OR HATE IT

 

I got this for my husband for around $14 CAD

 

The one thing I find is Avon cologne is far better then the ladies perfumes which really struggle in my eyes. Also there is always some excellent offer to be had. So find a rep in your area or you can order on line at

 

www.avon.ca

or

www.avon.com

 

Thanks to those who have embraced my new "MEN'S MONDAY" segment and till next time

 

STAY CLEAN AND FRESH MEN XO

 

****SPECIAL EDITION MEN'S MONDAY******* AVON BLACK SUEDE ESSENTIAL

 For those of you that don't know I have decided to start a new segment on MakeUp'Asylum called "MEN'S MONDAY."

So for all you gals and guys out there that have a spouse or partner that loves facial care, shaving products and cologne then continue reading because that's what this is all about.

Now a days more and more men are starting to take much better care of their skin and making that a big part of their everyday routines. Also we as spouses and partners appreciate our men smelling just as good as we do, but on a masculine note.
That being said that's why I decided to start touching base on this end of the cosmetic world.

The item I would like to talk about on this very first "Men's Monday" is Avon's BLACK SUEDE ESSENTIAL. There are some names of cologne or perfume that are from Avon the minute you hear it you associate it with old or outdated. However rest assured this new take on an old favorite is sure to please a new audience of consumers.

 

So according to my husband he says he likes this cologne and has no complaints. He feels it has good staying power and the bottle is a nice simple yet masculine design that fits well in the medicine cabinet, which is his preferred place to keep his toiletries. The bottle is quite nice and is a deep rich plum purple glass with a thick plastic cap, but doesn't look cheap.

 

In terms of smell both my husband and I really like this. We have read other reviews about this cologne on "FRAGRANTICA" and totally disagree with people saying that its a weak cologne.

I smell rich tones throughout that is warm, but not to overly spicy which can be choky and irritating. I also smell the blend of lavender and faintly citrus. The scents I notice most is a rich musky leather, which I for one am a big fan of, but I understand that's not for everyone. I find this is a mature scent, but not mature as in old, mature as in just age appropriate for those in their 30's perhaps.

My husband said that he would buy this again because its a practical cologne and you get a lot for how much you pay.

So we got a bogo deal on this, I got my perfume free and this cologne is 100ml and was $20 at the time we purchased it.

 

Just remember when purchasing perfume or cologne when you have sprayed it on to make sure to do so on your pulse points and you don't have to drown yourself in it. We tend to think that because our nose has adjusted and we can't smell it that it means its weak, not true. People around you, standing beside you or in passing can indeed smell what your wearing. I like when I pass someone and catch a whisper of what they are wearing, not being hit by a wall of fragrance which in some cases can be horrible and stomach turning.

 

So in closing we will be using different ratings based on what we are speaking about that day. Today on the SMELL OR METER my husband and I give this a 4 outta 5.

 

So if this cologne sounds good to you contact your local Avon rep today. The reps can sometimes hook you up with a sample to try or look out for great offers and buy yourself a bottle.

 

HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS NEW SEGMENT AND FOR ALL YOU MEN OUT THERE STAY TUNED AND...........

 

 

STAY GROOMED

 

AND FOR YOU MARRIED FELLAS REMEMBER "HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE";)

 

 

 

BATH AND BODY WORKS 2013 ESCAPE COLLECTION and more.....

HELLO EVERYONE,

                    Today's post is about the Bath & Body works 2013 ESCAPE COLLECTION this is a collection that has stolen my heart. Anything that is tropical is always a sure hit with me.

Over the mother's day week-end I picked up a lot of different things and got some great deals along the way.

I picked 4 body spray's and 1 triple moisture body cream

The body mist's are BALI MANGO, ARUBA COCONUT AND RIO RUMBERRY. The triple moisture cream I opted for is the companion cream to BALI MANGO. I also picked one body mist from the Bella Italy collection which is VENICE DOLCE BERRY.

Normally I am such a huge fan of coconut and yes I do love the Aruba coconut and I did want the companion triple cream as well but they were sold out at the location I was at. I love anything that smells like a tropical vacation spot or warm skin with tanning lotion on it. I in general love coconut to wear, eat and smell. So if you love it as much as I do then do NOT miss this years summer scent. I do not smell the tones of apple, but on first spray I do catch the essence of mango and nectarine ever so slight and quick. The dry down is richness from warm sandalwood and the vanilla and coconut cream with the sensual smell of exotic musk.

The Rio Rumberry has an interesting scent that seems sweet when first applied and you get that syrupy fruit scent from the Papaya and Tangelo. Then as it lingers it takes on a scent that is somewhat unisex almost like the lighter men's cologne that women can pull off wearing. I definitely smell the Plumeria and tropical fruit tones and once drying down I do sense a mild coconut smell but not as distinct as "Aruba Coconut."

Also in the collection is Bali Mango which actually has turned out to be my favorite of the three. Everything that makes you think of summer is beautifully combined in this scent from the delicious mango to the citrus fruits layered in with sugary tropical flower tones, this scent really speaks to me. When I say flowery tones they are subtle and not over powering as I am not a fan of anything that's to floral. It also is a lasting scent that stays for hours.

Overall I am extremely pleased with this particular collection. There are some scents within B&B that I often wonder how they maintain their popularity because I find them very annoying unpleasant smells, but to each their own. I just hate smells that make me feel headachy and there have been several over the years through B&B that have done just that.

Moving on to the "Bella Italy" line there was only one other scent in this collection that I liked aside from Dolce Berry. That one is the "Capri Seaside Citrus," but I prefer the Dolce Berry just a bit more. I find my nose tends to grab on to very specific smells within a fragrance and that's what I detect the most. So with Dolce Berry I really do catch the blackberry musk, sugar sandalwood and red and black berry tones. I however do not smell the "frosted magnolia." I do detect a mild white iris playing in the background. Some smells though are merely a description to entice our senses into believing that that is what that particular flower or fruit may smell like. I certainly haven't smelt specific exotic flowers, how could I? I live in Canada. So unless you have personal experience with certain fruits and flowers or any other smell it's merely only an assumption as to what it truly might smell like.

I also got two items from the B&B Aromatherapy line. I have some other items from this line from a previous haul which I love, but this next scent is new to MY collection. I was going to go with my usual Lavender/Vanilla scent, but then on the recommendation of a nearby shopper I picked something totally different for a change and I am very glad I did. It is the "ENERGY" line which is orange and ginger.

The shower gel has become a favorite that I have been using everyday since I bought it. What I love about this line is that its more natural and they use pure essential oils which gives you the truest scent within the product. The lotion absorbs in to the skin quickly and does not leave a greasy sheen behind and you skin feels immediately softer. The shower gels in this line are amazing. They lather incredibly and you only need a little bit, so a bottle last quite a while. That combination of orange and ginger is killer it totally does energize me first thing in the morning. I breathe deeply when I am in the warm shower because the ginger is strong and clears the sinuses well. I highly recommend this product it will invigorate you too.

So here is how it worked out cost wise. I purchased the 4 body sprays, 1 triple cream and the aromatherapy shower gel and matching body lotion. They had the deal if you buy 3 you get 2 free. Plus I got the aromatherapy items for a staggering $5 a piece which is a huge saving as the lotion is normally $14.50 alone. Then I used my receipt survey to get $10 off my total, so I walked away with 7 items for $33 WOW.

I could have also purchased the special mother's day tote filled with $120 worth of goodies, but sadly I am not a fan of the "Rome Honeysuckle Amore" which was the main collection offered within this gift package. So I opted NO to that.

I hope you all enjoyed this slightly different review today

more to come at MakeUp'Asylum

STAY BEAUTIFUL