Black Amethyst by Bath & Body Works : Perfume Review

Bath & Body Works has recently released the newest addition to their Signature Collection, a fall fragrance by Givaudan’s John Gamba. The perfume in question is Black Amethyst, a very pretty, sensual scent that veers very far from the soliflore offerings the company is most well known for, capturing the rich tones of fall with juicy fruit, sheer petals and deep woods. The Black Amethyst Eau de Toilette is already available for purchase from the official B&BW website, along with the following ancillary products: Body Lotion, Body Butter, Shower Gel, Creamy Body Wash, Body Splash, Bubble Bath, Body Cream and Hand Cream, as well as home fragrances such as room sprays and electric diffusers.

Black Amethyst opens with an intense, sweet citrusy blast that is sparkling and fresh and soon deepens, loosing part of its sweetness and becoming dryer, blending with a tantalizing scent of red berries and pomegranate. I love the dusty dryness of the opening, which seems to act as a guard, suppressing a far juicier, pulsating heart. This lovely, dry, dusty overtone pleasantly remains a constant throughout the development of this scent. Even though the opening is quite interesting as is, it doesn’t give an indication of the complexity that is to follow. Ten to fifteen minutes after application, the scent goes through a beautiful transformation: it feels almost as though a bud unfurls to reveal deep colors and a glowing heart previously unseen. A mélange of velvety and at once peppery floral notes which feels seductive and alluring, strikes me as intensely familiar, even though I can’t immediately put my finger on what it reminds me of. However, as soon as the slightly ozonic waterfruit notes really kick in, I have it: even though this is a much sheerer, airier fragrance, the waterfruit/melon notes over piquant, velvety dark petals instantly bring to mind my beloved Black Orchid. The similarities however stop there: while Black Orchid goes on to become ever darker and dirtier, shedding its floral character as time goes on, Black Amethyst works in the opposite direction, being slowly lit from within. The floral heart notes stretch, becoming sheerer and lighter as time goes by, to reveal caramelized, vanilla tinged woods in the base notes. The patchouli note is quite innocent and joined beautifully by hints of sandalwood and deep musk. The waterfruit notes that were presenting a rather guarded sensuality having died down, the drydown is very sexy indeed, perfect for autumn.

Official Notes:
Top: Bergamot, Mandarin, Tangerine, Orange Zest, Waterfruit, Melon
Mid: Muguet, Magnolia, Gardenia, Tuberose, Freesia, Peony, Camellia
Base: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Vanilla, Musk

Images: www.bathandbodyworks.com, www.mineralatlas.com

Enchanted Orchid & Blushing Cherry Blossom by Bath & Body Works : Scented Reviews

The weather has been absolutely lovely the last few days: the sky a gorgeous blue without a cloud in sight, the chestnut trees blossoming, the central heating turned off (hopefully) for good and the French doors leading to my balcony left open all day long in order to let the light breeze caress my skin as I work. The days are lasting longer, and all I can think about as evening approaches, is how nice it would be to go out with my friends to sit on a terrace and lazily enjoy tapas, good wine and their smiles under the setting sun. Alas, the fact that my last midterms are only five days away means that I am once again confined in the house, conscientiously studying instead of indulging. But one has to keep thinking positively, right? I might not be able to go out, but I can still bring plenty of the atmosphere I am so craving in my own home. My ritual starts with a long, warm shower around 7 in the evening to relax, before I have to go back to the books. I spritz Enchanted Orchid Body Splash all over my still slightly dump legs and arms and slip into a summery shift. I then pour myself a tiny glass of wine and take my books to the balcony to enjoy the sunset, using an extra chair to rest my legs on. It might not be quite the experience of a buzzing terrace filled with people, and Multivariate Data Analysis is not quite as pleasant company as my friends, but hey, it is a slice of summer. And it makes me smile. The combination of the last couple of hours of warming sunlight with the light breeze and the scent of the Enchanted Orchid splash make me feel like I am transported to a summer resort, worries left behind. This deep, sultry fragrance is truly exotic and perfectly suited to the summer months. The opening smells strongly of apple and vanilla, but soon the scent blooms to reveal a lighter floral bouquet of gardenias surrounded by juicy greens. It is a long lasting, lingering fragrance that makes me feel feminine and refreshed. Its sultriness further makes me feel ready for a real summer evening filled with fun, evoking images of beach parties under the starlight. There’s also something in there that brings a positively tropical atmosphere to mind, even though I am not immediately able to detect any of the typical fruity notes that usually fit the description. The plastic spritzer bottle is going to be the perfect addition to my gym bag this summer. A light misting after the shower and I’ll be ready to enjoy the summer evenings after my workout!

Another Bath & Body Works product I’ve been enjoying lately is the Blushing Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilet. This utterly fresh, ethereal scent is perfect for sunny spring days, adding a touch of femininity to a casual daytime look. Despite the name, this is actually a scent built around a beautiful rose accord, which starts out very light and sparkling and gets progressively warmer and more complex as it warms on the skin. Supporting the rose but not distracting from its role as the star of the fragrance, a note of succulent pear adds playfulness, greens add freshness, while a touch of something dry, like a sprinkiling of dust, adds a realistic dimension to the flower. The drydown is warmer: a woody musk, which comfortably hugs the lingering rose scent. This happy, girly fragrance is great for those who want to add a springtime rose scent to their fragrance rotation without breaking the bank.

Images: Calypso Orchid & Rose Damascena, commons.wikimedia.org