The most pungent perfumes to get your special someone feeling rosy this Valentine’s
IF you’ve yet to buy your leading lady a Valentine’s gift, fear not.
The shelves are full of new perfumes for spring that are sure to go down a treat – and this week I’ve been testing them out.
Budget
Ariana Grande Mod Vanilla, £53 for 100ml, :
Before you turn your nose up at another celebrity fragrance, hear me out.
I’ve not met Ariana Grande, but I have a good feeling this is pretty much her in a bottle; warm, sweet and a crowd pleaser.
Centred around vanilla, it’s somewhere between homemade cupcakes and a luxury scented candle, and smells good enough to eat.
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The main downside is that it only lasts around half a day, which would be fine for dinner plans, but for daily wear I’d like it to last longer.
Even the biggest perfume snob can’t deny the pop star knows how to make a seriously good perfume.
Mid-Range
Maison Margiela Replica On A Date eau de toilette, £110 For 100ml, :
For the name alone, this gets big brownie points.
I am not normally a fan of rose scents; they can be too sickly and old-fashioned, but this is the polar opposite.
It’s warm and heady and, at first spritz, reminded me of the smell of old books, in a vintage, sophisticated, oak-walled library kind of way, rather than a dog-eared, charity shop vibe.
It lasts days, and even longer on clothes, which is a relief given the price.
The dry down is slightly sweeter than the initial oaky opening, so errs on the more feminine side of unisex.
And it delivers the same soul-stirring, chest-warming feeling as a flaming shot of sambuca, but without the hangover!
Pick of the week
IF you are on TikTok, you have probably already seen countless videos of the impressive Maybelline SuperStay 24H Hybrid Powder Foundation, £11.99.
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If not, Google it, but do it sitting down, as you will be seriously impressed.
The lightweight powder covers blemishes and redness in one step, combining the coverage of a hard-working concealer, blendability of a foundation and staying power of a setting powder in one streamlined compact, all without drying out skin or looking cakey.