Vivabox Perfume Samples Review

Vivabox is a perfume sample box with a twist. You try out seven well known perfumes, choose your favourite scent and then use the enclosed voucher inside the box to exchange it for a full sized perfume at The Perfume Shop. The box costs £37.99 plus £3.99 for postage and packaging.

I think that these are a great idea to test out perfumes that you haven't tried before or to send or receive as a gift when someone doesn't know what perfume you like. 

Perfumes can be hard to buy for people unless you know them really well as they are so different and suit different personalities. 

I have quite a few favourite perfumes and have a collection of samples already from various beauty boxes so I regularly wear a variety of perfumes. This is a really great way of knowing what scents wear well and discovering new ones that I may not have tried before. When trying these, I used a different sample perfume each day to get an idea if I liked it or not.

The seven different perfume samples that are contained in the box are;

Hugo Boss - Boss Ma Vie Pour Femme EDP "A fresh green feminine scent that wraps you in a floral blanket of freesia and rose."

I say;
The little vial is hard to open as it's one of the old style ones that you have to pull off the lid and it contains a plastic stick which you use to dab to your pulse points. I have tried this perfume before and I would wear it on a night out. It reminds me of sophistication and is feminine. If I trade my voucher for this one I would receive a 30ml EDP (Eau De Parfum.) I like it but I don't absolutely love it.

Caroline Herrera 212 VIP EDP "Are you on the VIP list? This explosion of bergamot, vanilla and musk is full of attitude."

I say;
This is too strong for me and has a kick of sweetness. By looking at the notes contained in this I would have thought I liked it but sadly not. It must be the musk and gardenia that is too much for me. It makes me pull a face! I could have swapped the voucher for a 30ml EDP but I won't be doing for this one.

Jimmy Choo- Jimmy Choo EDP "A modern fruity chypre with sensual sweet toffee at its base."

I say;
I didn't even know what chypre meant so I went off to Google it. It means that it belongs to a family of perfumes with citrus top notes. This has a strong fragrance which is also sweet. It lasts a long time but it's one that  don't want to keep on smelling. Again this is just not me. It's too grown up and even though I could get a 40ml EDP, I won't be using my voucher for this one either.

Nina- Nina Ricci EDT " An enchanting floral with mouthwatering notes of  red toffee apple, praline, vanilla and citrus. Simply magical."

I say;
Nina Ricci was the first perfume that I bought with my Birthday money when I was thirteen years old. This perfume is therefore nostalgic to me and when I sprayed this it took me back to when I originally had. I remember it being a green bottle with a pink lid and I liked it so much that I didn't want to use it in case it ran out! I can use my voucher for a 50ml EDT of this and I'm thinking of getting it. I really like it now as much as I did back then.



Paco Rabanne Black XS EDT " A sensual mix of cranberries, black violet and vanilla- this is for girls who like to bend the rules."

I say;
Again , not for me. It's too strong and doesn't match my personality at all. I could have used the voucher for a 50ml Eau De Toilette but I won't be doing for this one.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy EDP "Feeling flirty? Try an enticing floral gourmand scent containing juicy notes of mandarin, wild berry and caramel."

I say;
Oh Juicy Couture you can do no wrong in my eyes. I already have the Eau De Parfum of this one and I love the scent. I can exchange for a 30ml EDP for this scent and I'm torn between getting this one or another option. Do I get this one again so that I have two of them? Mmmmm decisions decisions.

Kenzo- Flower By Kenzo "Packed with a cornucopia of vibrant, floral notes, including parma violet, Bulgarian rose and wild hawthorn."

I say;
I saw the ingredient parma violet and immediately thought of sweeties but again this scent just isn't for me. It's just not got the mixture of notes that work well for me so I won't be getting this perfume either. Too strong for my nostrils!

I think I'm going to go for either the Juicy Couture or the Nina Ricci options. After searching on The Perfume Shop for the Nina Ricci it costs £39.50 for the 30ml EDT and The Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy is priced at £34.50 for 30ml EDP.

With at least four of the perfumes you are getting the equivalent value of the box for the others they are priced lower. Therefore this box is not one where you think that it's a great bargain but it's great to either get a chance to sample a few perfumes that you already had your eyes on or great to give as a gift.

Would I purchase for myself? No as I would just go to a department store and spray the testers to see if I liked a particular scent. I might buy it as a luxury gift for someone but I think I'd just rather find out what scents they like and end up saving myself a little money too.

Did I like receiving this as a gift? Yes I did as I thought it was exciting to have the little perfumes to test out to see if I could find a new favourite and wear a new scent every day. I have found my love again for an old favourite and confirmed my love of Juicy Couture.

Love Laura xoxo

Miss Selfridge Perfume And Body Collection Review

Hello everyone. Hope you are all well and had fun-filled weekends. We enjoyed a tasty BBQ on Saturday night washed down with Crabbie's Ginger beers. Yummy!

Today I have a review for you on the new Miss Selfridge perfumes and body collection. I have the body mist, body lotion, body wash, shimmer powder and their two perfumes in the scents Beau and Etoile. 

Miss Selfridge sell such lovely clothes and I was unaware that they sold perfumes, body and beauty items too until I saw the information about them on their Twitter feed.

First up we have the perfumes in the scents Beau and Etoile. These retail at £12 for 50ml which I think is a great price, especially if you love the scent of them too.

I love the vintage feel of the cylindrical perfume boxes and they look beautiful stored on my dressing table. 

Now, on first thoughts, I was drawn to the pink shade and the gorgeous name of Beau. The bottle inside is gorgeous but I've learnt never to judge a book by its cover as it's actually the Etoile scent that I prefer. 

Beau is intended for a daytime fragrance and has top notes of pink grapefruit, English pear, raspberry ripple, Violet Absolute, Roe De Mai and Jasmine. 

The base notes are Vanilla Absolute, Cedarwood and white musks.

Now from looking at all of those fruity top notes and the Vanilla Absolute base note I would have thought that I'd have loved this perfume but that's not the case for me. I think it has something to do with the white musks that are included as ever since I've been young I remember smelling the White Musk fragrance from the Body Shop and it's definitely not one for me.

I would describe Beau as being very sugary-sweet and floral.

Etoile on the other hand has a purple bottle and packaging and is intended for night use and this is my preferred scent which surprised me. It has top notes of Neroli, Sicilian Bergamot, Black Cassis, Lotus Tea, Muguet and Campaca flower. The base notes include vanilla creme, Sacred Woods and skin musks.

Now a little rundown on the three body products;

The Body Wash retails at £4 and contains the essential oils lemongrass, ginger and rosemary. It's easy to lather and massage into the skin and you are hit with the subtle aroma of the oils.

The Body Lotion also retails for £4 and contains the same essential oils as the body wash so you can use it to compliment each other after your shower. For me it was thin in consistency and blended into my skin quite well.

The Body Mist £4 is very handy to carry with you in your handbag to freshen up on the go. It contains the exact same oils as the lotion and wash and smells to me exactly like the Beau perfume fragrance. The essential oils used are meant to make you feel revitalised . I did spritz this on before I left for work and to me it made me feel clean, fresh and ready for my shift. 

I love the gorgeous crystal decanter stopper lids on the bottles as they add a touch of elegance.

Miss Selfridge Shimmer Powder £10. This is my absolute favourite from the collection. The feathery puff is absolutely stunning and exudes the whole French boudoir feel. The pale shimmery powder is contained inside the cardboard packaging in a plastic tub. The shimmer is finely milled and is soft to the touch. It adds a subtle sparkle to the skin and is scented too.

Do you have anything from the Miss Selfridge fragrance and body collection? Which is your favourite?

Love Laura xoxo