SJP NYC - Flirty, Feminine, and Fabulous

A great fragrance can be a girl's best accessory, and I think I've found a favorite in Sarah Jessica Parker's latest perfume, SJP NYC. I love the way wearing it allows me to feel flirty, feminine, and confident. I totally have my Carrie Bradshaw moment as I walk down the streets of NYC (and really, who could ask for more?) The scent combines the best of both worlds - the floral and the fresh and fruity.

The scent itself was created to reflect the vibe of NYC, the fashion and the freedom, and was, in fact, inspired by the character Sarah Jessica made so famous in the Sex and the City series (side note: who else is looking forward to Sex and the City 2??) The packaging is cute and features a glass bottled nestled within a bright pink plastic cylinder covered in some fun graphics. The illustrations are colorful and the patterns are intended to mirror the interior of SJP's own closet. I definitely dig the colors and the theme of the designs, but I would have preferred a slightly more polished presentation. I am not the biggest fan of the plastic casing and the designs are displayed on paper wrapped around the bottle. I am afraid if I traveled with this bottle the paper might start peeling off. Regardless, though, I would not be deterred from purchasing this perfume. The scent is just divine (literally, upon receipt, I sat in my room with the most stupid grin on my face, inhaling the sweet goodness!) In SJP's own words, she says that she "wanted to create a fragrance with a great sense of fun and whimsy." For her, the perfume was to reflect her love of "mixing things up and breaking rules" a philosophy to which she subscribes in her fashion style.

Available in department stores around the country, the SJP NYC Eau de Toilette comes in three sizes - 60 ml ($49), 30 ml ($35), and 15 ml ($25). There is a body lotion ($25) as well.

For those perfume enthusiasts, here's a rundown of the fragrance notes:

Top: Italian Mandarin, White Osmanthus, Wild Red Strawberries

Heart: Gardenia, Honeysuckle, Mimosa, Red Rose Damascenia

Base: Sandalwood, Vanilla Absolute, Rum Flavor, Creamy Musks

SJP NYC makes me feel like strapping on those Manolos (that I don't have!) and strutting down Fifth Avenue! If a fragrance can make you feel that way, I suppose it's not a bad thing, right? ;-)

NB: This product was sent to me by a PR representative for my consideration. Though I did not purchase it myself, my review was in no way influenced by my receipt of a sample. I am dedicated to providing reviews that are 100% my own opinions, bias-free. If I ever feel that I cannot give my readers honest feedback on a product, I will not present a review for it. I am here to inform, and publishing untruthful thoughts is neither beneficial to those who visit my blog nor to me.

Getting To Know The Beauty Chick: Girl, You Smell Good

OK, so I know that fragrance preferences are very subjective - the scent that one individual might love could be an odor that another just can't stand. Perfumes work with body chemistry. The effect of the very same fragrance might come off slightly differently from one person to the next.

With this in mind, this post is meant less to recommend perfumes that I think you should check out, but more to give you a little more insight into the persona of "The Beauty Chick" - what I love and what makes me tick. Nevertheless, If I do give you some ideas of products you might want to try, that would be great!

I generally have around five bottles of perfume in circulation at any given time. I love to rotate my favorites. I'm definitely not the type that waits to finish one fragrance being before starting another. Hey, they all need some love! My favorite scents are generally fruity, have hints of vanilla, are slightly floral, and are, of course, very girly ;-)

Here are some of the fragrances that get me going in the morning:

Chanel - Chance Eau Fraiche (3.4 oz, $90)

Dior - Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum (1.7 oz, $72)

Juicy Couture - Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum (3.4 oz, $85)

Burberry - London Eau de Parfum (1.7 oz.)

This one I use more for nights out.

Sarah Jessica Parker - Lovely Eau de Parfum (3.4 oz., $68)

*I usually am not a fan of perfumes with celebrity names attached to them, but Lovely I really found to be"lovely" and I couldn't resist ;-)

Lavanila - Pure Vanilla Eau de Parfum (rollerball, $18)

I love when perfumes are available in rollerball form. These are great to keep in your purse for those days when you're in a hurry in the morning (you can swipe some on while you're rushing to get to work!) or for some "touch-ups" during the day. This one, by Lavanila Laboratories, is made with all natural ingredients.

There you have it - a few of my favorite perfumes. I'm the kind of gal who can't get through a day without a little spritz of something sweet. These perfumes can be found at Sephora and other department stores (see stores and their websites for pricing info on other sizes available). I often get many of my perfumes from outlet stores. You can find some great deals and they usually have a nice selection of current and popular scents. The Fragrance Outlet and Perfumania are great for discounted prices. You can check out http://www.premiumoutlets.com/ to find the center nearest to you that has one of these stores.

What are some of your favorite perfumes? Are there some you just can't get enough of? Share with me!