Dior Hypnotic Poison Perfume Review

Hypnotic Poison is a required stop on my journey through the land of perfumes featuring an almond note, but offers complexity in a land of simple gourmands. With this papery vanilla almond, like the original Poison, there’s some spiciness that you either love or hate. While Poison gave us a coriander top note, Hypnotic Poison has caraway, herbal and bitter, and is placed next to a jasmine that appears and disappears like a mirage on your skin. The caraway with the powdery almond is like eating an exotic spiced cookie, the kind you wouldn’t make at home, but you don’t mind when you’re eating it at a special bakery while on vacation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Apparently, this is Adele’s signature scent. When asked whether she would ever bring a perfume to market, she said no, because if she made a perfume, it would be what she wears every day, which is Hypnotic Poison. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Garnier Eco Pads

Apr 19
PSA: these Garnier reusable Eco Pads are what you need to take off makeup quickly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I remember a few years ago, microfibre cloths for your face were everywhere. Someone figured out that if you got the cloths wet, you could wipe off makeup without even needing soap, so they were especially great for those of us with sensitive skin. Like all trends, they were forgotten (I think perfume took over everything) and they’re not the sexiest product at Sephora so not one that gets talked about a lot. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

But they’ve made their way to the drugstore and these Garnier ones come 3 to a pack. You can hand wash them in the sink, or throw them in with your laundry, which is what I do. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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This Brightening Serum Does What Vitamin C Wishes It Could

If you’ve been in the skincare game long enough, you know that most brightening serums either overpromise and underdeliver or contain so many actives that your skin ends up irritated and confused. I’ve tried both kinds more times than I’d like to admit. So, when I heard about Beau Domaine’s The Serum, I had my doubts. But this? It’s not just a pretty bottle—it’s a serious skincare upgrade.

Rooted in French Vineyards, Fueled by Science

Beau Domaine is not your typical celebrity-endorsed or trend-chasing skincare brand. Its origin is as luxurious as its formula, coming straight from the vineyards of Burgundy, France. At the heart of this hydrating face serum is a patented grapevine flower cell extract—harvested just once a year—paired with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and an antioxidant-rich complex that makes this serum for glowing skin feel both indulgent and intelligent. It’s skin science with a side of old-world charm.

First Impressions: Texture, Feel, and Finish

The texture is lightweight and silky—not sticky like some hyaluronic acid serums. It spreads effortlessly and sinks in without that tight, dry feeling you sometimes get with more active formulas. It plays well with others in your routine (moisturizers, SPF, even makeup) and has no harsh scent. Using it feels calming, like a step you want to take, not just one you check off. It’s elegant without trying too hard, which is honestly refreshing.

Visible Results, No Drama

After about a week, you’ll start to notice something different: not a glow in the glittery sense, but a true radiance. My skin looked smoother, calmer, and more hydrated. It’s face serum luxury at its most effective.

Things like persistent redness around your nose begin to disappear; the patchy dullness on your forehead will start to even out. This isn’t your typical brightening serum—it doesn’t try to fake a glow. This is also an antioxidant serum that actually restores one. And it’s so gentle, I’d confidently call it a serum for sensitive skin.

Brightening Without the Burn

If you’ve struggled with vitamin C serums in the past, especially the gritty, tingling ones, this is a beautiful alternative. It delivers those same brightening benefits without the harsh side effects. Plus, it multitasks. I’ve noticed subtle plumping and smoother texture, too, which makes it pull double duty as an anti-aging serum and a skin repair serum. No stinging, no purging, no fuss.

Who This Serum Is For

This is the serum for people who’ve tried everything and are still chasing that healthy skin look. It’s for the skincare minimalist who wants one product that actually does something, and it’s for the product junkie who’s ready to pare down without sacrificing results. If your current lineup feels tired or uninspired, this is the shakeup you didn’t know you needed. And if you’re into the best skincare serums with real ingredients and zero gimmicks, you’re exactly who Beau Domaine made this for.

Final Verdict: Worth the Splurge

If you’re in the market for something that feels luxurious and delivers real results, Beau Domaine’s The Serum is absolutely worth the investment. It’s the kind of product that earns its spot on your shelf. You can buy it directly through the Beau Domaine website—and honestly, once you’ve tried it, you won’t need to look anywhere else.

Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-with-pink-lipstick-3762871/

 

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The 7 Virtues Clementine Dream Perfume Review

Apr 19
The 7 Virtues has a citrus perfume just in time for the warmer months – Clementime Dream. It’s the stuff childhood memories are made off. The remnants of an orange peel from your lunch, the bitterness of the zest still on your fingers. An orange creamsicle but make it BIG, make it hot and drippy, so that there’s some on your shirt. A fizzy orange soda, warm from the sun. This is an absolutely delectable comforting perfume.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Stop expecting your citrus perfumes to last. It’s like saying you want an eternal summer, or for it to never be night. Citrus notes break down more quickly, that’s just science. But the memory of the orange is embedded in the vanilla of Clementine Dream, so there’s some magic at work here. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Myrrh Shadow – Best Release of 2025

This is one of the most beautiful, interesting, and addictive perfumes I have ever smelled. So good, in fact, that I might need another bottle.

Apr 19
Bon Parfumeur is everywhere right now and while in Milan I attended the launch party for their newest release: Myrrh Shadow 403. While this brand might seem new, they’ve been around for a number of years and have slowly been working their way to being a talked-about brand. Their releases that I’ve tried were never weak, but the market wants stronger scents, and so they’ve come out with a line of extraits. Myrrh Shadow is a new release in that line, and has captivated people’s attention because it’s a collaboration between Quentin Bisch and Amélie Jacquin. If you are a Bisch fan, you will want to try this scent because it does feature the mineralic aspects of his creations. There’s a saltiness in this perfume, that helps blend all the other notes together, just the way that salt in food helps amp up other flavours and brings a dish to life. The salt blends with a spicy cinnamon-like accord, a kind of sweet heat that’s also present in the scent of myrrh, so on a background of salt, there’s spice, there’s sweetness, and the drydown ends up being a warm cozy incense without the smoke. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Bisch is criticized for his overuse of Agikala wood and it’s in here too, but I wouldn’t say that it’s a star player so I actually am not finding it to be as annoying as I normally do. This is why when people ask me what I like, I say “everything” because the best discoveries are found when you smell with an open mind. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

In the end, Myrrh Shadow is an interesting take on an amber, because it has a mineral freshness, a saltiness not usually found in ambers, and then it gets spicy and sweet. It’s worth smelling if you are in the mood to be surprised. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Charlotte Tilbury Love Effect Collection

These Charlotte Tilbury Love Effect lipsticks are sold out on the website, but maybe they will come back. Two colours are in the Matte Revolution formula (the first 2) and the light pink and mauve (last colour) are in the K.I.S.S.I.N.G. formula which is more sheer and has a bit of shine. I like them all but the red is not as bright on me as it looks in the picture. I love a nice cherry red, but this wasn’t it. My favourite colour ended up being Naughty Talk which is the mauve at the end, but it worked best when I used the darker Dream Talk around the outside. Shading is the best way to go, and lipliner is key, but I always like to show you how they look on a real person.

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Mabelle O’Rana Lunar Dust Perfume Review

Apr 19
Another highlight from attending Esxence in Milan this year was meeting Mabelle O’Rama and smelling her creations. Nobody will get you excited about perfume like a new perfumer who is passionate about their work, and Mabelle exuded enthusiasm. Mabelle spoke about her inspiration and the perfume she had in her life growing up, but truly, at this point she has stayed away from any kind of external influence in an attempt to create scents that are truly unique. Lunar Dust was intriguing from the get go and I walked away with a bottle.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Lunar Dust is inspired by the cool glow of the moon, and does smell powdery and ethereal. It’s almost a molecular scent except that it changes as you wear it. What seems to be cool cedar powder warms up to warm skin, a memory, a speck of dust floating in the air, the remnants of existence. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I’ve been wearing this when I want to focus, be introspective, to get lost in my own world. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Lunar Dust received honorable mention at the Art and Olfiction awards and for good reason – it’s a very unique scent. While it’s getting compared to many of the molecular scents, Lunar Dust is not like any of them. Molecule 1 is too one-dimensional, glossier You has the ambrette, Dans tes Bras has florals and aldehydes… and so Lunar Dust exists in a category of its own. You’ll forget you’re wearing it, and then wonder what smells so good. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Maybelline Teddy Tints

Maybelline Teddy Tints are here. These feel different than an old-school lip tint because they actually coat the lips. Lasting power is amazing especially if you don’t use a lip balm or eat anything greasy. But mostly, I love a nice bright pink.

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Chanel Paris-Venise Perfume Review

Citrus and vanilla done the Chanel way.

Paris-Venise has a sparkle to it, a twinkle, that I think is a splash of ambroxan and a little dose of ethyl maltol, so there’s a salty sweetness, a bit of a twang in what would otherwise be a pretty plain scent profile. Of course, it has a good dose of that Chanel powder, and the sprayer for these bottles gives a super fine mist of scent. It’s a luxury experience through and through and one that is sometimes missing with niche bottles I’ve bought. Chanel just never disappoints. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Chypre Palatin – A Forever Chypre

I got to Chypre Palatin by way of following perfumer Bertrand Duchafour. I have a bottle of Traversee du Bosphore that I love so much but it’s discontinued and impossible to replace. I know there won’t ever be a dupe but I wanted something that satisfied that same craving for sweet but classic scent. Chypre Palatin by MDCI ticked all the boxes.
It opens with an aromatic mix of herbs which include lavender, sweet jammy plums, morphing into a classic floral heart, and settling down to vanilla, labdanum, benzoin, and finally heaps of oakmoss.
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It satisfied on so many levels. It’s a mossy amber for amber lovers, a sweet chypre for chypre lovers, fruity, floral, sweet, and green in turns. The richness in it is like the best Christmas pudding, which makes this perfect to wear during the holidays, when you’re home with the fireplace on and watching Christmas movies. It moves from note to note over hours, each element folding into the next. I know tomorrow morning, I’ll wake up with the oakmoss wafting off my skin.
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This is one for the ages.
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