Lisa Hoffman Madagascar Orchid Eau de Parfum review

          In a grade school African studies class, I remember being assigned to report on Madagascar (for the record, this was before the cartoon movie). Madagascar has a devastatingly beautiful array of flora and fauna, often found nowhere else in the world. In fact, 90% of those species are endemic. There are roughly one thousand different orchid species in Madagascar, the majority of which are only found in that ecosystem! Sadly, the orchids alongside much of the other flora and fauna hang in precarious balance due to human destruction.

           Lisa Hoffman Madagascar Orchid is a perfumer's attempt to capture the essence of the Star of Madagascar Orchid. Though it was previously thought to be scentless, it was found to emit a perfume just before the break of dawn. Perfumers actually floated above the tropical canopies in a blimp to capture the essence of this ephemeral fragrance without destroying a single petal!

          Lisa Hoffman Madagascar Orchid Eau de Parfum is described as 'A modern bouquet of Sheer Jasmine, Ylang Dew, Mimosa Mood & Pink Peony perfectly fram the exotic, unforgettable aroma of Madagascar Orchid.' To me, Madagascar is a modern floral bouquet leaning a hint exotic thanks to the orchid. This scent would be great for pure floral lovers; it's not a fruity at all. Madagascar Orchid has a more uplifting scent when compared to weighty florals like rose or gardenia. However, I wouldn't describe it as a 'light' scent. I think if you like florals like lilac or iris, you would be a fan. There is a hint of sweetness, almost like vanilla. Jasmine and Ylang Ylang lightly smooth out the base. Since Lisa Hoffman is not yet readily available on counters, I thought it would be useful to make an everyday comparison. The closest thing I can think of is the beautiful French scent of my Clarins hand lotion. I've noticed that a couple online reviews compared the scent of Madagascar Orchid to soap. Perhaps it does, though it would have to be quite a luxurious soap.

 
         Overall, Lisa Hoffman Madagascar Orchid is a fresh and beautiful exotic floral. One can see how this would be an award winning scent. Though you may be familiar with the popular jewelry form of Lisa Hoffman scents, the Eau de Parfum is new and can be found online at Lisa Hoffman or on HSN for $65 for 2 oz. Thanks for reading! Do you have a favorite Lisa Hoffman scent? Have you tried any other orchid scents? What kind of florals do you like?

Love, Dovey.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.  

Lisa Hoffman Tuscan Fig Eau de Parfum review

             The fig, with its easily ripened soft teardrop shape and pink flesh, epitomizes a summer fruit. Every summer I look forward to when small crates of figs appear on market shelves. Recently, I've been wearing Lisa Hoffman Tuscan Fig Eau de Parfum. (You might recognize Lisa Hoffman from her buzzed about scented jewelry line). Tuscan Fig is a bottle of perfume that's mellow and sweet, much like its namesake fig.

          Lisa Hoffman Tuscan Fig's description states 'Surrounded by Vanilla Bean, Honeysuckle, Coconut Wood, and Gardenia, Tuscan Fig entices you with its warm essence.'

         Overall, I would describe this as a sweet, smooth, and warm gourmand type scent. I can see how the sweet mellowness of the fig is the inspiration here. There are no sparkling or floral top notes; most of the scent is focused on the mid or base note range. The vanilla is quite prominent for me, which I love. It adds a touch of relaxed femininity. I think the coconut wood and gardenia are woven into the scent, however neither wood nor floral are overly prominent. There are no spicy notes here. Since Lisa Hoffman isn't readily available on counters, I think it would be helpful to draw comparisons from everyday scents. If you're familiar with Bath and Body Works, I would say this would be somewhat similar to 'Warm Vanilla Sugar' and 'Rice Flower and Shea.' From my experience with Lisa Hoffman Tuscan Fig and another scent (to be reviewed soon!), her scents tend to be more spa-like or zen. They are pretty with unexpected elements, however they aren't the kind of scent that takes your nose on an olfactory roller coaster. I can see them working for a range of people.

          Overall, I'm a fan and have been spritzing myself with Lisa Hoffman Tuscan Fig quite often this week. The fig and vanilla sweetness is a nice touch at the ripest point in summer, when I want a break from my usual florals. I think this would carry nicely into winter as well when I'm looking for warmer gourmand scents to provide some coziness from the cold. Lisa Hoffman's Eau de Parfums are new additions to her line and can be found at Lisa Hoffman online or HSN at $65 for 2 oz. Thank for reading! Are you familiar with Lisa Hoffman's fragrance lines? What are your favorite warm scents? Do you look forward to figs in the summer too?

Love,  Dovey.

P.S. Figs shown in this post were promptly sprinkled with sugar, baked, and eaten post-photograph!

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.