Arguably Guerlain's most successful cash-cow in recent years, is the the Le Petite Robe Noire collection which never fails to enchant with its collectable editions rendered with a mere stroke of a brush. Ma Robe Pétales is the latest addition to the line which surprisingly side-steps the somewhat expected lip-smacking cherry-soaked red-berry signature of its elders and instead, takes a fanciful pirhouette across newly-introduced facets of mandarin, freesia and pistachio. This makes for quite a leap away from the LPRN that we are accustomed to, and towards something more spritely and fresh.

This perfume feels vital and vivacious... there are occasional huffs of spring/summertime florals like rose, neroli and jasmine; but also a feeling of lantana (a very fragrant but poisonous flower that grows abundantly along footpaths - although this note is not actually listed). These lend a spritely lightness that is a welcome change from the existing LPRN olfactory benchmark. However, before you start to think it is sounding too far removed from the original, there is a familiar and endearing tonka / patchouli trail that is common to them both.

La Petite Robe Noire Ma Robe Petales will undoubtedly sell hand over fist... if not for its collectibility (and its potential brevity as a Guerlain flanker), but also for its perfume. A very solid and enchanting release, and the perfect companion for the Northern Summer!

Originally released as a summer limited edition scent as the followup to Tom Ford's collaborative effort with Lauder on their Azzure Oil in 2006 and Azzure Soleil fragrance in 2007; the delicious Bronze Goddess is now a welcome mainstay in the Estee Lauder lineup. Here, Lauder has succeeded in capturing incandescent warmth and solar radiance in a bottle... it is the epitome of summer glam!

Bronze Goddess is shimmering with sun-kissed mandarin and bergamot, and brimming with exotic jasmine, magnolia and orange flower... notes typical of summer in the tropics. But there is a wonderful honeyed, "chewy" gourmand quality to the scent too... its opening burst reminding me of Ford's triumphant Black Orchid. There is a delicious toasted coconut accord and lactic milk vibe that renders this perfume absolutely addictive. One might easily visualize tanned bodies smattered with fragrant oils reaching for chilled pina coladas or jewel-encrusted cellphones offered to them by cabana boys on silver trays. Bronze Goddess is about pool-side glamour and summer evenings of decadence and excess on the French Riviera.

Despite the name, this is one skinscent that deserves to be enjoyed by women and men alike. As I sit here typing at my computer, staring at a grey Australian winter sky, I am reminded again that I am a million miles away from the Côte d'Azur. The silver lining is that with a spritz of Goddess, I can close my eyes and feel - at least for a time - like a Hollywood "A"-lister.

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FragranceNet.com, Inc. #TravelWithFNet Instragram Contest Official Rules

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase or payment will not improve your chances of winning. ODDS OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES TIMELY RECEIVED.                

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Destination Fragrance!

Enter for a chance to win our #TravelWithFnet Instagram #Contest. You could score a $100 FragranceNet.com Gift Card.

HOW TO ENTER: Post an original Instagram image that shows us where you’re taking your favorite fragrance/s (the fragrance or travel atomizer must be in the image).

Are you headed to the Louvre, traveling down Route 66, or are you taking a staycation in your very own home town? Where ever your end of Summer travels take you, we want you to show us – and of course, you have to bring your favorite fragrance along!

Make sure you follow @FragranceNet.com on Instagram and include #TravelWithFnet in the caption of your image. Content must be your own and you must post a new image to enter (posts dated and tagged earlier than 8/20/2015 will not be counted). Multiple entries are allowed. Your profile must be set to public in order for us to see your entry.

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Contest runs from Thursday, August 20th 2015 through Sunday, September 6th at 11:59 PM EST. Must be US resident, 18+, to enter.

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