So Hooked on Carmella...

Hooked being the word.

I mean, really.

I'm ready to declare my undying love for a fictional lady called Carmella, and I don't even care what my boyfriend says.

 Until he can smell as delicious, Summery, and just downright gorgeous as this, then I'm afraid, Carmella; I'm all yours.

Dirty great cheat I am!

Ladies and gents, (yes boys, again I know you're out there - I'd say buy it for a lady in your life, but screw it, it's too nice - just stick it on yourself, YOLO haha) let me introduce you to what could potentially be Benefit's best ever creation.

So Hooked on Carmella

You know when you 'innocently' go into Boots, and spray at least 28783735242 perfumes on yourself in a bid to find 'the one'?

And also just see how much you can spray on yourself without assistants showing you the door...

Wellll...I found it.

I think it was Barbara who I first heard talk about this, a long, loooooong time ago, and boy did she big it up.

She spoke of a sweet, but not sickly, vanilla and coconut smelling wonder perfume, that reeked of Summer, holidays, the sea, and ermm...Malibu.

Now, I don't drink, right, but I like Malibu.

(contradictory or what?)

So from that second, I was sold.

On my very next Boots smell-o-mission, I can safely say that instead of coming out smelling like Cady Heron, with at least 8763826 combined scents just stewing away on my skin, I came out smelling of pure, unadulterated Summer.

I say unadulterated - but my love affair had definitely begun.

At £29.50 for a mere 30ml's, it's not the cheapest, although personally I think it's worth it!

It fast became my signature scent, (along with Marc Jacobs - Daisy) and I genuinely adore it.

What Benefit says:

'When it comes to Carmella, don't ask and don't tell, 

A light touch has admirers under her spell,

Her sweet sensuality no one would guess,

So exquisite, enticing...

"An intimate caress" '

It's true, the spell works, however - for the sake of blogging, I am going to tell.

First off, I'm going to get all technical now and tell you what its top, middle, and bottom notes are - to be frank though, I have no idea what most of the said ingredients smell like and how the whole system works.

My perfume skills go as far as pushing down the spraying thing on the bottle and hoping for the best.

Apart from using petals and puddle water to make my own as a child...not just me right?

Anyhoo, so as far as the good old internet can tell me, here is what is in this little bottle of beauty:

Top: Lemon, Grapefruit, Rhubarb.

Middle: Cyclamen, Peony, Tiare Flower

Bottom: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber.

Anyone care to tell me how on Earth Amber can smell? I thought it was a precious stone?

Honestly. Baffled.

Or am I just a bit dim?

Don't answer that.

Either way, the main smells I get are vanilla and some kind of coconut - which apparently is not present at all haha, (expert I tell ya) and also a little of the grapefruit when you really inhale it.

(I'm sat smelling my wrist right now and wondering what I'm looking for in regards to Cyclamen and Sandalwood in particular...)

All you really need to know is - IT SMELLS BEAUTIFUL!

<3 

Another thing you really should know, is that this stuff sticks around!

All.Day.

I mean how disappointing is it when your favourite perfume smells just stunning, but lasts on your skin all of five minutes? This, let me tell you, is not a problem when it comes to Carmella!

I sprayed a light spritz, (light spritz indeed - I can't bear the thought of running out haha!) of it this morning on my neck and wrists, and can still smell it! 

Not just when I have a good old whiff either, but I get a waft of it every now and again when I move, ahhhhhh it is just divine.

A light hand is all that is needed too; there is no danger of this running out, despite only being available in 30ml bottles - one or two squirts and you will be smelling Summery fresh all day! 

Should probably take that advice myself, I tend to get squirt happy and exude the scent of Malibu from my very pores.

People will be asking questions...

Generally though - people around me seem to love it! When people are asking what that sweet smell is, (ranging from chocolate, to vanilla, to coconut) several hours after application, I think it can be safely said that it's lasting power is second to none! 

Not that I've tried, anyway.

Genuinely though, over the couple of years since this became my favourite scent, and around four bottles later, I have never in my life had so many people say 'oooh what perfume are you wearing?' and them liked it!

Barbara, I salute you!

Benefit, you lickle genius', I salute you too.

And please, don't ever discontinue it! 

You'd feel the wrath as Topshop and M&S did here.

Finally, a small word on the packaging. Both the box, and bottle carry a pretty, girly and extremely unique theme; the bottle is opaque which in all honesty is a problem for me and my spritz happy self, as more than one of my previous bottles have caught me off guard and suddenly been empty, leaving my high and dry quite literally, with not a single drop of goodness to apply. The box - which is so unusual I've kept it, carries a Parisian-esque stately home theme, with shoes on the 'floor', an LBD, and a balcony.

The bottle also has gold, shiny bits, and we all know what happens when I'm around gold, shiny bits... 

Ahhhh...sweet Carmella, and your nice, Parisian 'house'.

I'm going to become one of those weirdo's who marries their car/dog/fence or something, and is ostracised from society...

Carmella will be mine.

I'll have no friends, and I'll be laughed at in the street...

But man, at least I'll smell good.