Dior Addict Shine

I got my first sniff of this from a box of deluxe samples from Sephora around 2008, the kind that comes with a certificate to redeem for a full size. Addict Shine was easily my favorite, so I traded in the certificate for a full size bottle. It ended up being the fragrance I brought and wore on my honeymoon to Maui in 2010. It was perfect- light, somewhat sweet, refreshing, but with enough body from the cedar to keep the scent grounded. The fragrance would settle, but then a lovely breeze would sweep by and stir up a whiff to bring my senses alive. I recall waiting to board a dinner sunset cruise and this scent caught in the wind, wafting toward a woman waiting nearby. She complimented how lovely my perfume was and asked what I was wearing. I didn't realize it was a limited edition fragrance until two bottles later. I panicked and spent entirely too much purchasing the inventory I could find. I am now almost through a 100 ml bottle and have one extra stored in its box in a dresser drawer. I wish I could wear this with abandon, as the scent memories of it are so meaningful to me. However, I will savor what I have left in order never to run out. For those interested, I have been able to recreate a similar vibe by pairing Jeanne Lanvin with a (very old) bottle of "Lemon" by philosophy. I find the Lanvin to be too fruity sweet on its own, but the Lemon scent adds a crispness to the top notes that Addict Shine perfected. There is still the underlying cedar note missing for the longevity, but the combination leaves my craving for my honeymoon scent satisfied without having to use my precious stash!

Ahh yes, I had forgotten how much I love this fragrance... It was one of the only ones I wore the summer of '08 - I practically bathed in it! Once I had used it up, though, I didn't repurchase it - at least until now! This is such a pretty, feminine fragrance! It is wonderful for spring/summer. The gardenia is the most prominent note to my nose, the raspberry note coming in close second. The citrus kind of drifts in and out - not a sharp citrus at all, just enough to add some light freshness as an accent. I don't get much cedar at all, even after wearing it for a while. Addict Shine isn't a bold, in your face fragrance, but on my skin it lasts for a great amount of time. One spritz or two on the wrists and one on the neck will last around 8 hours on me, easy. I am glad to have this one back in my wardrobe!

This is my favorite perfume and thankfully I have a bottle I picked up on eBay that I am treasuring, but I wanted to come back and comment for those of you who did love this fragrance. I recently received a sample of a perfume from DIME Beauty called Core Memory. When I first spritzed it, I felt a wave of nostalgia come over me, and after I let it settle, all I could keep thinking was, "Wow! This reminds me of my Addict Shine." I sprayed a small amount from my bottle of Shine and compared to Core Memory, and while it is not an exact dupe, I feel like they're close cousins. Of course, fragrances wear different on everyone, but if you loved Shine like I did, you might want to give Core Memory a try!

You know, I probably shouldn't like this, but I do. The lemon and cedar balance the gardenia and raspberry on my skin. I'm not sure about longevity, but it's nice on my skin while it's there. The Body Shop's Pink Grapefruit line complements this perfectly. Since I bathe in this frequently, I'm pretty sure I can wear Addict Shine without raising too many eyebrows... lol Update: I get about 5-6 hours of longevity and close sillage on my skin. Not bad, but this would probably be better served on fabric... UPDATE (10 NOV 2011): This is really growing on me. The more I smell it, the more comfortable I become with wearing it. I think I should buy 2-3 more bottles, since it's a limited edition.

Such a pretty scent for Spring/Summer. I tried it on my wrist and my first reaction was "I love it"! So a week or so later I bought it. It sort of smells like sparkling wine punch mixed with flowers. It doesn't last long, but it really is a lovely scent. Even though it's not listed in the notes, it kind of smells like coconut for the first 1/2 hour or so... which is wonderful since I love the smell of coconut! This one's quite a change from the original Addict, which I don't like. It's also perfect for travelling since the little stopper closes if you twist it. All in all, if you're looking for a light floral fruity scent, try this one!