When I was asked to try out the new Guess by Mariciano fragrance I wasn't terribly optimistic. I associate the brand with a certain level of girliness and was sure it would be another bubblegum pink juice. The fragrance is actually much better than that. It has an attractive triangular bottle with a fishnet motif that features a gold vine motif. According to The Scented Salamander, the vine motif will be distributed as a temporary tattoo in the Guess boutiques.

The scent was created by created by perfumer Barbara Zoebelein of Drom Fragrances for Parlux Fragrances. It has top notes of cardamom, Curaçao orange, starfruit and grapefruit, a heart of pink honeysuckle, peony and crystal jasmine, and a base of musk, vanilla, dulce de leche and blonde wood. It starts off a little powdery but in a half hour or so you are left with a warm and sweet fragrance of musky floral mixed with caramel. Very sensual and a nice summer evening scent. The line includes: 1.7 oz and 3.4 oz eaux de parfum for $49 and $65, a 6 oz. body lotion for $30 and 5 oz. body butter for $35.

Want your own bottle? We are giving away one 3.4 ounce bottle of eau de parfum (sells for $65) at random to a commenter who tells us about their favorite summer scent. To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, Thursday, May 15, 2008. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on May 16, 2008.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your favorite summer scent.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before Thursday, May 15 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the Guess eau de parfum (value $65).
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

See complete contest rules here.

Comments are now closed.

The jeans business has been really good to Guess? clothing company founder Georges Marciano. The proof of that was on display when Marciano spent just under $16.2 million for the largest top-quality, brilliant-cut white diamond ever to appear at auction at Sotheby's on Wednesday. The price ws just shy of the $16.5 million record set for a 100.1 carat stone in 1995. The stone is a D-color stone with flawless clarity and cut, polish, and symmetry all graded excellent and clocks in at a healthy 84.37 carats. The auction took place at the Beau Rivage hotel in Geneva, Switzerland and brought in just under $57 million in total sales. Mariciano, who bid by phone, has named his diamond after his daughter Chloe. The stone was owned by Ron Cohen, the owner of the Los Angeles-based Clean Diamonds, who bought it from Angola's national diamond company two years ago.

[Thanks, Lana!]