Review and Giveaway: Harvey Prince AGELESS Anti-Age Perfume CLOSED

There are a lot of things I've sacrificed since I've become a mom. Deep sleep. Date nights at chic restaurants. Frivolous shopping excursions. High heels. Dry clean only blouses. I may sport yoga pants and tees six or seven days a week but one thing I refuse to give up is my perfume. A mama's got to smell prettier than spit up and Cheerios!

I'm an especially loyal perfume wearer. I have three bottles that I purchased eons ago and rotate depending on the occasion or my mood. It takes an awful lot to get me to adopt something new. So, when I was contacted to do a review for a new perfume, AGELESS by Harvey Prince, I was a bit hesitant but curious.

Ageless® is the World's first anti-age perfume. A woman's fragrance that smells like a younger woman. Our products have been designed to be environment friendly and absolutely safe for application on your skin. The products are based on research and expertise of leading dermatologists & doctors. Ageless® steps out of the confined box of the average fragrance and body care products.

I admit - when I first heard there was an anti-aging perfume that could make a man believe you were 8 years younger, I cynically thought, "oh yeah right". Of course, I am skeptical of all beauty products that claim to be the secret fountain of youth. But after exploring the website, I saw that science actually was the backbone of this product. Extensive research and clinical trials were performed on human biology and the pyschology of fragrance.

It seems that as we age, both men and women produce more of a body chemical known as “noneal” – which occurs as a result of breakdowns of fatty acids in the skin. According to Wataru Takekoshi, a scientist working for the Japanese skin care company Shiseido, the breakdown results in a type of unsaturated aldehyde which emits an unpleasant “greasy” odor with grassy undertones.

Who knew?! But its not just this "natural scent of aging" that can be a turnoff. I found their research on the psychology of fragrance to be fascinating as well:

In one study conducted by a team of Rutgers scientists, it was learned that men appear to subconsciously “age” a woman based on her choice of fragrance. In their research, 15 men aged 20 to 60 were asked to smell various fragrances and associate it with the age of the women who would wear them. Among the scents tested were vanilla, lavender and rose, together with scents from fruits like apple, and vegetables including broccoli. The result: Almost universally the men associated the scent of roses with an “old” woman, while associating the scent of apples with "young" women.

Armed with this information, Harvey Prince formulated their patent-pending "youth elixir". AGELESS contains notes of pink grapefruit, mango, pomegranate, jasmine and musk.

Apple, pink grapefruit, pomegranate, mango, and pineapple possess an unmistakable revitalizing power. Leafy greens added freshness. Tropical fruits are associated with youth. Cherry blossom and pink jasmine have a calming, relaxing effect and steady the nerves. Lily of the Valley & Peony trigger happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed. The blended tropical flavors of pineapple, mango and leafy greens have been known to bring a feeling of comfort often associated with positive childhood memories, thus giving a sense of coziness, youth and joy.

It was also recently discovered that citrus fruits - grapefruit, grape and mango - all contain a special compound called linalool, the smell of which apparently reduces anxiey. So, AGELESS could also be named STRESSLESS! I know I could use a good spritz when my son wails at naptime or throws his food all over the kitchen floor at mealtime. And since its been proven we consume more calories when we're stressed, could this also be the world's first "diet" perfume?! I know, I'm probably stretching here but it's a nice thought!

Your own unique skin chemistry alters the composition of AGELESS, giving you your very own signature scent. So, even when your girlfriends come over and help themselves, you won't have to worry about being aroma clones.

Best of all, AGELESS is allergy tested but is not tested on animals. There are also no artificial colorings whatsoever. Animal-friendly and eco-conscious. Me likey!

Harvey Prince was kind enough to send me a 3.4 oz bottle of AGELESS to review. I decided to wear it for the first time this past weekend during our Labor Day festivities.



When I first opened the box, I immediately got a whiff of the scent. It was sweet and "girly", which I tend to prefer over strong, woody scents. It smelled even better when I sprayed it on. It was light and refreshing. Not overpowering at all, even after two spritzes. The packaging was simple yet modern. And since pink is my favorite color, the bottle itself was even appealing.

Since my hubby is pretty much oblivious to slight changes, I decided to bluntly ask him if he liked my new perfume rather than wait endlessly for him to notice. He sniffed my wrist and said I smelled "pretty and floral". Translating the guy speak, that's a thumbs up. I don't know if it made him think I was 18 again but it did make me feel vibrant.

There are two main disadvantages I can think of with AGELESS. First, because the fragrance was so light, I found that I needed to reapply often. I was hoping it would last all day while we were out and about but it faded after just a few hours. Lastly, the price is rather steep. A 3.4 oz bottle is $98. I've never spent that amount on a perfume and I doubt I ever would - even if it subtracted birthday candles from my cake. But on the plus side, the bottle is huge and will last forever, even if I use it daily.

Bottom line: I would definitely recommend trying AGELESS if you are in the market for anti-aging products, or if you are simply looking for a soft, new signature scent. Who needs Botox when you have a noninvasive alternative like this?

BUY IT: AGELESS can be purchased at high end retailers and on the Harvey Prince website, in 3 different sizes: 100ml (ERV $98), 50 ml ($55) and an 8ml roll-on ($21) that's perfect to throw in your purse when you're on the go. You can also purchase a sample of AGELESS ($9) so you can make sure it's for you before you take the plunge.

WIN IT: Harvey Prince has offered one lucky Goodie Goodie Gumdrops reader a 3.4 oz bottle of AGELESS, a $98 value!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Tell me the one thing you miss most about your youth. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! If your email address is not visible in your profile or if you do not have a blog, please leave it in your comments so I can contact you if you win!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count!

1.) Follow my blog or subscribe via reader or email. Comment telling me which method you chose. If you already follow or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry)

2.) Follow me and Harvey Prince on Twitter and tweet about the contest. You can do this daily! Just leave me a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry per day max)

3.) Join the AGELESS Facebook group and comment with your Facebook name. (2 entries!)

4.) Add my button to your site and comment with a link where I can find it. (1 entry)

5.) Enter any of my other current giveaways and leave a comment telling me which one(s) you entered. (1 entry each)

Giveaway will end on September 22, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. Open to US only. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: As I mentioned, I was sent a 3.4 oz bottle of AGELESS from Harvey Prince to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for my post.