Delina La Rosée: An Attractive Aristocratic Socialite

Delina La Rosée by Parfums de Marly
Floral Fruity
Quentin Bisch

Parfums de Marly started to make 30ml cute minis of their best-selling fragrances. I thoroughly enjoy the Delina line, especially the original Delina; however, La Rosée was the only one I have not laid my nose on yet. As 30ml is a perfect size to blind buy and try out a new fragrance, I have it now. It is an adorable, super-cute bottle, and the juice inside is magnificent too.

It leans fresh and aquatic but surprisingly juicy and fruity. I mostly get litchi and bergamot, and they are stunning. Rose is accompanied by peony, which softens the typical smell of rose, which can be harsh in some cases. The base is musky; but interestingly, the fruits and florals do not vanish and stay with you the entire wear.

It is a spring-summer fragrance and you have to spray quite a lot to have a decent projection and lasting power. I think I am going to run through this perfume pretty quickly. And that is the reason why I prefer the original Delina. It has more presence. Delina OG does not perform as a body splash for summer but stands firm.

To avoid any misconceptions I do not think Delina La Rosée smells like a summer body mist. It smells elevated and luxurious. Like a rich sweet girl. I picture somebody petite with an edge like Nicole Richie. All I wanted to say is that it does not have the strength of Delina or Delina Exclusif and for that reason, I prefer OG Delina to La Rosée because it is a more signature-worthy, all-year-round kind of scent.

But I subjectively give Delina La Rosee higher marks because it brings me back to the very hot Otok Dugi in Creatia I recently came back from. The island is wild. It is sparsely inhabited with many national parks and beautiful coasts. A true paradise for active people looking for a non-commercial gate away. Rosee was perfect for that. Every time I see the coast, I feel La Rosee in the air.

Y Le Parfum: Invitation to Higher Values

Y Le Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent
Amber Fougere

In Y Le Parfum you find sweetness and fruitiness together with aldehydes in the opening. The mid is traditionally masculine with sage, lavender and geranium. The dry-down is creamy and oriental with tonka bean, balsamic olibanum and sexy incense.

Y Le Parfum is for a man who is confident and sensitive at the same time and wants to leave a good impression. He appreciates the contrast in this fragrance. It is fresh and aromatic as well as deeply alluring. I can see this more as an evening wear. It is a showcase of elegance and sophistication.

Y Le Parfum is a great blend, a generally likeable fragrance in all walks of life, younger or older does not matter, a relatively safe blind buy. Because of that niche perfume snobs could argue it is not interesting enough, another unnecessary release … totally predictable scent by Yves Saint Laurent. There is always this dilemma as to what extent perfume can be unique and when enough is enough. In that case, I would ask: “Do you actually wear your fragrances?.

Tabac Man Gravity: Barber Shop for a Man’s Man

Tabac Man Gravity by Maurer & Wirtz
Aromatic
Jacques Huclier

Tabac Man Gravity has many bold notes like rose, aldehydes, geranium, oud, patchouli or tonka bean yet it remains smelling like a typical men’s aftershave. Okay, it has a tiny bit of darkness but because the fragrance does not have the greatest performance, the dark side does not come through as would normally do.

In its defence, it is a true cheapie. If you look at it more as a deodorant or a body mist, you are going to get more out of it. In addition, it smells more barber-shopy and mature than for example Invictus which I wrote about last time. So, if you are looking for a regular cologne and your budget is tight, Tabac Man Gravity is right there.

With that being said, do not expect many compliments. Your colleagues will notice you wear a pleasant fragrance but not pleasant enough to “Write the name down.” “I need to get it right away.”, “My wife would love it.” type of a thing. So, if you are fine with that, you can relax and rewind.

Invictus: Wave of Cleanliness and After-Shave

Invictus by Paco Rabanne
Aromatic Aquatic
Anne Filipo, Dominique Ropion, Olivier Polge and Veronique Nyberg

Invictus smells fresh citrusy and aquatic. A pleasant sports fragrance with excellent performance for a fresh scent, suitable for young men. The notes are sea notes, grapefruit, mandarin orange, ambergris, guaiac wood, oakmoss and patchouli.

It is a pretty harmful profile, versatile anywhere anytime type. Yes, it has a synthetic accord but it is not as prominent as in Savage by Dior or Baccarat Rouge 540 by MFK.

The bottle is kind of horrendous but the juice is actually okay. If my significant other wore this, I would be fine. I would prefer him to wear a more natural unisex composition with some absolutes but still, Invictus is not bad and I can see why it gained so much popularity among the male audience.

Le Male: The Cool Dad Fragrance

Le Male EDT by Jean Paul Gaultier
Amber Fougere
Francis Kurkdjian

These days Le Male represents the old-fashioned type of advertising – to be irresistible for women. The scent is masculine and sensual and it gave men the impulse to take care of their appearance and the confidence to openly attract women. We still want that but it is not our prior intention anymore, I would say. It is more about finding who we are and what makes us happy, a personal journey which is hard yet beautiful.

Le male does not smell like a typical male after-shave. Don’t get me wrong, it has a barber shop ground but it is sexier and sweeter with an oriental touch. The main notes are lavender, mint and vanilla. It is a cool daddy fragrance that lasts and projects.

Is it still relevant for the kids today? I would not be bothered wearing it. But definitely get your nose on it and pause and appreciate what was ground-breaking twenty-five years ago. Although I would not wear it and would be probably “only” okay if my significant other wore it, it deserves respect the same way some other iconic female fragrances do.

Paris Riviera: An Instant Mood-Lifter, Chill, Good Vibes

Paris Riviera by Chanel
Floral Fruity
Olivier Polge

Citrus – floral – sandalwood. Paris Riviera is an office-friendly scent you can bath in. No matter how much you spray, you can still sit behind your desk in an open space and no one turns head. It would be hard to find somebody who dislikes it.

A grown-up sophisticated freshie for spring and summer. Unisex. It has a Mediterranean vacation touch but it is neither tropical nor too holidayish.

You come to the office, it is a beautiful day and you are wearing your light dress and sandals. Yes, you have to work again but somehow you feel positive and good in your skin. You are nice to your co-workers and they feel your optimism and energy. It is addictive. The office atmosphere lightens up. Suddenly everybody feels good in your presence. We all have to work but it doesn’t matter because life actually is beautiful. Courtesy of Paris Riviera.

Coromandel: A Whiff of Oriental Flavours

Coromandel Eau de Parfum by Chanel
Amber Woody
Jacques Polge

Amber – kitchen spices – sweet warmth. Not my style. The smell is much more bitter on the paper which I actually prefer. My skin eats bitter oranges and citruses, unfortunately. On paper, it stays ambery, punchy and strong.

It is an oriental woody scent for fall and winter, but don’t be scared of the word “oriental” in this case. It is still French perfumery hence it is European oriental rather than truly Middle-eastern. If you are into spicy warm amber, Coromandel is a nice quality blend which is going to take you through the day. Test it on your skin first to see how it performs, and whether the notes come through in the way and intensity you want them or not.

Personally, I would not wear Coromandel but I would not mind smelling it on my husband. With that being said, I would not mind, I would not be head over heels about it. That is that.

Gardénia: White Florals Narcotic Wedding

Gardénia by Chanel
Floral
Ernest Beaux

Tuberose and gardenia are challenging notes for me. In this Chanel fragrance, they are combined and create a perfume heart. Gardénia has a reputation for being a perfect wedding scent for young brides thus I was excited to put it on my skin and let it develop.

Also, I have recently been to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast where gardenia flowers were part of the tropical garden. Their scent was beautiful, floral and green, somewhat gentle and classy.

Let’s get to the actual perfume. I put Gardénia by Chanel on my skin and was attacked by the typical smell of creamy waxy white florals yet it manages to be a pure airy blend with no hard edges. Florence by Tocca is screechy in comparison to Chanel Gardénia. I also see the wedding association. A traditional English wedding in particular.

However, what stands out about this fragrance is its dreamy dry-down. Coconut – vanilla – musk – sandalwood – vetiver – patchouli. All my favourite notes – you cannot beat it.

All in all, if you like the scent of tuberose and gardenia, this composition is going to make you dance. It is gorgeous if you are into these extremely narcotic white florals.

Although it is a gardenia-centric fragrance I can tolerate and actually wear, it is not a profile I would be reaching for. It would sit safe and sound in my perfume cabinet not getting any love at all. What a waste.

Live Irrésistible Blossom Crush: Too Cool for School

Live Irrésistible Blossom Crush by Givenchy
Floral Fruity
Dominique Ropion

I have noticed that the old Irresistible fragrances by Givenchy have been discontinued and are gradually disappearing from the many discount websites. I wanted to have at least one old Irresistible fragrance in my perfume collection; therefore, I grabbed Live Irresistible Blossom Crush from the virtual “shelve”.

Blossom Crush is an Eau de Toilette and represents a sweet almost gourmand take on peony. Hence it is not your fresh bouquet of peonies Armani Privé or Miss Dior style but rather a full-on peony with a noticeable cacao undertone. Floral – sweet – powdery.

It is a pretty, young scent. If you have 25 and more, you may feel too old for the aroma. It does not have the cleanliness and elegance some other peony perfumes have. A nice fragrance for a chic.

I took Blossom Crush with me to a family vacay in Rock City, Chequia. I pulled it off but sometimes I felt like pig-headed Regina George from Mean Girls. Some fragrances are better off discontinued. Not because they are bad but because there is no time and place for them anymore.

Donna Born In Roma Coral Fantasy: Bulgarian Black Sea Fun

Valentino Donna Born In Roma Coral Fantasy by Valentino
Floral Fruity
Jacques Huclier and Nadege Le Garlantezec

I wanted Coral Fantasy for a long time. When I found a good deal, I finally pulled the trigger and bought a full bottle because I knew it would be an easy tropical reach. I was right, indeed. Kiwi, orange and musk. Imagine you washed your hair with Fructis shampoo and added sensual musk, abracadabra; there it is, Coral Fantasy.

I took Coral Fantasy with me to Bulgaria for summer vacation. I travelled with my younger son, so I knew I would not be going for late dinners, to clubs or any other adult stuff; therefore, Coral Fantasy seemed like a perfect choice for that vacay.

And it served its purpose. I sprayed it generously and became anosmic to it fast. I did not get any compliments on it whatsoever. It is an easy, happy fragrance, but it will not blow anyone’s socks off. It is pretty and nice. I certainly, have great memories attached to that; however, I do not feel the urge to replace my used-up bottle at all actually.