Trussardi Donna Pink Marina by Trussardi Floral Green Nathalie Lorson
The OG Trussardi Donna 2011 is one of my favourite perfumes. In fact in 2015, it kicked off my “perfume journey” as we call it in the frag community. I went through multiple bottles and concentrations and basically, love them all. No surprise that the first perfumer to remember in my case was Nathalie Lorson. It was the moment I realised, there is actually a nose behind perfume, not just a brand or a gigantic company. And to be fair, I like most Lorson’s creations.
Well, enough of nostalgia, back to Pink Marina. I got a bit bored with Trussardi Donna but for obvious reasons, I wanted to keep at least one in my fragrance wardrobe. Let’s twist it and buy Pink Marina this time. Something little bit different but still Donna. And I have no regrets. It has the solid Donna ground but softer and merrier. It is more on the fruity zesty side than the creamy jasmine-santal side.
There are more layers to each and every one of us. And it looks that Donna showed her lighthearted jolly side through Pink Marina. After the Trussardi Levrieto Collection of Intense Parfums, I am up to seeing Donna less serious and happy again.
thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it a lot. I have prepared the first bunch of perfume empties from 2024 for you. You know I do not take perfume purchases lightly and I am committed to use up my beloved fragrance bottles. If I seriously do not like a scent, I either return it or re-sell it as soon as possible. The most of my perfumes I am using and enjoying my life with them. Fragrance makes makes me feel alive!
Here, on my blog and YouTube channel, you can explore the journey with me. If you want to see Etat Libre d’Orange, Lancôme, Hermes, Dior and Ormonde Jayne and much more, keep on watching …
Qi is my first experience with the English house of Ormonde Jayne. Qi is predominantly a tea scent, which is stylish but stays close to the skin. If heavy scents give you a headache, Ormonde Jayne should be on your radar.
Qi is very gentle and unintrusive. It has a lovely opening with lemon blossom, then tea osmanthus and mate. The scent is unisex, calming and relaxing. If you are a fan of tea in your fragrances, Qi is definitely one to look for. It is in line with Je Ne Sais Quoi by Teo Cabanel without the annoying rice note in the beginning, and with a little bit more added florals.
I think it is a wonderful everyday type of scent, especially for spring and summer. Transition periods also work well for Qi. It does not blow your socks off, but not everyone is looking va-va-voom. Sometimes we just want nice calm and quiet.
Coccobello by James Heeley Floral Green James Heeley
When I first smelled Coccobello I was almost repulsed by it. It is an intensely green floral naturalistic coconut smell. Very different to all the lactonic gourmand coconuts we are used to. There is a note of palm leaf that amplifies the green natural character.
Later, I sniffed Cocobello in the air and I thought hmm, what is this pleasant beauty salon smell? Somehow it smells like a spa resort hotel lobby. I am still not sure if I want to wear Cocobello but in the air, it certainly works. It would be interesting to smell Coccobello in a candle.
This is the type of scent that one must get used to because it is not your mass-pleasing female aroma. When your taste in fragrances matures, Coccobello will start growing on you. All I can say is if it is not your thing, do not despise it immediately, give it some time because you may crave this perfume later. You can exclude it from your collection anytime anyway.
As much as we fragrance people would love to smell bold and daring, there are times and places where beast frags are not allowed, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it. Work, office, hospital, whatever. We all know THESE PLACES. The point is, we still want to smell good and I am here to help. I have five scents that are appropriate in places where you are not supposed to wear anything! Fragrance-wise. So, here they are in no particular order. Smell amazing and offend no one!
Infusion d’Iris Prada If you have not heard about Infusion d’Iris, you are living under a rock. Infusion d’Iris is THE ICON of Prada’s private collection. It is not your girly girl but rather a classy lady in a clean white linen T-shirt. She just washed her hair, feels refreshed and looking forward to a new exciting day. It is also your woody powdery old school smell at its prime. Totally harmless.
Flora Botanica Balenciaga Where Infusion d’Iris is old school, there Flora Botanica is timeless. Flora Botanica has the ability to give an impression you are not wearing anything. It is your silent companion, your partner in crime. The note profile is fresh, slightly spicy with mint carnation, rose, cannabis, vetiver and amber blended so carefully in small doses, leaving a green, crisp and clean finish. Top work fragrance.
White Tea Elizabeth Arden Tea fragrances are made for an office-friendly environment. White Tea has the same effect as Flora Botanica but is a little bit sharper and more aromatic, giving out marine vibes. The notes are sea, fern, sage, white tea, iris, woods, tonka bean and amber. It is the most unisex option.
Narciso Narciso Rodriquez There is nothing wrong with a hint of musk at a workplace. Narciso’s musk melts into your skin and creates this slightly sweet baby like woody composition, a natural skin smell giving an aroma. Give it some wear test to see if it clicks with your body chemistry. Narciso Rodriquez knows how to make musk in all its forms.
O d’Azur Lancome Old school citrus that fit the scenario perfectly. Casual, free-spirited, evoking French countryside. You get to sniff your citruses, pine trees, sea breeze … all in a light peaceful way. It is a summer vacay scent with no traces of terrible sun tanning coconut gourmands that I cannot stand.
Infusion d’Iris, White Tea and Narciso fall into a floral woody musk category. Flora Botanica is green floral and O d’Azur floral-fruity. Good luck to you all. I hope you find a scent that you can pull off at work without ruining your colleague’s day.
Tocca is a USA brand. It gets inspired from the European charming culture, praising romanticism, self appreciation and passion for life. Their fragrances are hand-crafted, unique and cruelty free. I have picked the travel package with their three bestsellers – Florence, Cleopatra and Stella.
Perfumer: Sonia Constant, Ellen Molner and James Bell.
Florence
Floral Green
A gardenia fragrance, potentially the most interesting from the pack. The opening is a burst of juicy fruits – pear, apple, bergamot and grapefruit leaf. The middle contains white and purple florals; the base is woodsy and musky. Mmmm … It is a white floral with yummy fruits. The overall impression is bubble-gummy, green and earthy. Such an outstanding combo. 80/100
Cleopatra
Amber Floral
A modern musky fragrance, quality one. Similar to the Narciso Rodriquez ones but with green notes to it. Smells musky, little bit sensual but the green nuances give it freshness and youth. Despite its musky nature, Cleo is still a gentle day-time spring fragrance for a special lady. 60/100
Stella
Floral Woody Musk
I was sure Stella is an orange blossom perfume. I could not be more wrong. Ok, not that wrong. There are blood orange and bitter orange in the mix but still no orange blossom. The heart of this perfume is right up in my ally also – lily, freesia and wild orchid. Can it get any better? A subtle, soft beauty. Stays close to the skin. It may be the prettiest but at the same time the weakest of the pack. 70/100
Shrnutí v češtině: Přestože je Tocca americká značka, je z velké části inspirovaná okouzlující evropskou kulturou. Oslavuje romantismus, víru ženy v sebe sama a životní elán. Vůně jsou ručně vyrobené, unikátní a netestované na zvířatech. Sáhla jsem po cestovním balíčku, který obsahuje jejich nejprodávanější EDP – Florence, Cleopatru a Stellu. Vůně Florence mě hned přaštila přes nos. Obsahuje bílé květiny, je velmi výrazná. Šmrnc jí dodává pestrý výběr ovoce od hrušky a jablka po list grepu. Naproti tomu Cleopatra je moderní pižmovka, lehce vábivá. Zelené prvky ji ale vrací zpět na zem. Skvělá denní jarní vůně pro vyjimečnou ženu. Poslední Stella představuje romantickou krásku. Je nejtišší, jeví se, že obsahuje květ pomerančovníku, ale tak tomu není. Má ovoce, a to pomeranč. Střed tvoří jemné květiny – lilie, frézie a divoká orchidej. Rázem se s ní ocitneme ve snu.
I was intrigued by La Petite Robe Noire Eau Fraiche because of the pistachio note. It is quite hard to find a good pistachio perfume these days. The best is Omnia Green Jade Bvlgari but unfortunately, discontinued!
The opening of La Petite Eau Fraiche is juicy with lemon, bergamot, mandarin orange and orange blossom. Later on, the fragrance turns floral and sweet. You will find almond blossom, cherry, rose, jasmine and again some fruity notes like raspberry, strawberry and peach. It settles sweet and green into pistachio, almond, patchouli, tonka, musk and vanilla.
It’s a strange mix but not necessarily in a bad way. I was expecting something light, airy and fresh but the reality is little bit different. In the end of the day, it is Guerlain and this house is not going to come up with something average. Their scents always have a kick, great lasting power and projection. What is more, it is a little black dress, so I should have known better and expected a more refined smell.
I see a slight similarity to Chance Eau Fraiche Chanel; however, as I said Guerlain has a twist. It is a freshie but with sweet fruits, nuts and vanilla. Fresh and sweet at the same time! Did I get my cravings for pistachio fulfilled? No, I don’t get much pistachio out of the combo but this scent is worth exploring anyway.
Fresh, green and sweet?! A peculiar combination but works perfectly fine. 70/100
Parfums de Marly is a French perfumery focusing on positioning and concepting of signature fragrances. They are influenced by the18 century’s history of the palace and gardens of Versailles. Parfums de Marly brings nobility to life and transfers it into today’s contemporary world. The perfumes are superb on its own, powerful and long lasting. They are typical for their exclusive vanilla core. Despite their high price, they have become extremely popular.
Meliora
Floral Green Perfumer: Nathalie Lorson
Meliora is my favorite so far. It is Floral Green. I love the fruity top consisted of black currant and red berries. It blends splendidly with cassis, musk and signature vanilla. It is the lightest out of the pack with the weakest lasting power. A-OK for the day, even a young girl can pull this off. It is a type of signature scent that you can wear to work, at home during the weekend or on holiday. Any occasion, any time. 80/100
Safanad
Floral Perfumer: Fabrice Pellegrin
What I get from Safanad the most is the orange blossom and vanilla. It leaves a beautiful Floral sweet trail. I am a huge fan of the combination of orange blossom and vanilla. It is a typical duo in the fragrance business which works well and has been established in many fragrances from Middle East through Europe to Americas and back. Therefore, this scent reminds me off My Way by Armani, Amyrys by MFK, Le Parfum by Ellie Saab or Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel. I adore all of the above, Safanad included. However, it is important to depict that you can get slightly bored with the combo. It is a classic but nothing new to the table. 60/100
Darcy
Floral Perfumer: Hamid Merati-Kashani
Darcy is another Floral. The opening is quite strong, almost unpleasant; however, later on, the perfume sets sweeter and somewhat creamier. My first impression is Shalimar but weaker, sweeter and contemporary. When looking at the notes, my guess was quite right. It smells expensive, more nigh-time and mature. Although I validate Shalimar as a perfumery masterpiece, it is not something I could wear these days. Darcy is more stylish and wearable in this respect. 40/100
Athalia
Floral Woody Musk Perfumer: Alexandra Kosinski, Givaudan
Athalia is quite a straightforward perfume. It is a refined clean prominent iris. I like iris scents. Athalia does not have to be necessarily worn at night. I think women could get away with it any time, any season – a great signature. Speaking of iris fragrances, I still have my favorite Infusion d’Iris by Prada. It has not been beaten so far even though Athalia comes close. 60/100
Delina
Floral Perfumer: Quentin Bisch
Delina is the most popular from the range. It is again Floral with dominant litchi, rhubarb, rose, peony and incense. It is the perfect combination between sexy and romantic. If you like Bella Rosa by Oscar de la Renta or So Scandalous by JPG, you are going to enjoy Delina. It has the same vibe but smells pricey, elegant and polished. It is powerful but I still think that you can wear Delina during the day with no trouble. Just a couple of sprays and you are good. 70/100
Delina Exclusif
Amber Perfumer: Quentin Bisch
Delina Exclusif is a deeper, smokier, longer-lasting version of Delina. You can await more litchi, rose and vanilla. What an Amber bomb. It is definitely more on the sexy night side intimate occasion. Rich, lux, sensual, for a subtle lady. It is a nice change from the sweet gourmand night time fragrances. You have to like deep rose with vanilla, not for everyone though. 40/100
Florabotanica brings new modern ingredients to the table. It consists of mint, carnation, rose, cannabis, vetiver and amber. It’s an intensive Floral Green – fresh, sharp and crispy. Later, it turns more powdery and comfy.
Florabotanica is clean as a fresh shower yet bold and fierce, a nice companion for natural beauty. Ideal for French ladies who want to hide that they made an effort and are actually wearing a perfume. Suitable for day time spring and summer.
I like Florabotanica. I can imagine myself wearing it every day to work without being overly sweet and offensive. It’s also something different. Not a typical fresh scent. It has the modernity, timelessness and courage that some of the other Floral Greens are missing.
A bold fresh floral for everyday use. A tiny secret garden. There is something intriguing about it. 80/100
Wild Blubell is a unique combination of bellflower spiced up with clove. When I was a child and my family went to the countryside to refresh batteries, bellflowers were growing there along the pathways and they smelled exactly like Wild Bluebell. Many of my memories are of course connected to that time. Bellflowers remind me of my innocent childhood when I felt safe and secure, loved by both parents and thought that the world is peaceful and wonderful. And this is how I look at this fragrance. I am delighted that Bluebell managed to refresh my memories so wonderful that I wish such for all kids these days.
This scent smells to me like summer, harmony and past times. Therefore, I don’t think I would wear it to work, dinners or a party. This is a holiday and weekend scent for me. It is a special one.
Wild Bluebell is magical. Floral and soft at first but evokes strong feelings and memories in the long run. 100/100
alexaperfumes 