Belgwen

At the risk of sounding harsh...

I cannot possibly think of anyone wanting to wear something that smells like blood, semen, sweat, rank fish, or rotting eggs. To say that this thing smells unpleasant is a gross understatement. Sometimes a perfumer banks on her/his followers' open mind to purchase their progressive, funky formulations. In this case however, I hate to inform the nose behind this perfume that it would take a whole a lot more than an "open mind" to appreciate such vileness. This is not a masterpiece or even a remotely pleasant creation; as it takes no special talent to concoct such a cringe-worthy potion. Though it probably does require an exaggerated sense of grandeur to think someone would actually cough up that much money for a full bottle of this diseased conception. Moreover, as if to add to its evil threshold, the stink wouldn't come off after a series of thorough washing and persisted far after my numerous attempts at its annihilation. They say curiosity killed the cat. In this case, this beast definitely knocked out my olfactory senses for a few days.

Let's just rename this perfume "Odeur de L'enfer", shall we?

In my search for the ultimate Honeysuckle fragrance, I've come across Le Chevrefeuille's sample. I’m unhappy to report that my first few tries have ended in bitter disappointment. This is a very light fragrance predictably centered around the Honeysuckle note. It begins with nondescript citrus which then leads to a green Honeysuckle drydown. The fragrance lasted about an hour on my skin before it completely faded away. It had no sillage (I had to shove my nose into my arm to get a whiff right after first application) and the lasting power left much to be desired. To ensure that my chemistry wasn't playing tricks on me, I tried this in different seasonal temperatures, several times, and on paper as well. I keep getting the same result.

Now I may raise a few eye brows when I say this but... If you are looking for an affordable, simple, and yet realistic Honeysuckle fragrance, look into Victoria Secret’s Sexy Little Things / Heartbreaker. That composition is just as simple as this one – it actually follows a similar note pyramid – however, it’s light enough for warm temperatures with better staying power, balance, and a much more realistic rendition of the Honeysuckle note.

Violette Divine is a perfume most aptly named because the moment it hits your skin, it shines as if the heavens above has opened up on you. The light that shines, however, is not the white kind. Violette Divine is the black, sensual light that makes everything glow and change colors. After a brief sweet citric opening, powdery Violets swirl in and take over, mingling with the sweet Sandalwood that not only anchors it but also gives it an erotic quality. Underneath a façade of purity, this perfume exudes sensuality that’s firmly planted on a woody ground. The bottle itself appeals to the most discerning of collectors; fit to adorn a most glorious boudoir. Recommended!

The patchouli starts choking the rose upon first application and slowly strangles her to death. The peach, the poor thing, ran for cover after a few minutes of watching that kinda violence. So I'm left with heavy, pungent, nose burning patchouli with a little bit of honeyed sweetness (so as to hide all that evil) but that's about it.

That said - it has outstanding sillage and staying power... 12+ hours after application, showered, lotioned, and it's STILL significantly on my skin!

Thank you, my dear Valandria, for sending me a sample of this! :)

Ps: And thank you for bearing with my patchouli-hating ways.... :D

Rumba Passion really surprised me - given its price and affordability. It delivers much more than its expensive contemporary counterparts. Upon the first application to the very end, this is a floral in full bloom, Jasmine and Rose being the leads of the composition. This mixture distantly reminds me of another retro beauty - Jean Patou’s Joy - however there are no Aldehydes here to be found. If you are seeking the Orange Blossom in the top notes, you must seek it and isolate it quickly because it gets overpowered by the heavy hitting heart phase fairly fast. The Jasmine/Rose combo lays on a bed of creamy, honey-sweet Patchouli, as in the case of Elie Saab EDP, except that Rumba Passion has that 80s retro vibe that I love so much. Sillage is about 2 feet and staying power is around 12 hours on my skin. I recommend floral lovers to snap up this affordable beauty at once! :-)