Marilyn25

Hard to believe, but it's actually been 11 months since I wrote my last review here on Parfumo! At that time I was still in California studying for my Master's degree and pretty busy. In the meantime, I'm back in Germany and successfully completed my Master's degree this month, so now I have a bit more time left before work starts again. All the more I am happy that I can dedicate this comment to a great fragrance from Guerlain, which I have in common with a dear perfumer. Whenever I wear it, I think of her :-) She has also been wanting a text from me about this for a while now, and I would now like to comply with her request.

With the La Petite Robe Noire series, it seems, Guerlain, which was founded in 1828 by Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain in Paris, wants to address the broad younger generation, which has probably found less access to fragrances such as L'Heure Bleue or Jicky, and perhaps does not even know them. With the exception of La Petite Robe Noire Ma Robe Pétales, the La Petite Robe Noires are cherry or berry-based and quite sweet across the board. From my perspective, however, scents like smoky black tea, almond, or even leather give these fragrances a special twist that makes them stand out from the "sweet and berry" category, in which there really is no shortage of perfumes.

La Petite Robe Noire Hippie Chic is, first of all, quite similar to the original La Petite Robe Noire. However, it seems a little lighter, softer, more lovely and also powdery. The licorice note of the original is missing, which pleases me very much. Immediately after spraying it on, I am greeted by a juicy fresh black cherry, underpinned by a delicate and soft rose scent and as if dusted with powdered sugar. As the fragrance progresses, it becomes softer and powderier, the tonka bean emerges more and more and the sweetness recedes. This gives the scent a gourmand character that is fortunately not marked by a sticky sweetness, but is finely balanced. I can't smell out the black tea here. The durability is very good with 2 days on the skin.

From the effect I find the hippie chic feminine, playful, and very apart in expression. For some reason pushes me the image of a young lady who comes from a wealthy family and grew up sheltered. Of course, 500 euros pocket money a month in the 10th grade, Tiffany bracelet, and Louis Vuitton bag on her lap. Good for her, if only she wouldn't say ignorant things like: "If you don't have a job, you're just too lazy to work" and "400 Euro a month are enough to live on" in social science class, topic "Social Inequality in Germany" (in reference to Hartz IV). Whereas the same person then tells the story of how, on holiday in the Maldives, 1000 euros were spent in one night with the father's stolen credit card. The amount was subsequently refunded by the bank, since the person concerned at the time was demonstrably not in the Maldives.

But joking aside, I find the hippie chic very nice and am happy to have it in the collection for about a year now. There I also do not want to miss it at all. I find it great for evenings and special occasions. To wear it "just so" during the day I would find it a little out of place. Then I prefer to reach for fresher and lighter fragrances.

If some readers now have the impression that wearing this fragrance could make someone seem ignorant, I would like to take this worry away from them. Not at all. And of course I have not eaten the wisdom with spoons. I'm just a Düsseldorf vernissage-goer who thinks everything she doesn't understand is art ;) To quote a well-known cabaret artist, who unfortunately retired a few years ago. From him also comes: "Cabaret is a kind of modern indulgence trade. The bad left conscience jumps out of the fire when the money rings in the cabaret box office."

But back to the topic at hand: vive La Petite Robe Noire hippie chic!

Much has already been said about Shalimar, but I too must now add my mustard, for I am addicted to this fragrance. I bought this scent blindly because of the good reviews here and the scent pyramid.

At the first test I was almost a little disappointed: too smoky, too unsweet and tart, almost too masculine. Where was the vanilla I had been so looking forward to? But as it seems, Shalimar is demanding and takes its time. After several tests I liked it more and more. That's why I went up from 8.5 to 10 in the fragrance's rating. Also the mentioned vanilla finally came out. Not a sweet, killing vanilla, but a finely spiced vanilla that combines beautifully with the balsamic notes (I guess incense?). With time, this vanilla comes out more and more, especially in the base. Then the scent becomes slightly sweetish, which surely comes from the tonka bean. I hardly noticed bergamot in the prelude, and hardly any trace of the flowers, the jasin and the rose. These seem to merely support the fine composition. With me the fragrances of the base are clearly dominating.

But I found Shalimar best when I sat outside a café last week in the afternoon with a curious friend, a 31-year-old Japanese man, and sprayed Shalimar on his arm for testing purposes. It was a very special first for him, because he had NEVER tested perfume in his whole life. What the wind blew into my nose then, smelled wonderful and enchanting. And he also liked the scent very much. He thanked me afterwards 3 times that he was allowed to test this fragrance! I think Shalimar has class and style, doesn't look overloaded despite the opulence, and never annoying.

I also smell leather out, although it is not indicated in the pyramid. Not a strong-smelling black leather like in Tom Ford Ombré Leather, but rather delicate, butter-soft, shiny, cognac-coloured leather, which I also smell at L'Heure Bleue EdP, although it is not listed in the pyramid. This note gives the fragrance something noble, almost noble. I see before my mind's eye a handsome young man in light brown riding boots. With a sword. Yes, Shalimar is enchanting on gentlemen too!

What I noticed most is that the scent is there right after spraying. No smell of alcohol that has to dissipate first. A special feature of Guerlain fragrances, as a saleswoman at Douglas once explained to me. Which speaks for the high quality of Guerlain perfumes. Also durability (12 hours plus) and sillage are excellent.

My conclusion is that Shalimar is definitely worth a test, because it stands out from the crowd and has style. Since he is demanding, I would test him several times before making a judgment. Of course not everyone can love this fragrance, but I think it speaks for itself that it has been around since 1925 and hasn't disappeared from the market. I, for one, love it, and I'm a student! Not at all an old-lady scent.

Mon Paris is one of the fragrances I really wanted to test, because a lovely perfume company was so enthusiastic about it. Said perfume will know that I mean her when she reads this ;) In the department store I had already smelled it on the paper strip - just before the current pandemic - and I liked it. But it is well known that scents develop on the skin very differently than on paper and so I knew that I had to test this scent on my skin. But how, where here in the USA at Sephora at the moment scents are only presented on paper strips by staff - for safety reasons? As fate would have it, Sephora Online had a special offer this month: for purchases of $35 or more, a miniature of YSL Mon Paris or Givenchy Irrésistible was added for free. So I didn't hesitate for long and ordered the really phenomenal Forever Skin Correct Concealer from Dior, of which I had tested a miniature, which was then added to a purchase at Sephora, where I had the chance to see the... Yes ok, it could be that I've been shopping too much online lately and I don't mean food. No, make-up, perfume, shoes...What else can you do where thanks to Corona you sit at home all day long and can only go out for groceries or a walk...I guess I could get some cheaper hobbies...reading for example...But I have to read all the time in my studies. Mountains. Hundreds of pages a week. So I don't really feel like reading in my spare time anymore. And make-up and perfume are a fine thing...but I digress. So to the mentioned Dior concealer there was a sweet 7,5ml miniature of Mon Paris with a little bow

The miniature looks basically like the original bottle, only in a small size, complete with a cute little bow. I must say I really like the bottle. It looks girlish and thanks to the black color of the bow, it looks grown-up and simply elegant and valuable. The miniature has no spray head. So carefully dab some of the fragrance on the arm and wait a little while...

At the beginning a great mixture of sugared strawberries with raspberries welcomes you. Despite the sweetness it smells somehow refreshing, almost sparkling like champagne. I find this top note very youthful and at the same time elegant, and as the Parisians would say, très chic. One literally has a bowl of sugared strawberries and raspberries in front of one's eyes. Beautiful in a crystal glass bowl with whipped cream, just like Grandma's (only that the Mon Paris doesn't smell of whipped cream, of course). Catwalk. Lightning storm. Prêt-à-porter fashion show and haute couture presented by long-legged models. Paris...But unfortunately it doesn't last long. After about 10 minutes, the floral notes of the perfume come to the fore. I smell mainly Jasmine Sambac with peony in a supporting role. And so the perfume becomes even sweeter, if that's at all possible, and yes, unfortunately also heavier, sultry and stuffy. At this stage, Mon Paris reminds me of Black Opium. Basically, they're very different scents, but both are dominated by this heavy, sticky jasmine sweetness. And unfortunately I don't like the smell of black opium. After the great start I am a bit disappointed. Because the fragrance stays like that for the most part and doesn't develop further. It remains sugary, sultry, almost penetrating, and that for several hours. The catwalk has disappeared. I now see a woman in front of me who is too thin, has too long hair, has been in the solarium too long and wears too much make-up, with a slightly too ample bust. Everything screams "artificial". Sorry, dear perfuma, that's my association with it. I hope I'm not hurting your feelings with this description. Paris? Away! It's a shame, really, after the authentic start. Even the base isn't that convincing. In the drydown, sweet ambroxan and cotton candy musk are battling the turgid jasmine. Somehow it smells synthetic. But, you have to give it credit, the durability and sillage at Mon Paris are really very strong and very well developed. If the fragrance would smell all the time like it did in the opening with the wonderful top note, I would buy it immediately. But that way we won't become great friends. In the final analysis, Jasmine Sambac spoils the scent for me. An extremely intense white-flowered note, which makes the fragrance seem somehow artificial, like a false smile.

So, dear Parfuma, please don't be angry with me, but unfortunately Mon Paris could not convince me. Instead, a 100ml bottle of Light Blue Intense by Dolce & Gabbana, which will always remind me of the wonderful time with my sweetheart this summer, and Green Tea Cucumber by Elizabeth Arden, whose fragrances sounded promising, will soon be moving in with me. How I am already looking forward to the delivery! And by the way, maybe you can recommend me a hobby that costs less money... :D

I actually got to know the Viva la Juicy Bowdacious through YouTube. No, not Jeremy Fragrance, although Juicy Couture seems to be particularly fond of fragrances. No, it was a YouTuberin, who is not even to be seen in her videos. She presented fragrances to some men in her life, her boyfriend and friends, and they were asked to rate which fragrance they found most appealing. And at the top of the Top 10 list, Viva la Juicy Bowdacious, ahead of - hold on - La Nuit Trésor, Black Opium, Addict and Hypnotic Poison EdT. According to her, one of the men described the fragrance as follows: "It smells as if the wearer was saying, "Come closer," to put it nicely. So very sexy and attractive. That made me very curious about the scent. Sure I wear scents mainly for myself, but who wouldn't like to be attractive to the other (or their own, depending ;) ) sex?

The fragrance was of course selected directly by me here on Parfumo. Hmmmm, pear, tangerine and honeydew melon. Sounded very tasty and promising before. And in addition tiaré and coconut milk, which immediately made me think of summer. And I like tonka bean anyway. The score of 8.2 out of 10 here on Parfumo also made me expect a lot from this fragrance. In the internet I found the Bowdacious at a US-American supplier (I am in the USA right now) for no less than 30$ for 50ml. EdP mind you. Although I usually avoid blind purchases, I did not hesitate to strike here. And I am glad that I dared to do so

Right from the start the Viva la Juicy Bowdacious smells juicy and fruity like pear and honeydew melon. So the word "Juicy" is very appropriately chosen in the name. I can't really smell tangerine, but I think it gives the fragrance a refreshing accent. It turns out to be quite sweet, but fortunately not so sweet that it gives you a toothache. As the fragrance progresses, the tiaré blossom becomes more apparent, flowery-creamy I would say, with the pear continuing to dominate. The whole thing is gently supported by sweet tonka bean and melting coconut milk, both of which are discreetly kept in the background. The main note here is actually a delicious, juicy pear, accompanied by honeydew melon. Despite the sweetness, I find this fragrance somehow light and summery. It seems very feminine and definitely very attractive.

That according to the YouTuberin it should be sexier than "the ultimate sex perfume" Hypnotic Poison EdT (quote from a review here on Parfumo), however, surprises me! I think I'll try an experiment and show men I know the la Nuit Trésor, Light Blue Intense, Hypnotic Poison EdT and the Viva la Juicy Bowdacious under their noses! Let them say which scent they find most appealing. Let's see what comes out of it. Now, because of the quarantine, certainly not an easy task, but by no means impossible. I will of course keep you informed :))))

I think that Viva la Juicy Bowdacious very much emphasizes the feminine side of a woman and can be worn all year round at day and night times, and it fits especially well in spring and summer. For formal occasions or in the office it would be too playful in my opinion. I think a dress and loose hair go well with it. Maybe a little bit of make-up. Ready is the summer beauty!

The Sillage is rather moderate, so that one can spray calmly, the shelf life is good with about 7 hours.

The glass bottle is pretty kitschy with its huge pink-metallic bow, but it's also quite something. It has a small bow at the bottom of the front, back, left and right sides, the Juicy Couture emblem in gold in 3D, and a large crystal glass cap. So it's actually far too good to store this bottle in a cool, dark place, away from view. But maybe I have a solution: once the bottle is empty, it could be used as a decoration. It is always girlish and eye-catching.

Another side note: the fragrance reminds me slightly of the Signorina Misteriosa. What both fragrances have in common is that they both combine fruity notes in the top note with creamy floral notes in the middle note and creamy-sweet notes in the base. In the Bowdacious - Misteriosa juxtaposition, this would be: pear, honeydew melon, tangerine - blackberry, neroli; tiare - tuberose, orange blossom; tonka bean, coconut milk - black vanilla. However, Signorina Misterioasa looks darker and heavier with the addition of patchouli. In addition, the blackberry makes it smell more acidic and, as some people here wrote on perfume, it has a squeaky chewing gum note. So if you liked Signorina Misteriosa, but were bothered by the chewing gum note, Viva la Juicy Bowdacious is certainly a good alternative for you.

I hope I could help you with my comment and wish you all a nice weekend!

Oh why does Light Blue EdT smell so great on the paper strip and on my skin? But I have to say something, because I have a story to tell about this scent, too. Exactly, the story I already told for the Light Blue Eau Intense. To avoid repeating myself too much, I'll keep it short: USA, end of June. A visit to a good friend I hadn't seen for 5 years. A good friend for whom I have deep feelings. A visit to the perfumery was also a must on this occasion. So Light Blue and Light Blue Eau Intense found their way to me in the form of a miniature set.

Light Blue smelled delightfully on the paper strip: lemony-apple-floral, airy, light and transparent. Because of Corona I was unfortunately not allowed to test the scent on my skin. Without hesitation I took the pretty duo with me. Unfortunately, the scent developed differently on my skin: after the beautiful start, an almost sharp note appeared on my skin, which reminded me of toilet cleaner or scouring agents. And this note unfortunately held and still holds very stubbornly with me. I find that very unfortunate. All in all, Light Blue is unsweeter and, as already mentioned, sharper than the Light Blue Eau Intense. The Intense version smells sweeter, sweeter and simply more balanced and round for me. Apart from the fact that it radiates stronger and lasts longer. The Light Blue lasts 2-3h, the Intense 5, but I have also read reviews on sephora.com that said the Eau Intense was too intense and too strong in comparison. So here, too, the tastes are different. Personally, however, I have a tendency towards the Light Blue Eau Intense, I'm glad that this version is also available, and I envy all those where the Light Blue develops beautifully on the skin.

Like the Light Blue Eau Intense, the Light Blue reminds me of the precious moments I was allowed to spend with my sweetheart. Not only friendly, but also romantic moments. If you're interested, read my Light Blue Eau Intense commentary :D For me, these fragrances mean summer. Watching the reflection of the sun in the lake. Moments of togetherness and love. An unforgettable time

But I will not buy the Light Blue after me. But I have the Light Blue Eau Intense! To summer and love!