VivienneK

I fell for the hype and snatched a bottle when it was finally restocked despite not being a huge fan of the Baccarat in the first place. I was looking for a take on the original rather than the actual dupe, which at this price point would be very naive indeed because whatever you say about the original being waay overpriced even accounting for the cost of the raw materials, it still smells better in quality terms than most designer frags and many niche.

I must say, it does give you an impression of the overall scent profile of the Baccarat Rouge 540, I'd even claim it is closer to the Extrait version since it is somewhat heavier, less translucent and less sweet than the EDP. However, what really sticks out to me personally is a very heavy handed cedar note that is so potent it actually overwhelms and outlives all of the other notes in this fragrance. In fact, it gives me an impression of some sort of industrial cedar smell, perhaps tinted by some nondescript chemicals and reused for perfume. It probably sounds a bit too harsh, but I actually really wanted to like this bargain (one other pro is that it last for ages, especially on clothes) but that cedar note really annihilates the rest of the composition for me - the burnt candy, the floral ambery body of it, even the infamous medical accord. It may have been a bad batch - I'd guess there's quite a bit of pressure for Zara to restock asap since this basically exploded on frag.com.. But for me, unfortunately, it's a no no.

This osmanthus has a ghostly nature. It doesn't linger but rather continuously reappears as a fluffy innocent cloud. Lots of ripe apricot here. A light yet somehow rather saturated floral apricot I would call this. It's a gentle, non-invasive and inoffensive scent that I think would particularly appeal to younger ladies in touch with their femininity.

Lavande by Molinard is a warm ambery lavender that verges on the oriental side without crossing the line. It is unashamedly lavender with a sweet, true lavender bursting at the top supported by warm vanilla and tonka with amber (benzoin, labdanum) that is immediately apparent but not overpowering. It is hardly fresh as the sweet, warm, ambery base becomes more and more prominent in the dry down, which makes this scent rather elegant yet cozy. It is a proper unisex scent that will fit with most people's understanding of the word - dare I say. Fantastic value for money in terms of quality, projection and longevity of the scent.

This is a wonderful, wonderful amber wood, blended to perfection, rich and luxurious. Great sillage and projection. Nothing synthetic about it although I may have some blindspots because it also has a suspiciously good staying power. No competing facets, all notes are in perfect harmony with each other. In my opinion, this is what every perfume should be in terms of composition. A masterpiece.

This is a sweet floral with patchouli and benzoin making it feel somewhat classical. It's both lightweight in mood and sophisticated. There is nothing revolutionary about it. Yet it serves its purpose on the market. I think it is a perfume for a lady past 25 but despite that it is not heavy nor vintage in style and you can wear it at 18 if you like it, of course, it's not one of those perfumes that feel odd on very young girls, it's just not your usual 18-year old. Easiy daytime perfume if you don't over spray (like with any perfume that has some projection). The floral vanilla and pineapple sometimes give me a headache. But I still love this perfume. It's warm and elegant and for the price the quality is just excellent.