Author Archives: Vienna Pink

No offense to anyone who loves the perfume but this is an overpriced fragrance for a rather mediocre scent. I’m not suggesting that Lady Million smells awful—quite the contrary–but if you had told me this was a gas station original I would have agreed. Nonetheless this would be excellent if paired with a leather jacket and a gold sequined dress; but other than a swift kiss and a few empty promises, it’s a rather forgettable experience.

Honey and raspberry are one of my favorite combinations and this duo becomes the primary players of Lady Million; there’s a hint of jasmine and other white florals simmering below the surface along with warm amber and patchouli. This fragrance really does smell like something gold; it’s bright and optimistic yet a little linear. Nothing develops over time; you’re pretty much stuck with what you’ve got.

LM doesn’t smell sexy to me, it seems preppy and “dressed up”; like a good girl trying to be bad but really just doing it out of peer pressure. On the bright side, LM has great sillage and longevity; a few spritzes will probably last for an entire day.
Overall I’m not completely disappointed with this perfume; it just ends up in the back of my cabinet lost amongst other superior fragrances, spinning about woefully on its side–desperate for an opportunity to redeem itself. Luckily this gem is rather popular and if you find yourself not feeling like a million bucks, you can always swap it away.

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I don’t think people give Ivoire much of a chance, indeed this fragrance goes on super sharp…but it mellows out to be exactly what was promised: clean white soap. The galbanum is perhaps a little too prominent throughout, but after a few hours it settles perfectly into the skin leaving a very sheer and creamy scent.

I was originally on the fence between Ivoire and Glow by JLO, both were exceptionally harsh in their opening but Glow came off being too synthetic and stayed that way for hours. Although I prefer the latter for its more floral character; Ivoire has better tenacity on the long run and is overall less offensive and pleasant in its performance.

This perfume really sets off after 45 minutes on my skin; it’s really quite strong in composition so longevity is of no concern. My end goal was to smell like fresh ivory soap that smells like clean skin after a bath, and although Ivoire achieves this somewhat—the heaviness of the vetiver might come off being a little damp/earthy for those who find such things unpleasant.

There is Iris immediately in the opening and it blossoms into galbanum and roses, it’s refreshing and very powdery, but overall clean and sharp. This shifts into a slightly clammy stage which is no doubt due to the vetiver and patchouli combined with ylang-ylang. It feels a little woody and ozonic at first, yet the heart of this fragrance is flowers and cream…the earthy base produces a warm and inviting skin scent. Beware though that sillage is enormous and the more you apply the worse that chemical scent will become. It’s really quite unbearable after 3 spritzes, and veers uncannily into bug spray territory.

Overall this is the closest I have ever found to a real “Dove” soap fragrance, there is always Nivea by Nivea, but that product is not available in the United States. Until I can find something better that fulfills my standards for French soap, Ivoire will have to do.

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I unexpectedly came into possession of this fragrance thanks to a blind swap I did about 2 months ago. I immediately bought an entire bottle after testing it on myself, and oh my gosh this is the sweetest salted plum scent that I have ever experienced. It literally smells like the plum sodas I had as a kid in Hong Kong; it’s opulent and gourmand, extremely feminine while maintaining a sense of complexity and wholesomeness.

Natori feels mysterious in every way; it’s a seductively dark and smoky cocktail. I am not usually a fan of plum notes but this deeply multifarious in nature; the amber is warm and inviting, the roses do not play center stage but provides a floral edge that underlies the plum very well.  My favorite part about this dry down is the ylang-ylang, musk, and patchouli combo; it brings out a kind of earthiness that is reminiscent of Chinese tea shops. But this isn’t to say that Natori is completely oriental, it’s actually quite versatile, the aldehydes are heavy hitters but somehow this doesn’t come off as being overpowering.  Natori feels very vintage, I am much more infatuated with this one than I am of Opium- and no this doesn’t really smell like Opium at all- they’re both gorgeous but Natori is definitely more wearable. Plus the bottle is beautifully crafted, the lid is heavy like a stone; it feels oddly reassuring.

The only drawback is the sillage/longevity, what a major disappointment! This essentially becomes a skin scent after merely an hour, which is a shame because Natori feels like it was crafted as a statement piece. I can’t help but feel powerful and formidable while wearing it, but alas my spirits are short lived; this beauty was probably another unfortunate victim of reformulation. Overall an elegant evening perfume that is both mature and feminine; a worthy purchase despite its minor shortcomings.

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This is a quick review of Ulric de Varens; this is a fantastic fragrance that smells almost identical to Pour Femme by Dolce and Gabbana. I literally could not tell the difference testing them side by side at first; Pour Femme feels a little more sugary and wholesome but UdV is softer and not as intense. The only difference I’ve perceived between these two were the missing raspberry notes in UdV, but this is a very subtle nuance and it’s hardly worth mentioning. The important variables are the marshmallow and vanilla creaminess that imparts a feeling of warmth and comfort every time I wear Pour Femme, and that reminiscence is evenly matched by its replica. This is an uncomplicated love affair between fluffy candy and silky cream, total gourmand bliss!

The downside to Ulric De Varens is clearly the projection and longevity, it’s almost nonexistent. This would be better categorized as a body mist rather than a perfume, I could literally bathe in it and the fragrance would evaporate an hour later. On a positive note this bottle is relatively cheap and easily obtainable, so you can reapply obsessively throughout the day. Overall a great budget alternative if you’re absolutely fanatical about marshmallow fragrances like I am!

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I won’t lie, for a department store fragrance Truth or Dare is surprisingly high end; I’m usually not a big fan of white florals but when done correctly it conjures up feelings of simplicity and tranquility.  This is surprisingly elegant, with a smooth composition that effortlessly flows within its own rhythm. It feels clean and fresh while maintaining a feminine presence; this is what a white dress smells like in my imagination.

ToD is a minimalist fragrance, the notes are fairly straightforward and you can pretty much pick out each floral in this composition. My initial reaction was a pleasant surprise at the balance of tuberose and gardenia; it is neither pungent nor too sharp but blended just perfectly to produce a scent of fresh white blossoms. Jasmine becomes more prominent during the dry down, with a hint of benzoin and amber to give this bouquet a warm sunny disposition. Sillage is moderate with good longevity (3-5 hours).

ToD feels extremely optimistic; I can honestly say that this perfume has the ability to brighten up my day every time I wear it. Even though this is a very basic fragrance, its simplicity is neither a shortcoming nor a limitation. This is a great introduction to white florals and a safe blind buy in my opinion.

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