I was given this perfume as a gift and I love it. From it's boujee atomizer to the modern day bottle, it's a beauty to behold on top of your nightstand, or wherever you keep it.
The scent isn't like anything I own. I usually go for sweet, and while this is sweet it's also quite floral, and I get the floral hit a lot more than the sweetness of the vanilla. It's very inoffensive, and perfect for a teenage gal's first perfume!
The scent comes out quite strong to begin with but as the hours go on it settles into this sweet, floral, delight. At the end of its life (with my body chemistry) it's sweeter, more muskier. It's a very seductive, teasing, romantic kind of perfume. It reminds me of my teen years, getting boozy out at a friends in the country. I like it, and I'd buy it again!
On a recent trip to Sydney I was out of perfume, and decided to buy a different Victoria's Secret fragrance to my usual (Bombshell, still adore it but felt like a wee change). I lucked out and scored not only the 50 ml fragrance, but a 10ml travel size, a shower gel and a lotion for just $120 ish NZ...crazy good value.
The shower gel and lotion are gorgeous as well, but of course, the subject of the review is the fragrance, so I'll focus on that.
The mini version comes in a cute little pale pink spray bottle with a hot pink cap and black and silver label, but the real packaging beauty comes in the full size. This is one of the most gloriously packaged perfumes I've owned. The bottle is sheer black glass, rectangular at the base and curved and rounded on the sides and top. There is a black latticed pattern on the back that makes it all look very ornate. The silver cap picks out the silver in the label, which also features pink and gold on a black background. You apply the fragrance with the best part of the packaging - the hot pink atomiser , which is in turn adorned with a black lace flower. We haven't even gotten to the fragrance itself at this stage, and it's already amazing.... this is what it's liek to use as well. It makes every day feel a little special and totally reminds me of Lady Gaga 'Born this way' (She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on, in the glass of her boudoir) - I feel like this is the sort of packaging to reflect that moment!
The fragrance itself is delicious. Warm, floral without being OTT, sweet without being sickly, grown up enough that you don't feel like it's too much, but flirty enough to make you feel adorable <3 Black vanilla, frozen pear and blooming gardenia are the scents involved, apparently - I can pick a sweet hint of vanilla, but overall it just smells good! It's borderline tropical, quite sultry but still fresh.
It applies noticeably heavier, but settles quickly to a more subtle scent that hangs around well, requiring only a wee touch up if you're heading out again later that day (or if you're like me and you just use the perfume a couple times a day because you like it).
I'd buy it again - i think next time i'll revert back to my Bombshell, but this is gorgeous and I adore it!
Tips: check out the (only :( ) NZ VS store duty free for these value packs - insanely cheap, really, for what you get!