Bottega Veneta Eau Sensuelle Bottega Veneta 2016

BV, in my eyes, is a Power House. They have some really great fragrances and one of them is even ranked as no. 69 in the Top 100 Most Popular Scents for Women. That is quite an achievement for a rather small Italian company compared to mega brands as Givenchy, Dior, Guerlain and Parfum de Marlys.
I have been curious about this brand since my first encounter with Eau Légère back in the early 10s. Being fond of leather smelling fragrances - I love Chanel’s Cuir de Russie, particularly the parfum - I became so happy when I first smelled the dry and unique BVEL. What a love affair! This scent will always be a true favourite and eye opener to me.
After this, there was no turning back. I started looking for BV fragrances but found none. BV is not well represented in my country, so I have bought all four I have from other people.
Which is why Eau Sensuelle joined my collection just a few months ago. My BV journey started out with Eau Légère, then BV signature, then Illusione and finally Eau Sensuelle. The latter is less interesting compared to the other three. She is also the lowest rated of the four - lowest rated still means highly rated (7.7). If I stay in the siblings’ term she is cute, a bit young and playful. She has not yet met the worries of the adult world and she is at the age right between wearing lipstick and playing with dolls. On the brim of adulthood.
Luckily, there is the leather note at the end. Consider it the growing awareness of what is about to come over the next few years. Growing responsibilities, a blooming sexuality and a more complex look at the world. She could be Jenny in “An education” or Cassandra in “I capture the Castle”. A soon-to-become woman.
BV changed my view on unisex fragrances. Before BV unisex was CK One, which I absolutely… do not like. To my nose it is just awful. BV made me think of unisex in a different and positive way.
Year 2, 9/365

Before Bottega Veneta could conquer me, time passed.
I turned a cold shoulder to the beautiful scent - and let myself be persuaded.
Quite the tough nut.
My husband can sing a song about it.
But now I always buy large bottles.

I didn't have such starting difficulties with eau Sensuelle.
It was love at first sight, as the scent conquered me with its softness.

Gently, it envelops me in butter-soft pastel-colored suede, drizzled with peach nectar and gentle bergamot.
Gardenia emphasizes the flattering scent fully, but not piercingly - and jasmine crowns it with elegant jasmine.

Yes, this is how I want to be embraced.
Sensuelle doesn’t come on too strong - but shows undeniable presence.

A charming, sensual scent, intimate, and with a yearning for togetherness.

Soft conquest that makes women's - and men's hearts beat faster.

With "Sensuelle," my old mind first signals "bland, boring"; a prejudice I have not been able to shake off.
How often have I been mistaken. And here with "Bottega Veneta Eau Sensuelle," that is not the case at all.
I put myself in the corner and feel ashamed!

The leather accord mentioned here in the base runs through the entire fragrance for me; a pleasant and harmonious greeting takes place; I feel welcomed.
White peach, an ever-inviting refreshment in summer, appears ripe and juicy; yes, here too, the peach scent is juicy and wonderfully creamy!
It comes hand in hand with bergamot: their aromas correspond excellently with the already present leather.
Where is my often recurring aversion to leather? It is not there, and I do not miss it!
On the contrary: even now, my soul is pleasantly touched; it rejoices in this encounter.
Gardenia - also a somewhat tricky scent note for me - is overshadowed by the powerful jasmine rush: jasmine and leather - a successful blend that simply convinces.
To crown the fragrance, pink pepper is added; the white peach is especially looking forward to it!

The brand Bottega Veneta has once again succeeded in conjuring the impression of refined leather goods into a fragrance.
I feel as if I am entering one of the impressive stores: fine leather nuances embrace me, but are immediately infused with powerful jasmine clouds. This climbing jasmine winds around the noble gardenia blossoms; it casts them a bit into the shade. In this fragrance composition, it is the champion!
For refreshment, pretty glass plates with peach and bergamot slices are served, crowned with pink pepper. Unfortunately, the matching glasses filled with cool champagne do not appear in the scent.
All of this has been filled into one of the typical bottles and adorned with the smooth name "Bottega Veneta Eau Sensuelle."

The result is extremely pleasing: a fragrance that caresses me and provides comfort and tenderness to my (currently so often tormented) soul.
These caresses are very welcome and accompany me like soft music for several hours.
Elegant and charming, expressive yet unobtrusive.
This "Eau Sensuelle" does not have me on a leash: we are equal partners facing life together!
So we set off. Where to?
That will reveal itself...

There are people who find the fine leather accord in the first Bottega scent too much, which I cannot understand. In the new flanker called "sensual" (as if the other Bottegas weren't), I don't sense any real leather. Maybe I'm just too insensitive to "delicate, soft, light suede"; I don't even know what such leather smells like in real life. In any case, it wasn't just me, but also my friend. Both of us, as confessed Bandit fans, could not recognize leather ("the way we know it"). Yet supposedly leather, as the DNA of the brand, is also present in Sensuelle, at least in the base note. And somehow you can still recognize the Bottega DNA in "Sensuelle," whether leathery or not.
In any case: The scent is beautiful. It comes across as more floral and delicate than the Bottega "original," and thus the delicate pink tint of the liquid is fitting. Instead of leather, I smell musk in the drydown, which gives the fragrance the substance it urgently needs if it doesn't want to be "demeaned" to mere floral water. This new version is cleverly made - and not, as so often, just an unnecessary and boring flanker. This new EdP is very refined and fits well into the line of the already very successful predecessor Bottegas. Hard to believe that Coty is behind it.

Welcome to our temple of fragrance consumption. Here with us, mediocrity is the measure of all things. Find yourself a spot right at the front of the shelf so you stand out and our customers can discover you right away. So kids, make some room for the new girl. Come on Sensi, stand next to Deli (I've forgotten her real name, but the Be Delicious clan sends us a newcomer every few weeks). Chic your outfit all in Rose Quartz, the Pantone trend color of 2016. The first impression: a fresh, mild peach breeze - fits. Followed by a gentle, indefinable floral mix with jasmine, but nothing distinctive. Is that supposed to be leather? No, that's the currently very popular musk drydown - very good. Just don’t stand out. Fortunately, you are different from your character- and individuality-focused relatives Bottega Veneta and Bottega Veneta Eau Legere, and will therefore find plenty of appeal with our customers. Finally, Bottega Veneta has arrived at the dozen goods. It was about time. It would also be nice to have a sugared berry variant for the candy girls among our customers in the fall. And then in November the collaboration with H&M... What, this year it's Kenzo's turn, with designer fashion for H&M. Well, maybe next year then. But how about a vanilla bomb for Christmas, for the vanilla freaks? It can't be rocket science, just throw a mega vanilla cap over Sensi. And in spring then launch an aquatics in a blue box - for the freshness fanatics, of course........Mah, I'm getting scared of my clairvoyant abilities. Enough of that! I’ll stick with Bottega Veneta Eau Legere and that's that.