Io Capri Carthusia 2000 Eau de Toilette

Io goes on like hotel soap -- not the best kind of hotel soap, and not the worst, just an average, thrill-reducing hotel soap that you'd find at an average hotel. In a matter of moments, it turns aromatic so that everyone around you knows you are wearing hotel soap. Then it takes on an aggressive floral edge, a vaguely plant-like component, and infinite silage. The silage is so strong that it chokes you and it threatens to blow doors down. It also induces nausea. Ok, Carthusia. You are the undisputed queen of horrible scents, the leader in the suck-scent category. Oh my aching lungs.

Finally a Carthusia fragrance that suits both men and women.

Io Capri is a beautiful, fresh, clean and exotic blend of mint, tea and wild fig. A touch of soap in this fragrance makes it so perfect for warm weather.

The mint in this fragrance smells nothing like toothpaste or sugared mints. It's more herbaceous, like a mint leaf picked fresh from a plant and then ground into a cup of hot tea with a side plate of figs.

It's a touch green, but nothing grassy or mossy. The rich tea note does tend to dominate, however the scent is rather soft, so it's nothing like the monster Eau Parfumee au The Rouge by Bvlgari which reminds me of teacher's staffrooms.

Io Capri is rather true to the Mediterranean weather; pleasant, wearable and never overbearing. If I were to travel on a cruise-ship tomorrow, this is what I'd choose to wear.

I particularly like this fragrance's rather casual and laid-back approach. It makes me feel comfortable just being me. This fragrance doesn't need to be masculine and/or feminine, sexy, loud or sharp to make a statement. It's beautiful on its own.

The title may be somewhat misleading. But that is of course intentional.

I tried Io Capri for the first time yesterday and... well..
So today I gave it another go. Maybe I just had a bad day yesterday, or the day didn’t match the scent or something like that. Whatever.

Fresh to work and a strong spray on the forearm.
Just like my predecessor, I had an immediate association right after spraying. And unfortunately, that was the same both yesterday and today, but definitely different from Toby.

I thought to myself, whoa, someone has extracted the fragrance notes from sunscreen and bottled it as a perfume. That may sound harsh, but I can't shake this impression. A day at the beach with way too much sunscreen. Hm.

If someone enjoys this slightly coconut-scented fragrance (which is actually not in the fragrance pyramid), they will certainly be well served with Io Capri.
I always think of Hawaiian tropical tanning oil. Not very flattering in this context.

Since fragrances are always a personal matter, everyone interested should form their own opinion. For me, Io Capri is certainly not it.

Right after spraying, a cold breeze whispers around the tip of the nose. And it really is like that, apparently produced from the interplay of alcohol and the other ingredients. Almost like Alpecin Liquid. Brrrr, I was really startled. :D

After a short while, the perfume has "settled" on the skin and doesn't move an inch. But that doesn't bother me AT ALL!!!

The freshness remains present, as does a certain coolness. This is the result of the tea. From far back, the fig and fig leaf come through. However, not just green but also a tiny bit violet, with a distinct blue tint... That's how painters smell! :D

It's really difficult to describe. It's a warm, slightly sweet scent, but not sticky or overly fruity!

So, laughter is written all over my face. The scent spreads good vibes. It stands out without being pushy. This is what Kenzo pour Homme smells like in a straight version. For me, the surprise and compensation of the day, after my unfortunately botched meeting with Fire Island...

A top-notch perfume and definitely my new scent for the hot season!