On my skin, Cartier's "Declarations" always come off a bit sweaty, scratchy, smoky. And that's for mostly citrus scents. Unique to very strange! Exceptions are clear, "Declaration D'un Soir" is, for example, a rosy-woody favorite of mine. But this newer "Declaration Haute Fraicheur" also heads back in the sweaty, human lemon direction on my skin. Maybe it’s also due to my chemistry, my arm hair, my sweat. Who knows! But surely also because of the scent and the entire line. Why this lemon ashtray was still allowed to accompany me to Fuerteventura? I’ll try to explain…
"Declaration Haute Fraicheur" is a spicy, short-lived lemon bomb. So far, it’s still simple, straight, easy to describe. Like a more intense version of Rabanne's "Paco," roughly. But this spiciness is not typical. Not pepper. Barely woods. Not basil. Let alone chili. No, "Decl. HF" lets its lemon garden go in a different direction. Naughtier. Ashier. Ruder (to put it harshly). And I find that interestingly "nasty." Maybe I just want to justify the purchase since I certainly didn’t have all these facets completely on my radar during the quick test in the duty-free area. Nevertheless, it’s definitely not your off-the-shelf summer freshie. I actually like cardamom a lot, I know it very well. However, rather well-measured and soft. Here it zips into the parade like a sprightly runner in the Champions League final. This "Declaration" will not only find friends. It has, in a way, guts. Or they just messed up making a pleasant summer scent. However you want to see it. It also has quite a bit of untamed, Arabic, black tea - which could be a warning for some?!
Bottle: Cartier just knows luxury and bottles!
Sillage: despite the spiciness, a clear summer star
Longevity: 2-4 hours is basically too little
Conclusion: a sweaty, sweaty lemon garden with Cartier luxury flair - something does indeed sit badly on my skin… yet still sexy. Full of tension and scratchiness.
