L'Impératrice 2009

L'Impératrice by Dolce & Gabbana
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.
Ranked 81 in Women's Perfume
7.4 / 10 1000 Ratings
A perfume by Dolce & Gabbana for women, released in 2009. The scent is fruity-fresh. It is still in production.
Pronunciation
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Fruity
Fresh
Sweet
Floral
Aquatic

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
KiwiKiwi RhubarbRhubarb Red currantRed currant
Heart Notes Heart Notes
WatermelonWatermelon Pink cyclamenPink cyclamen
Base Notes Base Notes
Grapefruit woodGrapefruit wood MuskMusk SandalwoodSandalwood

Perfumer

Videos
Ratings
Scent
7.41000 Ratings
Longevity
6.4864 Ratings
Sillage
6.2844 Ratings
Bottle
7.3854 Ratings
Value for money
7.9486 Ratings
Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 02/13/2025.
Interesting Facts
The scent was re-released in 2020.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Imperial Glam by Sangado
Imperial Glam
Ombrella Crash by Jacques Zolty
Ombrella Crash
Lilys Nest by Zara
Lilys Nest
Felicità by bugatti Fashion
Felicità
Inspired Nature for Her (Eau de Parfum) by Mexx
Inspired Nature for Her Eau de Parfum
Fleur D'amour by Vivienne Sabó
Fleur D'amour

Reviews

41 in-depth fragrance descriptions
10
Scent
DogiCoco

568 Reviews
DogiCoco
DogiCoco
Helpful Review 4  
Almost good enough to drink!
L'Imperatrice is one of my absolute favorites for hot summer days. It's so fruity and refreshing, it feels almost thirst-quenching. I don't usually want to drink my perfumes, but this one tempts me.

The first blast is sweet watermelon, then rhubarb and kiwi join quickly. Those three fruit notes are the main notes of the fragrance. It's refreshing summer cocktail with a hint of sourness from the rubarb and a watery melon note, sweet and tart.
I love the fruit they chose for this one, as I love watermelon and rhubarb in general, and kiwi is somewhat original, not as overused as other fruits in perfumery. A very interesting mix.

The drydown consists of clean musk and a slight woody note plus the fruits. It kind of does smell like skin after showering with a high quality fruity body wash, but it's much better than your average shampoo/shower gel scent. Definitely doesn't smell like Fructis to me.
As usual for light and fruity scents that are more focused on the top notes, it's not the greatest performer ever. I don't mind all that much though. With these kinds of scents, respraying once or twice a day for a burst of freshness feels fun.
2 Comments
10
Pricing
9
Bottle
4
Sillage
5
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Elysium

858 Reviews
Elysium
Elysium
Helpful Review 4  
The Emperor’s Lover, Concubine, and finally Wife
I found this perfume on sale at my local store by chance. The 100ml cost only €40, a little less than half the retail price—the small 50ml bottle cost €43. Without overthinking, I took a strip of paper and tried a couple of sprays. Damn! Given the pale pink colour of the liquid that shines through from the beautiful square, heavy glass bottle with rounded corners and a nice solid black plastic cap, I never expected to smell those greenish and sour chords. The more the perfume calmed, letting the alcoholic part evaporate, the more I felt attracted. The scent smells super fresh and mouth-watering right in the beginning. As it was the last day of the promotion, and the shop was closing, I put it in the cart, without further ado, without even trying it on my skin. And I have not regretted it.

I realize that I have arrived inside the house, with my purchase in my jacket pocket. I take it right off the bat, discard it, and spray it on the back of my hand, two sprays. And here magic happens, the surprise is even greater than that experienced just before in the store. Something lights in my mind, a smell I know, so familiar Garnier Fructis hair products, no question about it. The spell is done! L’Imperatrice opens very juicy with the bittersweet rhubarb balancing the luscious kiwi and tart red currants to give a highly fresh fruity air. The paper strip amplifies the notes of berries and rhubarb, whereas my warm skin enhances the fruity side of kiwi. It is tart and has an almost sour opening, distant from the classic citric colognes—a burst of watery, fruity goodness. You will get some bitter zestiness all over; that is the Pamplewood from the base, a Firmenich perfumery ingredient displaying both grapefruit and woody notes.

But the scent is not only fruity; it is also floral and aquatic leaven. The heart appears a little more floral with the soft wild cyclamen, the tiny ones hidden in the undergrowth. A salty watermelon adds a bit of an aquatic feel, but the heart is primarily fruity and flowery. It’s still sour, in a good way, and since watermelon isn’t calone-like, it’s fragile. The watermelon is dominant, not at all cloying, and presumably, the pinkish colour of the liquid refers to it.

The drying is exemplary but light, with the dominance of citrus wood. White musk is clean, and sandalwood is slightly dusty and creamy. Eventually, the fruits fade, and the flowers subside. It ends with a nice, clean but not too soapy white musk. After wearing it myself, I noticed that the moss grips my skin. Both cyclamen and watermelon give it an aquatic quality that intensifies men’s skin, so I find it friendly to change from the usual summer colognes to citrus. It is a fresher fragrance of mountain water rather than salty seawater.

On my nose, the keynotes are herbaceous rhubarb, juicy watermelon, and citrusy Pamplewood. The Empress is suitable for the warmer seasons, perfect for the beach or the stickiest days. She has that fresh shower vibe. Although it reminds me of the scent of Fructis shampoo, I feel that this scent is much more refined; it’s a shocking mixture. The notes they combined come together in the most seductive and flattering way. I feel damn confident that most men will like The Empress. Longevity is moderate, barely half a day for me. And so does the sillage, reasonable in the first hour. Nobody will smell you as you walk into the room, but it’s there. I would say the performance is average and fair for a fresh EDT.

I based the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since May 2021.

-Elysium
0 Comments
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
7
Scent
Missk

1357 Reviews
Missk
Missk
Helpful Review 2  
Sweet, refreshing watermelon
L'Imperatrice is delightfully fruity, watery and fresh.

The watermelon and kiwi fruit notes go well together and in some ways I enjoy this lack of citrus. I am reminded of sorbet when I smell this fragrance, it has quite a sweet touch which is both smooth and desirable.

Although sweet, L'Imperatrice is not synthetic. This smells expensive. I am rather surprised that this is unisex, I found the top notes to be extremely feminine. However, in the base notes I sense a hint of masculinity. The sweetness tends to mellow and the kiwi note becomes stronger and much more tart. This tarty kiwi fruit and musk blend I don't enjoy on myself, however I could see it working well on a man.

The lasting power is so-so, with the sillage being quite intimate. I think it would be risky to buy this for a man if you weren't sure if he likes sweet scents. However, in the case of women, I think a majority of their buyers will be the fairer sex.
0 Comments
7.5
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
7
Scent
Ysbrand

84 Reviews
Ysbrand
Ysbrand
Helpful Review 1  
The empress
The card of the Empress, in tarot, represents the lushy fertility, the feminine principle and everything that is beautiful. Despite of the name, this is a unisex scent. This fruity fruity is maybe the only interesting piece of the extremely dissapointing collection of modern clichés that is this D&G series. Is a great,simple summer fragance you would also wear to gym or office. As Miskk states in her great review, i appreciate the abscence of citrus notes. Kiwi makes a great alternative to keep the fragance´s spark, but in a softer, more watery way. The cyclamen keeps the fragance grounded, with an earthy peppery note, not very noticeable, that gives body to the fruits.
0 Comments
6
Pricing
6
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
8.5
Scent
AmeliaAroma

30 Reviews
AmeliaAroma
AmeliaAroma
4  
L'Imperatrice 3 Drama
Some background: The year was like 2014... L'Imperatrice 3 was the first fancy perfume I had when I was in my teens.... I did a fragrance match test at Sephora. I did love it!! It's fruity, watermelon infused, and a fairly musky scent. Keep in mind, I personally like some musk in my perfumes. I still have the bottle! Just a few drops left in it for memory's sake... Apparently, there's reviews going around likening this perfume to stinky BO smell (probably due to the musk?) This was a surprise to me...but upon deep consideration... I kinda get it... Anyways, I still like it because it's nostalgic for me, nice fruit and musk.
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

11 short views on the fragrance
PurpleKatPurpleKat 1 year ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
8.5
Scent
A fruity beauty. Sweet, sour and fresh. Clean, bright and shampoo-y. Very refreshing in the heat. Affordable price.
0 Comments
NectariiiineNectariiiine 4 months ago
I was so hoping for a fresh watermelon rind. On me, it smells like a rind that has sat out in the sun for a few hours. Weirdly stale.
0 Comments
TruckladyTrucklady 5 years ago
6
Bottle
5
Sillage
6
Longevity
7
Scent
A watermelon-kiwi blend dulled and blunted by wood notes. Opening and first 5 min are superb. Kind of heads nowhere after that... Sad.
0 Comments
KenyettaCKenyettaC 26 days ago
5
Bottle
4
Sillage
5
Longevity
5.5
Scent
I kept experiencing something smoky in the background and it just ruined it for me. Poor longevity too.
0 Comments
DenliaDenlia 1 month ago
7
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
8
Scent
During hot summer days it is as welcoming as a slice of fresh and cold watermelon. Gorgeous fragrance!
0 Comments
AmeliaAromaAmeliaAroma 2 years ago
6
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Fruity, watermelon, musk scent. Be careful of the musk, read recent reviews.
0 Comments
Lily3013Lily3013 2 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
7.5
Scent
An absolute surprise - I like it. That does not often happen with fruity-sweet fragrances. A new signature fragrance? But doesn't last long
0 Comments
Jazzy76Jazzy76 3 years ago
3
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
6.5
Scent
Pleasant and fresh-fruity, it could be "The One" in a summer version without the sweetish lytchee note.
Not bad, but too banal for its price
0 Comments
ScentwitchScentwitch 4 years ago
3
Scent
Deliciously juicy and fun!
0 Comments
ElysiumElysium 4 years ago
9
Bottle
4
Sillage
5
Longevity
8.5
Scent
On my nose, the keynotes are herbaceous rhubarb, juicy watermelon, and citrusy Pamplewood. I feel damn confident that most men will like it!
0 Comments
More statements

Charts

This is how the community classifies the fragrance.
Pie Chart Radar Chart

Images

55 fragrance photos of the community
More images

Popular by Dolce & Gabbana

The One for Men (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Homme Eau Intense by Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men (Eau de Toilette) by Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Homme Forever by Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense by Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue (Eau de Toilette) by Dolce & Gabbana The One (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabbana Devotion (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme (2012) (Eau de Toilette) by Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Homme Italian Love by Dolce & Gabbana The One Luminous Night by Dolce & Gabbana The Only One (Eau de Parfum Intense) by Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme (1994) (Eau de Toilette) by Dolce & Gabbana Velvet Desert Oud by Dolce & Gabbana By Man by Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana pour Femme (2012) (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabbana The Only One (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme Intenso (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) by Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men (Eau de Parfum Intense) by Dolce & Gabbana