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Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
01/18/2013
Cryptic
24 Reviews
Cryptic
Top Review
14
Trashed by Turin
I'm a little contrarian by nature, so a vitriolic review is guaranteed to grab my interest rather than turn me away. Moreover, I've discovered that perfumes which appeal to a broad spectrum of people are sometimes bland and uninspiring to my rebellious nose, whereas a good "stinker" is bound to possess some distinctive quality in order to have inspired so much venom. However, in the case of Spellbound I think there is something more afoot than mere differences in taste.
As Sherapop touched on in her review, Spellbound is so gluttonously rich in the resin department that it lends itself much more to judicious dabbing than spraying. In addition, there may be a variation in formula between the EDP sold in spray form and the perfume available only in non-spray flacons. The topaz-colored mini that was generously gifted to me contains a bang-on, startlingly realistic carnation note that makes me suspect that it was manufactured before the draconian IFRA regs all but did away with eugenol and iso-eugenol. While I understand that many people dislike carnation in fragrance because they find it medicinal or they associate that clove smell with a trip to the dentist, I look at it as an effective way of balancing all the gooey resins and heady white florals in Spellbound with a little piquancy. The cardomom is also a nice addition for the same reason.
The top notes out of my mini are either different from the EDP formula or partially deteriorated, because all I detect is a mellow, liqueur-like peach note absent the lemon and other notes listed. All in all a fairly quiet opening, followed by the carnation blooming atop the white flowers. Most prominent among these is a creamy tuberose that is so restrained that I have to wonder how Turin could find this perfume "frightening to horses" while praising my beloved but bombastic Fracas. Aside from the aforementioned resins, the base notes feature a good sandalwood and a smidge of vanilla that would seem pathetically weak by today's sugary standards, but is enough to satisfy my underdeveloped sweet tooth. Sillage was surprisingly modest, although the longevity seems quite good.
If you haven't tested Spellbound and aren't averse to a dose of clove/carnation, do make sure to seek out the perfume in the dabber flacon instead of the EDP. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised, as this fragrance is beautiful and well-behaved as long as it isn't sprayed.
As Sherapop touched on in her review, Spellbound is so gluttonously rich in the resin department that it lends itself much more to judicious dabbing than spraying. In addition, there may be a variation in formula between the EDP sold in spray form and the perfume available only in non-spray flacons. The topaz-colored mini that was generously gifted to me contains a bang-on, startlingly realistic carnation note that makes me suspect that it was manufactured before the draconian IFRA regs all but did away with eugenol and iso-eugenol. While I understand that many people dislike carnation in fragrance because they find it medicinal or they associate that clove smell with a trip to the dentist, I look at it as an effective way of balancing all the gooey resins and heady white florals in Spellbound with a little piquancy. The cardomom is also a nice addition for the same reason.
The top notes out of my mini are either different from the EDP formula or partially deteriorated, because all I detect is a mellow, liqueur-like peach note absent the lemon and other notes listed. All in all a fairly quiet opening, followed by the carnation blooming atop the white flowers. Most prominent among these is a creamy tuberose that is so restrained that I have to wonder how Turin could find this perfume "frightening to horses" while praising my beloved but bombastic Fracas. Aside from the aforementioned resins, the base notes feature a good sandalwood and a smidge of vanilla that would seem pathetically weak by today's sugary standards, but is enough to satisfy my underdeveloped sweet tooth. Sillage was surprisingly modest, although the longevity seems quite good.
If you haven't tested Spellbound and aren't averse to a dose of clove/carnation, do make sure to seek out the perfume in the dabber flacon instead of the EDP. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised, as this fragrance is beautiful and well-behaved as long as it isn't sprayed.
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