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Charli XCX - Vanilla Kisses Impulse 2004

6.8 / 10 60 Ratings

A perfume by Impulse for women, released in 2004. The scent is floral-fruity. It was last marketed by Elizabeth Arden.
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Main accords

Floral

Fruity

Sweet

Spicy

Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Plum

Apricot

Mandarin orange Grappa

Grappa

Heart Notes

Jasmine

Lily

Rose

Mango blossom

Base Notes

Patchouli

Oakmoss

Tonka bean

Wild honey

Perfumer

Rodrigo Flores-Roux

Ratings

Scent

6.860 Ratings

Longevity

6.837 Ratings

Sillage

6.630 Ratings

Bottle

7.246 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet · last update on 06/24/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Bottega Veneta Eau de Velours

Umé

Reviews

9 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/13/2012

8Scent 7.5Longevity

Awesomeness
247 Reviews

Awesomeness

Very helpful Review 4

Memorable

In the summer, I sampled JV during one of those "hurry up and smell everything that's been opened" trips to TJ Maxx. I had some unscented skin available on my left forearm, so as an afterthought I planted John Varvatos there. I must have sampled 5-6 scents that day, but I only remember one - John Varvatos.

I can't tell you how JV develops, or whether JV is a chypre or not, or how long JV lasts. I can tell you that after 4 months of thinking about this fragrance -- and being unable to find an open box or tester so I could sample it again -- I finally bought it.

I'm not sure if the purchase is a mark of craziness or the wait is a mark of discipline. Regardless, I think my story reflects a mark of a truly superior fragrance: JV resonated with me somehow, so I remembered it & craved it, long after trying it.

The right brain reaction often trumps the left brain analysis. I am convinced that is the reason why JV is favored by so many here, regardless of the more thorough & analytic reviews that suggest JV shouldn't be held in such high esteem.

--

UPDATE: I have it now. OMG, it's a gorgeous, boozy beauty according to my right & left brains! Will compete for space in my top 10. Well-blended & long-lasting too. LUV IT.

PS - JV is especially luxurious and wonderful after bathing with the deep & dark Youth-Dew bath oil. I'd add that I don't usually like florals but I LOVE this.

PS #2 - I now have it in parfum ($13) & body silk ($8). Neither are stellar alone, imo. However, layered with the EdP they are outstanding -- 12 hours.

06/21/2012

4Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Sherapop
1239 Reviews

Sherapop

Helpful Review 3

Mushy Fruit Cocktail (on my skin...)

I always try to guess the "official" category of fragrances which I plan to review on the basis of a sample vial (unlike FBs, which I usually wear many times before writing a review--since I have that luxury...), so upon initially spritzing JOHN VARVATOS, which I had been looking forward to with great anticipation, given the hype, my first reaction was: "Oriental Floral". A few seconds later: "Fruity floral". A couple of minutes later: "Floral Woody Musk". What I would never have guessed in a million years was the "correct" answer: "Chypre Floral"!

JOHN VARVATOS is truly all over the map, as they say, but not in a pleasant way. The problem for me is summed up well by another reviewer (at another site), who also demurs from the chypre categorization of JV. There's something somehow stale or old about the fruits and the flowers. Or maybe the canned fruit cocktail cubes and spheres, in their washed-out, almost pastel oranges and yellows, have sapped the flowers of their freshness. Don't know. Don't really care. Not on my wish list.

I should say that the patchouli drydown is okay, but the trajectory this fragrance follows in getting there is not a mellifluous journey--although honey is listed as a note. Rather than manna from heaven, JOHN VARVATOS is to me more like canned fruit cocktail, rather mushy and devoid of well-defined flavors.

All of that said, some of my best perfume pals love JOHN VARVATOS, so it's going to vary from person to person: try before you buy.

08/18/2024

6.5Scent 6Longevity 6Sillage

Missk
1350 Reviews

Missk

1

Modern Floral Chypre

John Varvatos for Women is an oddly captivating fragrance. I've never seen this perfume sold in Australia, however the masculine offerings from this brand are very popular in our department stores. I was lucky enough to receive a sample of John Varvatos for Women as an extra gift when I made a purchase last month.

What struck me almost immediately was this fragrance's dry earthiness. The patchouli is rather dominant in John Varvatos for Women, hence the reason why some people love it, and some hate it. I can certainly see how this fragrance could be compared to the likes of Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle EDP.

John Varvatos for Women opens with a tart blend of syrupy honey, juicy plum and apricot. Despite the rather fruity and sweet opening, this fragrance is far from predictable. The musky florals and patchouli in the heart keep this fragrance grounded. Although it's a fragrance intended to be worn by women, I think men could also wear John Varvatos with ease.

It does fall into chypre floral territory, especially with its dominant patchouli and oakmoss drydown. I am suitably impressed by this fragrance's unique composition, and even more thrilled by the inexpensive price tag.

John Varvatos for Women is a fairly versatile fragrance. However I would personally wear it during Autumn and Spring, either to the office or out to lunch. It's also inoffensive enough to be worn lightly during Summer.

While the longevity is great, the sillage is fairly light, choosing to stay rather close to the skin. Layering the scent with a matching lotion might help with the projection. All in all, John Varvatos for Women is classy fragrance that all chypre lovers should sniff at least once in their lifetime.

Original review written: November 2012.

07/17/2014

8Scent 5Longevity 5Sillage

Pluto
353 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Pluto

Top Review 22

Still, but not silent

Some fragrances sneak into the house through roundabout ways, and that's how it was for me with Woman. In the first weeks at Parfumo, I received several samples, which I unfortunately mixed up, and Woman was among them. The first test was pleasant, but not eye-catching. Nevertheless, I set the sample aside, along with Reve, to test both fragrances again later. During the second test, I noted: Creamy-soft, fruity cognac, a quiet scent, but not silent, it has something to say.

The samples Woman and Reve set off on a journey to the next perfume lovers. Months later, strangely enough, both fragrances kept coming to mind, and I would have liked to sniff them again. Woman has now come to me through a lovely swap with Omara, while Reve is ordered and on its way to me.

Woman starts off alcoholic, not crashing, but like a mild, fruity cognac. The bottle is well-chosen in color and supports this impression. Right from the start, I perceive the patchouli, not with a sledgehammer, but well-measured in the background, it can be sensed until the end of the fragrance. This luscious fruity note, especially the plum, lingers for quite a while, gradually the fruits are underlaid with floral notes, but not overshadowed. Everything arranges itself nicely and unobtrusively, yet the scent can still be perceived from a short arm's length away. Woman becomes increasingly spicier, also darker, ending in a slightly woody, sweet base. The sweetness is due to the honey, which I find pleasant here. Usually, I have a problem with honey, often finding it too sticky.

Woman is a gentle, creamy year-round fragrance, at least up to 25 degrees, with medium longevity and sillage. It reminds me a bit of Laetia, which I will compare when I have the chance. I think it is more suitable for women, but who knows. And I hope it gets cooler soon so I can take this lovely lady out.

08/02/2015

8Scent 10Longevity 7.5Sillage

Minigolf
2568 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Minigolf

Top Review 8

Woody Plum Powder

A perfumery in Darmstadt had a clearance sale (Unfortunately due to business closure). Among many other previously unknown fragrances, I encountered "John Varvatos Woman." It was early spring and cold outside. I tested the Eau de Parfum and found it quite suitable for cool temperatures. The opening of the fragrance has a warm, harvest-like plum aroma with hints of wood and earth (Patchouli?). Shortly thereafter, a pleasant powderiness joins in, which lays the ingredients on a soft carpet. Floral notes now emerge quite subtly, but they do not become dominant. I believe I can detect rose in the background of the heart note, as well as a hint of jasmine, which adds a touch of sweetness to the overall arrangement. This scent impression does not change for a long time; later, the powdery woodiness increases again and gives "John Varvatos Woman" a rugged support, along with a small pinch of moss. I would not classify the Eau de Parfum as a chypre, rather as having an oriental touch alongside a restrained chypre nuance that lends the fragrance a two-dimensionality. Nevertheless, the perfume is not "flat," but in its own way, it also has a certain depth. With its longevity of several hours and a sillage that is at least well recognizable to me, it is not a delicate splash, but a high-quality scent. I do not perceive it as a fragrance I would want to wear daily. Rather on cold, gray winter days, to give me a feeling of light brown warmth, where a hint of late summer days (plum) also benefits my nose.

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