Almost Innocent Vive Maria 2007

I had never heard of this fragrance until it was offered to me for a swap. The scandal involving Maria on the underwear completely passed me by at the time. But now I have swapped for it blindly and I do miss the beautiful scent that I gave up for it just a little bit. But that's how it goes with blind purchases and swaps: sometimes you lose, sometimes the others win ;) There’s always a residual risk.

Almost Innocent plays with a hint of the wicked: innocent, but just barely. Personally, I can't even detect a hint of wickedness, not even a whiff. When I wear this fragrance, I always picture a little girl who has dressed up, draped herself in her mom's necklaces, applied her lipstick, slipped into oversized pumps, and is playing "grown-up" in front of the big mirror. Mom smiles gently, happy that the seriousness of life is still so far away for the little one. If Mom had Almost Innocent on her vanity, the little girl would use it to perfume herself and the picture would be perfect.

Almost Innocent is soft, sweet, vanilla-like, and still has plenty of baby powder behind the ears. I don't smell the fruits or the flowers at all. But there is definitely a note that makes this fragrance wearable even for those who have outgrown their teenage years, which dims the sweetness and prevents it from smelling completely like a marshmallow. It has a projection and longevity that I wouldn't have expected, which likely distinguishes it from a run-of-the-mill teenage drugstore scent. Two spritzes are more than enough, and you can enjoy it all day long.

Even though I don't believe in age restrictions, I still see this fragrance more suited for younger women. For full-bodied women from the "boom" faction like me, it’s best suited for cuddling on the sofa. In autumn and winter. It’s too sweet and too innocent for me - not just almost, but completely!

Holy Mary Mother of God, how beautiful it is!

A fluffy vanilla soufflé with floral holy water, white altar magnolias, and friendly church incense. In short: vanilla soufflé with a halo.

Before anyone skeptically asks or thinks I'm talking nonsense: I know very well how a church smells!!! I was forcibly Catholicized before I was even born. As a child, I knelt more than I sat! And on top of that, Dad was a church photographer (and I was a Daddy's girl). So, I have attended more baptisms, first communions, church wedding ceremonies, and funerals than an average altar boy.

So believe me: I have a reliable and extensive mental archive of church scents.

But first of all, "Almost Innocent" smells of delicate vanilla. Not heavy, oily, cloyingly sweet vanilla, but dreamily fluffy vanilla: let's say vanilla soufflé! This vanilla soufflé plays the delicious leading role from start to finish. But not as a solo performer, as it is surrounded by wonderful supporting actors.

At the beginning, there is the floral holy water. How to explain this to those who abstain from church? It smells beautifully, delicately yet intensely of blossoms and cold stone. Incomparable.

In the heart note, wonderful white magnolias follow, just as one can wonderfully imagine them at the high altar. Not so much the petals, but the stamens: softly fragrant, slightly powdery, warm. I also think of the scars of white lilies-- they somehow mix in too.

In the base, you finally get friendly, non-scratchy (!!!) incense. Slightly floral, slightly sweet, sublime. In combination with the vanilla soufflé, it’s somewhat like good vanilla incense sticks.

All in all, "Almost Innocent" is a heavenly, delicious vanilla perfume with that special something. For vanilla lovers (but not just for them), definitely worth a sin!

Thank you, dear Lilau, for this wonderful fragrance discovery! I’m adding the innocent little Mariechen to my Very-Important shopping list and am already looking forward to the brilliantly kitschy bottle for the scent!

P.S.: The packaging is actually even more beautiful than one can see in the pictures. Wonderwonderwonderfully beautiful. A bottle with a lot of love for detail, in a shimmering organza pouch. The box is also nice to look at.

This fragrance has undergone a significant price drop. Initially, it cost around €60, and now it can be found for a mere tenner. Does that say something to us?
No, the scent is a hidden gem for those on a tight budget. It is a secret tip for people who enjoy cozy, sweet, and powdery fragrances. But one shouldn't be too demanding, as the synthetic notes in this scent are quite pronounced.
I can smell tuberose even though it’s not listed. There’s a kind of sweet stuffiness that I recognize from this plant. Overall, the fragrance reminds me of a mix between La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur and By Night White by Profumi del Forte. It somehow smells like the budget version of By Night White. Cheap is not meant to be disrespectful. After all, I’m comparing a €10 fragrance with a €180 fragrance. Almost Innocent is more synthetic, weaker, and more floral than By Night White. The synthetic aspect of the scent reminds me of the smell when sharpening colored pencils. It gradually settles in the fragrance development. The base comes through quickly, and while the scent feels stuffy, it also feels cozy. I can't distinguish the floral notes separately. It’s a mishmash, but it creates a nice context.
The fragrance is somehow nice and sweet. I think I’ll add it to my basket on my next shopping trip, because you can certainly invest €10 worse... *thinking*... no, I think it’s good :-)

So, I'll start with a bit of gossip for you, which I think is simply unavoidable with this fragrance. ;-) Rarely has there been so much protest and heated debate over a scent. The Catholics took to the barricades, with Waltraud K. - a devout Catholic from the North - leading the charge. The reason was the advertising campaign. "Vive Marie - forbidden scent," the head of the Mother of God on the abdomen of a lingerie model, too frivolous, too offensive, even blasphemy? The German department store chain, which held the exclusive rights, completely withdrew the product "Vive Maria," certainly a costly retreat. The attentive Catholic Waltraud K. was satisfied. The manufacturer, Rubysense GmbH, tried in vain to fight back and defend the origin of the name, derived from the cult film "Viva Maria!" with Brigitte Bardot - too late.

So much for the backstory. Waltraud K. didn't scare me off, and I ordered a sample of this "Forbidden Scent" from Mr. Wuchsa. The lily - more precisely - the heart note of the Madonna lily captivated me, I wanted a lily scent, yes.

An innocent fragrance! Creamy is Vive Maria Almost Innocent EDP, I liked that immediately. The top note is delicate and fresh, as if it is being wafted with an organza scarf, very delicious, the lemon aroma dominates a bit and combines with delightful nectarines, a hint of pepper, a very pleasant powderiness sets in. Up to that point, it was exactly my direction, but I was truly excited when the incredibly beautiful lilies opened their blossoms. They are white creamy flowers, and the magnolia is also recognizable, reminding me of that Yves Rocher Magnolia scent, which I also liked very much.

Unfortunately, in the base, Almost Innocent becomes weak, the cedar seems to stand behind the wall of magnolia blossoms and lilies, which close their cups after their sunny midday bloom. A hint of powder remains on the skin, lightly vanilla-spicy paired with memories of white flowers. Not very spectacular or lasting anymore. A very beautiful lily/magnolia scent, but it should be carried along if it is to accompany you throughout the day. The top and middle notes are dreamy.

Almost Innocent is delivered in a dark purple organza pouch with a silk ribbon, then packaged again in a pretty box adorned with the same Madonna image and ornament, not a cheap packaging, as the exclusive lingerie greets you.

We received the two Vive Maria fragrances in our assortment yesterday. (19.95€) And actually, with all the hustle and bustle going on behind the scenes at this time, I didn't really register it at first. Just something else we need to find a spot for. Then I sprayed it on and was left speechless. The scent spread incredibly majestically (does that sound cheesy?) in my surroundings, prompting my colleagues to ask: What did you spray, that's amazing. Everyone who sprayed it had wide eyes.

I recently had a large bouquet of lilies in my apartment, which I had to banish to the balcony because of the scent. If nature had settled for the fragrance of Almost Innocent, I would have even placed it in my bedroom. However, I also smell incense, which isn't listed at all. This makes the whole thing even more venerable but paradoxically also more sinful.

I never expected that I would one day acquire a fragrance that we carry and that costs under 20 euros. But it has to be this one. And then I won't be too upset if the longevity leaves something to be desired.