04/12/2019
Elysium
815 Reviews
Elysium
Helpful Review
3
The kind of Vanilla you never expected
Zara Vanilla French Elegance is part of The Naturals, and it is my second cologne from that collection, the first one was Vetiver. The scent reveals notes of tangerine, heliotrope, and vanilla. Perhaps many of you are biased and think that ZARA only makes ordinary perfumes, yet this one is an exception with its creamy, floral, and smoky accords. If you are anything like me, you will be astonished about the smell of this fragrance. Of course, the name is probably misleading. For those looking for a vanilla dominating fragrance or something that immediately calls it to mind this probably isn't it.
Vanilla initially takes you by wonder because it's not the classic vanilla you may expect. It's tender and delicious just like vanilla scents always are, but not so feminine and luscious. I would describe Vanilla being a dusty, smokey, and milky vanilla, very subtle and natural smelling on the skin. It's the perfect vanilla for those that don't want to end up smelling like a sponge cupcake or something that belongs in an ice cream cone.
I was attracted to this fragrance due to its incense note, and while this fragrance is smokey to a certain extent, it's not particularly exotic or mysterious. The vanilla is the main note here, however like I mentioned before, the sweetness is absent. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Vanilla settled on the skin very much like a natural, musky skin scent. It's rather pretty and oddly sensual.
Since the opening, I can feel somewhat the incense and some aldehydes, making some light green and citrus distractions. But this initial part fades away so quickly. After those aldehydes moved on a bit the smokiness of the wood and incense come in, brightened by the mandarin orange. The result is a glorious soft pure Bourbon vanilla fragrance. Thankfully, the citrus notes do not dominate but blend perfectly. The output is slightly citrus and its effect is ephemeral.
As announced, the vanilla appears smoothly, soft, not being sweet at all, lasting for some time since on the skin. The heart of the fragrance is the true pillar of this construction. Bourbon vanilla is known for its liqueur and more natural facets, while other vanilla types look more gourmand and sweet. In addition, the perfumer used the heliotrope and its almond-like aroma, which reminds of vanilla candies being baked.
From the base, what is most noticeable is the creamy side of the sandalwood, tinged with a few smoky notes. This is the most beautifully sweet but not foody vanilla base, with a bit of incense and a bit of wood and a bit of amber. Everything blended to perfection so that none of the notes are dominant but it's a luminous composition, but its got a definite dark edge to it. After that, the perfume shows a little powdery side until it reaches the drydown, where we found it amber and musky. This is a vanilla fragrance that is smokey and sexy without being sweet or foody at all. It swirls around you like the finest incense with the vanilla coming into play in the heart and even then it never overwhelms the entire fragrance.
The vanilla provides a softness, a supporting role as opposed to the main star and it works well. The only fault I can find with this beauty is that it doesn't last very long. A few hours into my trial all I had left was skin scent but it did last on my skin a while longer, it just lost its sillage pretty quickly. I had been looking for the perfect vanilla. I think this is it! It's certainly worth a try if sweet vanillas give you a headache or generally make you fill sick. I think this will be nice for daytime once the cooler months roll around for 'something different'..and still might make a nice layering frag. The perfect fragrance if you want to smell good during sprint and fall months.
-Elysium
Vanilla initially takes you by wonder because it's not the classic vanilla you may expect. It's tender and delicious just like vanilla scents always are, but not so feminine and luscious. I would describe Vanilla being a dusty, smokey, and milky vanilla, very subtle and natural smelling on the skin. It's the perfect vanilla for those that don't want to end up smelling like a sponge cupcake or something that belongs in an ice cream cone.
I was attracted to this fragrance due to its incense note, and while this fragrance is smokey to a certain extent, it's not particularly exotic or mysterious. The vanilla is the main note here, however like I mentioned before, the sweetness is absent. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Vanilla settled on the skin very much like a natural, musky skin scent. It's rather pretty and oddly sensual.
Since the opening, I can feel somewhat the incense and some aldehydes, making some light green and citrus distractions. But this initial part fades away so quickly. After those aldehydes moved on a bit the smokiness of the wood and incense come in, brightened by the mandarin orange. The result is a glorious soft pure Bourbon vanilla fragrance. Thankfully, the citrus notes do not dominate but blend perfectly. The output is slightly citrus and its effect is ephemeral.
As announced, the vanilla appears smoothly, soft, not being sweet at all, lasting for some time since on the skin. The heart of the fragrance is the true pillar of this construction. Bourbon vanilla is known for its liqueur and more natural facets, while other vanilla types look more gourmand and sweet. In addition, the perfumer used the heliotrope and its almond-like aroma, which reminds of vanilla candies being baked.
From the base, what is most noticeable is the creamy side of the sandalwood, tinged with a few smoky notes. This is the most beautifully sweet but not foody vanilla base, with a bit of incense and a bit of wood and a bit of amber. Everything blended to perfection so that none of the notes are dominant but it's a luminous composition, but its got a definite dark edge to it. After that, the perfume shows a little powdery side until it reaches the drydown, where we found it amber and musky. This is a vanilla fragrance that is smokey and sexy without being sweet or foody at all. It swirls around you like the finest incense with the vanilla coming into play in the heart and even then it never overwhelms the entire fragrance.
The vanilla provides a softness, a supporting role as opposed to the main star and it works well. The only fault I can find with this beauty is that it doesn't last very long. A few hours into my trial all I had left was skin scent but it did last on my skin a while longer, it just lost its sillage pretty quickly. I had been looking for the perfect vanilla. I think this is it! It's certainly worth a try if sweet vanillas give you a headache or generally make you fill sick. I think this will be nice for daytime once the cooler months roll around for 'something different'..and still might make a nice layering frag. The perfect fragrance if you want to smell good during sprint and fall months.
-Elysium
2 Comments
Elysium
JoaoMartins
