I went into Zara fragrances with a healthy dose of scepticism. In my head, they were mostly going to be trend-chasing, inexpensive, and a bit too “inspired by,” since that’s how Zara often shows up in dupe conversations, whether it's fashion or perfume. When you see endless lists and threads treating Zara as a shortcut to designer-style scents, it’s hard not to expect more copy-paste than creativity.
What piqued my curiosity was learning that Jo Malone regularly collaborates with Zara on some of their perfumes. I tried a few, including Energetically New York, Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes Intense [which is designed by someone else], and then this one. And credit where it’s due, Vetiver Pamplemousse Elixir didn’t smell like a cynical knockoff. It smelled juicy and fresh.
On skin, it opens with a bright, realistic grapefruit blast. Juicy, fresh, and mouth-watering, but in a clean, natural way. Surprisingly, there is no grapefruit listed in the notes. It’s the kind of opening that makes you keep sniffing your wrist throughout the day, not because it’s loud, but because it’s genuinely satisfying. After that, it settles into a dry, woody base that gives the citrus some structure and keeps the whole thing feeling grown-up and neat. Performance is another pleasant surprise. For a Zara scent, it lasts well and projects more than you’d expect, noticeable but not pushy. It is definitely a unisex scent that would work better during spring and summer, but I have also thoroughly enjoyed it in these dreary January days.
And the bottle deserves a mention too. It’s simple, minimalist, and looks genuinely classy, with a nice weight in the hand. Even the magnetic cap feels premium. For 35.00 euros per 100 ml bottle, this is definitely a steal.
