Belle Icône Câline 2023

When I spotted the news about this new fragrance a few weeks ago, I could hardly believe it: Another scent twin of a very well-known niche fragrance, this time affordable for everyone at the drugstore around the corner. Its predecessor divides the community for various reasons like hardly any other perfume, and I would count myself among its loyal lovers and truly appreciate it. But even though I like to invest a bit more money in perfume, I certainly don’t complain when there are alternatives that give my wallet a little break. So it was clear to me: I had to test Belle Icone.

Said and done. Even before there were any entries here on Parfümo, or it was listed on the official Caline website, I found it and excitedly sprayed it directly onto my wrist. My eyes grew wider. "Yes, this is the BR540 DNA. But there’s more!" I thought to myself. Since you can’t really form a proper judgment with a hearty sprayer in the perfume department, the fragrance quickly flew into the shopping basket and was extensively tested at home.

The familiar woody-sweet synthetic immediately rises to the nose, but with a twist that clearly distinguishes it from BR540. It is a bit cooler, more crystalline, almost even a little "ethereal" in the outdated sense, so very clear and not always easy to grasp. Similar to its predecessor, there are moments when I become a bit olfactorily blind, but then it comes back to my nose after breaks and simply smells beautiful. In my opinion, the perfume does not undergo drastic developments, but especially towards the base note, it becomes a bit more balsamic and warmer than before. It leans more towards a feminine direction, without losing the unisex character that this fragrance group inherently possesses, in my opinion. I don’t smell any strawberry, or any fruit at all, but there is definitely more in here than the fragrance pyramid suggests.

What was initially supposed to be a small test has now developed into a realization that many may not want to hear, but I find this perfume better than all other scent twins, and even better than the original itself. After just a few weeks, I have used up half of the bottle - The perfume is in constant use. I love love love this scent and really can’t imagine being without it.

Does Belle Icone reinvent the wheel? No. Those who don’t like BR540 and its ilk probably (!) won’t like this either. If you don’t like saffron and synthetic notes, you’re in the wrong place. But for everyone else? Just give it a try. In the end, you don’t even have to take out a loan for a bottle.