Costarina

...I bought Tendre Jasmin blindly during the Y.R. sale!
Given the good reviews here on parfumo, I thought I could take the plunge without having sniffed it beforehand.
At home, I immediately unpacked it and sprayed it on my arm. Yes, it’s nice.
It starts fruity, not too citrusy and slightly sweet. Relatively unobtrusive, and I decided it could be a perfect office scent.
But somehow it didn’t really blow me away; I didn’t feel any “WOW feeling,” nor did a cozy “mmmmmmhhhhh” escape my lips...
Half an hour later, my boyfriend said: WOW, you smell amazing..
That’s EXACTLY the scent I’ve always wanted to smell on you! It suits you sooooo well...What scent is that? I just replied briefly: Tendre Jasmin by Y.R...But it’s absolutely NOTHING special!!! Secretly, I was already resisting such a comment...

Later that day, the same thing happened...I visited my mother, hugged her and she immediately said: WOWWWW, you smell so wonderful, that scent is like made for you! My father didn’t really care, but he “isn’t really into scents” ;) There was still hope...

Even later that day in the supermarket...A man behind me at the checkout asked: WOWWWW, excuse me, but you smell amazing! That perfume suits you perfectly...HELP!!!!

Since I’m curious, I tried the scent for a day at the office..
Well, you can guess what happened, right? :)

Why don’t I feel that way? Why am I resisting accepting this scent? Maybe my expectations are too high and secretly I want to smell different? Maybe I’ll figure it out! ;)

...GAP is the largest American clothing retailer. GAP is headquartered in California and is world-renowned for its cotton basics. I personally love shopping there when I'm on vacation in the USA. For me, it is the H&M of America, just with better quality.
But enough about the brand, let's talk about the scent.
GAP Washed Cotton is not a perfume for me, rather a "clothing fragrance".
It reminds me of a very well-known liquid laundry detergent in the USA that I always use when we are traveling. I believe that Americans use a looooot of perfume in their detergents, because my clothes smell like it for days, even though I don't use fabric softener (I'm allergic to it).
When I think of this scent, I inevitably think of typical laundromats and constantly running top-loader washing machines.
It is really very hard to describe this scent; for me, it is more a memory of beautiful vacation days.
But in short: It smells fresh and very soapy. Perhaps a bit too soapy. Additionally, it is very intense and the longevity is quite decent.
However, I cannot recommend the scent for everyone, as we somehow have a different "fresh laundry" feeling than what this scent conveys.

...Yesss, I’m coming out....I really love wearing pink...
Always have, pink or rose just works every time.

And yesss, I’m coming out again....I’m terribly nice, have good manners, always considerate, everybody’s darling...

And yesss, I’m coming out once more....I ONLY RADIATE THIS AND I’M PROUD OF IT! Because those who know me very well know that I have a lot going on behind the scenes, but I don’t necessarily show it with “Here I am, who wants me.” Still waters run deep, they say.

And just such a fragrance fits my outer appearance.
It is refreshing and totally uncomplicated.
I like it a lot because it simply puts me in a good mood and makes me shine.
It starts lightly fruity-fresh and remains fresh and a bit aquatic.
However, it is not aquatic-sporty but thoroughly feminine.

The perfect scent for the “girl next door” who loves to laugh, walks through the world with a smile, and doesn’t take herself too seriously.

I have been searching for a honey scent for so long, but with many other perfumes, I either don't perceive the honey or it is just too spicy for me... Ideally, I would love a sweet acacia honey perfume... A gentle honey, then, that is not too spicy and strong.

L' Instant de Guerlain unfortunately does not quite manage to meet this, but it comes very close.
Now, here is an excerpt of my feelings about this scent:

It does not really start off to my taste. I find it quite overpowering in the first 10 minutes, and it was almost too spicy for me. Unfortunately, this spiciness is not balanced out by the bergamot or mandarin for me, but is simply present and hits quite hard.
After about half an hour, the scent becomes very one-dimensional for me... I smell mild vanilla pudding with a hint of honey. But unfortunately, it is really only a touch of honey, with the vanilla dominating. I had simply hoped for more.

But I will not give up and will continue to search for my ultimate honey scent.
That’s what Parfumo is for, after all.
This one unfortunately did not make it into my collection!

Hello dear perfume noses...

I really have to voice my veto regarding the negative reviews or comments.
Maybe I've now decided for myself that I should test fragrances multiple times to reach a final conclusion because....

I actually find Valentina really beautiful.
Yes, you're right: For many, it might be a bit unspectacular, but I find it quite special... And that’s for me! As I've mentioned several times, I love fresh, clear scents!
This one is neither fresh nor sporty, but in a certain way, it is clear. The "clarity" might be perceived by many as "uninspiring" or "unspectacular".
But now, a few details about the fragrance.

Valentina starts off very fruity, a bit sweet, but also slightly powdery due to amber and cedarwood. This makes the scent feel warm to me. So, it's more of a fragrance for autumn or winter.
I can clearly and distinctly smell the strawberry, which is not too sweet but rather juicy.
The scent is very vanillic, but I don't find the vanilla too sweet or sticky; rather, it feels very skin-like and cozy warm.

My husband really likes the scent; he finds it somehow feminine, romantic, and playfully sweet :)
Of course, it's not a powerhouse, but it suits a natural woman who doesn't always need to be in the spotlight and perhaps doesn't even want to be.

The only downside is the longevity: It's not really good for me! That's why I actually find it too expensive!