Fragonard Encens Fève Tonka Perfume Review

Blind buys--the excitement, the anticipation, the risk of spending a lot of money on something you might hate.

Perfume is such a subjective thing. Even when we read reviews and study the notes, there is nothing that compares to actually smelling a perfume. That is why blind buys are risky yet thrilling opportunities to test your own skill in selecting un-sniffed fragrances as well as a chance to discover something wonderful.

Well, Fragonard's Encens Fève Tonka is a super-addictive scent that turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me. With a price under $50, I decided to go ahead and try this brand, which I have never sampled before. Not only did I like the name and the packaging, the notes featured are incense, rose and tonka bean: my favorites.

In actuality, I don't smell any rose in this composition, but there is something fruity and a bit floral, like a fig mixed with honey. The tonka is prominent and the incense is a background tone.

I love the description Fragonard provided for this perfume: "Encens Fève Tonka takes us for a walk at dusk amid the monasteries of Mount Athos, the roses release their fragrance, and incense wraps us with a warm welcome."

(Photo: Mount Athos from the Get Religion Blog)

The sillage of this perfume is enormous and though the lasting power is not the best, it does last a fair amount of time. Available via Beautyhabit.