Where’s the strawberry?
The cedarwood dominates from first spray to drydown, while the rose hovers in the background. At no point does the strawberry present itself, making this an intense, bitter-green floral.
Have to disagree with comments regarding the strength and longevity of the scent. A single spray of this fragrance saturates our home for hours unless we open all the windows (I now only apply outdoors), and on my skin it lasts well over seven hours and resists scrubbing off. Others easily smell light application (1-2 sprays)from over 10 feet away in public.
NOT a safe buy, nor is it workplace-safe. .
Modest Donna
Purple Melancholia starts out with a juicy, fruity tea scent that makes it a lovely option for warmer environments. The plum doesn’t last long though, less than an hour before the Donna Born in Roma dna takes centre stage for the next 5 hours. It lacks the intensity of the original DBiR, making it a good choice for modest sprayers.
If you already have a favourite Donna this one may be superfluous, but I may add a 10ml bottle to my collection for warm weather use.
Underwhelming
The fruity start was indistinct but not bad, and quickly shifted to the floral notes. By 90 minutes it was in full dry-down, which just smells like cheap hotel shampoo.
In terms of performance it’s impressive. Scent bubble is moderate, so you can easily wear it in professional spaces, and so far I’m six hours in and the scent is still strong on both skin and sleeve.
Bottom line, if you like the drydown, it’s worth the price, but this one isn’t for me.
Powdery
Purchased a bottle for the nostalgia, and the first thing I noticed was the weakness of the fruit notes (which were stronger 20-25 years ago). The apricot stood out most to me, likely bolstered by the bergamot, and I will admit that it lasted longer than I expected, but ultimately this smells like sweetened powder from start to finish.
It’s a nice fragrance to have for bedtime, light yoga after a shower, or just needing a cozy boost, but it comes across as too “young” for me to want to wear it daily.
Unexpected candy
For longevity you really want to apply it to your clothes. A couple sprays on my arms lasted about four or five hours, but the spray to my collar and shirt is still going strong after 13 hours.
As for the scent itself, it smells like a jawbreaker or rockets (smarties) tastes. A bit citrusy, moderate sweetness, and a hint of powdery vanilla. This makes it a fun choice for a work day or casual outing.
I don’t see myself using it much, but it’s definitely a fragrance I would be glad to receive/use if it were gifted to me.
