Vera Wang Princess

Princess is not an unknown perfume.  It was created in 2006 by Ilias Ermenidis and Harry Fremont. It is considered an oriental floral.  While packaging shouldn't be important, let's face it, we all appreciate a lovely bottle. This particular bottle is a heart shaped jewel.  It is supposed to have a youthful, carefree feeling to it.  And it does.  Between the color of the juice (lilac), the name of the perfume (princess), and the shape of the bottle (heart), we are made to see something very young and sweet.  Lilac + Princess + Heart = SWEET!

You will notice that my bottle doesn't have the adorable little crown on it.  That is because I opted to purchase a tester bottle.  I was able to get the largest bottle available for a fraction of the price.  I'm completely okay with this because, really, very few people see my selection of perfumes outside of myself and my family.  And, at the end of the day, I'm wearing the juice inside and not the bottle. :-)

Onto the fragrance itself!  When I first spray this on, it takes a couple of moments to really come to life.  It opens, on me, with delicious sweetness.  There is a hint of zing from the mandarin, but it is swimming in a pool of vanilla. There is something floral in there that doesn't come off loud at all.  It is just enough to keep this perfume from being 100% edible.

At the 10-15 minute mark is when I, personally, detect the dark chocolate.  It isn't exactly sweet.  It actually is slightly bitter.  I read somewhere that said it is dusty and hinting at patchouli.  DING DING DING!  Spot on.  It really does have a dusty patchouli quality to it. The vanilla is also livening up even more at this point.  There is something a bit fruity tip-toeing in, but I couldn't put my finger on it.  While researching, I came across some information about guava and I believe that must be the note.  It is almost lemony citrus-like, but without being kitchen cleaner sharp.

About one hour in, something about Princess reminds me of Coach Poppy.  It has the same cozy sweetness to it. The difference is that Princess is easily detected.  In Poppy, it was there, but you had to breathe deeply to find it. This is vanilla, vanilla, vanilla, and snippits of amber.

I can definitely see where everyone says this is a young, youthful scent.  However, I enjoy wearing it.  It is playful and lighthearted.   It is just a very happy fragrance.  I'm pleased that I went with the big bottle because I've enjoyed wearing this often.

Lolita Lempicka Coral Flower

Lolita Lempicka's Coral Flower was launched in July of 2008.  This is considered an oriental floral perfume.  You will notice the bottle is very, very similar to that of L De Lolita Lempicka.  However, Coral Flower has a frosted finish where as her sister, L, does not.  Also, Coral Flower has flower charms and no netting.  There will be no mistaking, though, that they are of the same family.

The opening of this is sharp and slightly bitter.  I don't see it listed, but I promise you, I get black licorice.  It doesn't last long, only the first couple of minutes, but I swear it is there. It isn't sweet, but rather spicy.

A few minutes later, after it has settled a bit, it becomes citrus-like.  I can pick up on the grapefruit and bergamont.  I think the bergamont was there in the opening, too, because there was something bitter about it.  I think the sharpness was coming from the bergamont note.  The more clean, bright, fresh citrus scent is the grapefruit that I am picking up on. Right along side that are clean, tropical flowers.  I also get jasmine, which isn't listed.  I think that is the frangipani.....which I don't believe I've ever smelled in nature (at least that I know of)....but upon research, it is in the plumeria family and takes on a jasmine scent.  It definitely smells like jasmine, as I am reminded of Thierry Mugler Alien, which is heavy on the jasmine note.

Around the 30 minute mark, the strangest thing happens.  On my wrists, it is an all jasmine smell.  however, on the crook of my elbows, it is soft and powdery.  It is lovely orchid! Isn't it odd how different areas of the body will allow perfumes to develop unlike one another?  I don't know that I'd have been able to place an actual name with the next thing I detect, but I read a review where someone said it smells faintly of calamine lotion. It's true!  I don't find it to be bad, though. I smell it when I am sniffing the elbow area that I sprayed.  I think it is something about the powderiness of the orchid that is creating it.

Around an hour and a half in, I am reminded of salted sea air at the beach.  There is a slight musk to it but also something that is a tiny bit woodsy.   If all the other fragrance developments didn't hint at summer and warm evenings, the dry down definitely does.  I just keep thinking "vacation", "beach", "sea air", and the like.

Maybe I am crazy, but the base is sweet and salty at the same time.  I'm still getting all the beachy references, but also something almost vanillic.  There are slight hints of the amber, but I really detect vanilla!  I don't know if it is the amber tricking me and taking on a, somehow, vanilla form, but I really find something sweet in the base.

This is different than a lot of the other Lolita Lempicka perfumes, yet tips its hat, recognizing they are still from the same family.  There are similarities to the others in the licorice at the opening as well as a spiciness that initially reminds me of L de lolita Lempicka.  However, it all stops there and Coral Flower makes a name all its own. It is from their family, but has created its own personality and is more vibrant and playful.