Acqua di parma Blue Mediterraneo - Mirto di Panarea

Opening notes: Strong herbal and citric notes, but settles quickly. An initial whiff of saponin could be deemed off-putting in the store if you try it on paper; it is certainly worth five minutes of waiting. The citrus settles nicely into lasting top notes of bergamot and lemon oil that I still get, although a bit more subdued, after three hours. Middle notes/settling: The soapiness is not prominent for more than a couple of minutes, but it takes 15 minutes before it is gone. After that, this is a lovely scent. Very realistic Mediterranean maquis, with the herbacity notes of thyme and the savoury base notes of rosemary. Rose and jasmine is also detectable, but keeping in the background. Base notes: Juniper is never prominent, and generally the woodiness is just a quiet backdrop. After four hours, middle notes are still leading – but you do get some cedar and pine close up. Performance: Nice performance, I like that it tones down rather than changes character after a few hours. As you mostly get from Italian colonias, there is three hours top performance. You can easily add a few hours more by doubling the amount, but in my opinion this is not the kind of fragrance you do that with. I still have an arm's length of projection after five hours, having had one spray on the wrist. Using more/stronger than that I find inconsiderate. After the same five hours, most top and middle notes are faded, leaving more space for the floral and woody notes, but it still carries its signature. Occasions: Certainly summer, and those times you just wish to use a natural smell. It seems that some reviewers get a lot of saponin/soapy associations, but I could not say for how long time they think they smell that, to me it fades quickly (I tested next to a similar fragrance where the saponin remained prominent for way longer). Projection and sillage is easily regulated with the amounts you use, so you can use this as discretely in your leisure time as you want to, anyone can use this for that purpose. For bigger socialising occasions, parties etc. I would say it is not quite my style, because in a noisy environment with many people and many different odours to take in, it is not something you fall for immediately. But sitting down for dinner next to the right person, it could still be the perfect choice. Thoughts: A unisex fragrance for sure, EDIT: I must have had some woody remains on my skin from oud testing on the first effort: It is too feminine for me, but younger males can probably accept it. At any rate, it is an invigorating, fantastic scent.. It is so naturalistic and special that I could even use this only to get olfactory memories of summer (writing this on a chilly autumn day). I recommend a decant to try a couple of times before you buy.

Oh my goodness, this FRAGRANCE. So, I've been trying to find a replacement for Dior Escale a Pondichery for years now since it was discontinued. I received an Acqua di Parma sample set for Christmas, and WHAT DO I FIND. They were so similar I had both of their note breakdowns listed side by side, trying to figure out why they smell so similar- turns out they're both created by the same Perfumer! I'm in LOVE. First of all, I recommend trying this on paper and letting it dry down for a day and then smell it- because the drydown is where this perfume SINGS. The heart of it- the sweet jasmine, the lilac- that's what you're left with. I'm surprised many consider this masculine since the drydown is so floral, but I digress. It's slightly more soapy in the onset with the amber but it's done masterfully. Slightly mineral and salty- very much like slightly sweet florals next to the seaside. It also is very similar to Coco Noir- you can see the similarities easily, but the drydown for this is far better. Also not sure what people are saying about poor sillage- this isn't quite beast mode but 24 hours later on paper is still quite strong. Also reminiscent of Walk the Sea by Kerosene- but that leans more into the marine/aquatic notes and this dries down floral.

A bright, fresh lemon with a fresh green herbal background. It is quite soapy considering this is a fresh and easy breezy aromatic. But that is not negative at all, it’s almost like a freshly squeezed lemon right before you add the water and sugar to make the most delicious lemonade. The lemon is actually pretty realistic with that green zest to it. And the fragrance is herbal in that effortless way, and it’s quite hard to pick it apart and tell you exactly what it is that makes the herbal, it just is. It is like driving in a cabriolet along the Mediterranean coast with the sun warming your skin to that perfect temperature. With large sunglasses and uplifting music on the radio. You smell the ocean breeze and bushes, lemon trees and light florals. With that in mind, I cannot say that this is anything else than a unisex fragrance. A perfect summer scent, and even though it is a citrus herbal scent it has a surprisingly good longevity. I have gotten up to 7 hours several of the times I have tried this on. And that makes the price point pretty good when it delivers like that. Though, I have to say that I have a thing for herbal citrus scents, but this is really up there!

They say the best fragrances are the ones that (even if you haven't smelled it before) can transport you to a specific place or time. This fragrance transports me to a time in my childhood when I lived in Albania. I remember my brother, a buddy, and myself riding our bikes up the Dajti mountain to a small lake during the summer. We had to ride up for 35 minutes, then throw our bikes on our shoulders and climb downhill for 10 minutes to get to the lake. As we walked with bikes in tow, the mountain herbs crushed under our feet. Our bikes would brush against the bushes and shrubs. This smell reminds me of those times. The smell of the herbs hitting my nostrils are what this reminds me of. Its a very very natural smelling fragrance. I dont know if I love this so much because of the emotions or because it is trully mass appealing. Performance is better than most in the ADP Blue Mediterraneo line. If you usually spray 4-5 sprays, go with 6 or 7 with this one. If I wear it as a bed scent I only use 3. Very soothing. Highly recommend this fragrance. Let it grow on you though if you dont like the first blast.

This was the first fragrance that introduced me to the house of Acqua di Parma, over ten years ago, during a visit to the Duomo in Milan. A friend asked me to pick up this scent because it was not available in Thailand at the time—and even in Europe, it was relatively hard to find. One single sniff was enough; I fell in love instantly and ended up buying an extra bottle for myself. Main notes: Myrtle, Basil, Lemon, Pink Rose Apple (Wax Apple), Sea Breeze This fragrance transports you straight to the Mediterranean coast. It opens with bright, clean myrtle and lemon, lifted by fresh green basil. A delicate, slightly juicy sweetness of pink rose apple drifts in softly, like a gentle breeze passing through a seaside fruit garden. The dry-down is enriched by a subtle sea breeze accord, adding a light saline nuance and a deeply relaxing feeling—like sitting on a wooden terrace, gazing out at the sea on a warm afternoon. Mood: Relaxed, fresh, uplifting, and full of life. Perfect for holidays or hot weather, when you want to feel refreshed, natural, and effortlessly carefree.