Anna Sui

I’m goth and have always wanted to have something Anna Sui. And my broke college bank account has finally gathered enough fund to impulse-buy a set of perfumes from her brand on mercari! This one in particular is comfort in a bottle. Starts with an impression of a nice, rose-scented bubble bath with a hint of clean accord like a fresh bar of soap. There are hints of tangy accords...generic fruity, blended well with the overarching florals. Like the person below me said, I also detect some chlorine-like smell. Then this scent develops into something that is reminiscent of my grandma’s favorite face cream...I still remember how she liked to dress to impress, and would put on the fanciest makeup while I slept in her bed! To me, the powdery note is where my impression of this perfume comes from; comfort and nostalgia. I’m not really sure, but at about 4-6 hours in, I detected some woody/green accord which also felt nostalgic, like a man’s aftershave. I’m not particularly a fan of that phase so that would be my only complaint. The scent disappears after 8 hours or so, and the last note is a beautiful, close-to-skin floral. Definitely a clean scent, but it’s more of “grandma’s vanity box/the scented bath goods she prepared for my stay” type of clean, which I really love! Overall, this was a great purchase! The silage is intimate to moderate, and I can imagine myself wearing this on both colder and warmer days to feel the comforting hug from this beauty! Edit; So, this perfume is officially my "memory" perfume. I wore this to The Offspring's concert last week. It really felt like a dream (they were my absolute FAV in high school!!) and I'm so happy I wore this. Truly my two dreams come true! My high school self would be so proud XD Even though I sweated a lot jumping and chanting, this scent made me smell clean and fresh throughout the night, aside from the obvious help from my deodorant. I recommend you not to limit the use of this scent to closed/seated occasions, since this truly is a good fresh scent with a vintage twist!

I must confess I rejected her at first, she was a gift that gathered dust on my shelf for about a year. (Shhh, I do not care for her looks, I admit, I have been shallow). I love oriental perfume, I adore spices, incense and ylang ylang. So at first I thought maybe she is too light, a little tacky judging by her attire. A confused lacy cowgirl goth. Erroneous costume design in a bad western movie with a rap soundtrack. Frilly CanCan knickers and nasty black suspenders. Well do you like rock or RnB? Country or opera?! So we have a conversation, a little spray here, a little squirt there. Just a little chat while I am getting dressed for the day. Its just between us. And we become friends. Sometimes life is morbid, disappointing. Maybe a western boot could work perhaps in the right circumstance. And I did just buy a little, all-lace black dress, very chic. Blackberry lips, yes please. Gradually I realise she is eclectic, adorable. She envelops me in a comforting, creamy powder cloud of rose, apricot and raspberry that blends smoothly with tonka bean, sandalwood and amber. A vanilla-like creaminess velvety soft, not the talcum powder kind. That would be too slovenly. This girl is playful and and generous. Cedar and bergamot prevent her from being too juicy-fruity or sugary-sweet. Iris helps give her an edge too. Towards the end she whispers quietly of sweet white flowers, jasmine and lilly. She knows who she is. Cute, warm and sensual.

So I haven't worn this in a while, and I only remembered it being pretty lightweight and somewhat airy. I'd sought it out as I totally loved the vintage, goth aesthetic, and based on the reviews, it sounded like something I would like. I just used it again last night, and yes, I still love it! Anna Sui is clean and a little soapy, a delicately sweet powder with a retro feel. This is a quirky goth in a silk slip with lace trims. I've never worn this outside, and I've come to associate it with the bedroom -- nothing naughty, just a little private time lounging about in bed. Still, I would love to give it a try outside when things are better. The fragrance seems to project more than I initially thought. When I used it before, I got the impression that it sat very close to the skin, but now I can smell it wafting about. It lasts longer than I thought too. I sprayed this about nine hours ago or so, and although the smell is now softer on the skin, it still wafts up from my shirt. Very pretty and comforting. Though I wouldn't put Anna Sui at the top of my list of favorites, it is something I would always like to have. Now that I've smelled it again, I might reach for it more often, especially with the weather getting hotter here. It is an easy fragrance, and I think I may try to snag another bottle as this small one I have now seems too little.

Until a few days ago, I had not seen, smelled, or owned this fragrance for a long time. However, it was always in the back of my mind. This was my everyday signature from 18-20 years old. I remember picking it up at a perfume outlet, and being smitten with the bottle. Not sure why, as it's really nothing I would even look at twice now days. I thought it smelled and looked very pretty, and I've never forgotten it. I don't necessarily agree with all of the gothic references, and I think those associations stem from the design of the bottle, and the fact that there is a strong and slightly cold Rose in this. Victorian? Ok, sure. Definitely a bygone era. Super feminine. Lace, lipstick, powder, Rose, purple flowers, and a bowl of fresh raspberries and apricots. I can detect woody notes later on, as well as the base all the way through. I might associate this in my mind with "Moulin Rouge", or what have you.... I think this can be worn by a woman/girl of any age, but it is a female's scent in my mind, for certain. I think it’s most suitable for Spring/Summer. It's not serious, but it's not silly either. At this point in my life, this is a "mood fragrance". But no lie...I've been spraying a little obsessively since I got my new bottle. And YES, it's because there is little to no longevity. (The only downside imo) .

I was lucky enough to find this perfume that I loved about fifteen years ago in a small perfumery near my home, at a very low price because I think it was the last one: Anna Sui edt. To my nose it comes across as a gothic, sensual and much more complex version of Ombre rose! Perhaps influenced by the color of the pack, I seem to smell like powdery violets, but I know that in reality it is iris together with raspberry (which is masterfully dosed here, in fact it is a note that I can't stand if it prevails, it tastes like cough syrup to me... Any reference to recent flankers of La vie est belle is purely coincidental 😬). Then I smell this note of rose liqueur, or dark, velvety, very sensual roses. In the base there is this lily of the valley type note, hyper feminine, almost erotic, in an amber echo, that Is soft and suffused, like the light of a lampshade edged with black lace. No excess of sweetness, no vanilla to make this scent more childish and playful which thus remains austere and elegant, despite its sensuality. I find it wonderful and original. It's a satisfaction for me to find these gems in a perfumery that doesn't have the ambition to define itself as artistic or niche!