Pomelo Paradis

Expectations are a funny thing in perfumery. The more one gets into "the hobby," the more they tend to affect one's response to a new fragrance. For my part, I have come to expect solid performance out of my favorite perfumes. I'm not necessarily interested in "beast mode" or "nuclear" projection, but I do expect a fragrance to last more than a few hours on my skin. There is simply no reason to spend good money on one that does not. Sadly, this is where Pomelo Paradis falls short, as do so many great citrus-based creations. It is all the more disappointing here because Ralf Scwhwieger has created a piercingly beautiful pink grapefruit note that stands out from an increasingly crowded field. The opening notes in PP are among the most uplifting, soul-satisfying I have ever experienced. It is impossible not to smile when you first apply this. Not only that, but the transformation from pink grapefruit to peony is so artfully and effortlessly done, it feels like "destiny." Schwieger's work here is convincing enough to make one think that peonies grow from pink grapefruit seeds. That said, the ride is a short one. I get about 3 hours of light projection in total, and only 30-45 minutes of that lovely opening. Schweiger seems committed to this terrain, so perhaps he will come up with a way to make it last in a future creation. I am rooting for him! Overall rating: * * * 1/2 A very good perfume, but performance is not sufficient.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on a sample of this one: I love Atelier Cologne for their natural, straightforward, lovely scents, and their citrus fragrances especially have been big hits with me. It seems they won't stop until they've made a great incarnation of every citrus fruit out there, and it seems like I won't stop until I've collected them all. Pomelo Paradis is no exception to this rule: it's a wonderful interpretation of grapefruit (or pomelo, I guess), and it's already on my wish list. It's very natural indeed, but it's not not just a reproduction of the way grapefruit smells, like the Body Shop's Pink Grapefruit, for instance (which I also love): it's definitely a perfume, and the other notes, though not really possible to pick out separately, play their part in emphasizing that. The usual bitter(sweet) bracing quality of a real freshly cut grapefruit isn't what this scent is about; it's a sweeter version, powdery at first and a bit soapy later on. Like with most Ateliers I like the delightfully bright opening the best; which is a good thing because almost by definition these citrus colognes don't last very long and frequent respraying is a must, so you can experience that lovely opening pretty often

I have recently realized how much this scent makes me happy, and I wonder how easily I could forget about it, so from now on, it will be at the front so that I use it more frequently. I love hesperides, and mostly grapefruit/pomelo scents. Pomelo Paradise is one of the best. This is a HAPPY pomelo scent that gives you the mouth-watering feeling of the grapefruit flesh, without the bitterness. There is absolutely no sharpness or so, that most citrus-dominated scent might have- Pomelo Paradise is very round, Bright and intoxicating scent. Like drinking chilled juice on a hot summer day. Soft sillage, but I can still feel the scent on my body, warmed by the temperature, after 5-6 hours, it is a decent longevity for a hesperide, imho. If you buy a 200 ml bottle, the price per ml is not that expensive, and a Little goes a long way (I usually use 5 sprays). I would totally recommend to try for everyone, espeially for citrus fans, even fans of florals, even gourmand fans (pomelo Paradise has a little bit of a sorbet feeling).

Evoked Pomelo with Lime Lifesavers & Sparkling Tangerine... This is quite a realistic pomelo scent evoked by a blend of other notes. The blend of citrus & fruit in the opening reads like pomelo, with green & citrus tones of sweetened lime (like lime Lifesavers) & sparkling tangerine. All the notes are there, but they're supporting the illusion of perfectly ripe pomelo: Grapefruit is there with its zest but it's lacking it's musky pith; faint mint is there supporting the green aromatic tones (and I agree with other reviewers that the mint doesn't smell like toothpaste as can sometimes be the case with mint - particularly in some vintage scents I've noticed). Gorgeous sweet green citrus scent, but performance is average to below average for projection, and average for longevity for a citrus scent. I just have a sample of this and probably an aged bottle would perform better, or performance would be appropriate for warm weather. For what it is, it's a love for me. Enjoy!

Atelier joins the ranks of Hermes (Eau de Pamplemousse Rose) and Guerlain (Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune) at getting the elusive grapefruit note right! There are so many nasty, synthetic efforts to create an olfactory impression of a grapefruit out there - so full credit to Atelier. Another reviewer called the top notes of this "hyperrealistic," and I concur. It's like squeezing a grapefruit onto yourself, which I unexpectedly found to be a nice experience. The drydown is a gentle ambery note. The same structure as the Varvatos scents, really: a citrus top end on amber. Iris? Okay, but I don't get that. I like it a lot! A nice scent with a real zing... This kind of scent isn't normally my thing but I can see myself wearing this on warm days. Longevity: As usual with citrus scents, a problem. I put it on at 11 AM and it's 2:30 PM now and it's pretty much gone. I can barely smell it on my cotton tee shirt top. Pity.