Viva by Fergie

I just couldn’t get enough of this fragrance from my sample vials alone, so I sprung for a full bottle—so happy I did! The bottle is quite lovely. One minute, it looks sleek and futuristic; the next, it looks totally 60’s retro; then it looks like it belongs on the dressing table of a 1920’s flapper. The bottle shape is a squared off pair of confident shoulders, with a sharp and slimming grey triangle accent in the center and a ruffled-rectangle cap. The perfume inside is a lovely shade of lavender, a perfect complement to the fragrance itself. The fragrance itself is a study in contrasts: the bergamot in the beginning is crisp, but not citrusy; the lavender is clean and fresh, but not soapy. There are green notes, and it is somewhat herbal—but not too savory and not spicy. I don’t smell mint, but think it must be contributing to the lingering freshness and sense of vitality; I don’t sense the narcissus. It is refreshing and energizing, but not aquatic or watery. It is labeled as a feminine perfume, but it is not floral or fruity at all. By default, and because of the fougere elements, this can come across as a masculine scent—but I would consider it a very classy unisex perfume that either gender could wear with confidence. As it dries down, the woody-earthy note of vetiver rises to the surface, and the fact that there is musk becomes more apparent. These elements balance the bergamot-lavender scents; the fragrance evolves from a purely clean and refreshing scent to one that is warmer and “lived in”. After 6-8 hours, this fragrance is a lovely, warm, mild and yet strong earthy-musk. It retains all of the character of bergamot and lavender, but has developed on my skin. My chemistry loves this fragrance—it stays with me for a long time, and I feel that it unites with my perspiration and natural pheromones. It makes me feel cheerful, confident and energized; and yet also calm and relaxed. This is a great everyday scent that I really enjoy wearing. Sillage is moderate, longevity 8+ hours on my skin. I highly recommend this if you enjoy fresh, crisp yet balanced scents.

Got a free sample from my Avon lady, otherwise I don't think I would have tried this. I am usually too afraid of herbal scents. I was pleasantly surprised. The herbal beginning is bright, sunny and crisp--it will wake you up. Lavender is there, like the breeze blowing through freshly washed sheets. Really, it reminds me of the soap Irish Spring--green, energetic and sunny. I would certainly call this unisex, as it has a light masculine feel; but would very much work for a woman. To me, it conveys energy and alertness-- so the name Viva works! I don't think I will buy a bottle, but am enjoying this sample. It's winter now, and so I'm curious what this fragrance might do with heat. I also haven't smelled any of the vetiver, so I'm curious about the dry down. So far, sillage is moderate on me. Longevity undetermined. EDIT: 10 hours later, I can still smell Viva on my wrists. It is an extremely clean scent, but it has warmed up throughout the day. It truly does remind me of a men's cologne--like I'm standing next to a man wearing something very nice; or I've been snuggling :) I think the bergamot has really come through nicely, and I still am getting the lavendar pretty strongly, combining to make it fresh and herbal. One of my favorite fragrances is Ellen Tracy by Ellen Tracy--and Viva (especially after several hours) reminds me of ET's drydown; crisp but warm. I think there is less sandalwood in Viva vs ET, but otherwise they could be cousins, at least to my nose. This fragrance has definitely grown on me. I'll enjoy my sample--but a whole bottle might just be too redundant.

Absolute LOVE in my collection! This is a PRIME example of why I do not believe in genders when buying and wearing fragrances. If a fragrance's final result is pleasant for your nose and works with your body chemistry...BUY IT!! This fragrance...by absolutely NO MEANS of the word...smells like society's idea of "feminine." Yet it is manufactured "for women." This couldn't smell MORE masculine if you ask me...and even the bottle is not remotely feminine. This honestly would've been a perfect candidate to not only make as unisex...but to promote as unisex. In a nut shell...this smells like a clean, cold shaving cream. It has this "icy" factor to it. It's perfect for summer because it has this intriguing cooling effect on not only the nose, but the skin also. This might not be the most original fragrance but I honestly love it! And furthermore...it's so refreshing to have a fragrance be such a staple in my summer rotation that isn't a citrus bomb or an aquatic like everything put out on the market today. This is summer perfection. Gym cologne perfection. Unisex fragrance perfection. Scent Itself - 9/10 Projection - Easily 3-4 feet. Longevity - About 5 hours. I really love this. It's not even close to my first Avon purchase...but it is my first purchase from Fergie's line. I actually just ordered the original (and discontinued) Outspoken perfume a couple hours ago. Stay tuned for a review on that one soon. But I LOVE this one! Almost finished my second bottle of Viva as we speak! Two thumbs up on this one! Just change the damn marketing to UNISEX!! =)

At first I wasn't too sure about this one. I thought it was something I'd like my husband to wear, and immediately thought it was more a unisex fragrance than anything. I put it away for a while and decided to give it another chance. I was afraid of it being strong, because it starts out that way, then I lost it during the day. Ok, it fades out(I thought). I took my hair out of it's clip for the day and smelled something really good and realized it was Viva! I had gotten it on my hair and it was still there after the long day I had. I'm a little surprised at how it changed throughout the day, maybe it's my chemistry, but I really thought it went from masculine to feminine(to me). Lavender and mint has more of a (should be on a guy) vibe to me but I like how it works out with Viva. It doesn't blast out which I find is much nicer than having someone smell me a mile away. Not sure if it's something I'd wear every day but right now I'm kind of liking this one ALOT!

I absolutely love this scent. I think it can definitely be used as a unisex fragrance - I once met a guy wearing this or something extremely similar and I found it incredibly sexy. The first notes I get are a blend of herbs - not at all disturbing to my nose, as most initial notes usually are. As the perfume dries on my skin, I mostly get a nice mix of lavender and mint - very cool, feeling like fresh water on my skin. Makes me think of a waterfall in springtime somewhere up in the mountains of Montana. I've worn it for some time now and I could easily see it becoming a spring-summer signature for me. By the way, probably the Outspoken OR Viva myth is true. I tried Outspoken twice and every time I hated it. Eventually I threw it away. I received Viva as a gift, but I will definitely buy it once it's over.

Delightfully unisex in the best way---could be considered a bit barbershop-esque in the opening, due to the lavender, mint and bergamot, but I find it fresh and green and truly beautiful. The drydown is a little soapy but that just accents how clean this fragrance is. I love the vetiver and woodsy background of this, mixing with a soft musk for a cozier finish than you'd expect from such a bright opening. This is by far the best from the Fergie fragrances, all are sadly discontinued at this point, I believe. The bottle is a fun art deco shape with lavender juice. I get about 8 hours from 4-5 sprays. I like to overspray this one, I'll admit...the opening is so bright it's hard not to. Simply gorgeous.

This was a pleasant surprise. I found it really refreshing without being citrussy. On my skin, initially smelling very masculine indeed with the lavender being the dominant note however within half an hour it softened and the musk, mint and a floral note become more prominent dancing around the lavender. The lavender in this does not resemble air freshener lavender so i am liking this a lot. Really suitable during hot days and soft enough to be spritzed liberally without inducing sneezing. Projection is soft and longevity is short but it lasts a long time on clothes.

Viva is a mature scent....earthy, grounded, stands on her own. With all the fruits and flowers swirling around, Viva brings balance. As a mature 60 something woman, my change of life has given my skin a less confused canvas compared to when my hormones were profoundly active. Viva settles down after 30 minutes to a warm, dry, fresh, with a hint of musk. Reminds me of Fall when the leaves are drying on the grass...releasing their earthy sweetness in the warm sun. moderate/long lasting....surrounds and projects at a gentle and unintrusive distance.

I love this fragrance, and first tried it about a year ago (see review below); it's a delightfully crisp fougere. But, when I pulled my bottle out of storage to celebrate spring and the transition of fragrances on my dresser....I am afraid this gem has faded a bit. There seems to be less vitality to the notes, especially the initial lavender and bergamot which is so lovely here. The drydown I think is similar, but not the starting composition. Just a warning or FYI for folks! Use it or lose it!

I just got a sample and I absolutely can not stop smelling it!!! True, it does not last long on the skin, but I sprayed it on my shirt and it seems to keep holding on. I love it and plan to buy the bottle! Update: Been wearing it on my shirt for over 8 hours and it is still as pungent as ever!

I think it's great! It will be my next everyday favorite! I can't smell anything masculine about it, only freshness. I have no idea how long it will last, as I have just applied it, but I think I have made a fantastic addition to my perfume wardrobe! Thank you to all reviewers :D

Luv this one!A very icy,refreshing quality in the initial burst of Lavendar mixed with greens.Dries down quickly into a sweetened vetiver base.Very sexy&unisex.Stays close to the skin but is very inviting.

I was going to give it as a gift, but the comments here have made me so curious that I'm going to keep the fragrance to myself. I hope to write another review later! :-)

I've chanched my mind. Viva is not just "OK", it's really superb! And very different from the two previous Fergie's perfumes.

A very nice, floral, beautiful smelling scent. Smells slightly like aftershave which i adore :-).

As others have said, it is nicely fresh, and is very much a mild herby fougere. There is an alcohol note but that gets wrapped up the "zing" of the bergamot, lavender and green notes so doesn't jar especially. I didn't personally get much mint, but again, it may have been encompassed in the freshness - a contributory factor rather than a distinct note. It smells like a subdued cologne that due to the herby facets would be fougere rather than floral, fruity or aquatic. The musk didn't register before the whole scent disappeared. And this is the problem. It lasts five minutes. If it were marketed as an eau de cologne or splash, then fine. But the sample that Patxaran generously sent me was an EDP! I realise that Brazil is one of Avon's biggest markets and that due to the climate there they refresh, shower and reapply perhaps more frequently than us northern hemisphere residents, making the appalling longetivity less of an issue, but I'll bet Avon is charging for EDP concentration nonetheless. This amounts to fradulent trade description because it doesn't fade, it evaporates. No lingering base notes, simply nada. Poof! It's gone. Caveat: I tried it on my [moisturised] skin, not clothes, and I am in chilly/rainy London, so with different variables YMMV etc. Shame, as it smelt perfectly pleasant for an Avon effort...

This is the second 'celebrity scent' that I have ever purchased (and one of the few Avon ones that I own) the first being SJP Lovely, incidentally both were composed by the same perfumer. I usually avoid celebrity scents however after reading reviews and notes I got a cheap 15ml spray even though i am trying to avoid blind buying, I thought for the price why not? Well I haven't been disappointed - a lovely fresh herbal almost clean smell, great for everyday wear. Lasting power is not great, but I've paid 10X more for perfumes that last the same, silage is literally none existence. If your into flowery or gourmand compositions you're most likely not going to like this. Having recently drastically reduced my collection, its given me thought in my perfume journey that something cheap and from a brand that I wouldn't normally look twice at, have come up with something that is different and original. It also doesn't appear to cause me any headache, something I've noticed Im getting lately not sure if this is down to the hot weather, or just me!

I just bought a purse size of this today. If I'd read the reviews first, I'd have skipped it because I tend to really dislike perfumes that could read unisex, or masculine. I'd sprayed two of the testers, so wasn't sure what I was smelling, but I'm pretty sure this was the one really garnering my attention. I can see how this has a masculine interpretation, but I just really like it. I think it's quite sexy, and I'm pretty sure I may have to buy a full bottle. It's really different than most my standard sweet perfumes, and I actually do think my husband could pull off wearing this too. Update: I think part of why I like this is that it somehow reminds me of my Dad. It reminds me of the lingering smell of the bathroom, a while after he'd headed off to work, or even just how he might have smelled after his cologne faded during the day. I usually hate wearing a perfume that could be interpreted as unisex or masculine, but I have to admit, I love this stuff. It's pleasant memories, and comfort in a bottle.

Viva is one of those fragrances that make me shrug. There's nothing in it that excites me but at the same time it's perfectly pleasant. I'm a big fan of lavender and wish it was featured in more women's fragrances. Here it's very green and comes off, as many have mentioned, very masculine - as if this were a watered down men's cologne rather than a fragrance specifically designed for women. (And I too take slight issue with the idea that a strong, "powerful" woman smells like a man. Women are strong and powerful insofar as they take on masculine traits?? But I'm not particularly philosophical and I hold nothing against the fragrance for all that.) It's a little crisp and clean for my taste. I'd like a little more warmth. It smells like laundry hung outdoors on an overcast day, clean with no sunshine. There's a very mild sweetness to it, nothing gourmand. The prominent mint note is a nice touch.

It's a most beautiful herbal-lime-lavender scent, if you like this type. I do! Kind of in opposition to other Fergie's scents that are loud, ultra-feminine and opulent. It's a perfume for a day out in the wild, when you're wearing jeans, trecking boots and have a rucksack on - not caring about anything but the nature around you. The notes that I like most about it is the lime and the lavender. They're too delicate to be named "masculine" - they are rather unisex. All the notes are perfectly blended, remind me slightly of a Fa Deo Stick from mid 1980's - a perfect lime cologne scent! Only Viva is far more delicate, without the strong alcohol odour that the deo stick had. I'm sorry it got discontinued, despite the ugly bottle whose appearance I couldn't stand on my shelf. My bottle went to my mom who loves cologne scents even more than I do.