Little Italy

I’ve found myself infatuated with this fragrance. It’s one of my new Summer favorites. It’s so bright and one of the most refreshing and realistic citrus scents I’ve encountered thus far. Now let’s address the elephant in the room: the lofty cilantro ghost note. I won’t lie and pretend that it goes unnoticed but I assure you the cilantro’s cameo does not last long enough to deter me from this perfume’s beauty. On my skin, the cilantro doesn’t even last a full 30 minutes. I wouldn’t call it a reason to throw in the towel for this fragrance. On the note of skin, this is one of the most magnificent skin scents, especially if you’ll be outdoors. I find that it blends well with my body’s natural “ism”, if you will, throughout the day. It compliments a bit of sweat and heat on the body. Along with the spray, I sourced a perfume oil dupe (that actually outperforms the original in intensity and longevity) and added it to an unscented body butter. That combination reaffirmed my belief that Little Italy is a spectacular skin scent. In terms of longevity, it is one of the weakest in my collection but I believe that’s due to the nature of its resemblance to my own natural scent. Personally, I don’t care for white florals but the neroli note is entirely inoffensive and, dare I say, very attractive in this fragrance. It’s balanced and very well done, the sharp and sometimes sour quality of the white floral is almost entirely avoided. All of that being said, it is ridiculously overpriced. Get yourself an affordable dupe or buy Nest’s Seville Orange for a more reasonable price point. Little Italy is one of the most beautiful and realistic citrus fragrances on the market. 10/10 if you just love the smell of CITRUS!

This opens up with a FRESH NON-artifical orange scent. It literally smells like someone cut into a fresh ripe orange... peel and all. Then it warms up, the orange is still prevalent, BUT there is a creamy sweetness that I am trying to determine. After doing some research elsewhere on the internet, I discovered that unknown creaminess was coming from Neroli and JASMINE that is mixed into the middle notes. Then everything settles down and the musk really holds it in place. All the smells mixed together remind me of a summer boozy salty, tequila, orange, and cilantro drink that the Hispanics use to mix-up when I lived in a primary hispanic immigrated town. It was back when I was just discovering drinking ;) lol .... Cilantro Cooler.... yummmm.... I LOVE IT!!!!! Personally i think this fragrance needs to be called "Little Mexico" vs. Little Italy.... I have never known Italy to use cilantro or very much citrus in their cuisine. Mexico or anywhere in the Caribbean, LOVE oranges and cilantro in everyday life and is very prevalent in their cooking. I personally love this!!!! I also do agree with earlier reviews that it is very dependent upon the weather and temperature in which you are smelling this. I also noticed that the largest amounts of negative reviews for this fragrance were written in the colder winter months. I smelled this back in December and was like "YUCK, orange cleaner". However, now that I am ready to be beach bound and craving warm weather, it is SO DELICIOUS! I'm thinking... eating at a Mexican restaurant and watching the sunset on the Gulf of Mexico!

This has a lot of dislikes - I really do not understand why... I received a decanted sample of this a few months ago. It was hot and muggy here and this just SANG to me. I always thought that my only true perfume loves were the orientals, but this last year has proved me wrong. I have experimented outside my normal comfort zone and am so happy that I have found some extraordinarily good fragrances which truly elevate my mood. I have been extremely fortunate to receive a FB of Little Italy in a swap (thank you, rednut!) and have just sprayed it on my arms and chest. My skin is dry and typically doesn't hold on to perfumes for very long, so I tend not to comment on longevity as I don't think my experience is a fair reflection of a perfume's performance. In the case of Little Italy though, I will make an exception. This LASTS on me! It's extraordinary, because citrus perfumes are renowned for their poor longevity. I can see a slightly oily residue on my skin, which suggests a high concentration of essential oils. The initial spray just bursts with orange - it is THE most juicy and realistic I have ever smelled in a perfume. I don't really pick up on neroli. Initially the sillage is moderate, but this quiets down to a persistent, slightly sweet, musky and sensuous skin scent within 30 minutes or so. Just lovely in hot weather - so not ideal for early autumn - but I am enjoying this happy scent today, nonetheless. It makes me smile.

Just received my 3.3oz full flacon of LITTLE ITALY; I had located a slightly used tester which brought the price down a good bit. The BOND line is very expensive, some would say too overpriced for what you get. I love the "day-glo" orange color of the flacon. There are no deep subtleties or dark layers to LITTLE ITALY at all... It is pretty much a solinote mandarin orange scent, smelling very true to the fruit. Bright, tangy and tart. It does have a somewhat "candy orange" quality as it dries down, reminding me of an orange Popsicle or those old-fashioned candy orange jelly wedges. Sometimes I almost get little whiffs of St. Joseph baby aspirin, haha. It has a lasting power longer than I would've expected for a citrus scent. After sitting on your skin for a bit, a surprising musk note develops... more animalic than one might suspect for a scent like this... a kind of costus root/dirty hair quality (some have said it's almost semen-like, and they're not entirely wrong). Many have claimed to smell cilantro in this scent, but I'm not really picking up on that. Basically LITTLE ITALY is a very expensive mandarin solinote. But it smells luscious and I am glad I sprang for a full flacon. Easily unisex, of course, and a great daytime scent. Perfect as a summer refresher.

What in the world is wrong with the noses of some people these days ? Or maybe with my nose ? As hard as I try I cannot smell any cilantro here, that dreadful thing some reviewers mention ! I believe some people may have purchased expired, fake or turned perfumes... I bought mine at Hudson Bay, and it's fantastic . If you were to take a tangerine and purposely rub the skin and juice on yourself you would probably get the Little Italy for much cheaper. But why should one agree that it's worth paying lots of money for a good Ambre or Insense for example, but not for a good Tangeirne ? as a perfume it works impeccably . It's quite similar to IL Profvmo Mandarine. Delicious, juicy, fresh, tangerines ans clementines ! I was craving citrus but not ordinary lemon or lime ... I was debating between Hermes Pamplemousse Rose, Hermes Mandarine Ambre, Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine, Il Profumo Mandarine... And I ended up with this, beautiful tangerine . I find it rather feminine and very pretty . Silage and lasting power are both average to low, not good actually, but true citrus scents never last . The drydown is lsoft, clean, orange blossom, I cannot sense any musc, luckily. Lovely in every possible way, even though it's pricey . I will keep it.

This is the truest, purest, freshest orange scent I have ever smelled. The only other one that even comes close for me is Creed's Zeste Mandarin Pamplemousse, but that one has a dirt-like drydown on me. And I found Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino to be too bitter. But Little Italy is perfect. Just a true orange that is not cloying or bitter, and stays light and fresh. On me it lasts about 8 hours and even smells a little sweeter toward the end. (Perhaps what keeps Little Italy from turning bitter on me is its musk base versus the amber/ambergris bases of the other two fragrances I mentioned--not sure.) Also, because this is such a pure, linear orange, it is perfect for layering. It gives a little citrus zest to sweet perfumes (especially great with pure vanillas or pure chocolates), and can make any light floral into a fruity floral. It can even complement some orientals! I am still experimenting with layering, but I haven't yet come across anything that it did NOT go with. (I probably wouldn't want to put it with other citrus fragrances, though.) All in all, I enjoy this scent on its own, but its versatility in layering is what really elevated it to "love" for me.

so much hate for this scent! i blame physiology! i can spray this on myself and on any of my close relatives (or any other scent for that matter) and it smells completely different on all of us. on me, this is an absolute MUST-HAVE summer scent; it smells like a gourmet blend of tangerine, grapefruit, and FRESH orange (not the bathroom cleaner citrus, but like a fresh-squeezed orange rind ... sans the pith). i get a very tiny bit of the musk in the dry down; longevity at least 10hrs on me, i only need one spray to smell like fresh citrus for the day! a perfect summer fragrance for me; smells like real handmade italian sorbet. absolutely beautiful. i don't often like citrus fragrances, but this is a must-have in my book. combined with something like atelier's vanille intensee, or any other sweet, true vanilla scent this is even better (sorry atelier, bond beat out your orange sanguine for me!). a very pure citrus; you can smell the distinct grapefruit, mandarin, and clementine, but they also blend perfectly in harmony. wears about an arm's length from the body. one of my top 5 from bond no. 9.

Another addictive composition by Bond no 9, LITTLE ITALY opens with a blindingly bright burst of citrus, with an emphasis on orange zest. This is the nicest presentation of fresh orange that I have ever encountered in the world of perfume. But wait, there's more: as the citrus melange subsides slightly, a beautiful neroli-musk complex comes through, making this creation not just another citrus-in-a-bottle frag. I have two concerns about LITTLE ITALY: first, the longevity is not great--I have zero difficulty spraying on large volumes of this delectable cologne-like edp and could easily empty a bottle in no time at all. Second, the very deliciousness of LITTLE ITALY makes it suitable only for those days when I really can just indulge in the conscious appreciation of the fragrance that I am wearing. When I don this juice, I find myself thinking about how wonderful I smell rather than whatever I was supposedly doing... LITTLE ITALY is a top-notch "I'm on vacation" frag!

I’ve owned this for a little over a month and wore it for the first time on the 4th of July... I’m so happy with this scent because it’s layerable with some others I own like Prada Paradoxe and lil my Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt dupe. By itself it smells like orange juice or cleaner. Very fresh but not too much depth. Opening is the same as the dry down on my skin and clothing. Not a safe blind buy, but since it’s discontinued the only way to get it is online. I got mine off eBay and it was marketed to me as an empty collectors/display bottle, but it ended up being halfway full. Got it for a great price, so even if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have wasted a lot of money anyway. Lasts a good 6-7 hours by itself and I’ve gotten a few complements in public when layered with paradoxe. I’d rate 7/10

An amazing scent for summer wear, and increasingly, a wonderful supplement to lots of toasty weather favorites. I love combining this with scents! Bond advertised its mingled brethren...for instance, try Hamptons with this. You get rich, juicy orange... the freshest I've smelled. I get the fresh juice mixed with the pith - the white part - of an orange. Wow! How'd they do that? Its inherent linear behavior allows it to play with other scents. It's not terribly sweet, but it's very faithful to what a sliced orange would smell like. Very juicy, very yummy: very summer! I can understand how this would be a little boring by itself, but I bet some people can wear it well (as is the case with any scent).

Little Italy starts with a huge bunch of citruses. Each note of Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit and Clemetine is pretty good to recognize. On my first impression it is chemical, like some cleaning agents, but then it is turning into one of the most natural scents I ever smelled. Delicious and fresh, without being a typical Citrus Aromatic. Combined with Neroli the citruses notes make Little Italy smell like a addictive! bonbon. The Musk is skulking somewhere in the background and therefore it is hardly noticeable. To me Little Italy is pure relaxation in a bottle, bright, sparkling and joyful. Unfortunately it also got the lasting power of a bonbon.

The only reason I enjoy this scent is it brings back a fond childhood memory. As a child I lived in Florida for a few years and the Hair Salon my father took my father and I to hadd an orange grove nearby. So I remember leaving the salon with freshly pressed hair and then smelling the scent of ripening oranges in the Florida sun. Little Italy is all the good parts of that scent memory in a bottle. If you like realistic orange than you will appeciate this scent. I like to layer it with Pomelo Paradise by Atelier Cologne. Disclaimer: I live in San Diego about 6 miles from the ocean so citrus fragrances perform very well in my climate.

SOOOOOO DELICIOUS!!! I can't stop smelling it it smells so yummy and fresh. This fragrance is best for summer and is absolutely my most favorite to wear during the summer! This smells like fresh oranges and mandarins. It smells very candy like! I think it kinda smells like pez in a sense! This fragrance is absolutely delightful! Though, the longevity is very bad on my skin. This is the downside of the fragrance. Overall I absolutely love the scent!

The herbal note in the drydown that people tend to say smells like cilantro reads more like the rind of a tangerine or an orange to me. Very green and refreshing. My bottle is almost 10 years old and still smells bright, citrusy, and sweet. Photorealistic Citrus Gelato with fresh green drydown. For years I've used this as a top layer to some of my more resinous fragrances. It smells great on top of Diptyque Volutes EDT.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this scent! It goes on bright and citrus-y. After it dries, you begin to smell something green and then you realize it's CILANTRO! Heavenly, amazing cilantro! But then after a couple of hours it fades to a soft, quiet musk. To me, this scent is amazing and addictive. I wish it lasted longer. But like all good things it comes to a quick end.

Fresh & orangey! If it bites a bit like a few have mentioned, ( grapefruit, Neroli) try putting it over your preferred lotions. My favorite Vanillas are Eos Vanilla Cashmere & BBW VB Noel. They are similar. They make this smell sooo good!, Or spray on a body spray then do a few sprays of this. Fragrance is meant to be played with & make it your own.

Little Italy is a burst of citrus. On first spray the wearer cannot deny the fresh burst of clementine, mandarin orange and grapefruit. The dry down mixes with neroli and musk. Reminds me of a hot summer night. Mixes very well with the South Florida weather. I love it!

I can't believe all the reviews and not a mention of the original Sunny Orange Tree air fresheners ?! It brings me back to my teenage years and my first car. Sunny Orange straight out of the wrapper, in a good way. My one complaint is its longevity is weak.

Basically a citrus fragrance with emphasis on Clementine, but not lose the tone of sophistication, this is undoubtedly one of my favorite citrus.

Little Italy is all about citrus & musk to my nose. Clementine mandarin & maybe tangerine's is what I smell, I get no grapefruit. This is a unusual composition because you have a wollop of citruses fighting to be top dog, but it appears that clementine is winning the battle here. The opening of Little Italy is very strong, there is also a cheese note somewhere in here that makes this somewhat off putting. Yes I pick up a cheese note, and I despise cheese. Once the fragrance starts to dry down, the musk enters the ball game & mingles with the citruses which never fade away. It is a simple yet weird concoction that I have difficulties with. I admire strange & unique fragrances, but Little Italy leaves much to be desired. It is not terrible, but it is not great either. As much as I love Bond No 9, I am afraid I will have to pass on this one as there are better fragrances in this category that are done way better than this. Average projection & longevity.