Sophie Matisse Art Edition Good Girl Gone Bad, Splash of Neroli

I'm so thrilled to finally get my hands on this GGGB Sophie Matisse limited edition after four years of searching. The OG GGGB was the first scent in my life that I became enamored with. It was love at first sniff and we've been in an intense love affair ever since. I used to collect various luxury perfumes and the bottles would sit on my dressers and vanity more than half full. Not GGGB. I have every edition of her. Extreme, Eau Fraiche, and this one. Holy Moly! The Splash of Neroli elevates all of the other notes and although the peachy, flowery freshness continues to dominate, the punch of neroli does something that I can't describe. I think I like this version more than I like the OG, although I *love* the original. I wish Kilian would re-issue this because it's so stinking difficult to find. I can't get enough.

I was in Atlanta over the 4th of July weekend and went to the big mall area to the Saks. I have tried many By Killian perfumes and have never been swept off of my feet, the bottle attracted me and I tried it, Oh down the rabbit hole I tumbled, It was starry eyed love. I like the addition of the vetiver, the neroli, and the sandalwood. Lucky Scent lists notes not listed here such as plum accord. I slept on it 24 hours, wearing my sample and ordered it. Why not, it is my 50th Birthday Present!!!

The edition of the extra neroli to this completely changed the fragrance for the better for me. It feels livelier and fresher and more warm weather friendly. I just find it more appealing for some reason and I'm not normally a big neroli fan (not that I dislike it). It doesn't really scream "neroli" to me or anything, it just makes the perfume seem more well rounded and enjoyable. I really like this version.

I would give it 4,5/5,... or 9/10. It is A LOT better than the original, for me. Sometimes the flankers turn out to be better... I feel that the Neroli gives the GGGB orig. that "je ne sais quoi", interisting twist, that is unexpected with the original concoction, which, for me, is "nice", but a bit flat. I saw the reviews for the original GGGB, I do not think it deserves that criticism. It is not that bad as people rate it. It is nice. But I prefer a bit more of, I would say, interesting perfumes. I think it is a truly pretty, summer fresh fragrance, a lot more interesting than, e.g. Tom Ford Neroli Portofino. The neroli is quite prominent, as you could have guessed - it truly is a "splash", a bit in a dewy, juicy way. On that note: you have to be friend with Neroli in order to appreciate this scent. And after that splash, you get a very pleasant base of the original GGGB. Personally, I do not think that GGGB has anything to do with "bad" girls. I find it very well blended, refined, yes - after some time it changes into that "bad" part, which is not actually anything dirty or animalic. Maybe a bit daring, but that is all. In fact, I think it smells quite clean. The notes are taking the baton over softly.

Perhaps this scent should have be called "bad girl gone good," but don't be fooled - there's still some naughtiness beneath the ladylike facade! The initial blast of mandarin-rose jam and tart bergamot is met with a delicate neroli white tea garnish. Jasmine and creamy tuberose shyly peek out, giving way to the sensual, smooth rosy-vetiver-cedar accord (distinctive to Morillas' perfumes). After a few hours, a delicious jammy rose muddled with apricot and osmanthus remains, shrouded in soft woods. Overall, it's kind of like wearing a fancy cocktail with muddled stonefruit and roses and a dash of citrus garnish that morphs into a warm, peachy skin scent with a soft woody base. Note: Reminiscent of Amouage Sunshine, minus the tobacco, making it more wearable in hot weather.

Given the list of notes, I should be in heaven... but the neroli is extremely subdued, and the overall scent is somehow muted. Longevity is also unimpressive. Frankly, conceptually this is closer to being bad girl gone good, with a splash of generic 'white flowers'. It's a nice perfume, but that is part of the problem - it is simply 'nice'. It sits quietly in the corner and draws no attention to itself, and then slips unobtrusively away. I want so very much to like this, but every time I wear it I tend to forget about it, which is not what I want from a Kilian perfume!