Carolina Herrera by Carolina Herrera

Whenever I smell this perfume, I get the feeling that it's Acqua di Gio's dark, seductive, evil twin. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else, but to me there's something VERY characteristic that both fragrances share (and that I find extremely addictive), even though they're really different. It's probably the white floral touch, especially the lovely, lovely jasmine. I love wearing Acqua di Gio for college in the morning and then Carolina Herrera when I go out at night that same day. While the first one is fresh, lovely and casual, this one really does make a statement. It's sexy, classic, unbelievably floral and intense. It's the kind of perfume my grandma loves, and by that I only mean that it IS very 1920's. There's a lot you could say about it, but I don't think you could say that it's a bad perfume. Like every other scent that could be labelled "old lady-ish", you either find it addictive or way too strong, you either pull it off or you don't, and it either suits the occasion perfectly or it's a bad choice all in all. But it's not a bad scent. I can understand that some people find it too classic or retro, but sometimes that is the desired effect! The floral intensity reminds me of curled hair and pretty earrings. I like to wear Carolina Herrera the same way that I like to occasionally wear a vintage dress that used to belong to my grandmother when she was much younger: to evoke a classic, stylish sensuality and femininity. I'm sure that "actual" and standard fragances are a lot lighter and a lot easier to pull off, but they also don't surprise you like this one does. This perfume doesn't go unnoticed. I find it's only wearable on certain occasions. I wouldn't wear it for work or college, for instance, and I wouldn't wear it either if my attire shouts "Hey there, I'm a semi-hobo!" (which is the case for me most mornings lol). Wear it if you're looking to strike others as classy, glamourous, sexy-but-not-cheap, beautiful and mature, like you just stepped out of a black-and-white movie. Not appropiate if you are after the girl-next-door look.

Carolina Herrera is mostly a wonderfully deep and rich jasmine. Not green, fresh, screechy. It’s the deeply sweet and carnal variety, more like night blooming jasmine. The tuberose, present and strong lends its buttery fullness to the jasmine, while the other floral notes simply enhance and balance the formula. The base notes are rich and ambery, slightly dark, and the civet casts a slightly powdery/talcum veil that at once lends more carnality to the whole, and on the other hand creates a dreamscape. The vintage original formula is obviously stronger, richer, fuller; every note is amplified and feels decadent, while the base is darker, mossier, and far more animalic. It feels Beverly Hills, Rodeo drive shopping, New York businesswoman all at once. But at the same time, I picture a southern belle. Unlike other florals of the era, Carolina Herrera has a certain innocence, down to earth laid back attitude. She can be the perfect hostess, dress up for dinner, and unwind in her porch sipping spiked iced tea. Like a true 80’s fragrance it exudes class, sillage and power. It never smells artificial, but always mesmerizing and grand. The current formula is still quite good; it has a present sillage and longevity, the smell leans more towards a fresh green jasmine with a bigger dollop of tuberose to counterbalance, and the base is more woody. The cons? It’s lost it’s animalic beauty, the flowers smell more artificial (cellophane wrapped bouquet straight from the florists fridge) and the mossy feel is gone. The new one is similar to Gucci Bloom, albeit nicer. While it’s obviously different, it still smells like Carolina Herrera. If you can find vintage, go for it. Both edt and edp pack more than current edp. Review based on late 80’s edp bottles.

CH is truly the Grande Dame of perfumes if there ever was one. As soon as I smelled it, it smelled like old Southern money. I could imagine this on some Southern socialite throwing a party at her mansion in Coral Gables (near Miami). A poolside party at night, in the summer heat. There would be garlands of white flowers floating on the pool's surface, with candles burning in the middle of them. Nobody would be swimming because they are all way too rich and wouldn't want to ruin their makeup, hair extensions, and evening gowns by Versace or Narciso Rodriguez. The main drink on the menu is a frozen peach bellini. Tuberose and apricot smell so exotic and fresh; and sparkly and boozy like an exclusive cuvée. Then the civet creeps in and makes me very uneasy, as the perfume takes on an extremely animalic turn for the worst, only to be redeemed by a soft and ladylike blend of peach and honeysuckle. Yes, this has mega-rich Southern Belle written all over it! While it's a beautiful perfume, it's not really "me." Even for a Leo, Queen of the Jungle, it's too ostentatious, and that is something I've never said about a single perfume in my whole life, not even with big, bold florals like Boucheron, Gio Armani Parfum, Chanel No.22, Calèche, Red Door. But if I try to wear this perfume, all I think to myself is "Seriously, who do you think you are?" P.S. This is what I thought Fracas would smell like, minus the peach scent. I agree with other reviewers who think this smells better than Fracas.

As a tuberose lover, I’m not sure how this escaped my attention. Tuberose, grapey jasmine and PANTIES! Not that that’s a bad thing. In fact, it’s an instant love. This is a complete sex-bomb. I must have a slightly older bottle as several people have mentioned a dearth of civet in recent batches. That is not the case with my bottle. This is a bold, old school 80’s/90’s tuberose. It’s big, unapologetic but not as cacophonous as many of its tuberose contemporaries. To my collection at least, this is unique. The closest things I own are vintages of Amarige and Boucheron. Compared to CH, Amarige smells soapy clean and is sharper and more linear. Boucheron (released the same year as CH) bears at least a passing resemblance after its incensed opening. CH seems more focused and sweeter, more floral-forward, less complicated by a kitchen sink list of ingredients. Don’t get me wrong, I love all three, but CH has a wonderful clarity. After an hour, the florals recede a bit and civet comes roaring to the forefront. It’s still lovely at this phase, but I miss the over-ripe floral explosion of the opening. A minor quibble as I find this stunningly beautiful throughout. Longevity is outstanding...still clearly detectable after 20 hours!!! If you dislike tuberose, don’t even try this. If you are in the habit of describing perfumes in terms of specious age-catagories, then this is not for your. If this is what old-ladies and grandmas smell like, count me in!

The first fragrance from Carolina Herrera, and I love it. I loved it then. I love it now. It has been reformulated and is slightly different, but the sense memory is still there when I smell the scent. This fragrance mixes so very well with my skin. When wearing it, it doesn't feel like a layer of scent sitting on top of me, it is me, in all my unabashed glory. I found this scent while walking through the mall during college. It was love at first spritz. The reformulation made me angry and I refused to purchase any for several years, but I missed my CH. I broke down and bought a newer bottle. While it is no longer my signature scent (reformulation), I will always have a bottle in my collection. It was my first "real" fragrance. It is powerful and luscious, dreamy and sensual. It envelopes and embraces you while energizing your soul from within. It is something to wear when you want to feel and be glorious, voluptuous, sumptuous. This is not for the faint of heart. You don't wear this fragrance. You live it. ..... Sweet notes abound. I've been told this fragrance smells much more provocative when smelled right on the skin, when someone is close, than it does from a distance. The animalic/green notes seem to stay in the background, more distant. They are more pronounced when your nose is next to the skin. Lasts forever and leaves noses swooning in its wake, so exercise judgement when spritzing. Very gorgeous. Very sexy.