Eau de Cartier Essence de Paradis

It's still winter but I wanted to get an opinion on this out there for others, so they don't have to go in blind. This is my favorite of Cartier's Essence line, also having Concentree, Essence Orange, and Zeste De Soleil. This has the same underlying Essence base to my nose, but is dominated by it's candy sweetness and some soft ylang ylang is also quite present/pleasant. The candy sweetness reminds me a lot of Jolly Ranchers, it's hard to pin-point a specific flavor, but I would say a mixture of watermelon, cherry, and some lychee(if they made it). I can see why the notes are listed as just fruity notes and nothing specific. The ylang ylang is quite noticeable, but soft and blends well with the fruity notes. With this being a Spring/Summer scent, I haven't really worn or tested it outside of the house, but from what I can tell, longevity seems great for a summer scent. Projection is soft-moderate for a couple hours, but it can linger as a skin scent for 10+ hours. I think this one is a total winner, especially for women. As a guy, the jolly rancher vibe had me questioning if I could pull it off, but as I got to know it more and more, it truly is a UNISEX fragrance. So guys don't be afraid to give it a try too. I'm a little surprised I'm the first to review this, but with it being a Duty Free/Travel edition, distribution is probably minimal. Don't let that stop you, I got a back-up tester on Ebay a month ago for around $30, so it's out there! Check it out! Especially the ladies, or if you like the Essence line, this is one you don't want to miss. EDIT: I tried mixing this in a decant with Armaf Club Di Nuit Intense Man at about 60/40 Essence Paradis to CDNIM, and it makes for a absolutely amazing mix. I hardly even wear any of my Aventus like clones anymore, this makes it quite unique and gives the Paradis a lot more of a masculine punch, that may be needed for some. Check it out, as a stand alone scent and as a mix, I think this one is a real winner.

This is a sweet, girlish version of the classic Eau de Cartier. It reminds me of the sadly departed Zeste de Soleil with a scoop of hard candy sweetness. While most of the Eau de Cartiers are purely unisex or masculine-leaning, this one seems more stereotypically feminine. Nice, enjoyable and good longevity for the line.

A soft mix of floral and fruity notes. A little too sweet for a unisex fragrance. I don't get any amber or woodsy notes. After 5 hours it smells a bit soapy and synthetic. To me this isn't sensual but certainly pretty tame.