Beyond Paradise

This is my first day with this perfume and I've been in a swoony state on several occasions. I immediately got faint banana and strong honeysuckle, with a haze of orange blossom rapidly appearing. Honeysuckle and orange blossom are amongst my favourite out-in-the-world scents, so I was transfixed to the evolving notes and detected a languid and honeyed Hyacinth and a hot-house orchid within minutes. There were other scents I couldn't place, which may have been the orris root (not yet sure what this smells like... is there an orris-root based perfume anyone can recommend?) At this stage I was astonished by the similarities to Tommy Girl, which I reviewed a few days ago. Two Honeysuckles within days of each other! As the perfume unfolded, I could detect faint Spikenard essential oil and woody scents which I can't untangle and name. Perhaps some jasmine, a bit of musk as time passed... but the Honeysuckle dominated and remained in the centre of my attention for hours. This is a warm, complex floral wash of purple and white, which delights me. I haven't been able to shake my association with Tommy Girl and, later, J'Adore... so, later in the day I sprayed all three on various sections of myself as well as on cotton make-up wipes (dry, unscented) and did a comparison. All three fragrances are similar and lo! They are all by Calice Becker! No wonder they remind me of each other... My comparison hasn't ended yet (into my 2nd hour) but so far I love them all and would rate them as BEST Beyond Paradise (marvellous complexity) 2nd Place J'Adore 3rd Place Tommy Girl. I have all three and will enjoy each, but will probably only replace Beyond Paradise when my bottles are finished. I've discovered I'm a Calice Becker fan...

When I first smelled BP out of a tester of the old rainbow bottle I thought it was horrid. It had a huge aquatic top note, as I remember it, and in those days I hated all aquatics although I've since come to a moderate appreciation of them. Recently I happened upon a mini spray of the old bottle in a thrift shop but the perfume's top notes are ruined so I can't test my reaction any more. I do get the impression that it was once a heavier, stronger perfume than the current formulation, which I think may have been lightened and cleaned up a bit to conform with modern tastes. There is nothing very tropical in the note pyramid but undoubtedly there is a tropical feel to Beyond Paradise even without gardenia or coconut etc. I don't know how the perfumer did that bit here's a great deal going on in BP that is unrevealed by the note pyramid. At opening the new formulation has a breezy texture that I enjoy - yes, that aquatic note, dialed down a bit perhaps - but the perfume settles a little heavily, perhaps in order to invoke the oppressive atmosphere of the tropics. It is so abstract I cannot detect any of the individual notes but there is a skin-alike quality that on the right person would be amazing, I reckon. Overall BP is a like but not a love for me. Even though I am much more open to aquatics than in years gone by, I have to accept that they just don't jive with my skin.

I low-key love Beyond Paradise, especially on hot summer days -- it blooms fresh, clean, and floral. I get a ton of hyacinth and honeysuckle, very fresh and green. It's kind of in the same fresh-floral vein as Guerlain Chant d'Aromes or Elizabeth Arden Splendor. I didn't discover BP till about 10 years ago because, at its time of release, I was a devoted chypre and floral aldehydes lover and pooh-poohed more aquatic scents. In fact, I've never smelled it in the original round, blue/iridescent bottle! I'm sad to find that it's been fully discontinued; there seem to be no bottles even of this reissued jus on the market (I actually got mine at Ross, I think, about 5-7 years ago). I will enjoy it fully on these beautiful summer days.

To me this is all about the honeysuckle and jasmine. I love both of those so this has always been a love for me. I liked the original, but the recent formulation wowed me even more! I love tropical perfumes that are drenched in gardenia and coconut notes, but this one does indeed capture the essence of “paradise” without smelling like a bottle of tanning lotion. Think of this as the fragrance of vacationing in the south of France instead of spring break partying in Florida.

I had this perfume in the original bottle (as shown in the "reminds me of" - that's because it's still that fragrance but in new packaging). Cool, warm, tropical, lush, absolutely fantastic. It lasts and lasts and easily transports you away. A holiday in a bottle! Cannot stand this new shape, cheapy bottle, it's almost an insult. The original, pear-shaped, tropical coloured bottle reflected the contents perfectly.