Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent

This beauty came as a big surprise. I bought it blindly with hopes it would smell more refined than the newer ones, which I don't care for. BGEFS '08, who knew everything I wanted in a sunscreen scent would come in this inconspicuous bottle!? It's summertime perfection! I purchased my bottle sealed and it aged wonderfully. The citrus top notes are less crisp than they probably used to be, but I'm not bothered because I can layer a citrus on top if I want, and it gets to the heart notes quicker. This fragrance isn't just simple florals and coconut. Lavender, vetiver and myrrh gives it complexity and sexiness. It gets sweeter in the drydown from the mix of vanilla, amber & myrrh. Such unique play on notes for a suntan oil type scent. I kind of can't believe it's an Estee Lauder frag. It's just so well-blended and smells like quality to me. With a name like "Skinscent" I was prepared for something barely there, like what we now call a "weak performer." I actually don't believe that was the intention with the name. It has perfectly comfortable projection and is intensely long lasting! I think it's called Skinscent because it literally smells like hot skin slathered in sun cream on a beach. Genius. So happy to have this gem. I am smitten. Side note : I've compared side by side with Guerlain Terracotta several times and while yes, they have the same profile and are basically interchangeable for the purposes of smelling like/wearing at the beach, there are notable differences between them. Guerlain is decidedly more floral, less coconut and brighter. Projects more, fades faster. Eau Fraiche '08 is richer, creamier with the faintest wink of vintage flair (Came out 13 years ago, after all). And doesn't change as dramatically from heart to total drydown. I love them both for different moods and can't choose favorites. Next I'll try layering them. THAT I bet will be amazing 😍

This is Tropical Summer Heaven in a bottle. Bronze Goddess is an awesome fragrance. This is a beautiful blend of coconut and white florals (as those are the dominant notes in this fragrance). There's also a creamy quality to this fragrance, for which I give credit to the vanilla and amber notes, but it's never sugary or heavy. The citrus notes keep this fragrance lighter and fresher than you'd expect as well. If you are a fan of coconut, but want a more mature take on it, then I enthusiastically recommend Bronze Goddess. While it smells tropical, beachy, and nutty, it stays grounded, classy, and mature. If you're looking for a tropical scent that smells like a piña colada, then this may disappoint you. The coconut in Bronze Goddess smells nutty, woody, and smooth; not sweet or candy-like. Lots of people say this smells like a very luxurious suntan lotion, and I'd have to agree with them. This is definitely a "skin scent," meaning that the fragrance smells effortlessly pretty and natural (in my opinion). In my experience, the scent doesn't have the strongest sillage, but I think that's a good thing. This is one of those fragrances that people notice when they are within a closer distance to you, which is perfect in my opinion. I also find Bronze Goddess to be an excellent mixing perfume. I've tried several fragrance combinations with Bronze Goddess, and most of them have turned out amazingly well. For instance, if you want the perfume to be sweeter, then you can easily incorporate a sweet vanilla-based fragrance with this, and it'll work amazingly well. It also goes well with fruity scents!

I bought this when I lived in Sydney, Australia for a year, when I was 21, wild, and lived out of a suitcase. A lady at the Bondi Junction Westfield mall recommended it to me, saying it smelled of coconut. Yes, it does. It's a gorgeous, beachy, the scent of sun drenched days, dewy skin, cocktails, flowy linen. This is a versatile scent - perfect for casual wear for stroll to the Botanical Gardens by the Opera House or for a flat white at one of the leafy cafes on Oxford Street or in my old stomping grounds, Potts Point, also perfect for a beach day or a cocktail at an outdoor lounge in flickering candlelight. It smells rich and sophisticated and sensual and gorgeous. I happily used up my original bottle and repurchased the 2015 Eau Fraiche version (which is about two thirds gone and I am now guarding with my life), so I can't really remember how they compare. Simply the most beautiful beach scent!

I buy the Bronze Goddess almost every year. This 2008 version was one of the freshest, best ones. I first bought it to replace the discontinued and much loved Azurée Soleil. Well, they were indeed very similar but not the ecact same. Azurée soleil was a tiny bit more refined, and had orange blossom, BG does not have. It's a coconut/tiaré based fresh water....you can splash/sprtitz abundantly, it will never be too cloying or loud. Well, you must like Pina Colada, as you will smell that for a while. Bronze Goddess is a lovely summer scent, perfect for the beach of for evoking vacation time and beaches when you miss them (!!). Very good staying power, for an Eau Fraiche (Edt comparable). The newer editions of Bronze Goddess are similar but they change a couple of notes every year. I find them sweeter and a tad more cloying year after year.

I finally found a perfume that smells like coconut suntan lotion. If that's a smell you don't like, I can only advise you not to buy this perfume. It goes without saying that this is a summer scent. I just love it and I can't wait for summer to arrive. Update: After testing this perfume again I can tell that it smells like real fresh coconut - not the least synthetic. I also get lemon which makes it a very fresh scent. The lasting power is very good. I recommend it as a comfy scent as well. So delicious! Update summer 2012: I'm writing this update just to tell you what happens when the fragrance is 3 years old. The scent has changed. It is less suntan lotion like and the coconut note is not so prominent. In fact it's beginning to remind me a lot of Candy from Prada. In 3 words: EXOTIC - COCONUT - COMFY