Fenty

Fenty Fenty sounds like an adventure! I feel only more attracted by all the polarizing reviews and want to bath myself in it as soon as it arrives in the mail. Somehow I imagine it to have a similar vibe like Gucci EDT and EDP (the discontinued brown bottles) plus a prominent rose, a fruitchouli with a rosy backbone and in this case a jackpot for me. I hope that it feels exotic and not trashy, because I am seriously afraid that it may smell like Rep. Crockett (lol), instead of, let‘s say, Lucy Liu and that could savage my experience! If I am lucky, Fenty is not too sweet and rather nectary than saccharine, but let the test wearing do its magic - no risk, no fun, so blind buying it is! Update: Arrived in the mail, first impression after 3 sprays on each wrist was an instant like! 12 hours into it still has strong presence, an absolute banger. On Parfumo I see more notes listed (hyacinth, incense, vanilla, coconut), which I could all smell except maybe the hyacinth, whereas there was a mild smoky and vanillic vibe going on all along. Very very fruity to my nose so far, the intensity of tangerine and blueberry is rather synthetic than natural and feels borderline suffocating at this point, hence I have high hopes for the florals to peak through following some maceration. I like the interplay of all its nuances from soapy-fruity to floral-spicy-musky, yet I understand why its a challenging fragrance for many, as its very dynamic and dense at once. It sparks the vibe of a modern day Gucci 'Rush'. Although difficult to wear for me, I feel attracted. It’s synthetic nectar - in bizarre, Bladerunner 2049 aesthetics.

Fragrance is of course subjective, so I understand that opinions will vary. But I'm still so surprised by how maligned this fragrance is! On me, it's dewy, fresh, gentle florals and fruit for HOURS. It's not even a scent profile I ever lean toward, but I'm a fan of both Rihanna's work ethos and her music/acting, so trying it was a must. Upon first spray on skin, Fenty "feels" and smells like walking in to a locally loved mom and pop flower shop on a cool spring day right after the rain has fallen. The sun is peeking out now. The windows are still wet with water droplets. As you open the door, the "mom" of the mom and pop shop is taking a break to bite into some blueberries and citrus fruits. The "pop" is arranging fragrant blooms for a spring bouquet. All of these things transpire at once to hit your nose and it's fresh and new and so beautifully fragrant. I receive wide-eyed and shocked compliments with just 2-3 sprays, for hours. On my skin, the purported patchouli note does not come through. There's some gentle, pleasant, fresh musk at the very end of the drydown, 5-6 hours later. Sillage and projection are moderate on me but it may be because I don't spray much. Guessing this would be an absolute beast mode fragrance across all metrics with more sprays. Skin chemistry and personal preference are such very real things. Try this on your warm skin if it doesn't suit you on a fragrance strip. It just might surprise you. I'm hooked and have a backup bottle. And again, this is not even my preferred scent profile!

When I purchased the fragrance, I opted for the travel set. Something about the aesthetic, how the fragrance was described, and the fact that it's unisex drew me to it. I first sprayed this on a cool night, indoors. It was heavy and sweet on the rose. I could not get any other note. However, throughout the night while I was outside, I kept getting a trail of the rose, but a little bit more mixed in with the patchouli and musk. It was incredibly captivating in the cold air. It has a level of warmth that isn't invasive to the olfactory system. I've never gotten a headache while wearing it. Dare I say that it also leaves a pleasant aftertaste? I've worn it for a few months now, and I always get "You smell great!" "You smell good." "I love that! What are you wearing?" compliments. Eyes widen with pleasant surprise when I say Fenty. It lasts a long time and radiates especially in the cold. In warmer weather, it's more of a skin scent, which is interesting. (Science!) I think you can wear this fragrance any time of day or season. The way it sits on the skin is elegant with an alluring quality. Fenty EDP is definitely a "come and get me" and "come and find me" fragrance. I like to imagine people floating, fluttering their feet like a cartoon as they follow their nose to find you. Fenty EDP feels like it has the potential to become a timeless fragrance. I do not regret buying it... twice as of this review. I carry it with me everywhere like a totem as a reminder of how beautiful the world can be.

I don’t know why Fragrantica doesn’t list all the notes, the ones missing are: vanilla, hyacinth, incense, bergamot, coconut. Also this fragrance was originally made for the Fenty luxury brand, not Fenty Beauty, hence the price point. After seeing the lukewarm reviews online I was actually preparing myself for a disappointment - but I was pleasantly surprised! This is a very pleasant, refined citrus-floral-musk suitable for daytime all year round. I get warmth and sweetness from the vanilla and coconut, but it is very faint until the drydown. It is not a strong fragrance, but the ones who come close enough to smell it will enjoy it. This smells clean and sophisticated, crisp and warm at the same time. The notes I pick up the most are bergamot, rose, magnolia and musk. An easy grab you can wear anywhere without offending anyone. My only complaint is the plastic cap which feels very out of place and that I hope Fenty will ship worldwide in the future, as it is a hassle to use a forwarding company to get it shipped to where I live. For those of you who are familiar with the musk and citrus Jacques Cavallier has created for Louis Vuitton, you will recognize these notes also in Fenty Parfum (at a better price point). Also has absolutely nothing to do with Love Don’t Be Shy.

This is a new obsession of mine. I can't believe this is only rated a 3.71. I'm thinking that lower rating may have more to do with the celebrity behind this perfume than the actual perfume itself. I think that sometimes happens with celebrity scents. I'm ambivalent toward Rihanna and her music but this perfume is exceptional. It's a patchouli heavy spicy blood red rose with a burst of juicy and very bright tangerine that remains through the wear. I'm reminded of Guerlain La Petit Robe Noire Intense (2016 older version in the blue bottle) but that one is more Mugler Angel EDP-esque with that sugary blueberry cotton candy and dirty patchouli and while there is a rose note, it's not dominant at all. Fenty does not lean gourmand at all and the rose is dominant, front and center. Fenty uses a cleaner patchouli, like how Chanel does patchouli. This is so darn sexy. It's hella strong too but it's not overpowering or overwhelming, even in the heat of the summer. I'm in love with this!! This also reminds me a lot of Coco Mademoiselle Intense and Coco Noir. I think that anybody who loves either CMI, Coco Noir or LPRNI would love this too. Basically, if you love rose patchouli scents, I can almost guarantee this to be a safe and amazing blind buy. Gorgeous!!