Hot Couture Eau de Toilette

I am so positively undecided on this perfume, Perfumites! I LOVE the raspberry, and had my interest piqued when I read this perfume smells like smoky raspberries. I mean - where do I sign?! Smelling it now I'd say it's closer to smoke-and-raspberries rather than smoky raspberries. You feel me? Brilliant. I feel like the raspberry note is the more oh-so sexy, not the smoke/spice scent. The fruity note is juicy and slightly sweet. The smokiness does give off the impression that I've been hanging around someone smoking cigarettes (not me myself - how dare you?!)... which I'm not sure I love - BUT it's not so bad like a stale ashtray. This doesn't strike me as a "Bad Girl Scent" (bare with me on the generalisations for a moment), but actually more of a "Good Girl With A Secret" vibe. Yep, poetry. I honestly would love more of some of the other notes like strawberry, magnolia, and rose (Rose and raspberry is the sexiest combination; a la 'Tresor Midnight Rose' - fight me). Here's the thing, though: Despite not wanting to smell slightly of cigarette smoke and wanting more of some other notes... there IS something intriguing about this fragrance. I won't say it's alluring. There's no immediate sexy, I *want* you vibe for me. I'm intrigued - I want to smell you, and...probably keep smelling you, but I can't really explain why. Just accept my creepiness and move on. The sillage on me is a bit disappointing. I want this to be SO much stronger. I have to bring my wrist right up to my nose to smell it. I suspect it might be better on clothes. The longevity is okay-ish; it decidedly stays on that wrist for 3-4 hours. Granted - NOTHING else smells like this. You want a unique signature scent? Wear this. *** Kitty rating: -/10 (Undecided at this time!).

I recently blind-bought this fragrance based on reviews here on Fragrantica and youtube and I was very excited to receive it. You guys are absolutely right, there is something very special about this scent. This is very different from anything else in my collection, and I do like it! I won't say that I love it.. yet, as I believe this is a fragrance I would have to get used to (if you know what I mean?), but I think it will grow on me for me to like it even more. On me I definately get what you mean by "strawberry flavoured milk" because that's how it dries down on me anyway, but there is also something else that I can't describe - but it's not a bad thing. It's more, interesting. At first I thought that this smelled like chupa chups (lollipops), but then strawberry milk was a more suitable description as I can sense some cream in there too. But definately raspberries, or more like raspberry liqueur on me. Very strange, but good strange. I feel very special when I'm wearing this, in a positive way. I had it on one night I was going out and I was just waiting for those compliments that you guys are writing about, but it has yet to come (I've only had it for a week, so I guess it'll get me there). I asked a male friend to smell me when wearing this and he said that it was one of the best perfumes he had smelled, so hopefully he meant that. I'm looking forward to wearing this more and see if I can grow to love it as much as my signature scents. Thanks for the tip guys! Edit: I'm enjoying the HC much more when layered with the HC Eau de Parfum. I'm starting to love it, I must say.

This review is for the EDT. First smelled this perfume 8 years ago on a woman who entered the shop I was working at.. as soon as she got in, the space filled with an absolutely mesmerizing scent - sweet but fresh at the same time. I asked her what it was, and it was Hot Couture. Fast forward to now, I tried this on my skin while browsing at the pharmacy today with my boyfriend, and asked him what he thought. He said it was one of his favourite perfume he ever smelled on me, and seemed to try and lean in and get a sniff of it for the rest of the day. I decided to buy it - and so glad I did. At first this perfume smells like fresh, sugared raspberries with a hint of smoke. It’s sweet but the raspberries are fresh-smelling and the smoke makes it grown-up (in comparison to other sugar-like perfumes). With time, the smoke makes a greater presence, and it settles into a sultry skin scent. Longevity appears to be very good for an EDT as well. I feel like perfume is best worn for special occasions or nights out, since it’s such a head-turner. Likely best for cooler temperature too (fall to spring) since it’s so sweet. For the record, don’t know any other perfumes that smell quite like this. Definitely worth a shot trying - even if you don’t normally like sweet scents (like myself). Edit: This perfume doesn't seem to last more than a couple hours on my skin or clothes.. so disappointing. The scent is so enticing though, still glad I have it in my collection. Might try to see if it lasts longer in the warmer weather of spring/summer.

I can't believe I memory-holed this one for so long. The first time I caught a whiff of Hot Couture (EDT) was on one of the popular girls in high school... she sprayed it on right in front of me in the hallway and it was intoxicating. We're talking back in 2004. She was the kind of girl who dated the football player, but also stole cigarettes from her mom (but her mom didn't care because mom was cool, too). Preppy, but simultaneously party-girl. Seems plenty others get this exact vibe from this perfume! It's so fitting - it's made almost exclusively for that kind of girl. I'm not that, but I have a travel spray and my god, I love it. I'll scout a full bottle when I'm done with it. People will follow your trail when you wear this, guaranteed. The vetiver (which I usually dislike) is so smoky/ashy and gives Hot Couture exactly what it needs - that little bit of "raunch factor", a touch of a cigarette that was just put out. It keeps the raspberry cotton candy vibe from being juvenile, instead making it borderline sexy and mature. The citruses are amazing in this, too, keeping it lively. Seriously, after remembering this one, I don't know why I ever bothered lusting after RL's Beyond Romance or Angel Nova for a raspberry note. Hot Couture is the only raspberry perfume I want. Givenchy repackaged this into a new bottle and I'm worried it won't smell like what it used to. If you want its magic, my personal opinion is getting an old bottle (tall, skinny rectangular) of the EDT is worth it.

Nothing else compares! I have reviewed hot couture in the past but I feel the need to leave an updated review. I tried this fragrance for the first time maybe 4 years ago based off a YouTube review by rositaapplebum. I fell in love with it instantly but didn’t wear it often because I never could find the right occasion and it just didn’t feel right. Recently (4 years later and I’m now almost in my 30’s) I decided to revisit my 2/3 empty bottle and see how I felt about it. Let me tell you it’s is every bit of 100% perfect for me now. This suits a more mature me. I am a mother now and much different from who I was 4 years ago and now this fragrance just screams “signature scent” for me. The best way I can describe the scent is a sizzling hot berry compote with fresh cracked black pepper sprinkled on top. Hot couture really is hot. That’s a weird thing to say but it really does have this strange warming effect. The thing I love the most is that the dry down is nice. A bad dry down can ruin an entire fragrance but not this one. It’s perfect. It sweetens your skin and almost becomes your natural skin scent but better. It really is intoxicating. My husband has always loved this on me more than anything else and my daughter always snuggles just a bit closer when I wear this Hot couture will likely always be my favorite from this point forward because it suits me like no other. I feel powerful, sexy and unique when wearing this and I wouldn’t change a single thing about it.