Impalisa

If you could let the smell of first love linger on your skin, would you? Impalisa moves you beyond a scent, to a place in time that could never be truly replicated. Your black, silk dress clings in all the right places; your fuzzy cardigan dips slightly off one shoulder. Your footsteps casually fall in sync with his as you walk past the kitschy gift shops downtown. The mood and conversation are as light and bubbly as the drinks that were just shared. The soft rays of the setting sun shine warm and golden across your skin, clashing with the beginning nip of fall air. You begin to approach another novelty shop, spotting flower boxes filled with an array of pink and red roses. You stop and take in the layers of fragrance radiating from the blooms. The initial scent of the soft, velveteen petals fills the air around you. The first note comes across as ripe red fruit, juicy and ready to be picked. You can almost taste thick, sugary jam on the tip of your tongue. Next comes a gentle, almost whisper of rose-scented dusting powder. Your mind briefly flashes to the cardboard box and oversized, white pouf sitting on your grandma's dresser, the cloud that was conjured as she graced her skin with the scent. Almost instinctively, your fingers skim the soft, wooden mulch, which is slightly cooler than anticipated. Its musky, natural woodiness refuses to be ignored, but is content to play a supporting role in this production. A slight sweetness lingers, like your last sip of Moscato before leaving the bar, still at the back of your throat now. You break from your fixation on the roses to look at him, only to find that he is already looking at you. Your eyes hold contact and that's when you see it-he loves you. He won't say it tonight, and you won't push him for it, the palpable silence is enough.

Ok! OK! This reminds me of an incensey perfume that I have called Sheik by Lataffa (I put it in the "this reminds me of" above) - but, only if Sheik was richer and had rose. It's not blind buy safe. I LOVE Sheik and have a back up bottle of it. I wear Sheik in the fall/winter. Impalisa is like the spring/summer sister of Sheik. Orrrr, it's like Delina's older, more mature sister. I love this one!!! If you don't like rose or incense (mainly sandalwood), don't buy it. I smell no grapefruit or fruit of any kind. I'm picking up only rose and sandalwood. Yummmm! ***This does NOT smell anything like guidance to me. I love Guidance. This isn't it. I'm gonna make this bottle evaporate, quickly!!! Triple traders $34 with tax $41.12

I got a sample of Impadia and fell in love with the smell but hated the price tag. I saw this version and got a sample and thought it was pretty close- Impadia is a lot more smoother and “creamier” imo, having a touch darker more velvet dry down. This is close enough to scratch the itch though! Still a pretty scent. That being said, I searched everywhere for it and was always sold out. Finally found it! Average price around $35-45 which is higher than I usually spend on my ME fragrances but paid it. It’s sweet, spicy and even though it doesn’t list it, has this incense/tea type quality to it. Addicting if you like that profile. Will be a strong rotation in the fall and winter

It opens with a very prominent, bright, and well‐defined rose. And I (someone who usually doesn’t get along with rose in perfumes) was surprised by how pleasant it feels here. As it settles on the skin, the rose softens and blends beautifully with the citrus accents and sandalwood, and in the dry‐down it develops a gentle sweetness that makes it round and elegant. The longevity is very good, and its evolution is smooth and enjoyable. A feminine, balanced fragrance that manages to turn rose into an interesting note, even for those who don’t normally prefer it.

All the other dupe offerings from this brand have been misses for me, and while Impalisa is not spot on for Impadia, it’s damn close and it’s beautiful. A citrusy, musky rose scent that isn’t overly floral or sugary sweet. A well balanced blend here. I live where it’s currently VERY hot and I can wear it in the heat; it speaks loudly but it doesn’t become cloying or overbearing. It does get better as it sits. I’m obsessed and will most certainly purchase another bottle when I run out.