John Varvatos

One of the best women's fragrances I've ever smelled...Rodrigo Flores-Roux is an absolute pefume wizard and I cannot say enough about his genius. Upon first smelling this I knew there had to be more than just the listed notes in here...and I was right. Thank you to GlitterAlex! Most RFR creations are made of three very distinct levels with major notes in them but he has the gift of bringing subtlety and complexity to each one of his "children"... So often in perfumery there are a myriad of women's scents and only one or two for men; JV has turned this around and given us many fine mens scents and one superlative feminine. Regardless of whether this is a floral or fruity chypre it is absolutely heavenly... It begins with a juicy fruity beginning of not too much citrus and luscious dark plums and vibrant apricots, the grappa note gives a slight booziness to it that is warm and fumey. Here too, the florals and ever so gentle spices peek out. As the heart chord begins the flowers join in what I can only call a dance as they disappear and reappear. The mango blossom echoes the juicy beginning in a very floral way and the rose, lily and jasmine burst forth in a subdued but rich explosion. I sense lighter early spring florals here too and they soften the otherwise stong bouquet. The rose in this is strong and oriental with an almost liquid prescence. The drydown here is for me the best part, the smooth sweetness of honey, the warmth of the tonka bean, the light teasing patchouli. The chypre nature of this is evident by the powdery mossy drydown accented with spicy woody ambrette and the mysterious richness of styrax. This is the nectar of the gods to me and I know many of you find it too sweet, or too weak but to me it is that perfect place where you feel safe, loved and comfortable... Sillage: very good Longevity: good Overall: 5/5 Nirvana! When testing this I sprayed a test strip and after the initial impression laid it on the table (not realising I had laid it on thermal paper) and it actually darkened the paper with its fumes! This juice is a magical elixir that somehow heals my soul and reminds me of a place I may have never been but am aching to go to. If I could have I would have given it 6 out of 5 but that is a rating reserved solely for Chanel No 5...

My sample of John Varvatos came in and I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this! I think this could become one of my signature scents. I say "one" because there are two other scents that are completely different from each other...but I just can't seem to decide which scent is more me. I'm willing to bet, however, that my husband will probably like this one the best. It starts off fruity...but not juicy or fresh like those apple or citrus fragrances. This is a crisp sweet fruit that doesn't necessarily make my mouth water...but it definitely makes me want to say "Ooohs and ahhhs". It's not a sickeningly sweet fragrance, which is perfect because those frangrances tend to get sweeter on me. This is just right. The fruits don't overwhelm (unlike the strawberries in Miss Dior Cherie. Don't get me wrong. I like Miss Dior Cherie....but only when I want to smell like a big juicy strawberry with a light caramel drizzle). The fruits, IMO, hold the fragrance together. They make it well-rounded and give it that full-bodied yumminess that GOOD wines are known for. The florals work TOWARDS the good of this perfume. What I mean is that they, also, don't overpower you. Usually, I can't wear fragrances with jasmine....but if I didn't know what the notes were, I wouldn't have realized that there was jasmine in here. And that's how I like it. I like my florals to blend together nicely...not stand out individually. (But that's just me!) After the rich fruity opening, I get a wonderful floral scent that becomes powdery (but not dusty) and beautiful. The fruits remain ever so quietly in the background--keeping the florals from becoming too potent. And the base notes....well, what can I say? The notes combined create a lucious, romantic, and sensual fragrance with just enough fleshy fruit & delectable sweetness to make you crave more.

I tested it first at Marshalls a few months ago but never bought it. First of all, I wasn't convinced that it wasn't just another pleasant boredom in a bottle (which I already have enough of), and also, I am not a fan of buying small bottles. Later, I was ordering quite a few perfumes from one seller and threw a large bottle of this in the order becasue it was a great deal. To all perfumistas: I can't emphasize anough how testing a perfume on your hand with one spray and putting it on to get the overall feel and effect in most cases can be so different that after buying it you can be left pleasantly surprised or deeply disappointed. In the case of John Varvatos I was extremely pleased and I wore it a couple of times before writing the review to make sure it wasn't just initial elation of the new scent.This scent turned out so beautiful and elegant on me. It has this quality that I love the most about perfumes: when it can be quite intense and noticeable but at the same time transparent and not dense without being overwhelming and oppressive. I am getting the fruits, the honey, and the floral bouquet...but despite its sweetness it can be easily worn in summer without suffocating yourself and friends and family. It easily lasts for five hours, which you shouldn't be complaining about considering tha fact that A LOT of fragrances on today's market barely make it past 2 hour mark. And its sillage will also make your presence known. Great job, John Varvatos!

My bottle of John Varvatos FINALLY arrived today! Imagine my excitement as I tore through the box and "tried" to carefully unwrap the bottle from the sea of bubble wrap. Ahhh...succulent and sensual. Is it just me, or do I smell more florals this time around? When I first tried it (and with the samples) I smelled a slight hint of berries and definitely the sweet plum...but it's only faintly there this time. The fruits seem timid...but the flowers & oakmoss are far from that. They seem to be taking the spotlight today. This fragrance is still beautiful to me...but I do hope my loving plum, apricot, and orange decide to submerge from wherever they are hiding. Today would have been a good day for them to make their presence known. Don't worry JV...I still find you utterly intoxicating! =) UPDATE: I learned that when spritzed on dry skin in the morning, the mossy note creates an almost dry-your-throat kind of aroma that is still nice.....BUT....when this fragrance is mixed with my sweat (I know, gross right), I most definitely recognize the sweet plum and sensual beauty that I loved about this fragrance to begin with. I guess it just needed some body chemistry to recognize me. =P It's still in my top 3!

I read the reviews, wasn't too sure what I thought about them, but loved the ingredients listed, so I purchased it. I love it actually! It does not remind me of any of the other perfumes mentioned here. I find it rather unique unto itself. I love perfumes and I am always wanting to try new scents and add new scents to my wardrobe. There is something very warm and pleasing about this scent. It reminds me of Christmas and all the lovely smells associated with the Holiday. It may be the mandarin note but there is a spicy aroma that envelopes me, and just feels wonderful. I am the kind of person that always thinks fragrances should last way longer than they do. This one last about 3 to 4 hours before I wanted to respray it for that comforting aroma again. ;-) That is not too bad considering the price is affordable. I adore lovely decanters and this one is very different is the word I choose. It is pretty and easy to handle. I love the cute little velvet bag the fragrance is in. This perfume would make a beautiful gift for the right lady, if for no other reason than the way it is presented in it's adorable pink velvet bag that can be reused for precious items. A good investment for a beautiful scent.