Vanahé

Well, this is a lovely surprise. I spotted this on eBay and won the auction, paying the princely sum of £2.89 for a new 100ml bottle. It's worth every penny of that - AND a lot more. I didn't really know what to expect, having read the few reviews I could find, but I thought that - for the price - I could use it as a room or linen spray, if I couldn't wear it. Vanahe is not a tooth-achingly sweet vanilla; the addition of lavender, citrus and iris make it quite refreshing and non-cloying. It's not particularly powdery, nor can I smell the "water notes" (I never can!). I haven't smelled Mon Guerlain, which has several notes in common with Vanahe, so I'm wondering if there are similarities; I'll try and get a sample of MG to check. This is a vanilla which is suitable for wear all year round; it's cold here at the moment, but I suspect Vanahe will work well during our muggy summers, too. Definitely recommended. ETA: I found a decanted sample of Mon Guerlain this evening, whilst rummaging around searching for something else (which - naturally - I couldn't find). I've sprayed MG in the crook of my right elbow and Vanahe in the crook of my left. Whilst there are some similarities, MG has greater sillage, is richer and lavender is more conspicuous. Although it's also more "obvious", forced to make a choice between the two, I'd select Mon Guerlain.

Vanille Vanahe to me smells very different to how I would have expected it to smell from the notes listed on here! I was expecting it to smell mainly vanilla'ish with a hint of fruitiness but in fact it smells much deeper to me, less fruity, less vanilla'ish, and to me it also smells slightly spicy and a little bit like incense, which I totally wasn't expecting! It actually smells more sophisticated and 'grown-up' than I thought it would. A male friend of mine really likes it on me and thinks it smells fruity and very 'me' (whatever that is!!) but at the moment I'm not sure it is my kind of perfume, although I do like it. Maybe it will grow on me but if not then I have a bottle of it available for swap if anyone's interested!!

I have this up for swap & I realized I've never reviewed it so here I go! :) Vanahe is no sugary sweet coconut laced tanning lotion scent. It is refined beachy in the way that Bond No.9 Fire Island and Lolita Lempicka Coral Flower are. No noticeable sweetness to speak of but not bitter or harsh, it's a gentle floral, fruity, beachy scent all rolled into one. Black currant & lilly are strongest in the opening for me with a sea salty / sandy beach touch following closely at it's heals and lingering throughout. Wild strawberry and vanilla are barely in the background. I would wear it except I admit I like the sweet coconut laced tropical scents better. It would be lovely for anyone who's style it matches.

Correct notes are top: lily, orchid, bergamot, blackcurrant, wild strawberry. heart: grapefruit, lemon, orange, marine notes. base: vanilla.

Vanahe La Maison de la Vanille opens with a strong burst of what seems like vanilla, but gradually calms with the helpful hint of citrus mixed with flowery notes. Once you let the aroma of vanilla fade into the background along with the citrus, this actually becomes a more tolerable fragrance as the lavender and iris balances everything out. With all that said, be gentle with the spray and this can become a very light and airy casual occasion summer scent. Longevity and projection can be anything from moderate to long lasting on me, which is a good thing if I’m honest in the summer months, especially when the vanilla fades into a skin scent and the lavender and Iris take centre stage. Nice fragrance overall and I would recommend this fragrance to anyone who likes vanilla and flowery aromas infused together.